True, but 22 will be open along with soft snow and chopped up powder everywhere, every day. I was hoping for some clear days and oddly praying for no snow to get the kids into the Dropouts for the first time, probably won't happen this trip but they each got some new 80-90 mm waisted, rockered skis, so hopefully they can lear to ski some powder finally. Looking around the country, could be MUCH worse.
Western North America Conditions 2025/26
- Thread starter ChrisC
- Start date
Alta posted an article about how their snowmaking is evolving. The timeframe for using the snowguns is October until Christmas. I wonder if that will change in low snow seasons. I doubt Alta would have snowguns on during the day. But nighttime snowmaking could build up the base for both January and April.
December 18, 2025
www.alta.com
December 18, 2025
Snowmaking in a Changing Climate
As a business that depends on cold, snowy winters, snowmaking is a crucial part of Alta Ski Area's operations. This past summer, Alta took steps to reduce energy consumption and enhance efficiency in snowmaking by creating additional water storage along the Transfer Tow.
jimk
Well-known member
Tony, I snapped this photo near Ontario, CA heading east on I-15 on Dec 27, 2025 not long after those days of heavy rain/snow in much of CA. Is that Mt. Baldy with the nice little coating of white on top? Same area 3 hikers recently died? Where's the Baldy ski area in this photo?
tseeb
Well-known member
Wrong (I didn't mean to say @jimk here) Tony, but I thought it could be Mt Baldy (on right) as I-15, which run more N/S than E/W and runs directly N passing Daybreak Plaza so angle over closed permanently? Mall seems like it would point to Baldy. @Tony Crocker can confirm or deny. (Following is also an edit including adding crop of @jimk 's photo) Doesn't sign say Ontario Daybreak Plaza?
Post on SkiTalk yesterday by someone who skied Kirkwood on Monday and Heavenly on Tuesday:
"Hit Heavenly (NV mostly) today. Pulled into Stagecoach at 8:45 and still got a spot next to the lodge in the front.. blackouts must be helping.
Conditions... were 'fine'? Could definitely use more snow - noticeable difference between Kirkwood and Heavenly. Groomers off comet / dipper were all skiing great; Olympic was pretty good. Hit Tamarack and there was nothing skiiable off of it (not enough snow coverage); runs off Stagecoach looked really choppy (ungroomed) or were groomed but... really rough. I planned a short day anyway. At least the lines weren't long."
Post on SkiTalk yesterday by someone who skied Kirkwood on Monday and Heavenly on Tuesday:
"Hit Heavenly (NV mostly) today. Pulled into Stagecoach at 8:45 and still got a spot next to the lodge in the front.. blackouts must be helping.
Conditions... were 'fine'? Could definitely use more snow - noticeable difference between Kirkwood and Heavenly. Groomers off comet / dipper were all skiing great; Olympic was pretty good. Hit Tamarack and there was nothing skiiable off of it (not enough snow coverage); runs off Stagecoach looked really choppy (ungroomed) or were groomed but... really rough. I planned a short day anyway. At least the lines weren't long."
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Both of you are wrong. The sign is for the Ontario Mills Mall. See Google Earth pic below:
Both sets of snow covered mountains in Jimk's pic are between 8,000 and 8,300 feet. You can see from the yellow ruler that the straight line view from Ontario Mills to the top of Baldy at 10K goes through not over those mountains. The Baldy ski area (yellow pin) tops out at 8,600 and is between the peak and the mountains in Jimk's picture.
Both sets of snow covered mountains in Jimk's pic are between 8,000 and 8,300 feet. You can see from the yellow ruler that the straight line view from Ontario Mills to the top of Baldy at 10K goes through not over those mountains. The Baldy ski area (yellow pin) tops out at 8,600 and is between the peak and the mountains in Jimk's picture.
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Mammoth is in limited lower mountain only operation today due to the memorial service for Cole Murphy. I am not aware that the top of the mountain has been open at any time yet since the big storm yet. The consolidator website SnoCountry generally lists the maximum that has been open in recent days and ignores temporary closures for wind, etc. SnoCountry is saying 2/3 open.
Ended up pushing it out a day, so skiing Sunday through Wednesday instead of Saturday through Tuesday. Saturday looks like a rough one, Sunday probably too.
Yes, Mammoth is like the Alps; better not to be there during big storms. We plan to drive Tuesday and ski Wednesday-Friday. No guarantees on that; weather could still be unsettled
Targhee's track record remains intact per this quote from Powderchaser Steve two days ago:
There's little relief in the worst regions. Alta's 60 inches snowfall is the worst since 1976-77 and Utah (37% of normal snowfall) like Front Range Colorado (47%) has the least terrain open at New Year's in my records. The Southwest is similar at 50%, though that region has 3 November/Decembers under 40% (1976-77, 1999-2000 and 2017-18). Oregon is as bad as Utah ~35%, though Crystal is at 65% and farther north the PNW is up to 80%. California has rallied to 71%, though that's 90% at high elevation and less than 50% at low elevation. The US Northern Rockies are also at 71% with similar divergence based on elevation. Western Canada remains the winner at 133% with record 100+ inch Decembers at Lake Louise, Sunshine, Kicking Horse and Revelstoke.
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ChrisC
Well-known member
Looks very snowy! Fun, yet what lower lifts does Mammoth try to run during storms? Just Canyon Lodge?
Palisades Tahoe, Kirkwood, and often Heavenly are unskiable during Winter Storms. Northstar offers great semi-sheltered tree skiing, as well as Homewood and Diamond Peak/Incline to a lesser extent.
However, I do not know - is the drive from Los Angeles to Mammoth as bad as the drive from SF to Tahoe over Donner Pass?
Not at all. It's all desert at 4,000 feet or lower until the last 30 miles. And it's easier now from L.A. than when I started skiing there in late 1970's. Only 15 miles are two lane now vs. 125 miles then. Coming from the leeward side there is often no snow on the ground at all until the 3 mile exit road from 395. Occasionally snow extends 20 miles farther down to Sherwin Grade. I've seen snow on the ground in Bishop (43 miles from Mammoth) exactly once, at New Year's 2006. I never experience traffic problems on the drive unless weather or construction related.
The caveat is that the drive from Orange and San Diego counties has become worse with the growth of high desert exurbs and that almost all of the 95 miles between I-15 and the the 395/14 junction are either through those exurbs with traffic lights or on two lane highway. Over the past few decades Kern and Inyo counties have steadily upgraded their sections of 14/395 to 4-lane freeway while San Bernardino County has done little to its part of 395.
It varies by wind and intensity of storms. Almost any storm will close the top, 9 and 13-14. Storm powder skiing can still be good if mid-altitude lifts 3, 5 and especially 22 remain open. If those lifts can't run, lift lines start getting worse so I recommend driving over to June Mt. if you can. In the strongest storms, lifts out of Main Lodge and the Mill will close too and skiers will be confined to Canyon and Eagle. This is equivalent to a bad weather day in the Alps, probably not worth skiing at all if you can't get to June. And of course that level of storm is the type that will push farther east and make the driving on 395 between Mammoth and June difficult.
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ChrisC
Well-known member
That's what I thought. Once you get outside of Mammoth, it's easy driving. You don't ever experience the potential of a 6-10 hour drive home with tons of slow and scary trucks.
This weekend could have been fun at Tahoe - specifically tree-skiing at Northstar. However, the snowline was at 8.5-9k feet yesterday (rain everywhere), everything needs to be resurfaced, and snowfall might continue into Monday, creating lots of difficult roads for a trip home.
The disparity between Schweitzer and Whitefish continues. Schweitzer has improved from 3% open Christmas Eve, but is still at only 41%. Fernie is up to 75% while Whitefish is 94% open.
ChrisC
Well-known member
Snowbird looks fun during the holidays (Friday Jan 2) with limited terrain/lifts and heavy snow:
snowave
Active member
Other than the torchlight parade I participated in the other night at Brundage, I'm still waiting for the chance to get up on the mtn. I have midweek pass' at both Brundage and Tamarack that is invalid until Tuesday 1/6. While conditions here aren't good, it's been tough waiting this long for first turns.
However, i appreciate the pictures or craziness from other resorts (and I know it's been quite busy here)... that makes me feel a little better about not missing out on the madness.
However, i appreciate the pictures or craziness from other resorts (and I know it's been quite busy here)... that makes me feel a little better about not missing out on the madness.