Meteorologist Britta Merwin

It has been months since my last installment of “Why Colorado is so Great” and my most recent trip back home gave me the perfect opportunity to talk about one of my favorite subjects besides severe weather… Colorado!

If you ask someone what he or she thinks of when it comes to Colorado most would say something about snow or skiing. This season has been one of the best ski seasons in Colorado due to the massive amount of snow that has been brought in by successive Pacific storms. Most of the state is about 130% above the average snow pack with the most impressive snow depths being in the southern mountains. Ski resorts and towns have been reaping the benefits of the snow and skiers are enjoying the amazing conditions. I even hit the slopes of one of my favorite resorts, Breckenridge, in January. It is wonderful to say that the worst conditions on the mountain were a few trails that had packed powder!

A cool fact about Breckenridge is that it is the home of the highest chairlift in North America! The Imperial Express Superchair takes you to the top of Peak 8 reaching 12,840 feet above sea level. I will admit I have never been at the top of this lift as it exposes you to some of the most difficult terrain in the resort. Breckenridge along with all the other ski resorts in Colorado is enjoying one of the largest snow packs in over a decade!

The above average snowfall not only brings joy to skiers but it also brings a sense of relief to Coloradans. 80% of Colorado’s water comes from the melted snow pack and with such an impressive snowfall this season the upcoming summer looks greener already!

A great thing to do after a Colorado ski trip is to get Colorado pizza! That’s right Chicago and New York are not the only locations known for their pizza. In Colorado we love our mountain pies from Beau Jos and let me just say a picture says it all.

This pizza will satisfy any hungry skier but the best part is that dessert is included; you eat the crust last with honey!

Well a perfect trip to Colorado will make anyone want to preserve it for years to come and a great way to do that is to follow the “Go Green” movement rushing through our Nation and NBC Universal. One way Colorado is going green is by adapting a Denver tradition called Zoo Lights held at the Denver Zoo every holiday season. Under the clear and chilly winter stars visitors walk through a beautiful light display and visit some of the Zoo’s furry and not so furry friends. This year all the lights were LCD lights using less energy bringing a beautiful sight to Denver in an environmental friendly way.

Of course all these things plus more are why Colorado is so great!