The 2003-04 ski season had a promising start over most of the West in November, led by Utah with about double normal snowfall. Early December western storms hit the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies, followed by a week of widespread storms. After a short respite, big dumps over the holidays confirmed the best overall Christmas season since 1996-97 for western destination resorts. There were epic dumps in the Sierra and Wasatch in particular, and many Colorado areas shared this bounty at New Year's. After the holidays were 3 very dry weeks, with few western areas getting as much as half normal snow. Excellent conditions returned to the West with substantial storms in late January and early February, followed by a week of mostly clear weather. In the second half of February the primary storm track hit the Sierra, Utah and the Southwest. The storms moved north for the first week of March, but warm and dry weather dominated the entire western U.S. for nearly 3 weeks. Snow was degraded on sunny exposures, but most surfaces were refreshed with some new snow last week. Only high altitude north facing slopes have packed powder, except in parts of western Canada that had more consistent snow in March.

With more areas posting season snowfall in 2003-04, I am no longer tracking the less reliable numbers from RSN, except in regions where no nearby area has up-to-date information. I am now including season snowfall from some areas italicized from SnoCountry.

California: From Halloween through mid-November there were several small storms totalling 3-4 feet. After nearly 3 dry weeks there were numerous storms totalling 3-6 feet in mid-December. All areas were at least 80% open before Christmas. During the 2-week holiday period it dumped 8-12 feet in the Sierra. There was less than a foot from Jan. 4-25, and then 2-4 feet in the next 2 weeks. There was 6-11 feet new snow in the second half of February and a foot in early March. Base depths range from 4-12 feet with a foot of snow last week after 3 warm weeks. Most early season storms bypassed Southern California and Arizona, where Snowbowl opened in mid-January and the only SoCal skiing before mid-February was on snowmaking. These areas had substantial storms in late February and early March, but have lost most natural cover in the past 3 hot weeks. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.
RSN December Snow: Northstar 80, Sierra-at-Tahoe 85.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Squaw 8,000	332	82%	100%
Kirkwood	506	120%	100%
Mammoth	420	131%	100%
Southern Cal	97	81%	0-90%

Pacific Northwest: There was little snow for the first half of November, but this region was pounded over the next month, with some rain mix at low elevation. Whistler reached full operation a week before Christmas. Washington and Oregon had comparable snow, and most areas were in majority to full operation since Thanksgiving. There was 3-6 feet over the holidays and 1-2 feet the following week. Current base depths range from 74-155 inches, topped by Mt. Baker's 152-172 inch base. Mid-January surfaces deteriorated with low and mid elevation rain, but there were numerous powder days in late January and early February with 5-9 feet new snow. There was some new snow in late February but also some warmer weather and spring conditions. The first week of March was excellent with 2 feet new but ended with rain and variable spring surfaces. Whistler and Washington State had 2-3 feet in the second half of March and Oregon had a foot last week. But weather between storms has been warm with recurring spring conditions.
RSN December Snow: Mt. Bachelor 84.
RSNJanuary Snow: Mt. Bachelor 61.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Whistler	373	100%	100%
Mt. Baker	624	109%	100%
Stevens Pass	373	88%	100%
Mt. Bachelor	399	125%	100%

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: The Banff region had a snowy November and has been in majority operation since early December. Ssurfaces gradually deteriorated for over a month with just a few inches new snow per week, but were restored with 1-2 feet in late January. The Kootenay region has had consistent snow since early December from Northwest storms. Whitewater opened most terrain Dec. 6 and Red Mt. Dec. 13. The Okanagan region has been more average, but all areas in B.C. were at least 80% open as of New Year's and 90% by mid-January. The Okanagan and Kootenay regions had 2-4 feet of snow at the end of January, though it ended with some low elevation rain at Fernie. February snowfall was only about half of normal, but excellent conditions were restored by 2 feet in early March, again ending with low elevation rain. After a dry week, the Banff region had 2-4 feet during the rest of March and has the only widespread winter surface conditions in the West now.
RSN December Snow: Red Mt. 31, Sunshine 25.
RSN January Snow: Red Mt. 46, Sunshine 36.
RSN February Snow: Red Mt. 28, Sunshine 26.
RSN March Snow: Red Mt. 17, Sunshine 55.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Lake Louise	146	82%	100%
Fernie	277	82%	100%

U. S. Northern Rockies: Jackson had its best opening weekend in 7 years, 75% operation including the tram on Dec. 6. The Tetons had another 7 feet over the holidays plus 2 feet in early January. Bridger Bowl had 6 feet in 2 days at Christmas, and the 4 feet at Big Sky over the holidays allowed the Lone Peak runs to open. Most of Sun Valley's trails were covered by snowmaking before Christmas, and the whole area has been well covered after 4 feet new from Christmas into early January. Schweitzer and Big Mountain have been 100% open since mid-December. In late January/early February both the Tetons and the areas near Canada had at least 5 feet new snow, but in the rest of February snowfall was below average except at Sun Valley where the storms come from California. The region averaged a foot of snow in early March but most areas have had less than a foot since then.
RSN December Snow: Big Sky 82, Schweitzer 41.
RSN January Snow: Big Sky 54, Schweitzer 79.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Big Mountain	294	104%	80%
Grand Targhee	383	91%	100%
Jackson Hole	363	105%	75%
Sun Valley	167	96%	100%
Schweitzer	251	104%	95%

Utah: Utah had double normal snow in November. A significant sign of the strong start to Utah's season was that Park City and the Canyons were about 2/3 open for Thanksgiving, including the advanced runs in Jupiter Bowl and 9,990. Most of December was more average but it dumped 8-10 feet over the holidays. There was less than a foot new for nearly 3 weeks, but 4-7 feet fell in late January and early February. All areas are 100% open and base depths are 6-7 feet in the Park City region and 9 feet in the Cottonwood Canyons. Utah is still the leading region of the West this year with 4-7 feet more snow in the second half of February and 1-2+ feet in early March. Nearly all terrain went to spring conditions during the next 2+ very warm weeks, but there was a 1-2 foot storm last weekend.

The Jupiter Bowl snowfall is similar to Brighton/Solitude. The majority of Park City/Deer Valley/Canyons terrain has snowfall similar to Snowbasin.
RSN December Snow: The Canyons 100.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Alta	555	125%	100%
Snowbird	492	124%	100%
Jupiter Bowl at Park City	457	136%	100%
Snowbasin	354	129%	100%
Brian Head	297	105%	100%

Northern and Central Colorado: November/December snowfall was close to normal at most areas, with a typical several inches per week at most areas. Steamboat had the most snow and has been close to full operation since before Christmas. Advanced terrain was mostly open at the high snow areas of Steamboat, Vail and Winter Park, but more limited in Summit County. At New Year's most areas got 2-3 feet new snow and more terrain opened. The mid-January dry spell brought most of these areas below average, with hardpack conditions in high traffic and snowmaking dependent areas. Surfaces were restored by 2-3 feet in the next 2 weeks, and over 4 feet at Steamboat, but mid-February was dry again. Surfaces were refreshed with 1-2+ feet in late February/early March. These areas have had warm March weather but also a few small storms.
RSN December Snow: Loveland 32.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Beaver Creek	246	85%	83%
Breckenridge	177	72%	98%
Copper Mt.	214	92%	93%
Keystone	148	80%	91%
Steamboat	294	94%	96%
Vail	240	76%	99%
Winter Park	258	82%	90%

Southern and Western Colorado: Wolf Creek was once again North America's early season leader. It reached full operation Nov. 15 and currently has a 92-97 inch base after 7 feet new snow over the holidays. Most of western Colorado was hit with 4-7 feet new over the holidays, thus opening steep terrain earlier than most seasons. After 2 dry weeks these areas averaged 3 feet new in late January/early February, continuing a strong season. The late February storms brought at least 2 feet of snow to the whole region, but 4 feet to Telluride and 6 feet to Durango. Early March averaged another foot, but the next 3 weeks were unseasonably warm and dry, finally relieved by up to a foot last weekend. New Mexico, like SoCal and Arizona, came up short in the early season with only 2 feet new over the holidays and had almost no advanced terrain open through January. Taos finally came to life with a 4-foot dump in early February and reached full operation soon thereafter, but has had little snow since early March.
RSN December Snow: Telluride 54, Crested Butte 49, Taos 39.
RSN January Snow: Telluride 46, Crested Butte 71, Taos 35.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Aspen	260	124%	90%
Durango	255	117%	95%
Wolf Creek	373	121%	100%
Crested Butte	215	102%	93%
Telluride	254	112%	94%
Taos	197	86%	90%

Northeast: With a warm late October and change in Killington's early season strategy, no Eastern area opened before November 9. With ongoing rain and warm weather even the snowmaking leaders were no more than 10-15% open at the end of November. December was a tumultuous month, with several huge storms but not all of them snow. The first two weekends of December featured 2-4 foot dumps but there was a big rain in between. Late December storms were mostly snow in Quebec and northern NH and Vermont but mostly rain elsewhere in New England. The Northern Vermont snowbelt had over 100 inches snowfall for the month and has usually kept 90+% of terrain open since then. Surface conditions over the holidays were reported ugly at many areas due to the rain on Christmas Eve and ensuing variable temperatures. For most of January there was extreme cold, so surfaces improved with snowmaking and lake effect snows and trail counts rose all month. In February most terrain was open, but surfaces varied depending on skier traffic, weather and new snow. As usual the most new snow was in northern Vermont and the best preservation farther north in Quebec. The first half of March was mostly warm with some rain and trail counts started to decline. The past 2 weeks have kept eastern skiing alive with 1-3 feet new snow. Current percents of area open: Mt. Ste. Anne 95%, Mt. Tremblant 73%, Sunday River 79%, Sugarloaf 83%, Killington 57%, Okemo 74%, Stratton 68%. I strongly recommend checking First Tracks Online Ski Magazine No-Bull Ski Reports for up to date information in this region, where both weather and surface conditions can change so rapidly.
RSN December Snow: Killington 74, Okemo 51, Stratton 66, Sugarloaf 81, Mt. Ste. Anne 24, Mt. Tremblant 40 Snowshoe 49.
RSN January Snow: Sugarloaf 14, Mt. Ste. Anne 27, Mt. Tremblant 31, Snowshoe 44.
RSN February Snow: Sugarloaf 21, Mt. Ste. Anne 40, Mt. Tremblant 26, Snowshoe 29.
RSN March Snow:Sugarloaf 14, Mt. Ste. Anne 21, Mt. Tremblant 18, Snowshoe 26.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Jay (min.)	254	81%	89%
Stowe	322	138%	79%
Sugarbush	229	100%	60%
Cannon Mt.	172	130%	55%

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