2007-08 Ski Season Progress Report as of March 14, 2008

There was some snow in the Northwest and some of the Rockies in early to mid-October. However, the next month was exceptionally dry, so most western areas were well behind schedule in opening terrain and building a natural snow base. High snowfall areas like Alta, Kirkwood and Steamboat did not open for Thanksgiving, and most western U.S. areas that were open only had snowmaking runs and less than 10% of terrain. Therefore I will attempt wherever possible to exclude October from season totals in the tables below. Whistler was the conspicuous exception, opening 1,200 acres November 16 after a substantial dump, and 5,000 acres for Thanksgiving. Elsewhere in the West skiing remained limited through the first weekend of December despite some unusual storms.

Substantial snow during the first half of December was concentrated in the Southwest and the Northeast. Since mid-December Utah, the Northwest and most of the northern Rockies had multiple storms, completely recovered from the slow start and had above average holiday conditions. The Sierra was the only western region still lagging at New Year's.

The Sierra caught up spectacularly with a huge dump in early January. The first half of January had nearly continuous snowfall in the Northwest, Northern Rockies, Utah and some parts of Colorado. So after the very slow start to the season most western areas are now well above average. Mid-January snow was concentrated mainly in the Northern Rockies and Utah. Late January snow was widespread, but heaviest in California.

The first half of February brought huge snows to the U.S. Northwest and Northern Rockies, the border areas of western Canada and onwards to Utah and Colorado. Mid-February had scattered snow but few big dumps. The last weekend of February a significant storm hit the Sierra, then pushed on to Utah and Colorado.

So far in March there have been some refresher storms in the Rockies, but in some regions there has been little new snow and spring conditions have emerged. Nonetheless all regions remain above average, though some by lesser margins than a month ago.

I am now including season snowfall from some areas italicized from SnoCountry.

California:Mammoth opened a very sketchy snowmaking ribbon Nov. 9 and added a couple more runs at Thanksgiving. A few Tahoe areas also opened for Thanksgiving. Late November was good for snowmaking, but no one in the Sierra was more than 10% open Dec. 1 on natural snow of only 2-8 inches. About 2 feet of snow Dec. 6-7 opened about 20% of terrain at areas like Northstar, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Sugar Bowl. The Sierra had 3+ feet of snow Dec. 18-20, and some areas were 70-90% open on 3-4 foot bases. This all changed with the major storm of 5-9 feet Jan. 3-8. The Southwest storms allowed Arizona Snowbowl to open most runs Dec. 13. Southern California and Arizona got 2-3 feet of snow in early January, and the Sierra and Southern California both got 3-6 feet the last week of January. After 3-5 feet of snow early in February it was dry for 2 weeks. The late February storm totalled 2-4 feet but has been followed by 2+ weeks of sunny weather and spring conditions at lower elevations. This storm was mostly rain in Southern California but 20 inches snow in Arizona. Sierra base depths are 6-13 feet and some new snow is expected this weekend. 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	382	109%	100%
Kirkwood	420	111%	100%
Mammoth	313	108%	100%
Northstar	235	101%	100%
Mt. Rose	272	96%	100%
Southern Cal	105	102%	70-100%
Arizona Snowbowl	226	118%	100%

Pacific Northwest: Whistler had 4 feet of snow to open on November 16. It was the best bet for early season skiing in North America this year. Some storms reached Washington and Oregon in late November, but starting with a high rain/snow line. The big early December storm started snow but ended with heavy rain and left Whistler with a hardpack base. Mt. Bachelor's Summit received enough snow to open December 10. Skiing was more restricted in Washington due to lower elevation and more rain in early December. Up to 2 feet of snow resurfaced Whistler and opened most terrain there by Dec. 15. In the second half of December there was 5-9 feet new snow, so all Northwest areas were in good shape for the holidays on 6-10 foot bases. The first half of January was continuously stormy, dumping 7-9 feet of snow throughout the region. In the second half of January there was about a foot of snow at Whistler and 2 feet in Washington/Oregon. Early February it dumped again, with 7-10 feet in Washington/Oregon, though only 3+ feet at Whistler. The rest of February was warmer with less than a foot of snow, so all but the highest elevation areas went to spring spring conditions. This mostly dry pattern was broken only recently by an average 2 feet of new snow.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Whistler	335	100%	100%
Crystal	409	136%	100%
Stevens Pass	477	124%	100%
Mt. Bachelor	423.5	145%	100%

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.:Snowmaking at Lake Louise opened one trail Nov. 9, but November skiing was very limited. After 2+ feet new snow Sunshine opened some of Goat's Eye Dec. 7. Early snowfall was also above average at Kicking Horse, which opened a week early on Dec. 8. Elsewhere the season started slower. The Okanagan areas had below average snow and Big White was less than half open until after Christmas, now 74%. Red/Fernie received too much rain in early December, but were in great shape by Christmas with 4-6 feet new snow from Northwest storms during the second half of December. The first half of January Northwest storm track dropped 4-5 feet at Red and Fernie and an average of 2 feet elsewhere in western Canada. Later in January Fernie had 3 feet, with 1-2 feet elsewhere as frigid Arctic air settled into much of the region. Most areas had 2-3 feet in early February, but the strong Northwest storm track dumped over 8 feet at Fernie. There were only a few inches new snow in the rest of February, so some surfaces went to hardpack or spring conditions. Delirium Dive at Sunshine finaly opened March 1 after much instability most of the winter. Average snowfall in the first half of March has been ranged from 6 inches at Lake Louise to 18 at Kicking Horse, so conditions remain variable.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Lake Louise	112	88%	95%
Sunshine	200	107%	100%
Kicking Horse	205	111%	100%
Fernie	367	120%	100%
Castle Mt.	260	114%	100%
Red Mt.	218	95%	100%
Sun Peaks	193	120%	100%

U. S. Northern Rockies: Grand Targhee was 75% open by November 30, maintaining its perfect early season track record. Jackson got some of this snow, but locals reported a low mid-December natural snow base below mid-mountain. 5 feet of snow at Jackson later in December opened most terrain for Christmas. Big Sky was 50+% open on its easier lower mountain since Dec 8, increasing to 85% at Christmas. Bridger Bowl got 32 inches in late November, opened most runs on schedule December 7, and had 7 feet over the next month. Schweitzer got 4 feet of snow in early December before it turned to rain. It and Big Mountain got most runs open by Dec. 21 and had 5-6 feet of late December snow from the Northwest storms. These areas had 4-5 feet of snow in the first half of January, with 6 feet in the Tetons and 2-3 feet at Sun Valley, Big Sky and Bridger. Snow continued strong with 4-5 feet at most areas over the rest of January. Sun Valley got 3 feet from the late January storm tracking NE from the Sierra. First half of February snow was 3+ feet at most areas but 6 feet in the Tetons and 7 feet at Big Mountain from the same Northwest storm track hammering nearby Fernie. In the last half of February the Tetons had close to 3 feet and Sun Valley 18 inches but no more than a foot elsewhere in the region. In the first half of March Bridger/Big Sky have had 3 feet, the Tetons 2-3 feet, with lesser amounts elsewhere. There have been some spring conditions in sunny exposures, but less than on the West Coast or western Canada.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Big Mountain	370	141%	100%
Bridger Bowl	308	134%	100%
Grand Targhee	441	114%	100%
Jackson Hole	376	120%	100%
Schweitzer	275	127%	100%
Sun Valley	205	132%	100%

Utah: The Cottonwood Canyons had up to 4 feet of snow in mid-October, bringing out substantial numbers of backcountry skiers Oct. 21. But November was the driest since 1976, exceeding that drought year only in the final week. 1+ foot of snow at the start of December and up to 3 feet Dec. 6-8 got Utah's season off the ground. At mid-December only Alta approached full operation. Then the Cottonwood areas got another 3 feet and most runs there were open by Dec. 21. Additional storms finally opened most runs at Snowbasin and the Park City areas by Christmas. Total December snowfall of 8 feet at Park City and 12 feet in the Cottonwood Canyons made the November drought a distant memory. The bounty continued with 6-7 feet of snow in the first half of January and 3-4 feet the rest of the month. With 6-9 feet in the first half of February Utah's season moved far above average. After a dry week there was 2-4 feet in late February. Two March storms have totalled 3-4 feet in the Cottonwood Canyons, and about half as much elsewhere, with spring conditions emerging only below about 8,500 feet.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Alta	516	130%	100%
Snowbird	417	120%	100%
Brighton/Solitude	424	140%	100%
Park City group	333	149%	99%
Snowbasin	347	137%	100%
Brian Head	283	112%	100%

Northern and Central Colorado: Loveland received 22 inches snow in October and had 105 acres open by Nov. 4. November snowfall was less than half normal throughout the region and record low along the Continental Divide. But 4-5 feet of denser than normal snow fell during the first half of December. Therefore, normal percentages of terrain were open for the holidays even though many snow totals were still below average. Steamboat's snow was lagging past mid-December, but not after 6 feet new during the holidays. By year end snow totals were noticeably below average only at the Continental Divide, where A-Basin was less than half open until mid-January. 1-2 feet of snow fell in early January. Mid-January storms dumped 7.5 feet at Steamboat, 4-5 feet at Vail, Beaver Creek and Winter Park and average 2 feet elsewhere, with slightly less along the still lagging Continental Divide. Late January snow was a typical 1 to 1.5 feet through out the region. The first half or February was outstanding, with 3-5 feet at most areas and 7+ at Steamboat. After a brief slowdown, there was 1-2 feet in late February. Early March has been about average, with about 2 feet in Summit County and 3+ at the higher snow areas of Vail, Steamboat and Winter Park. Nearly all packed powder with the recent snow.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Beaver Creek	319	126%	100%
Breckenridge	253	117%	100%
Copper Mt.	247	122%	100%
Keystone	194	122%	100%
Loveland	235	95%	100%
Steamboat	428	144%	100%
Vail	341	123%	100%
Winter Park	291	105%	94%

Southern and Western Colorado: The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, located at Gothic 9,400 feet between Crested Butte and Aspen, had 34 inches of October snow, but a 30+ year record low of 14 inches in November. Telluride did not open for Thanksgiving, and even Wolf Creek was less than 10% open. But this region had an outstanding first half of December, with 5-6 feet of high density snow at most areas, and 13 feet at Wolf Creek. Much more terrain was open than normal for the holidays on 4-5 foot bases, and even most of Crested Butte's North Face was open, rare by Christmas. Taos opened Dec. 14 with far more than average base depths and open runs and was 90+% open by Christmas. Second half December snow ranged from 3+ feet at Aspen, which roughly tied 1983 for its snowiest December, to 2 feet in southern Colorado. Nearly all western Colorado areas got 4-5 feet during the first half of January and should be in great shape for the rest of the season with historically excellent snow preservation. The late January California storms continued into this region with an average of 2 feet but 4 feet at Wolf Creek. The pace picked up again in early February with 4 feet at most areas and 8 feet at Wolf Creek. During the mid-February lull over most of the West these areas got another 2 feet of new snow, plus 1-2 feet last weekend. So far in March the I-70 areas and Taos have had 2-3 feet of snow but only a few inches in southern Colorado.

Area	Season Snow	Pct. of Normal	Pct. of Area Open
Aspen	322	178%	100%
Crested Butte	306	168%	94%
Gothic	365.5	143%	N/A
Durango	318	167%	99%
Telluride	307	158%	100%
Wolf Creek	492	180%	100%
Taos	278	138%	100%

Northeast: Sunday River made enough snow for a "marketing opening" on Halloween. A few areas opened for the weekend of Nov. 10-11, and many more for the next weekend, assisted by over a foot of new snow at many areas. For Thanksgiving trail counts increased from the 10% to 20% range, though surfaces were less than ideal due to midweek rain. November had overall average conditions by historical standards though much better than the past few years. Upper New England and Quebec had 5-8 feet of snow the first 3 weeks of December with outstanding conditions. Unfortunately surfaces were degraded by rain just before Christmas, though with the ample base depths there was only a moderate drop in open trails. 2 feet of snow over the holiday period restored excellent conditions for New Year's week. The second week of January brought a major thaw with some rain, so trail counts dropped at many areas. During the rest of January there was 2+ feet of snow in Northern Vermont areas, again restoring power/packed powder conditions. Farther south there was more hardpack with just a few inches new natural snow. February thaws were followed by refresher snowstorms, so most areas remained close to full operation though with variable surfaces. End of February storms of 2+ feet produced a powdery first weekend of March. Since then there has been a mix of rain and snow in New England, degrading surfaces but only slightly reducing trail counts so far. Farther north in Quebec the March storms have been nearly all snow and conditions are outstanding. Percents open: Okemo 94%, Stratton 94%, Hunter 74%, Sunday River 84%, Tremblant 100%, St. 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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