It's Wintertime!

We finally put together a short video of the first week of the 08-09 season. Check it out here. I'm just this side of terrible at editing video so please forgive the amateurism.

We'll be out with the video camera today to capture all the festivities. Smile for the camera!

Building a Park

The guys closed the terrain park today so they could get lots of work done. One of our wonderful cat drivers, Justin, stuck around after his night shift to help build stuff.

Here's our new rainbow box which we'll be using for tomorrow's rail jam

Then Justin started work on the deck and knuckle for the kicker. Here's what it looked like before he demolished it.

Pushing the snow

The view out my window. It's hard to tell but we were right on the edge of his little platform

After widening the deck, he started adding length

Pushing snow up to the edge

About to go over the edge to shape and groom out the landing. It got pretty steep!

The view out the window as he grooms the knuckle and landing

Next he pushed snow to make the lips. They'll be small for now and then get bigger as we get more snow. A smaller lip with a bonk is being installed on skier's right of the kicker.

Next it was time to set some rails

They're working on putting in the C rail, flat box, urban rail, kicker and bonk. Check it out tomorrow and we'll see you at the New Year's Eve Rail Jam. If it's nice out we'll do registration in the park at 2pm rather than the lodge ($5 to enter, open format).

UPDATE: Bear Claw is now open! Go check it out!

Photo Contest

The Free Press is hosting a Powderhorn photo contest where you could win lift tickets, a LOKI jacket, and a big gift certificate to Board & Buckle. Contest ends soon so you better upload any photos you have! Click here to view the gallery and upload your stuff!

I think this one is my personal favorite so far.

FYI- everything is now open except Cannonball and Bear Claw

Blue Skies

What's that bright thing in the sky? We sure haven't seen that for a couple weeks. Forgot what it was. It's completely clear today! Our first blue bird day of the season. With new snow it's almost the perfect day....it's just freaking cold! The high today is only 10 degrees so bring an extra layer.

We're going to bundle up and get out for some photos today. If you see one of us with a camera, muster some Kodak Courage and ham it up for us!

More Terrain

Patrol just opened Hooligan, Thunder Mtn. Glade and Mudslide! If you aren't up here today, you probably should be tomorrow!

12/26 Friday Feed

I hope you're all recovering nicely from Christmas! Here's the Friday Feed for this week. We covered the weekly and seasonal snow update, New Year's Eve details, and Full Moon skiing/snowshoeing.

Listen here.

And if you've never seen the Torchlight Parade & Fireworks, here's a great video from last year. Kudos whoever you are!

p.s. We can tell it's last year's because it's the year the fireworks got a little close to the crowd :) Watch to the end and you'll see what I'm talking about, plus you can hear some of the reaction in the crowd. What a finale!

Blizzard Warning

Ok....I just got a phone call from the mountain with some updates regarding what's coming our way. The Grand Mesa is currently under an Avalanche Watch, Blizzard Warning and Winter Storm Warning.

This storm is expected to bring heavy snow with high winds. If winds get too high with low visibility, we have to shut our lifts down for safety reasons. Roads could also be very bad.

Bottom line is, it could be an epic day BUT if you are coming please be prepared. Check the road conditions, leave early, take your time and have the proper gear in your vehicle. Please call our snow report tomorrow morning at 970-268-5300 as I will give an update on what we know at that time for snowfall, winds, temps and road conditions/closures.

Helpful links:
Powderhorn Forecast (NOAA)
Colorado Road Conditions
Satellite of the storm

Naughty or Nice?

I think we've all been nice since we're about to get the best Christmas gift there is: POWDER! The forecast is calling for 1-2 feet by Friday morning. So tear open those presents and then try out your new gear in fresh snow tomorrow.

We're thankful for a white Christmas this year and to have you as our guest. From the entire Powderhorn staff MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

POWDER DAY!!

A foot of snow in the last 24 hours! At least 8 of that fell overnight and is untouched. Our grooming crew made a passes on Bills Run, Tenderfoot and Redeye but left the rest for you to blast through yourself. All beginner terrain is groomed.

Anothe 7-11 inches expected today! We've already had 61" in the month of December, pretty darn good!

The top of the Grand Mesa is CLOSED right now. You can get to Powderhorn right now through Mesa. For road conditions please visit http://www.cotrip.org/

If you get some great photos of you and your friends, email us! ski@powderhorn.com

Have fun!

White Christmas

I think it's safe to say it'll be a very white christmas. Just like one's I used to know...


We could get up to 22 inches by Christmas Eve! Now that's a good present. Check out the forecast. It's a little windy today. The kind of wind where you might expect to see a girl and her little black dog fly by.


Random picture of the day:



UPDATE: 1:30PM Lower Sweet Misery (to tower 10) and Second Thoughts now open! 3" more since this morning but heavy winds are not allowing it to build on the base stake.

Pow Pow Pow

The forecast for the night last night said "1-3 inches possible". If by 1-3 they meant SIX then they were right! It's going to be a great day with more snow expected and all lifts now open.

Conrgats to Alyssa who has won first tracks today. It'll be good!

Please be careful coming up, roads will be a little slick. But remember, bad roads = good skiing & riding.

Enjoy!
UPDATE: 9:30AM Upper Sweet Misery and Hooker are now open!

Friday Feed

I just wrassled (yes wrassled) with my computer for an hour to figure out how to do this again! Here's the first podcast of the season- the DEALS edition.

(You have to turn your volume up pretty high, I'll try to get that fixed by next week).

Click here

UPDATE: 2:15PM West End will open tomorrow morning with Tenderfoot, Redeye and Snowcloud. More terrain on that end could open throughout the day tomorrow. It all depends on what the wind does (it's very gusty today).

Photo Gallery

Well I had high hopes of getting a small web video put together today....but it turns out my computer doesn't have the right connector thingy (that's the technical term) for the video camera. We got some good stuff yesterday on Racer's Edge. So instead, here's some pictures from the last week.

We'll be taking pictures and video as much as possible all season long. Here is the link to our photo & video gallery.

West End

It's getting close! We're looking to have as much on the West End open as possible by this weekend. Ski Patrol is working hard each day right now to prep it. Keep in mind, when the West End opens, tickets will be at full price.

For those that like to keep track, we've had 35" since we opened. Let's hope it doesn't stop! I'm going to try and get out tomorrow morning and get some video done so we can post it on the web. That way you can see what the slopes are looking like for the weekend. If Ski Patrol will put up with me, maybe I can get a ride up the West End and gets some shots over there!

UPDATE: Junction Park is now open with the flat rail and a double kink rail.
UPDATE: 3:45PM 5 inches of new snow has fallen TODAY! There's still sporadic wind gusts and that's expected through the night. Listen to Magic 93.1 in the 7:00 hour tomorrow morning...I'll be giving away FIRST TRACKS for Saturday!! The winner will get to load the lift right behind ski patrol and enjoy the fluffy goodness about 15 minutes before we release the crowd! Disclaimer (aka don't be a sore loser)- this will not delay the time we normally load public. Watch for more chances to win throughout the season!

What the ??

Here's our Photo of the Day (click to enlarge)



Looks like just about anybody can get a staff pass around here.

UPDATE: 10:00am- Two small rails are now open on EZ. Upper Maverick is now open. Looks like lots more runs will be opening tomorrow morning!
UPDATE: 12:45pm- Lower Bill's Run has been opened! And it's dumping right now!

Bus Service

Big news! Bus service is back! Check out the entry on the homepage at www.powderhorn.com for all the details. Let us know if you have questions!

Answer Desk

For today's post, I'd just like to answer a few questions that have come in.

What are ticket prices going to be the next few days?
Lift tickets will remain at $30 until we open the West End lift.

When are some rails going to be put in?
The terrain park crew is waiting for more snow before it's safe to set rails. Up to another foot of snow is expected in the next 36 hours. I'll keep you posted on terrain park developments.

Will Powderhorn be laying off employees?
We have absolutely no plans to lay off any employees. We're doing well right now considering the economic situation. Our pre-season sales were up about 3% over last year which was a record. Snow is a must though!

When will you update on terrain openings?
As soon as more terrain is opened, Ski Patrol calls me and I post it on the snow report. I'll also update the blog each time until all runs are open.

How does the snow reporting work?
Ahhh the most important part of the day! Our groomers and snowmakers get done between 4 and 5am. They leave us a voicemail with all the details on new snowfall, base, and what was groomed. There are two snow reporters and we rotate days. We roll out of bed and pick up the message . We change our website, Colorado Ski Country website, and record the message for the snow line. Which, by the way, is 970-268-5300. If it's snowing throughout the day, we'll post updates as we get them from Ski Patrol.

Have another question? Something random you just want to know? Drop it in the comment section and we'll reply!

UPDATE: 11:30am Dude is now open

Another question came in...

How do you decide when certain terrain is ready to open?
I called up Bill Bruchak, our Ski Patrol Director for an answer to this. He said they are take each run on a case-by-case basis. They think about things like- snow depths, what's under that snow, forecast, density of the snow, how many people we expect on that run, how will it hold up, and most importantly the safety factor. Next time you ski a ski patroller, give them a big hug because they do a lot of work to get a run open. Most runs get ski packed which means they spend hours just side-stepping in their skis to build a base on the run. This helps it ski well all season long.

OPENING TODAY!

The call came in at 3am, we're going for it! So far the storm has dumped 10" on top and 6" at the lodge. Our settled base is 24". See snow report here.

Lift tickets will only be $30 today for adults, seniors and youth. All others are normal price (since it's cheaper).

PLEASE be careful driving up to the resort today. Roads are slick!

We do not recommend taking lessons today as beginner area is limited.

More terrain could open throughout the day as ski patrol assesses the coverage.

The high today is only 17 and more snow is expected, plan accordingly!

All mountain services are available, so make time to check out the new Trader Cafe or the new menu at the Wildewood Restaurant.

We're literally waking our employees up and calling them in. It's fair to say it will be a crazy day so please have patience! We have plenty of new employees that are about to get trail by fire!

See you on the slopes!

UPDATE: 12:30pm Equalizer is now open top to bottom. Snowing lightly off-and-on.
UPDATE: 1:30pm Looky Looky and Lower Maverick now open.

Watch Out for Mary Poppins

The winds are changing and coming out of the southwest. That's usually a good thing as storms from the south historically have hit hard at Powderhorn.

Wind gusts up to 55 mph are expected today. When it's this windy, it feels like all our snow is going to end up on people's doorsteps in Mesa. But thankfully the track-packing we did this week will help hold what we have.

There's no new snow yet, but the storm is supposed to get going around 11am today. Accumulations aren't high today since it's going to be so windy. But they're still saying 8-12" tonight.

Here's the infrared so you can see the storm.

I wish that thing up in Montana was ours!

I feel like a weather girl....all I need now is one of those clicky things that change the screen.

UPDATE: 4:30pm
No snow accumulation yet but the forecasted accumulation has increased! We're looking at 10-16 inches overnight and another 8" possibly tomorrow. yay!

Random Info

Everywhere I go right now, people are talking about the weather and skiing. Everyone is ready to go! We are too. But what's more important is that we open with good, safe conditions. So we aren't going to push it just to be open.

Forecast says 2-4" tomorrow and another 8-12" Saturday night! No matter what, that's good news.

To answer a couple questions:

If we open Sunday, we do not recommend booking any first timer lessons. It's unclear at this time how much beginner terrain will be open.

Employees should contact their manager regarding Sunday. The best thing to do is plan to work that day, but check your email or the website first thing Sunday morning for the news.

Regardless of what happens, I'll post an update very early Sunday morning (as soon as I hear from the mtn crew). I'll let you know what call we make, how much snow we've had so far, and any other info that may be helpful.

Preparations

A picture tour of conditions today...
(click to enlarge)

With snowmaking

Without snowmaking

Upper mountain

Base Area

New Trader Cafe

Christmas tree going up

BIG Update

Ok here's the latest-

I talked with our CEO and with the storm looking favorable, we will try to open Sunday. BUT we won't be able to make the call until early Sunday morning. We're talking middle of the night here.

My plan is to wait for the phone call from our mountain manager (which could come as early as 2am) then start hitting the website and media. Either way, I'll post on the site what we're doing. If we're opening, we'll have a full snow report online and at the snow phone 970-268-5300.

It's all caffeine and snow dances from here on out!

Storm Tracking

Watching the forecast is almost an obsession right now. The coming storm is being built up a lot and we certainly hope it materializes. It's too early in the forecast to see accumulation predictions, but hopefully it's going to be a dumper.


Temperatures are still very low this morning so we're still making snow around the base area.





If this storm is as big as they say, things are going to get very interesting around here this weekend. I'll be in contact with the mountain crew each morning and will continue to post updates. As soon as we make the decision about opening, I'll hit the web, TV stations, newspapers and radio. If you're in our text message club, you'll get an alert sent straight to your phone. If you want to sign up for that (it's free) go here.

Webcam Fans

Just FYI...the power went out in the whole area this morning which shut down the webcam obviously. As soon as the servers are back up, the camera will be updating again.

Looking Good

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Everything is blanketed in that beautiful white right now. We had a good snowmaking night last night as temperatures were in the teens. Our high today and tomorrow will be in the upper 30s but the sun is low enough that it's not causing any melting.

The NOAA forecast is calling for HEAVY SNOW on Sunday!! We're counting on that storm to bring us to where we need to be to open. Looks very favorable right now.

Other news:

Going to Walmart or the mall right now can make an otherwise normal person completely lose it. So we've got some easy ideas for you if you've got a snowrider on your list.

Powderhorn Gift Cards are available here. These are good for any good or service at the mountain.

The Buddy, Burger, and Beverage deal is now available. Click here for a great gift for couples.

And the Alpine Trader has hats, stickers and more items coming to their online store.

Get Conditioned

Powered by Powderhorn, Gold's Gym is offering a new class specifically geared toward getting you in shape for skiing and snowboarding.

Fridays (beginning this week)
6:40pm
Grand Junction location only
243-4653

Each time you attend the class, your name will be entered to win one of several Plus Cards! I'm checking it out this week...and if I can move my legs afterwards I'll keep at it.

Nailed Us

Maybe all we needed to do was delay the opening for it to start snowing. This little storm nailed us and brought more than expected. In the last 24 hours we received 12" on top, 5" at the base. We were also able to make snow. One more storm and we'll be looking pretty good. The storm coming in this weekend is being talked up pretty big...if it goes as planned, that should do it!

Opening Postponed

The word is in: we will not be opening this Thursday as planned due to low snow levels. Instead of setting another date, we will be evaluating day-by-day and will open as soon as conditions warrant. We're glued to the forecasts right now and are ready to make snow at every opportunity. We just need Mother Nature to kick in!

Check back here and on the website for daily updates. Let's hope it comes soon!

Sorry, forgot to mention the webcam is now live again!

UPDATE: 1:30pm
Snowing lightly but steady!

Winter Kickoff Party

Stop by Gene Taylor's tomorrow for the Winter Kickoff Party!

10am-2pm

Get your season pass photo, buy a Plus Card or lift ticket, grab some free stuff from Mtn Dew, and shop for some new stuff!

Then look for us in the Parade of Lights, 5pm tomorrow night. We'll have our King or Queen of the Mounatin riding with us. We've also put together a small army of snowriders to hand out candy and coupons.

See you tomorrow!

It's A Sign

We've figured out why it hasn't snowed much yet. You know the house on highway 65 with the sign next to the old barn? Well the sign still says "Think Fall". I don't know who lives there but if you're reading this could you please change the sign? We all get a kick out of the signs you put up. And the "Think Snow" sign is a tradition...we need it!

Thanks!

We will be making a decision on Monday regarding our opening day. Check back here on the blog or the website Monday afternoon for the update. I'll also be letting all the media know what we decide. Snow is possible Sunday/Monday so we'll see what happens!

King's Crown

This Saturday we will crown our first King (or Queen) of the Mountain. You'll get to see the winner in the Parade of Lights. We made the crown yesterday in Powderhorn style using old rental shop ski poles.



We still need to add some jewels to the fur but I think it's looking pretty good. You know you want to win! Listen to Magic 93.1 or the Vault 92.3 for your chance to qualify.

Go Suby

Just what can a Subaru do? Apparently they can even hit terrain parks. Check out this video from the DC Mtn. Lab. Fast forward to the 3 minute mark if you want to see a snowboarder and a Subaru hit a jump at the same time!

Opening Day???

We're starting to get questions on whether or not we'll open on time. It's still too early to tell. We need an 18" packed base to open and it's not there yet. But there's another little storm coming in tonight and who knows about next week.

The plan is still for December 11th and we'll revise that if we need to next week. Stay tuned to the blog for updates. Otherwise, pray for snow!

All Hail the King

We're looking for a King or Queen of the Mountain this year. Have what it takes? Well all you have to do is listen to Magic 93.1 in the mornings, be the 9th caller or 19th texter to get qualified. They're qualifying every day this week.

The winner receives 2 Plus Cards, a nights stay at the Inn at Wildewood, and gear from Gene Taylors! We'll call the winner Friday afternoon. Then you and your family/friends can ride in our sleigh as the King or Queen of the Mountain this Saturday at the Parade of Lights.

Make sure to stop by Gene Taylors this Saturday from 10am-2pm for our Winter Kickoff Party! Get your season pass photo, buy lift tickets or plus cards, get some free stuff, and have your equipment tuned up.

Sunset

Caught yet another beautiful sunset at the mountain today...

Snow Update

It's good to see the white stuff again! We received 5 inches at the base from this storm. More on top. We've also been able to make more snow since the temperatures dropped. Looks like we could see more snow tomorrow night. We need at least an 18 inch packed base for opening....so cross your fingers! Only 11 days to go!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We have a lot to be thankful for, especially you, our guests that come back year after year. We're also thankful for the dusting of snow overnight and cloudy skies.

Enjoy your day with family and friends!

A Thanksgiving Miracle

The NOAA forecast is calling for snow on Thanksgiving Day! We will certainly be giving thanks if that happens. It's good to see the flakes back in the forecast, along with lower temps. We've had about enough of this sunny weather.

See the forecast

Getting Oriented

We're having our employee orientation today. Thankfully Powderhorn is a place where lots of people return to work each season. We have seasonal employees that have been doing this for 15-20 years!

It's a little like returning to school every year. You hear a lot of "So how was your summer?" and "Where did you go for vacation?"

The only thing we're missing are yearbooks.

We want to welcome our brand new employees this season too! Welcome to the family.

November Winner

Congratulations to Emma Leigh Larsen of Fruita, CO! She is the winner of our e-news trivia contest for November. Two lift tickets are on there way to her mailbox. The answer was Thunder Mountain.

Want a chance to win? Subscribe to our action-packed, highly informative, super-fanstastic newsletter here.

Theme Music

Do you have a soundtrack for skiing and riding? Personally, I don't like skiing with my iPod but it seems that I have a "ski song" every year that is playing in my head. It's kinda like having your own theme music while you ride.

This year's song for me is "Kids" by MGMT.

I know someone who loves to ride to Steve Miller Band's greatest hits album. What's your song or soundtrack for the slopes this year?

Care Flight Practice

Every year the St. Mary's Care Flight lands here and teaches a class at pro ski patrol orientation. Hopefully you never have to take a ride with them, but if you do, you're in good hands.

Rental Shop

The rental shop is going through a major upgrade this season. Manager Amanada Pilley came up with some great ideas....then realized she had created tons of work. But she and her crew are getting the job done and it looks great. Some of us never even realized there were so many windows in the shop!

When you enter the shop, you'll see the telemark, cross-country and snowshoe center to your right. There are two registers to help the line move fast.

Skiers will go to a much easier boot corral this season before moving on to their skis.

We've ordered lots of new skis for our high performance rentals.

Stop by the rental shop this season to check out our Taste of Colorado high pro series featuring companies right here in Colorado. We've started with Icelantic and High Society.

Local Video Showcase

Every once in awhile we jump on You Tube and check out all the cool videos being posted by Powderhorn locals. I stumbled across this one today showcasing the runoff last spring via our webcam. Very creative idea! It's cool to see the change as the snow disappears and the mountain greens up.

It's by "Big C"....whoever you are, good job and let us know if you're reading this!



If you've made a video at Powderhorn, let us know so we can show it off!

Sunset

Sunset at 5pm today (click to enlarge)

Give thanks that we live in such a beautiful area...and have a great weekend

Terrain Park Update

Everyone is super busy right now and that includes our terrain parks crew. They've just finished making repairs and giving our rails and spiffy new paint job. A new feature is being ordered soon....we'll keep you in suspense for just a bit longer.

The guys also plan to give serious attention to the beginner park this year making it a great place to learn jumps and rails. The bigger park will see construction of his & her's jumps of different sizes.

Just need the snow now!

Who's There?

The animals around here always keep things interesting. Yesterday I heard a lot of activity under the floor of my office. At first I assumed someone was working on the building. After awhile I realized it was a critter that didn't sound so small.

Lot of scratching and banging was going on in the ducts. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a just a bit nervous. I fully expected to see something pop its head through my vent. And eventually that's exactly what happened!

Hello Mr. Raccoon!

They're cute but I hear they're also ferocious little buggers. If it happens again I'm ready to snap a picture....and then run for it.

Give the Gift of Powder

Can you believe that there are already Christmas advertisements everywhere? It seems as soon as Halloween was over we were hit with Christmas. With the economy freaking out, I think we're all looking to shop wisely this holiday season.

So we thought we'd jump on the early Christmas shopping bandwagon and give you some ideas. This is a complete list of all available Powderhorn deals that would be suitable to purchase for someone as a gift.

Cash Cards- gift cards that can be loaded with any amount and good for any Powderhorn good or service. Popular gift idea: load a card with $53, the price of an adult lift ticket.

Buddy, Burger and Beverage- $120 available online beginning Dec. 5th. Valid Monday-Fridays for 2 lift tickets, 2 burgers a the Sunset Grille, and 2 age-appropriate beverages. Take care of your parents or a couple of friends in one easy shot.

Magic 93.1 Learn To Series- $330 includes 3 full days of either ski or snowboard lessons, 3 days of rentals, 3 lift tickets....plus a FREE season pass upon completion of the program! Click here for dates and details.

Weekend Getaway- Starting at $97/night at the Inn at Wildewood. Includes half price lift tickets. The Inn is slopeside with amenities such as Wildewood Restaurant, Bear's Den lounge, happy hour specials, free continental breakfast, sauna, and massage by appointment.

Alpine Trader & Cafe- Gifts for any age snow lover. From baseball caps and stickers to outerwear and tons of Powderhorn apparel.

Plus Card- $50 (available until Dec. 31st) Card holder received $7 off every lift ticket, 5th days free, and a week of free skiing Feb. 23- March 1st.

Happy shopping!

Smells Like Winter

You snow dancers are doing a great job. We picked up a couple more inches of snow overnight! For those that like to keep track, we've had 6 inches in the last week. We plan to begin making snow this Friday depending on temperatures.

Ski Swap & Denver Expo

Don't miss the Powderhorn Patrol Ski Swap this Saturday! It's a great place to get deals on equipment, get your season pass photo, or snag a Plus Card.

Two Rivers Convention Center
7am-4pm (come early for best stuff)
$2 to enter

You can buy your tickets in the lobby for the Warren Miller show. It will also be at Two Rivers, 8pm. Your stub is good for a Buy One, Get One Free lift ticket!

If you're a front ranger- come see us at the Denver Ski & Snowboard Expo this weekend!

Colorado Convention Center
Friday 12-10pm
Saturday 10am-8pm
Sunday 10am-6pm
$12 to enter

Huge deals on equipment, resort specials, DNA rail jam, and lots of fun contests. Stop by the Powderhorn booth for 2 for 1 lift tickets! We'll trade you some stickers for a Red Bull or Starbucks...it's a long show.

Snow Alert

This should help you recover a little from your election hangover....we received snow all over the mountain last night! This is the first storm to bring snow at the base area. It's snowing off and on today, let's hope for at least a few inches of accumlation!

Check out the webcam

And check out the comment left by Adam on our previous post. Leave him some feedback if you've driven that in the winter.

This Just In...

...it's snowing Dippin' Dots!

We Love Low Pressure

It's snowing! Up to 12" is expected over the next 36 hours. While sunny skies are nice, we're ready for a steady stream of low pressure systems. Nothing makes us happier than watching the weather forecast and seeing that big "L" heading our way.

Test Dummies

Everyone was pulled out of their offices this morning to act as test dummies on the new Magic Carpet. It was most definitely magical...although slightly ridiculous looking.

Hey Ullr

Let's face it, the only color we're interested in now is white. The leaves have fallen and the mountain is ready for snow. So, Mr. Ullr....god of snow...are you still in the Bahamas sipping Mai Thai's? Because it's time to get to work!

It's warm enough to wear short sleeves out today but actually it's no big deal yet. KJCT's meteorologist Brad Sowder pointed out to me that this is exactly how last season started. And things are looking very good for another good snow year. So enjoy some mountain biking while you can, because winter will be here before you know it!

For the webcam watchers...the countdown to opening will be back soon. We just need to do some minor repairs to the sign.

Flip That Lodge

With only 29 work days until we open, it's crunch time. If TLC did a spinoff of Flip That House, we would nominate ourselves for Flip That Lodge.

If you've ever seen the lodge in the summer, it looks quite a bit different than in the winter. Currently we are working to flip the lodge back into winter mode. The rental shop is in the process of becoming a rental shop again (it was the Trader Cafe all summer). They literally have boxes stacked to the ceiling as we purchased all new boots and expanded our ski & snowboard fleet.

The Trader Cafe is moving to the Evergreen Room in the lobby. On those busy Saturdays when you just want a sandwich and don't want to wait in line at the Grille, run into the Cafe. A nice caffeine buzz can't hurt your skiing either. You'll get more laps then ever before!

The Sunset Grille is being cleaned top to bottom in preparation for the season. The bar was painted to rid ourselves of the Super 70s Mauve that we were so famous for. Your heart is breaking I know.

And finally, new lockers are going into the picnic area. The previous lockers had been there for years. We're taking bets on what we'll find when we pull those out...want to get in on it?

King of the Mountain

Just a little heads up on a big contest we're dreaming up. We'll be crowning a King or Queen of the mountain on December 6th.

You'll have the opportunity to qualify December 1-5 by listening to Magic 93.1 or the Vault 92.3

Then we'll draw the winner live at our Winter Kickoff Party at Gene Taylor's on December 6th. The winner will receive a night's stay at the Inn at Wildewood, 2 Plus Cards, and gear! Even if you don't get into the contest, stop by Gene Taylor's for the party. We'll have free stickers and beanies, Pepsi giveaways, season pass photos, Plus Cards for sale, and you can shop the new gear or have your equipment tuned up.

December 6th

Gene Taylor's Sporting Goods

9am-1pm

We'll be adding to the grand prize as this event develops so stay tuned!

Drive Yourself Nuts

Watching ski and snowboard videos in the fall is the perfect way to drive yourself over the edge. Some friends and I watched That's It That's All this weekend. It was the best snowboard video I've seen so far this season. It did the job- made me want to get out there.




You can get this video on iTunes for only $8. Just search the title. Also search Video Action Sports and you'll find tons of ski and snowboard videos for only $2. Enjoy the punishment!

October Winner

Dale Johnson is the winner of the October e-news trivia contest. We has won 2 lift tickets. Congrats!

Correct answer was Sidewinder as the original name of Bill's Run.

Watch for the next e-newsletter coming out next Thursday with a new trivia question plus important Powderhorn updates. Not getting our newsletters? Sign up here. You can remove yourself from the list anytime.

Countdown Begins

Starting tomorrow, whenever you check the webcam you'll have a reminder of just how many days are left until your skis can hit the snow.

Everyone in the office nearly passed out from Sharpie fumes....

Ski Tomorrow

YOU COULD GO SKIING TOMORROW! Sorry for shouting but that's exciting!
Our friends over at A Basin and Loveland are opening for the season TOMORROW. Feel that 24 hour flu coming on?

Best of Boards

As promised, here are the top-ranked snowboards for 08-09. These were collected from Snowboard Magazine and Transworld Snowboarding. It was a little more difficult finding a wide range of editor's picks for various snowboard mags. If you have recommendations for others, leave a comment.

Men’s All Mountain
Rome Mod
Salomon Official
Nitro TeamRossignol Retox

Women’s Specific
Ride Canvas
Burton Stria
Rome DetailSalomon Lily

Park Specific
Forum Grudge
Burton X8
Nitro EeroK2 Darkstar

Burton boards can be found at Gene Taylor's, Traz carries Rome and Nitro, and Sports Authority carries Ride and Salomon.

C-C-Cold

Driving into the resort today, it was only 17 degrees! It's good to be cold again. As soon as daytime temperatures start staying a little lower, we'll begin making snow. Most likely the beginning of November. We purchased some new snowmaking equipment this year that will help us cover the base area more quickly. We will also use the equipment to make more snow in the terrain park.

Time to do some stretching and get those regular snow dances going!

Moon & Mountain

The moon rising yesterday afternoon over Cannonball and Wonderbump (click to enlarge)

Saving the Moola

Maybe you've heard about this little thing going on in our country....something to do with a bailout...and nasty looking red arrows pointing down.

Point is, we all could stand to save a little money right now. Here are some cool sites that will help you save money on outdoor gear that you might need for the season.

MountainGear.com is having a sale through October 14 on all kinds of outdoor gear. Some stuff is up to 78% off. Tons of items from The North Face, Mountain Hardware, and Patagonia.

Steap and Cheap is a cool site that posts a different deal every day. Quantities are limited so you have to buy fast but the deals are always amazing. For example, today's deal was Smith Sunglasses for only $29.99!

The only thing better than a huge deal is a free deal. Freecylce.org has a really cool thing going. You can join the group for your area and trade things for FREE. You just post about whatever it is you need and someone may have it. Then you can reply to people if you have something they need. Check out the Grand Junction group here.

And finally, our very own Alpine Trader has tons of great deals going right now all summer & fall apparel. We need to make room for our winter stock. Check it out Thurs-Sundays, 9am-4pm

Magic Carpet

Our new Magic Carpet is being installed today. This is going to greatly increase the flow and ease of learning to ski or snowboard. In fact, December 15-19 we'll be offering First Timer lessons for half price! So if you or someone you know would like to learn, that will be the perfect time to do it.

The guys are also testing the snowmaking lines. They found one leak and are now sliding around in a mud pit to fix it. We should call that guy from Dirty Jobs.

2008 Color Sunday Open

Last weekend we held the 2008 Disc Golf Color Sunday Open. Our course has a par of 54. Here are the results:

1st Pete Wade 55
2nd Mike Johnson 56
3rd Robert Martinez 63

Good job guys!

The disc golf season has now come to a close here at the mountain and the course is being removed. Next summer we will be installing nice rubber tee pads. We'll see you disc golfers next summer!

To the skiers and riders: 66 days until opening day!

First Snow!

First snowfall of the 2008-09 season!

Let the snow dancing begin.

Plus Cards

Just wanted to take the time to let people know the details on the Plus Card. It's perfect for those that don't want to pay full price on lift tickets but also aren't going to ski so much that they need a season pass.

The Plus Card is $50 and includes:
$7 off every lift ticket all season
5th day always free
Free skiing Feb. 23- March 1st

You card can be used by anyone (but not more than once per day). So let your friends use it when you can't go and that will get you to that 5th day free more frequently.

Order online, by phone, or at one of our town shows by December 31st.

Pick Your Sticks

It's that time of year where you realize you need to ditch your old boards and take the dive into a new pair of skis. The wall-o-skis can be a little overwhelming at your local ski shop. It's best to learn a little about what you're looking for and what's available before you go to the shop. Then you can talk with one of the pros more in-depth to get a perfect fit.

If you're any kind of regular skier, picking out your skis is like entering into a relationship. Choose wisely...otherwise you'll experience pain, frustration, and an expensive divorce when you have to switch to another new pair.

Here is a compilation of the Best of the Best. This list consists of the Editor's Picks from Skiing, Freeskier, and Backcountry Magazines.

All-Mountain
Volkl- Grizzly
Fischer- Watea 78 Railflex
Volkl- Bridge
Scott- Punisher

Big Mountain
Nordica- Blower
Rossignol- S6
Atomic- Pimp
Movement- Goliath

Powder Specific
K2- Pontoon
Line- Sir Francis Bacon

Park Specific
Nordica- Ignition
Volkl- Wall
Salomon- Suspect

Women’s Specific
Volkl- Kiku
Scott- Sheela
Roxy- Shazam
Rossignol- W Scratch BC Team

We'll have the Best of Snowboards soon!

Lightning & Lifts

We had over 1,000 people take a ride on the lift yesterday to check out the best colors in years. I know many of you were unable to get your ride in due to the lighting that approached at the end of the day.

When lightning comes into the area, we must unload the lift as soon as possible and count 30 minutes until we can load again. So when we hear thunder, we start our watch. If we hear more we start over. As soon as we can count 30 minutes without any strikes nearby we will load the lift again. Who wants to be on a big metal thing with lightning in the area? Not me.

But we apologize to any of you that were turned away. Safety first!

Check out some photos from Color Sunday yesterday

Change of Venue

Just a quick note to let you all know that the Warren Miller show has been changed back to Two Rivers Convention Center from the Avalon. Show times TBA

Wow

Blogging at you from the best Color Sunday in years! Almost 700 people have taken the roundtrip ride on the lift catching the best colors we've had in years. A thunderstorm is trying to move in and rain on our parade. But as they say, "just wait 5 minutes..."

If you just can't make it today, catch the story tonight on KREX or check our website tomorrow for some great pictures!

Color Sample

Here are some pictures taken today from various locations on the Grand Mesa