Snowy weather finally returning to Four Corners

Snowy weather finally returning to Four Corners

Jan. 11, 2001

BY JIM THOMAS
Journal Sports Editor

Hesperus receives some snow

A LONE SNOWBOARDER takes advantage of some recent snowfall at Hesperus Ski Area. The small ski area, located about 30 miles east of Cortez, received four inches of new snow Tuesday night. The forecast for the rest of this week calls for more snow. A large storm is heading for the Four Corners Friday and Saturday. Hesperus is reporting a base of 26 inches with good conditions.

For all those who thought snow in think snow campaigns, it is finally paying off. Mother Nature is answering those prayers. Snow started falling in Southwestern Colorado and the greater Four Corners area on Tuesday morning, Jan. 9, bringing much needed snowfall to the local ski areas.

According to information from the National Weather Service, some weak winter storm disturbances started moving into the Four Corners on Tuesday with more on the way for several days to come. A stubborn high pressure system, which has been in place since the day after Christmas, has moved eastward. Several storms in the Northern Pacific are expected to move inland and towards the Southwest.

A low pressure system brought clouds, rain and snow to most of the area Tuesday morning and into Wednesday, Jan. 10. But the main part of that system went into southern New Mexico, like the one that brushed the areas on Christmas Day. However, another stronger storm should begin moving into the area late tonight, Jan. 11, with snow forecast for much of the area Friday and Saturday, Jan. 12-13. And another system should come into the area by Monday, Jan. 15, with still another system expected after that, the NWS is predicting. Temperatures should be about seasonal but begin dropping Friday and then rebound only slightly. Temperatures should be in the upper 20s in the mountains and in the low 30s at lower elevations.

Wolf Creek Ski Area, located at the top of Wolf Creek Pass outside of Pagosa Springs on U.S. Highway 160, received four inches of new snow. The mountain has 68 inches at the summit with 55 inches at mid-way. Surface conditions are excellent on powder.

Hesperus Ski Area, located about 30 miles east of Cortez, also received four inches of new snow. The area now has a 26-inch base. Surface conditions are good on powder.

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, located about 25 miles north of Durango on U.S. Highway 550, received three inches of new snow and now has a mid-mountain total of 35 inches with 38 on top. Surface conditions are good to excellent on powder.

The big loser was Telluride Resort, located about 60 miles north of Cortez on Colorado Highway 145, which received only a trace over the whole mountain. The resort is still reporting 30 inches at the top with 33 at mid-mountain. Surface conditions are fair to good.

The week of Jan. 13-20 is National Safety Week at Colorado Ski Areas.

Skiing is 50 percent safer than it was 25 years ago. That's according to Rochester Institute of Technology researcher, Jasper Shealy, who's had an eye on the industry since the 70's. Gone are the days of primitive equipment and fuzzy-brained lessons pieced together by friends. Here to stay are technologically advanced carving skis and boards and leading-edge, consumer-driven learning programs.

And what's more important than ever? Safety. The ski industry has come close to mastering the art of keeping the slopes as safe as humanly possible. Think orange fencing, yellow patrol jackets - but very few black and blue bruises.

In fact, the lower leg injuries common to skiing's early days have declined by a dramatic 95 percent. And as medicine has artfully combined with sports, injury-prevention programs and ski-specific training are better than ever.

There are more safety patrollers on the mountains this year. Nearly all of Colorado's ski areas have pumped up their safety programs by adding more on-mountain staff, family slow zones, speed-control fencing - or all three.