There’s a familiar chorus this year.
“It’s thin.”
“It’s over.”
“Wait till next season.”
But here’s the quiet truth from those of us who are out there: winter hasn’t gone anywhere.
For the last week the clouds have been parked right on top of the Divide, lingering like they mean it. Most nights the high country has been quietly picking up an inch or so of snow. Nothing headline-worthy. Nothing that lights up an Instagram feed. But when the wind does what the wind does best and moves that snow around, there is real powder to be found. Turns are soft. Edges sink in. It has felt, unmistakably, like winter.
And help is on the way.
Right around February 10, the weather models are lining up behind a real shift. The stubborn high pressure that’s been sitting overhead looks ready to finally step aside, with colder, stormier weather moving in behind it. Snow. Cold. Reset. The kind of pattern change that reminds us why patience is part of the deal.
We’ve been skiing a lot. Today was day 77 for me. A cold, crisp lap in our local backcountry zone. Soft snow. Wind on the ridgeline. Frozen fingers at the top and warm legs on the way down. The kind of day that doesn’t need a caption.
And as if winter needed another reminder of its magic, the Winter Olympics are nearly here.
I still remember being a kid, skiing all day, then going home to watch the Olympics and feeling like the whole world revolved around snow. Bill Johnson charging downhill. Phil and Steve Mahre dancing through gates. Tommy Moe making it look effortless. I’d watch a race, then head back up the hill the next day trying, unsuccessfully, to ski like them. Those Games made winter feel big. Important. Worth celebrating.
That feeling hasn’t left.
This month, that same spirit will be flickering quietly in the background at the shop. The Winter Olympics will be on the TV during open hours at Larry’s. Boot shells on the bench, liners warming, and world-class skiing unfolding on the screen. It feels right. A small nod to the seasons and the skiers who shaped how many of us fell in love with winter in the first place.
This stretch of the season, with cold air settling in, quiet snowfall stacking up, and the Olympics humming along in the background, is a reminder of why we do this at all. It’s not about perfection. It’s about showing up.
We also know times are tough. For a lot of folks, everything feels heavier right now. So from February 1 through February 28, we’re doing what we can to help. Our 2026 Winter Olympics Ski Boot Sale is on, with many great models at reduced pricing, and as always, full bootfitting service included. Same care. Same process. No shortcuts.
Winter is still here.
The skiing is better than you think.
And there’s a lot to celebrate.
See you out there.
- Dan and Elaine