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Photo of the Week

Let it Snow

This is part of a weekly series published fresh Thursday mornings.

A woman enjoys the fresh snowfall at Washington Park in early February

Before Wednesday’s winter storm blew in, Denver had accumulated 17.2 inches of snow during the shortest month of the year. This falls just a few inches shy of the snowiest February in history: In 1912, 22.1 inches of snowfall was recorded. (Denver’s snowfall total is measured at the Denver International Airport.) With more wintery blasts predicted in the coming days, February 2015 could be one for the books. Record books, that is. So for now, we say: Let it snow!

Sarah Banks
Sarah Banks
Sarah produces, photographs and researches the photography in the print edition of 5280. In addition, she photographs and writes for 5280.com.

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Let It Snow

This Crested Butte house blends a mining-era look with smart design to create the perfect high-country, low-temp retreat.

—Courtesy of Tim Murphy

While the rest of the country bemoans the coming of winter, Coloradans can’t wait for the white stuff; ski towns, especially, base everything around it. Take this 2,500-square-foot vacation retreat set against a backdrop of open space in Crested Butte. It’s an “upside-down house,” meaning the living room and kitchen are on the second floor. The bedrooms are on the first level, where snow drifts just might creep up over the windows—a perfect scenario for sleeping in, but not so much for making breakfast. “It’s nice to have the living area up on the second level so it gets better sun,” says Bill Coburn, president of the eponymous integrated architecture and construction firm that designed and built the home. The exterior fuses rustic materials that play on the area’s mining heritage—board and batten siding, chinked boards, and metal roofing—with a clean, light aesthetic to create a cozy gathering spot. Bring on the snow days. coburnpartners.com

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Let It Snow!

The folks at Vail Resorts wanted us (and you) to know that the white stuff is coming down on the other side of the Continental Divide. From a press release emailed today:

In Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone, the golden leaves had a dusting of white this morning after September’s first measurable snowfall. The snow continues to fall in Breckenridge and the forecast is calling for precipitation on and off for the rest of the day. If this early snowfall is an indication, we are gearing up for a great snow year in Colorado.

Opening day at Breckenridge and Keystone is just 53 days away with the lifts firing up Friday, Nov. 9. At Vail, the season gets underway Friday, Nov. 16 and Beaver Creek opens Wednesday, Nov. 21

Here’s a picture for all you snow bunnies (click for larger version):

sept17snow.JPG

Daniel Brogan
Daniel Brogan
Daniel Brogan is the founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of 5280 Publishing, Inc.
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Let it Snow

At 8:30 pm, there are 45 Colorado counties under a snow alert. There’s a big storm coming, one that may dump 10 to 20 inches of snow between tomorrow and Thursday. I tend to view snow in the city as an annoyance. But when I’m in the mountains, it’s like a wonderful bounty. Two weeks ago I was in Telluride for three days and it snowed non-stop, day and night, for two of them. It was beautiful. I couldn’t stop taking pictures. I walked to the courthouse and back, walked along Main Street several times, from one end of the town to the other, stopping in stores and galleries. I walked to lunch and dinner. On every block there was a warm, cozy restaurant with a big fireplace and great wine. What a difference a few hundred miles makes. Or maybe not. I’m starting to think it’s not the geography so much as the automobile. Whether it’s Aspen, Vail or Telluride, once I’m there, I never get in a car. I walk outside, feel the snowflakes on my face, look up into the sky and watch the snow come down. I always have a camera and try to capture the snowflakes. In Denver, it’s about driving on ice. Getting into a cold car, brushing the snow off and waiting for the defroster to do its job. Trying to parallel park around big lumps of ice. Having to stop to fill up the tank or make a short trip to the grocery store and get cold all over again. Maybe if I were a tourist staying in a downtown hotel, I’d do the same things in Denver I do in the mountains and love it. So, I’m changing my attitude. Let it snow. Let it snow a lot. I won’t drive. I’ll work from home and watch the snow fall from the big windows in my living room. I’ll turn the fireplace on. I’ll walk over to Marzyks if I need food. Just maybe, if we get two feet or more, I’ll put on my snowshoes and venture out along 17th Avenue. I’m ready for a great snowfall. How about you?