takeahike46er
Member
Over. These were formed at the tail end of the last atmospheric river as heavy rain landed on all the snow that fell earlier in the storm cycle.
Western North America Conditions 2025/26
- Thread starter ChrisC
- Start date
Over. These were formed at the tail end of the last atmospheric river as heavy rain landed on all the snow that fell earlier in the storm cycle.
ChrisC
Well-known member
I generally just experienced rainwater absorbed into the snowpack in Washington State; it acted somewhat like a sponge. Slurpee-like wet snow.
The snow at Whistler must have been cold enough that when hit by rain and rapid warming, it repelled the rain for a while. Or just got overwhelmed?
takeahike46er
Member
I suspect it’s due to the rate of precipitation outpacing the ability of the snowpack to absorb the water.
I have.
The above is Great Northern Snowcat, Jan. 23, 2005. When you travel as much as we do, you will inevitably have trips with very bad weather luck. I've had four and this one was definitely the worst.
ChrisC is correct that the rainwater usually goes into the snowpack. Sometimes in gullies it will saturate the ground and undermine the snowpack from below. I do not have pics from the conspicuous example I saw at Snow Valley in Feb. 1980.
This is not the report you want to see from Island Lake cat skiing:
In more gloomy news, this past weekend's storm was not enough to open any Back Bowls at Vail. In 2012 they opened sometime between Jan. 21 (44%) and Jan. 31 (84%). Since Nov. 1 Vail has received 80 inches of snow. In 2011-12 Vail had 116 inches through the end of January.
In more gloomy news, this past weekend's storm was not enough to open any Back Bowls at Vail. In 2012 they opened sometime between Jan. 21 (44%) and Jan. 31 (84%). Since Nov. 1 Vail has received 80 inches of snow. In 2011-12 Vail had 116 inches through the end of January.
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Dec was very warm and Vail bowls face south. I suspect November and early December snow melted potentially down to the ground. January looks like it has been seasonal. Hopefully no more melting.
Why haven't we seen runnels in the East (where one assumes that mid-season gully washers often fulfill this ^^ requirement)? Is it because an atmospheric river is a different animal, i.e. several times more water? Interesting how I've never run across that word before.
I'm debating whether to even bring my skis for Sun, Mon, or Tues: i.e. a few hours of groomers at close-by Loveland. The forecast below looks like very light dustings that won't change things much.
Good grief, Loveland's terrain report: 25% open. Maybe this'll be my big chance to ski the beginner terrain at the Loveland Valley sector -- cheat and include it as a separate ski area for my lifetime count?
It'll be mid/upper 50s in Denver. Perhaps I'll play golf instead (not joking). OTOH, I could go ahead with it purely for the street-cred points of having skied during Colorado's worst season in history.
ChrisC
Well-known member
Did the snow report for a New England ski resort get accidentally substituted for the Island Lake Conditions Report?
I assume the General Manager would have to sign off on the following reporting for a snowcat operation.
How can this be possible for interior British Columbia? A month without meaningful snow in mid-winter?
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EMSC
Well-known member
Loveland and ABasin are doing especially badly this season. I would agree the primary motivation would be to say you were there during their worst ever ski seasons.
If you had the time, Monarch is like 80% open last I knew with ~a foot last weekend.
That happened in 2005 after that infamous Tropical Punch rain where I skied at Great Northern (see pic in #284 above), very similar circumstances. After Great Northern I skied Kicking Horse, where it had snowed only on the top quarter of the mountain, and Lake Louise, the only place that got all snow. With gateway airport Spokane we had to ski Red Mt. on the way back, all groomers with anything off piste bulletproof. We drove by 49 Degrees North on the way to Spokane and it was half dirt so we passed. It was by now the end of January. Whistler, Big White, Whitewater, Kicking Horse and the Banff areas all had less than 20 inches snowfall in Feb. 2005.
takeahike46er
Member
Purely speculation on my part, but I suspect you don’t see rain runnels in the east because the snowpack is so shallow and therefore more sensitive to temperature changes. Deeper snowpacks like those found in the Coast Range are cooler, more insulated and less likely to melt down quickly.
Another factor could be the trees. Trees warm the snowpack, making the snowpack around them more sensitive to temperature changes. The runnels were substantially smaller or non existent where trees were present.
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I wish that Monarch were on my Indy Pass. Not gonna pay $80 advance and drive two extra hours to ski groomers with 74 inches YTD (but better than Sunlight at 39 inches!). Loveland is at 89 inches although we know that doesn't tell the whole story with the big wind gusts.
WTH, I'm gonna do it but will get an edge tuning in Denver first. Back east, we don't need to do that sort of thing.
berkshireskier
Active member
Heck, I pulled the metal edges off of my skis. We don't need no stinking metal edges, when you're getting snow every three days.I wish that Monarch were on my Indy Pass. Not gonna pay $80 advance and drive two extra hours to ski groomers with 74 inches YTD (but better than Sunlight at 39 inches!). Loveland is at 89 inches although we know that doesn't tell the whole story with the big wind gusts.
WTH, I'm gonna do it but will get an edge tuning in Denver first. Back east, we don't need to do that sort of thing.
No, 13 of that was before Nov. 1.
Regardless, it's low tide and I'll be skiing on hardpack.
I think you're the right track. Deep snowpacks have a subfreezing refrigerated core that water can't get through. That's how natural late season pond skims form, like Lake Reveal at A-Basin and as I skied at Mammoth in 1982 and 1991. So I say the rain can't get though that core and if heavy enough is forced to run off the surface.
Hopefully James can keep his Colorado trip as short as possible and get in some quality skiing at home. I'm sure Harvey could help him out in that department.
ChrisC
Well-known member
There are quite a few Colorado expert trails pods/bowls that face east, sit on the lee side of a ridgeline/peak and receive almost 2x reported snowfall due to wind-deposits, blow-in (I will only list what I am familiar with, I am sure lots of others):
- Aspen Highlands - Deep Temerity. I am sure the east faces of Ruthie's and Bell are the same.
- Silverton - Its entire East Face. Silverton would not be viable without this effect. They measure in a wind-loaded zone to boost numbers.
- Telluride -
- ***Chair 14 "Prospect Bowl" Hike-To's: Lift Top Station to Black Iron Bowl
- ***Bald Mountain (hike)
- *Chair 9 "Plunge" - Upper runs: Bushwacker, Spiral, Plunge, Log Pile
- *Chair 6
- Vail - Back Bowls, China Bowl, Siberia Bowl (i.e., Rasputin's)
- Breckenride - I am sure there are alpine zones with blow-in.
- Copper Mt - same
Telluride currently has almost all of its lift-served terrain open, except for the Ch 7 "Coonskin" town lift and Ch 15 "Revelation Bowl". All of the Prospect Hike-To's from the lift summit to Black Iron Bowl and Bald Mtn are open. Only Palmyra Peak and Gold Hill hiking terrain are closed.
Again, Telluride can get by adequately on a 35-inch base: not great, but not horrendous. Not too bad for 70 inches to date.
Some storm photos my brother sent from this weekend's 12-inch storm: Friday (storm), Saturday (clearing), and Sunday (sun):
Friday - Storm riding on Chair 9 "Plunge."
Saturday Morning.
Telluride subscribes to the policy of holding your spot in line with your skis, at least the Town of Telluride (more local, less tourist) side of the mountain. Highly enforced!
Sunday - Bald Mountain.
Hiking only, lots of blow-in, lots of powder without competition after storms. My brother's favorite spot, not mine.
View from Bald Mountain eastward to Gold Hill
Lower lift-served Gold Hill area. "The Fans"
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Yes, Paul was leading us on lots of east faces that skied way deeper than the 5 inches reported.
Mammoth Snowman says the upper steeps at Mammoth will routinely get 1/3 more snow than is reported at the snow plot near Main Lodge.
ChrisC
Well-known member
When does Deer Valley just give up, and say: we only got to 50%+ of terrain open for winter 2025-26. Deer Valley East will be very bad operationally in low-snow years, as expected. We'd better revisit our snowmaking system; it's not enough for marginal ski seasons.
What's the cutoff date for snowmaking operations - February 15th/President's Day? Before this? Do they have water - or water rights for further withdrawals?
Not too much of Deer Valley East is even open: east (left) of Bald, Bald Eagle, and Little Baldy Peaks.
And why can't Deer Valley open Mayflower by now, and Stein's Run - one of its signature trails? What's going on this year - besides low snow? I am sure this ski year is falling below any worst-case scenario model.
January 27th, 2026 Snow Report:
Lifts
26/31 Open
Trails
107/202 Open
What's the cutoff date for snowmaking operations - February 15th/President's Day? Before this? Do they have water - or water rights for further withdrawals?
Not too much of Deer Valley East is even open: east (left) of Bald, Bald Eagle, and Little Baldy Peaks.
And why can't Deer Valley open Mayflower by now, and Stein's Run - one of its signature trails? What's going on this year - besides low snow? I am sure this ski year is falling below any worst-case scenario model.
January 27th, 2026 Snow Report:
Lifts
26/31 Open
Trails
107/202 Open