I stopped and skied at Loveland on W Feb. 9 on the way west. I like Loveland. So close to I-70, so close to Denver, so lightly patronized. It had snowed 10" the previous day and I knew the crowd would be light on a Wed. and lighter still with a temp. of -10F and a stiff wind. I got a 2nd row parking space at 9:30. There was much ungroomed and untracked snow. I love the place for its vast powder fields above the tree line. I needed a break after 2 runs to warm my feet. By then it had warmed to a very comfortable +6 and I worked my way over to the north side of I-70 and chair 8. It was sublime. Windslabbed powder with loose powder blowing over the surface. The rockered Megawatt skis (125mm waist, 155 mm tip) ate it up in big chunks of vertical. Quit at 1:30 and continued west. A very satisfying day.

Loveland, chair 8, I am jealous. My favorite run in the world.

Denis,

Stop at Colorado instead of continuing to Utah! As you prolly know, CO is kicking Utah's butt since early January. (Despite an epic Nov/Dec for Utah.)

Skiing on 125 mm? You're upping the ante. My everyday Western boards are now 98 mm (wouldn't go narrower.)

John, It all depends on how far I can get in 1 day of driving. After visiting my son in Chicago I made it to Lincoln NE before calling it a day. Next day I wanted to try for Aspen where my nephew & his GF are working. Light snow and a brutal wind turned I-76 in eastern CO into an icy nightmare. There is a 200 mile stretch of desolation from western NE to Denver with about 5 exits, and about 2 of them big enough to have a motel. I was whipped and very grateful to have made it to just W of Denver for the night. It was then that the Loveland plan was hatched. It had snowed 10" there on 2/7, Denver also getting a foot. It worked out.

As to UT? Not now my friend. It hasn't snowed here since 2/7. 60F in the city. Yesterday & today very firm at Alta. I'd call it about equal to what the locals pronounced the worst day ever 2 yrs. ago. However I did find some nice heavy windblown and lower down a very little bit of powder in one of my favorite stashes. It is an east facing slope and the wind was ripping from the west. It promised to corn up both days but at noon, cloud cover stopped the warming in its tracks.

A storm is promised for wed. night/thurs, 1-2 feet they are all saying, but I'm worried about wishful thinking. Doppler does not look promising. A very little blue is showing in the Sierra. I'm saving my legs for powder by skiing short days. And, oh yeah, skiing on 76 mm waist with diamond filed edges these last 2 days. http://www.scottybob.com/skiworks/ http://www.scottybob.com/skiworks/design

How long you plan on being in Utah?

All of Feb., then a good part of Mar. with a week or so in Mammoth at some point that I haven't determined yet. In late Mar. I'll head home and after getting re-acquainted with my very patient wife*, VT to see & ski with my daughter & family.

* She doesn't ski, nor want to, but she will go on a ski trip if the grandkids are there.

Yeah I'm adding Loveland to my list of all time favorite places. I was there just 2 days before you. We had the advantage of warmer temps but it was a complete whiteout off chair 9. Chair 8 was epic though, untracked top to bottom. We only had the morning because we were due to fly out that evening. You gotta love the Southwest evening flight direct to Dulles. You can get a solid 4 hours of riding in and still hit the airport pretty comfortably.

hey! I was at Alta on 2/14 - same as Denis? Alta was great but the snow was not epic. We found a little good in Ballroom and off Wildcat, Punchbowl laps between 3 and 4 was my highlight of the day. Alta is just fun no matter what.

I had no idea I was there on one of the worst days ever - now I have something to brag about!

So Denis, where's your stash, eh ?

ps: should be snowing there by now, with lots more to come.

pps: exit day at deer valley on 2/15 was even worse, much worse.