Going skiing over Presidents Day weekend? You’re in luck
Good ski conditions appear to be in the offing for northern and some central mountains in Colorado over the Presidents Day weekend, following multiple storms in recent days and more incoming before Monday.
Steamboat, Winter Park, Vail, and Beaver Creek will receive 8 inches of snow over the next three days, according to the Opensnow forecasting and reporting service. Steamboat already received 11 inches since Wednesday, while Winter Park received 10. Copper Mountain also received 10 inches in the past three days, and should receive another six through Monday.
Travel on Interstate 70 will be impacted by weather.
“Following mostly dry road surfaces from Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning, we’ll be tracking more wet, icy, and snowy road surfaces by
Sunday afternoon and into Monday morning,” Opensnow forecaster Sam Collentine predicted. “Plan for extra travel time on Sunday evening and Monday morning.”
As always during holiday weekends, Saturday morning westbound traffic is expected to be heavy early.
“Last year on this weekend, traf f ic developed quickly at 6 a. m. and lasted until 10: 30 a. m.,” CDOT reported in a post this week. “The peak of the traffic will occur around 8 a. m., with one hour of extra travel time between C470 and Silverthorne.”
Another challenging travel window should develop Sunday afternoon for eastbound motorists, CDOT said.
“Traffic will start to build by noon and abate soon af ter 6: 30 p. m.,” CDOT said. “Metering at the Eisenhower Tunnel is likely. Delays could result ( in) an hour of extra travel time from Silverthorne to C470.”
Westbound travel on Monday should entail only minor delays, CDOT said, based on traffic patterns over the past three years. Eastbound traffic should be similar to a typical Sunday.
“If you want to avoid delays,” CDOT said, “head eastbound before 11: 30 a. m. or after 6: 30 p. m.”
CDOT is discounting Snowstang bus service to five ski areas by 50% on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Roundtrip fares to Arapahoe Basin, Copper Mountain, Loveland and Breckenridge normally are $ 25 for adults and $ 12.50 for children accompanied by adults. Tickets to Steamboat normally are $ 40 for adults, $ 12.50 for children. Information and ticket sales are at the Snowstang webpage.
Seven Colorado resorts currently have above- average base depths with Monarch leading the way at 15% above normal. Others with above- average bases include Winter Park, Vail, Steamboat, Crested Butte, Beaver Creek and Echo Mountain.