Over the past week or so, we have experienced another bout of unprecedented extreme weather here at The Ridge. From last Wednesday thru Saturday, three feet of new snow fell in the Upper Basin, providing the deepest powder of the season so far and greatly bolstering our snowpack. On Sunday night, the mountain experienced a quick warmup alongside continued high winds and damp conditions. This wet, breezy, and unseasonably warm weather has persisted for the full work week, generating dense spring conditions and rapid melting.
The dynamic nature of last week’s weather has resulted in increasing avalanche risk in the Upper Basin. Following assessment from the Patrol team, the Upper Basin remained closed on Wednesday (3/18), Thursday (3/19), and Friday (3/20). Due to rapid melting, a dense and saturated layer of the snowpack now lies atop a looser and grainier layer, greatly elevating the risk of wet slab avalanches.
We will continue to monitor the situation in the coming days. The forecast calls for warm temperatures to persist through at least Friday night. We expect that the Upper Basin will remain closed on Saturday (3/21). Its status on Sunday is uncertain, and we’ll continue to update on our Mountain Report.
Lifts scheduled for operation on Saturday include Chair 1, Chair 4 to its mid-station unload point only, and the Ottobahn Carpet. Chairs 2 and 3 are closed at this time. Chair 2 will re-open when conditions permit, while Chair 3 will remain closed for maintenance through the weekend regardless of conditions. 100Laps will have a delayed opening on Saturday for feature upkeep after extensive melting this week. Expected runs include Lower Siktum, Lower Chak Chak, Mimi, Pika Peak, & the Lil Bombers Park.
This weekend’s forecast calls for a return toward seasonable temperatures, with highs hovering around freezing at the summit on Saturday before cresting into the upper 30s on Sunday. Lower-mountain highs will be in the low 40s both days. This week’s breezy conditions will persist on Saturday before beginning to subside on Sunday. A classic spring conditions cycle is likely to emerge, with overnight firm-ups followed by softening during the daytime.
Keep an eye on the Mountain Report to view the latest info, and we’ll see you on the mountain!
Uphill Policy
Uphill Policy is CLOSED.
