🗻 Weather
❄️ Snowfall & Open-Terrain Tracker
No big storms on the horizon — models show dry through Jan 22 with low chances of snow. Forecast systems are consistent: no new flakes expected for a while—so we’re ranking by what’s open now.
Rank | Resort | % Terrain Open | Quick Take |
|---|---|---|---|
🥇 1 | Wolf Creek Ski Area | 100% open | Best conditions in CO right now; legit powder and lift access. |
🥈 2 | Snowmass / Aspen Mountain | 77% | Snowmass solid mid-season coverage; Aspen proper very open. |
🥉 3 | Steamboat | 76% | Good coverage, variable conditions. |
4 | Aspen Highlands / Buttermilk | 72% | Aspen areas surprisingly open given the drought climate. |
5 | Monarch | 67% | No Name Basin awaiting more snow, but Mirkwood is open. |
🏃♀️🚴⛷️Upcoming Races & Events
Here’s what’s live and begging for registration or your attention:
🏃 Chilly Willy 5k/10k/Half — Jan 24, 2026 — Colorado Springs, CO
Bundle up and get ready to race for this winter-themed event bringing runners together to celebrate the season.
🚴 Old Man Winter Bike Rally & Run — Feb 1, 2026 — Lyons, CO
Three distances of bike courses (23, 40, 75 mi) plus a mixed‐terrain run. Bring quads—and maybe hand warmers.
⛷️ Gothic Mountain Tour — Feb 16, 2026 — Crested Butte, CO
If this one’s not on your radar, it should be (18, 24 mi). Skimo bucket list race circumnavigating infamous Gothic Mountain.
(Pro tip: check the full Colorado run calendar for Feb–Mar options)
Trail Suggestions & Local Routes — Dry Winter Edition
Just because we’re having a dry winter doesn’t mean you can’t get outside and train. If you’re itching to move fast outside instead of staring at a trainer, this is your sign.
🏃♂️ Fast & Technical Winter Runs (Low Snow, High Output)
South-facing, runnable, vert-heavy. Prime for tempo-to-threshold work.
🔥 Green Mountain via Ranger–Summit Loop (Boulder)
Distance / Vert: ~6.2 mi / ~2,400 ft
Why it rips right now: South and west aspects stay mostly dry even in winter drought years. You can run this hard without postholing.
How advanced athletes should use it:
Sustained uphill threshold effort (30–45 min climb)
Descend fast on technical footing = eccentric damage training
Watch-out: Shaded switchbacks can ice early/late. Microspikes optional but smart.
🚴 Endurance & Mixed-Surface Winter Riding (No Snowpack Required)
Long aerobic miles > technical hero dirt right now.
🔥 Waterton Canyon → Strontia Springs Out-and-Back
Distance / Gain: ~16–20 mi / ~1,200 ft (depending on turnaround)
Why it works now: Hardpack + gravel = consistent winter riding when singletrack is dicey.
Advanced application:
2–3 hr aerobic endurance ride
Big-gear seated climbs for muscular endurance
Watch-out: Wind funnels through the canyon. Layer like you mean it.
❄️ Snow Travel for Fit Humans (Snowshoe / Winter Ascent)
You want resistance, altitude, and sustained output — not novelty snow.
🔥 Brainard Lake → Mitchell Lake → Blue Lake (Winter Route)
Distance / Vert: ~7–8 mi / ~1,800 ft
Why it’s still legit in a dry year: North-facing, shaded, holds snow even when everything else melts out.
Advanced training angle:
Snowshoeing = brutal aerobic + strength combo
Perfect Z2 grind with spikes of power through drifts
Watch-out: Wind exposure, cold management, navigation in low contrast. Avalanche awareness still required near steeper rollovers.
TL;DR (For People Already Lacing Up)
Run: Green Mountain hard and honest
Ride: Waterton for long aerobic miles
Snow: Brainard if you want real resistance
🧠Training & Performance Science (Altitude Edition)
A 2025 meta-analysis of altitude training just landed with actionable intel for endurance junkies and mountain racers: altitude exposure still works, but the mode and duration matter big time. The review found that training at altitude (especially using Live-High, Train-High for >3 weeks) significantly boosts hematological markers like hemoglobin mass and improves field test performance compared to low-altitude training, even if VO₂max doesn’t always jump dramatically. Athletes who live and train at ~2,000–2,500 m for multiple weeks see the most consistent gains in real-world endurance output.
What this means for you (and me) on Colorado terrain right now:
Blood-boosting adaptation isn’t instant. Short weekend trips to altitude are fun, but they won’t drive big changes unless you’re spending multiple weeks living/training high.
Train smart around snow windows. With limited snowpack this winter, use Colorado’s high terrain (e.g., Brainard, Mirkwood approaches) for sustained aerobic load at altitude — run–hike combos effectively simulate long hypoxic exposure.
Strategize exposure vs output. Aim for structured microcycles that balance higher altitude living (sleeping at elevation) with targeted intensity drives at lower elevation — a practical hybrid of “Live High Train Low” if terrain limits hard sessions above treeline.
In short: altitude adaptation is a tool — not a magic bullet — but when used strategically over time it does raise your endurance ceiling more than comparable lowland training blocks.
🗞 Colorado Outdoor News — Nederland’s Historic Move on Eldora
The tiny mountain town of Nederland, Colorado just took a massive swing toward owning its local ski hill — the Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $120 million purchase agreement to buy Eldora Mountain Resort from Utah-based POWDR Corp. after more than a year and a half of negotiations, moving one step closer to making Nederland one of the very few U.S. municipalities to own and operate a ski area.
The deal — still contingent on revenue bond financing, U.S. Forest Service permitting, and keeping Eldora on the Ikon Pass — would be funded through resort income rather than taxes, aiming to preserve front-range skiing access, support local jobs, and anchor year-round outdoor recreation.
Big picture: this could reshape Colorado’s ski economy by shifting a classic community ski hill from corporate hands to local control — a paid-in-full expression of grassroots outdoor values, if it fully closes later this year.
What’s on my hitlist for the weekend:
Separated shoulder be damned — I’m heading back to Monarch Mountain for round two after an early-season crash tried (and failed) to end my winter early. No Name Basin still isn’t open thanks to the snow drought, but Mirkwood Bowl is live, so it’s ski laps, hike-to turns, and some of the earliest double-black terrain open anywhere in the state.
Forward this as an offering to the snow gods. Then go earn your turns.
Till next time,
