This is a guest post by a friend of OpenSnow, Derek Van Dam, CNN Meteorologist, @VanDamCNN.

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The stoke level was set to maximum on January 23rd as a group of eleven strangers quickly became friends on a Steamboat Powder Day.

I joined up with the infamous Powdercats on a backcountry snowcat tour of Buffalo Pass (A.K.A. as “Fluff-alo Pass.”) and it delivered.

You see, as a meteorologist, I incessantly check (and re-check) the latest weather models to see how many karma-chips I will be cashing in for the day.

The storm began as soon as we shredded our first lines and by the end of the afternoon, we had 8 inches at the local SNOTEL site and it was still puking.

Conditions where all time and the nearly 90” base allowed us to send it off some fun kickers that apparently used to resemble boulders. Here’s a pic of that moment (not pictured – me biffing the landing).

Favorable jet dynamics and Champagne Powder™ are my favorite words during the winter months. Perhaps they should be yours too if you like skiing NW Colorado. See you on the slopes!

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