Deep Powder Out There
I could probably leave today’s report as just the headline above and a handful of photos and you’d get the idea. The sky above is absolutely puking snow, and the fluff is accumulating faster than skiers and riders can track it up. Today is one of those glorious Steamboat powder days that’s hard to frame into words.
Snow depths today ranged from shin high to knee deep, depending on the trail. I laid first tracks down Three O’Clock, which was absolutely wonderful. The snow was pristine, but the light was just a bit flat. (Did I mention that it’s dumping snow out there?) Regardless of visibility, conditions are such that skiing by feel is perfectly acceptable. With double-digit snow depths, today is a day you can let your skis run just a little straighter than you might normally do. This works out because the landscape you’ll be gliding over is soft and forgiving.
After getting the goods underneath the Sundown Chairlift, I began making my way into my favorite sections of Flintlock and Kit. Though the angle of the slopes aren’t quite as steep as other places, what I found were untouched fields of powder that I simply couldn’t resist. I was skiing with a fellow named Gregg from Michigan. Watching his jaw drop in utter amazement at the sheer volume of newly fallen snow gave me reason to smile. His excitement was infectious, and I, too, began to hoot and holler while freely playing in the outdoor amusement park that Mother Nature provided us today.
So here I sit, trying to summarize my experience for the day, and all I can think to come up with are generic terms like “amazing,” “unbelievable” and “unforgettable.” But those words, as descriptive as they may be, don’t come close to telling the complete story of how much fun I had this morning. Accessing our resort on a day like this is something I vow never to take for granted. And to those who chose Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend to visit Steamboat, all I can say is cheers to you. Either you have a shiny, future-telling crystal ball that I’d love to have, or you just got lucky. Either way, you’re lucky enough to be here during the storm and skiing powder in the ‘Boat. I just hope that you’re loving it as much as I am.
Dave Wittlinger, Alpine skier
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