BOAT BITES

Summit Snowpack a Whopping 563 Inches!

Yep, Steamboat Ski Area saw a summit snowfall total of 563 inches this past winter, spelling epic, epic powder days, having to stoop over to clank the Buddy Werner statue for good luck, and a lower town GNP due to employees taking off so much time for their “powder clauses.” Snorkels sold out at local dive shops, home chores got pushed to the back burner, pets went unfed in the morning, and fat skis came out in droves as locals schralped up freshies all season long. How did the year fare compared to others, you ask? Mid-mountain’s 448 inches (really, ski corp., are you counting that extra quarter inch?) tallied the second-highest snowfall in 43 years and the summit’s 563 inches came in as the second highest in 30 years. See how this snorkelicious season stacks up to years past:

563 By the Numbers

This year’s summit tally got us thinking…what other things are special about the number 563?

563 BC: Death of Greek fable-teller Aesop

563 BC: Birth of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha

563: Area code in northeastern Iowa

563: Name of Mozart’s Divertimento for String Trio K., written in 1788

563: Name of USS Tang (SS/AGSS-563), first American submarine designed for underwater performance

563: weight (in carats) of famous gemstone Star of India, the world’s largest sapphire

563: height in feet of South Dakota’s Crazy Horse Memorial