If you’re at all like us (powder obsessed) and recently burned a pair of skis in a sacrificial bonfire to appease the Norse god of snow, Ullr, we’re happy to report that the offerings worked! A favorable amount of Western U.S. ski resorts saw about one to two feet of snow fall from late last week through Monday morning. Many California ski resorts saw nearly two feet of snow, while Colorado and Utah ski resorts saw around a foot of snow. The new snow prompted many resorts to open new terrain and more lifts.
In other good snow news, Eastern U.S. ski resorts received two feet of snow from a Nor’Easter, which barreled up the coast last week.
Ski season is now in full swing and conditions are shaping up to be prime for the upcoming holidays! Check out the breakdown of which Western U.S. resorts came out on top below:
Snowfall for California ski resorts
Kirkwood
Kirkwood received two feet of powder from the monster storm that smashed into the West Coast on December 9, 2014 and just received an additional nine inches in the last 24 hours. The resort now has five chairlifts in operation, providing access to 1,100 acres of terrain and 40 runs.
Northstar
Boasting nearly 40 inches of new snow in the last 2.5 weeks and about 10 inches from the past weekend’s storm, Northstar received a needed kick-start to ski season. Conditions are on the up and up and the resort is expected to received more snow throughout the coming week.
Dec. 12, 2014 was a 10-inch powder day at Northstar. Watch footage from the day below.
Snowfall for Colorado ski resorts
Aspen Snowmass
All four Aspen Snowmass ski resorts received about a foot of snow, but Snowmass came out on top with 14 inches. Aspen Highlands celebrated its opening day on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2014, and received 10 inches by the time the storm blew through late on Sunday. Buttermilk and Aspen Mountain received 11 inches.
Beaver Creek
Just in time for the annual family holiday ski trip, Beaver Creek received 17 inches of snow in the last 48 hours and is ramping up for more in the coming days.
Steamboat
Steamboat, a place renowned for deep, dry powder, saw 13 inches of snow from the weekend’s storm. The new snow prompted new terrain to open, including Burgess Creek Lift Line, Big Meadow, Closet, Crowtrack, Dawn, Flintlock, Flying Z, Flying Z Gulch, upper Kuu’s Cruse, Quickdraw, upper Shadows, upper Sundown Lift Line, Surprise, lower Three O’Clock, Twilight, Typhoon, The Ridge, White Out and Why Not.
Check out Steamboat’s powder conditions in the video below.
Telluride
Telluride enjoyed 15 inches of new snow over the weekend, which prompted Plunge Lift (Lift 9) to open for the first time of the 2014/15 ski season.
Vail
Thanks to several bountiful early-season storms, Vail was able to open Blue Sky Basin on Friday, Dec. 5, 2014. In fact, 4,353 acres out of Vail’s 5,289 acres are already open. The additional 11 inches the resort received over the weekend are only making conditions at Vail that much more epic.
Winter Park
Winter Park seems to have made out the best in Colorado, receiving 19 inches of snow and 92.5 inches to date. The resort’s anticipated 75th anniversary is shaping up to be a ski season to remember.
Snowfall for Utah ski resorts
Alta
About 14 inches of fluff fell on Alta, and all of the skiers-only resort’s lifts are now open.
Snowbird
Snowbird saw 14 inches of new snow from the weekend’s storm, and the resort will open popular backside area, Mineral Basin on Friday, Dec. 15, 2014.
If you’d like to learn more about the mountain destinations featured in this blog post, fill out the contact form below and a Mountain Travel Expert will be in touch with you shortly.