REGION | Days Skied | Vertical Ft. (x1000) | Percent of Total | Powder Vertical |
Southern California | 240 | 4,166.4 | 11.8% | 257 |
Central California | 468 | 10,200.8 | 28.9% | 545 |
Northern California | 88 | 1,674.6 | 4.9% | 149 |
Colorado | 117 | 2,267.8 | 6.4% | 185 |
Utah | 268 | 5,215.7 | 14.8% | 671 |
Other U.S. Rockies | 106 | 2,039.4 | 6.0% | 220 |
Interior Canada | 213 | 3,742.2 | 10.6% | 1,492 |
Pacific Northwest | 97 | 2,111.8 | 6.2% | 223 |
East of the Rockies | 17 | 251.8 | 0.7% | 1 |
Southern Hemisphere | 52 | 657.5 | 1.9% | 63 |
Europe | 131 | 2,542.5 | 7.2% | 298 |
Asia | 23 | 380.8 | 1.1% | 143 |
Total | 1,820 | 35,250.8 | 100.0% | 4,247 |
The above table summarizes my skiing by region. Click on a specific region to see the season and area detail for that region including links to trip reports below the summary tables.
The Total page summarizes each ski season since I started in December 1975. The table below lists my highest vertical and powder days.
Date | Area | Vertical Feet | Date | Area | Powder Vertical | |||
1 | 7-Apr-12 | Mt. Bachelor | 50,200 | 1 | 25-Mar-07 | Chugach Powder Heliski | 26,000 | |
2 | 25-Mar-10 | Sun Valley | 45,900 | 2 | 9-Feb-07 | Mike Wiegele Heliski | 24,000 | |
3 | 18-Dec-04 | Mammoth | 44,500 | 3 | 21-Mar-91 | Mt. Baldy | 22,000 | |
4 | 7-Apr-00 | Mt. Bachelor | 43,900 | 4 | 28-Mar-98 | TLH Heliski | 21,000 | |
5 | 6-Apr-96 | Mammoth | 43,000 | 5 | 7-Feb-09 | Eagle Pass Heliski | 21,000 | |
6 | 16-Feb-02 | Snowbird | 41,300 | 6 | 29-Mar-98 | TLH Heliski | 20,000 | |
7 | 15-Apr-07 | Mt. Bachelor | 40,700 | 7 | 8-Feb-08 | Castle Mt. | 20,000 | |
8 | 12-Apr-21 | Mammoth | 40,700 | 8 | 23-Feb-14 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 20,000 | |
9 | 25-Jan-17 | Fieberbrunn, Austria | 40,500 | 9 | 23-Feb-20 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 20,000 | |
10 | 2-Mar-84 | Mammoth | 37,600 | 10 | 24-Feb-20 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 19,000 | |
11 | 17-Apr-10 | Mammoth | 37,000 | 11 | 9-Apr-99 | Mammoth | 18,000 | |
12 | 8-Jun-19 | Mammoth | 36,100 | 12 | 24-Feb-06 | Mike Wiegele Heliski | 18,000 | |
13 | 18-May-13 | Mammoth | 35,750 | 13 | 25-Feb-18 | Fernie | 18,000 | |
14 | 9-Apr-99 | Mammoth | 35,100 | 14 | 21-Feb-23 | Island Lake Snowcat | 18,000 | |
15 | 22-Feb-11 | Mountain High | 34,300 | 15 | 9-Feb-98 | Mt. Baldy | 17,000 | |
16 | 10-Jan-09 | Mammoth | 34,000 | 16 | 12-Mar-02 | CMH Kootenay Heliski | 17,000 | |
17 | 14-May-17 | Mammoth | 33,700 | 17 | 23-Feb-97 | Island Lake Snowcat | 17,000 | |
18 | 7-Feb-04 | Lake Louise | 33,600 | 18 | 13-Mar-87 | Kirkwood | 17,000 | |
19 | 5-Apr-00 | Mt. Bachelor | 33,100 | 19 | 24-Feb-97 | Island Lake Snowcat | 17,000 | |
20 | 2-Apr-07 | Vail | 32,600 | 20 | 13-Apr-18 | Val d'Isere, France | 17,000 | |
21 | 6-Apr-02 | Mammoth | 32,500 | 21 | 13-Apr-12 | Mammoth | 17,000 | |
22 | 10-Apr-19 | Mammoth | 32,500 | 22 | 19-Jan-12 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 17,000 | |
23 | 24-Jan-17 | Ski-Welt Wilder Kaiser, | 32,400 | 23 | 25-Feb-19 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 17,000 | |
24 | 12-Feb-20 | Mammoth | 32,400 | 24 | 26-Mar-15 | Arctic Heliskiing, Iceland | 16,000 | |
25 | 13-Jan-15 | Vail | 32,300 | 25 | 27-Mar-05 | TLH Heliski | 16,000 | |
26 | 23-Jan-20 | Mountain High | 32,300 | 26 | 1-May-88 | Alta | 16,000 | |
27 | 17-Apr-21 | Mt. Bachelor | 32,300 | 27 | 21-Feb-99 | Selkirk-Tangiers Heliski | 16,000 | |
28 | 24-May-03 | Mammoth | 32,200 | 28 | 10-Mar-02 | CMH Kootenay Heliski | 16,000 | |
29 | 8-Apr-21 | Mammoth | 32,200 | 29 | 26-Jan-10 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 16,000 | |
30 | 22-Feb-90 | Mt. Baldy | 32,100 | 30 | 24-Feb-14 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 16,000 | |
31 | 8-Apr-12 | Mt. Bachelor | 32,100 | 31 | 29-Feb-12 | Northstar | 16,000 | |
32 | 16-Feb-13 | Sun Valley | 31,800 | 32 | 20-Feb-17 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 16,000 | |
33 | 13-Feb-24 | Mammoth | 31,800 | 33 | 21-Feb-16 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 16,000 | |
34 | 19-Apr-17 | Mammoth | 31,700 | 34 | 23-Feb-06 | Mike Wiegele Heliski | 16,000 | |
35 | 1-May-82 | Mammoth | 31,600 | 35 | 20-Jan-12 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 16,000 | |
36 | 26-Apr-16 | Mammoth | 31,500 | 36 | 23-Feb-19 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 16,000 | |
37 | 29-Mar-22 | Val Thorens, France | 31,500 | 37 | 24-Feb-19 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 16,000 | |
38 | 2-Feb-97 | Mammoth | 31,400 | 38 | 22-Feb-20 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 16,000 | |
39 | 24-May-98 | Mammoth | 31,400 | 39 | 14-Feb-01 | Mt. Baldy | 15,000 | |
40 | 29-Jan-06 | Jackson Hole | 31,300 | 40 | 13-Mar-06 | Snowbird | 15,000 | |
41 | 7-Feb-11 | Mammoth | 31,200 | 41 | 30-Mar-99 | RK Heliski | 15,000 | |
42 | 1-Feb-97 | Mammoth | 31,100 | 42 | 8-Jan-05 | Northstar | 15,000 | |
43 | 28-Feb-04 | Mt. Baldy | 31,100 | 43 | 8-Mar-11 | Alta | 15,000 | |
44 | 10-Apr-17 | Mammoth | 31,100 | 44 | 21-Feb-06 | Mike Wiegele Heliski | 15,000 | |
45 | 6-Feb-93 | Mt. Bachelor | 31,000 | 45 | 19-Feb-17 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 15,000 | |
46 | 30-May-11 | Mammoth | 31,000 | 46 | 18-Jan-12 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 15,000 | |
47 | 16-Jan-15 | Vail | 31,000 | 47 | 27-Jan-10 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 15,000 | |
48 | 1-Apr-98 | Blackcomb | 30,900 | 48 | 27-Aug-06 | Harris Mt. Heliski (N.Z.) | 15,000 | |
49 | 25-Feb-18 | Fernie | 30,900 | 49 | 22-Feb-06 | Mike Wiegele Heliski | 15,000 | |
50 | 8-Feb-88 | Mammoth | 30,800 | 50 | 29-Jan-11 | Niseko, Japan | 15,000 | |
51 | 18-Jun-05 | Mammoth | 30,800 | 51 | 22-Feb-16 | Mustang Powder Snowcat | 15,000 |
For those who worry about Mammoth's lift lines, 14 of the 26 days in the left table were on weekends. Among the top 20 vertical days, 2007 and 2012 Mt. Bachelor and Lake Louise were also on weekends. Snowbird was on President's Weekend during the 2002 Olympics.
The right table reflects the reality of living in an area (Southern California) where fresh powder is rare within day commute distance (now over 10 years since a good powder season). Mammoth does not show as frequently on this list because so much of the terrain must be closed for avalanche control during storms. However, note in italics the first of only two days to appear on both lists. Since 1997 I have considerably improved my powder experience by visiting several of the B.C. areas touted by Leslie Anthony at Powder Magazine.
I set most of my multiple day vertical foot records at Mt. Bachelor in April 2000 and 2012. Many of these were surpassed during a week of "piste-bashing" at three large ski complexes in Austria in 2017.
Dates | Areas | Total Vertical | |
2 Days | 4/7/12-4/8/12 | Mt. Bachelor | 82,300 |
3 Days | 1/24/17-1/26/17 | Ski Welt, Saalbach, Fieberbrunn, Austria | 101,900 |
4 Days | 1/24/17-1/27/17 | Ski Welt, Sallbach, Fieberbrunn, Austria | 132,100 |
5 Days | 1/23/17-1/27/17 | Kitzbuhel, Ski Welt, Saalbach, Fieberbrunn, Austria | 157,300 |
6 Days | 1/22/17-1/27/17 | Kitzbuhel, Ski Welt, Saalbach, Fieberbrunn, Austria | 184,900 |
7 Days | 4/3/00-4/9/00 | Mt. Hood Meadows, Mt. Bailey Snowcat, Mt. Bachelor | 187,200 |
8 Days | 4/2/00-4/9/00 | Crystal Mt., Mt. Hood Meadows, Mt. Bailey Snowcat, Mt. Bachelor | 215,800 |
9 Days | 1/19/17-1/27/17 | Stuben, Warth, Lech/Zurs, Kitzbuhel, Ski Welt, Saalbach, Fieberbrunn, Austria | 225,300 |