We have had our first snow at Winter Park Resort.  On Monday, October 12th, there was lots of snow falling at the Winter Park Resort Base. Up at mid-mountain there was over 10 inches of some wet wet snow.  Good snowfall this early should mean a good base for WInter Park Resort for opening day of ski season November 17th.  The snowmaking guns are out this year already and will start making snow sometime this week.  That is a week earlier than last year.

First snow was a little bit later than the last couple of years and that should mean a winter of great snow for Winter Park Resort.  Last year first snow was September 21st for the start of a not so good El Niño year.  In 2008/2009 first snow was September 10th in an OK snow year.  This year the La Niña first snow was later than usual with an October 8th arrival.  Hopefully, this portends a huge snow year for us here in Winter Park, CO.

The winner of the Winter Park Lodging Company’s first snow contest is, drumbeat, …….. DeAnn Munoz. Prize is dinner and drinks for DeAnn at either Deno’s or The Cheeky Monk in the Winter Park Village. Nice guessing, you were right on. Here is DeAnn’s guess with a little reasoning as to why she picked October 12th:

It snowed early last year but last Summer was atypical for Colorado and not very hot. This summer has been very warm and our heat index is pretty large this year. Therefore, I’m going to guess October 12th.

DeAnn was not guessing, she thought out the snow pattern and voila she had the correct first snow date. Nice work DeAnn.  My guess was off by just short of a month with September 15th.  Darn I never win anything.

Now that first snow is here lets get excited for the first day of ski season….. It could not come soon enough for me.

The above photo is from Winter Park Resort’s Facebook page.