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More snow for Vail as Denver gears up for POW events at Outdoor Retailer
It may seem like it’s been a stellar snow-riding season so far in the Vail Valley, with multiple fun powder days, but it’s really been fairly average. Don’t get me wrong, we’ll take average (like last season) over the below-average snow years we experienced a few straight drought seasons before that, but it’s important to remember things are warming up and drying out in Colorado.
It will be hard to avoid those facts at the Outdoor + Snow Show in Denver this week, where the city is experiencing a long dry spell and a warm weekend will be highlighted by the athlete-driven climate activism of Protect Our Winters – a group I profiled last spring in Vail.
If you’re down in Denver this weekend, soaking up spring-like temperatures in the mid-60s, support the various events POW is putting on (see press release below). If you’re here in the Vail Valley, enjoy a break in the weather between a minor storm Wednesday and Thursday and another, much colder (and hopefully snowier) storm on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
Here’s the rundown on the weather for the next week, which will hopefully build significantly on Vail’s total of 175 inches of snowfall so far (average for the whole season is a little over 330).
“On Monday, snow fell during most of the day, and some snow lingered through Monday night as well. Storm totals are about what we expected, averaging 2-6 inches [4 at Beaver Creek, 3 at Vail] with up to 9 inches at Steamboat,” Opensnow.com meteorologist Joel Gratz wrote Tuesday morning.
“Tuesday should be dry, then we’ll see snow on Wednesday and Wednesday night with the best chance for 3-6+ inches at areas near and east of the divide,” Gratz added. “On Thursday night, another weak system could bring snow to the northern mountains. This weekend will be mostly dry, then we’ll see a cold storm arrive on Tuesday, February 4th.”
Now here’s the press release from Protect Our Winters:
Denver this Week: Pro Athletes and Outdoor Industry Mobilize to Turn Out Vote in 2020
DENVER, CO (January 28, 2020)—As the $887 billion outdoor and snow sports industry gathers in Denver this week for the Outdoor + Snow Show, Protect Our Winters (POW) will be kicking off efforts to mobilize the 147.7 million people who participate in outdoor sports to turn out to the polls in the 2020 election. A stable climate and preservation of public lands are essential components to the outdoor and snow sports industries’ long-term success.
There are five opportunities to cover the POW and the outdoor industry’s efforts to turn out the vote in 2020 including in-studio or on-site interviews, POW Pledge to Party, Friday’s climate rally and POW’s release of new research and carbon offset initiatives at the Outdoor + Snow Show in Denver this week.
On Wednesday, January 29, Protect Our Winters joins The North Face with mountaineer Conrad Anker (Convention Center 44005-UL) to unveil the ‘Cost of Carbon’ tool that simplifies calculating and offsetting the carbon footprint of outdoor adventures, while reinforcing the value of advocating for policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That evening, POW’s Pledge to Party features Coloradans: ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson; former NAVY Seal/Snowboarder Josh Jespersen; and climbing icon Tommy Caldwell; alongside climber Emily Harrington and skier Amie Engerbretson. Pledge to Party celebrates the outdoor communities’ power to shift the U.S.’s response to the climate crisis. For a ticket, text “POW Party” to 52886 and pledge to vote in 2020.
On Friday at noon at the Convention Center, Protect Our Winters unveils new research about how outdoor companies can motivate their customers protect the outdoor environments and sports that they love. Then at 2PM, athletes will lead the outdoor industry and public to the climate rally at the Colorado Capitol. The rally is a demonstration of the outdoor community’s commitment to climate action. The rally will thank Colorado’s Governor and Legislature for their leadership on climate solutions and public lands, while asking the federal government to follow suit.
WHAT: Pledge to Party. Party
and athlete panel on turning passion in the outdoors into purpose
WHO: Athletes Hilaree Nelson, Emily Harrington, Josh Jespersen, Amie
Engerbretson, and Tommy Caldwell
WHERE: Denver’s McNichols Building, 3rd floor
WHEN: Wednesday, January 29, 6-9PM
RSVP: TEXT POW Party to 52886 for ticket
WHAT: Climate Rally. A demonstration
of the outdoor community’s commitment to climate action with speeches. And kick
off to mobilizing the outdoor world to vote in 2020.
WHO: Speakers: Snowboarder and founder of Protect Our Winters, Jeremy
Jones, Colorado ultra-runner Clare Gallagher, founder of
Madhvi4EcoEthics and Plastic Pollution Coalition International Youth Ambassador
Madhvi Chittoor, U.S. Youth Climate Strike Co-Founder Haven Coleman, emceed by
ski mountaineer Caroline Gleich, and Outdoor Advocacy founder Katie Boué
WHEN: Friday, January 31, 2019, 3-4PM
2:00-3:00 — 100s march from CO Convention Ctr. (blue bear) to the CO Capitol
3:00-4:00 — Rally and speakers on the west steps of the CO Capitol
David O. Williams
