First Snow of the Year Winter Park, CO 2012

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Chris

Guess the Day of the First Measurable Snow in Winter Park, Colorado

The leaves have just started to turn here in WP and that means it is time for the first measurable snow contest. This the fourth Winter Park Lodging Company first measurable snow contest and we hope it brings some storms like we see in the picture to the left.

Rules of the first snow contest are:

Respond to this post with your guess on what date we will have the first measurable snow in Winter Park and you can win a FREE Winter Park season pass! If you’re the only one to guess that date, you win it outright. Otherwise, we’ll pick a winner out of a hat of all of those who guessed that date. Only catch: Must have 250 guesses by the time the snow falls in order to reward the prize. Hint: it has snowed as early as August in the past…

One guess per person please and the guess must be 48 hours before the actual snowstorm. Measurable snow is more than a half inch.

So get out those crystal balls and give us your best guess and while you are at it let us all know if we are going to have a good snow year. As of today Aug 22 there are 26 guesses on the Winter Park Lodging Company Facebook Page so we need 224 more guesses and you can win a free Winter Park/Mary Jane Resort season pass.

Last year, 2011, the first snow was October 6th with a small snow storm. In 2010 first snow was rather late with an October 12th blizzard. 2009 brought us first snow on September 21st and 2008 was early with a September 10th date. Last year I predicted September 15th and was off by almost a month.

So everyone put your Winter Park Resort Trail-maps in the freezer for good luck (and to make the snow gods happy) and get your snow dance on. I will start things off with the fist snow prediction for ski season 2012/2013.

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow.

Winter Park CO Spring Skiing

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Chris

Winter Park Mary Jane spring skiing deals

Photo by Scott Hefel

Spring Skiing Winter Park Mary Jane

The weather is starting to warm up some here Winter Park and we are in our snowiest month of the year, March. This means that the famous Colorado spring skiing is knocking at the door.

With the slow start of the snow falling this year this should can we will be getting great snow from mid March thru the very end of April and probably beyond into May. Not a great thing to hear for a mountain bike perspective but it should make for some of the best spring skiing conditions in years.

Spring is the best time of year to visit Winter Park Mary Jane Resort. The skies are blue and there is nothing more fun than Après on the patio of Lunch Rock or Club Car on the Jane side.

Lodging at Winter Park Resort is a great deal come April and most of the crowds are staying down in the lowlands. For those wanting to get the best skiing of the year spring is the time to head up to Winter Park.

The Winter Park Spring Splash is April 22 this year of 2012 and that is a day not to be missed. Usually great skiing and some of the best snow of the year should be around if things go as they have the last few years. March is the snowiest month here in WP and April is usually the third snowiest month of the year so there is always plenty of good skiing come springtime.

Check out the Winter Park Resort Lodging Lodging Deals and book now to get your first pick on your Mary Jane spring skiing vacation lodging digs.

Winter Park Resort Snow History

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Chris

Snowfall At Winter Park/Mary Jane

We have had an odd year of snowfall here in Winter Park, Colorado this 2011/2012 ski season but things are looking on the very bright side now, as this February been one snowy month. So far this year we have had 126″ of snow and that is low for this time of year. However, what a blessing this could turn to to be.

Winter Park and Mary Jane has averaged around 340″ of snow the past 11 years (during ski season). So what does this mean? Well, I’m reading the tea leaves with the idea that WP is in for some monster late winter and spring snowfalls. My prediction is that by the scheduled closing of WInter Park Resort on April 22 there will have been one 300″ of new snow at the Mary Jane snow station. That will be over 175″ of new snow in the next 10 weeks.

So look out! I’m saying we are going to have one of the best late winter anmd spring skiing seasons ever. We did all the snow dances, put the trail maps in the freezer and we are going to get the fluffy white snow falling all season long.

Here is snow history for last year and the ten years previous:

2010/11 SEASON
MONTH	SNOWFALL (INCHES)	PERCENT OF 10 YR. AVERAGE
October	18.0	246.4%
November	57.7	97.6%
December	51.1	82.8%
January	62.0	95.9%
February	58.6	101.8%
March	81.6	126.3%
April	59.0	156.9%
TOTAL	388.0	110.0%

And here are the previous 10 years of snowfall history at WInter PArk and Mary Jane:

PREVIOUS 10 SKI SEASONS

SNOWFALL (INCHES) / PERCENT OF 10 YR. AVERAGE
SEASON	OCT.	NOV.	DEC.	JAN.	FEB.	MARCH	APRIL	TOTAL
2000/1	3.0 / 58.9	76.2 / 120.1	82.1 / 135.8	45.4 / 66.9	65.5 / 114.6	57.3 / 84.8	32.5 / 85.3	362.0 / 100.5
2001/2	4.0 / 78.5	45.6 / 71.9	59.8 / 98.9	67.7 / 99.8	35.7 / 62.5	27.2 / 40.3	6.2 / 16.3	246.2 / 68.4
2002/3	28.2 / 553.3	71.6 / 112.9	52.0 / 86.0	37.6 / 55.4	68.1 / 119.2	114.2 / 169.0	39.0 / 102.4	410.7 / 114.1
2003/4	0 / 0	72.1 / 128.9	59.6 / 102.1	30.9 / 41.6	55.3 / 90.9	40.2 / 67.6	10.6 / 27.9	268.7 / 74.6
2004/5	18.0 / 365.8	48.2 / 75.6	38.3 / 63.4	47.5 / 71.3	43.1 / 75.5	68.1 / 102.2	29.5 / 79.4	292.7 / 82.0
2005/6	11.0 / 205.4	79.5 / 125.8	87.0 / 145.8	68.0 / 103.1	50.6 / 89.4	51.6 / 77.4	17.3 / 46.9	365.0 / 103.0
2006/7	42.0 / 758.3	28.2 / 44.2	54.1 / 89.3	28.2 / 42.7	69.6 / 123.4	46.7 / 70.6	33.7 / 93.0	302.5 / 85.3
2007/8	14.0 / 209.6	15.1 / 24.1	86.8 / 143.8	75.1 / 115.8	73.1 / 128.6	70.0 / 108.3	55.1 / 152.3	389.2 / 110.2
2008/9	7.0 / 101.4	34.6 / 56.5	93.2 / 152.4	73.5 / 112.8	59.3 / 103.4	41.2 / 62.7	70.0 / 190.5	378.8 / 107.0
2009/10	21.0 / 304.2	16.0 / 26.5	49.3 / 79.4	39.4 / 60.2	64.1 / 111.7	52.2 / 80.3	33.5 / 88.8	275.5 / 77.6
AVERAGES	14.8 / 121.5	48.7 / 118.5	66.2 / 77.2	51.3 / 120.8	58.4 / 100.3	56.9 / 143.5	32.7 / 180.2	329.1 / 117.9

So there is a silver lining to the slow snowfall start here in Winter Park: we will be getting a bunch of snow in the next two and a half months. Maybe some of the best ever spring skiing here in Winter Park, Colorado.

So make sure to get your Winter Park Spring Ski Lodging early and have some grate spring skiing fun.

Winter Park Resort Snowfall

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Chris

Snowfall at Winter Park Resort

The snow took some time to come this year but it has been falling steady the past week and conditions are fantastic with lots more snow forecast for this coming week. This week Panorama Express opened with great tree skiing and powder that was waist high.

As of today Winter Park Resort has 19 of 25 lifts open with 111 trails in great skiing condition and all 8 terrain parks ready for all your tricks. Total skiing acreage open is 1437, that is a lot of space to ski.

The weather outlook for the coming weeks is looking real good with a steady flow of storms dropping some good totals here in WP. For the year Winter Park Resort has had 101.5″ of snow for the year. A positive way of looking at the thin snow of December is that we will hit at least 300″ of snow for the year so there will be a whole lot of fluffy white powder being dumped between now and April 22.

Want to follow the Winter Park Resort Snow Forecast? Follow the Open Snow Powder Forecast.

Looking to come hit the snowy Winter Park slopes when there are no crowds and the flakes are flying? Book with WInter park Lodging Company by January 31st for stays before February 15th and get your third night free. Check out all of Winter Park Lodging Company’s Vacation Rentals to get your prime Winter Park, Colorado diggs.

The jet stream and storm flow have made a change. Look for Winter park and Mary Jane to get plenty of snow for some great skiing the next three and a-half months.

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow.

Winter Park Resort First Snow Contest Winner

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Chris

First Snow Winter Park, Colorado

We have a winner to our first snow contest here in Winter Park, CO. It has taken a little while to get around to announcing this but yes we have had a couple of snows since the first last week.

There were thirty five entries on our blog and about twenty five more on the Facebook post about the first snow contest and yes there was a lucky soul, ok maybe talented, who hit the first snow date. It was not a huge snow this year as last but it was over an inch and there is no disputing the picture to the left that it was a measurable snow last week.

So our first snow date for 2011 is, drumbeat please ………….. October 6th. Yes that was last Thursday and we have a winner. Stormy the snow predictor this year is Thomas Schneider. And Thomas pretty much hit the snow fall total also. Nice work Thomas! Here is the winning snowfall total post “The ‘dust’ is already at the top, so it won’t be long. That first 1/2 inch will come on Oct 6.”

The fourth Winter Park Resort first snow contest is now concluded and we hope that this relatively early snow and subsequent snow storms means that we are in for some La Nina powder this year. ALl the mountains surrounding Winter PArk and the Fraser Valley are now painted a nice white and it is looking as ski season is almost here. Today up at Berthoud Pass there were three a couple of impatient folk with there planks out looking to find some fresh lines down the hill. That is the spirit.

Well, here is to snow early and often all year long. Put the trail maps in the freezer and do the snow dance…..

LET IT SNOW, LET SNOW, LET IT SNOW

First Snow In Winter Park, CO

Posted on October 12, 2010 by Chris

First snow at Winter Park Resort Winter Park Resort’s First Measurable Snowfall

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.

Early Snow at Winter Park/Mary Jane Resorts?

Posted on September 4, 2010 by Chris

September snow Winter Park Colorado September Snow for Winter Park

The picture to the left was a snow storm last September 21, 2009. Are we in for an earlier storm this year? The forecast is looking like storms are lining up to dump a bunch of white fluffy very early this year.

Here is what snowforecast.com is saying about this coming week in Winter Park, CO:

Monday Sept 6th–FALL LIKE, POSSIBLE DUSTING OF SNOW ABOVE 9,000 FEET—> The Gulf of Alaska low pressure system weakens some as it moves east across the northern and central Rocky Mountains (Colorado is considered to be in the central Rocky Mountains). This system has more cold air, the jet stream is projected to be overhead, but with limited moisture across the area. Points along and north of the I-70 should see isolated showers and maybe a thunderstorm from this, along with a dusting of snow above 9,000 feet (dusting = less than 1/2 inch of snow).

Thursday Sept 9th–COOLER, WINDS INCREASE, CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND HIGH ELEVATION SNOW– -> The second low pressure system that was digging south across California moves eastward into Colorado and weakens, with cool showers and a chance for high elevation (roughly 9,000 feet+) snow again.

Oh boy, snow is on the way. Will we get hit or will it be just a dusting? The La Niña weather pattern that is developing for this winter should bring plenty of snow to this neck of the woods.

A La Nina SST pattern is here for the fall/ winter, through possibly the season following (through 2012). This usually bodes well for northern Colorado resorts including Steamboat Springs and Winter Park/Mary Jane Resorts.

Guess the day of the first snow and win dinner for two in Winter Park, CO from Winter Park Lodging Company.

Winter Park Colorado First Snow Contest

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Chris

first measurable snow in Winter Park CO First Snow in Winter Park, CO 2010/2011

The time has come again for the second annual First Snow in Winter Park, CO Contest. Lady Summer is on her way out of the building and our three weeks of fall will come and go and then we are left with six months of glorious glorious snowy winter.

Here is a comment from WP local Mr. Scott Hefel on Aug 24th, 2010:

Seasons are a changing, I could see my breath on my morning walk with (my dog) Sam. I actually started to get excited for snow.

So the contest is, guess the date that Winter Park Resort will receive the first measurable amount (more than a half inch) of snow and you will win dinner, drinks and desert for two at either Deno’s Mountain Bistro or The Cheeky Monk Belgium Beer Cafe in the Winter Park Village. Guesses can be put below in the comment section and need to be guessed at-least SEVEN DAYS before the date of the snow. One guess per person please.

Last years first snow at Winter Park Resort was on September 21st, yes less than one month away. There were two snow contest winners last year and each received a prize.

Last years first Winter Park snow contest had 74 guesses and we are hoping to beat that this year.

All-right here goes, get your snow dance on and lets start getting ready for some fluffy white stuff here in Winter Park, CO. I will be the first to guess below so make sure to not guess my date for you will be certain to have no chance of winning if you do, I will definitely be wrong.

Winter Park Spring Splash Pond Skimming

Posted on April 23, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park End of Season Pond Skimming

Here is a video of contestant #15 at Spring Splash. From the time that we watched the pond skimming competition this guy by far had the best run. The Spring Spash this year was was very good and very spring like. Last year there was a ton of new snow on closing weekend but this year was just a bunch of spring-like slush.

The locals party over at Mary Jane C-Lot was very fun with local musicians and people BBQ-ing, having some drinks and an all around good time. The weather cooperated with no rain or snow and delightful sunny skies. We will post some of the pictures from splash in the next day or two.

Now that Winter Park Resort is closed we are getting some spring storms that are just making me wish the resort was still open. Maybe a trip up to Berthoud Pass for some back country skiing will end this ski season on a proper note. Oh well it was a good ski season with some big storms followed by some dry periods but we got some very good days in and overall the season was not bad. El Nino held for the entire year and we were a little short of our average snow fall.

Goodbye ski season and hello mountain bike season. Well, after all this snow melts that has dropped in the last few days.

How Much Snow for Winter Park Resort 2009/2010 Ski Season?

Posted on March 13, 2010 by Chris

Winter Park Colorado snow totals Winter Park Resort Snow Total Contest

How much snow will Winter Park Resort receive for the 2009/2010 ski season ending on April 19th, 2010? That is the question that we skiers ponder up here in Winter Park, Colorado. Kinda of like mulling over the lint in your belly button but much more fun. We here at Winter Park Lodging Company thought we could make this snow forecasting bit more fun if we had a contest. So here is the contest:

Guess how much snow Winter Park Resort will receive by April 18th, 2010, as reported on the Winter Park Resort website, for a chance to win dinner and drinks for two at one of our fine restaurants here in WP. Use the comment section below for your official entry and all guesses need to be in by April 5th. He/She that is closest to the snow total wins. We will post a winner by April 20, 2010 on this blog.

We had a slow snow start to this ski season but the ski gods have been pretty kind to us the last month or so with a couple of doozy storms that dropped as much as 16″ of fluffy white on our beloved Winter Park. A couple of these storms also sent avalanches crashing down on US Highway 40 to give us Winter park folk the better part of the day to enjoy Mary Jane/Winter Park by ourselves (and those fortunate enough to already be here).

The snow report and total for today March13th, 2010 look like this:

Last Updated:

3/13/2010 8:54 AM

New Winter Park Resort Snow (In Inches)
24 hrs	48 hrs	72 hrs	Season
0″	1.5″	8″	227.9″

Winter Park Resort averages 350″ inches of snow per year so we should be getting some big storms the rest of March and April this year. Here is some historical info on snow totals at Winter Park Resort for the last year and the ten previous years:

Winter Park/Mary Jane 2008 – 2009 Ski Season
Month	Snowfall (inches)	Percent of 30 yr. average
October	7	101%
November	34.6	56%
December	93.2	152%
January	73.5	113%
February	59.3	103%
March	41.2	63%
April	70	190%
Total	378.8	107%

Winter Park Resort Snowfall (inches) / Percent of 30 yr. average
Season	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Jan.	Feb.	March	April	Total
2007-2008	14.0 / 105	15.1 / 31	86.8 / 142	75.1 / 127	73.1 / 125	70.0 / 122	55.1 / 122	389.2 / 118.8
2006-2007	42.0 / 609	28.2 / 46	54.1 / 88	28.2 / 43	69.6 / 121	46.7 / 71	33.7 / 92	302.5 / 85.4
2005-2006	11.0 / 159	79.5 / 130	87.0 / 142	68.0 / 104	50.6 / 88	51.6 / 79	17.3 / 47	365.0 / 103.0
2004-2005	18.0 / 261	48.2 / 79	38.3 / 63	47.5 / 73	43.1 / 75	68.1 / 104	29.5 / 80	292.7 / 89.3
2003-2004	0 / 0	72.1 / 118	59.6 / 97	30.9 / 47	55.3 / 96	40.2 / 61	10.6 / 29	268.7 / 75.8
2002-2003	28.2 / 409	71.6 / 117	52.0 / 85	37.6 / 58	68.1 / 119	114.2 / 174	39.0 / 106	410.7 / 115.9
2001-2002	4.0 / 58	45.6 / 75	59.8 / 98	67.7 / 104	35.7 / 62	27.2 / 41	6.2 / 17	246.2 / 69.5
2000-2001	3.0 / 43	76.2 / 125	82.1 / 134	45.4 / 70	65.5 / 114	57.3 / 87	32.5 / 88	362 / 102.2
1999-2000	7.0 / 101	16.5 / 27	65.1 / 106	93.8 / 144	67.0 / 117	56.1 / 85	35.5 / 97	341.0 / 126.9
1998-1999	6.0 / 87	32.5 / 53	27.8 / 45	98.8 / 152	55.3 / 96	43.8 / 67	35.3 / 96	299.4 / 72.9
Averages	13.3 / 183	48.6 / 80	61.2 / 100	59.3 / 92	58.3 / 101	57.5 / 89	29.5 / 77	327.7 / 96.0

Plenty of info to base your guesses on but please research away. I will put my guess in first and may the best man win. We all actually win with the more snow we get though!