Last Monday, most resorts in Colorado and Utah had just one or two runs open, and skiers were sliding over man-made snow.
Since then, Crested Butte Resort, Colorado, has been smothered with seven feet of powder and the resort is prepping to open Extreme Limits -- the section of terrain that's steep and only open when the snow is really deep. But there's even more fresh powder -- ten feet of it -- at Silverton Mountain, Colorado, that experts-only, reservations- required ski area in southwestern Colorado with arguably the country's most extreme terrain.
But, all that powder causes explosions of white in the backcountry, where avalanche gurus are reporting extremely dangerous conditions in many areas at this time.
While many skiers and snowboarders are flooding the websites and burning up the phone lines to book trips to see which resorts are opening up the black- and double-black diamond extreme terrain in the coming weeks, some backcountry lovers -- both skiers and snowmobilers -- are already heading into extremely avalanche prone regions now. Not smart!
If you're thinking about heading into the backcountry for any kind of sport, first check with the avalanche experts in the region you might venture, to learn about the dangers then decide if it's a wise move.