2011-12 Ski Season Progress Report as of January 31, 2012

Late October 2011 will be remembered for its snowfall in the eastern metro areas, which also opened a few eastern ski areas. Aside from Wolf Creek, no western areas had a meaningful snowpack at the end of October to get a jump on the upcoming season. I was out of the country the entire month of November and unable to follow progress in snowfall or ski area openings during that time. November snowfall reflected a classic La Nina pattern with an outstanding start in the Pacific Northwest and much of western Canada, drier in regions farther south.

December was bone dry over nearly the entire West until Christmas. Some snow got through to the Southwest in December, bringing most areas there close to average but only Wolf Creek far above average. During Christmas week the Northwest and Northern Rockies of both U.S. and Canada got 3 feet of snow, but it remained dry farther south. With warm weather and Christmas crowds degrading the mostly manmade snowpack, California, Utah and I-70 Colorado were in the worst shape in January since at least 1980-81. Only the Pacific Northwest and western Canada had normal or better conditions and most of the snow through the first half of January was in those same regions.

The weather pattern finally changed in mid-January. Major storms hit the Pacific Northwest but then moved into the Northern Rockies and eventually Utah. A second system brought the Sierra its first snow in 2 months, but in most places was only enough to get about half of terrain open. Colorado is getting snow in its usual moderate amounts, so more terrain is opening each week but it will take a few more weeks to reach full operation. In late January the storm track is again moving to the north.

California: There was an 18+ inch storm during the first week of October but it all melted up to at least 10,000 feet by the end of the month. Mammoth had about half normal snowfall in November and Tahoe was even drier. There was no snow in December, so this was the worst Christmas at Mammoth since 1999-2000 and the worst at Tahoe since 1976-77 with very limited skiing only on manmade snow. The first half of January remained dry and a 2+ week period around the holidays was also too warm to make snow. The Sierra finally got about 4 feet of snow 3 weeks into January, but at Tahoe that was followed by rain and warm weather so less than half of terrain is open with mediocre surface conditions. Eyewitness reports from Tahoe report substantially lower amounts of terrain skiable than is claimed by many of the resorts, so I have estimated realistic percents open in the table below. Advance commitments to Tahoe should be avoided until another major storm opens more runs and improves surfaces. Mammoth escaped the rain and has preserved the snow better with its higher altitude so conditions are much better there. Southwest storms opened most of Arizona Snowbowl by mid-December and snowmaking terrain in Southern California opened in the same timeframe with cold temperatures. However both SoCal and Arizona have been warm and mostly dry since Christmas. 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	74	30%	30%
Northstar	73	47%	55%
Mt. Rose	70	40%	60%
Heavenly	68	39%	35%
Kirkwood	66	27%	50%
Mammoth	87	47%	80%
Southern Cal	36	64%	0-97%
Arizona Snowbowl	98	81%	75%

Pacific Northwest: The entire region had an excellent start in November. Mt. Bachelor had a solid base that could open most of the mountain, but did not get that last dump to open Summit and Northwest until Christmas week. Mt. Baker has been 100% open and Mt. Hood 80% since early December. There was no snow in the region in December before Christmas, but with 3 feet over the holidays base depths reached 4-5 feet with excellent conditions. In early January there were 3 feet at Whistler, 2 feet in Washington and less than a foot in Oregon. Snow in the second half of January was spectacular, with 9-10 feet in Washington and Oregon and 5 feet at Whistler. Base depths are now 6-10+ feet.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Whistler	273	113%	100%
Crystal Mt.	281	123%	100%
Stevens Pass	285	105%	100%
Mt. Bachelor	222	104%	100%

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: November snowfall was high through most of the region. Modest snowfalls in December before Christmas averaged less than a foot near the U.S. border and 1-2 feet farther north. But 2-3 feet of snow during Christmas week throughout the region bought base depths up to 3-5 feet with excellent conditions. First half of January January snowfall was 1-2 feet near the U.S. border but 2-3 feet farther north Big White is 94% open and Silver Star and Sun Peaks 100% on 4-6 foot bases. Last half of January snow was 9 feet at Fernie and 3-5 feet elsewhere. Revelstoke and Kicking Horse snow totals are likely inflated by including October, but both were 50+% open by early December.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Lake Louise	149	154%	99%
Sunshine	224	164%	97%
Revelstoke	272	133%	100%
Kicking Horse	246	161%	99%
Whitewater	229	103%	100%
Red Mt.	110	69%	100%
Fernie	236	113%	100%
Castle Mt.	137	89%	95%

U. S. Northern Rockies: Snowfall in November was close to average at areas reporting. Jackson opened a bit early with more terrain than normal available but added little during dry spell before Christmas. Schweitzer got off to a good start with the Northwest influence, and along with consistent Grand Targhee was the only area in full operation by Christmas. Big Sky was 61% open for Christmas (95% now) but the rest of the region's ski areas were less than half open, and Brundage and Bogus Basin not open at all. Conditions improved during Christmas week with up to 2 feet of snow at most areas, allowing Jackson's tram and Brundage to open Dec. 30. After less than a foot of snow in the first half of January base depths were 4 feet in the Tetons and at Schweitzer but no more than 3 feet elsewhere, far below average. The mid-January storm brought 3-4 feet to Whitefish, Idaho and the Tetons, finally putting those areas in good shape, with another 2-3 feet later in the month. Second half of January snowfall elsewhere in Montana was less than half a much as in Idaho and Wyoming.

Utah: Utah's November was close to average but there were less than 2 feet of snow in the Wasatch in December. Brian Head had 3+ feet in December from Southwest storms. The Cottonwood areas were 2/3 to 3/4 open for the holidays on 3 foot bases. Other Wasatch areas were less than half open on 2 foot bases, mostly on snowmaking. With warm weather during Christmas week New Year's conditions were the worst since 1980-81. Outside the Cottonwood Canyons much advanced terrain will not likely be open until mid-February. The first week of January there were several inches new snow which improved surfaces but were not enough to open more terrain. There was 5 feet of snow in the Cottonwood areas in the second half of January and 4 feet in the rest of the Wasatch, resulting in close to full operation on 6 foot bases in the Cottonwood areas and 4 foot bases elsewhere.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Alta	167	61%	95%
Snowbird	166	72%	88%
Brighton/Solitude	153	59%	92%
Park City group	110	69%	93%
Snowbasin	127	80%	93%
Brian Head	110	67%	85%

Northern and Central Colorado: This region had a very bad start. Loveland had 46 inches in October but only 36 inches in November and 20 in December. It is possible that some other area snow totals may include October snow that probably did not last. Historically most of these areas are at least half open by mid-December but were only quarter open this year. Going into New Year's many areas were still only 1/3 open. This holiday season was the worst since 1980-81, with crowds bringing up the rocks on the limited terrain in warm weather. 4-5 feet has fallen over the course of January, so new terrain has opened gradually and total terrain open now and base depths of 3-4 feet are a bit short of Christmas of an average year. Expert terrain will likely take a few more weeks to open. Advance commitments are best delayed for a few more weeks as snow tends to accumulate gradually in this region.

Southern and Western Colorado: The Gothic Snow Lab between Crested Butte and Aspen (snowier climate than either) had 22 inches in October, 39 in November and only 14 in December. In the Southwest December snowfall snowfall was average or better, so Taos was 76% open at Christmas (86% now) on a 4 foot base vs. 41% open on average. Wolf Creek's 87 inches of December snow was nearly twice as much as any other U.S. area. Eyewitness reports from Snowmass over Christmas were very rocky. Nearly the entire region was dry for 3 weeks after Christmas but there has been 3+ feet in the second half of January. So at the Colorado areas with base depths of 3-4 feet (all but Wolf Creek) it may be a few weeks before more expert terrain is opened. I do not expect Crested Butte's North Face to be open before March.

Northeast: The late October storm dropped 15 inches at Killington, which opened Oct. 30. Sunday River, Mt. Snow and Plattekill also opened on a limited basis. The natural snow was much less than in October 2005, so operations were more limited and any natural base soon disappeared. November and early December were very poor with low snowfall and very limited operations. This Christmas in the Northeast rivals 2006-07 as the worst since 2001-02. Christmas week and early January had mixed precipitation, but with more snow than rain. Most places had only half as much terrain open as usual at New Year's. Trail counts rose considerably in mid-January with 1-3 feet of new snow, but most areas still remain short of full operation at the end of January. Percents open: Okemo 93%, Stratton 86%, Hunter 84%, Sunday River 83%, Sugarloaf 63%, Tremblant 92%, Ste. Anne 100%. 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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