Cast your votes for the best in snow

Frequent dumps transitioned to occasional dustings for a while. But the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center predicts more powder days for the homestretch. Tuesday this week a happy few hit 8 to 10 inches on the north Idaho hills.

For months La Nina has given us great conditions and unforgettable experiences. I’ve reported many of mine. I’d like to invite you to share some of yours.

Each local hill offers something that stands out from all the rest. Some general categories are outlined here. Please let us know where you found the best – and add categories that may have been overlooked – at snoscene@ comcast.net. We’ll publish the results at season’s end.

Best snow: Have you noticed how short the lift towers have become? Trenches are dug to keep tips from dragging. But we’re not talking about quantity.

Best grooming: Even the most incurable powder slob can’t resist riding the rails at speed on freshly tilled corduroy. What do the connoisseurs think?

Best powder day: A tough one this year. You think you were there – then the next one was even better. Who has the definitive answer?

Best instructor: It takes burning passion for the sport to spend precious mountain time passing it along to others. For what they get paid, these people need a hug.

Best lifties: Have you ever received a Charlie horse from the chair whacking you on the calves? Let’s give kudos to a thankless job well done.

Best variety: Size matters. But getting the most out of what you have can be more satisfying. Where do you find the most fun per acre?

Best runs: Calling all skiers and boarders. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you’re casual, don’t be bashful. If you’re hardcore, be humble.

Best speed: A foregone conclusion? Perhaps. But there’s an overlooked back alley somewhere tempting you to let the ponies run.

Best trees: A preseason article in a certain ski magazine has been the subject of some heated discussion among loyal locals. Is it hype? Where does the truth really lie?

Best new terrain: The biggest additions get all the press. But with five local hills there’s always something undiscovered. What did we miss?

Best bumps: It’s been a bad year for bumps. Consistent storms haven’t given them a chance to thrive. Where will they emerge in the spring?

Best food: Families want value. Bums want a bang for their buck. Some try to keep it healthy while others like their dining fine.

More of the best is yet to come, according to the National Weather Service. Scientific models meteorologists use indicate that La Nina should remain strong through March and into spring.

A cyclical wave in Earth’s atmosphere called the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) has a strong effect on our climate.

The MJO is a large-scale eastward movement of air within a period of about 20-70 days over the western Pacific about 7.5 miles high in the atmosphere.

Forecasts show that the MJO will strengthen early this month and resume sending moisture-laden fronts to the Pacific Northwest. At the same time, less than average temperatures are likely. Learn more at www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov.

The bottom line is we appear to be headed for a great spring in the mountains.