Waist Deep Powder

This has been one of the most entertaining ski and snowboard seasons we have had in years. I know that 'years' is a nebulous term and you have no idea what I mean by 'entertaining' so let me clarify - I haven't seen this much snow since the winter of '93-'94!

Now I realize we have had snowy winters. I realize we have had cold winters but it has been since I moved here from Colorado that I have seen one of those 'perfect storm' winters.

Pittsburgh sits in just the right place for the most bizarre weather patterns. I have seen it hit 70 degrees in January some years...and I have seen it hit 18 below...there was one year when a week in June had the same temperatures as a week in January. My very intelligent, meteorologist sister, Kimm Viebrock could explain better than me why this happens in the 'Burgh, I just know it is all about location, location, location. There are rare years, however, where fates conspire and we get just the right temperatures with just the right amount of moisture and whala! Waist Deep Powder!

The first winter I moved here I was sure I would miss the intensity of Colorado winters. I was blessed, however, with a Pittsburgh 'perfect storm' winter and was thrilled with how my new city looked covered in a blanket of snow from November until March. "I can live with this" I remember thinking....we haven't had a winter like that since. Don't get me wrong, we've had snow but we haven't had this constant, steady stream of light storms punctuated by a few heavy snow falls and the hope that it will continue this way until March. It's beautiful. This time, knowing that we may not see a winter like this for another 16 years I'm going to do my best to enjoy it!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin