Unsettled weather moved into the Four Corners area this past week and it looks like it will continue into this coming week as well, according to the National Weather Service. That can only mean good things for the Southwestern Colorado ski areas. Snow!

All four of the ski areas (Durango Mountain Resort, Hesperus, Telluride Resort and Wolf Creek) are reporting the best ski-snowboard conditions in at least three years.

A weak winter storm moved through the Four Corners area beginning this past Tuesday, Jan. 23, and another storm came in on Thursday, Jan. 25. A strong storm began coming into the area Friday night, Jan. 26, and should continue with snow and snowshowers through Monday, Jan. 29. And still another storm is expected Tuesday, Jan. 30, according to the National Weather Service.

Wolf Creek Ski Area, which is located east of Pagosa Springs on U.S. Highway 160, is reporting excellent conditions after it received three inches of new snow on Thursday with six Wednesday night. To date, the ski area has received a whopping 221 inches. It has a summit snow depth of 84 inches with 73 at mid-mountain. Sunday is Locals Appreciation Day with area skiers skiing all day for $19.

Hesperus Ski Area, located about 30 miles east of Cortez, received 10 inches from the storm. It now has an all-natural base of 48 inches. Surface conditions are good to excellent on powder.

Snow Katz Kids is back at Hesperus. The ski area is sponsoring this after-school program designed for children 5-12 to teach them to ski and snowboard. Rentals for the program are available. Snow Katz Kids is now under way and will last for four weeks. For details and prices, phone 259-3711.

Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, located about 25 miles north of Durango on U.S. Highway 550, received 10 inches of new snow. The resort has a mid-way snow depth of 54 inches. Surface conditions are excellent on powder.

Telluride Resort, located about 60 miles north of Cortez on Colorado Highway 145, received eight inches over the whole mountain. The resort is reporting 44 inches at the top with 40 at mid-mountain. Surface conditions are reported as excellent on powder and packed powder.

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. The area received about six inches from the storm. 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 the trailhead. Picnic tables are set up along the trail loops. Dogs and snowmobiles are not allowed. Snowshoeing is allowed on the flat tracks groomed for skate skiing.