Where to Ski And Snowboard - At last ... snow for the US

At last ... snow for the US

19th January 2012, by Chris Gill

They are all a flutter at the US snowfall ... [(c) Aspen-Snowmass Resort]

Snow is falling in parts of America, at last, following a long dry spell and unusually warm weather.

The US has been suffering a snow shortage since heavy falls in November. But resorts in Colorado, Utah, Idaho and on the east coast are now reporting good snowfalls.

Snowbird in Utah is claiming a powder week, with 70-150cm snow possible by the weekend. And the forecast is for it to continue snowing until early next week. It is the first major dump of the new year, and they are all set to make the most of it.

In Colorado, Aspen, Telluride and Vail have all reported 20-35cm fresh powder this week. Many resorts in the region have not had any significant snowfall since mid-December.

In Aspen they apparently have a novel way of forecasting a return to winter: bird activity! Black Rosy finches to be precise. The local Ski Patrol look out for Black Rosy-Finches at the bird feeders on top of Sam’s Knob in Snowmass (10,620 ft elevation), and that we’re told is an indication that a storm is on the way…

The birds are native to North America and flock to the bird feeders to stock up ahead of bad weather; and they have certainly been active this week – as the picture shows.

Further north in Idaho, it is still snowing in Sun Valley – another 10cm on Thursday. In Wyoming, Jackson Hole is also benefitting from the new snowfalls, with a metre and a half forecast by the weekend. If it’s correct, then that will certainly transform conditions out there. As the webcam shot shows, it is snowing already on the upper mountain.