Utah: More storms line up!
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NBD. Average April snowfall at Alta is 73 inches. Perhaps I should compile the short list of ski areas that have any month with that much new snow. Just to give you an idea, Mammoth averages 74 in January and 76 in February.
NHpowderhound
New member
Go ahead Marc, rub it in.
It's currently pouring here in NH and Mount Washington is also getting r@in. I missed out in the B/C this past weekend as i'm battleing a pulled muscle in my back from work last monday. I heard it was stellar! Check out http://www.chauvinguides.com/conditionski.htm to see some incredible pics of the Gulf of Slides and Monroe Brook. I'm hopeing to hit GOS myself this weekend.
Good luck pursuing the endless winter.
((*
*))NHPH
It's currently pouring here in NH and Mount Washington is also getting r@in. I missed out in the B/C this past weekend as i'm battleing a pulled muscle in my back from work last monday. I heard it was stellar! Check out http://www.chauvinguides.com/conditionski.htm to see some incredible pics of the Gulf of Slides and Monroe Brook. I'm hopeing to hit GOS myself this weekend.
Good luck pursuing the endless winter.
((*
*))NHPH
21 inches in the past 24 hours at Alta, another 1-3" predicted for today, and another 12-16" predicted for tonight. Holy cow! Mid-mountain settled snow depth is now up to 185" and year-to-date is now at 575 inches -- we could be pushing the 600" mark by this time tomorrow.
They'll have the details through yesterday added to the following numbers later today, but this kind of says it all:
03/25/05: 11.5"
03/24/05: 5.5"
03/23/05: 20"
03/22/05: 8"
03/21/05: 6"
03/20/05: 25.5"
03/19/05: 5"
They'll have the details through yesterday added to the following numbers later today, but this kind of says it all:
03/25/05: 11.5"
03/24/05: 5.5"
03/23/05: 20"
03/22/05: 8"
03/21/05: 6"
03/20/05: 25.5"
03/19/05: 5"
A few years back someone suggested that I should track the North America snowfall leader each season. Due to consistency Alta has never claimed that honor in my records. But this could be the year. Kirkwood currently leads with 602, but Sierra snowfall tends to tail off in April vs. the Wasatch.
The usual leaders, Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier, are obviously not contending. The unknown factor is Alyeska, where I don't get data until the end of the season. Alyeska was the only area to exceed Jay Peak in 2000-01.
So maybe Marc did choose the right year to move to Utah.
The usual leaders, Mt. Baker and Mt. Rainier, are obviously not contending. The unknown factor is Alyeska, where I don't get data until the end of the season. Alyeska was the only area to exceed Jay Peak in 2000-01.
So maybe Marc did choose the right year to move to Utah.
Alta did have the most snow in North America, 750 inches, in its record 1983-84 season. That season was huge in Utah and Colorado but slightly below average in both the Sierra and Pacific Northwest (go figure?). It was the worst season in SoCal since I began skiing, with only 12 inches natural snowfall all season.
Marc_C
Active member
ChrisC":13cd09p5 said:
Earlier in the season there were a series of funky storms that had these strange, highly localized, pockets of intense snowfall. Several of these benefitted BCC more than LCC. One in particular really hammered Solitude - something like 3 or 4 times the amount Alta got. So, odd as it seems, S'tude is indeed leading this season. [Of course this assumes that the automated reporting stations aren't whacked.]
I would be suspicious of the 622. I haven't been following it, but I have been tracking Brighton, which has been reporting similar numbers to Alta all season.
At Christmas Brighton was 202 and Alta 230; by January 16 Brighton was 376 and Alta 364. At March 19 Brighton still led Alta 474 to 468, with the expected relationship asserting itself only the last 10 days of storms.
You can argue that an odd storm track (first half of January?) hit BCC more than LCC, but also hitting Solitude more than Brighton? Not likely. In the past 25 years Snowbird's snowfall has exceeded Alta's in only 10% of months, usually by modest amounts, and in no complete seasons.
If anyone has tracked that Solitude number periodically this season, I could compare it to the other 3.
Many times discrepancies are caused by measuring locations. Both Alta and Snowbird measure low on the mountain. If Brighton/Solitude were to measure in in the trees near the top of the Snake Creek/Summit lifts, they could distort the normal BCC/LCC relationship.
If Utah passes Kirkwood this year, I'll consider Alta the official leader. Just my opinion.
At Christmas Brighton was 202 and Alta 230; by January 16 Brighton was 376 and Alta 364. At March 19 Brighton still led Alta 474 to 468, with the expected relationship asserting itself only the last 10 days of storms.
You can argue that an odd storm track (first half of January?) hit BCC more than LCC, but also hitting Solitude more than Brighton? Not likely. In the past 25 years Snowbird's snowfall has exceeded Alta's in only 10% of months, usually by modest amounts, and in no complete seasons.
If anyone has tracked that Solitude number periodically this season, I could compare it to the other 3.
Many times discrepancies are caused by measuring locations. Both Alta and Snowbird measure low on the mountain. If Brighton/Solitude were to measure in in the trees near the top of the Snake Creek/Summit lifts, they could distort the normal BCC/LCC relationship.
If Utah passes Kirkwood this year, I'll consider Alta the official leader. Just my opinion.
Wowzers!! The Alta ski report:
Aw, jeez...what happened to the 18th?? :roll: 144 inches of snow -- 12 feet -- in two weeks! 211 inches of mid-mountain settled snowpack, and they close in 18 days. :roll: :roll:
TIME LAST UPDATED: 4:30pm March 30th, 2005
Settled Snow Depth: 211"
Snowfall (Past 12 hrs): 26"
Snowfall (Past 24 hrs): 38"
Snowfall this Season: 615"
Sky Cover: Snowing
Ridgetop Winds: Moderate NW
Mid Mountain Temp°F) 18 degrees
Forecast for Today
Sky Cover: Snow tonight
Temperatures °F (9am-4pm): around 10 degrees tonight
Wind: Moderate NW tonight
Snowfall: 8-12" tonight
Extended Forecast: Storm should be tapering off tonight. Ridge of high pressure (a.k.a. Sunny!) moves in Thur - Sun
As of 4:30pm, the road into Little Cottonwood Canyon is closed for avalanche control work and Interlodge is in effect. We hope to have the road open by Thursday morning so stay tuned.
03/30/05: 24.5 inches
03/29/05: 5"
03/28/05: 18.5"
03/25/05: 16.5"
03/24/05: 5.5"
03/23/05: 20"
03/22/05: 8"
03/21/05: 6"
03/20/05: 25.5"
03/19/05: 5"
03/17/05: 9.5"
Aw, jeez...what happened to the 18th?? :roll: 144 inches of snow -- 12 feet -- in two weeks! 211 inches of mid-mountain settled snowpack, and they close in 18 days. :roll: :roll:
It's a tough life. But SLC skiers are so spoiled you may have to earn your turns before too long.
I presume you will be hitting Snowbird starting the weekend of April 23-24. It will be interesting to see how fast they curtail operations/shut down sections of the mountain despite the way above normal snow base.
Tomorrow I will buy my 2005-06 Mammoth season pass for $485, good starting May 1 this season.
I presume you will be hitting Snowbird starting the weekend of April 23-24. It will be interesting to see how fast they curtail operations/shut down sections of the mountain despite the way above normal snow base.
Tomorrow I will buy my 2005-06 Mammoth season pass for $485, good starting May 1 this season.
Kirkwood is at 637, still leading Alta's 621. But a normal April would result in Alta 694 and Kirkwood 680.
Killclimbz
New member
Sounds like the late season backcountry is going to be off the hook in the Wasatch. I just might have to drive out there in the near future.
Sierra backcountry may be even better, especilly if you value backcountry corn.
Final tally as of April 30: Kirkwood 722, Alta 697.5
Both have had 2-3 feet in May but neither is open.
Both have had 2-3 feet in May but neither is open.