Wolf Creek Ski Area boasts “The Most Snow in Colorado,” but so far nothing but a thin layer of man-made snow covers the bunny slopes that are open for Thanksgiving.
Even after an encouraging blast of winter hit the state Wednesday — bringing 4 to 10 inches of powder to much of the high country — the 11 resorts open by today have done so only by relying exclusively on their snowmaking systems.
Many others — including destination resorts Steamboat and Telluride — have had to delay their season kickoffs until storms strike, or at least until temperatures drop low enough to make snow.
“We know it’s going to come,” said an ever-optimistic MaryHelyn Kirwan, spokeswoman for Telluride, where an unseasonably warm autumn has kept skiing at bay. “We usually do get a little more help from Mother Nature.”
Colorado ski areas have invested tens of millions of dollars in snowmaking systems in part for these dry Novembers.
“Mother Nature obviously is a fickle lady, and by having the means to lay down your own base, you’re essentially guaranteeing your guests open terrain when they’re there,” said Nick Bohnenkamp, spokesman for Colorado Ski Country USA.
It is limited, though: Vail has 8 percent of its slopes open and Winter Park only 4 percent, and many vacationers have canceled their trips.
“Some people are like, ‘I don’t know if I’m going to drive 1,000 miles for 8 inches of snow,’ ” said Jessica Jolly, snow reporter for Wolf Creek. “It depends on what else they’re coming for. If it’s the snow alone, they’re not coming.”
Wolf Creek has a single snow gun, which will allow it to open up a second beginner run today. Last year at this time, the entire mountain was buried under a 50-inch base.
“We’re just hoping and praying and wishing,” Jolly said.
Overall, about 15 percent of the state’s in-bounds ski terrain is covered by snowmaking, compared with about 85 percent in resorts on the East Coast.
Even in hearty snow years, modern multimillion-dollar systems have proved to be invaluable for buttressing the snowpack in high-traffic areas, said Bill Jensen, chief operating officer at Vail.
“We tend to reinvest in it every year,” he said. “Technology — bigger pumps, bigger air compressors, better, more powerful guns and computer controls — all these things allow more efficiency and lower costs.”
Skiers say the quality of man-made snow, which tends to be denser and a lot wetter, can’t compare with the feel of natural fluff.
Don’t tell that to Goode Price, who came in for the holiday weekend from Birmingham, Ala., to ski at Copper Mountain with his wife and two children.
“For people like us who don’t know snow,” he said, “this is fine.”
Steve Lipsher: 970-513-9495 or slip sher@denverpost.com
