October 2021 precipitation was heavy along the West Coast, though mostly with very high rain/snow lines. The Oct. 24-25 storm opened Mammoth and Palisades Tahoe (formerly Squaw Valley) on Oct. 29. Substantial snow has also accumulated in the Whistler alpine.
California: There were small snowfalls in mid-October. A major atmospheric river dumped several inches of rain up to
10,000 feet before dumping 3+ feet of heavy snow Oct. 24-25. On Oct. 29 Mammoth opened 22% of terrain and Palisades Tahoe 13%.
While most of this snowpack should endure, base areas are thin and unlikely to be supplemented by snowmaking for at least a week.
Other snowfalls: Mt. Rose 42 inches, Alpine Meadows 30, Sugar Bowl 37, Northstar 36.
Pacific Northwest: The entire month of October was very wet but the rain/snow line was high. Cams show no snow below 7,000
feet at Mt. Bachelor or 5,500 feet at Crystal, but a solid snowpack at 6,000 feet at both Whistler and Blackcomb..
Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: October snowfall has been about average and no one is open yet. Snowfall and base depths
in inches: Kicking Horse (20, 18), Lake Louise (15, 12), Castle Mt. (22, 12), Red Mt (11,0). Cams snow a thin but mostly continuous
snowpack at the base of Whitewater.
U. S. Northern Rockies: Snowfall and base depths: Grand Targhee (39, 13), Jackson (12, 6), Brundage (2, 0), Lookout (10,0).
Utah: Utah has had well above average October snowfall, but it's been gradual so no one is open. Snowfall and base depths:
Alta (67, 25), Snowbird (58, 24), Snowbasin (37, 12), Brian Head (27, 0).
Northern and Central Colorado: Snowfalls have been modest, so the openings (A-Basin Oct. 17, Keystone Oct. 23 and Loveland Oct. 31)
are all less than 2% of terrain on snowmaking. Cams show no snow at Steamboat's base and patches at Winter Park. Snowfall and base depths:
Beaver Creek (20,10), Breckenridge (18, 11), Keystone (18, 12), Loveland (36, 18), Vail (21, 18).
Southern and Western Colorado: Snowfall and base depths, no one open yet: Gothic Snow Lab (15, 0), Monarch (18, 6), Wolf Creek (28, 11).
Northeast: No one has reported snow or opened yet in New England or eastern Canada.
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