July 2011

Scientists studying the formation of moguls in Winter Park, Colorado (we want their job!) have found that over time moguls actually move uphill.

It sounds illogical, but the science behind it is that as skiers and snowboarders turn the snow is pushed downhill and into piles, causing the start of bump formations. Each time a skier scrapes snow off the downhill side of a bump, it simultaneously collects on the uphill side of the bump below. Each mogul therefore is scraped away on the downhill side, but collects new snow on the uphill part of the bump…the result being bumps moving uphill. Just watch the time-lapse video below filmed over the course of several  weeks to see the proof!

Mary Jane, one of Winter Park's three connected mountain peaks, has the reputation of being home to some of the best mogul skiing in Colorado. Mary Jane remains, on the most part, ungroomed so that you can ski fantastic moguls almost all season long - that thought will either fill you with pleasure or dread! If you're heading to Winter Park and want to try these bumps out for yourself, you can access Mary Jane via three different chairlifts. We recommend the Super Gauge Express, a 6 person chairlift which will whisk you to the top of Mary Jane in 7 minutes. Enjoy!

Mary Jane Trail Map - Winter Park

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