On Thursday, the Grand Mesa looked more like the middle of winter than it did the first week of spring.

A deputy with the Mesa County Sheriff's Office captured this video late Thursday afternoon on the Grand Mesa showing what looks like a winter wonderland in the western Colorado high county.

I love watching the snowy conditions, but it also makes me very thankful to not be driving through it. Nothing makes me more nervous than driving on a frozen, snow-covered road with near-zero-visibility.

What A Difference A Few Miles Makes

We all know that conditions on the Grand Mesa quite often are dramatically different from what we may be experiencing down in the valley at any given moment. Ironically, at the time this video of blizzard-like conditions was taken, I was running two miles on the Riverfront Trail in dry conditions with a slight, cool breeze. Although at the time I had no idea exactly what was happening on the mesa, the skies did look rather ominous over the big flattop.

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It's Good News For Skiers

I was talking with someone this week who had been skiing several times lately at Powderhorn, and I was reminded of how cool it is to live in western Colorado. This winter has brought us the best of both worlds - snow in the high country for the skiers and mostly dry conditions in the grand valley with quite a few days suitable for golfing, biking, hiking, and other activities. This individual was telling me about their plans this weekend to ski in the morning then come down for some biking, and then finish the day on the river. Unbelievable.

Speaking of skiing, at this point, with more than 10" of fresh snowfall in the last couple of days, ski conditions have been fantastic. More than 3 feet of snow has fallen this month at Powderhorn, which remains open daily through April 4th. With any luck, skiers will get some bonus days in before hanging up the skis for the season.

The Outlook

Snow is in the Friday forecast for the Grand Mesa with an additional 2-4 inches of accumulation expected - plus another chance of snow Friday night. After that, it looks like a sunny weekend on the mesa and the slopes will likely be a popular destination.

Meanwhile. for the non-skiers, the weekend outlook also looks fantastic. Saturday will bring sunshine and 58 degrees to the Grand Valley while Sunday looks amazing -- sunny and 67. Whether you are a skier, biker, golfer, or hiker, the western Colorado weekend gives us the best of both worlds. If you can, get out and enjoy it.

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