5 Things Coloradans Do on a Powder Day That Out-of-Staters Find Strange
On a powder day, some Coloradans climb the mountain on their own before the first chair even starts.
Out-of-staters hear that and ask why anyone would hike up a ski hill.
Locals know.
Here’s what Coloradans do on a powder day that out-of-staters find strange.
1. Powder Day Policy
Many people treat a powder day as a good reason to rearrange their workday.
In February 2013, the company FullContact posted a Powder Day policy on its blog.
Under it, an employee could take a day off to go skiing or snowboarding whenever they needed to.
The catch?
Employees had to make the day up within 14 days.
That might sound odd to you if you live elsewhere, but many Coloradans wouldn’t blink at it.
2. Waiting on Ski Patrol
A powder day at Crested Butte Mountain Resort starts with ski patrol, well before you ride the first chair.
A typical patrol day there starts around 7:30 a.m., but a big snowstorm can call for a lift load as early as 6 a.m.
Opening the mountain to the public by 9 a.m. is often the main focus.
Patrollers work in pairs through a progression of avalanche routes, using ski cutting and explosives.
The resort said in 2023 that it manages 25 avalanche routes within its boundaries.
The interior routes come first, and the work ends with Crested Butte’s Peak and Teo 2, the farthest ones.
The resort also said it doesn’t announce those openings ahead of time, which lets it stagger how many people enter at once.
So you wait.
3. Highland Bowl Hike
A powder day can push back the opening of the Highland Bowl at Aspen Highlands.
Aspen Snowmass says the Bowl is usually open from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
It opens later if a lot of overnight snow means patrol has to do extra avalanche mitigation.
The Bowl covers 270 acres and tops out at 12,392 feet, and the hike to Highland Peak takes 30 to 60 minutes.
The resort says most people average 45 minutes without the cat ride, the snowcat that’s free when it’s operating.
When conditions permit, riding the cat cuts about 15 minutes off the hike.
It suggests setting aside at least three hours.
Patience pays.
Before you go, Aspen Snowmass tells you to check its app for the Bowl’s current status.
Psst! How much do you know about Colorado’s ski mountains? Take our quiz and see how many you can get right.
Quiz
Colorado Ski IQ
Answer these questions on Colorado’s chairlifts, mountain towns and snow safety. We bet you can’t get them all right. Prove us wrong?
Aspen Mountain’s Lift One was the longest chairlift in the world when it was built. In what year did the lifts begin spinning?
4. Avalanche Forecast Check
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) issues its backcountry avalanche forecasts by 4:30 p.m. daily.
Timing matters.
Each forecast rates avalanche danger by elevation for the following two days.
Many backcountry skiers check it the night before a big powder day.
A forecast can also list up to three avalanche problems, each described by aspect, elevation, likelihood and expected size.
Its site also links field reports and an Avalanche Explorer Map.
If you're heading outside a resort's boundaries, you'll want that forecast in hand before you go.
5. Uphilling Before First Chair
On a powder day, some skiers beat the lift line by climbing the mountain themselves before the chairs start.
That's called uphilling, and Aspen Snowmass's page for the 2026-27 season permits it from 5 a.m. until 10:30 p.m.
The resort requires an Uphill Pass for in-resort uphill access.
If you're heading up, Aspen Snowmass says it communicates temporary closures through its app, and avalanches are one possible reason.
You'll climb in the dark.
Ikon-Epic Divide
On a powder day, the Ikon and Epic passes cover different Colorado mountains.
The Ikon Pass covers six Colorado destinations.
The Epic Pass covers six different ones.
Vail sits on the Epic side, and Winter Park sits on the Ikon side.
The lists don't overlap.
If you hold only one of the two passes, a storm over the other pass's resorts can leave you with a longer drive.
Which Colorado Mountains Take Each Pass
The Ikon Pass lists Winter Park, Steamboat, Aspen Snowmass, Copper Mountain, Eldora Mountain Resort and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado.
The Epic Pass lists Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte and Telluride.
Winter Park Express
A powder day doesn't have to start on the highway since Amtrak's Winter Park Express runs from Denver Union Station to Winter Park Resort.
Amtrak says the ski train will be back for the 2026-2027 season.
Colorado's governor's office said the 2025-26 season had 57 roundtrips.
Tickets started at $9 that season, or $4.50 for kids.
If you'd rather skip the drive, the train gives you a different way to reach Winter Park.
A Powder Day Warning
A January 2012 essay in 5280 magazine described a powder day with thousands of Front Range skiers heading west on I-70.
CAIC warned of high avalanche danger all weekend, and explosives were heard that Sunday morning.
Three skiers died in avalanches that Sunday.
The essay's author argued that even a great powder day isn't worth risking your life, especially when the terrain you want is roped off.
6 Early Snow Signs Colorado Mountain Towns Watch For in October
According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, it issues its daily backcountry forecast products from November through May.
These are the early snow signs Colorado mountain towns watch for in October.
6 Early Snow Signs Colorado Mountain Towns Watch For in October
9 Colorado Words and Phrases That Make No Sense to the Rest of the Country
Coloradans don't mean to be confusing.
These words are everyday talk to them, even when they leave out-of-staters staring.
9 Colorado Words and Phrases That Make No Sense to the Rest of the Country
