2003-04 Ski Season Analysis as of May 22, 2004.

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 hit the Sierra, Utah and the Southwest. The storms moved north for the first week of March, but warm and dry weather dominated the entire western U.S. for nearly 3 weeks, with only western Canada getting significant new snow. Snow was degraded on sunny exposures and the snowpack declined as much as 30% in a month when it is usually still increasing. April had more snow than March, but was still below average. Overall 2003-04 snowfall fell below average, but the abundant early snow made for a better than average season by most skiers' standards. Comprehensive snow statistics are finally available and shown in the 2003-04 Ski Season Summary.

2003-04 Progress Reports:

• November 16, 2003
  
• November 30, 2003
  
• December 14, 2003
  
• December 31, 2003
  
• January 16, 2004
  
• January 30, 2004
  
• February 12, 2004
  
• February 29, 2004
  
• March 14, 2004
  
• March 31, 2004
  
• April 11, 2004
  

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. The end-of-season blue tables shown below are "official numbers" compiled by ski patrols or avalanche forecasters, which I use to update my data.

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. There was 6-11 feet new snow in the second half of February and a foot in early March. Sierra weather was then consistently warm and dry for almost 6 weeks except for a 1-foot storm in late March, so mid-April base depths were 2-11 feet with spring conditions. The Sierra received 15 inches new snow in late April. 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 had substantial storms in late February and early March, but lost most natural cover in the ensuing 3 hot weeks and closed in early April. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.
RSN December Snow: Northstar 80, Sierra-at-Tahoe 85.

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. 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 was some new snow in late February but also some warmer weather and spring conditions. The first week of March was excellent with 2 feet new but ended with rain and variable spring surfaces. Whistler and Washington State had 2-3 feet in the second half of March and Oregon a foot in late March. April was warm with widespread spring conditions, though Mt. Bachelor had a 20 inch storm in late April.
RSN December Snow: Mt. Bachelor 84.
RSNJanuary Snow: Mt. Bachelor 61.

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: The Banff region had a snowy November and was 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 had consistent snow since early December from Northwest storms. Whitewater opened most terrain Dec. 6 and Red Mt. Dec. 13. The Okanagan region was 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, but excellent conditions were restored by 2 feet in early March, again ending with low elevation rain. After a dry week, the Banff region had 2-4 feet during the rest of March and had the only widespread winter surface conditions in the West during that time. But April was very warm and conditions were springlike in late season.
RSN December Snow: Red Mt. 31, Sunshine 25.
RSN January Snow: Red Mt. 46, Sunshine 36.
RSN February Snow: Red Mt. 28, Sunshine 26.
RSN March Snow: Red Mt. 17, Sunshine 55.

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 in the rest of February snowfall was below average except at Sun Valley where the storms come from California. The region averaged a foot of snow in early March but was mostly warm and dry for the rest of the season.
RSN December Snow: Big Sky 82, Schweitzer 41.
RSN January Snow: Big Sky 54, Schweitzer 79.

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. Utah continued as the leading region of the West this year with 4-7 feet more snow in the second half of February and 1-2+ feet in early March. Nearly all terrain went to spring conditions during the next 2+ very warm weeks, but there was a 1-2 foot storm at the end of March. Warm spring temps resumed in most of April between a couple of storms.
RSN December Snow: The Canyons 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 early snow and was 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. Surfaces were refreshed with 1-2+ feet in late February/early March. These areas had mostly warm March weather but also a few small storms. April snowfall was more normal, 32 inches at Breckenridge up to its closing date April 25, and Loveland 55 inches, typical of the high spring snow history of the Continental Divide.
RSN December Snow: Loveland 32.

Southern and Western Colorado: Wolf Creek was once again North America's early season leader. It reached full operation Nov. 15 and attained an 8 foot 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 brought at least 2 feet of snow to the whole region, but 4 feet to Telluride and 6 feet to Durango. Early March averaged another foot, but the next 3 weeks were unseasonably warm and dry. There was at least 2 feet new snow since late March, but much of it fell after these areas closed. 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. February skiing was good, but conditions deteriorated in the warm and dry March.
RSN December Snow: Telluride 54, Crested Butte 49, Taos 39.
RSN January Snow: Telluride 46, Crested Butte 71, Taos 35.

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 was open, but surfaces varied depending on skier traffic, weather and new snow. As usual the most new snow was in northern Vermont and the best preservation farther north in Quebec. The first half of March was mostly warm with some rain and trail counts started to decline. Eastern skiing stayed alive with about a foot new snow per week in the northern areas over the next month. Killington's cutback in stockpile snowmaking resulted in a May 11 closing, the earliest in 30 years.
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.
RSN March Snow:Sugarloaf 14, Mt. Ste. Anne 21, Mt. Tremblant 18, Snowshoe 26.

Directory of Ski Report Links