The I-70 corridor of Colorado had near record snowfall in the first half of November. After a dry month over most of the West, major storms hit the West Coast during the 3rd week of December and spread into much of the Rockies reduced intensity. Starting around Christmas the storm track finally moved north to help out many areas which had started the season very slowly. January has been much drier than normal in most of the West, with many areas receiving less than half normal snow and only a handful with close to normal snowfall for the month.
California: After 2-4 feet of snow in early November the Sierra received no snow at all for a month. During the 3rd week of December the Sierra got up to 10 feet of snow, setting up North America's best holiday ski conditions. There was another 2-4 feet of snow during the holiday period. The new year has brought unseasonably warm weather. Low elevations and sunny exposures have turned to spring conditions with average Sierra snow of only a foot new this month, but coverage remains solid on a 3-10+ foot base. Season snowfall is now 184 inches at Mammoth (103% of normal), 281 at the top of Kirkwood and 207 at Squaw 8,200 (91% of normal) and 98 at the base. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.
RSN December Snow: Northstar 133, Heavenly 125.
RSN January Snow: Northstar 10, Heavenly 8.
Pacific Northwest: Normally the most reliable region by early December, the Northwest had a tough start this year, much drier and warmer than normal. Only Mt. Baker reached full operation in mid-December. Whistler was headed for its worst Christmas in over 20 years until Santa delivered 4.5 feet of snow December 24-25. Mt. Bachelor gradually accumulated snow through Christmas but had 6 feet of snow before New Year's to bring its base up to 8 feet. Only the Whistler alpine has had close to normal snow in January, with much rain/snow mix at lower elevations including a major rainstorm to 6,000+ feet last weekend. Base depths are 6-7 feet at Mt. Baker, Mt. Bachelor and in the Whistler alpine but considerably lower elsewhere.
RSN December Snow:Whistler 118, Mt. Bachelor 127.
RSN January Snow:Whistler 61, Mt. Bachelor 33.
Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: This region had a very poor start but gradually accumulated a snow base since mid-December. Lake Louise (72 inches snowfall, 57% of normal) has snowmaking but the natural terrain is reported very rocky. Sunshine, Big White, Red and Fernie reached full operation by mid-January, but the latter two areas were hit by Northwest rain to 7,000 feet last weekend. Other natural snow areas are mostly open but with marginal coverage in some places.
RSN December Snow: Sunshine 32.
RSN January Snow: Fernie 40, Red Mt. 49, Sunshine 32.
U. S. Northern Rockies: Jackson has had 214 inches of season snow (99% of normal), including about 4 feet in the past 2 weeks, one of the few bright spots in Western skiing this month. Targhee has been full operation since mid-December in its usual drought-resistant mode. Kootenay areas had a similar dry start to western Canada, with consistent snowfall commencing only in mid-December, and the same setback of last weekend's rain. Big Mountain (96 inches snow YTD, 53% of normal) reports full operation but on a subnormal 22-61 inch base. Schweitzer did not open until just before Christmas but has since been in full operation on a base now 5-8 feet. Sun Valley benefited from December storms moving northeast from California and has total snowfall of 114.5 inches, 106% of normal. Big Sky and Bridger have received moderate snows in January, but expert terrain is still sketchy on a 3-4 foot base.
RSN December Snow: Big Sky 30.
RSN January Snow: Schweitzer 42, Big Sky 32, Targhee 84.
Utah: Alta has had 143 inches of snow since November 1 (54% of normal), after 43 inches in October and currently reports a 59-inch base. Despite the 10 inches new this week Alta is still just short of the previous driest January in the past 36 years. With base depths in the 4-foot range, only Alta and Brighton likely had decent coverage with the holiday crowds. While the majority of runs are open at the Park City areas, expert terrain must be sketchy with base depths still in the 3-4 foot range. Utah's snow is far below average, unusual when California and Colorado have done comparatively well.
RSN December Snow: Snowbird 43, Park City 36.
RSN January Snow: Snowbird 25, Park City 25.
Northern and Central Colorado: After a few lean early seasons this region had near record snowfall in November. That snow got chewed up over the ensuing dry month but has been refreshed by about 1 foot new per week since mid-December. Still leading the region is Vail, with 202.5 inches snowfall (107% of normal) and 98% of its 5,100 acres open since before Thanksgiving. Winter Park has had 187.4 inches (99% of normal, 90% open), Breckenridge 146.5 (101% of normal) and Steamboat 179 (91% of normal). Loveland is in full operation on a 46-inch base and Copper and Keystone 90+%. Most of these areas had more terrain open at Thanksgiving than they did at Christmas 3 of the past 4 years. Season snowfall is now close to average, and since most of it came in November current conditions are average at best, with a few expert sectors still not open.
RSN December Snow: A-Basin 24, Copper 21, Keystone 19.
RSN January Snow: A-Basin 31, Copper 39, Keystone 18.
Southern and Western Colorado: Wolf Creek can claim another year as North America's early season leader. It reached full operation as of November 9 and currently has a 52-64 inch base. It had 6 feet of snow in October but only 111 inches (62% of normal) since November 1. Elsewhere in the region Aspen and Taos report full operation, though the current base depths of 4-5 feet mean watch your step in the expert terrain. Crested Butte is 90+% open (most of the North Face, but only a 3-foot base) and Durango and Telluride are in full operation but also with only 4-foot bases. As this region has seen at best 6 inches new snow in the past 2 weeks, both season totals and current conditions are now below average.
RSN December Snow: Aspen 22, Crested Butte 22, Durango 40, Telluride 34, Taos 19.
RSN January Snow: Aspen 24, Crested Butte 26, Durango 11, Telluride 18, Taos 34.
Northeast: Northern New England had a nice run of cold weather at the start of November plus over a foot of natural snow. As a result Killington was 30% open and Okemo 15% November 9, likely records for that early. After a one week thaw melted out half of that terrain, cold and snowy weather over the next month brought the major Vermont areas to 80+% open. Mid-December rain and variable weather degraded surface conditions between storms but did not reduce the number of open runs. From Christmas through mid-January there were several major storms in New England, with southern areas benefiting the most and January snowfall exceeding most of the West. After a couple of weeks of dry but very cold weather the northern areas have recently received up to a foot of new snow. Jay's season snowfall is 179 inches. I strongly recommend checking First Tracks Online Ski Magazine No-Bull Ski Reports for up to date information in this region, where both weather and surface conditions can change so rapidly.
RSN December Snow: Stowe 58, Killington 68, Stratton 53, Sugarloaf 7.
RSN January Snow: Stowe 65, Killington 59, Stratton 40, Sugarloaf 13, Snowshoe 53.