- Ian Greenwood
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- powder.com
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- January 23, 2026
How fast can a run get skied out after new snow falls? In a minute or so, at least according to this video shared by Ryan Gaterman documenting a hectic rope drop at Eldora Mountain, Colorado.
The clip starts slowly, showing a few skiers cruising through fresh snow, before the intensity picks up. By the end, around 20 are in the frame at once, all jostling to make turns. Many cruise flawlessly down the run. Others get hung up in the snow.
If you were looking for a visual definition of the famed “powder frenzy,” this is it.
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The video was filmed after a storm dropped eight inches of fresh snow on Eldora. Colorado and other western states have seen a mostly dry first half of the ski season. So demand, it's safe to assume, was a bit pent up.
In river basins across the West, the snow water equivalent—a measure of the water contained in the snowpack—is well below the median, raising concerns about summer wildfires and dwindling water supplies. The lack of snow has also hurt visitation to Vail Resort’s properties in the Rockies (Eldora isn’t owned by Vail Resorts). Earlier this month, the corporate giant reported a 20% drop in skier visits.
For now, though, Eldora has its eyes on the next storm.
“Another beautiful day on tap! Sunny skies, a high near 32, and a light breeze from the west,” the resort wrote in its latest snow report. “Monday's 8 inches are still treating us well, and more snow is in the forecast for tomorrow.”
Chris Tomer, a local forecaster favored by skiers in Colorado, is, indeed, tracking a cycle that could produce feet of powder throughout the state. According to Tomer, it starts today and runs through January 30, offering a nice send-off for the first month of the year.
It should, too, result in a few more energetic—and frenetic—rope drops. Skiers, if anything, are an excitable bunch.
Related: Snow Finally Returns To Colorado Ski Resorts This Weekend
