How wrong can a ski resort be on snow reports?

[SnowHot]

Seriously, Northstar reported 36" of snow in the past 2 days.  I skied the past two days and know for a fact that they were waaaaaaay off.
5 ft is more like it 

They should be punished for inaccurate snow reports   

[midwif]

That's disgusting.

[Gary]

Hey....what's the difference once you get over 3 feet.....
 
Enjoy Trish.....oh yeah...make sure Ron is equipped with his snorkel...

G

[jbotti]

I find that resorts can be way off in both directions. Squaw in general over reports the amount of snow they get. I don't know about Northstar but they may be much more conservative. There was an article in Ski Magazine last year or the year before entitled "Big Lie". The article was aboit Big Sky Resort where they measure the snow in the place that gets the very least on the whole mountain and that often they report 3-4 inches and it is a foot deep on the upper mountain.

In tahoe a lot has to do with where they measure and report the snow. Many storms have limited snow at 6000 (the base of most Tahoe resorts) but may drop multiple feet more at 7000 and 8000 feet. This most recent storm was like this, and above 9000 feet there was even a few feet more. Squaw reports snow amounts at the lower mountain and also at the upper mountain and often there is a big difference. If Northstar is measuring at the base, then they will chronically underreport snowfall.

Lastly, wind blown areas can also make it look like a lot more has fallen. I have seen Squaw get 8-10 inches but in certain places where the wind has blown and loaded some areas/bowls it can be almost 2 feet deep.

[Gary]

BUT...5 feet sounds so cool doesn't it....

I mean could you imagine 5 feet of blower pow...I mean you'd have to be doing 50mph to get through it...

Oh, ooo...ah....how fun would that be....hmmmm...falli ng would not be good! 

Pow straps tied to my body would be mandatory! 

[jbotti]

When you say "wow 5 feet, how cool would that be" I immediatley think how badly Tahoe gets trashed. People come to Tahoe who have skied Utah and Colorado and they catch some bad Tahoe days (and bad days in Tahoe are pretty bad) and they trash the experience. What people who trash Tahoe don't realize is that 5-10 times in a season there are days where they have 3-5 feet of fresh!! It is reasonably commion to ski in 2-4 feet. And yes sometimes the snow can be heavier, but sometimes it is pretty darn sweet. Phil and Snow Hot have a gotten a good taste this year and it is likley that they have never skied in this much snow before with any consistency.

I do think that everyone should make it to Tahoe at least once to experience a couple of truly huge dump days. First tracks down KT-22 at Squaw is a religous experience, one that I cherish every time I do it. Not to mention the greatest show on earth as some of the best freestyle skiers in the world come down the fingers (which is right below the KT lift so you are seated for the show) and do 30-40 foot jumps often with flips and spins!! It really doesn't get any better!!

On a side note I am headed to MT today where they are expecting more than a foot of fresh tonight. Tomorrow should be a nice pow day. I will be on my Shamans, not to be confused with a Shammy!!

[LivingProof]

Just sitting here shaking head with the blahh's. 10 days ago canceled my Tahoe visit to Phil and Trish because of no snow. Phil called and said "stay home". Reading JB's post about Tahoe in bad conditions was confirmed by Phil. Phil called,again,yesterday and said "Get out here, now!". Timing is everything. Sinus condition just will not go away and energy level is not right.  One of these days, I'll hit the jackpot.

Ron's on his way to Tahoe for a visit. He got skunked in Chile last summer but he's the man for picking his skiing pow spots this winter.

Ron, Phil and Trish, just slay it! And make a pow run for me. 

[Gary]

JB...spot on my brother....gotta be sweet watching dudes with no fear flying and spinning like birds...

As far as skiing Sierra cement....we get that here....albeit usually no more than a miraculous dump or 2 feet once in a while. So if I have to pick and choose, I'll take Jackson, Aspen, Steamboat, and the Park City Resorts for the best chance of hitting that light and fluffy.

Hoping you have a great time in MT. JB....the snow just seems to be on a constant flow cycle in that neck of the woods....

Mikey....feeling bad you can't find your way to some distant state with huge dumps...Ok...you can come to Rochester and ski Bristol.....conditi ons are best they've been in years....food and accommodations are free.

Anytime, you're always welcome...best, g

[meput]

All right guys, I realize I am a newbie, but enough about fresh powder that you can drown in. Some of us are stuck in the east where we just got rained on. Where the snow report is "firm surface" which means ice so thick that there are fish swimming underneath. And "gusty winds" which means winds so high that the lifts are not running and no jumps are allowed off moguls or in the parks because you will land 10 miles down the road from the mountain. Some of us dream about a foot of fresh powder anywhere on our home mountain. To hear you complain that the report said there was a foot of fresh pow when there was really 3 feet just 500 ft higher up the mountain makes me want to puke (well maybe not puke but definitely cry  ). So be kind to us less fortunate types when you are complaining about your obscene conditions!

[Gary]

Yeah...I'm on board with that..."Big snow sucks" you lousy westerners....yeah. ..firm boiler plate rules and when when get sweetly groomed snow...yeah...we rule...

Phew...I feel so much better...I've been able to let that out!!!!

I've come to the self awareness and acceptance that for me....it's OK if they make me drool, slobber all over myself and even wet myself cause blower pow can do that to me.

So...I think if you can accept that the east has the best boiler plate in the states....I'll be Ok accepting that places beyond the Mississippi probably might maybe even possibly have a little better pow than we.

I have just packed my boot bag for my Sunday morning 35 minute drive tomorrow morning to Bristol Mountain....we've had 9"inches today....good as any 5 feet of Tahoe blower...Yeah...rid e on my brother!

 

[meput]

If you westerners want to compete with us easterners re: boiler plate, ice, wind, etc. that will not hurt my feelings . I just wish us easterners could compete re: pow  . But we all know that is not going to happen.

But when you westerners are complaining about inaccurate ski resort reports because the amount of new powder is subject to interpretation - no sympathy from the easterners

[ToddW]

But when you westerners are complaining about inaccurate ski resort reports because the amount of new powder is subject to interpretation - no sympathy from the easterners

Hey, take it easy on our fragile western sisters and brothers and their powder measurements.? We easterners have got it easy since "vermont powder" comes in only one measure:? slick.? ?

[meput]

Thanks Todd for bringing me back to reality. On that subject, I'll be using my ice skates, I mean, ice skis tomorrow at the 'loaf.

[SnowHot]

Ron's arrived safe and sound, and we saved him some snow
John, have fun in Montana!
Here's a tiny taste of the action with 3 ft of fresh

[ToddW]

Here's a tiny taste of the action with 3 ft of fresh

Thanks for the appetizer.  Where are the main courses?