2006-07 Ski Season Progress Report as of January 31, 2007

In the Northwest and western Canada November snowfall was at or near record levels. Colorado's snowfall started in October and most areas there had an above average Christmas, though not as good as last year. The first week of December was fairly quiet; during the second week the storm track resumed a similar northwest pattern as in November. The Denver blizzard of Dec. 20-21 with a few exceptions dumped less snow in Colorado ski areas than in Denver. Christmas week brought about a foot of snow to most western areas, and 2+ feet along the West Coast and a few areas in the Northern Rockies. For the first week of January storms were once again concentrated in the Northwest and western Canada. During the second week most western ski areas had Arctic high pressure and unusually cold temperatures. Each week of January was progressively drier, with virtually no snow during the last week, and most areas had less than half normal snow for the month.

With more areas posting season snowfall since 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: November was almost completely dry except North Tahoe was brushed by a couple of the Northwest storms. From early December to early January there were a series of small storms but no big dumps. Thus coverage is less than half normal and is still inadequate on much advanced terrain. The largest storm, about 2 feet on Dec. 26-27, created a base adequate to open 50-70% of terrain as opposed to the 20-50% before Christmas. Estimated percents open: Alpine Meadows 75%, Heavenly 50%, Northstar 60%, Sierra-at-Tahoe 70%, Sugar Bowl 85%. Since eyewitness reports indicate the off-piste base is still thin, my estimated percents of acreage open are less than website reported percents of trails. With no new snow for nearly 3 weeks and only a foot for all of Janaury, adequately covered trails are mostly hardpack. It will take a major dump before expert terrain like Mott Canyon, most of the top of Mammoth and numerous steep lines at Squaw Valley will be skiable. Only about 10% of Sierra seasons have been drier than this one so far, and destination visitors should avoid the Sierra until there is much more snow. 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	128	56%	60%
Kirkwood	87	36%	70%
Mammoth	74	40%	50%
Southern Cal	15	28%	10-90%
Arizona Snowbowl	71	62%	40%

Pacific Northwest: The late October/early November storms rivaled the infamous Tropical Punch of January 2005 for flooding and high snow levels. But for the rest of November temperatures were cold and it dumped record snow. Current base depths are 152-170 inches at Mt. Baker, 106 inches at Whistler and 6-9 feet elsewhere. Mt. Hood Meadows opened fully Dec. 9 after repair of its washed out access road. There was some rain in early December, but 6-8 feet more snow the rest of the month. The epic Northwest early season continued with 4-6 feet of snow in early January. As the U.S. dried out, Whistler got another 2 feet mid-January. In the past 2 weeks all areas have had some warmup, and much skiing is now spring conditions on the still deep bases.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Whistler	372	160%	100%
Mt. Baker	430	117%	100%
Stevens Pass	288	105%	100%
Crystal Mt.	297	138%	100%
Mt. Bachelor	261.5	127%	100%

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: Enough of the Northwest November storms reached interior B.C. and Alberta for a near record start. Most areas have been 80+% open and several 100% since mid-December. Most interior B.C. areas had about 5 feet of snow in December, and Alberta areas only about half as much. Snow continued in early January, with all areas getting at least 2 feet, and some more than 4 feet. Conditions remained excellent with another 1-2 feet mid-January. There are now some variable surfaces in sunny exposures.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Lake Louise	112	118%	100%
Sunshine Village	172	127%	100%
Kicking Horse	277	182%	100%
Red Mt.	164	100%	100%
Fernie	230	102%	100%

U. S. Northern Rockies: The early Northwest storms hit northern Idaho hard, but otherwise most of this region had average or less early snow through Christmas. Particularly behind schedule were Big Sky (only 27% open Dec. 22) and Bridger, which had to delay its scheduled Dec. 9 opening by 2 weeks. These areas got about 3 feet of snow after Christmas to get Big Sky about 80% open, but after the past dry weeks base depths are only about 3 feet. Jackson was also lagging, but the 2 feet of snow Christmas week finally opened the lower faces of Rendezvous Mt. by New Year's. As usual Grand Targhee was the exception, maintaining its record of consistency by reaching full operation by Dec. 15. Most areas got at least 1.5 feet in early January, with 3 feet at Big Mountain. Mid-January Schweitzer and Big Mountain near the border got about 2 feet of snow, while areas farther south got less than a foot. After a dry last week base depths at most other areas are now well below average.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Schweitzer	231	149%	98%
Big Mountain	179	97%	100%
Grand Targhee	224	84%	100%
Jackson Hole	145	66%	100%
Sun Valley	88	80%	88%

Utah: Snowfall has been below average with biggest storms coming in late November. Alta and Brighton had the best cover and current conditions for the holidays. The Park City group and Snowbasin still have a few advanced areas that need more coverage. The Wasatch averaged 1 to 1.5 feet of snow per week in December and early January, and base depths have since been close to 5 feet in the Cottonwood Canyons and 3-4 feet elsewhere. Brian Head got 2+ feet the week before Christmas to open most runs. With little snow in the past 2 weeks January snowfall has totalled about 1/3 of normal and conditions are mostly harpdpack.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Alta	173	64%	98%
Snowbird	154	67%	93%
Solitude	148	71%	98%
Park City group	108	70%	94%
Snowbasin	102	60%	95%
Brian Head	111	69%	100%

Northern and Central Colorado: These areas had 2-4+ feet of October snow and a normal November of 3-4 feet and 1-2 feet in early December. The Denver storms before and after Christmas were only as strong at Winter Park and dropped less than 2 feet at most areas in the region. Some hardpack was reported by the holiday crowds, surfaces improved with 1.5 - 2 feet in early January, but hardpack has returned after the past mostly dry 2 weeks. January regional snowfall was no more than half normal.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Beaver Creek	145	83%	99%
Breckenridge	131	89%	94%
Copper Mt.	138	102%	100%
Keystone	123	122%	98%
Loveland	164	100%	97%
Steamboat	157	74%	99%
Vail	150	79%	98%
Winter Park	147	77%	93%

Southern and Western Colorado: Wolf Creek had 65 inches in October and 69 in November to reach full operation first. About 90% of Aspen/Snowmass was open for the holidays and 95% now. Through mid-December regional snowfall was well above average north but well below average south. Then the first Denver blizzard originated in southern Colorado and the 2-3 foot dump opened most runs at Durango and Telluride. Crested Butte's North Face lift opened mid-January, but only about half of its terrain is skiable. A year end storm dropped 22 inches at Taos, and another isolated southwest storm hit Durango and Taos with 2.5 feet and Wolf Creek with 4 feet the second week of January. Arizona and New Mexico areas got up to another foot mid-January, while the Colorado areas were drier. Gothic is between Aspen and Crested Butte and normally gets about 30% more snow. These 3 areas had less than half normal January snow.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Gothic	151	92%	N/A
Crested Butte	112	96%	80%
Durango	147	120%	100%
Telluride	134	111%	95%
Wolf Creek	258	146%	100%
Taos	136	102%	95%

Northeast: Natural snow in October totalled 21 inches at Jay Peak and 16 inches at Killington (not included in totals below). Unfortunately November was warm so all precipitation was rain and the first openings on snowmaking were for the weekend of Nov. 18-19. There was some cold and snow for the first week of December, but it warmed up for most of the month and holiday skiing was as limited as it has ever been in the snowmaking era. After a dusting of snow the record warmth continued for the first week of January. Cold weather the second week finally got a few eastern areas up to half open, and in the northern areas 1-2 feet mid-January brought the first quality powder days of the season. Current percents open: Sunday River 85%, Sugarloaf 66%, Okemo 77%, Stratton 77%, Hunter 74%, Tremblant 78%, Mt. Ste. Anne 77%, Snowshoe 95%. 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.

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