Timberline Lodge, a nearly year-round ski and snowboard resort, never simultaneously opens 100 percent of its lifts. Should we be concerned about ski resort opening dates?įirst, ski resorts rarely open at total capacity on opening day. At best, the season is off to a slow start. Scanning across the ski resort landscape in the United States, we’ve not seen a resort more than 16 percent open. The resort did easily meet its traditional opening day of the day after Thanksgiving. Heavy snowfall doesn’t always mean resorts are ready for business. Last season, Timberline Lodge opened early, closing back down the next day as it became clear the terrain wasn’t yet conducive to a pleasurable experience for guests. This, coupled with poor conditions, made for a lackluster opening day.Īrapahoe Basin remains at two percent open. Eager skiers and snowboarders flocked to “A-Basin” and were met with excessively long lines at a crowded hill. This was the case recently when the Arapahoe Basin ski resort in Colorado opened. El Nino NOAA / NOAA Ski resort opening issuesĪs ski resorts like Brian Head Resort show, a ski resort can “open” just one lift and one trail to check the box. Timberline, for example, is at 40 percent of its average annual snowfall for the season, according to data from OpenSnow. Those conditions do not mean good things for skiers and snowboarders. A warmer, wetter winter is expected in the west, while the eastern United States is expected to be drier than usual. Further, the forecast doesn’t suggest Timberline will see enough snow to open in the next few days.Īs we reported before, and the chart below illustrates, this may be due to 2023-2024 being an “El Niño” year. Timberline Resort is well off its average snowfall, and on-site live cams suggest the mountain lacks the necessary base depth to open soon. Timberline claims its opening day will be November 24, though it’s difficult to see how the resort can continue to make that claim. Of these three Utah ski resorts, Brian Head Resort is the “most open” at four percent of its total skiable terrain – which is three of 71 trails – available for skiing and snowboarding. Brian Head Resort, Park City, and Solitude Mountain Resort are open. While the resort may be open by definition, we can look to other Utah resorts as cause for concern. Have your Ikon Pass or Epic Pass already? Now you need the Mountain Collective pass – here’s whyĪlta claims its opening date is November 25. In Big Cottonwood Canyon, storm totals have hit 80″, bringing Brighton’s snow totals to 850 and 779 inches at Solitude-both record highs.Forget the Ikon pass or an Epic ski pass – ski or snowboard these Vermont mountains for a quarter of the price Numerous large avalanches have come down in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and mitigation continues. Only emergency personnel are permitted to be outside any buildings.Īccording to the Utah Department of Transportation, due to slide-offs and increasing avalanche hazards, there is no estimated time for reopening either canyon. Snowbird and nearby Alta, which has reported 874 inches of snow this season, remain under Interlodge by order of the marshall. Photos from this morning show some massive slides in the White Pine area. □ Here’s an aerial view of Little Cottonwood Canyon showing some of the recent avalanche activity and the debris buildup along #SR210. The storm broke Snowbird’s all-time snowfall record of 783″ (set in 2010/11) on April 4. Season snow totals at Snowbird have topped 808 inches Wednesday as the latest storm brought 67 inches of snow to the Little Cottonwood Canyon-with more on the way throughout the day. Snowbird, Alta, Brighton, and Solitude resorts are also closed, and backcountry travel is not recommended as avalanche danger is high on all aspects. Utah’s Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons remain closed for consecutive days as of April 5 due to avalanche hazard, mitigation, and slide debris clearing. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!
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