Steamboat Powder: The best in the world!
It’s official: Steamboat is still getting fresh powder as good as we ever did!
Steamboat Springs - a.k.a. Ski Town, U.S.A., and Home of Champagne Powder® - had a record-setting day last week; 27 inches fell in 24 hours!
February 20, 2012, will be talked about for generations to come. The lucky individuals who experienced it will be telling their grandchildren by the fire, “The winter of 2012 was one to remember…we needed snorkels to ski through the deepest powder you’ve ever seen!”
Back to this week and it’s snowing again, and even more legendary days look possible. Even more reason to add skiing in Steamboat to your “bucket list”.
For those who are newer to powder skiing in Steamboat, below are some tips to get you through - where to go, safety-musts, and some tips for newbies.
THE STEAMBOAT POWDER STASHES
If it’s a Steamboat powder day, these runs are a must:
Intermediate:
- Big Meadow (great for novice tree skiers - trees on the side with non-steep terrain)
- One O’Clock
- Two O’Click
- Tomahawk
Advanced:
- Closet & Shadows (these runs have made Steamboat tree/powder skiing famous!)
- Twister - a leg burner!
- Kuus’ Cruise (trees on the sides are heaven in the powder!)
Expert:
- No Name Gate
- North St. Pats
SAFETY TIPS:
- AVOID Tree wells
- Ski with a buddy!
- Carry a fully charged cellphone
- Take rest breaks. Fatigue will creep up on you much faster in powder.
ARE YOU A POWDER NEWBIE?
If you’re new to skiing in powder, here are some pointers to get you going:
Speed is your friend. The deeper the powder, the more momentum you’ll need to get through it, so keep your ski tips pointed down the hill! Avoid big, wide turns in the deep powder.
Even out your weight. Unlike on groomers, when you ski powder your weight should be more evenly distributed over each ski. This will decrease your likelihood of losing a ski from the unweighted foot.
Take it easy. Powder skiing will tire you much more quickly than groomers. Take breaks and call it a day when needed to avoid injury.
And lastly, no matter what - GET SOME VIDEO! Invest in a GoPro and share your powder euphoria with the rest of the world!
And there’s more on the way! Here’s the latest forecast:
Issued by The National Weather Service
More weather coming...
Grand Junction, CO
Wed, Feb 29, 2012, 6:48 AM MST
… WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 AM MST FRIDAY…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND JUNCTION HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 AM MST FRIDAY.
* TIMING… SNOW DEVELOPS THIS EVENING AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. THE SNOW WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES THURSDAY.
* SNOW ACCUMULATION… 5 TO 10 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS.
* WINDS… 15 TO 25 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH.
* VISIBILITY… DROPPING TO LESS THAN ONE MILE AT TIMES IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.
* IMPACTS… TRAVEL WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS DUE TO SNOW PACKED AND ICY ROADS. VISIBILITY WILL BE POOR AT TIMES DUE TO SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW AND/OR BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES… AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
