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. November has been unusually warm, plus drier than normal in many regions. The Northwest has been stormy but with more rain than snow. The warm temperatures have delayed snowmaking and postponed some scheduled opening dates. Delayed opening dates are a red flag for early season skiing. Avoid these resorts until there is significant new snow, which is not expected in most of the western US the rest of November and perhaps the first week of December too. Due to the November weather this will be the last report to include October snowfall in season totals. There is more snow in western Canada than in the western US now, and new snow over the next week at least is expected more in Canada than the US.
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%
but only for 3 days. It's been warm in November with 7-11 inches new snow above 8,000 feet and most snow melting out
lower down. Only Mammoth is open (24%) with 40 inches snowfall on a 8-26 inch base still holding up well at high altitude. Tahoe
season snowfalls: Palisades 43, Mt. Rose 48 inches, Alpine Meadows 31, Sugar Bowl 43, Heavenly 34, Kirkwood 30. No Tahoe areas have
preserved or made enough snow to open over Thanksgiving. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details
on Southern California and Mammoth.
Pacific Northwest: The entire month of October was very wet but the rain/snow line was high. November has continued the warm
but wet pattern. A solid snowpack is accmulating at 6,000 feet at both Whistler and Blackcomb, which opens tomorow with a 44 inch base on
81 inches snowfall. Mt. Baker got 4 feet of snow mid-November but heavy rain reduced its base to 14 inches. Mt. Bachelor has had 18
inches snowfall but has postponed its opening, as has Crystal.
Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: October snowfall was average and the Banff areas opened a week into November. Snowfall has
ranged from 2-5 feet so far in November, more than any other region. Snowfall in inches, base depths and percent open if applicable:
Kicking Horse (80, 45, Dec. 10), Revelstoke (128, 46, Nov. 27), Lake Louise (55, 27, 51%), Sunshine (87, 40, 52%), Castle Mt. (39, 8, Dec. 3),
Red Mt (27, 15, Dec. 11), Fernie (47, 16, Dec. 4).
U. S. Northern Rockies: There has been some recent snow but still below average. Targhee opened 68% today, delayed from last week,
but still has as much skiing as anywhere in the western US. Snowfall and base depths: Grand Targhee (99, 30), Jackson (44, 21), Brundage (21, 8),
Schweitzer (23, 16), Lookout (26, 13). Big Sky, Schweitzer, Jackson and Sun Valley will open this weekend but mostly on snowmaking.
Utah: Utah had well above average October snowfall, but it was gradual so no one opened and it's melted out below 8,000 feet. With no
more snow expected into December, this November is likely to tie for driest in the 42 years of Alta Collins records at 22 inches.
Park City's opening has been postponed. Snowfall, base depths and percent open if applicable: Alta (89, 32, 5%), Snowbird SNOTEL (67, 18, Dec. 1),
Brighton/Solitude (75, 23, 5%), Snowbasin (47, 6), Brian Head (27, 17, 1%).
Northern and Central Colorado: October and November snowfalls were modest, so the openings (A-Basin Oct. 17, Keystone Oct. 23 and Loveland
Oct. 31) were all less than 2% of terrain on snowmaking. Snowfall, base depths and percent open if applicable:
Beaver Creek (37,18), Breckenridge (40, 18, 4%), Keystone (32, 18, 6%), Loveland (64, 19, 8%), Vail (41, 18, 5%), Winter Park (55, 19, 4%).
A-Basin is 10% open on a 24 inch base. Steamboat's opening was postponed to Nov. 27.
Southern and Western Colorado: Snowfall base depths and percent open if applicable: Gothic Snow Lab (31, 8), Monarch (30, 14), Purgatory (22, 10, 2%), Wolf Creek
(35, 14, 12%) Telluride's opening has been postponed.
Northeast: No one reported new snow in New England or eastern Canada until the second weekend of November. Killington opened Nov. 6.
Snowfall and percent open if applicable: Jay (20, Nov. 27), Stowe (25, Nov. 26), Sugarbush (17, 4%), Killington (15, 4%) Sugarloaf is 4% open and Sunday River 2%.
Weather for the next two weeks is expected to be favorable for snowmaking.
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