Wow. That's all I can think to say. Squaw Valley is the first in the entire world to have a ski-in/ski-out Starbucks! Now you're able to get your cup of Starbucks Reserve® Indonesia Blue Java or Guatemala Antigua Santa Catalina right on the ski slope without having to go into the lodge or take off your skis. That's a photo-op waiting to happen. Post it on Facebook for all your friends to see. Tag, that's ME in the first in the world's ski-in/ski-out Starbucks at Squaw Valley and I'm cool! That's what they'll be thinking when they see you at 8000' raising your recycled plastic cup with the Starbuck's logo to your face. We've become accustomed to drive up fast food, drive up banks, drive up prescription pick up and event a drive up church, so this just makes sense. If you don't want to get out of your car for a hot cup of fancy coffee with whipped cream and nutmeg on top then why would you want to have to take off your skis and clunk your way in ski boots into a crowded building for it? I mean it just makes total sense. What doesn't make sense is why none of the other ski areas in the world have done this yet. I guess that's another reason Squaw Valley is world class and world renown. My question is what's next, a ski-in/ski-out ATM?
I learned of the ski-in/ski-out Starbucks in a Sierra Sun article that caught my eye. You can see pictures of the mountain top Starbucks here. According to the article, Andy Wirth, Squaw Valley's president and CEO said “We worked closely with the design team at Starbucks to create a one-of-a-kind experience that we know our guests will truly enjoy. Nowhere else in the world can skiers and riders enjoy a delicious Starbucks coffee without missing a beat on the slopes.” The mountaintop Starbucks at Squaw Valley is located at the Gold Coast mid-mountain complex. You can get to it by the resort's Funitel with or without ski or snowboard equipment. It will be open daily from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. throughout the winter season, weather permitting. Now Squaw Valley is world renown for it's skiing, terrain and coffee!
Here we are in the middle of President's Day weekend and we're still looking for the next big storm. I've come to the conclusion that this is an "it is what it is" kind of winter. By that I mean I don't expect anything and am grateful for whatever falls from the sky. I still look at the short and long term weather forecasts but I'm not disappointed if they don't work out. With that attitude, I read a recent article by the National Weather Service about the remainder of the winter. It seems this is the 10th driest start to a winter since weather records have been kept starting in the 1800s. Out of those years only 1/3 ended up being normal or wetter than normal, meaning 2/3 ended dryer than normal.
Remember the 1991 March Miracle that helped California break a long drought? According to a recent article in the Sacramento Bee, "Don't expect a 'March Miracle' for Sierra snowpack", the La Nina pattern we've been in is fading, but we were in a La Nina pattern last winter, too. What changed was another weather factor called the Arctic oscillation, said Bill Patzert, a climatologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Last winter we were in a negative phase of the Arctic oscillation, which causes cold air from the North Pole to come farther south. This brought cold, wet storms out of Canada into our area. This winter, the Arctic oscillation has been positive from early November through mid-January, keeping the cold air in the north. Now the oscillation has turned negative again, causing the extreme cold and snowy conditions that have swept Europe lately, Patzert said. This will cause a similar pattern across the U.S. where the jet stream comes down across the Sierra all the way into Texas. Don't expect any miracles, but in this "is what it is" kind or winter any change would be an improvement.
One event of note this coming week and it sounds like fun!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Get out that 80's attire and dress for success! Back for its 8th year, the biggest party of the season is taking us back to '88. You know what to do... book your appointment to get that perm, and men start growing that mullet today. Party On!
We've already had some snow to freshen up the slopes and the promise is there for at least a little more to come, just don't expect and "miracles". Keep up to date with all that's happening at Olympic Village Inn and Olympic Valley on our Facebook page. Have a great week!
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