2016-17 Ski Season Progress Report as of February 14, 2017

October 2016 was exceptionally stormy over the northwestern quarter of North America. However, most of the moisture was subtropical so snowfall was confined to the highest elevations. The first half of November was bone dry over the western US and it was also too warm to make snow at most areas. Failures of Alta and Grand Targhee, bastions of reliability, to open for Thanksgiving, were huge red flags, as was the cancellation of the Beaver Creek World Cup first weekend of December. Thankgiving skiing was limited to a handful of snowmaking runs. There was a widespread storm just after Thanksgiving, with Utah getting the most snow. The standout area for the early season was Whistler, which had a 76-inch base and 5,200 acres open Dec. 1. During the first half of December the storm track shifted into the western US, with many areas making up the November deficit and more. Widespread snowfall during the third week of December brought most resorts above average in season snowfall. The regions still lagging normal holiday operation were Tahoe low elevation, Montana east of the Continental Divide and the far Southwest, all of which improved with significant snow during the holiday week.

The big story in the first half of January was the series of atmospheric rivers hammering California. Adjacent regions received abundant snow too. A similar AR storm hit Jan. 19-24, hitting California, Utah and the Southwest the hardest. The warm Pacific storms continued in early February, hitting the West Coast again but this time tracking farther north. Rain to 8,000 feet extended inland to Utah and Idaho but most areas got ample snow after the rain. Mid-February temperatures are warm, so there are some spring condtions on low and sun exposed slopes.

All snowfall numbers are since Nov. 1 (which really means Nov. 15 for many areas), as nearly all earlier snow melted out during the first half of the month, and at mid-mountain locations where possible. "Mid-estimates" are for areas that only post upper info online, and apply a long term mid-to-upper ratio to those posted figures.

California:

The Sierra had a major storm mid-October with snow levels in the 9,000 foot range which left an ongoing snowpack in the Sierra only on the upper third of Mammoth, not reflected in Mammoth's Main Lodge snow totals. Second half of November snow was 2-4 feet, with the most north and west of Lake Tahoe. Two major storms during the first half of December were mostly rain below 8,000 feet but dumped 4-6 feet of snow at Mt. Rose and Mammoth and 3 feet at Kirkwood, leaving base depths of at least 5 feet. Other areas had lots of rain and were in limited operation going into the holidays with base depths under 3 feet. It snowed 1.5 feet just before Christmas, which improved surfaces but some terrain remained closed at lower elevations. During the fist week of January it snowed 4-7 feet. Over the weekend of January 7-8 the rain/snow line rose to 10,000 feet but it snowed an additional 6-10 feet over the next 4 days. The Jan. 19-24 storm dumped an additional 7-9 feet, resulting in a record snowfall month for most Sierra areas. The week of storms ending February 10 included a day of rain to 9,000 feet but also snowed 5-8 feet. Current base depths are 8-16 feet at most Tahoe areas and 15-28 feet at Mammoth. 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	473	175%	85%
Alpine Meadows	406.5	187%	100%
Mt. Rose	530	262%	100%
Northstar (mid-estimate)	361	198%	88%
Heavenly	464	196%	100%
Kirkwood	484	168%	100%
Mammoth	418	195%	100%
Southern Cal	120.5	169%	100%

Pacific Northwest:

The region had a record wet October but the rain/snow line was above most of the ski areas. The Whistler alpine was the conspicuous exception. Cams showed a good snowpack at the top of the Whistler gondola at the end of October. After a big November Whistler opened 5,200 acres by December 1. Mt. Baker had 6+ feet of snow in late November to be 87% open Dec. 1. During the first half of December storms focused more on Washington and Oregon, dumping an average 6 feet of snow. With cool temperatures and another 4 feet of snow during the second half of December, base depths averaged 6-8 feet during an excellent holiday season. The first half of January was cool to preserve the snow well as the heaviest storms tracked south. Snowfall ranged from one foot at Whistler to 2 feet in Washington and 4-6 feet in Oregon. During the third week of January it rained fairly high in Washington and Oregon but snowed 1+ foot later. Whistler got 3+ feet on its upper half. Most of the region got 4-5 feet of snow during the first half of February. The current storm is raining to 7,000 feet but snow is expected later.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Whistler	300	110%	100%
Crystal Mt.	260	94%	100%
Stevens Pass	292	94%	100%
Mt. Hood	302	104%	100%
Mt. Bachelor	335	137%	100%

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.:

This was the only region with widespread November snowfall, though it was above average only at the higher altitude areas. After 2-3 feet during the first half of December and another 3-5 feet during the second half, holiday base depths were 4-6 feet. Silver Star and Sun Peaks ae 100% open. The first half of January was cold with only about a foot of new snow. About 1.5 feet fell in the second half of January as the storm track continued to the south. Conditions improved during the first half of February with 2-4 feet of snow.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Big White	185	94%	100%
Lake Louise	129	118%	97%
Sunshine	182	116%	88%
Revelstoke	246	103%	100%
Kicking Horse	170	102%	96%
Whitewater	272	108%	100%
Red Mt.	148	84%	100%
Fernie	225	93%	100%
Castle Mt.	239	139%	100%

U.S. Northern Rockies:

Grand Targhee and Jackson Hole delayed opening due to the dry first half of November but opened by Dec. 1 due to a late storm after Thanksgiving. The Tetons made up completely for the slow start with 10 feet of snow in December and had a good holiday season with base depths of 6+ feet. The interior Northwest areas in Idaho and western Montana had 6-7 feet of December snow to attain 4+ foot bases. Big Sky was farther behind but improved during Christmas week to 83% open. Sun Valley and the Tetons got 4 feet of snow in the first half of January and other areas about 2 feet. Most areas got about 2 feet in the second half of January. First half of February storms hit Sun Valley and the Tetons with 5-6 feet and other areas with 2-4 feet. Jackson Hole was closed for a week due to downed power lines.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Grand Targhee	288	94%	100%
Jackson Hole (mid)	298	120%	89%
Whitefish	229	109%	100%
Bridger	128	71%	100%
Schweitzer	196	109%	100%
Brundage	179	92%	98%
Sun Valley	229	177%	100%

Utah:

Utah was far enough south and east to miss most of October's action. There was a bit of snow mid-month but it was long gone by mid-November. Brighton, Park City and Snowbird opened just after Thanksgiving on snowmaking but Alta delayed to Dec. 2. The late November storm dumped 3+ feet in the Cottonwood areas and about half of that elsewhere. It dumped 7 feet of snow in most of the Wasatch in December. Cottonwood Canyon holiday base depths were 5-6 feet and Park City base depths were 3+ feet. Brian Head in the far south lagged until nearly Christmas but got 5 feet of snow in late December. The California storms tracked into the Wasatch, dumping 6 feet during the first half of January and 4-7 feet during the second half. Early February snow averaged 2 feet.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Alta	340	107%	100%
Snowbird	340	105%	100%
Brighton/Solitude	358	120%	100%
Park City (mid estimate)	236	132%	95%
Snowbasin	293	157%	100%
Brian Head	210	114%	100%

Northern and Central Colorado:

A-Basin opened a run on snowmaking October 21, was less than 10% open for the next 6 weeks but was 87% open by Christmas due to heavy December snowfalls with above average density. Loveland did not open until Nov. 9 and no one else opened until Nov. 18. No one was over 5% open at Thanksgiving and base depths were still in the snowmaking dependent 18-inch range a week into December. But 5-7 feet of December snow overcame the early deficit by Christmas. Base depths were 3-4 feet so open terrain was at least average for the holidays at most areas. The California storms continued into Colorado, averaging 5 feet in this region during the first half of January. About two feet fell in the second half of January and 1.5 feet in the first half of February.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Beaver Creek	196	99%	100%
Breckenridge	213	100%	100%
Copper Mt.	194	115%	100%
Keystone	207	150%	100%
Loveland	237	124%	100%
Steamboat	238	106%	100%
Vail	166	77%	100%
Winter Park	218	103%	99%

Southern and Western Colorado:

This region was bone dry the first half of November but got more snow than the northern areas during the second half. Early December storms were on a more northern track but there were 4-7 feet of snow during the rest of December. Holiday base depths were 3+ feet except for 6 feet at Wolf Creek and thus some expert terrain was not yet open. New Mexico and Arizona missed most of the storms through mid-December but received 4 feet during the second half. The California storms during the first half of January brought 8 feet of snow to Wolf Creek and Crested Butte (thus opening the North Face), 6+ feet to Aspen and 5 feet elsewhere. Second half of January snowfall ranged from 1 foot at Aspen to 4 feet at the most southern areas. Kachina Peak at Taos opened late in January. First half of February snowfall ranged from 2+ feet at Aspen and Crested Butte to 1 foot at the southern areas.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Aspen	208	140%	100%
Gothic Snow Lab	291	136%	N/A
Crested Butte	279	187%	93%
Telluride	217	138%	97%
Purgatory	208	134%	100%
Wolf Creek	339	153%	100%
Taos	144	94%	99%

Northeast:

Killington opened October 25 with a mix of manmade and natural snow. The natural snow melted out in early November but there was enough natural and manmade snow later for Killington to host a World Cup race even though the races in the West were cancelled. The week after Thanksgiving had some rain but the first half of December was been cold with 5-6 feet of snow in northern Vermont and 3 feet elsewhere. There were alternating rain and snow events during the second half of December, with rain at Christmas but a 2-3 foot storm in northern New England setting up an excellent New Year's weekend. Early January saw both rain and snow but had a rain/freeze event reducing trail counts just before MLK weekend. Conditions turned around during the second half of January with 3-4 feet in northern New England and 2 feet elsewhere. The first half of February was excellent with 2+ feet in Quebec and 4 feet in most of the US Northeast ski areas. Percents open: Okemo 100%, Stratton 100%, Hunter 78%, Sunday River 99%, Sugarloaf 90%, Tremblant 100%, Mont Ste. Anne 100%.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Jay Peak (mid estimate)	298	143%	100%
Stowe	224	113%	100%
Sugarbush	231	135%	100%
Killington	155	100%	98%
Whiteface	176	152%	98%
Cannon Mt.	151	151%	100%
Le Massif	156	108%	100%

Directory of Ski Report Links

All content herein copyright � 1996-2017 Bestsnow.net
All Rights Reserved.
No copies or reproductions may be made in whole or in part without express permission by Tony Crocker.
Prices for commercial users will be determined based upon intended use and distribution.