Better Skiing: Weather Watching

Welcome to this edition of Better Skiing, I’m Bruce Ruff.
Are you a weather watcher? I don’t mean just listening to a forecast or snow report. I’m talking about keeping an eye on the skies and what’s happening around you. The skiers who are always skiing the best snow know what I mean.

They have a couple of things in common. They know the mountain they are skiing and they keep an eye on the current weather – especially the wind.
They know that a 2 inch dusting of snow combined with a 40 mph wind from the west means a foot of wind deposition snow in their favorite bowl. They also know that some areas will be wind scoured hard pack snow. Where are you going to ski? This also holds true in sunny spring days as well, where has the sun helped or killed the snow. Follow the sun or avoid it – they know where to ski because they are aware of the weather and how it affects the skiing conditions. This winter keep an eye on the skies and know where to find the best snow at all times.