All four of the Southwestern Colorado ski areas are reporting the best ski-snowboard conditions in at least three years of almost less-than-adequate snow fall.

A strong winter storm moved through the Four Corners area beginning late Monday, Jan. 15, and continuing off-and-on through Wednesday, Jan. 17.

Wolf Creek Ski Area, which is located east of Pagosa Springs on U.S. Highway 160, received 37 inches of powder during the period. It should get a lot of snow there as the base area is nearly 11,000 feet above sea level at the top of Wolf Creek Pass. To date, the ski area has received 209 inches. It has a summit snow depth of 89 inches with 78 at mid-mountain.

That storm came on heels of another storm. It received 22 inches Jan. 12-14. Conditions at the area are excellent on powder.

Blizzards and Wolf Riders for children 9-12 is set for today, Jan. 20. A telemark clinic is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 21 at Wolf Creek.

Hesperus Ski Area, located about 30 miles east of Cortez, also received 10 inches from the storm. It now has an all-natural base of 43 inches. It received eight inches last weekend. Surface conditions are good to excellent on powder. The Snow Kats Kids program gets under way this Monday, Jan. 22. For more information, phone 259-3711.

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, located about 25 miles north of Durango on U.S. Highway 550, received 15 inches of new snow from the storm on top of eight it had received the previous weekend. The resort has a mid-way snow depth of 51 inches. Surface conditions are good to excellent on powder and packed powder.

The fastest American Indian children (60) from Oklahoma’s Cheyenne-Arapaho and Colorado’s Ute Mountain Ute tribes on skis will be zipping down the slopes at Durango Mountain Resort today and Sunday. The third annual American Indian Ski Weekend. It is hosted by Ross Anderson, a Cheyenne-Arapaho/Mesca-lero Apache athlete who has the distinction of being the world’s fastest American Indian downhill skier. The intent of the weekend is not speed on the slopes, but exposing American Indian children to the sport of skiing. As part of the weekend, two dozen youth dancers from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe will perform a number of traditional dances at 2:30 p.m. both days at the Purgatory Village plaza.

Telluride Resort, located about 60 miles north of Cortez on Colorado Highway 145, which received 22 inches over the whole mountain. That came on top of receiving on a trace of snow the previous weekend. The resort is reporting 41 inches at the top with 42 at mid-mountain. Surface conditions were excellent on powder and packed powder.

The Telluride Race Camp is set for today through Tuesday, Jan. 23. It is to help skiers improvin their racing skills under the direction of the Telluride Professional Ski School. For more information, phone 1-800-801-4832.

Chicken Creek Cross-Country Ski Area, located at the end of Millwood Road (County Road 40) northwest of Mancos, is now officially open to the public for free-skate skiing and classic touring. It is been unofficially open for several weeks since the snow depth has improved recently. Chicken Creek offers nine miles of groomed track with both beginner and intermediate trails with gentle grades.

Chicken Creek is operated by Friends of Chicken Creek, a nonprofit group of volunteers who groom the trails and maintain the facilities. A donation box is located at the trailhead. Maps of the trails are located at Dogs and snowmobiles are not allowed. Snowshoeing is allowed on the flat tracks groomed for skate skiing.

For more information about the area, phone the Mancos-Dolores Ranger District Office at 882-7296.