Colorado Ski Resort Sees Biggest Storm Cycle Of The Year

Ella Boyd
·2 min read
6

Aspen Snowmass, CO, is currently in the midst of their biggest storm cycle of the year.

With 100% of terrain currently open, the mountain has seen 39 inches of snow in the last 7 days, with more predicted to fall as soon as Thursday.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Aspen Snowmass (@aspensnowmass)

Snowmass is one of the four mountains that make up Aspen, the other three being Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk. It is larger than Aspen's three other mountains combined.

The weather forecast for Aspen Snowmass details 2 inches of potential snow coming down Thursday, with 3 inches overnight. Friday is more of the same, with 2 inches during the day and a dusting of one more inch on Friday night to top things off.

The weekend is forecast to be sunny and clear, giving skiers a chance for some bluebird days after a long pattern of precipitation.

Officials of the resort took to Instagram to convey their excitement about the latest storm, writing, "Thank you Ullr!"

Ullr is a name often heard in lift lines on powder days and spotted on the bumper stickers of pickup trucks in ski resort parking lots.

Although hardcore skiers and mythology buffs may be familiar with the name, some people are not. For those who are unfamiliar, Ullr is the god of Winter in Norse mythology, often associated with skiing. (He was also the god of hunting and archery, but those seem less directly related to the topic at hand.)

Ullr is so ubiquitous in ski culture that Whistler Insider even has an article titled, "Why Do We Praise Ullr?" Besides touching on Ullr's role as a Norse god and the long and storied history of skiers praising Ullr at Whistler, the article notes that some people even believe that the aurora borealis, or the Northern Lights, are the spray from his skis.

The history of Ullr in ski culture is almost as interesting as the beliefs surrounding him, though. The first event held in the name of Ullr at Whistler occurred around 1974, when the local ski community started a tradition of burning old and broken skis as a sacrifice to Ullr in hopes of a strong and snowy ski season.

Whether you are thanking Ullr or simply Mother Nature for the recent snowfall at Aspen Snowmass, there is no doubt that this storm system delivered. Plus, it's not even quite over yet.

Related: National Weather Service Releases Storm Totals For Tahoe Ski Resorts

Don't miss another headline from POWDER! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing.

We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging ski-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you're a professional or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on POWDER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality ski videos.