The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Spring officially began March 20, but Mother Nature has other ideas.

A strong winter storm dropped more than 10 inches of snow on Mount Werner overnight Sunday and Monday morning, delighting skiers and riders and adding to the season’s record-setting total. And there’s more snow in the forecast as Sunday’s closing day approaches.

The city of Steamboat Springs was under a snow and blowing snow advisory until early Monday evening. Today’s forecast is for mostly sunny skies with a high temperature in the low 40s, but moisture will return to the region Wednesday through Friday. However, how low the thermometer drops could make the difference between hitting the 500-inch mark or settling for something just short of it.

“That might be a little difficult,” Mike Chamberlain, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Grand Junc­tion forecast office, said about the Steamboat Ski Area’s chances of hitting 500 inches of snow. “I see snow this week, but I’m not sure I see 2 feet” of it.

The 10 inches of snow that fell Sunday night and Monday morning brought the season-to-date total to 478 inches. The previous record season was in 1996-97, when 447.75 inches of snow fell on the slopes of Mount Werner.

Steamboat skier Michael Ruby was one of the first to ride up Storm Peak Express on Monday morning. Looking down at untouched trails below the lift, Ruby said it was nice to get in one more powder day before he transitions to mountain biking.

Ruby said his routine of going out until late at night and then waking early to hit the slopes is quickly winding down.

“Last call, first chair, last time,” Ruby said.

While riding the Sundown Express lift, Steamboat snowboarder Rob Gleffe and his friends were well aware that the snow from the previous night put the ski area to within 22 inches of a 500-inch season total. It could happen, they said.

“Another epic day in the ’Boat,” Gleffe said. “Just a cherry on top of a great season. Beautiful turns all the way up and all the way down.”

This weekend is closing weekend at the ski area. The Springalicious festival is Saturday and Sunday and includes a pond-skimming competition, the annual Cardboard Classic and live concerts by American Relay, The Radiators and Susan Tedeschi. Ski area officials plan to hold the event annually.

The 28th annual Cardboard Classic begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at the base of the ski area. American Relay performs in Gondola Square at 3 p.m. Saturday.

The Radiators perform in Gondola Square at 2 p.m. Sunday. The Splashdown pond-skimming competition begins at 3 p.m. Sunday on the Lil’ Rodeo ski trail near the base of the mountain. A children’s Jib Jam is at 3:15 p.m. Sunday on the Stampede trail, and Susan Tedeschi performs at 4 p.m. Sunday in Gondola Square.

For more information about Springalicious events, call the ski area at (970) 871-5444.

Saturday and Sunday are expected to be sunny, with high temperatures in the low to mid-50s, according to the National Weather Service.