Rockies resorts watch sunny skies, hope for snow
DENVER — Click: balmy fall weather. Click: brown barren slopes. Click: Scattered patches of mostly machine-made snow.
From live Internet camera shots, one can easily glimpse the challenges facing resorts across the Rockies as they struggle to open for the Thanksgiving weekend. Some, including Vail Mountain and Steamboat Springs, have postponed start dates.
Conspiring against them are weather systems that have kept storms away and hampered snowmaking and the fact that Thanksgiving falls earlier in the month than usual. The good news is forecasts are calling for snow next week in Colorado and Utah.
“It’s always nice to get open for Thanksgiving but the fact of the matter is sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t,” said Michael Berry, president of the National Ski Areas Association trade group. “If we can be up and operating in a substantial fashion by the middle of December, it bodes well for the industry.”
The nation’s $6 billion ski industry is hoping for a banner season after posting a 7 percent drop in visitors last year when a fickle winter favored the Rockies and left other parts of the country wanting.
Although resorts relied solely on natural snow to coat runs decades ago, consistent improvements in snow manufacturing have pushed the traditional ski season start to Thanksgiving weekend.
To churn out the best, most consistent snow, the machines need to operate in temperatures hovering around freezing or below with low humidity. In Colorado, resort operators say it’s been about 10 degrees above normal for the past couple of weeks.
“What we see early season is the passionate folks,” Berry said. “We always want to take care of them, the people who’ve been waiting all summer for winter and are ready to start no matter whether we start in September or November.”
EVENTS TONIGHT
FOUNTAIN MOVIE — “SHREK 3”: 11:30 a.m., Fountain Library Branch, 230 S. Main St., Fountain, free; 382-5347.
OUT LOUD COLORADO SPRINGS MEN’S CHORUS PRESENTS “SING, SING, SING!”: 8 p.m. Nov. 16, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Nov. 17, First Congregational United Church of Christ, 20 E. St. Vrain St., $15; www.ticketswest.com.
HISTORIC HOMES HOLIDAY TOUR: Sponsored by the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 16, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 17. Tour homes 100 years old and decorated for the season. Tickets are $20 if purchased by today; $25 and available at 1806 N. Tejon St., 114 W. Del Norte St., 1308 N. Cascade Ave, 1824 N. Tejon St. or 1601 N. Nevada Ave. on the days of the event; 473-3708.
MEXICAN SILVER EXHIBIT AND SALE: With wine and hors d’oeuvres, 3-8 p.m. Nov. 16, noon-5 p.m. Nov. 17, Kirk and Hill, 129 N. Tejon St. Proceeds benefit CASA; 635-7038.
RODNEY CARRINGTON: For ages 18 and older, 8 p.m., Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., $36.75; www.ticketswest.com.
MUSICAL THEATRE EXPERIENCE “STATE FAIR”: Performed by 20 CC voice students, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16-17, 3 p.m. Nov. 18, Colorado College, Packard Hall, 5 W. Cache La Poudre St., free; 389-6606 or 389-6607.
SPORTS TONIGHT
Colorado College will host Wisconsin in hockey at 7:30 p.m. on 103.9 FM. Air Force hosts Connecticut in hockey at 7:30 on 1300 AM. In high school football state quarterfinals at 7, Broomfield is at Fountain-Fort Carson, Air Academy is at Cherokee Trail, and Falcon is at Conifer. The Colorado Avalanche is at Dallas at 6:30 on Altitude (950 AM).
In college football, undefeated Hawaii is at Nevada at 9 on ESPN2. Among area colleges, Colorado College is hosting the Tip-Off Classic basketball tournament with CC's women playing at 3 and its men at 8. Air Force is hosting New Mexico in men's soccer at 7. Air Force is hosting the league men's water polo tournament with the lat game at 6:30 p.m. Air Force is at Wyoming in volleyball at 8 on The mtn. (Comcast 167).
In the NBA on ESPN, Houston is at San Antonio at 6 and Detroit is at the Lakers at 8:30. The men's college basketball 2K Sports College Classic is on ESPN2 at 4:30 (third place) and 6:30 (final). The Ford 200 race is at 6, on the Speed channel.
The ATP Masters Cup is on ESPN2 at 2 a.m. Saturday. Grandview will visit Heritage in high school football at 7 p.m. on FSN.
