Western North America Conditions 2025/26

Wolf Creek was very busy Feb. 19-21 during the big snowstorm that dropped about 50 inches. Started getting busy yesterday. Quite few people from AZ. This is a holiday weekend for some schools in nearby counties in Colorado. So Super Saver season passes are blacked out this weekend.

There seemed to be quite a few people arriving this morning that have never skied Wolf Creek before. They didn't have any idea how much less day tickets were but were happy to find out at the ticket window. Ski school will be pretty busy with adult beginners.
 
Wolf Creek's "locals" season is over. March is a complete mess almost the whole month due to all the various spring breaks across the south/lower midwest. With some of the deepest snow in CO, that will likely only be amplified. The latest storm/s however, have probably helped some still go to places like Breck/Crested Butte, etc.
 
MarzNC said:
Yep, the process for opening Kachina Peak is based on opening it first for hiking only. That way, the snow is settled in by people who know what they are doing. There have been a few steep areas around the mountain that TSV ski patrol "skier packed" the old fashioned way after the latest snow storm, one ski length at a time.

Many of the Ski Week instructors don't take their students up the Kachina lift the first day it opens. Even when there is plenty of snow up there.

It wasn't that long ago that there were two fatalities because of an avalanche in one of the Chutes (between 2 and 3?). I was there a few days later. Shook everyone up for a while before they groomed out the slide path, which came down onto the groomed area near the top of Lift 4.
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I think I remember that being part of the 'excuse' given as well.

I know Kachina is unique, but I still think it's a very odd to spend the capital on putting a lift up there if one of the announced goals is: "Taos Ski Valley has also committed to preserving a majority of the hiking terrain that is currently available". ( part of the Taos press release I found ). I know it ( installing the lift) was quite controversial to the hike/ski community, and it appears that's part of the reason as well.

If I had been aware of this protocol, it would have been easier to swallow, esepcially on a powder day (and yes, they had some hikers going up that day, but it was minimal). But as an uninformed guest... paying for a lift ticket to see a lift not operate, while seeing ski patrol and hikers getting turns in there was frustrating to say the least. I was not alone that day in frustration as quite a few people kept trying to line up at the lift that was running all day (with only ski patrol using it) and were told not yet, maybe later... or tomorrow.
 
Was up at Snowbird for a while today, 28 Feb 2026. Pretty significant slide (I'm sure triggered by ski patrol for mitigation) could be seen in Little Cloud Bowl, avalanche path in center:
avi debris from afar 28 feb 2026.jpg


Close up:
avi debris mark malu 28 feb 2026 snowbird.jpg


Some of these chunks were human-size:
more avi debris 28 feb 2026.jpg
 
My end of February report is here.

Western North America season-to-date snowfall improved from its 58% low point to 68% at the end of the month. For the entire season 1976-77 seems secure in its worst ever position of 58%. But this year is in the running with 1980-81 (69%) and 2014-15 (67%) for next worst, particularly with another widespread dry spell forecast for the first half of March.

Qualitatively I think this year is likely to be worse than 1980-81 and 2014-15. The latter season's meager snowfall was more front ended so more terrain was open during the sustained mid-season dry spells. There are also current season negative events not directly in those numbers, such as the Sierra getting that huge rain event right after its snowiest week of the year. And even where I've been in Canada, locals griped about the long January dry spell, which ensued after a mid-January rain event in most of British Columbia.

Among those three bad seasons are significant regional variations. I think there will be quite a few record lows at individual areas in Oregon and Colorado for example if the season doesn't rally past mid-March.
 
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Tony Crocker said:
Sublimation: when snow evaporates without going through the liquid stage. Low humidity is essential and a light breeze might help. Stronger winds would likely stiffen the rain crust. I saw this at Island Lake in 2003. There was a low elevation rain crust that was about 100 feet lower overnight between one day and the next.
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I experienced this firsthand at Silverton the past three days, where light rain up to nearly 13,000 ft on Wednesday produced a thin crust that decomposed to facets by Saturday. Exposed mid elevation slopes were challenging Thursday, but we were skiing great facet powder with no evidence of a crust by Saturday.
 
Brighton wasn't too bad today..ever since I set the bar..a bit low. Scratchy at the top..but snowing.
Going to hit it again tomorrow as I think the crowds will be a bit less than snowbird.
And I've discovered the great western area which is great in a storm.
Might buy a season pass next year...
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Steeper lines on Great Western have SW exposure. You'll need the same level of dump as in Mineral Basin to avoid a coral reef subsurface on powder days.
 
I know a southeast senior skier who wants to ski somewhere with decent snow in late March. Just got home from a month at a beach area. Anywhere in the USA or Canada is probably fine. Don't think Europe is an option. Experienced former instructor and ski patroller who is not pushing hard these days due to a wonky knee.

Mammoth? Northern Vermont? Idaho? Montana?
 
MarzNC said:
I know a southeast senior skier who wants to ski somewhere with decent snow in late March. Just got home from a month at a beach area. Anywhere in the USA or Canada is probably fine. Don't think Europe is an option. Experienced former instructor and ski patroller who is not pushing hard these days due to a wonky knee.

Mammoth? Northern Vermont? Idaho? Montana?
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Related to this I might have to cancel my Europe trip due to being scheduled to stop for a few hours in a war zone. Alternative last minute flights are likely to be extortionate so I’ll probably look at going late April. I might even consider western North America.
@Tony Crocker how is Mt Bachelor likely to be in late April given the lean season? They have a spring pass that’s decent value. Or is Banff/Marmot Basin likely to hold in better?
 
MarzNC said:
Mammoth?
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Clearly safest bet in US for that time frame and later this spring. LCC would be a close second with more powder upside.
MarzNC said:
Northern Vermont?
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Only as a last minute call. The Northeast run of exceptional conditions is forecast to end with rain later this week. It doesn't matter in Vermont how great the season has been. It mainly matters what the weather is the week before you go there.
MarzNC said:
Idaho? Montana?
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No. Subpar snowpacks and most of those places have low altitude and/or sunny exposures in spring.

Banff/Lake Louise is still a great option. Snowfall has tailed off after the record December, but the snowpack is still robust and spring snow preservation is good. I'd make that first choice really. Mammoth and LCC are good in spring nearly every year, so why not pick a place that having one of its best seasons?

Sbooker said:
Mt Bachelor
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No. Oregon is having an awful year, second worst to 1976-77. To my knowledge the Summit chair has not opened yet, and I'm fairly sure this is the only time since it was built in 1982 that it has not been open well before this time of year. I'm hedging that comment because Bachelor is one of those places where you have check the website during operating hours to know what's open. But the base is 42 inches and Northwest is closed today due to a rain/freeze event.

Most seasons there would be a long list of Colorado areas recommended for late March, but not this year!
 
The trees off snake were best today. Yup..frozen layer at great western..but as an old eastern skier..I was used to it.
And I got cliffed out as a bonus!
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