Looks like the summer season is starting early in #Colorado.

[c_dan4th@mstdn.social]

Looks like the summer season is starting early in #Colorado. On the one hand, it was nice to test some new gear so early in the season. On the other, it’s still March and this is less than one linear mile from a place I was skiing in steep, deep powder only three weeks ago.

#camping #ultralight #springtraining #wilderness

[paul_ipv6@infosec.exchange]

@c_dan4th

denver is already starting watering restrictions and lots of early growth too. going to be an early fire season, i fear.

in COS, pikes peak is the only mountain visible with snow.

[nshrubs@mstdn.social]

@c_dan4th @ai6yr Up here in the Cascades too. I figure backpacking season, which normally starts in mid-July for the high country, will be starting now and over by late July & we'll be dealing with fires through October until the fall rains start...assuming they start, that is. Normally I go to Utah as soon as school is out the 3rd week of June & come back to backpack mid-July-late August. This year I'll stay & backpack in June/July, go to UT in August

[c_dan4th@mstdn.social]

@Nshrubs @ai6yr The high-high country is still in winter mode here, but this is usually skis-only terrain for another month at least.

[c_dan4th@mstdn.social]

Three weeks ago, slightly higher in elevation, less than a mile away:

[hikingdude@mastodon.social]

@c_dan4th niiice!

[dougfir@m.ai6yr.org]

@Nshrubs @c_dan4th @ai6yr
Utah has next to no snowpack and what we have is melting fast under that same heat dome afflicting all the West.

[ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org]

@Dougfir @Nshrubs @c_dan4th My brother was going to go skiing in a few weeks there, I am predicting they will have to go hiking instead.

[nshrubs@mstdn.social]

@ai6yr @Dougfir @c_dan4th Deer Valley & Park City are closed (or are closing today). Beaver Mtn in Logan already closed. Solitude is down to something like 12-13 runs open out of 80+ runs. My cousin skied at Alta this past week & said it was more akin to the Snoqualmie slush we are used to up here than actual powder. Shitty ski year

[nshrubs@mstdn.social]

@c_dan4th @ai6yr Our high-country is still in winter mode as well, particularly further north, but the snowpack is so much less that places like Fire Creek Pass & Mica Lake on the PCT, which often don't melt out until August, will probably be snow free & ice free by early-mid July. Probably will need to carry more water than usual here too, since some of the seasonal streams from meltwater will be dried up.

[c_dan4th@mstdn.social]

@hikingdude It was spectacular. But then we’ve been having summer weather.

[timkstanton@mstdn.social]

@c_dan4th
Nice! I’m jealous! Where are you camping?
My adventures in Colorado have mostly been day trips, although I’ll be camping near Capitol Peak this fall.

[c_dan4th@mstdn.social]

@TimKStanton this is Lost Lake near Nederland. It’s not much, but it was nice to get out.

[c_dan4th@mstdn.social]

@Nshrubs @ai6yr @Dougfir We do what we can with what we have. And hopefully don’t get too many core shots in the process.

[c_dan4th@mstdn.social]

@ai6yr @Dougfir @Nshrubs I have some friends coming into town tonight for their annual Colorado ski vacation. They’re going to try anyway (since they already bought tickets), but I predict it will be pretty limited.

[timkstanton@mstdn.social]

@c_dan4th
Sounds nice to me— lake and mountains. ️

[ai6yr@m.ai6yr.org]

@c_dan4th @Dougfir @Nshrubs Well, they can go camping? You do whatever you can do, I suppose.

[paul_ipv6@infosec.exchange]

@c_dan4th @ai6yr @Dougfir @Nshrubs

yeah. usually easter is about the end of the "good" skiing, before folks switch to spring skiing, rock skis, etc. at this rate, many resorts will be *closed* by easter.