Colorado weather is predictably crazy, and so last week’s spring-like thaw would not have surprised any of the locals. The Denver area had been buried by a huge snowstorm the week before, but the evidence was mostly gone just two days later, as temperatures climbed into the high 50s. For anyone who grew up in the East, the speed at which snow disappears hereabouts is startling. A snowstorm in any of the big cities along the Eastern Seaboard can leave a mess that lingers on the roads for weeks. Not here, though. The air is so dry, and the snow so light, that it doesn’t melt, it simply evaporates. Quickly. The recent storm dropped 24 inches of snow officially, but many spots, including my back 
yard, got quite a bit more than that. Now it’s all gone, revealing a carpet of dead leaves that my wife and son are raking and bagging as I write these words. Prodding a pear tree with the handle of his rake, my son has just dislodged the biggest hornet’s nest that I have ever seen. It was so big, in fact – about 12 inches in diameter – that it looked like a Japanese lantern. I’d thought it was a runaway kite, actually. You’re not supposed to poke at these nests until a second freeze has rendered them dormant, but if there were any survivors following autumn’s first hard freeze a few weeks ago, the snowstorm would likely have wiped them out.
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There’s been quite a bit of snow in the high country, and it looks like many of Colorado’s world-class ski resorts will be open by Thanksgiving. We ski quite a bit at Copper Mountain because of the great family deals they offer, but when friends visit from out-of-state, we usually wind up at Vail, Aspen or Steamboat. None of those places discounted lift tickets last year, but the deepening recession may force them to do so this winter. Reducing the price of lift tickets apparently is regarded as a last resort, although this may change as the daily rate butts up against the $100 threshold. Foreigners, especially Brazilians, may not notice this as much because of the weak dollar, but Americans surely do, and their business is needed to keep the slopes at least half-busy. Pre-season promotions to Colorado residents were more aggressive than ever this year, so it would appear the resorts aren’t taking any chances.
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That…was a very nice post. I’ve spent the day reading about FEMA camps, so the photo and the post was a nice antidote. In my youth, for many consecutive years our family made a yearly pilgrimage to the Rocky mountains to ski. We stayed in different places every year, Aspen, Vail, &c. One year we even stayed in Dillon in order to ski a variety of mountains. My father, though he has since mellowed, insisted on us being first on the hill no matter where we went. This, of course, resulted in a lot of early mornings. As a kid it seemed rather type-A. But only until we would descend into something like the back bowls at Vail after a heavy, overnight snowfall. Then it was pure pleasure. Some time later I wound up in Tahoe. I lived there for five years and skied at least forty days per.
I miss the snow.
It’s good to see that yard work isn’t keeping the post from being written
Agree with Chris, its nice to read something diverting for a change.
Arch Crawford is predicting the biggest calamity the world has ever seen around July 27, 2010. 60 minutes had a story on the vulnerability of the power grid last night. It seems to me India, China or Russia was responsible for the grid blackout in Brazil, and if that happens to New York this July…imagine elevators not working,etc.
Time to get a cabin with lots of provisions NORTH of Manhattan..Connecticut, New Hampshire. Lots of lake water and deer to hunt. Canada a short drive.
Hey Chris,
What’s your take on the FEMA camps? I have been in study of these for quite some time and find it very disturbing.
Thanks,
Chris
Hello Rick,
My family had season passes at Breckenridge in the mid- 1970s after moving here from Chicago. The Family season pass was $125 for each adult and $75 for each child, our family of five total was $475. Gasoline and Marlboros were about the same price ( 60 cents ), I gave up the butts at $2.75. I remember one of the old two seater chairlifts near the top peak B (with a wooden back) would give off a static electric shock if the wind blew hard enough on the ride up.
Rick,
You might find your fellow Coloradan’s pics & writing interesting: http://christinesmith.us/wordpress/2009/05/08/the-colorado-mountains-in-springtime-photos-the-music-of-italy/
As I tell Christine, all of you that like living in cold places should have your heads examined, I’ll take the nice warm Caribbean, thank you.
&&&&&
You and my wife, Darren. She wants to live in the Florida Keys — a long, long way from the ski slopes. RA
Chris,
Unequivocally disturbing. Combined with the Ukrainian illness outbreak, the stockpile of large plastic containers known as “FEMA coffins,” the tale of Joseph Moshe, the Federal Reserve, the inevitable bankruptcy of the United States, the worsening corn and soybean harvest here in the Midwest, &c., &c., I would say that “something wicked this way comes.” It smells like martial law and all its attendant glories (like food rationing and forced labor).
But who knows. Perhaps the X-Men will save us.
As for me, I’m thinking about joining the Freemasons.
Yours,
Chris
Aloha All
Today’s title brings to mind Mae West’s old invitation about the holidays.
Had a nice talk with daughter at Dartmouth and she misses the snow and sun.
Getting down into the 20s at 6397 feet and dark early, so we throw another homesplit log in the Country Stove. Breckenridge brings back nice memories, as do Aspen Onion, Boulder, Durango, Estes Park Stanley, Evergreen, Glenwood Ouray Pagossa Steamboat Springs and San Juan Skyway, with Ouray allegedly the hideaway for Atlas Shrugged. Florida Key West a nice town with the Audubon House, coconuts, Fisher Maritime Museum, fishing, Buffett Hemingway Margaritaville, hurricanes and lots of feral cats.
Qs are PnF targeting 78, SPX 1295 and Crude 115, while GS 150 and Gold 1005.
Time always tells.
Thanks for the interesting political economy essays, particularly the Mish, which was passed on to Amherst List Serve, which tends to be left of center.
Re flu, 15 minutes of sunlight a day or 5000 IU of Vitamin D said to provide immunity. Hope so, if indications of reverse engineering from 1918 or lethal mutations are noted. Baxter Austria sued for passing weapons grade flu hybrids with adjuvant to 18 countries for human incubation and genetic reassortment to make it more contagious and lethal. http://www.theflucase.com/
Meanwhile, enjoying the manic rally while it lasts…
Regards*Rich
Interesting post on peak oil in time for Copenhagen Eco SUmmit:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/09/peak-oil-international-energy-agency/print
I have 12 days so far this season at A-basin. Breck opens Thursday. I enjoy living here.
Just got my nat gas / lp generator so I can power my well pump and (important for the wife!) garage door opener.
If the electric grid shuts down, the ski areas can run the lifts on diesel for some time. After that I will freeheel uphill to earn my turns while getting vitamin D from the sun.
Some local pictures here. I will update with ski pics soon. http://mostlyco.blogspot.com/
Investments: food, fuel, family, metals (in hand), and long some miners.
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