5 New Hot Spots for Powder - November 2003 SKIING Magazine

By Tony Crocker

For our classic powder areas, we include percentage of terrain steep and ungroomed, by our own absolute estimation, as most area trail maps show terrain difficulty on a relative basis

CLASSICS

 

Area

Snowfall@ Elevation

Water Content

Steep Ungroomed#

Alta, UT

517 @ 8,650

8.5%

42%

Snowbird, UT

461 @ 10,000

8.5%

56%

Grand Targhee, WY

462 @ 8,800

9%*

20%

Mt. Baker, WA

647 @ 4,300

13%*

30%

Kirkwood, CA

467 @ 8,526

10%*

50%

Jackson Hole, WY

368 @ 8,250

9.3%

60%

 

 

NEW HOT SPOTS

Any powder skier knows that competition for first tracks can be intense at marquee areas like those above. One way to get ahead of the game is to visit a new or recently expanded area where skier density will likely be much lower. Low skier traffic may more than compensate for more modest snowfall totals. Also keep in mind that January and February are generally the best months for powder skiing.

 

Area

Snowfall@ Elevation

Water Content

Steep Ungroomed

Kicking Horse, BC

256*@7,049

8%*

60%

Silverton, CO

289*@11,090

7%*

Most

Castle Mt., ALB

275*@7,000

9%*

43%

Fernie, BC

376@5,400

10%*

36%

Powder Mt., UT

400*@8,200

9%*

30%

 

1.)    Kicking Horse, British Columbia

Kicking Horse is one of the largest ski area expansions of the past decade.  Golden’s modest local hill of 1,200 vertical and 100 inch annual snowfall exploded upward to 3,800 vertical with the new Golden Eagle gondola in 2001.  More importantly, the new terrain expanded into steep and snowier alpine areas in the Purcell Mountains formerly used for heliskiing.  For 2003 Kicking Horse added the Stairway to Heaven lift, which pushed the vertical over 4,000 and added lift access to several hundred more acres of skiing on Redemption Ridge.  Best skiing is in February and March.

 

2.)    Silverton, Colorado

Silverton is a new concept in lift serviced skiing, with guides provided for up to 20 people per day for $99 per person.  The lift is 1,900 vertical, but many groups hike another 1,000 above that to reach the best lines of fresh snow.  Silverton ultimately hopes to offer $30 lift tickets to skiers who have passed a snow safety course.  Like other high altitude Southwest areas, snow accumulates gradually but preserves extremely well and March is the peak month for snow conditions.

 

3.)    Castle Mt., Alberta

For 1999 Castle Mt. bought a surplus chair (like Silverton) and expanded upward (like Kicking Horse), doubling the vertical to 2,800 and tripling the terrain.  The whole area has a consistent fall line, with nearly the entire expansion being open or lightly gladed.  With super low skier density and blown-in snow from prevailing winds, powder is usually refreshed on a daily basis.  Best skiing is in February and March.

 

4.) Fernie, British Columbia

Fernie was already renowned for its powder and tree skiing before it doubled its terrain for 1999 with the addition of the Timber and White Pass lifts.  White Pass raised Fernie’s vertical by 800 feet, a welcome addition when a Northwest storm is wet or heavy down at its 3,500-foot base area.  The new Currie Bowl and Concussion Chutes offer Fernie’s longest steep powder shots of up to 2,000 vertical.  Best skiing is in January and February.

 

5.)    Powder Mountain, Utah

Powder Mountain’s new Paradise lift for 1999 added 700 vertical and provided access to expansive glades and bowls that had previously been accessible only by snowcat.  Powder Mountain’s 1.5-hour distance from Salt Lake means more fresh tracks, especially on weekends and holidays when bus shuttles and pay-by-the-ride snowcats expand the skiable terrain.  Best skiing is in January and February, and also a good speculation in early season.

 

*Some snowfall and most water content figures are estimated.  Most of the “New Hot Spots” have not been keeping records long enough to have reliable snow data.  Estimates are based upon input from the resorts, direct observation and comparison with nearby or analogous areas.

 

#Our estimation, based on an absolute scale.