Had a very good time skiing Wolf Creek Ski Area Dec. 7-13. WCSA was 100% open as of Dec. 5, 2025 after 14 inches of new snow. Total snowfall so far is 58 inches. The mid-mountain depth started around 35 inches and dropped to 27 inches over the week. While the latter part of the week was essentially spring skiing conditions, the first few days there was good fun to be had on the Alberta side and on the frontside bump runs (Treasure Falls, Windjammer, Treasure, Thumper). Feather Duster was good all week with skier packed snow and very little exposed wood.
It was my fifth early season trip in a row to WCSA. Rode up with a man from El Paso who has been skiing this week at WCSA for 25 years. He's thinking of cancelling a planned trip to Utah in January and wondering if going to Steamboat will be worth it in early February.
Starting Wednesday there were more out-of-state license plates in the Upper Lot and fewer people parking in the 4x4 lot. Per usual, TX, OK, NM, were well represented with people from AZ and AR as well. By mid-week when daytime temps were in the high 30s, there were clearly some first-timers from elsewhere in CO.
I had a Full Day semi-private lesson with my ski buddies on Tuesday and a follow-up solo lesson on Thursday afternoon. My instructor is a very experienced PSIA L3 instructor who taught at Crested Butte and Vail for a few decades before joining the WCSA Ski School several years ago. He's one of the trainers. Fair to say that I'm not only back to form based on how I was skiing last April, I've learned a bit more about feeling the difference a slight adjustment in technique can make.
There were no lift lines to speak of all week. Lifts opened officially at 9:00, although Bonanza was usually loading people soon after 8:30. Per usual, WCSA had Local Appreciation Day discounted tickets Dec. 8-11. As expected, parking in an upper lot close enough to walk to the main base buildings wasn't an issue even after it was clear that college winter breaks had started.
Except for an "adventure run" in steeper trees and deep snow during the Tuesday lesson, my ski buddies and I opted to stick to skier-packed terrain. That meant far more than groomers given who skis WCSA after early season snowfalls. As it got warmer, wasn't worth wandering in heavy snow when having to keep an eye out for logs and such. There were plenty of adventurers around to expand the amount of skier-packed terrain off Alberta or off Knife Ridge hike to help create a solid foundation base for the season.
Feather Duster
Feather Duster, in the shade after lunch and in the sun the next morning
It was my fifth early season trip in a row to WCSA. Rode up with a man from El Paso who has been skiing this week at WCSA for 25 years. He's thinking of cancelling a planned trip to Utah in January and wondering if going to Steamboat will be worth it in early February.
Starting Wednesday there were more out-of-state license plates in the Upper Lot and fewer people parking in the 4x4 lot. Per usual, TX, OK, NM, were well represented with people from AZ and AR as well. By mid-week when daytime temps were in the high 30s, there were clearly some first-timers from elsewhere in CO.
I had a Full Day semi-private lesson with my ski buddies on Tuesday and a follow-up solo lesson on Thursday afternoon. My instructor is a very experienced PSIA L3 instructor who taught at Crested Butte and Vail for a few decades before joining the WCSA Ski School several years ago. He's one of the trainers. Fair to say that I'm not only back to form based on how I was skiing last April, I've learned a bit more about feeling the difference a slight adjustment in technique can make.
There were no lift lines to speak of all week. Lifts opened officially at 9:00, although Bonanza was usually loading people soon after 8:30. Per usual, WCSA had Local Appreciation Day discounted tickets Dec. 8-11. As expected, parking in an upper lot close enough to walk to the main base buildings wasn't an issue even after it was clear that college winter breaks had started.
Except for an "adventure run" in steeper trees and deep snow during the Tuesday lesson, my ski buddies and I opted to stick to skier-packed terrain. That meant far more than groomers given who skis WCSA after early season snowfalls. As it got warmer, wasn't worth wandering in heavy snow when having to keep an eye out for logs and such. There were plenty of adventurers around to expand the amount of skier-packed terrain off Alberta or off Knife Ridge hike to help create a solid foundation base for the season.
Feather Duster
Feather Duster, in the shade after lunch and in the sun the next morning