Western Skiers Celebrate As Banner Snowfalls Blanket Resorts

There’s a long-held belief among skiers that western resorts receive more powder during any given year than other sections of the country, and perhaps even the world. Powder hounds flock to the Rockies and other western mountain ranges each ski season in order to test their mettle in mounds of freshly fallen snow, the kind of light powder that can only be experienced out west. This western snow often features an extremely low water content of only 6% compared to 15% in other parts of the country. The result is an almost effortless feeling when skiing.

True to their reputation, western ski resorts have been experiencing banner snowfalls this year, with Alta, Utah receiving a whopping 36 feet to date. Other ski areas have reported their own substantial totals.

NOTE: All snow totals were reported between Jan. 16-21.

Alta, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah

Renowned for its abundance of snow and deep powder skiing, Alta has already received 433 inches of snow and appears to be quickly heading to its yearly average of 542 inches. Can they reach their record 2004-05 season when 697.5 inches fell? Only time will tell.

China Peak, Lakeshore, California

“This year compares only to 2011,” says resort operator Tim Cohee. “There have been many big snow years in the 65-year history of the resort, but I don’t think any were more than 2011.” Located only 65 miles northeast of Fresno at scenic Huntington Lake in the Sierra National Forest, the mountain has 1,679 feet of vertical with a base elevation of 7,030 and a peak of just over 8,700 feet.

Sun Valley Resort, Sun Valley, Idaho

One of the world’s most iconic ski resorts, Sun Valley has received to date 112 inches of snow, resulting in smiles all around the resort. It remains to be seen if they can approach or surpass 2016-2017, a huge season that resulted in 359 inches of total snowfall. True to its name, Sun Valley receives sunshine 80% of the year.

Big Sky, Big Sky, Montana

Big Sky has the lowest standard deviation of snowfall (most consistent snowfall) in the northern Rockies, which means that while other resorts may see significant peaks and valleys, Big Sky’s snowfall tends to stay consistent year after year. To date this season the resort has received snowfall totaling 164 inches, which is above their average of 115 inches at this point. On average they receive 400 inches of snow per year.

Purgatory, Durango, Colorado

With 78 inches of snowfall so far this month with predictions for more on the way, this January at Purgatory has been one of the snowiest in recent memory. Recently Purgatory recently received an additional ten inches of snow overnight, bringing the total accumulation to149 inches of snow this season. The mountain is 100% open with skiing and riding on 105 trails.

Deer Valley Resort, Park City, Utah

Already Deer Valley is at 291 inches of snow on the season. Could this be the season they top 2016/17 when a record 484 inches fell? The three month total then (Nov 2016 thru Jan 2017) was 308 inches. “This is an outstanding snow season,” says Emily Summers, senior communications manager. ‘As of January 10, 2023 we had more snow than the entire season totals for four of the last five years, the 18/19 season being the exception.” That season was their fifth best on record ending at 388 inches.

Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek, Colorado

Beaver Creek has received 178 inches so far which is currently 128% of average for the season. The most recent season when they had more than 170 inches of cumulative snow on Jan. 17 was 2008-09, the year the resort recorded 209 cumulative inches on this date. There has been a handful of seasons in the past decade where they had similar cumulative snowfall by Jan. 17: 2016-17 had 157 cumulative inches, 2014-15 had 156 cumulative inches and 2010-11 had cumulative 154 inches. Since opening in 1980, the year which received the most cumulative snowfall by Jan. 17 is 1996-97 when 237 cumulative inches blanketed the slopes. That season ended with 408 total inches of snow.