# Building Snowpack



## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Lots of happy colors here!
Hoping for Owyhee and Dolores this season, unfortunately my multi-day boating season generally doesn't start until May.



https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/west_swepctnormal_update.pdf












Plenty of short-term moisture on tap for the Mountain West









3-4 week forecast looking promising










3 Month not looking too disheartening, either.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

It's been threatening here in Salida for the past couple of days, but so far diddly squat. Plenty of high winds though..


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Loves me the greens and blues on the NRCS maps. Keeping fingers crossed. We've still got a long way to go until we'll know what boating will be like...


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## Bootboy (Aug 25, 2020)

We’ve really turned things around here in Utah as well. Went from 35% to 100% in the Wasatch in two weeks. Praise Ullr


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Bootboy said:


> We’ve really turned things around here in Utah as well. Went from 35% to 100% in the Wasatch in two weeks. Praise Ullr


All hail Ullr.. what's the swe ? What we have so far here is pretty low in the south. Not sure about the North..


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Bootboy said:


> We’ve really turned things around here in Utah as well. Went from 35% to 100% in the Wasatch in two weeks. Praise Ullr


tonight’s forecast


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## theusualsuspect (Apr 11, 2014)

Dolores 2022? We're going to need some animal sacrifices and voodoo stuff boys and girls. I'm happy to pitch in to help make that a reality!


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Wouldn't that be nice, but betting they would fill the reservoir they emptied before they let a drop out into the river...😔


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## Roseldo (Aug 27, 2020)

MNichols said:


> Wouldn't that be nice, but betting they would fill the reservoir they emptied before they let a drop out into the river...😔


How many irrigation shares do the boaters need to buy to do our own scheduled release?
I fantasize about that a lot.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

Roseldo said:


> How many irrigation shares do the boaters need to buy to do our own scheduled release?
> I fantasize about that a lot.


I don't think the shares are for sale...at least not to us lowly boater types. I think you'd have to come up with some SERIOUS cash. I fantasize about that too though. Come in to "Fuck You" money and make them an offer they can't pass up. See me grinning ear to ear watching the Alfalfa fields dry up.

I drove up to the mountains for some stuff today and impressed with how much snow there was compared to a few weeks ago. Vail only really had snow on the places they were blowing the man made stuff and now it seems to have full coverage and more on the way.

Super slow start....but we are basically back to average everywhere but the Arkansas and Rio Grande basins...

Statewide SWE









The rest of the graphs...a couple areas are above average right now...not where I would have guessed a week ago....






Colorado SNOTEL Watershed Time Series Snowpa…







www.nrcs.usda.gov


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## Roseldo (Aug 27, 2020)

Electric-Mayhem said:


> I don't think the shares are for sale...at least not to us lowly boater types. I think you'd have to come up with some SERIOUS cash. I fantasize about that too though. Come in to "Fuck You" money and make them an offer they can't pass up. See me grinning ear to ear watching the Alfalfa fields dry up.
> 
> I drove up to the mountains for some stuff today and impressed with how much snow there was compared to a few weeks ago. Vail only really had snow on the places they were blowing the man made stuff and now it seems to have full coverage and more on the way.
> 
> ...


They do sell them on the open market…the problem is that one share is only about 5gpm for the season and runs about $7000.

At one point I did a back of the envelope calculation, and came up with about $560mil. Maybe we could do $400mil if we bought in bulk?

So, I guess fuck you money is probably accurate.
Definitely squarely in the realm of fantasy.


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

Had some of the best skiing of my life this week here at little ole Mt Ashland. Went from nearly 60° the first week of Dec. to ~100” of snowfall by this week. Much of it has been the kinda snow typically only found in the intermountain west. Not great for SWE, but effin epic for skiing!
The next storm is supposed to be warm and wet. So long as it's white, and not liquid, I'll take it.

Happy New Year Buzzards!


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## DidNotWinLottery (Mar 6, 2018)

Roseldo said:


> They do sell them on the open market…the problem is that one share is only about 5gpm for the season and runs about $7000.
> 
> At one point I did a back of the envelope calculation, and came up with about $560mil. Maybe we could do $400mil if we bought in bulk?
> 
> ...


Sounds like we need to get Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, or maybe Bill Gates interested in rafting...Anyone have them in their rolodex?


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Just saw on the news, monarch is reporting 50 in, but those are monarch inches, equates to more like 25 real world inches, but not too much up in the headwaters area of the ark, and zero on the ground here in Salida


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

Powderhorn is getting hammered right now. Had amazing skiing today. Came back to the truck having a foot of fresh snow on it. If we keep this up I think it will be a good year.
On the Dolores..I’m down to do some sacrificing..


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Happy New Year !! Woke to about 1.5 inches on the ground here, Monarch reported they got 6 inches of snowfall, which boosted their "50 inch base" to now a 55 inch base.. Wish they were my bankers with the way they count, but none the less, winner for New Years is Wolf Creek









The forecast updated yesterday isn't looking as bad as it was for sure








Currently 13 degrees and flurries here. 

Nice way to start out the year..


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

2
The following Colorado snow totals have been reported by the National Weather Service for Dec. 31, 2021, as of 22:02 Friday:
Arapahoe Peak, CO — 6.2 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Arvada, CO — 4 inches at 7:15 p.m.
Berthoud Falls, CO — 2.5 inches at 4:37 p.m. 
Berthoud Pass, CO — 3.8 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Berthoud, CO — 6 inches at 7:05 p.m.
Blue River, CO — 3.8 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Boulder, CO — 7 inches at 7:12 p.m.
Brainard Lake, CO — 6.2 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Breckenridge, CO — 1 inch at 1:09 p.m.
Brookvale, CO — 12.1 inches at 7:27 p.m.
Broomfield, CO — 6 inches at 7:37 p.m.
Cameron Pass, CO — 11.3 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Camp Bird, CO — 1 inch at 8:48 a.m.
Cattle Creek, CO — 1.8 inches at 7 a.m.
Chama, CO — 1 inch at 4 p.m.
Cimmaron, CO — 31 inches at 4 p.m.
Coal Bank Pass, CO — 16 inches at 9 a.m.
Copper Mountain, CO — 3.7 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Crescent Village, CO — 11 inches at 6:42 p.m.
Denver, CO — 4.6 inches at 8:07 p.m.
Durango, CO — 1 inch at 7:03 a.m.
Echo Lake, CO — 2.5 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Edwards, CO — 1.5 inches at 6 a.m.
Estes Park, CO — 3 inches at 11:51 a.m.
Federal Heights, CO — 3 inches at 4:55 p.m.
Fort Collins, CO — 6.5 inches at 7:05 p.m.
Genesee, CO — 11.8 inches at 8:04 p.m.
Glendevey, CO — 8.8 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Glenwood Springs, CO — 5.2 inches at 7 a.m.
Gould, CO — 10 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Grand Lake, CO — 5 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Greeley, CO — 6.2 inches at 7:16 p.m.
Green Mountain Rese, CO — 15 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Gypsum, CO — 8 inches at 4:56 p.m.
Hayden, CO — 10 inches at 6:41 p.m.
Jamestown, CO — 9.4 inches at 7:06 p.m.
Leadville, CO — 3.4 inches at 11:23 a.m.
Longmont, CO — 5 inches at 6:09 p.m.
Longs Peak, CO — 7.5 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Louisville, CO — 8 inches at 7:05 p.m.
Loveland Pass, CO — 7.5 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Loveland, CO — 4 inches at 4:45 p.m.
Marshall, CO — 6 inches at 7:15 p.m.
Meeker Park, CO — 5 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Molas Pass, CO — 15 inches at 9 a.m.
Mount Audubon, CO — 10 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Mount Crested But, CO — 21 inches at 7 a.m.
Mount Zirkel, CO — 15 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Mt Audubon, CO — 10 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Nederland, CO — 7 inches at 7:05 p.m.
Northglenn, CO — 6.8 inches at 7:06 p.m.
Olathe, CO — 12 inches at 8 a.m.
Palisade, CO — 3.5 inches at 4:40 p.m.
Pingree Park, CO — 3.8 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Pleasant View, CO — 6 inches at 7:50 p.m.
Poudre Park, CO — 1 inch at 8:35 a.m.
Rabbit Ears Pass, CO — 6.2 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Rand, CO — 10 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Red Mountain Pass, CO — 5 inches at 8:59 a.m.
Severance, CO — 4 inches at 8 p.m.
Silverthorne, CO — 5 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Snowmass Village, CO — 5.3 inches at 6 a.m.
Spicer, CO — 8.8 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Telluride, CO — 3 inches at 2:36 p.m.
Tincup, CO — 5 inches at 10:23 a.m.
Vail, CO — 1.4 inches at 7 a.m.
Wah Keeney Park, CO — 7.5 inches at 5:57 p.m.
Ward, CO — 5 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Weston Pass, CO — 2.5 inches at 4:37 p.m.
Wolf Creek Pass, CO — 73 inches at 6:53 a.m.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Looks like Wolf Creek wins!


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Was looking at the snotel site, not a lot of swe in any of it though.. 
https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/report...Colorado&format=SNOTEL+Snowpack+Update+Report 
You can't even make a half ass snowball out of what fell here...


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

There isn't much water in it, but it sure does ski nice!! 😎


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Haven't seen the Collegiates for about a week now, finally broke this am. Not tons on Shavano but the kiddos have been skiing Monarch all week and the 4' report for the week seems legit. Only an inch down here in the Valley. Cold dry snow but I'll take it. Another week of 40's-50's ahead tho so it looks to be a short lived cycle.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Too bad there isn't much for raftable waters in the SLC area. Bodes well for Green river at least, and skiing has been unreal.
140" Snow, 13" SWE out my back door for the month. Multiple historic avalanches with patrol doing mitigation in the past week.

Not sure if this will embed, but a huge explosive-triggered avalanche at the ski area today. If you look closely, far lookers left, a patroller gets taken for a ride.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=453006816333825


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

tBatt said:


> Too bad there isn't much for raftable waters in the SLC area. Bodes well for Green river at least, and skiing has been unreal.
> 140" Snow, 13" SWE out my back door for the month. Multiple historic avalanches with patrol doing mitigation in the past week.
> 
> View attachment 72110
> ...


Nice, that'll help fill up flaming gorge this year!


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## Hanny (Aug 2, 2020)

We've had 9 straight days of snow in Crested Butte, well over 130 inches on Paradise divide, I've been shoveling it everyday like Groundhog Day. We are now at 155% in Gunnison Basin, more snow on Wednesday.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Hanny said:


> We've had 9 straight days of snow in Crested Butte, well over 130 inches on Paradise divide, I've been shoveling it everyday like Groundhog Day. We are now at 155% in Gunnison Basin, more snow on Wednesday.
> View attachment 72112
> 
> View attachment 72111


Now that's what I'm talking about, blue Mesa will be full by the end of the year with ❄❄❄ like that!


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

Who ever is doing the rain dance keep it up.


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## Bootboy (Aug 25, 2020)

Another bit of good news is that here in Utah, we had a VERY active monsoon and the 7th wettest October on record. Part of the problem regarding the runoff in 2021 was that the ground water and reservoirs were so depleted after 2 exceptionally dry summer. 

All over the west there were drainages that saw 90% normal SWE, but runoff figures in the 25th percentile due to the melting snow going straight into the parched ground.

There were smaller rivers all over that never even saw an appreciable bump in flows last spring. 

In the intermountain west, we started the 2022 water year with fully saturated ground. This basically guarantees a better runoff than last year even if the snow totals were to end up the same.

It’s looking like we have another week of wet weather ahead too. Some forecasts project even more water this week than our last cycle.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Predictions I'm seeing here from the water managers at UAWCD and SEWCD, 2 relatively local water conservancy districts, are that even if we do get a decent snowpack, with a high SWE, as much as 65% will infiltrate into the ground. 

Crested Butte is inundated with snow, and 40 miles as the crow flies east, our fourteeners are damn near bare. An hour to the southwest, Wolf Creek got 84 inches of snow, and 40 miles to the north, Summit County ski areas are reporting 3 to 6 inches.. 

Yes, I know about the weather patterns, but this seems to be off the charts strange.. It does make one wonder if the cloud seeding projects which are VERY active this year are affecting the snowfall this much? 

Thoughts ?


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Can't comment much on cloud seeding, other than they do it for the Wasatch Front (I believe the nuclei cannons are near the airport?) and it's increased our snowfall by ~7%.


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## Wallrat (Jan 19, 2021)

Bootboy said:


> We’ve really turned things around here in Utah as well. Went from 35% to 100% in the Wasatch in two weeks. Praise Ullr


Bozeman is pretty sucky still. Well…time to go mow the grass.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

tBatt said:


> Can't comment much on cloud seeding, other than they do it for the Wasatch Front (I believe the nuclei cannons are near the airport?) and it's increased our snowfall by ~7%.


But what about that 7% you got that didn't fall elsewhere, or is that not the case?


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## Wallrat (Jan 19, 2021)

Bozeman is so bad that PincheCharlie’s wife had him out planting Daffodils! WTF Charlie! Daffodils ain’t gangsta.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

MNichols said:


> But what about that 7% you got that didn't fall elsewhere, or is that not the case?


Unsure exactly how that works. I've heard it creates a downstream "rain shadow", but if it's not going to precipitate from orographic lift when it gets forced up 6,500' to 11,000', it likely also won't precipitate 100 miles east over the flatlands at 5,000'.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

tBatt said:


> Unsure exactly how that works. I've heard it creates a downstream "rain shadow", but if it's not going to precipitate from orographic lift when it gets forced up 6,500' to 11,000', it likely also won't precipitate 100 miles east over the flatlands at 5,000'.


Me either.. I have a friend that used to work out at the desert research institute, who ran their cloud seeding program until he retired. Perhaps an email to him with that precise question is in order..


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

MNichols said:


> Me either.. I have a friend that used to work out at the desert research institute, who ran their cloud seeding program until he retired. Perhaps an email to him with that precise question is in order..


That would be great to hear about Marshall. Please get back to us on what you learn.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Andy H. said:


> That would be great to hear about Marshall. Please get back to us on what you learn.


I just shot him an email, we'll see what he has to say..


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## Bootboy (Aug 25, 2020)

MNichols said:


> Predictions I'm seeing here from the water managers at UAWCD and SEWCD, 2 relatively local water conservancy districts, are that even if we do get a decent snowpack, with a high SWE, as much as 65% will infiltrate into the ground.
> 
> Crested Butte is inundated with snow, and 40 miles as the crow flies east, our fourteeners are damn near bare. An hour to the southwest, Wolf Creek got 84 inches of snow, and 40 miles to the north, Summit County ski areas are reporting 3 to 6 inches..
> 
> ...


The Christmas/New Years storm cycle was a fickle one for sure. Hit-and-miss was definitely the theme. I follow a Utah weather blog wasatchweatherweanies.com and he did a pretty good job explaining what happened.

Basically, there was a lot of moisture and a lot of cold air, but it never got organized. This is why it significantly underperformed its projections. 

That said, most of Utah did really well.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

A pretty dismal January around the Wasatch.
29" snow, 4.75" SWE for the month, with most of it around 1/5.
That puts us at an average of 16% density, way higher than our usual "greatest snow on earth" 
For the month of January, 33% of the 10 yr average for snowfall, 65% average for SWE
For the year, we're at 111% average Snowfall and 142% of average for SWE. 
Again, this is very specific to upper Little Cottonwood Canyon in the central Wasatch.
N facing terrain still holding steady, S facing dropping.
Wasatch Weather Weenies, the blog that bootboy referenced above calls Feb 10th the end of "Steinberg's Winter", meaning the sun gets high enough around here to start effecting the N facing terrain. We'll see what happens in a few weeks.

Owyhee starting to fall off the map. Salmon, Green, Upper C, and Dolores/San Juan still hanging on.

Next two weeks not looking great, either.

Fingers crossed for late February/March/April, but ENSO trending slightly negative, putting us in a La Nina pattern.

Last day to apply for permits tomorrow. Good luck, y'all.

Making Lemonade, corn skiing starting to go off here.










1 month temp/precip forecast



















3 month temp/precip forecast


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

After a few great storms the end of Dec-early Jan, we haven't seen but a few flakes here in the Siskiyou's, since. It's been sunny and near 50° many days frequently not dropping below freezing at night. The snowpack is dwindling pretty quickly on anything south facing, with nothing in the 10 day forecast. 

Someone needs to consider sacrificing a goat, or a virgin, if you can even find one of those anymore...


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## Roseldo (Aug 27, 2020)

BenSlaughter said:


> After a few great storms the end of Dec-early Jan, we haven't seen but a few flakes here in the Siskiyou's, since. It's been sunny and near 50° many days frequently not dropping below freezing at night. The snowpack is dwindling pretty quickly on anything south facing, with nothing in the 10 day forecast.
> 
> Someone needs to consider sacrificing a goat, or a virgin, if you can even find one of those anymore...


Virgin goats are a rare commodity around these parts.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

I thought goats died when they mated? 
At least the last one I fucked did.


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

tBatt said:


> I thought goats died when they mated?
> At least the last one I fucked did.


That would explain why we haven’t had any snow..


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

tBatt said:


> I thought goats died when they mated?
> At least the last one I fucked did.


Sounds like typical Ski Town stuff....slim pickens'....add in Utah and.... gitter up🤠


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

I don’t need a meteorologist, all I need is…


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Another bust of a month here in the Central Wasatch.
February totals:
25.5" Snow, 1.80" SWE.

January and February have both been the driest months since our records from 1980.
With that said, we're still at ~95% average for the water year at the Alta-Collins snow study plot.

Had some high school buddies fly into town for a heli skiing trip, but a nasty case of gout had him refunding his day in the bird. He took the money and got a stripper instead. Trying the sacrifice method here, but I have a feeling she's not a virgin.

At least Southern Colorado did pretty well this month. Good news for Cat and the San Juan, and fingers still crossed for Dolores.

Next week looks pretty active weather-wise for us. Fingers crossed for a Miracle March.
With that said, construction for a new chairlift starts 5/2022, so we'll probably get a 200" May.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

tBatt said:


> Another bust of a month here in the Central Wasatch.
> February totals:
> 25.5" Snow, 1.80" SWE.
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting that info. Bummer to see what UT's got for SWE right now, hopefully it'll pick up over the next couple of months. 

I'll gladly take an "average" forecast here in Colorado.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

I told the forecaster he's drinking a booty beer if we get 17-18"









Edit to add 0800 storm totals. It's gonna be a good day.









1500 update:


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Yikes. Colorado and Northern Montana looking alright. Rest of the Mountain West, well...


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

BenSlaughter said:


> Someone needs to consider sacrificing a goat, or a virgin, if you can even find one of those anymore...


I hear Westwatercuban has his own personal stash.. Goats that is LOL

Here, we're still way below normal, last I checked something in the 80% range. The Sangre's are pretty bare, in Salida one can see both the angel and the grinch on Shavano, doesn't usually come out till mid may. Icing mist this morning, little groppel on the ground from last night, nothing notable really... 

At least the upper basin totals aren't hideous, at least not yet..


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

MNichols said:


> I hear Westwatercuban has his own personal stash.. Goats that is LOL
> 
> Here, we're still way below normal, last I checked something in the 80% range. The Sangre's are pretty bare, in Salida one can see both the angel and the grinch on Shavano, doesn't usually come out till mid may. Icing mist this morning, little groppel on the ground from last night, nothing notable really...
> 
> At least the upper basin totals aren't hideous, at least not yet..


Well I did have goats but a certain someone that I penciled in for the last meet didn’t BYOG..so I had to share. Starting to think that individual is cursed..


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

Our local ski hill- Mt Ashland shut down last week due to lack of snow.
The two basins it's on the border of (Rogue and Klamath) are at 35&27% respectively. Gonna be a dryyyyy summer around here. Fortunately, it is raining in the valley, right now.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

BenSlaughter said:


> Gonna be a dryyyyy summer around here. Fortunately, it is raining in the valley, right now.


Raining in Oregon? I don't believe it LOL


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

I sorta don't believe it after the winter& spring we've had! 
Just c'ain't WAIT for smoke season... 😠


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

BenSlaughter said:


> I sorta don't believe it after the winter& spring we've had!
> Just c'ain't WAIT for smoke season... 😠


Give it time, it'll be there before you know it LOL.. I have a feeling it's going to be smoke season over most of the western US this year, unfortunately... We are currently in, and have been this year, a stage 1 fire ban. I can't remember when this has happened this early before..


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

BenSlaughter said:


> Our local ski hill- Mt Ashland shut down last week due to lack of snow.
> The two basins it's on the border of (Rogue and Klamath) are at 35&27% respectively. Gonna be a dryyyyy summer around here. Fortunately, it is raining in the valley, right now.


This should probably be an entirely different thread, but what do you think this means for the Rogue? AW has minimum runnable flows at 1,200 cfs but it seems people run it much lower. Does Lost Creek and Applegate keep it running all year? We have a mid August launch. I was thinking fires would be the bigger issue with access, but now I'm wondering how I'd portage Blossam in a 16' boat.


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

I'm no expert on the drainage, overall, but it got low last year, and I suspect it'll be even lower this year, with consecutive drought years. 
How low, I cannot say.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

tBatt said:


> now I'm wondering how I'd portage Blossam in a 16' boat.


Two words, inflatable kayak LOL 

Pack Raft is interchangeable too .

Much easier to carry 😏


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## Heywood (Apr 12, 2019)

BenSlaughter said:


> Our local ski hill- Mt Ashland shut down last week due to lack of snow.
> The two basins it's on the border of (Rogue and Klamath) are at 35&27% respectively. Gonna be a dryyyyy summer around here. Fortunately, it is raining in the valley, right now.


I used to live in KFalls and its sad to see yet another horrid drought year. I had some hope that La Nina would give southern Oregon a boost but no such luck. I suppose the Bureau is going to curtail irrigation water again and lots of fish are going to die. I guess the only lucky thing is the fire last year pretty much took out the entire headwaters so it cant burn again.


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

Not exited for the smoke. Last year was rough..I have a feeling it’s gonna be worse..


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## Bobthegreat (Mar 3, 2019)

Plus another 6’ over night! 
Mt Batchlor.


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## Bobthegreat (Mar 3, 2019)

Current Map | U.S. Drought Monitor







droughtmonitor.unl.edu


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## Bobthegreat (Mar 3, 2019)

And as you can see we don’t get as much rain and snow as some people believe. This was a great storm. Hopefully we will see some more toward the end of the week.


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

Bobthegreat said:


> View attachment 74878
> Plus another 6’ over night!
> Mt Batchlor.


SIX FEET?!
I assume thats supposed to be inches. 😉

Bachelor has always been notorious for fibbing on their snowstakes, regardless.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

BenSlaughter said:


> SIX FEET?!
> I assume thats supposed to be inches. 😉
> 
> Bachelor has always been notorious for fibbing on their snowstakes, regardless.


Was in the paper this morning, 6 FEET..


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

Musta been a April fool's gag. Their website is showing 21" in the last week.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Yeah, not quite..

10" overnight 21" Storm Total.


https://www.mtbachelor.com/the-mountain/weather-operations/conditions-report



Alta totals for March/YTD
Monthly: 83" Snow, 5.99" SWE. 
YTD: 370.5" Snow, 36.08" SWE.

Pretty wild that our average snowfall density for the month of March is 7%


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Mt. Bachelor, OR Conditions Update: 6-Feet of Snow in 6 Days - SnowBrains


Mt. Bachelor is getting incredible storms. These storms made for some fantastic skiing over these last five days, and the coverage is getting much better!!




snowbrains.com





Apparently that's an accumulation over 6 days ? 

Wolf Ck usually has something like 700 inches by this time of the year, not even 400 so far





WCS Snow Report - Wolf Creek Ski Area - Colorado







wolfcreekski.com





But they do have 119 base..


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

Bachelor just has an 84" base.
21" fresh in the last week. Which is better than a stick in the eye, but still depressing.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Our local ski hill, that thinks it's a destination resort LOL, Monarch, is reporting a 65 inch base, but that's in Monarch Inches. More like 35 to you and I.. 

On the bright side, lift tickets are close to $100.00.. You can ski every trail they have, twice in a day.. Many folks here go to Ski Cooper, a really nice little resort in Leadville that has cat skiing too, or Wolf Creek, both substantially less expensive, even including the drive with 5 buck a gallon gas.


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

MNichols said:


> Our local ski hill, that thinks it's a destination resort LOL, Monarch, is reporting a 65 inch base, but that's in Monarch Inches. More like 35 to you and I..
> 
> On the bright side, lift tickets are close to $100.00.. You can ski every trail they have, twice in a day.. Many folks here go to Ski Cooper, a really nice little resort in Leadville that has cat skiing too, or Wolf Creek, both substantially less expensive, even including the drive with 5 buck a gallon gas.


Monarch is hands down better than crusty butt. Much more affordable too. Wish I lived closer. My local resort doesn’t compare


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

westwatercuban said:


> Monarch is hands down better than crusty butt. Much more affordable too. Wish I lived closer. My local resort doesn’t compare


That's a sad commentary on your local area. I assume you're talking about Powderhorn? Never been there myself. If you head down 70 and take the Minturn exit, you're at Cooper..


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

MNichols said:


> That's a sad commentary on your local area. I assume you're talking about Powderhorn? Never been there myself. If you head down 70 and take the Minturn exit, you're at Cooper..


Yes I was talking about powderhorn. It’s actually a pretty sweet mountian. I know it doesn’t compare to much but I still get smiles. It just needs snow…I was gonna say copper is out of my price range…but looking now at the price that’s actually about similar if not the same without discounts. Not sure why I never looked into them. I almost picked up the discounted price from powderhorn for this upcoming year. But not sure if I’ll be in the valley this fall. I know winter is gone, and I’m exited for summer…but there’s apart of me that doesn’t want summer just yet.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

I hear ya, haven't been able to ski this year myself, knee replacement and all. Copper used to rock, I groomed there for what, 9 years back in the 90's. It used to be owned by Tony Novelli, but then got sold to Vail resorts. I went there once with my wife about 10 years ago, was nice, but WAY different from the ski area I remembered. They still have good terrain, especially under "A" lift, which was my favorite spot, and if you stay off the face of the mountain it's still all natural snow I believe. Haven't been into Copper Bowl since they took I & J lifts out, replaed them with a quad, and put I&J back in the bowl, but did ski back there before the lifts. Drop out on Hwy 91 and hitch back to the area.. Oh the days of yore...


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Closing day at the ski area today. 29" storm total over the past three days, base is currently 130" and deepest it has been all year. 
Owyhee was still running yesterday, Westwater currently running at nearly what it peaked at last year. Yehaw.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Yep, it came up. They'll turn in the ditches upstream soon. Looks from the hydrograph that it's peaked since Friday, and is on the decline. Hopefully we get some more warm weather to sustain it. The Green is still at 2700 not a bad time to run Cat..


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## Pinchecharlie (Jul 27, 2017)

So then where did Colorado (Western slope?) end up? iam embarrassed that I don't really know the geography that makes uo the Colorado watershed . Sounds a bit more optimistic than before anyway?


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Here's a watershed diagram for ya Charlie


https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Map-showing-the-Colorado-River-watershed-The-areas-of-detailed-maps-are-indicated-and_fig1_336058345


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## theusualsuspect (Apr 11, 2014)

You can see from the teacup diagrams where the snow/water is going to go…into the teacups!






Tea-Cup Diagrams | Water Operations | UC Region | Bureau of Reclamation


Bureau of Reclamation - Managing water and power in the West




www.usbr.gov


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

Nice representation, thanks for sharing !!!


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## Pinchecharlie (Jul 27, 2017)

Wow thanks!


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

118" Snow, 5.41" SWE for April in this corner of the Wasatch
488" Snow, 41.47" SWE for the lift served ski season. 
More moisure on the way
May looking colder and wetter for Northern Areas, Desert boating looking less good.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Flaccid.


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

tBatt said:


> Flaccid.
> View attachment 77003
> View attachment 77004


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Central/Northern CO getting hammered.

This oughtta help. A little anyway. Wet shoveling today.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

DoStep said:


> Central/Northern CO getting hammered.
> 
> This oughtta help. A little anyway.
> 
> View attachment 77074


16 inches in Howard CO.. Wet, heavy and still falling..


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Another bonus round of snow last night, about 16" total over two days. Setting up for a quality and very busy Memorial Day weekend in Brown's. Might see the peak?


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

920cfs at Wellsville..


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

Looks like my ritual paid off..


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

westwatercuban said:


> Looks like my ritual paid off..


You found some virgins? Or was it the sheep again?


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

MNichols said:


> You found some virgins? Or was it the sheep again?


Made sure the sheep was a virgin, couldn’t risk not increasing the odds..


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Obviously this is a bit skewed bc of early season, but the novelty is fun.

34” base here already with potentially 3-4 more feet incoming this week.

boating season turned to ski season real quick! I went from riding the Whole Enchilada to getting faceshots to floating with frozen hand wash stations all in a week.


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## Will Amette (Jan 28, 2017)

Well, where I am this is truly an anomaly. 

I think we had the record earliest snow yesterday. By a fair bit. The previous record was 11 November. That was back in 1955.

This is in the same calendar year we had the latest snowfall on record - April 24. That was after the warmest day of the year up to that point.

And this after some crazy warm, unseasonably dry weather all the way through October. Kind of made it tough to find mushrooms.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Will Amette said:


> Well, where I am this is truly an anomaly.
> 
> I think we had the record earliest snow yesterday. By a fair bit. The previous record was 11 November. That was back in 1955.
> 
> ...


Morels or Psilocybin?


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## Will Amette (Jan 28, 2017)

tBatt said:


> Morels or Psilocybin?


Some of the fungus I look for in the fall include:

Lobster (Hypomyces)
Boletes (Boletus edulis is the king and Boletus aereus is the queen - there are others)
Chanterelles (mostly Cantharelus formusus, the Pacific Golden, but also the white chanterelle, and later in winter the littlefoot and if you're lucky, some blue chanterelles)
Pigs ears (Gomphus - related to chanterelles)
Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus)
Lobster (Hypomyces - a parasitic fungus that usually grows on Russula brevipes)
Russula of various types including shrimp mushroomuli
Cauliflower (Sparassis) if you're lucky enough to find one
Man on Horseback (a species of Tricholoma) - note that this mushroom used to be considered edible and choice back to medieval times and has recently been classified as poisonous because of a few instances in Europe of people who ate a large quantity for several days in a row; I still eat it, and it's delicious. 
Fired chicken (Lyophyllum) - I am still not 100% on identifying this one, but hope to soon.
 Oyster (Pleurotis)
Later in the year, hedgehog (Hydnum)
Later in the year candy cap (a species of Lactarius that has the same chemical that makes maple syrup smell like maple syrup)
I should be able to identify Matsutake, but I'm not comfortable doing so yet. They are around, and they are delicious. There's some look-alikes that are scary. I don't collect shaggy manes. I might, some day, learn how to identify Grisette.

Morels grow in spring. There's some false morels too, so be sure what you're hunting.

There are a number of Psilocybe mushrooms that grow here. In the summer, some grown in wood chips in irrigated landscapes. Most commonly P. cubensis and P. cyanescens. People who like to wander in pastures look for Liberty Caps. 

As with any mushroom, be sure you know 100% that you've got what you think you've got. Remember - no mushroom is poisonous if you don't eat it. They say there are old mushroom hunters and bold mushroom hunters, but no old, bold mushroom hunters. If you are 100% sure of what you have, but you have never eaten that type of mushroom before, just eat a small portion to make sure you don't have an allergic reaction. Also, don't eat more than one new species at the same time; that will complicate figuring out what caused a problem if you have one. Don't be greedy; leave some for your fellow mushroom hunters. If you eat some mushrooms, like shaggy manes, do NOT drink alcohol. Shaggy manes are edible, but become poisonous if you've been drinking or will drink soon. Always cook your mushrooms. There are some mushrooms that are edible but contain toxins that vaporize off or denature when cooked. And don't stand over the pan if you're cooking these mushrooms.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

That's a hell of a tip. 

Storm is starting to clear our here - 
36" Snow, 4.60" SWE. 
That puts our base at 62" and 100" of new snow for the season. The ski area is opening Friday 11/18. 

That's more snow than we got from 1/1/2022 to 3/1/2022


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## Wallrat (Jan 19, 2021)

You really don’t want to eat the wrong mushrooms. That’s the closest to dying I’ve ever come. It’s not a pleasant way to go.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

But if you eat the right mushrooms, and you find yourself doing this in the beginning of November, you might find yourself giggling and having an excellent time.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Goddamn it happened again. 
You’re always knee deep on tele.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Will Amette said:


> Well, where I am this is truly an anomaly.
> 
> I think we had the record earliest snow yesterday.
> 
> And this after some crazy warm, unseasonably dry weather all the way through October.


Everyone around here (NW MT) kvetched about the late start to summer...but September-October was grand. We got all the nice weather we could stand if we took the time to go out and enjoy it after Labor day.
But damn if November didn't come on with a vengeance and all the inclement October weather we missed arrived in a single week.

But the good news (for me) is that I ice skated on natural ice way earlier than I ever have before. Off for more pond hockey tonight on the glass before the other kiddies tear up the ice.


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## Pinchecharlie (Jul 27, 2017)

Yep doing pre season on the sleds tomorrow and we’re hiking Sunday. You knee benders allways get face shots lol!!! Or plants lol!!


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## Bootboy (Aug 25, 2020)

Headed out to the local skin track tomorrow, pruning saw in hand..


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

I'm not overly sad that we didn't get snow on my Lodore trip last couple days of October but I want all the snow we can get for the rest of the season. We could really use the precipitation and having a nice high water year here would be nice too.

Its gotten cold in Colorado, but snow hasn't really fallen in any useful quantities yet.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Merrily we (g)row along.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

15" overnight.


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## Pinchecharlie (Jul 27, 2017)

Man that looks good!! We’re a bit behind but way better than last year. You in Utah right? Where abouts?


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Yessir. Alta, outside of SLC.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

I miss the Wasatch. Our snow is sometimes dryer but we never get as much. CBMR did get over a foot overnight tho, which is pretty awesome. Alas...I am at work.


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

Monarch is way better than CB. I wish I skied it more when I lived over there.

our local hill powderhorn started with 30” base opening day…lost 4” off that base that day..I believe we are sitting at 36” last time I checked. God I hope we get more. Guess I better start gathering things for the annual sacrifice. Anyone got a virgin??


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

Don’t get me wrong, I love Monarch and the snow is usually better. Certainly doesn’t get shralped near as fast. But the terrain at CB is pretty rare. I’ve ridden most of CO’s resorts and the only one with anything as steep is Silverton.


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## Big Wave (6 mo ago)

westwatercuban said:


> Monarch is way better than CB. I wish I skied it more when I lived over there.
> 
> our local hill powderhorn started with 30” base opening day…lost 4” off that base that day..I believe we are sitting at 36” last time I checked. God I hope we get more. Guess I better start gathering things for the annual sacrifice. Anyone got a virgin??


They got a real 8” today opened up more terrain. If it keeps coming could be a awesome year.


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## Rafter Larry (Aug 10, 2021)

westwatercuban said:


> Monarch is way better than CB. I wish I skied it more when I lived over there.
> 
> our local hill powderhorn started with 30” base opening day…lost 4” off that base that day..I believe we are sitting at 36” last time I checked. God I hope we get more. Guess I better start gathering things for the annual sacrifice. Anyone got a virgin??


We could ask foreigner to take one for the team.🤣


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Giggles. 212% of median SWE.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

Colorado is doing allright but not nearly as good as Utah and Idaho at the moment....

Statewide SWE Graph









Just above average, which is good, but we really need a far above average year or ten. The whole southern part of the state is below average and northern half is slightly above. South Western Colorado always seems to be hit the worst.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

La niña favors the northern mountain states. Sucks that it’s the third year in a row. Well, for us down here anyway.


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

Guys I tried. The sacrifice just isn’t working this year..Someone must have touched my ewe…..


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

westwatercuban said:


> Guys I tried. The sacrifice just isn’t working this year..Someone must have touched my ewe…..


...um....your ewe isn't a virgin?


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## Roseldo (Aug 27, 2020)

MT4Runner said:


> ...um....your ewe isn't a virgin?


It’s not called Ewephoria for nothing…


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

56” storm total.. and counting.
Edit: 69” storm total, 100” base.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

Snorkel time!


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## Bootboy (Aug 25, 2020)

BastrdSonOfElvis said:


> La niña favors the northern mountain states. Sucks that it’s the third year in a row. Well, for us down here anyway.


And northern Utah can go either way in either La Niña or El Niño years. So far so good in the Wasatch. Skied snow over the thighs in the backcountry this morning. Best backcountry day in more than two years, for sure


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Skiing in the Northern Wasatch is often better than mostly places. Im likely just biased. It’s really a shame that nearly the entirely watershed has no appreciable rafting and it all just evaporates out of the Salt Lake. Hopefully it bears well for our neighbors.

Admittedly, I’ve been scared out of the backcountry a bit. Old pilots and bold pilots kinda thing. My group of touring reliable touring partners has scattered, too.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

I quit BC riding when my first son was born. I guess I never really considered the ramifications of my demise before that. All of a sudden I was too avanoid to have a good time.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Not that I've been out of it entirely, but persistent weak layers like what we have on NW through E facing terrain are what terrify me.

Dealing with a persistent weak layer is just not worth the risk. Too much spatial variability. It might be the 5th person on the slope, or getting near a thinner spot on a ridgeline or rock outcropping where you can propagate the slab to far away places, or uphill from you. Sometimes the skiing is really, really good, and is a positive feedback loop.. until you're wrapped around a tree with no teeth, an open femur fracture, and in a spot or with weather where a heli can't get you out.

When dealing with soft slabs or wind slabs, they are generally very predictable how they will react to a ski cut or cornice drop. Solar aspects have been pretty manageable, but the resort skiing is just so damn good right now.

A couple recent avalanche accidents in the area..

Skimobro in this first writeup had a nearly empty backpack. He is extremely lucky that an off-duty EMT happened to be skiing in the area and heard his cries for help. EMT gave the guy his extra layers and cuddled him with his dog in the middle and kept him warm for SIX HOURS until SAR could safely access the location and extract him. If it weren't for the other party, this would likely be a fatality report.






Accident: Thomas Fork - Utah Avalanche Center







utahavalanchecenter.org










Accident: Pink Pine - Utah Avalanche Center







utahavalanchecenter.org





At the end of the day, we're all in the mountains or on rivers for the same reason. But Mama Nature doesn't care that you're an "expert". The most important part of it all is coming home in the end.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

Yeah, some of the most experienced, knowledgeable, expert bc travelers end up buried and dead. Few years back, a long time local was skiing alone on a gladed pitch that I’ve skied countless times and thought was as safe as you can get. It ripped and he pinballed, trauma killed him.

I came to the conclusion that there’s no way to really be safe out there. So at least while I have kids who depend on me I’m out. Same reason I don’t fire up the gnar anymore and I ride my bike like a sally.

Kind of a bummer since I’m not that into the resort scene but skiing with kids and watching them learn to rip has made it palatable.

And I can still make 10,000 powder turns on my sled and stay out of avy terrain!


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Ho ho ho

12/27 update, storm on the doorstep.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

December Snowfall: 156"
December SWE: 12.6"

Water Year Snowfall: 279"
Water Year SWE: 26.6"

The last 7 days got close to the SWE forecast but nowhere near snowfall. 63.5" snow/6.41" SWE.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

Loving it. We have snow down low for the first time in a couple years. Firing up the old snowblower is always a joyous occasion! VERY wet snow, too.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Just for fun, the 16 day QPF forecast for California is absolutely insane. Hopefully my lasik isn't failing me.. I'm seeing 30-40" of WATER in the next 7 days in places.


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## Pinchecharlie (Jul 27, 2017)

Man our local news just forecast a “January thaw” that they say will bring warm temps and no snow!! Boo!!


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## Rafter Larry (Aug 10, 2021)

tBatt said:


> Just for fun, the 16 day QPF forecast for California is absolutely insane. Hopefully my lasik isn't failing me.. I'm seeing 30-40" of WATER in the next 7 days in places.
> 
> View attachment 84240


Thank goodness that our boat is inflated and ready to go….it is going to be an epic spring.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

^^ same, although lots of chit packed around it and I'm kinda stuck at the ski area until 4/23.
Hoping to sneak out in early march for either a Cat, Owyhee, or (fingers crossed) Salt, before my Grand trip in May.










Sorry, Colorado. Although it could be really good for the Yampa. 








First Colorado ski resort surpasses 200-inch mark for the season


The recent atmospheric river that brought record rainfall and snow to parts of the west coast also boosted Colorado’s mountain snowfall totals.




kdvr.com


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

Statewide average is doing better then we were a month ago....










Even Dolores basin is doing allright...










Arkansas Basin is still struggling though...










Hoping things keep trending this way.


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## Rafter Larry (Aug 10, 2021)

tBatt said:


> ^^ same, although lots of chit packed around it and I'm kinda stuck at the ski area until 4/23.
> Hoping to sneak out in early march for either a Cat, Owyhee, or (fingers crossed) Salt, before my Grand trip in May.
> 
> View attachment 84453
> ...


I would love to do the Salt. I haven’t done that one in decades and quartzite was a challenge. Have a great grand trip.


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## Big Wave (6 mo ago)

Powderhorn deserves honorable mention at 161 season total. Lots of powder days this season. Gentle on this old man’s knees.


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

CBMR has been flippin sweet with 136” so far. It’s in a bit of a donut hole though, Irwin’s numbers are much more representative of what’s going on in the Elks and West Elks and they report 222”. Not too shabby!


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## westwatercuban (May 19, 2021)

Big Wave said:


> Powderhorn deserves honorable mention at 161 season total. Lots of powder days this season. Gentle on this old man’s knees.


I wish I wasn’t working so much currently. Haven’t been able to go this year. 🥲 People have been raving about powderhorn this year! Supposed to get hit again this weekend!


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