Denver, CO (Monday, January 26, 2004) - Local skiers and riders had been waiting several weeks for new snow to hit the Colorado Rockies and Intermountain West when it finally arrived over the weekend.

According to today’s 6am MST snow report, Colorado’s 24 resorts have impressive snowfall totals for skiers and riders hitting the slopes this week. Powderhorn received the most snow in the state totaling 19 inches of pure powder in the last 24 hours, boosting its mid-mountain base to 54 inches. Steamboat got a foot of snow in the last 24 hours and has all powder conditions and 57 inch mid-mountain base. Over in Aspen, home to the ESPN Winter X Games this week, nine inches dumped on Snowmass and six inches dumped on Aspen Mountain, while five inches fell on Aspen Highlands and three inches fell on Buttermilk in the last 24 hours.

Colorado's Monarch received six inches in 24 hours and has a mid-mountain base of 51 inches with powder/packed powder conditions. The storm brought five inches of snow to Beaver Creek, Sunlight, Vail and Telluride in the last 24 hours and five inches of the white stuff has accumulated on Durango Mountain and Silverton Mountain in the last 48 hours. Silverton now boasts a mid-mountain base of 70 inches and has all powder conditions.

"With 20 inches of new snow in past 36 hours, we are deep in the powder again," Ken Vertrees of Steamboat Powdercats said this afternoon. "The ski area received a total of 12 inches while we received 16 inches alone by 12:00 noon yesterday!

"After a few weeks of drought, it is very nice to see the legendary powder of Buffalo Pass once again," Vertrees continued. "Even with the dought, our snowpack is one of the strongest in Colorado and all of our guests have been enjoying some quality snow."

The snow moved into Colorado after first dropping part of its payload in Utah. More than a foot of new snow blanketed Park City over the weekend, where the Sundance Film Festival has wrapped up its annual festivities, adding fresh powder to the 23 feet of snow already received this season.