All Images: Cody Mathison, Mammoth Mountain
Earlier today, Copper Mountain and Breckenridge Resort in Colorado announced they will delay their opening date until further notice. Both resorts planned to open November 6 but according to Copper Mountain’s Instagram post , temperatures haven't been cold enough for efficient snowmaking.Â
Last season was the driest and warmest ski season Colorado has had in decades, leaving many resorts like Copper and Breckenridge struggling to maintain a consistent snowpack and forcing them to close earlier than usual. Ironically, though, both Copper and Breckenridge opened this same weekend last year.Â
As we enter an El Niño winter, conditions are still very up in the air for central Colorado. However, the Southwest region of the state is already seeing promising numbers, with the snowpack reaching its highest levels since 2005 and sitting at 125% of average for November 3, according to 9News Denver .Â
Elsewhere on the West Coast, Mammoth Mountain is also seeing favorable El Niño conditions. The mountain was able to get an early start to their winter season, opening November 5—eight days earlier than its originalm opening date. More than a foot of fresh snow and good snowmaking conditions helped make this possible. This announcement comes after the resort already had a strong season last year, compared to the rest of the Mountain West, with 297 inches of total snowfall.Â
Odds are still a toss-up for Colorado, and we're all just hoping Mother Nature is playing the waiting game for us Coloradans. Last week, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area and Keystone Resort settled their opening-day rivalry, with A-Basin opening first last Wednesday, October 28, and Keystone following last Friday, October 30. But no matter what, it’s always good to pray for snow!Â
