March madness: Skiing won’t peter out this year

One statistic says it all about the difference between this ski season and
last year: The temperature plunged to 4 below in the Aspen area Monday,
March 3. Last season on the same date it was 56 above.

In March 2007, hordes of locals soaked up rays while loading their mountain
bikes for trips to Moab. Many more are sticking to the slopes this season.

The snow base at the top of Snowmass Ski Area was 101 inches and 75 inches
mid-mountain Thursday. It was 72 inches on March 6 last season.

At Aspen Highlands, the difference in the base is even more dramatic: The
snow depth was 119 inches Thursday compared to 79 inches last season.

After a mediocre March the last two seasons, Aspen Skiing Co. Vice President
of Operations Rich Burkley pulled some strings for improvement this season.
“Apparently you can only sell your soul once. Next year somebody else is
going to have to take this one on,” Burkley said.

His soul was apparently worth something. It snowed 19 of 29 days in February
and March opened with 21 inches of powder. Snowmass has received 341 inches
of snow so far since November. The season average is 300 inches.

Burkley said a veteran Aspen Mountain ski instructor of 44 years assured him
it’s been the best season he has ever experienced.

Ski patrol veterans have opened “extracurricular terrain” — gated areas that
are usually closed within Aspen Mountain’s boundaries — more than ever this
season, Burkley said.

Cloud Nine Restaurant has been dubbed “The Igloo” by Aspen Highlands
workers. Snow on roofs of structures at Snowmass look like surreal pillows.
Terrain beneath chairlifts like High Alpine at Snowmass and Deep Temerity at
Highlands is roped off to prevent skiers and riders from whacking the boards
of lift riders.

You know it’s a good season when there is the danger of hitting someone
riding a lift.

With snow and cold continuing into March, there’s no question the slopes
will remain skiable past the scheduled lift closings. Aspen Highlands and
Buttermilk are scheduled to close April 6. Aspen Mountain and Snowmass shut
down on April 13.

Burkley expects Highlands Bowl to be a magnet throughout the spring for
skiers willing to skin up after the lifts close.

“Pending no wet slide issues, the Bowl will be skiable into June,” he said.
The Skico is already pondering how to handle requests from passengers who
want to take skis up the Silver Queen Gondola when it opens for summer
operations on June 13.

Extending the season isn’t as easy as it sounds. The gondola must be closed
as scheduled for replacement of the electrical system, Burkley said. And at
Snowmass, construction must begin on the Sam’s Knob Restaurant the day after
the chairlifts close. The construction season at that high altitude is so
short that the project cannot be delayed, Burkley said. It requires roads to
be plowed and eliminates use of the Village Express chairlift, which runs
from the base to the top of Sam’s Knob.

So, what about extending the season at Highlands? Burkley would only hint at
what the Skico brass is thinking.

“Highlands will close on April 6. That doesn’t preclude it from opening at a
later date,” he said.

scondon@aspentimes.com