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Snowstorms bring thrills and chills to Colorado

Ski resorts cheer, but weather cuts aspen viewing short

Tillie Fong, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 23, 2006 at midnight

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Snow is falling by the foot in the high country, causing ski resorts to consider earlier opening dates but ruining many plans for aspen viewing.

Today is the first day of autumn, but in places like Silverton Mountain, it was already winter.

"We had people up there skiing today and snowboarding," said Aaron Brill, manager of Silverton Mountain. "We expect a lot more people."

The resort, which had been planning to open its non-guided ski terrain during Thanksgiving weekend, was reconsidering after receiving as much as 36 inches of snow in places since Thursday.

"It was snowing so hard, with whiteout conditions, that we could not access the upper mountain," Brill said. "If it continues to snow and the temperatures stay cold, we plan to open immediately."

In Breckenridge, as of Friday evening, there were 22 inches of snow about halfway up the mountain. Another foot of snow was expected overnight.

"We might have 3 feet of snow," said Nicky DeFord, spokeswoman for Breckenridge Ski Resort. "It's great. It gets people excited, and it gives great energy as we go into the season."

There are no plans to open earlier than the anticipated Nov. 1 date, and snowmaking will commence mid-October.

Other ski towns reported: Keystone, 15 inches; Beaver Creek, 20 inches; Vail, 24 inches; Silverthorne, 8 inches; Dillon 7 inches.

"It looks like a winter wonderland except for the trees with leaves on them," DeFord said. "It makes a pretty picture with the trees with the gold leaves against the white snow."

As for those gold leaves though, the snow means the end of aspen viewing season for the northern and central mountains.

"This would have been a peak weekend if it hadn't snowed," said Pete Edwards, visitor services manager for the U.S. Forest Service.

"It's not going to be very good after the snow. It will rapidly deteriorate."

But there is still hope if one heads toward southern Colorado.

"There is still some good color down in the Rio Grande National Forest and the San Juan National Forest in Durango," Edwards said. "But everything north of I-70 is pretty much shot."

Edwards said this year's aspen-viewing season appeared to be shorter than normal. He estimates that the aspens in the southern part of the state will peak next weekend, but then the time to see fall colors will be over.

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