Just in the St. Nick of time. That’s what ski resorts throughout Colorado are saying, after their slopes went from bare bones to neck deep, thanks to a Thanksgiving weekend storm that dumped up to 48 inches at certain resorts. Apart from causing widespread havoc for motorists, with Interstate 70 closing on the busy return day of Sunday, the three-day storm walloped Loveland with 48 inches of snow, Arapahoe Basin with 37 inches, and Copper Mountain with 31 inches.
“Colorado resorts were thankful for the weekend storm which gave a number of resorts a bump in visitation,” says Jennifer Rudolph of Colorado Ski Country USA. “Some CSCUSA resorts saw strong skier visits compared to last Thanksgiving, when warm temperatures lingered.”
The storm stretched from Winter Park, which received more than 19 inches of powder, to Steamboat, which received 18 inches, and Aspen, which tallied 16 inches, to Silverton, which notched 15. In Aspen, the storm hit during the Winternational Audi FIS Alpine World Cup races at Aspen Mountain on Saturday and Sunday, giving the storm international exposure.
Currently, 12 resorts are open in the state, with more on the way. Echo Mountain, Sunlight Mountain Resort and Monarch Mountain are scheduled to open on December 5th, and Howelsen Hill on December 6. Powderhorn will open on December 11, and both Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk are set to open on December 13. SolVista Basin will plan to open on December 17. Ski Cooper and Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort will open later in the month.
