Western North America Conditions 2025/26

[Sbooker]

Weather is a strange thing.
Here in Brisbane we average about 10 inches of rain over December and January. We’ve had an inch and a half since December 1st with nothing meaningful on the horizon. It’s the driest summer I can remember. I’m trading a forecasted week in the 90s here for cooler weather 9 hours due north the other side of the equator.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Another scenic photo from yesterday at Mustang. Touring out of a run called 5th dimension

Will you be posting a bit more about the visit? Would be interesting to learn what a premier operation like that does in a comparative low-tide season.

 

[tseeb]

Will you be posting a bit more about the visit? Would be interesting to learn what a premier operation like that does in a comparative low-tide season.

Would also like to hear how new ownership is doing since I will be there for my 7th time in less than a month. Any changes? Better/worse in any areas?

 

[ChrisC]

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.

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?

 

[Tony Crocker]

This is not the report you want to see from Island Lake cat skiing:

Great groomers give gorgeous grins.​

Consistent corduroy created clever carves.

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.

 

[Skieric]

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.

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.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

outpacing the ability of the snowpack to absorb the water.

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.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

Current forecasts say decent storm this weekend in Colo then a whole lot of nothing for at least 10 days.

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]

This is not the report you want to see from Island Lake cat skiing:

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?

 

[EMSC]

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.

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.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

If you had the time, Monarch is like 80% open last I knew with ~a foot last weekend.

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.

I would agree the primary motivation would be to say you were there during their worst ever ski seasons.

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]

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.

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.

 

[Tony Crocker]

Loveland is at 89 inches

No, 13 of that was before Nov. 1.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

No, 13 of that was before Nov. 1.

Regardless, it's low tide and I'll be skiing on hardpack.

 

[ChrisC]

Aspen Mountain does "summer grooming," meaning removing larger rocks from ski terrain so that it can be skied on a modest base. This is routine at low snowfall places like Big Bear and Sun Valley but quite unusual in places like the Face of Bell at Aspen. But Temerity amazes me to be skiable now. That is arguably the toughest lift served terrain pod in North America. Hanging Valley Snowmass is more typical Colorado expert terrain, sometimes not fully skiable until February like Pallavicini, Gold Hill, etc. FYI Pali opened today.

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"

 

[Tony Crocker]

Vail - Back Bowls, China Bowl, Siberia Bowl (i.e., Rasputin's)

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]

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?

The new expansion had the best snow, maybe better snowmaking combined with lower elevation so it stayed softer in the nice weather.

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

 

[ChrisC]

FYI

February availability at Mustang Powder.

 

[snowave]

The last two days at Tamarack ID, and especially Brundage were good to excellent on groomed runs. Firm, but still very carvable. Surprised how well they've been able to hold up, but it has been relatively cold recently. The 1-3" today won't be enough to refresh much, but I guess it's better than nothing.

We're now almost certainly going to cancelling our Bachelor trip for Feb 9-14. Although they've apparently been doing a great job maintaining groomers, the locals conditions page tell of quickly increasing thin spots and icy conditions. Temps next week could hit 60 in Bend. Snow chances continue to look bleak out to at least Feb 8.

 

[EMSC]

FYI

February availability at Mustang Powder.

Never seen such an email with tons of available slots from Mustang before.

People ditching due weather? Lots of guys aging out all at the same time? Pushed on prices too much and this is the result? A bit of each?

My brother booked a different remote style operation recently (heli in/out) that is way less fancy/upscale for lodge/food. Price was cheaper for a 4 day than Mustang is for a 3 day... (Skeena cat).