Colorado 2020-2021 Colorado Weather and Stoke (and beer)

[tball]

Any reports from A-basin?

The weather is looking mixed this weekend. Good or bad for skiing? The potential thunder is bad, for sure.

 

[BTaylor]

Any reports from A-basin?

I was up there Friday morning. Unfortunately, left the phone in the Jeep, so no pictures. In general, I was very pleased with conditions for what apparently will be the last 10 days of the season. A-Basin staff deserve kudos for the snow farming and grooming that is keeping the place open and enjoyable.

It had dipped below freezing overnight, so many of the upper mountain runs had a nice crust until about 9:30 am. Fun with the great edge hold offered by the Laser AX skis I brought for the day! My favorite runs of the day were West Wall, East and West Gullies, Humbug. Although the Lenawee Lift is the only lift running up top, I never had more than 8 people ahead of me when I arrived at the Lenawee bottom station throughout the morning. When I quit skiing and went in for a quick lunch at 11:30 at BML, the mountain conditions were still corn, definitely not slush.

High Noon has a narrowed choke point half way down. And below that choke point, there are some nubbins of rocks emerging from the snow surface on the last pitch to the base. Easy to avoid the rocks if you're on alert.

I don't think Lake Reveal is going to show this year before closing day on June 6. East Wall and the East Wall Traverse (Land of Giants) are closed for good it seems. So terrain is somewhat limited, though that was not a problem today with only moderate crowds. To my surprise, people were still arriving to ski when I left the Early Riser lot at 12:30 pm.

The parking lot was pretty lively, lots of informal tailgates and camp chairs out for sunning. A friendly group of 8 bros and 4 dogs that were parked next to me when I arrived shortly before 9:00 am were still gathered at their van when I left for the day---they had not made it up onto the mountain, yet, but seemed happy enough.

Hard to tell whether or not rain will spoil Sunday. Monday morning looks somewhat promising to me.

 

[tball]

Wow, thanks for the fantastic details @BTaylor! Much appreciated.

Looks like some crazy Memorial Day weather coming for A-basin:

Hourly Graphical Forecast for 39.63N 105.87W

forecast.weather.gov

Probably skiing Sunday for us, as we'll be at the pool with the rest of creation tomorrow. Talk about pent-up demand. Really sad so many kids missed an entire summer at the pool.

 

[Jim Kenney]

Guess where I brought my SkiTalk ballcap? Photo taken 28May2021.

 

[mikel]

Looks like some crazy Memorial Day weather coming for A-basin

Probably skiing Sunday for us, as we'll be at the pool with the rest of creation tomorrow. Talk about pent-up demand. Really sad so many kids missed an entire summer at the pool.

Not sure what is wrong with me this end of season. Still have 3 days on my A Basin pass. I’ve only skied like 3 hours in the past 2 weeks. May ski on Tue. Planned on hiking up to Janet’s one day this weekend but the weather forecast is sketchy starting this afternoon thru the weekend. Wanted to ski Mammoth. Pretty hard to do if you don’t bring your gear.

 

[nay]

I am still planning one final A-Basin day next week. First I have 40 miles of race tomorrow.

 

[skix]

Skied the morning at ABasin yesterday. Started out icy but softened up in an hour or so. The upper mountain from Humbug to the West Wall was still wide open. East Wall looking photogenic but closed for skiing.



Just west of Loveland Pass is a mega cornice hanging off the ridge.

 

[tball]

A-basin was great today for June 2nd. I was surprised. Given where we were on April 1st and May 1st, the current conditions are unbelievable. I think this is the slowest melt-off I can remember.

It got nice and firm underneath from those recent cold days, so it was never too sloppy. If you're going to go, I think the sooner, the better. With the forecast temps, it's going to get soft.

Of note in the bunch of pics below: Lake Reveal is nowhere to be seen, and there's minimal wet slab avalanche activity on the East Wall. Both a result of the slow melt, I'm guessing.

 

[skix]

A-basin was great today for June 2nd. I was surprised. Given where we were on April 1st and May 1st, the current conditions are unbelievable. I think this is the slowest melt-off I can remember.

It got nice and firm underneath from those recent cold days, so it was never too sloppy. If you're going to go, I think the sooner, the better. With the forecast temps, it's going to get soft.

Agree on all points. I finished up about 1230 and the flatter areas were starting to get slow. Below are a couple more photo angles from today.

View through the Beavers and Keystone with Breck in distance:



Looking towards top of Lenawee lift. Spotted mountain goats over there on Sunday and again today.

 

[tball]

Here's a quick tour of the bottom of A-basin yesterday.



The top has better coverage than the bottom, of course. Phone in hand, sorry it's shaky.

 

[Ken_R]

 

[Tricia]

I keep getting notices of lightning near A-Basin. How has that affected lift operations.

 

[BTaylor]

Got to A-Basin at 9 am this morning and got 2nd row in the Early Riser lot.

I previously thought they were closing prematurely with June 6 declared as the last day of the season. I now admit that's a good choice---available terrain is getting very limited.

This morning's photo from the Lenawee lift has the location marked for where Lake Reveal normally appears. It MIGHT hold a few gallons puddle today. The West Wall run in the distance is the best run available now on the upper mountain IMO. A-Basin groomers are doing a terrific job of manicuring and re-stocking Cornice Run and West Wall each evening from their snow farm. Ramrod slush bumps also holding up to the bitter end.



CJ Mueller was skiing here this morning and Al's Blogpost featured his annual appearance at the mountain for Colorado's almost-done ski season.

Old Friends

I know it is almost summer when I start seeing CJ Mueller (former speed skiing world record holder) at The Basin. It is hard to pry him out ...

arapahoebasin.blogspot.com

CJ rarely wears a helmet. Someone commented on The Basin FB that this about CJ's millionth day skiing.

 

[nay]

3 of us are headed in for closing day on Sunday. Looking to ski early, hang for lunch, and roll out. I need to get off the bike, so this is going to be sweet.

 

[ski otter 2]

Went to A Bay Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday so far. And will go for the smorgasbord on Sunday. One last push. Been great, lotsa time with old friends. Slalom skis rock. Snow has held up. Swell turns. Wish it would never stop.

Only four months until October.

 

[Tricia]

Those snow farmers at A-Basin have milked every flake of snow they can to sustain the season. Kudos to them.

 

[nay]

 

[nay]

 

[nay]

 

[nay]

Ikon season end. Really good turns today, nothing but slush and some Reveal skimming. We’re out, 20 minute lines now. As it should be. Oh and nice to meet @Jtlange
.