11 Apr 2008 14:30:48
ADK Skier
Spring Skiing On Grand Mesa CO and Mt. Bachelor Trails?

Any readers here familiar with late Spring skiing on Gand Mesa, or Mt
Bachelor. I've read on Grand Mesa's and Mt Bachelor's web sites about
a huge snow base. Was wondering if there is good access to do crust
skiing in early May?


11 Apr 2008 18:19:36
Re: Spring Skiing On Grand Mesa CO and Mt. Bachelor Trails?

On Apr 11, 3:30=A0pm, ADK Skier <lgs...@yahoo.com > wrote:
> Any readers here familiar with late Spring skiing on Gand Mesa, or Mt
> Bachelor. I've read on Grand Mesa's and Mt Bachelor's web sites about
> a huge snow base. =A0Was wondering if there is good access to do crust
> skiing in early May?

There should be good crust skiing on Grand Mesa at the beginning of
May. We just had a 3+ foot dump in the San Juans, and I imagine they
got a lot as well. That should refresh the surface and cover up a lot
of the snowmobile tracks. The best access is probably at Skyway (check
the map on the web site), which is the northernmost trailhead (south
of Powderhorn ski area). I think snowmobilers and skiers are fairly
well segregated up there, but there will probably be some (snowmobile)
tracks depending on your luck. It's great, rolling terrain for crust
skiing. Rabbit Ears Pass near Steamboat would be another good option.
Cheers, bw


12 Apr 2008 06:14:42
Gunde
Re: Spring Skiing On Grand Mesa CO and Mt. Bachelor Trails?

Grand Mesa skiing is set to be epic this Spring. This last storm put
30 inches of new snow on our trails for a current snowpack of 9.5
feet!. The final Lambert Foundation snowcat grooming of the season
will get done Saturday-Sunday 12-13April. Crust will start to form
this weekend, and expect crust skiing will be possible by next
weekend. Keep checking our website for the latest info http://gmnc.info
There is a weather link on our homepage called Meteorologist
Recommended http://home.mesastate.edu/~jerry/gmnc/weather/weather.htm
giving current conditions and an hourly forecast specifically for our
trails from the National Weather Service in Grand Junction. For crust
skiing look for temperatures straddling the freezing mark. And get up
there early as the crust typically turns to mush by 11AM. Also watch
the chat link for users' latest observations and information
http://groups.google.com/group/gmnc


13 Apr 2008 04:39:25
ADK Skier
Re: Spring Skiing On Grand Mesa CO and Mt. Bachelor Trails?

On Apr 12, 6:14=A0am, Gunde <gjtra...@yahoo.com > wrote:
> Grand Mesa skiing is set to be epic this Spring. This last storm put
> 30 inches of new snow on our trails for a current snowpack of 9.5
> feet!. The final Lambert Foundation snowcat grooming of the season
> will get done Saturday-Sunday 12-13April. Crust will start to form
> this weekend, and expect crust skiing will be possible by next
> weekend. Keep checking our website for the latest info =A0http://gmnc.info=
> There is a weather link on our homepage called Meteorologist
> Recommended =A0http://home.mesastate.edu/~jerry/gmnc/weather/weather.htm
> giving current conditions and an hourly forecast specifically for our
> trails from the National Weather Service in Grand Junction. For crust
> skiing look for temperatures straddling the freezing mark. And get up
> there early as the crust typically turns to mush by 11AM. Also watch
> the chat link for users' latest observations and informationhttp://groups.=
google.com/group/gmnc

Thanks. I'm driving out the first week of May. I found some camping at
4000ft. on the internet. Any suggestions on the best place to park
for skiing.


13 Apr 2008 07:13:21
Gunde
Re: Spring Skiing On Grand Mesa CO and Mt. Bachelor Trails?


> Thanks. I'm driving out the first week of May. I found some camping at
> 4000ft. on the internet. =A0Any suggestions on the best place to park
> for skiing.

I doubt it was 4000ft as even Grand Junction is at 4800ft. Anyway
parking will be no problem in May. I assume you are coming from I-70,
exit 49 onto Highway65. Its about 10 miles to the village of Mesa,
another 10 miles to Powderhorn Ski Resort, and finally another 10
miles to Skyway. You can park there, but at times in Spring that
parking lot is quite muddy. Continue another 2 miles to County Line
parking on the left (north). http://home.mesastate.edu/~jerry/gmnc/2004%20M=
ap.pdf
Further down the Highway, Ward Creek is south facing and thus is not
recommended for Spring skiing