SEATTLE Heavy rain brought flooding and concerns about landslides to the Pacific Northwest and many locations in western Oregon and Washington set rainfall records from 50 years ago or more after an unusually dry January.
"Is it just me, or do some of the lifties look older this season?" asked my husband as we rode a chairlift at Snowmass, in Colorado our local resort a couple of days after Christmas. I reminded him that during the holidays, the Aspen Skiing Co. executive team comes out to Snowmass and its other three ski areas to drive shuttles, work at on-mountain restaurants and, yes, help load lifts.
With resorts having trouble hiring and employees calling out sick, visitors have been frustrated by idled lifts, limited services and closed terrain. Some of the biggest complaints have come from Epic Pass holders.