Our Season of Snow

Greeting Powdercat,

As a member of the coveted Powdercats Nation, we present to you today our annual State of the Powder Address. We hope this address comes at a time in your season when you are deep in the powder, tired from seeking out endless fresh lines, and eager to get after it again, and again, and again.

As a diehard Powdercatter, you have been paying attention to how our season has been going.  More than likely you have already visited us and can read this with a smile knowing that our time has come.

The Powder Machine has been turned on again for us here in Colorado.  We are digging out from another epic storm.  One that has provided cold temperatures again and the “white gold” that we love so much.  Today was one of the best days of the season after 15-20″ of new snow has fallen over the past 3 days.  It’s the snow we dream of in July, the cold smoke that we crave, the heavenly pow that we live for.  We wish you were here, are thankful for those who are, and are stoked for those who are coming over the next few days.

Though our season hasn’t been the deepest, read more below, we are forecasted for more snow this week and the outlook from our most trusted weather forecasters looks good for the next week or so, and maybe even longer.

For those of you who can’t get enough, we have openings this week on both Saturday and Sunday.  Check out our calendar and come chasing another day in the powder with your friends here at Steamboat Powdercats.

As you can see in the above image, we are back in the snow game with 19″ over the past 3 days.  The new snow and cold temps are making for “best day ever” type conditions for our guests.  Hallelujah!

Some other notables from this season are the truly epic storm that hammered most of Colorado and the Western US from December 23 to January 8th.  We had a total of 110-inches dumped on us during this timeframe.  This amazing 17-day storm cycle equates to 52% of our total snowfall this season and set us up nicely.  In fact, the new snow from Jan 5th and 6th was the wettest 48-hour dump since records of snow water equivalent have been measured on Buffalo Pass since 1980.  It wasn’t the deepest 48-hour storm that we’ve had but it was the wettest we’ve ever seen.  Though the snow from that storm wasn’t the typical cold smoke that we are used to here in Northwest Colorado, it was amazing to see Mother Nature reap havoc on us and give us the much-needed base and water that we so desperately need in the arid West.

After January 8th, we persevered through 38 days of not so epic snowfall.  Thankfully it was cold during this timeframe so conditions on Buffalo Pass allowed our guides to search out the freshies and find our guests enough good snow to exceed expectations.  Recently from March 1st to the 4th, temperatures warmed up and snow conditions turned creamy and spring-like. Again, our guide team worked their magic, making the best of what Mother Nature was giving us.

As diehard Powdercatters, you know that it’s better to be lucky than good when planning your trip with us.  It’s always a great day up on the snowcats, but as we all know, life is a bit better when it snows.

Speaking of, coming this Wednesday, we are in the crosshairs once again for another major storm.  If the forecast comes true, those of you who are booked this week should be living your dreams and relishing how lucky you are.

As you can see from the image above, the Yampa and White River basin where we live is still below our normal snowpack levels. At 85% of average, this isn’t the greatest snow season ever and this makes sense due to the lull in snowfall we received from January 9th till now.  So here’s to an epic rest of March and a wet and snowy April.  May it continue to snow, snow, snow!

As always, thanks for being loyal and amazing guests who have embraced our Powdercats team, fueled our stoke, and have become friends, and partners in crime with us over the years.  Without you, there would be no Powdercats and we are gratefully humbled to have you as part of our family.

Until next time, keep living the dream and pray for more epic powder days in the weeks ahead.

Your friends at Steamboat Powdercats