2017-18 Ski Season Progress Report as of February 14, 2018

October 2017 snowfall was strongest in the higher elevations of western Canada and the northern Rockies with some lesser amounts in Colorado. First half of November snowfall was high in the Pacific Northwest and inland northern regions, resulting in some early openings and deep snowpacks. There was also an atmospheric river storm mid-November in California. Thanksgiving week brought widespread rain to 9,000 feet to the northern regions, degrading the snowpack at lower elevations. Thanksgiving snowpacks were still over 4 feet at Mt. Baker, Whistler and Grand Targhee. The farther south you go, the less November snow there was, and some opening dates were pushed back. The western US was under severe sustained high pressure for the first half of December. The week before Christmas brought substantial snow to the Northwest and spread inland to the Rockies as well. Northern Utah and Colorado got a couple of feet but still endured limited holday skiing similar to 2011-12 and are unlikely to reach full operation before February. The Southwest still has almost no natural snow on the ground and should be avoided indefinitely barring major dumps. Skiing in other regions acquired an adequate snowpack at higher elevations in November. Lower elevations had a lot of November rain, resulting in variable coverage and surfaces. But the week before Christmas snow brought most Northwest, western Canadian and northern Rockies area into midwinter form. These regions also got a foot+ of snow Christmas week.

The first half of January saw 1-3 feet of snow over most of the West, but continuing the season trend of the most snow in northern regions. Therefore terrain openings in the drier regions have been gradual. Storms were more substantial during the second half of January but again the northern regions were most favored. A high pressure ridge has set up off the West Coast in February, so many areas in the Southwest and California and some in Utah are still far from full operation. These areas should be avoided as a warm March could degrade subpar snowpacks. First half of February storms were strong in western Canada and brought average snowfall to the Northern Rockies and Colorado.

California: An early November storm only snowed more than a few inches north of Lake Tahoe and over 8,000 feet. The second week's storm was much bigger though also snow mostly over 8,000 feet. Mt. Rose got 4 feet and Mammoth got 2+ feet at its Main Lodge snow plot but 5+ feet up top. Thanksgiving week had a bit of rain followed by warm weather resulting in spring conditions. A foot of snow in late November restored surfaces to the areas with an adequate base over 8,000 feet. With less than a foot of December snow, Mt. Rose and Mammoth continued to have the best skiing, but ungroomed snow was bumpy with more obstacles over the holidays. Other Tahoe areas had marginal base depths around 2 feet on limited terrain, were beaten up by holiday crowds and had very poor conditions through mid-January. Two early January storms dropped 2-3 feet at Mammoth, bringing its upper snowpack into a normal 4-7 foot range for January. Kirkwood was the only Tahoe area to get more than a foot during the first half of January, and the rain below 8,500 feet worsened conditions elsewhere at Tahoe. Second half of January snowfall was about 2 feet at Tahoe and one foot at Mammoth. The first half of February was mostly warm and dry. Weather is now cooling off so snowmaking can resume even though not much natural snow is expected soon. Sierra skiers should favor Mammoth over Tahoe (base depths ~3 feet) due to deeper snowpack, more open terrain and better snow preservation during the continued dry weather. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.

Pacific Northwest: The region had some October storms but the rain/snow line was above all but the alpine sectors of Whistler and Mt. Bachelor. First half of November snowfall was widespread and many areas opened by November 18. The Thanksgiving week rain reduced the Mt. Baker and Whistler base depths from 6 feet to 4 feet. Base depths elsewhere were reduced to the 2 foot range. Late November snow improved surfaces and restored about a foot of base lost by the rain. Much of the Whistler alpine opened Dec. 9 after extensive avalanche control, resulting in twice as much open terrain as anywhere else in North America. The Northwest had a scattered foot of snow during the first half of December but in the second half of December it dumped 3 feet at Mt. Hood, 4 feet at Whistler and 5+ feet in Washington State areas. New Year's base depths were 4-5 feet at most areas, 6 feet at Whistler and 8 feet at Mt. Baker. First half of January snowfall was about 2 feet in Washington and 1 foot elsewhere. Significant cold storms dumped 4+ feet of snow at Mt. Bachelor, 10+ feet at Whistler and 6-7 feet at other Northwest areas during the second half of January. Early February was dry in Oregon and farther north it rained to 5,000+ feet, leaving frozen surfaces that will hopefully be restored by new snow this weekend.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Whistler	362	132%	100%
Crystal Mt.	272	104%	100%
Stevens Pass	287	92%	100%
Mt. Hood	215	74%	100%
Mt. Bachelor	164	67%	100%

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: Snowfall was abundant in this region from late October through mid-November. Thanksgiving week rain affected the Okanogan and Kootenay areas, though base depths declined only at Fernie, remaining near 3 feet at most other areas. With 2+ feet of snow in late November/early December, base depths reached the 3-4 foot range. Second half of December snowfall was a bit under 2 feet around Banff but 4+ feet in the Okanagan and Kootenay regions. Base depths reached 4-5 feet and this was the best overall ski region entering the new year. Silver Star and Sun Peaks were 2/3 open by mid-December and in full operation for the holidays. First half of January snowfall was about a foot in Banff and 1.5-2.5 feet in the Okanagan and Kootenay regions. The Northwest storms dumped 3-6 feet during the second half of January, bringing base depths to 6-8 feet. This was the standout region of the first half of February, with most areas getting 3-4 feet of snow, though there was some rain at lower elevation near the US border.

U. S. Northern Rockies: Grand Targhee had 115 inches snowfall by mid-November, and thus opened 82% on Nov. 17 and 100% by Thanksgiving. Interior Northwest areas got the rain and December 1 base depths were in the 2+ foot range. Most areas got a little under a foot of snow in early December before the high pressure set in. Second half of December snowfall of 5 feet brought excellent holiday skiing to Schweitzer, Whitefish and the interior Northwest. Southern Montana and the Tetons got 3-4 feet, bringing Big Sky to 90% open. Overall this region was close to full operation for the holidays on 3-5 foot bases, except for Sun Valley which only had 3 inches of December snow. Most areas got 2+ feet of snow during the first half of January. Second half of January snowfall was 5-6 feet near the Canadian border and 3-4 feet at most other areas, except for Sun Valley which as in December was blocked out of a Northwest storm pattern. First half of February snowfall was 2+ feet in the interior Northwest and the Tetons but minimal in most of Idaho.

Utah: Utah had minimal October snow and was on the edge of November storms. Some opening dates were delayed and any skiing is on limited snowmaking. An early December storm dropped up to 18 inches in the Cottonwood Canyons, a foot at Snowbasin and 6 inches in Park City, but only a little bit more terrain opened. After only a few inches here and there in mid-December, the Wasatch got 2+ feet just before Christmas, but holiday open terrain and season snowfall still fell just short of 2011-12 and were the lowest since 1980-81. First half of January snowfall was 2 feet in the Cottonwood areas and about one foot elsewhere. Second half of January snowfall was 3 feet in the Cottonwood areas and about half that elsewhere, so some terrain still needs more coverage to open. Season snowfall through January was the lowest since 1977 and fifth lowest since 1946 at the Alta Guard UDOT station. First half of February snowfall of 1-2 feet continued the season trend of about half normal.

Northern and Central Colorado: A-Basin opened a run on snowmaking October 13 followed by Loveland on October 20. November snowfall was about half average and all skiing was on a manmade base of no more than 18 inches. A-Basin is 36% open. First half of December snowfall averaged about one foot. The Northwest storm track finally hit at Christmas with 2+ feet from Steamboat through the Continental Divide with less at Vail and Beaver Creek. However, as of New Year's only Steamboat and Winter Park were more than half open, with most areas only slightly better off than in 2011-12. Vail had less open than any New Year's since 1980-81. This region had gradual snowfalls totalling 3-4 feet in January. More terrain opened each week in January, similar to December of an average season. First half of February snowfall of 2-3 feet finally brought most areas close to full operation.

Southern and Western Colorado: This region was record dry into early January, so all skiing was on limited snowmaking. The Rocky Mountain Biological Lab at Gothic (between Crested Butte and Aspen) had 17 inches in October and 55 inches through January 8, the total being the lowest in 44 years of records. Even Wolf Creek had just 30 inches between November 8 and January 8 and did not exceed a 3 foot base until February. Aspen/Snowmass has recovered gradually like the I-70 areas, with steeper sectors of Snowmass still needing more snow to open. Southern Colorado got about 3 feet of snow in January and another 2+ feet during the first half of February to open most intermediate terrain. However it remains likely that steep sectors like Telluride's Gold Hill and particularly Crested Butte's North Face will never open this season. New Mexico's drought is by far the worst in its ski history, with less than one foot of snow before January 1 and less than 2 feet since then. Taos is a lost cause for 2017-18 as it usually needs over two months of normal snowfall to build an adequate snowpack on its steep terrain.

Northeast: Killington was the first opening on November 8 as there was too much warm weather and rain in October. There was gradual terrain expansion on snowmaking since Thanksgiving but natural snow was mainly in northern Vermont. Second week of December snowfall averaged 3 feet in Northern Vermont and 2 feet elsewhere, setting up the region for a very good holiday season. The Northeast averaged 2 feet of snow during the second half of December, but there was bitter cold during most of the holiday period. In early January the cold persisted with 1-2 feet of snow. Heavy warm rain fell Jan. 12-13, followed by a hard freeze, resulting in reduced trail counts and grim conditions for three weeks with less than a foot of snow in the second half of January. 2-3 feet of early February snow brought excellent skiing, but trail counts are down some after some recent warm weather. Percents open: Okemo 94%, Stratton 86%, Sugarloaf 48%, Sunday River 76%, Hunter 79%, Tremblant 95%, Mt. Ste. Anne 72%.

Directory of Ski Report Links

All content herein copyright © 1996-2018 Bestsnow.net
All Rights Reserved.
No copies or reproductions may be made in whole or in part without express permission by Tony Crocker.
Prices for commercial users will be determined based upon intended use and distribution.