Santa's Powder Clause - Ho Ho Ho!

Santa delivered some of his presents early this year when a 24 inch supply of Champagne Powder layered the Steamboat ski mountain in the last 24 hrs.

The early morning snow report which touted 16 inches at mid mountain triggered a "powder clause" for many lucky Steamboat residents and they swarmed to the mountain for early morning freshies. The powder clause is the ultimate employee bonus - unofficially it reads ".....if there are 6 inches of fresh snow on the mountain you can start work three hours late...".

A powder day in the 'boat is an experience to be savored. As the lifts rolled into action at 8:30 am whoops echoed all around and the first chair riders took a hail of snowballs from the onlooking crowds. The anticipation of the first run is fueled by the sight of the first skiers and riders tunneling through a sea of powder below you with only shoulders and heads visible. The trail of cold smoke as they passed gave the impression that they were under turbo-charged power as they barreled down the mountain.

The conversation begins. Where to go for the best first tracks? Head for 4-Points and catch a fresh line down Twister or go straight to Storm Peak or Sundown Express early and wait till they open up at 9:00 am for an early top to bottom powder-fest? Everyone has their own strategy and on a day like yesterday all strategies are the best ones if you are there early.

A three hour reprieve from work doesn't sound like long enough on an epic day. Truly it could never be long enough - ever. You just can't get enough of it. Except that after 2 hours of floating and ripping through tree glades and open runs, barely touching the bottom as you float on a cushion of snow and air, your legs start to tell you that it's time to go home.

With a smile on your face you rip the last fresh line of the morning and head for work ready for anything. The powder clause made everything worthwhile - early starts, long days, digging out your car and shoveling your decks.

The only thing you have to remember as you come off the mountain is to temper your enthusiasm for the not so fortunate (non-powder claused ) friends. They will not want to hear how you cried out for a snorkel as face shots choked you in Shadows. Don't tell them that the powder was so light that it rippled out in front of you as you cruised down Buddy's Run. Try to hold yourself back from recounting the experience of floating and bouncing through the trees in total silence punctuated only by the occasional whoop from a fellow rider.

If you can't hold yourself back - that's OK. As you will find out if you turn up late for a powder day rendezvous and find that your ski buddies left already, there are no friends on a powder day.

MORE COMING:
A winter storm watch is expected to be in effect beginning at 6 a.m. Christmas Day through the end of the day Friday, A storm system will begin moving into the area from the southwest tonight, but the Flat Tops probably will protect Steamboat Springs and the surrounding areas from anything but flurries until Christmas night. Once the snow picks up, the slopes at the Steamboat Ski Area and higher elevations expect 1 to 2 feet of snow

The Steamboat Ski Area is reporting a 52-inch base at mid-mountain and season-to-date snowfall of 125 inches.