2025-26 Ski Season Progress Report as of December 31, 2025

Mid-October 2025 saw widespread moderate snowfall. Late October and early November storms were confined to northern regions, with the most snow in western Canada. There was not an inch of snow south of Oregon/Wyoming during the first half of November. Third week of November storms spread from California into the Southwest but much of it was warm with a high rain/snow line. Snowfall totals in italics are estimates from Open Snow. Due to the very lean November, October snowfall is excluded from totals below. Delayed openings at areas like Alta, Snowbird, Grand Targhee, Palisades and Mt. Bachelor were red flags for December commitments nearly everywhere in the western U.S. Utah and Colorado had decent storms during the first week of December, but not enough to save Christmas with the ensuing 2+ week dry spell. Farther north in the U.S second week of December storms were nearly all rain in the Northwest and rain/snow mix farther inland. During the third week of December snow finally pushed into the US Northwest and continued to dump in western Canada, where many areas are having an excellent holiday season on 4-6 foot bases. The only western U.S areas more than half open Christmas Eve were Mammoth, Arizona Snowbowl, Grand Targhee, Whitefish and Wolf Creek. During the holiday week a major storm hit the Sierra and moderate storms improved the northern regions. Utah and Colorado only got scraps and are not even close to making up the severe deficit so far, so I strongly recommend cancelling or postponing trips scheduled there before February.

California: The November storm had a rain/snow line about 9,000 feet, so only Mt. Rose and Heavenly barely opened at Tahoe. Mammoth opened 30% Nov. 20 with snow after the rain at Main Lodge and a 3+ foot base above 10,000 feet. Arizona Snowbowl was the big winner, opening 63% by Nov. 22. For the next month it was bone dry with warming temps that also brought rain to Tahoe the weekend before Christmas. The holiday week storm dumped 4-6 feet, fully opening terrain above 8,000 feet, aside from delayed control work at Mammoth. See Current California Ski Conditions for more details on Southern California and Mammoth.

Pacific Northwest: Rain/snow lines in November and first half of December were high with almost no snow in Oregon and rain diminishing Washington's, so all areas in those states remained closed until Dec. 20. Third week of December snow was 4-6 feet in Washington and 2+ feet in Oregon, ranging from 92% open at Mt. Baker to very restricted openings in Oregon. Average 1.5 feet fell during the holidays. The Whistler alpine base is 6+ feet deep and the top Peak and Glacier lifts finally opened just before Christmas. Oregon remains marginal with base depths of barely 2 feet, worst early season since 1976-77.

Canadian Rockies and Interior B.C.: As in the Northwest lower elevations got a lot of rain through mid-December, but this region is in by far the best shape for the holidays. The Banff areas are high and cold enough to have received all snow, while Panorama and Kicking Horse avoided most of it. 2-3 feet of snow during the third week of December brought most other areas to majority operation, including 80+% at Silver Star and Sun Peaks. Up to two feet of snow during the holiday week finished off a December with record snowfall at Lake Louise, Sunshine, Kicking Horse and Revelstoke.

U. S. Northern Rockies: Most areas got 2-3 feet in early December after a very dry November. The region was on the southern edge of early December warm storms with high rain/snow lines and then was dry for a week. Only Targhee and Whitefish had enough terrain above the rain/snow line for significant December openings. Even so, Targhee had the second least amount of terrain open mid-December in the past 30 years. Meanwhile Lookout Pass' snowpack was trashed by 8 inches of rain during the second week of December. This region improved with colder storms of 2-4 feet during the second half of December, but lower elevation sectors are still thin and need more snow.

Utah: Brian Head caught the edge of the November California/Arizona storm and was the only area to open in November. Wasatch openings were delayed until 2+ feet fell in early December. With a dry mid-December and no more than 2 feet the rest of the month, terrain is mostly limited to runs with a manmade base. This is Utah's second worst Christmas ever to 1976-77. Avoid before February.

Northern and Central Colorado: The first snowmaking openings were A-Basin (1%) and Keystone (3%) Oct. 26 and Winter Park (3%) Oct. 31. 2+ feet fell in early December but less than a foot since, so open terrain is nearly all on manmade. Snowmaking progress has been gradual due to warm December temperatures. There is the least open terrain at New Year's since 1980-81. Avoid before February at least.

Southern and Western Colorado: The November California/Arizona storm made it to Wolf Creek, so the early December snow opened the whole area on a 31-38 inch base (now 28-35) plus over half of Monarch. With just a few inches the rest of December, open runs elsewhere are mostly manmade and terrain is nearly as limited as in northern Colorado with base depths no more than 2 feet. Steep terrain is unlikely to open before February.

Northeast: No one opened during October in New England or eastern Canada but cold and snow arrived in November. Snowfalls were heavist in northern Vermont with more mixed precipitation farther south and east. St. Sauveur opened Nov. 9 and Killington and Sunday River Nov. 12. 2-4+ feet of December snow, again concentrated in northern Vermont, opened the most runs by mid-December since 2018. Surfaces were degraded by rain Dec. 18, but there was an average foot of snow the next week. Trail counts were still high for Christmas but declined some after freezing rain Dec. 29. Percents open: Okemo 50%, Hunter 75%, Sunday River 54%, Sugarloaf 32%, Tremblant 85%, Ste. Anne 58%.

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