BREAKING NEWS: FIRST SNOW AT SCHWEITZER MOUNTAIN RESORT

Pretty much as expected, Schweitzer has received its first snowfall of the 2008-09 ski season. It looks like they got just a trace of snow, but they seem to have gotten lost in another snow shower since this photo was taken. I like to use Selkirk Powder Company's images because they update just about once every two or three seconds. To view their current image, visit Selkirk Powder Company's website. Last year's first snow was just around this time, about September 20th, so we are in good shape. However, bear in mind that this was a very cool storm more reminiscent of the middle of fall than the first full day. Still, it's always great to see Schweitzer in white.

Are You Going to the Ski Swap?

Sure, it's really Mt. Spokane's event, but it is truly considered the kickoff to the ski season in the inland northwest, and if you are a local and need new gear, you can't miss it. Here's the information direct from MSSP.

The 44th annual Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol Ski Swap. The region’s largest winter sports equipment and clothing event featuring thousands of new and used winter sports items being sold by both individuals and area sports stores. Equipment, clothing and accessories for all winter sports are available, including Nordic and alpine skiing & snowboarding.

WHEN?
Registration - Friday, Oct. 24th - 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
SWAP Open - Saturday, Oct. 25th - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 26th - 9 a.m. to Noon.
PU Checks/Unsold Equip - Sunday, Oct. 26th – 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE?
Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds, Havana Street, Spokane.

WHY?
For the best selection and buys on winter sports equipment. The annual event has come to symbolize the kick-off of the winter season in the Inland Empire. The “Swap” is the primary source of funding for the MSSP for operations, purchase of medical and first aid supplies, rescue equipment and training materials.

HOW?
Register items on Friday. A fifty-cent fee will be charged for each item registered for sale at the swap. Show up Saturday or Sunday to purchase. Cash, credit cards and personal checks are accepted. Note: come early Saturday morning to beat the crowd. Come back on Sunday to take advantage of 25% discount on market items. Pick-up payment, or unsold
equipment Sunday, 2-4 pm.

WHO?
Admission is $4 at the door. Children 12 and under are admitted FREE. Brought to you by the over 125 volunteers that make-up the Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol, a volunteer, non-profit educational organization.

Frequently Asked Questions:
About the Swap How many items are available?
It is anticipated that over 18,000 items will trade hands at this year’s SWAP.

What kind of equipment is available?
About half of the equipment is alpine (downhill) ski related - including boots, poles, bindings, skis, gloves, clothing and accessories. The selection of cross country and telemark equipment is expected to increase again this year. The amount of boarding equipment continues to grow as boarding popularity has increased - with thousands of new and used
boards and boots available. Equipment and clothing is available for all sizes and ages. Children’s gear and clothing is the fastest to go, for best selection, early arrival on Saturday is recommended.

Where does the equipment come from?
Approximately 30% of the gear is brought to the SWAP by individuals. 70% is from approximately 20 retail shops in the region that bring both used and new equipment.

For more information on the ski swap and how you can put your gear up for sale, visit MSSP's website by clicking THIS LINK. We'll round up the upcoming swaps for you in the coming weeks, including a full list, countdowns, and when you should wake up to get the best deals.

Weather Forecast - 9/19: Chances of Snow Return Near Schweitzer Peak as the Summer Weather Pattern finally breaks down

The weather pattern has finally showed signs of weakening as the last
heat wave of the summer will come to an end by Sunday. The net result?
A more fall-like weather pattern finally arrives, just in time for the
first day of autumn; and we may see the first snow of the season at
Schweitzer as snow levels drop below 6,400 feet.

The valleys can expect a few light showers with the next storms, but
with the highs in Spokane only reaching about 58*, it should be cold
enough on the mountain that we should see at least one snowflake near
the summit of Schweitzer Peak, likely at Big Blue. If not, then there
will almost certainly be a wintery mix - temperatures at the top?
About 35 to 39 in the daytimes, but down into the 20s at night. Be
sure to stay tuned to Selkirk Powder Company's webcam image in the
upper-right hand corner of this screen, and as always, I'll update you
in the event of snowfall or any other major event, for that matter.

Loveland, Colorado Starts Snowmaking in Two Weeks

As of this writing, there are 15 days, 18 hours, and 52 minutes until snowmaking begins at Loveland Ski Area in Colorado. Loveland typically opens for the season in October, weather permitting, and is often the first resort in the United States to open (besides Timberline, of course, as that's open all year). Snowmaking at Loveland: Starting Wednesday, September 24 with a target opening date of mid-October. We'll see how it goes. Good luck to Loveland, and Schweitzer, whose primary capital improvement this year was, in fact, snowmaking.

The Road to Opening Day - Part VI - The Interactive Trail Map

Yes, this is the Road to Opening Day, and this is the 2008-2009 ski season coming upon us. Today we'll talk about a small but important piece of the puzzle that has now been implemented by Schweitzer management: the interactive trail map.

Schweitzer has now released a popular piece usually implemented by major resorts such as Vail, Beaver Creek, Telluride, and Whistler that typically receive more than 500,000 visits per year. Schweitzer, by comparison, is much smaller, attracting approx. 200,000 visits per year. The move by Schweitzer, in my eyes, is to appeal to the destination skier that is completely new to the resort. Why would they want to attract destination skiers? To self-sustain. There is a very small piece of skiers in the inland northwest, and five resorts are competing for them. So for Schweitzer to stay afloat, they must appeal to skiers in new markets. That's why they released the interactive map.

It has some cool features though, the new map. You can view runs, lifts, and other pieces all creatively put together. Enjoy: the Schweitzer Interactive Trail Map.

Welcome to the new look of skiSchweitzer

Welcome, everyone, to the new look of skiSchweitzer. I felt it was time for a change as the current look was getting a bit stale. All links will continue to work, this was only a slight change, and I hope you like it. Any feedback is always appreciated. Thanks!