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. After the holidays were 3 very dry weeks, with few western areas getting as much as half normal snow. Excellent conditions returned to the West with substantial storms in late January and early February, followed by a week of mostly clear weather. In the second half of February the primary storm track has hit the Sierra, Utah and the Southwest.
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. There was less than a foot from Jan. 4-25, and then 2-4 feet in the next 2 weeks. Current conditions are excellent after 6-11 feet new snow in the second half of February and base depths range from 6-18 feet. Most early season storms bypassed Southern California and Arizona, where Snowbowl opened in mid-January and the only SoCal skiing before mid-February was on snowmaking. These areas are finally in full swing after the substantial storms of the past 2 weeks. 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 |
313 |
98% |
100% |
|
Kirkwood |
483 |
142% |
100% |
|
Mammoth |
394 |
151% |
100% |
|
Southern Cal |
82 |
91% |
100% |
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 had comparable snow, and most areas were 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 74-155 inches, topped by Mt. Baker's 152-172 inch base. Mid-January surfaces deteriorated with low and mid elevation rain, but there were numerous powder days in late January and early February with 5-9 feet new snow. There has been some new snow in the past 2 weeks but also some warmer weather and spring conditions.
RSN December Snow: Mt. Bachelor 84.
RSNJanuary Snow: Mt. Bachelor 61.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
Whistler |
311 |
103% |
100% |
Mt. Baker (Feb. 18) |
501 |
112% |
100% |
Stevens Pass |
322 |
92% |
100% |
Mt. Bachelor |
384 |
145% |
100% |
Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: The Banff region had a snowy November and has been in majority operation since early December. Ssurfaces gradually deteriorated for over a month with just a few inches new snow per week, but were restored with 1-2 feet in late January. The Kootenay region has had consistent snow since early December from Northwest storms. 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 had 2-4 feet of snow at the end of January, though it ended with some low elevation rain at Fernie. February snowfall was only about half of normal.
RSN December Snow: Red Mt. 31, Sunshine 25.
RSN January Snow: Red Mt. 46, Sunshine 36.
RSN February Snow: Red Mt. 28, Sunshine 26.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Lake Louise |
117 |
78% |
100% |
|
Fernie |
254 |
91% |
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 in early January. 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 late January/early February both the Tetons and the areas near Canada had at least 5 feet new snow, but since then snowfall has been below average except at Sun Valley where the storms come from California.
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 |
258 |
111% |
100% |
|
Grand Targhee |
346 |
99% |
100% |
|
Jackson Hole |
334 |
117% |
100% |
|
Sun Valley |
163 |
115% |
100% |
|
Schweitzer |
226 |
114% |
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 4-7 feet fell in late January and early February. All areas are 100% open and base depths are 6-7 feet in the Park City region and 9 feet in the Cottonwood Canyons. Utah is still the leading region of the West this year with 4-7 feet more snow in the second half of February.
The Jupiter Bowl snowfall is similar to Brighton/Solitude. The majority of Park City/Deer Valley/Canyons terrain has snowfall similar to Snowbasin.
RSN December Snow: The Canyons 100.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Alta |
486 |
138% |
100% |
|
Snowbird |
445 |
144% |
100% |
|
Jupiter Bowl at Park City |
411 |
151% |
100% |
|
Snowbasin |
328 |
145% |
100% |
|
Brian Head |
280 |
125% |
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 brought most of these areas below average, with hardpack conditions in high traffic and snowmaking dependent areas. Surfaces were restored by 2-3 feet in the next 2 weeks, and over 4 feet at Steamboat, but mid-February was dry again. The recent storm cycle has finally pushed into this region, with over a foot this weekend and more expected in the next few days.
RSN December Snow: Loveland 32.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Beaver Creek |
206 |
91% |
100% |
|
Breckenridge |
142 |
74% |
100% |
|
Copper Mt. |
175 |
98% |
100% |
|
Keystone |
121 |
87% |
95% |
|
Steamboat |
245 |
94% |
100% |
|
Vail |
201 |
81% |
99% |
|
Winter Park |
218 |
89% |
90% |
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 these areas averaged 3 feet new in late January/early February, continuing a strong season. The late February storms have brought at least 2 feet of snow to the whole region, but 4 feet to Telluride and 6 feet to Durango. 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 through January. Taos finally came to life with a 4-foot dump in early February and reached full operation soon thereafter.
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 |
221 |
140% |
99% |
|
Durango |
244 |
145% |
100% |
|
Wolf Creek |
346 |
146% |
100% |
|
Crested Butte |
200 |
120% |
100% |
|
Telluride |
224 |
134% |
100% |
|
Taos |
174 |
97% |
100% |
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 improved with snowmaking and lake effect snows and trail counts rose all month. In February most terrain has been open, but surfaces have varied depending on skier traffic, weather and new snow. As usual the most new snow has been in northern Vermont and the best preservation farther north in Quebec. Current percents of area open: Mt. Ste. Anne 100%, Mt. Tremblant 99%, Sunday River 98%, Sugarloaf 94%, Killington 97%, Okemo 99%, Stratton 94%. 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.
RSN February Snow: Sugarloaf 21, Mt. Ste. Anne 40, Mt. Tremblant 26, Snowshoe 29.
|
Area |
Season Snow |
Pct. of Normal |
Pct. of Area Open |
|
Jay (min.) |
226 |
91% |
99% |
|
Stowe |
280 |
149% |
100% |
|
Sugarbush |
195 |
106% |
100% |
|
Cannon Mt. |
137 |
128% |
82% |