What’s missing?
I just snapped this pic with my cell phone (hence its poor quality). Can you tell me what’s missing from a late January, ski town scene?
I’ll give you a few hints:
It’s white; it’s cold, and there should be 6-foot high piles of it.
If you guessed snow, you’re dead-on.
This season has seen the worst snow fall that I can remember. Now, I haven’t lived in the valley that long (only about eight years), and in Crested Butte even those born here aren’t considered locals. I also have a short memory.
Perhaps the lack of snow isn’t quite as bad as it seems to me; nevertheless, I’ve never seen a January like this one. The snow should be piled deep along the sidewalks, and long, curling icicles should hang from the roof–even on a light snow year. It is pitiful.
I’m sure the lack of snow here–in a Colorado ski town–is suprising, especially considering that Denver has been in the news repeatedly this year for its snow fall. (Nevermind that I think Denverites are a bunch of wankers for considering 2 feet of snow a blizzard and shutting down the city because of it.)
It’s not just the winter that suffers, but the summers too. Lack of snow means greater danger from forest fires (read: heavier fire restrictions), lower water levels in rivers and reservoirs and a host of other problems. Everything is connected.
The huge bare brown patches on our mountain concern me. It looks like April, or even early May, but it’s January. Not good. In looking at those bare patches, I’m reminded of the pictures outlining ice changes on Mt. Kilimanjaro in An Inconvenient Truth, and I wonder if what I’m seeing on my mountain is also a product of global warming. Sure, last year was a great snow year, but the overall trend the last few years is down.
January 26th, 2007 at 1:09 am
WOW! I keep seeing more and more of these type photos and posts. It’s been a wacky few years for weather. It’s been so noticeably changing year after year it’s gotta be something
January 26th, 2007 at 1:26 am
We watched An Inconvenient Truth the other night and it made me think that I should have voted in the Gore/Bush election. That reminds me I still need to get on his website http://www.climatecrisis.net
January 26th, 2007 at 6:36 am
We have about two inches on the ground and we should have a couple feet as well. This was the first year ever recorded that we had no snow on Christmas. I’m also afraid the big Birkebeiner Cross country ski race may be cancelled this year. The Lake Effect snow just ain’t coming this year.
January 26th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
I agree, I’ve seen so many of these photos of various areas that should have been dumped on by now. We’ve gotten barely a flake here in New England. Definitely a trend. It’s crazy. BTW Jenny, have I told you how envious I am of you? I went to University of Denver for a couple years but made many trips to Crested Butte with good friends who ended up staying there. I would love to be back up in that area of the world. I love it and miss it.
February 1st, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Next time I come for a visit, I’ll bring some from Denver. We can’t get rid of the stuff!