Ski season began on Sunday at Silverton Mountain for a guide and a patroller employed there who were willing to climb above 12,000 feet to earn their turns.
That’s because Silverton and other parts of Colorado’s high country saw widespread measurable snowfall over the weekend, sending people’s anticipation of winter into overdrive.
“I think they had a very good time. You needed rock skis, and it was a dangerous day. [But] Silverton has some of the most hard core ski bums that are out there, so anytime there’s snow, they want to take advantage of it,” Silverton spokeswoman Jen Brill said about ski guide Evan Alsup and patroller Calvin Davenport.
Brill posted the photos on Instagram to help stoke the stoke. “This is our brand, so I do this every year,” she said of the photos. “I think the earliest was Labor Day. Silverton is at a high elevation. That’s why we’re a great ski area, we can suck snow from anywhere.”
Silverton had a wet summer as well, and there has been more moisture in recent weeks, she added. “Temperatures have been right on the edge, and in the past week it’s definitely gotten colder.”
Most Colorado mountains received a dusting of snow or more, according to OpenSnow founding meteorologist Joel Gratz, who tracks mountain weather conditions and forecasts for his site. Weather models say there is a chance a colder system is headed for the state next week with the possibility of significant snow.