Good morning, Stoke Crew. The snowpack's struggling, February's feeling more like April, but the Olympics just started and honestly, it's the winter energy we needed right now!
In today's report
- Colorado skimo racer punches ticket to the Olympics
- Alaska breaks snow records
- Salmon return to California river
Local Stokelight
❄️ Snow Sports Updates!
After years of anticipation, Monarch Mountain opened its historic No Name Basin expansion on January 29, adding 377 acres and marking the biggest terrain addition in the ski area's 87-year history! The U.S. Forest Service approved the expansion in 2024, boosting Monarch's total terrain by 49% from 769 acres to over 1,100 acres. The new lift serves a dozen runs with intermediate to advanced terrain including bowls, glades, natural fall lines, wide-open descents, and fun tree islands, climbing 980 vertical feet in roughly six minutes. The grand opening featured ribbon-cutting, live music, hot chocolate, and giveaways.
Cam Smith and Anna Gibson punched their tickets to the Olympics with a stunning comeback victory at the first-ever U.S. World Cup ski mountaineering race! Trailing Canada by 10 seconds after the first lap at Solitude ski area on December 6, the duo needed to beat Canada to secure an American presence at the Olympic debut of skimo in Italy where they will compete on 2/21. The 30-year-old Smith got hooked on ski mountaineering 12 years ago when he left Rockford, Illinois to attend Western Colorado University in Gunnison and signed up for the Grand Traverse on a whim.
Learning to downhill ski at Crested Butte Mountain Resort made him fearless on gnarly terrain and thin snow, allowing him to pass racers on descents. He's racked up 5 U.S. national titles, 5 North American championships, and course records on legendary Colorado races.
Environment
⛰️ Alaska and California: Record Snow and Salmon Returns
Over 10,500 Chinook salmon made the epic journey from the Pacific Ocean back to their spawning grounds in the Mokelumne River last fall, marking a healthy return for one of Northern California's most important salmon rivers! The East Bay Municipal Utility District announced the successful 2025 fall run allowed their fish hatchery in the Sierra Nevada foothills to reach its yearly goal of collecting and fertilizing 7.5 million salmon eggs working alongside California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The count of approximately 10,500 fish is right in line with the river's long-term average of 11,100 salmon and represents "a healthy count for natural spawning in the river".
The Mokelumne River serves as the primary drinking water source for Alameda and Contra Costa counties, and remarkably, its salmon population can make up about half of California's commercial coastal catch despite the river contributing only a small share of freshwater to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The river also saw a successful return of more than 700 steelhead, a federally threatened species, underscoring the broader ecological value of restoration efforts.
Anchorage just experienced its snowiest January ever after relentless winter storms dumped more than 40 inches on Alaska's largest city! The National Weather Service measured 10.6 inches on January 27, pushing the month to 39.7 inches and breaking the 2000 record of 39 inches. Colorado could use some of this snow rn :/
What else is going on
- Colorado pond hockey tournament canceled due to unseasonably warm weather and thin ice. The annual 9280 Pond Hockey Tournament at Keystone Lake was called off after warm temperatures left ice too unsafe for the event that typically draws over 220 teams from across the country.
- Skier dies after crashing into tree at Copper Mountain. An out-of-state male skier lost control on the intermediate American Flyer run and collided with a tree with considerable force, becoming one of at least four fatal ski accidents in Colorado this winter despite wearing a helmet.
- 14th wolf dies in northwest Colorado during collaring operation. The male breeding wolf from the King Mountain pack died while Colorado Parks and Wildlife attempted to replace its low-battery collar, marking the latest mortality in the state's troubled reintroduction program where over half of the original wolves have now died.
- Massive avalanche hits snowboarder during FWT qualifier in France. German snowboarder Leonardo Schweizer triggered and survived a large mid-run avalanche at the Serre Chevalier competition by deploying his avalanche airbag, which he credited with keeping him on top of the debris and saving his life.
📚 Trailhead Trivia
How many Colorado athletes are competing in the winter Olympics?
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Answer!
At least 33 (Colorado will send more athletes to the 2026 Winter Olympics than any other state.)
See you soon,
Tyler
Creator — The Stoke Report
