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SUNLIGHT MOUNTAIN RESORT, Colorado — Dylan Lewis, marketing manager for Sunlight Mountain Resort, wasn’t too happy with the Thanksgiving weekend storm that pummeled much of Colorado’s high country, but mostly missed Glenwood Springs’ local mountain.
“I can’t believe that that storm missed us like that,” Lewis said as the sun continued to shine Monday afternoon. “We got left out in the cold, so to speak.”
After a very dry November, many ski areas received enough snow this weekend to ease the worries of snow sport enthusiasts and made the skiing and riding at other areas, like Loveland and Vail, more enjoyable for visitors.
Loveland Ski area, near the Eisenhower and Johnson Tunnels, received nearly three feet of the white and fluffy stuff, according to Coloradoski.com. Vail reported 17 inches Saturday and Sunday, while Aspen Mountain and Snowmass reported 7 inches and 4 inches, respectively, over the same weekend.
Compared to the upvalley ski mountains, Sunlight received similar amounts of snow. However, seeing that Sunlight is set to open Friday, Dec. 5, the fact that they’ve only received about five inches in the past week isn’t very promising, according to Dylan.
“If we don’t get (snow) this week, then we would push back the opening,” Lewis said.
To further escalate the situation, Lewis said that temperatures haven’t been cold enough for Sunlight crews to use their on-mountain snowmaking system either, leaving their only hopes for opening on a good winter storm this week.
That is what Lewis is hoping for.
“We are predicting a storm Tuesday night,” Lewis said. “It looks like there is some snow coming in, but it’s tough to say what is going to happen.”
In order to utilize the snowmaking capabilities, the temperatures would have to drop to the low 20s or teens to be effective, Lewis said.
Without more snow, the opening could be pushed back one week to Dec. 12.
“We’ve got about a foot on top and 5 or 6 inches on the bottom,” Lewis said. “If you step back and look at the mountain it looks OK, we just need a little more.”
Lewis said that opening is all dependent on this week’s weather, and that the resort is still planning on opening Friday. They won’t know until Wednesday if opening day would be pushed back or not.
Contact John Gardner: 384-9114
jgardner@postindependent.com
“I can’t believe that that storm missed us like that,” Lewis said as the sun continued to shine Monday afternoon. “We got left out in the cold, so to speak.”
After a very dry November, many ski areas received enough snow this weekend to ease the worries of snow sport enthusiasts and made the skiing and riding at other areas, like Loveland and Vail, more enjoyable for visitors.
Loveland Ski area, near the Eisenhower and Johnson Tunnels, received nearly three feet of the white and fluffy stuff, according to Coloradoski.com. Vail reported 17 inches Saturday and Sunday, while Aspen Mountain and Snowmass reported 7 inches and 4 inches, respectively, over the same weekend.
Compared to the upvalley ski mountains, Sunlight received similar amounts of snow. However, seeing that Sunlight is set to open Friday, Dec. 5, the fact that they’ve only received about five inches in the past week isn’t very promising, according to Dylan.
“If we don’t get (snow) this week, then we would push back the opening,” Lewis said.
To further escalate the situation, Lewis said that temperatures haven’t been cold enough for Sunlight crews to use their on-mountain snowmaking system either, leaving their only hopes for opening on a good winter storm this week.
That is what Lewis is hoping for.
“We are predicting a storm Tuesday night,” Lewis said. “It looks like there is some snow coming in, but it’s tough to say what is going to happen.”
In order to utilize the snowmaking capabilities, the temperatures would have to drop to the low 20s or teens to be effective, Lewis said.
Without more snow, the opening could be pushed back one week to Dec. 12.
“We’ve got about a foot on top and 5 or 6 inches on the bottom,” Lewis said. “If you step back and look at the mountain it looks OK, we just need a little more.”
Lewis said that opening is all dependent on this week’s weather, and that the resort is still planning on opening Friday. They won’t know until Wednesday if opening day would be pushed back or not.
Contact John Gardner: 384-9114
jgardner@postindependent.com
