# best place colorado mid december



## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Typically Wolf Creek is the winner. Silverton usually does good. Steamboat can have a good amount by then. Monarch is another spot that might have a decent amount of snow. The Summit County/Front Range spots are all pretty much about the same. Copper, Loveland, Winterpark, Breck, Vail, A-Basin are generally around the same conditions wise. If one of them is good, the others are probably good. If one sucks, the others probably suck. The lone exception is Keystone. It pretty much always sucks at that time of year. Their snowfall doesn't really amount to much until lake Dillon freezes over. The theory is that the warm air coming up off the lake acts like a deflector shield and sends storms around Keystone. Seems to be some truth to it. While other places get a foot of snow, Keystone will be lucky to get four inches. 

Generally speaking December is pretty early, but it varies year from year. By December 17th last year we had pretty amazing conditions. In fact, the best day I had conditions wise last year was on December 18th on Vail Pass. Chest deep powder no joke.
















With the super light snow that only Colorado gets...









Yeah, that was fun. Had lot's of deep days last season, but that may have been the best. It was definitely a top five session from the past year...


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## djsaad1 (Nov 7, 2008)

Thanks! I think I am going to take my chances with steamboat. The flights are a mess to get to durango then drive to wolf creek. Steamboat seems like a much easier option.


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## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

i hope you get lucky with steamboat. that time last year they only had 70% open and not much of a base.


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## djsaad1 (Nov 7, 2008)

Well...I haven't booked it yet. Can still go to the summit valley resorts. The issue is I have to book it by Friday or else I won't get the deal. Does steamboat usually get snow earlier than the summit valley hills? Any site to look at history of resorts?


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## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

djsaad1 said:


> Well...I haven't booked it yet. Can still go to the summit valley resorts. The issue is I have to book it by Friday or else I won't get the deal. Does steamboat usually get snow earlier than the summit valley hills? Any site to look at history of resorts?


onthesnow can give history i think if you sign up or pay. summit usually gets snow before steamboat if not always. i like steamboat but i have never been there before january. ive been there for a total of 15 days over 3 years. 12 in the past 2 years.


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## djsaad1 (Nov 7, 2008)

Yeah after looking at the onthesnow reports it seems like summit valley is a much safer bet right now. Going to book a place in keystone just because I can get a really cheap place in river run. But since I have a car I could hit any of the mountains.

Thanks for the help guys.


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## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

you got it. abasin might have decent snow and loveland should also.


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## photohunts (Apr 9, 2010)

any idea how the peak 9 bowls in breck usually do during that same timeframe?


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## neednsnow (Nov 30, 2007)

You might want to think about the loveland 4pack. I'm not sure how long you're going, but that could do well for you.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Pretty sure Steamboat had more snowfall than Summit county did by that time of year. With the exception of Breck. They had gotten a ton of snow. Don't be fooled by that though. The previous season, Breck still had the WROD going. The previous 9 seasons to that were probably around the 50-70% open mark at best. I did a tour on Buffalo Pass which is just over the hill from Steamboat Mountain on December 5th. Conditions there were almost as good as the conditions on Vail Pass. 

In fact going from Summit County north, if you had to gamble on a spot, Steamboat is your best bet. I can think of several years where that got around 10-15 feet in December. Almost every year they beat Summit county in snowfall totals for December.


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## CMSbored (Apr 2, 2009)

killclimbz said:


> Pretty sure Steamboat had more snowfall than Summit county did by that time of year. With the exception of Breck. They had gotten a ton of snow. Don't be fooled by that though. The previous season, Breck still had the WROD going. The previous 9 seasons to that were probably around the 50-70% open mark at best. I did a tour on Buffalo Pass which is just over the hill from Steamboat Mountain on December 5th. Conditions there were almost as good as the conditions on Vail Pass.
> 
> In fact going from Summit County north, if you had to gamble on a spot, Steamboat is your best bet. I can think of several years where that got around 10-15 feet in December. Almost every year they beat Summit county in snowfall totals for December.



the last few years steamboat hasnt got much compared to summit. Even last year i was expecting them to get blasted with la nina but they didnt get any huge powder days. breckenridge had more snow last year i believe so i was going by that with this year being a slight la nina again.


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Summit two years ago wasn't even close to what Steamboat had. Better groomers maybe. 

December in Steamboat last year was as good as Summit.

I also wouldn't count on La Nina being great to Breck again. Seemed to almost be a make up year for the previous season where Breck barely broke 200" for the year. It was probably the worst season they had had in 20 years if not ever. 

The December 5th day I went was right after Steamboat mountain got almost 5ft in 48 hours. November 15th they got 46" in 24 hours. I am not sure where you are getting that they didn't have any big powder days. They had plenty, you just missed them. Steamboat is a trek no doubt. They do have the history of getting big dumps in the early season. Going from next to nothing open to 100% open almost overnight. It was also nearly a 500" season for the Boat and I am sure it would have been if they didn't close so early.


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