There hadn't been any for weeks. It was a La Nina year, of course. Utah got less than its usual snowfall last winter. At a higher altitude, Deer Valley and Park City at least had some sprinklings. Down near Heber City, which is less than 2,000 feet above sea level, the basic color was khaki.
Locals say it's often like that around the Olympic site.
They wonder why the Olympic Committee picked it. But the committee's stats say the average February temperature is 25 degrees, and the monthly average snowfall is about 20 inches. Plenty for the Olympic events. Plenty of snow will be supplied by Mother Nature and by snowmaking machines. Lyle Nelson, the former national biathlon champion who is director of the Soldier Hollow venue, agreed that last February was lacking in snow.