2014-15 Ski Season Analysis as of May 19, 2015

2014-15 rivalled 1976-77 and 1980-81 as the lowest North American snowfall season on record. The West Coast was particularly bad, with most California and Pacific Northwest areas receiving less than half normal snowfall. Skier visits did not decline as sharply as in 1980-81 or 2011-12 because the driest months were mid-winter rather than in the early season. Also, the Northeast and Front Range Colorado, the regions with the most skier days, had closest to normal snowfall. Northeast skiing was qualitatively above average due to much colder than normal temperatures. Comprehensive snow statistics are shown in the 2014-15 Ski Season Summary.

Prior Progress Reports
November 1, 2014
November 15, 2014
November 25, 2014
November 30, 2014
December 13, 2014
December 23, 2014
December 31, 2014
January 15, 2015
January 31, 2015
February 14, 2015
February 28, 2015
March 15, 2015
April 1, 2015
April 11, 2015

In most ski regions this was a warmer and drier than normal October and early November. However, there was substantial snowfall in the northern and central Rockies in the rest of November to put the season on a normal track in many regions. Open terrain for Thanksgiving was mostly on snowmaking but with some natural base at many areas. The first half of December was mostly dry in the Rockies, leaving most areas below average as of mid-December. The weekend before Christmas there was a strong storm of unusually dense snow in parts of Utah and much of Colorado just in time for the holiday season. Snowfall during the holiday season was heaviest in Utah and the US Northern Rockies.

There were storms during the first week of January in western Canada and the US Northern Rockies, and during the second week in Utah and southern Colorado. Otherwise January 2015 was one of the overall driest western winter months on record, with no areas getting normal snow for the month and many getting less than half of normal. The first half of February was even worse, with the Rockies being as dry as January with warmer temperatures. The only major storm was a Pineapple Express along the West Coast that damaged as many areas with rain as it helped with snow.

Most western regions continued much drier than average through mid-March, with the conspicuous exception of the Southwest, which got 2-3 feet the third weekend of February and another 3-4 feet in late February/early March. The second half of March continued the overall dry pattern, with only a few western Canadian areas getting close to average snow. The West remains on track to match its second worst snow season of 1980-81, with a few areas threatening the record lows of 1976-77. With frequent thaw/freezes since mid-February, skiing off groomed runs was unpleasant at many areas even if terrain was reported open. Some areas closed prematurely, and many hung on until Easter in limited operation. Early April snowfall was slightly below average, but the western weather pattern finally changed in mid-April, bringing several storms to Utah and Colorado in particular over the next month.

California: The first Sierra winter storm hit November 1-2. Tahoe ski areas got 3-8 inches. The storm track was centered farther south so Mammoth got 12 inches. Unfortunately the next week was record warm, and the next storm missed Mammoth and was mostly rain at Tahoe. There were three December storms before Christmas in the 1-2 foot range plus a couple smaller events. Snowfall was concentrated near the Sierra Crest west of Lake Tahoe, with much lesser amounts at the resorts near and east of the lake, as noted in the tables below. Advanced terrain was still limited, as base depths were no more than 3 feet at high elevation and in many cases less than 2 feet lower down. Squaw had about 1/3 as much snow at its 6,200 foot base as higher up. There was up to a foot of light snow during the holidays, but January was record dry, just a few inches near the end of the month. The early February Pineapple storm had high and fluctating snow levels in the Sierra. Upper elevations attained about 4 feet of coverage while lower elevations had mostly rain. Mt. Rose was the one big winner with 30-44 inches and was the Sierra area closest to full operation. Warm weather over President's weekend degraded much of the snow. The first Southwest storm dropped up to a foot at Mammoth but missed Tahoe. The end of February storm ranged from 6-18 inches, but there was only about a foot of snow in March. Coverage below 8,000 feet was marginal all season with repeated long warm spells between the meager snowfalls. Sugar Bowl and Sierra-at-Tahoe closed March 22nd, more areas closed at Easter and a few hung on to April 19. Mammoth scheduled a May 10 close, but 1.5 feet of May snow extended its season to Memorial Day. 2014-15 rivals 1976-77 as the worst Sierra season, with many record lows at low elevation and leeward of the Crest. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.

Area

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr/May

Total

Pct. of Normal

Squaw 8,000

22

83

5

43

24

35

212

46%

Northstar

5

34

0

24.5

14.5

11.5

89.5

29%

Heavenly 10,000

4

36

3

23

9

10

85

22%

Mammoth

13.5

48

2.5

25

7

49

145

41%

Southern Cal

0

26

2

10

8

7

53

42%

Pacific Northwest: The entire season was characterized by storms with a high rain/snow line. Thus the Whistler alpine had a manageable base of 4-6 feet most of the season but much of the lower mountain was marginal and melted out by mid-March. Mt. Bachelor's Summit opened Dec. 13 and attained a 6-7 foot base, but the pre-Christmas storm iced the Summit lift and closed it for the next 3 weeks. The 20 inches in early February resurfaced upper terrain and gave Bachelor the best conditions in a mostly miserable region. Other Northwest areas had excessive early season rain and only opened just before Christmas on a limited basis with base depths less than 3 feet. Conditions improved with 2+ feet of snow during the holidays and early January, but late January rain closed some terrain and the February Pineapple (rain to 5,500 feet at Whistler and 6,500 farther south) closed even more. The entire region had warm weather, more rain and less than a foot of snow mid-February to mid-March. Mt. Baker closed March 11, soon followed by Stevens Pass. 2-4 feet of snow since mid-March improved skiing at the upper elevations of Whistler, Crystal and Bachelor but were too little and too late for terrain below 5,000 feet that had previously melted out. Crystal closed April 19, Bachelor May 10 and Whistler June 7. There were some record low snowfalls worse than 1976-77 at lower elevations that had mostly rain in 2014-15.

Area

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Total

Pct. of Normal

Whistler Alpine

52

63

39

31

48

27

260

62%

Snoqualmie Pass

24

34

16

6

4

20

100

26%

Mt. Hood

38

76

16.5

17

24

23

184.5

41%

Mt. Bachelor

54

69

11

29

17

21

201

52%

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: There was quite a bit of terrain open in this region from early snow in November. The Okanagan areas had the most snow in December. Early January snowfall was 1-2 feet with the Okanagan areas again getting the most. Base depths were 5 feet at Revelstoke and Whitewater and 3-4 feet elsewhere. Lower areas near the US border had some of the rain from the early season Northwest storms but had over a foot of snow during the holidays. The late January and early February rain to 5,500 feet and ensuing warmup affected most of interior B.C. The Kootenay areas near the US border were most damaged by the rain. Banff/Lake Louise received all snow from these storms and then had the best conditions in the region. There was no more than a foot of snow from mid-February to mid-March in the entire region so melt/freeze conditions prevailed on sun exposed slopes and rain-affected areas deteriorated. Surfaces at elevations above 5,000 feet improved with 3-4 feet of snow in late March and April. Mt. Fidelity is in a national park near Rogers' Pass and gets snowfall comparable to remote snowcat/heli lodges in the Selkirk and Monashee mountains.

Area

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Total

Pct. of Normal

Big White

31.1

57.2

40.7

35.9

35.2

5.2

205.3

75%

Mt. Fidelity

98.4

61.8

90.6

64.2

64.2

38.2

417.4

86%

Whitewater

66.5

48.4

40.2

45.3

40.6

28.8

269.8

68%

Lake Louise

46.5

16.5

31.1

30.3

19.7

41.7

185.8

111%

U. S. Northern Rockies: There were several storms in November in Wyoming and Montana. There was not much early December snow except for Sun Valley getting snow from the south. Big Sky was about 3/4 open at New Year's and 90+% by February, but steep terrain was reported rocky. Idaho skiing improved with pre-Christmas storms except at the panhandle areas which probably had some Northwest rain, while the Tetons got about 3 feet of snow. The entire region got 2+ feet of snow over the holidays, and was the most favored western region in the first half of January with 1.5-3 feet of snow. Low altitude areas near the US border got the late January and early February Northwest rain while others only had the warm spells. Only the Tetons and SW Montana had more than a foot of snow from mid-February to mid-March. Late March snow averaged about a foot with somewhat more in Montana. Melt/freeze conditions prevailed everywhere except on the highest north facing slopes. Most areas closed by Easter due to remote location.

Area

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Total

Pct. of Normal

Schweitzer

25

48

37

10

5

0

125

45%

Whitefish

66

57

41

25

24

4

217

66%

Jackson Hole

73

79

56

43

15

21

287

78%

Sun Valley

30

52.5

16

20.5

7

3

129

67%

Utah: The season started dry but the Cottonwood areas got a mid-November 3 foot dump. Other areas did not get so much and have had very limited skiing mostly on snowmaking. The pre-Christmas storm dumped 2-3 feet of heavy snow in the Cottonwoods, and over a foot of fluff topped that off over Christmas, bringing the base up to 5-6 feet. The areas outside the Cottonwoods were still quite restricted because some of that pre-Christmas storm was rain up to 8,000 feet. These areas were about half open at Christmas and about 3/4 at New Year's. The second week of January storms dumped up to 2 feet, bringing all areas close to full operation. However that was nearly the only snow for the entire month, so spring conditions have prevailed since the late January warmup. February snowfall was barely a third of normal, though most of it was in the second half of the month. There was one early March Wasatch storm averaging 2 feet, but again followed by warm weather. Brian Head got 7 feet of snow from the late February/early March Southwest storms. Wasatch areas outside the Cottonwood Canyons lost coverage since early March after an entire winter of mostly warm and dry weather. Snow totals at some areas rival the record lows of 1976-77 despite near normal snowfall in April.

Area

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Total

Pct. of Normal

Alta

66.5

96

30.5

36.5

31.5

62.5

323.5

60%

Park City Summit House

24

45

30

24

25

19

167

58%

Snowbasin

23

53

18

14

27

31

166

53%

Brian Head

20

69

27

26

50

20

211

67%

Northern and Central Colorado: A-Basin opened one snowmaking run on October 17 and has been 95+% open since mid-January. Most of November was stormy in this region, so much more terrain than usual was open for Thanksgiving. There was little snow the first half of December so base depths settled to the 2 foot range. The pre-Christmas dump of up to 3 feet of dense snow pushed the base depths into the 4 foot range for very good holiday skiing at most areas. There was another 1-2 feet over the holidays. January and early February snowfall was about half of normal, and late February snowfall was about average. Snowfall mid-March to early April was about half of average but the rest of April and May have had abundant late season snow.

Area

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Total

Pct. of Normal

Steamboat

57.5

56

11

58

30

24

236.5

63%

Vail

77

77

19

57

31

27

288

80%

Copper Mt.

79

62

25

43

28

37

274

98%

Loveland

38

50

29

56

38

61

272

78%

Winter Park

68.5

60

29

51

27.5

39

275

78%

Southern and Western Colorado: November snowfall was above average north but below average south. Snowfall and open terrain have lagged the Front Range areas through mid-February. The pre-Christmas storm brought 2+ feet to Aspen and Telluride and lesser amounts elsewhere. Holiday week snowfall was about a foot except for 3 feet at Wolf Creek. The second week of Janaury storms dropped 2+ feet at Wolf Creek and 1+ foot in other southern Colorado areas. The region averaged only about a foot of snow from mid-January to mid-February, leaving sketchy conditions on no more than 3+ foot bases. The late February/early March Southwest storms dropped 4+ feet of snow at Aspen and Crested Butte and 5-7 feet in southern Colorado. Taos was also slammed with these storms, so its base jumped from 43 inches mid-February to 80 inches at the end of the month. The new Kachina chair opened Feb. 13. This region had very good March skiing though there was little new snow in the second half of the month in the Southwest. Most of these areas closed in early April due to remote location.

Area

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Total

Pct. of Normal

Aspen Highlands

29

47

7

37

44

30

194

77%

Gothic Snow Lab

62.6

50.4

26.8

36.2

40.6

36.2

252.8

69%

Wolf Creek

40

70

41

74

45

6

276

71%

Northeast: October was too warm for any areas to open by the end of the month. November was good for snowmaking but there was intermittent rain along with some snow late in the month. The first half of December was colder with 2-3 feet of snow, so skiing was much better than normal for early season. Unfortunately widespread rain fell just before Christmas, producing icy surfaces and reduced trail counts for the holidays. January had average snowfall but consistent cold temperatures for a mostly good month of skiing. February was outstanding with 4-6 feet of snow and no thaws or rain, vastly superior to most western regions. March remained good in northern areas with 3+ feet of snow, but farther south there have were more frequent rain and thaws, the first since Christmas. With 1+ foot of snow in early April, spring trail counts remained high. Spring was well above average though there was little new snow later in April.

Area

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Total

Pct. of Normal

Jay (mid)

28

38.5

75

65.5

58

28.5

293.5

90%

Killington

23

40

53.5

54.5

17

9

197

80%

Cannon Mt.

18

30

54

55

28

28

213

132%

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