Local ski areas receive Christmas snowfall

Local ski areas receive Christmas snowfall

Dec. 28, 2000

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Although most of the snowfall made its way into southern New Mexico instead of Colorado on Christmas Day, most of the Southwestern Colorado Ski Areas received some snow.

Perhaps the biggest winner was Ski Hesperus, located about 34 miles east of Cortez on U.S. Highway 160. The area reports receiving 5 inches of new snow. Conditions have improved tremendously all over the mountain. Conditions are good on powder and packed powder on a base of 25 inches.

"This is a lot of powder," owner Jim Pitcher said. "All the beginner slopes are packed."

Hesperus also announced it is now open for special holiday hours 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. this week and next.

Telluride Resort, located about 60 miles north of Cortez on Colorado Highway 145, received only an inch of new snow. The mountain top total is 34 inches with 31 inches at mid-way. The resort reports 63 of 67 runs now open or 93 percent of the mountain with all 12 lifts operating.

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, located about 25 miles north of Durango on U.S. Highway 550, reports 4 inches of new snow from the Christmas Day storm. The area has a base of 35 inches at mid-mountain on natural and man-made snow.

Wolf Creek Ski Area, located about 15 miles northeast of Pagosa Springs on U.S. Highway 160, reports receiving 3 inches of snowfall. The area has 68 inches at the summit with 56 at mid-mountain. All six lifts are operating. All 50 of 50 trails are open with 100 percent of the mountain open.

Kendall Mountain, located near Silverton, is now open daily for the rest of this week and all of next week while school is out. The small ski area has a rope tow. There is about 20 inches of snow on the mountain.

All fifth graders who want to ski or snowboard for free can at Durango Mountain Resort and Telluride Resort. Both of those resorts have applications for the Colorado Fifth Grade Ski Passport. Those who apply will get three visits to each of our member resorts, or 75 days of free skiing and snowboarding. They will also receive discounts on lessons and rentals too.

The National Weather Service is reporting partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies with only a slight chance for snow showers from today, Dec. 28, until Sunday, Dec. 31. Temperatures should be slightly below normal.