2021-22 Ski Season Progress Report as of January 15, 2021

October 2021 precipitation was heavy along the West Coast, though mostly with very high rain/snow lines. The Oct. 24-25 storm opened Mammoth and Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley) on Oct. 29. Substantial snow also accumulated in the Whistler alpine. November was unusually warm, plus drier than normal in many regions. The Northwest was stormy but with more rain than snow. Late November storms opened over half the terrain at the Banff areas. Revelstoke and Kicking Horse attained 5+ foot bases, which delivered good December skiing when they opened.

The warm temperatures delayed snowmaking and postponed some scheduled opening dates in the western US. Delayed opening dates are a red flag for early season skiing, particularly since the dry weather continued for a week into December. This situation would often restrict skiing through the holidays, but major storms the rest of the month wiped out all of November's snow deficit in most regions aside from Front Range Colorado and a few other far inland areas in the Rockies. Due to the November weather, October snowfall is not included in season totals other than a few places where October was material to early November open terrain.

The first week of January had major snow in the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies with lesser amounts in adjacent regions. Since then it rained in the Northwest while the rest of the western US is under widespread high pressure similar to November and likely to persist for at least another week.

California: There were small snowfalls in mid-October. A major atmospheric river dumped several inches of rain up to 10,000 feet before dumping 3+ feet of heavy snow Oct. 24-25. On Oct. 29 Mammoth opened 22% of terrain and Palisades Tahoe 13% but only for 3 days. It was warm in November with 7-11 inches new snow above 8,000 feet and most snow melting out lower down. Only Mammoth remained open while no Tahoe areas preserved or made enough snow to open in November. Limited terrain opened in early December with 6-10 inches snow plus cold temperatures. Then the Sierra got an average 6 feet of snow Dec. 13-16, setting up a good holiday season. Another 3-4 feet fell the week before Christmas and 4-7 feet during the holiday week. Nearly all terrain is open though there has been no more snow in January. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.

Pacific Northwest: The entire month of October was very wet but the rain/snow line was high. November continued the warm but wet pattern. A solid snowpack of 51 inches accmulated at 6,000 feet at both Whistler and Blackcomb in November, with another 7 feet falling in December. Mt. Baker got 4 feet of snow mid-November but heavy rain reduced its base to 14 inches. No Washington or Oregon areas opened in November. 5-8 feet fell in the past two weeks before Christmas, opening much terrain. During the holiday week it snowed 5 feet in Oregon but less than 2 feet farther north. It snowed 5-6 feet during the first week of January, but rained 3/4 of the way up Whistler and above the top of Washington State areas during the second week.

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: October snowfall was average and the Banff areas opened a week into November. November snowfall ranged from 3 feet in the Okanagan to 7+ feet at Revelstoke/Kicking Horse and Banff. 5-7 feet fell in December before Christmas, so this was the overall top region for the holiday season on 4-6+ foot bases. Sun Peaks and Silver Star have been 90+% open since Christmas. First half of January snowfall averaged 3 feet but during the second week there was some rain below 5,000 feet.

U. S. Northern Rockies: November snowfall was well below average. The lower interior Northwest areas had mostly rain in November but had 6-8 feet of snow in December. Southern Idaho got 5+ feet from the California storms, bringing Sun Valley to 79% open by Christmas and 100% at New Year's. Bridger did not open until Dec. 21 and Big Sky's early season was below normal, 48% open at Christmas and 64% at New Year's. Targhee was close to full operation by mid-December and had 6+ feet of December before Christmas. Jackson had about 4 feet before Christmas and the Lower Faces opened at New Year's after the Tetons got 3+ feet during the holidays. 2-4 feet fell during the first half of January, bringing Big Sky up to 82% open.

Utah: Utah had well above average October snowfall, but it was gradual so no one opened and it melted out below 8,000 feet. November tied for driest in the 42 years of Alta Collins records at 22 inches. For the Cottonwood areas only a residual base from October is added to snow totals. In the last three weeks 6-8 feet of snow fell in the Cottonwoods but 3-4 feet elsewhere. Skiing at Christmas was very limited outside the Cottonwoods but improved by 4 feet of snow during the holiday week. The Wasatch averaged 2 feet of snow during the first week of January but high pressure has settled in since then.

Northern and Central Colorado: October and November snowfalls were modest, so the openings (A-Basin Oct. 17, Keystone Oct. 23 and Loveland Oct. 31) were all less than 2% open. No areas were as much as 10% open at the end of November. 3+ feet of December snow before Christmas only put a small dent in November's shortfall. 2 feet of snow during the holidays improved open terrain from only 1/3 at Christmas to over half at New Year's. First half of January snowfall averaging 2 feet brought many areas close to full operation though a few still lag around 2/3 open. A-Basin is 67% open.

Southern and Western Colorado: November snowfall was less than half normal. Wolf Creek has been open since the end of October but ended November with a 14 inch base. A second week of December storm dumped up to 3 feet in the San Juans and fully opened Wolf Creek. 2-3 feet fell in the two weeks before Christmas and 4 feet during the holiday week. Crested Butte was the most favored area for the December storms, so much of its North Face opened during the first week of Janaury. During the first half of January 1+ foot fell in west central Colorado but only a few inches in the Southwest. Taos got 3+ feet during the second half of December, was 20% open during the holiday week, now 61%.

Northeast: No one reported new snow in New England or eastern Canada until the second weekend of November. Killington opened Nov. 6. Cold weather and some snow in late November and early December opened about a quarter of terrain. Mid-December was warm and rainy so holiday skiing was among the worst third of seasons despite modest progress later in December. 1+ foot of snow has fallen during the first half of January and cold weather has finally pushed most areas over half open. Percents open: Okemo 49%, Hunter 57%, Sunday River 63%, Sugarloaf 31%, Tremblant 82%, Ste. Anne 80%

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