Journal 68: Epic Snowfall Pinehaven’s Greatest Hits

1913 — December 1–5 (48–54 inches). The “Great Blizzard of 1913” wasn’t just another winter storm—it was a once-in-a-century event that buried southern Colorado and delivered one of the worst snowfalls Cuchara has ever known. (2) Snow piled up faster than people could shovel, and regional totals likely surpassed four feet. On December 4 alone, precipitation data suggest La Veta Pass was blasted with an astonishing 53 inches of snow. (3) It was the kind of storm where even the horses probably stared at their owners like, “Nope. Not going out in that.”

1915 — December 3–5 (snowfall severe but unrecorded). In early December 1915, a monster winter storm roared across the High Plains and southern Colorado. The Pueblo Chieftain dramatically dubbed it “the granddaddy of blizzards,” a sprawling system that stretched from Cheyenne, Wyoming, all the way to Trinidad, Colorado, unleashing blinding snow and wind gusts reaching 50 mph. Drifts climbed to the eaves of houses and even topped trolley cars, while trains across eastern Colorado ground to a halt beneath the mounting snow. (5) It’s safe to assume that if snow could bury a trolley car, it probably made quick work of every front porch in Cuchara. Although no official snowfall measurements survive for the Cuchara region, the photographs and eyewitness reporting leave little doubt: this was a historic storm of truly overwhelming scale.

1946 — November 2–5 (48 inches). In early November 1946, Colorado was caught in the grip of a slow-moving winter powerhouse that refused to let go. Over four relentless days, heavy snow blanketed the state, and one Huerfano County station recorded an astonishing 48 inches in a single day—part of one of the longest continuous precipitation events ever documented. (6) By day four, most folks weren’t sure whether they should shovel the walkway or just start tunneling.

1955 — May 20 (42 inches). In mid-May 1955, Cuchara and the wider Spanish Peaks region were blindsided by an astonishing late-season storm that unleashed roughly 3.5 feet (42 inches) of dense, heavy snow—paired with an incredible 9.1 inches of liquid precipitation in just 48 hours. (7) What began as an unseasonable snow quickly escalated into a full-scale disaster: roofs buckled under the weight—including the beloved summer studio of artist Clayton Staples—and at least 24 additional cabins were damaged or destroyed. (8)   

1973 — March 1–April 10 (90–120 inches). As winter faded everywhere else, southern Colorado found itself trapped under an almost nonstop barrage of snow during late March and early April 1973. For roughly ten relentless days, the Cuchara region was buried again and again—some accounts recalling as much as 120 inches in Cuchara, while reports from nearby Trinchera documented closer to 90 inches, with certain days delivering nearly a foot of new snow at once. (9) The storm brought the region to a standstill: highways shut down, hundreds of travelers were stranded, and ranchers faced devastating losses as thousands of cattle succumbed to the deep drifts and brutal conditions. (10) Even today, the Spring 1973 blizzard endures as one of Colorado’s most unforgettable storms—and a defining chapter in Cuchara’s weather history.

1974 — December 29, 1973 – January 8, 1974 (65–75 inches). As 1973 drew to a close and the new year dawned, the Cuchara region was hammered by an extraordinary succession of snowstorms that piled up an astonishing 65 to 75 inches of snow—five to six feet—in just eleven days. (11) Though this event rarely appears in statewide blizzard histories, its impact on local communities was unmistakable: cabins disappeared behind drifts, residents shoveled their way into 1974, and temperatures plunged to a bitter –23°F on January 3. With no official weather station in Cuchara at the time, the story of this storm survives through NOAA regional data and local newspaper reports, each confirming the remarkable severity of Huerfano County’s snowfall—often matching or exceeding that of better-known storms. (12) Quietly powerful and intensely local, the 1974 storm stands as one of Cuchara’s most formidable winter events, a reminder that even unheralded mountain blizzards can reach historic proportions.

1997 — November 28–30 (90 inches). The infamous “Thanksgiving Blizzard” roared into southern Colorado on November 28 and did not loosen its grip until the 30th, burying Huerfano County under more than four feet of snow. (13) The Cuchara Mountain Resort was hit even harder, reporting an astonishing 90 inches—seven and a half feet—of fresh powder. At that point, measuring the snow didn’t require a ruler so much as a brave volunteer with a snorkel—preferably someone who hadn’t eaten a second helping of Thanksgiving dinner.

1999 — December 3–4 (61.25 inches). In early December 1999, a ferocious winter storm unloaded unprecedented snowfall across the Cuchara region. The National Weather Service documented a staggering 61.25 inches of accumulation in Cuchara. (16) When the snow climbs past the windows, you know it’s serious—when it climbs past the roofline, you start looking for the ark.

2007 — December 20, 28, and January 5 “Three-Peat” (42 inches). Pinehaven—and much of southern Colorado—endured an unforgettable “three-peat” of winter fury when three powerful blizzards barreled through in just seventeen days. The first storm hit on December 20, the second followed on December 28, and the third slammed the region on January 5. By that third storm, most locals were on a first-name basis with their snow shovels—and not on good terms. Together, these back-to-back systems buried the Cuchara Valley under more than 42 inches of snow, leaving almost no window for meaningful plowing or recovery between storms. (18)  

2010 — March 25 (50 inches). The spring storm of 2010 may have started modestly, delivering “only” about 26 inches of snow, but its heavy, moisture-laden flakes proved far more destructive than expected. Power lines sagged and snapped, trees splintered under the weight, and many residents suddenly found themselves without electricity. That’s a spring storm in the mountains—just when you’re dreaming of sunshine, it taps you on the shoulder with another foot of snow.

2024 — November 5–9 (60 inches). In early November 2024, winter arrived with startling force. Over just 72 hours, Cuchara was buried under 60 inches of snow—an extraordinary early-season total that transformed the valley overnight. It was only early November, but winter showed up like an overeager party guest—three hours early and carrying 60 inches of attitude. Official measurements taken just three miles from town confirmed the full 60-inch accumulation. (20)