The 2003-04 ski season had a promising start over most of the West in November, led by Utah with about double normal snowfall. Early December western storms hit the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies, followed by a week of widespread storms. After a short respite, big dumps over the holidays confirmed the best overall Christmas season since 1996-97 for western destination resorts. There were epic dumps in the Sierra and Wasatch in particular, and many Colorado areas shared this bounty at New Year's. Since the holidays the past 3 weeks have been very dry, with few western areas getting as much as half normal snow. Fortunately base depths remain more than adequate at most destinations and snowfall is picking up again this weekend.
With more areas posting season snowfall in 2003-04, I am no longer tracking the less reliable numbers from RSN, except in regions where no nearby area has up-to-date information. I am now including season snowfall from some areas italicized from SnoCountry.
California: From Halloween through mid-November there were several small storms totalling 3-4 feet. After nearly 3 dry weeks there were numerous storms totalling 3-6 feet in mid-December. All areas were at least 80% open before Christmas. During the 2-week holiday period it dumped 8-12 feet in the Sierra. Current base depths range from 4-12 feet after less than a foot from Jan. 4-25, and then several inches this week. There were some hardpack and spring conditions at low elevation and in sunny exposures, with some improvement this week. Nearly all of this season' s storms have bypassed Southern California and Arizona, where Snowbowl opened in mid-January and the only SoCal skiing is on snowmaking. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.
RSN December Snow: Northstar 80, Sierra-at-Tahoe 85.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Squaw 8,000 |
230 |
101% |
100% |
|
Kirkwood |
310 |
132% |
100% |
|
Mammoth |
266 |
147% |
100% |
|
Southern Cal |
22 |
40% |
0-85% |
Pacific Northwest: There was little snow for the first half of November, but this region was pounded over the next month, with some rain mix at low elevation. Whistler reached full operation a week before Christmas. Washington and Oregon have had comparable snow, and most areas have been in majority to full operation since Thanksgiving. There was 3-6 feet over the holidays and 1-2 feet the following week. Current base depths range from 53-113 inches, topped by Mt. Baker's 118-138 inch base. Mid-January surfaces deteriorated with low and mid elevation rain, but conditions are now excellent after 3-5 feet new in the past 2 weeks.
RSN December Snow: Mt. Bachelor 84.
RSNJanuary Snow: Mt. Bachelor 61.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
Whistler |
264 |
115% |
100% |
Mt. Baker |
414 |
114% |
100% |
Crystal Mt. |
254 |
120% |
100% |
Mt. Bachelor |
293 |
146% |
100% |
Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: The Banff region had a snowy November and has been in majority operation since early December. Base depths and surfaces gradually deteriorated for over a month with just a few inches new snow per week, but have improved with 1-2 feet recently. The Kootenay region has had consistent snow since early December from Northwest storms, including over a foot this weekend. Whitewater opened most terrain Dec. 6 and Red Mt. Dec. 13. The Okanagan region has been more average, but all areas in B.C. were at least 80% open as of New Year's and 90% by mid-January. The Okanagan and Kootenay regions are currently enjoying powder after 2-4 feet of recent snow.
RSN December Snow: Red Mt. 31, Sunshine 25.
RSN January Snow: Red Mt. 46, Sunshine 36.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Lake Louise |
105 |
87% |
95% |
|
Fernie |
220 |
98% |
100% |
U. S. Northern Rockies: Jackson had its best opening weekend in 7 years, 75% operation including the tram on Dec. 6. The Tetons had another 7 feet over the holidays plus 2 feet inearly January. The past two weeks have been quiet and Targhee's base is now 52-72 inches. Bridger Bowl had 6 feet in 2 days at Christmas, and the 4 feet at Big Sky over the holidays allowed the Lone Peak runs to open. Most of Sun Valley's trails were covered by snowmaking before Christmas, and the whole area has been well covered after 4 feet new from Christmas into early January. Schweitzer and Big Mountain have been 100% open since mid-December. In the past week and a half both the Tetons and the areas near Canada have had at least 3 feet new snow.
RSN December Snow: Big Sky 82, Schweitzer 41.
RSN January Snow: Big Sky 54, Schweitzer 79.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Big Mountain |
206 |
115% |
100% |
|
Grand Targhee |
291 |
113% |
100% |
|
Jackson Hole |
275 |
127% |
100% |
|
Sun Valley |
111 |
104% |
100% |
|
Schweitzer |
204 |
133% |
100% |
Utah: Utah had double normal snow in November. A significant sign of the strong start to Utah's season was that Park City and the Canyons were about 2/3 open for Thanksgiving, including the advanced runs in Jupiter Bowl and 9,990. Most of December was more average but it dumped 8-10 feet over the holidays. There was less than a foot new for nearly 3 weeks, but up to 2 feet have fallen in the past week and a half. All areas are 100% open and base depths are 5-6 feet in the Park City region and 7+ feet in the Cottonwood Canyons.
RSN December Snow: The Canyons 100.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Alta |
356 |
135% |
100% |
|
Snowbird |
333 |
146% |
100% |
|
Jupiter Bowl at Park City |
305 |
149% |
100% |
|
Snowbasin |
261 |
155% |
100% |
|
Brian Head |
161 |
102% |
100% |
Northern and Central Colorado: November/December snowfall was close to normal at most areas, with a typical several inches per week at most areas. Steamboat had the most snow and has been close to full operation since before Christmas. Advanced terrain was mostly open at the high snow areas of Steamboat, Vail and Winter Park, but more limited in Summit County. At New Year's most areas got 2-3 feet new snow and more terrain opened. The mid-January dry spell has brought most of these areas below average, and there are hardpack conditions in high traffic and snowmaking dependent areas. There has been some improvement with a few inches this week, and more is expected next week.
RSN December Snow: Loveland 32.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Beaver Creek |
154 |
89% |
99% |
|
Breckenridge |
106 |
74% |
99% |
|
Copper Mt. |
135 |
102% |
95% |
|
Keystone |
83 |
83% |
97% |
|
Steamboat |
194 |
97% |
100% |
|
Vail |
151 |
80% |
99% |
|
Winter Park |
161.6 |
86% |
84% |
Southern and Western Colorado: Wolf Creek was once again North America's early season leader. It reached full operation Nov. 15 and currently has a 92-97 inch base after 7 feet new snow over the holidays. Most of western Colorado was hit with 4-7 feet new over the holidays, thus opening steep terrain earlier than most seasons. After 2 dry weeks the Southwest areas have averaged 2 feet new over the last week and a half. New Mexico, like SoCal and Arizona, came up short in the early season with only 2 feet new over the holidays and had almost no advanced terrain open until recently. However Taos had nearly 2 feet a week ago and is now 60% open.
RSN December Snow: Telluride 54, Crested Butte 49, Taos 39.
RSN January Snow: Telluride 46, Crested Butte 71, Taos 35.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Aspen |
162 |
143% |
98% |
|
Durango |
155 |
128% |
100% |
|
Wolf Creek |
251 |
147% |
100% |
|
Crested Butte |
158 |
133% |
94% |
|
Telluride |
143 |
120% |
100% |
|
Taos |
96 |
72% |
60% |
Northeast: With a warm late October and change in Killington's early season strategy, no Eastern area opened before November 9. With ongoing rain and warm weather even the snowmaking leaders were no more than 10-15% open at the end of November. December was a tumultuous month, with several huge storms but not all of them snow. The first two weekends of December featured 2-4 foot dumps but there was a big rain in between. Late December storms were mostly snow in Quebec and northern NH and Vermont but mostly rain elsewhere in New England. The Northern Vermont snowbelt had over 100 inches snowfall for the month and has usually kept 90+% of terrain open since then. Surface conditions over the holidays were reported ugly at many areas due to the rain on Christmas Eve and ensuing variable temperatures. For most of January there was extreme cold, so surfaces have improved with snowmaking and lake effect snows and trail counts have been rising all month. Last week's storm brought over a foot to the mid-Atlantic, New York and some of southern New England. Current percents of area open: Mt. Ste. Anne 94%, Mt. Tremblant 100%, Sunday River 90%, Sugarloaf 73%, Killington 93%, Okemo 89%, Stratton 98%. 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: Killington 74, Okemo 51, Stratton 66, Sugarloaf 81, Mt. Ste. Anne 24, Mt. Tremblant 40 Snowshoe 49.
RSN January Snow: Sugarloaf 14, Mt. Ste. Anne 27, Mt. Tremblant 31, Snowshoe 44.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Jay (min.) |
186 |
105% |
90% |
|
Stowe |
227 |
157% |
100% |
|
Sugarbush |
165 |
117% |
94% |
|
Cannon Mt. |
112 |
152% |
73% |