Kudos to Telluride Ski Patrol • Telluride Magazine

Hats off to the hardworking Telluride Ski Patrol for keeping the slopes safe this weekend. Consider this: a month of sunny skies, warm temperatures and no snow created a very weak underlying layer and this weekend’s foot-plus of new, wet and slabby snow created some very hazardous avalanche conditions.

telluride/ophir avalanche — Nature shows her power in Ophir, as backcountry skiers set off an avalanche as they skin up to the popular route called "Jane's".

But skiers in Telluride didn’t have to worry about that, as patrollers here used explosives to do what seemed like an interminable amount of snow control on the area. The conditions Sunday were great and the powder frenzy in the wake of such a snow-less month was as pronounced and joyous as I have ever seen.

That’s not all. Reverend Jerry Roberts, our faithful snow forecaster, is calling for perhaps a foot more to fall tonight. So, to the men and women on team red and white, rest up. It looks like you’ve got more work to do—and thanks.