During the third week of October a widespread western storm hit many regions of the West with up to 3+ feet of snow. No areas opened to the public from this storm. This October snow is not counted in season totals except for a few higher and colder places that were at least half open for Thanksgiving weekend. Overall western November snowfall was average or better with the conspicuous exception of Colorado, which has had less than half normal snow and still has very limited skiing. There was a substantial storm along the West Coast at the start of December with much snow at high elevation but rain lower down. Then a big Pacific Northwest storm moved into most of the Rockies with more moderate snows. The middle 2 weeks of December were very snowy over most of the West with the biggest dumps along the West Coast. Thus all areas in the Pacific Northwest, US Northern Rockies and Western Canada were close to or at full operation for the holidays along with Utah's Cottonwood Canyons and most Sierra resorts. During the holiday week there was another big storm in California and Utah, with lesser amounts in adjacent regions. During the first week of January almost no place in the western US got as much as a foot of snow and most places had less than 6 inches.
California: North Tahoe had some of the most October snow, with 37 inches at Squaw Valley which opened a couple of runs for a one-day
private event. Farther south Kirkwood got 24-31 inches and Mammoth 17 inches. Mammoth and Kirkwood preserved the early base and with 3 feet of
dense new snow were 60% and 50% open for Thanksgiving. The late November/early December storms dumped 4+ feet of snow at 9,000+ feet but mostly
rain below 7,000. Mid-December storms were colder, dropping 4 feet of snow even at lower elevations. Thus most but not all of the
previously rained upon terrain was open by Christmas. The holiday week storms dumped another 3-4 feet so nearly all Sierra terrain was open
with base depths of 4-12 feet. After a dry early January there are some variable conditions at low elevations. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Squaw 8,000 |
213 |
133% |
97% |
|
Northstar |
172.5 |
158% |
89% |
|
Mt. Rose |
183 |
150% |
100% |
|
Heavenly (top) |
215 |
177% |
98% |
|
Kirkwood |
216.5 |
129% |
100% |
|
Mammoth |
221.5 |
175% |
100% |
|
Southern Cal |
24 |
70% |
10-94% |
|
Arizona Snowbowl |
80 |
96% |
95% |
Pacific Northwest: The entire region got 3-5 feet of snow during Thanksgiving week. Late November snow was mostly rain at base elevations
and mostly snow above ~5,000 feet. First half of December snow ranged from 3+ feet in Oregon to 5-7 feet in Washington and at Whistler. The pre-Christmas
week snow was another 5 feet over the entire region and Mt. Baker's base went over 150 inches. Holiday week snow ranged from less than a foot in Canada
to 2 feet in Oregon. In early January there has been 1+ foot at Whistler and northern Washington but no more than 6 inches farther south.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Whistler |
237 |
130% |
100% |
|
Crystal Mt. |
268 |
160% |
100% |
|
Stevens Pass |
282 |
143% |
100% |
|
Mt. Bachelor |
212 |
132% |
100% |
Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: October snow fell over most of these areas, topped by Revelstoke's 69 inches, some of which was in September.
November snowfall was at least average through most of the region. Base depths are in the 4-5 foot range and much more terrain than normal is open early.
Big White, Silver Star and Sun Peaks were all 93+% open before Christmas. There was 3-5 feet of snow during the first half of December, including to the areas that had
low elevation rain the previous week. The pre-Christmas Northwest storm dumped 3 feet in the Okanagan and 4-6 feet in the Kootenays. All of the region was
close to full operation for an excellent holiday season. Base depths range from 4 feet in Alberta to 8 feet at Whitewater, with less than a foot of new
snow during the holiday week. Average 1+ foot in early January.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Lake Louise |
94 |
129% |
99% |
|
Sunshine |
167 |
163% |
100% |
|
Revelstoke |
202 |
124% |
100% |
|
Kicking Horse |
124 |
109% |
100% |
|
Whitewater |
249 |
153% |
100% |
|
Red Mt. |
157 |
137% |
100% |
|
Fernie |
198 |
129% |
100% |
|
Castle Mt. |
116 |
103% |
100% |
U. S. Northern Rockies: Overall November snowfall was average but as in other regions high elevation areas had more snow, less rain and have more open terrain. Most areas have had 4-6 feet of snow in December but Schweitzer has had 9 feet from the strong Northwest storm track. Sun Valley had 4 feet in November and 3 feet in early December for one of its best early starts. Big Sky was 75% open by mid-December and 92% for Christmas. Most of the region had a strong holiday season with 1+ foot of snow in the Tetons and lesser amounts further north. In early January the region averaged about 1/2 foot of snow.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Grand Targhee |
192 |
102% |
100% |
|
Jackson Hole |
159 |
102% |
96% |
|
Whitefish |
122 |
91% |
100% |
|
Bridger |
109 |
96% |
100% |
|
Schweitzer |
181 |
151% |
100% |
|
Sun Valley |
115.5 |
142% |
97% |
|
Brundage |
98 |
77% |
100% |
Utah: The northern areas in Utah got the most October snow, 45 inches at Powder Mt. and 36 at Snowbasin, but the Cottonwood areas got a
4+ foot mid-November dump. The next 2 weeks Utah was dry but in mid-December there was 3-6 feet of snow and another 2-3+ feet during the holiday week.
The Cottonwood areas were close to full operation by mid-December but the Park City group and the Ogden areas reached majority operation around
Christmas and still have a few steeper runs that need more coverage to open. Brian Head was limited before Christmas but got nearly 4 feet over the
holidays. No snow so far in January.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Alta |
197 |
99% |
99% |
|
Snowbird |
168 |
101% |
95% |
|
Brighton/Solitude |
172 |
91% |
100% |
|
Park City group |
109 |
94% |
91% |
|
Snowbasin |
90 |
78% |
77% |
|
Brian Head |
96 |
82% |
100% |
Northern and Central Colorado: This region had a near record dry November, even worse than last year. Despite 2-3+ feet of snow during mid-December
most areas were half or less open during the busy holiday period. Steamboat got a 3+ foot dump at Christmas and has since been close to full operation.
Other areas got 1-2 feet during the holiday week. Vail opened some but not all of the back bowls at Christmas. With minimal snowfall so far in
January, base depths aside from Steamboat are less than 3 feet and much of the skiing may be sketchy after the holiday crush. This is particularly true
for the areas 70% or less open, and much advanced terrain at those areas is unlikely to be open before February. A-Basin is only 19% open.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Beaver Creek |
90 |
70% |
83% |
|
Breckenridge |
85 |
75% |
69% |
|
Copper Mt. |
49 |
45% |
35% |
|
Keystone |
65 |
74% |
53% |
|
Loveland |
64 |
52% |
26% |
|
Steamboat |
128 |
88% |
98% |
|
Vail |
105 |
75% |
96% |
|
Winter Park |
96.5 |
71% |
71% |
Southern and Western Colorado: The Gothic Snow Lab between Crested Butte and Aspen (snowier climate than either) had had the driest start in its 39 years of records through early December but got 5 feet in the last 3 weeks. Snowfall leader Wolf Creek was open but sketchy until it got 4 feet in the second week of December. Second half of December snow was 5 feet at Wolf Creek and 2-3 feet elsewhere. There has been minimal snow so far in January. Aspen/Snowmass is in similar shape as many of the I-70 areas. Taos is 72% open, but likely thin on advanced terrain with a base less than 4 feet. Crested Butte is 41% open. Aside from Wolf Creek much steep terrain is very unlikely to be open before February.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Aspen/Snowmass |
74 |
82% |
87% |
|
Gothic Snow Lab |
92 |
70% |
N/A |
|
Crested Butte |
68 |
75% |
35% |
|
Telluride |
71 |
72% |
41% |
|
Durango |
69 |
72% |
90% |
|
Wolf Creek |
136 |
98% |
100% |
Northeast: Hurricane Sandy was all rain in New England and eastern Canada so Sunday River missed a Halloween opening for the first time
in 5 years. Killington was open 2 days earlier in October but then closed. The snow from Sandy was in the Appalachians, where 2 North Carolina
areas opened with snowmaking assistance but none in West Virginia where over 2 feet of snow fell. Northeast snowfall was less than a
foot through Thanksgiving, but there was up to a foot of snow in late November. There was minimal snow in the first half of December. The week before
Christmas there was 2-3 feet of snow in northern New England, the Laurentians and the Quebec City area, topped by 5+ feet at Le Massif. Christmas
week snowfall of 2-4 feet finally opened most terrain. Surface conditions remain excellent with 1-2 feet so far in January, though rain is
predicted soon for some areas.
Percents open: Okemo 97%, Stratton 94%, Hunter 86%, Sunday River 96%, Sugarloaf 89%, Tremblant 95%, Ste. Anne 95%
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Jay Peak (mid) |
122 |
100% |
97% |
|
Stowe |
123 |
132% |
88% |
|
Sugarbush |
141 |
138% |
100% |
|
Killington |
85 |
90% |
98% |
|
Whiteface |
81 |
110% |
90% |
|
Cannon Mt. |
65 |
114% |
75% |
|
Le Massif |
98 |
107% |
98% |
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