Yo shredders! Jake here, and I’m buzzing right now because the white room is open for business—but you better hurry up and get in there.
We are looking at a classic "last call" scenario for Colorado and Utah. The powder faucet has been wide open, but meteorologists are warning us that the tap is about to turn off. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to call in sick and head to the mountains, this is it. Go now, or cry later.
The Goods So Far
First off, can we talk about what just happened? The recent totals are absolutely insane. While Colorado finally broke its bone-dry streak with a solid refresh—Aspen Snowmass reported a tasty 10 to 12 inches and Loveland grabbed 8 inches—Utah just went full beast mode.
Alta is basically burying the needle. They pulled down a massive 25 inches in just a 36-hour window ending January 3rd. That bumped their base depth from 90 to 115 inches. That is not a typo. That is deep, pillowy goodness begging to be slashed.
The Forecast: One Last Pulse
According to the snow wizard Chris Tomer, we aren't done yet. One final storm system is tracking through the inner mountain west right now through January 9th.
If you're plotting your chase, aim for January 7th, 8th, and 9th. Those are the money days.
Here is the hit list for freshies through the 9th:
- Little Cottonwood Canyon (Alta, Snowbird, etc.): Expect another 8 to 12 inches. It’s going to be bottomless.
- Big Cottonwood Canyon (Solitude, Brighton): Same deal, 8-12 inches of fresh.
- Park City & Deer Valley: A respectable 5 to 8 inches. Great for cruising soft groomers.
- Colorado Western Slope: Aspen Snowmass, which currently holds a stoke-worthy 74.2/100 on ShredIndex, should see better accumulations than the Front Range.
- Loveland: Look for moderate refreshers on January 8th.
If you are scrambling to get out there before the clouds clear, you might want to book your stay near the canyon mouth now, because everyone else has the same idea.
The Bummer: Dry Spell Incoming
Here is the bad news, folks. Once this system pivots south, a gnarly high-pressure dome is parking itself over the region. We are talking warm, dry, sunny vibes from January 10th through the 15th.
Great for working on your goggle tan, terrible for powder hunting. The pattern might flip back to cold and snowy around January 17th, but that is a long time to wait on hardpack.
So, stop reading this, grab your gear, and get to the lift line. I’ll see you out there—I’ll be the one hooting in the trees!
Source: Unofficial Networks
