2023-24 Ski Season Progress Report as of January 31, 2024

Late October 2023 saw moderate snowfall in northern and central regions. Early November weather was mostly dry in central and southern regions. Northern regions saw more rain than snow the first week of November but have accumulated some snow since then. All snowfall totals (Italic numbers are from Open Snow) are since November 1 and nearly all open terrain before December was on snowmaking. There were modest storms mid-November through Thanksgiving. High snowfall areas like Alta, Revelstoke and Mt. Bachelor delaying openings were red flags. For Thanksgiving Targhee was 63% open but next in line were Alta at 29%, Wolf Creek at 20% and Sunshine at 19%. This was overall the worst November in western North America since 2007, with no region getting more than 60% of normal snowfall. A series of storms hit the Pacific Northwest during the first week of December, extending inland to the northern and central Rockies. Low altitude resorts had a lot of rain along with the snow. Alta and Targhee were the only areas over half open on 4+ foot bases December 9-10. During the middle two weeks of December scattered storms averaged only one foot and no one got more than 2 feet. During the holiday week Steamboat and Whistler were the only areas to get more than a foot of snow. Next most were Stevens Pass and Winter Park at 8 inches. Western season snowfall through December averaged only 57% of normal, exceeding only the 38% of the infamous 1976-77 season. Many areas were less than half open at New Year's with bases under 3 feet degraded by holiday traffic.

The season improved in the new year, much colder with coastal region storms being all snow, starting with up to 2 feet in the Sierra during the first week of January. During the second week a massive series of storms hit the Northwest, Utah and Colorado. In some of the hardest hit areas terrain opened gradually due to wind and poor snow stability after the dry early season. Second half of January snowfall was just slightly below normal but it was unseasonably warm and the Northwest and British Columbia were hit by rain the last few days of the month.

California: November storms were only a few inches so Thanksgiving skiing was very limited and only on manmade. Early December snow was as much as a foot only NW of Tahoe and above 8,000 feet. It snowed about a foot above 8,000 feet Dec. 20-22 but rained below 7,000. Mammoth, Kirkwood and Mt. Rose are about half open, but base depths average 2 feet. November-December regional snowfall was 31% of normal, fifth lowest of the past 52 years. 4 feet of snow fell during the first half of January, bringing majority operation on 3-5 foot bases, but with some steep terrain needing more snow to open. Coverage changed little during the second half of January despite 1-2 feet of new snow. But considerable new snow is forecast for early February. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.

Pacific Northwest: Only Whistler opened a modest 7% at Thanksgiving, while all other areas delayed opening. Early December storms dumped 2-3+ feet of snow, but also 4-5 inches of rain. Mid-December rain ended with about a foot of snow in Washington and Whistler. Holiday week snowfall was 2+ feet at Whistler, several inches in Washington but almost nothing in Oregon. Base depths were in the 2-3 foot range and open terrain at Whistler, Crystal and Bachelor was lowest 10th percentile of the past 28 years. November-December 49% regional snowfall was 4th lowest of the past 52 years. First week of January snowfall was 1.-5-2 feet. During the second week of January it snowed 2 feet at Whistler, 4 feet in Washington and 6-8 feet in Oregon, raising base depths to 5-7 feet. Despite 2 feet of snow during the second half of January, base depths were reduced by a foot and some terrain temporarily closed due to the late January rain.

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: November rain turned to snow earlier in this region for some of the highest early season totals. However November was still only 60% of average. Revelstoke opened Dec. 9, Whitewater Dec. 15 and Red Mt. Dec. 22. In early December Fernie and Revelstoke got 3 feet of snow but also low elevation rain. Open terrain expanded the most at Banff and Kicking Horse, which got 2 feet of snow and no rain. Mid-December snow was 1-2 feet but just a few inches fell over the holidays. Silver Star expanded to 77% open and Sun Peaks to 72% for Christmas. Holiday base depths averaged 3 feet, with a little more above 5,000 feet at Fernie, Whitewater and Revelstoke. November-December 69% regional snowfall was 6th lowest of the past 52 years. First half of January snowfall averaged 2 feet, with more at Fernie, Whitewater and Revelstoke and less at Banff. Interior B.C. snowfall during the second half of January was 2+ feet, but the month ended with rain to 7,000 feet. Banff areas got no rain but less than a foot of snow.

U. S. Northern Rockies: November snowfall was less than half normal with the usual exception of Targhee. During early December 3-4 feet of snow fell in the Tetons, bringing Targhee's base to 58 inches. About 2 feet fell farther north with considerable rain below 6,000 feet. Only Lookout got more than a foot in mid-December and the holiday week was dry. Base depths aside from Targhee were less than 3 feet. November-December 51% regional snowfall was second lowest of the past 52 years. Schweitzer and Big Sky had record low terrain open at New Year's over the past 25 years, with Sun Valley second lowest and Jackson third lowest. During the first half of January it snowed 4 feet in the Tetons and 2 feet in Idaho and Whitefish. During the second half of January the Tetons averaged 2 feet, as did the interior Northwest which also suffered late January rain. The continental areas of Montana got only 2 feet in all of January, along with mid-January Arctic temps as low as -40. These areas have had the driest first half of the season on record with limited operation on base depths still averaging only 2 feet, and thus should be avoided this season barring a dramatic turnaround.

Utah: November snowfall was about half normal and Alta's opening was delayed one week, but it reached majority operation on a 5 foot base after 6 feet of snow in early December. The other Cottonwood areas got 3-4 feet and were over half open by mid-December. Park City areas were much more limited. Utah was the leading western region in November-December snowfall at 72% but snowfall over the last 3 weeks of December was less than a foot. Only Alta had a New Year's base over 4 feet and even other Cottonwood areas were reported low tide. After an average foot of snow the first week of January, it dumped 6-8 feet in the Cottonwoods and 5 feet elsewhere during the second week. Second half of January snowfall averaged a bit under 2 feet.

Northern and Central Colorado: Early snowmaking openings were A-Basin Oct. 29, Keystone Nov. 1, Eldora and Winter Park. Nov. 3. November snowfall was less than half normal so Thanksgiving was very limited. Early December snowfall was 3+ feet at the high snowfall areas Steamboat, Vail and Winter Park and averaged 2 feet elsewhere. During the rest of December Steamboat got 3 feet but other areas no more than 1.5 feet. Steamboat and Vail reached majority operation mid-December, followed by Winter Park at Christmas, though base depths were not quite 3 feet. Other areas were no more than half open with bases barely over 2 feet. November-December 62% regional snowfall was sixth lowest of the past 52 years and overall open terrain was around 20th percentile for New Year's. First week of January Steamboat got 2 feet of snow but elsewhere no more than a foot. During the second week of January it snowed 4+ feet at Winter Park and Steamboat and 3+ feet elsewhere. Second half of Janaury snowfall averaged a little less than 2 feet.

Southern and Western Colorado: November snowfall was about half normal. Early December snowfall exceeded expectations with over 2 feet at most areas, though only a foot south of the San Juans. Mid-December snow was close to 2 feet at the southern areas but less than a foot farther north. The holiday week was mostly dry. Aspen, Wolf Creek, Purgatory and Monarch were at least 3/4 open but on less than 3 foot bases. November-December 67% regional snowfall was seventh lowest of the past 52 years. The first week of January Wolf Creek got 2 feet of snow but elsewhere no more than a foot. The second week of January it snowed 4 feet at Wolf Creek and Monarch and 3 feet elsewhere. Crested Butte's North Face opened duringn the third week of January. Second half of January snowfall was about a foot.

Northeast: The season started slowly through Thanksgiving. Most of November's snow came in the last week to open more trails. Northern Vermont has had 3 feet in the first half of December, though farther south there was more rain. Trail counts crashed the week before Christmas with heavy rain over the entire Northeast, with little recovery during the holidays with more rain. Conditions gradually improved with up to 1.5 feet of snow the first week of January. Then much more terrain opened with up to 2 feet of snow the second week of January. 2 feet of snow fell during the second half of January but surfaces are variable due to some rain and thaw. Percents open: Okemo 81%, Hunter 72%, Sunday River 94%, Sugarloaf 42%, Tremblant 98%, St. Anne 82%.

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