At the end of the regional sections, I list selected Ski Central or RSN month-to-date snow totals which were posted during the season. These can have missing data or double counting, but were the best contemporary estimates. The blue tables are "official numbers" compiled by ski patrols or avalanche forecasters, which I use to update my data.

California : After a 3 foot storm in late October, November and December were very dry and the Sierra suffered a 2nd consecutive poor holiday season. Two January storms were unusually low in water content and hit Mammoth more than Tahoe. Thus January base depths were still a far below normal 4-6 feet after the December drought. The base depths rose to a more typical 6-13 feet after 6-12 feet new in February and 2-4 feet in early March. Southern California had a near record snow month in February. A March heat wave reduced the base to far below normal again, but the Sierra enjoyed an excellent April with 6 feet of new snow. Due to season-long low water content the base collapsed rapidly in May. The table shows the clear trend of increasing snow relative to normal as one moves from north to south. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.
Ski Central December Snow: Alpine Meadows 42, Northstar 28, Heavenly 14.
Ski Central/RSN January Snow: Alpine Meadows 88, Northstar 75, Heavenly 57, Kirkwood 100, Arizona 74.
Ski Central/RSN February Snow: Alpine Meadows 97, Northstar 76, Heavenly 64, Kirkwood 121, Sugar Bowl 137, Arizona 53.
Ski Central/RSN March Snow: Alpine Meadows 38, Northstar 33, Heavenly 18, Kirkwood 63, Sugar Bowl 38, Arizona 24.

Pacific Northwest: This was an unusually dry season for the Northwest, with most areas expected to come in at 60-70% of normal. Whistler is historically a very consistent area with less deviation, and it is impressive that they were essentially in full operation a week before Christmas in a year like this. Whistler continued to have the best skiing in about a 500-mile radius through January but finally went to spring conditions during a dry February. After a skimpy January, Washington got a much needed 2+ feet in early February and had good coverage for a month. In early March the snow base at many areas was reduced by warm weather, but Mt. Baker's 8-foot base held up with an improved surface after the late March storms. Oregon's drought was as severe as western Canada's, but skiers were more fortunate because December was the highest snow month. Mt. Bachelor attained a 5-6 foot base before Christmas and held it through the remaining dry winter months. Alaska enjoyed a 3rd consecutive huge season.
Ski Central December Snow: Whistler 42 (likely incomplete), Baker 59, Stevens 47, Crystal 49, Hood Meadows 50.
Ski Central/RSN January Snow: Alyeska 148, Whistler 61, Baker 74, Stevens 41, Crystal 30, Bachelor 35, Hood Meadows 38.
Ski Central/RSN February Snow: Alyeska 82, Whistler 18, Baker 62, Stevens 61, Crystal 40, Bachelor 73, Hood Meadows 24.
Ski Central/RSN March Snow: Alyeska 105, Whistler 26, Baker 68, Stevens 51, Crystal 26, Bachelor 30, Hood Meadows 37.

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: Much of this region suffered a drought of epic proportions. Sunshine has been keeping complete snow records for 34 years, and this was their record low. The usually snow-laden Kootenay region was even worse. Fernie's 46% of normal could be a once in a century event, as high snow areas outside California almost never come in lower than 60%. Red Mt. was getting barely a foot of snow per month and its steep glades were never skiable this season. Red finally closed March 25. Fernie hung in there long enough to enjoy its best conditions of the season with 4 feet new in late March and early April. Banff/Lake Louise also preserved its skimpy base and then caught 3+ feet of early spring snow. The Okanagan did better than the Banff and Kootenay regions, as Big White reached full operation in early February on a 5-foot base, which increased to 7 feet during a strong March. The opening of Canadian Mountain Holidays heliskiing was postponed into mid-January for the first time in its 30+ year history. Cat and heliskiing conditions were OK after then, but only above 6,000 feet.
Ski Central December Snow: Lake Louise 26, Silver Star 34.
Ski Central/RSN January Snow: Sunshine 22, Big White 34, Fernie 14.
Ski Central/RSN February Snow: Sunshine 33, Big White 34, Fernie 27.
Ski Central/RSN March Snow: Sunshine 31, Big White 70, Fernie 33.

U. S. Northern Rockies: In early October Big Sky got a freak dump of over 3 feet and opened some intermediate runs on weekends, increasing to daily operation on 900 acres on Nov. 11. Big Sky and Jackson both opened their trams just before Christmas. After Christmas the whole region was much drier than normal, and Jackson finished with 270 inches snowfall through its April 8 closing (76% of normal). Schweitzer and Big Mountain were even lower but not quite as bad as their Canadian neighbors. Targhee has the most consistent snowfall in North America, so its deviation from normal was less than half of other areas, as in the widespread drought years of 1977 and 1981 when they still managed over 350 inches.
Ski Central December Snow: Big Sky 35, Targhee 50.
Ski Central/RSN January Snow: Schweitzer 26, Big Sky 19, Targhee 44.
Ski Central/RSN February Snow: Schweitzer 41, Big Sky 39, Targhee 48.
Ski Central/RSN March Snow: Schweitzer 16, Big Sky 15, Targhee 18.

Utah: Utah had consistent snowfall from late October to mid-December, so all areas were in full operation for the holidays. Season totals were slightly below normal in the Wasatch due to low January and March snowfall. The best powder skiing in the West this year was probably the first two weeks of April in Utah with up to 8 feet new snow.
Ski Central December Snow: Brighton 92, Park City 83, Brian Head 25.
Ski Central/RSN January Snow: Brighton 46, Park City 36, Snowbird 61, Brian Head 115.
Ski Central/RSN February Snow: Brighton 70, Park City 67, Brian Head 87.
Ski Central/RSN March Snow: Brighton 40, Park City 32, Snowbird 47, Brian Head 50.

Northern and Central Colorado: Snowfall through mid-December was above average, producing full holiday operation at the high snow areas of Steamboat, Winter Park and Vail. By February conditions were similar to the past 2 years, which had poor holiday skiing but lots of snow in January. This year was the opposite: a strong start but about half normal snow from Christmas through January. March (where this was the only western region to get anywhere near normal snow) and April were the best ski months at most of these areas, as is often the case.
Ski Central December Snow: Copper 64, Keystone 48, Loveland 76.
Ski Central/RSN January Snow: Copper 16, Keystone 22, Loveland 18.
Ski Central/RSN February Snow: Copper 55, Keystone 40, Loveland 57.
Ski Central/RSN March Snow: Copper 77, Keystone 62, Loveland 73.

Southern and Western Colorado: Wolf Creek was in full operation since early November after 54" in October. November/December were close to average so the major resorts had most intermediate terrain open for Christmas. The January storms from California hit New Mexico and southern Colorado hard, and conditions were excellent after that. Early March storms increased the base at Durango and Telluride to 5-7 feet, and to 8-9 feet at Taos. The January storms were centered south of Aspen and Crested Butte (Gothic is between the two and gets much more snow than either), but February snows brought their bases up to 4-5 feet and finally opened all of the expert terrain. March was more spring-like than normal but there was some new snow in early April.
Ski Central December Snow: Aspen 28, Crested Butte 55, Telluride 27, Durango 42, Taos 30.
Ski Central/RSN January Snow (note the dramatic north/south split): Aspen 23, Crested Butte 21, Telluride 71, Durango 77, Taos 86.
Ski Central/RSN February Snow : Aspen 37, Crested Butte 56, Telluride 57, Durango 50, Taos 58.
Ski Central/RSN March Snow : Aspen 43, Crested Butte 40, Telluride 46, Durango 38, Taos 61.

Northeast: Warm weather knocked out the first snowmaking attempts by November 15. Since then snowmaking cranked up for a week and Killington, Okemo, Sunday River and Hunter Mt. were about 30% open for Thanksgiving. December snowfall was high, but base depths did not reflect this due to the one weekend (Dec. 16-17) of torrential rain. The holiday dump of up to 2 feet brought nearly all areas to full operation. Conditions since Christmas were excellent with ongoing new snow and cold temperatures in January. After a limited freezing rain event, New England enjoyed an epic first week of February with up to 4 feet of powder. The remainder of February saw several episodes of rain/snow mix, with more snow at the northern areas. March began in New England with a 4-foot dump similar to February's. After an unsettled week, the dumps resumed for the rest of the month, and there is little question that March 2001 is the snowiest month for which I have records at most New England resorts. Only a handful of western resorts had more snow than Smuggler's Notch this year, and Jay Peak exceeded everyone outside Alaska, the only time an eastern mountain has claimed that honor since the extreme western drought of 1977. Winter changed abruptly to a warm and dry April, but with the deep base eastern skiers enjoyed a full month of western-style corn snow instead of the usual rain, crud and sketchy snowpack.
Ski Central December Snow: Mont-Sainte-Anne 46, Tremblant 31, Sugarloaf 64, Jay 95, Stowe 89, Sugarbush 72, Stratton 49, Snowshoe, WV 34.
Ski Central/RSN January Snow: Mont-Sainte-Anne 35, Tremblant 22, Sugarloaf 53, Jay 77, Stowe 62, Sugarbush 48, Stratton 43, Snowshoe, WV 39.
Ski Central/RSN February Snow: Mont-Sainte-Anne 38, Tremblant 30, Sugarloaf 58, Jay 86, Stowe 88, Sugarbush 52, Stratton 51, Snowshoe, WV 17.
Ski Central/RSN March Snow: Tremblant 24, Sugarloaf 63, Jay 103, Stowe 107, Sugarbush 82, Stratton 79, Snowshoe, WV 50.

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