We all know, we all know, it’s nonetheless early December however we wish ski season and we wish it now! The Western half of the US and Canada, notably British Columbia, Washington and Oregon, scored large the second half of November, offering ample snow for unbelievable early-season turns. Under, you’ll discover a record of resorts we advocate sinking your skis into earlier than the Christmas vacation, primarily based on early season snow totals and the quantity of terrain every resort at the moment has open. Use warning, early season circumstances nonetheless exist, which implies rocks, stumps and different low-tide hazards are current and may finish your season earlier than it actually will get began.
Please notice, these snow totals and open acreage are as of December 4, 2024. For a every day snow report, we advocate trying out every resort’s circumstances report on their web sites and/or OpenSnow.com.
Alta Ski Space, Utah
Alta Ski Space is thought for its cold-smoke powder and skiers have already been given a style this season with an estimated 76 inches of whole snowfall. Collins, Wildcat, Sunnyside and Sugarloaf are open every day, with 69 % of the ski space accessible on skis.
Alyeska Resort, Alaska
Regardless of its sea-level elevation, the city of Girdwood and Alyeska Resort has seen 118 inches of snow for the reason that November faucet turned on. Due to this beneficiant early-season present from Mom Nature, the resort was in a position to open this previous weekend and is now working Ted’s Specific, Bear Cub Quad and Chair 7 to service Jetway, Higher and Decrease Von Imhof, Rollover, Cheechako, Sitzmark, Christmas Run and Blueberry Hill. For the little ones, each Finland and Wade’s Means magic carpets are up and working for everything of working hours, that are 10am-5pm.
Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
Whistler Blackcomb has already acquired a whopping 100 inches of snow this season and has about 50% of its 8,000-plus skiable acres open for enterprise. To make the deal even sweeter, the resort introduced tentative plans to open seventh Heaven on Blackcomb and Peak Chair on Whistler by the top of the week, climate and security allowing, which might carry the open skiable acres to over 5,000. Christmas in Canada, anybody?
Mt. Baker, Washington
Mt. Baker had a tough season final yr and it appears Mom Nature is making up for it this yr with an estimated 134 inches already this yr. Due to that, Mt. Baker is open for operation seven days every week. Each chair on the White Salmon/Shuksan facet of the mountain is working together with chairs 3/4 and 6 on the Heather Meadows/Pan Dome facet open for enterprise. This temporary interval of excessive strain and solar is forecasted to return to an finish later this week and weekend for extra high-elevation pow.
Mt. Hood Meadows, Oregon
Mt. Hood Meadows has reported 96 inches of snow thus far this yr, with a base depth of 47 inches. The primary lodge is open for the season and 7 of 12 lifts are working, together with Cascade Specific and Vista Specific. This weekend is wanting like a one other eight or so inches may fall on the resort, setting the ski space up for over 100 inches of snow earlier than mid-December.
Mammoth Mountain, California
The bottom of Mammoth Mountain has already seen 65 inches of snow this yr, permitting the mountain to have 95 % of the ski space open earlier than December. 169 of the 178 trails are already skiable and 9 out of 10 terrain parks are working for everybody from freshmen to execs like Forster Meeks to take pleasure in. All three base lodges are open with entry to 16 lifts, which implies early season and vacation crowds have the house to unfold out. California dreaming at its best.
Grand Targhee, Idaho
On the west facet of Teton Go, Grand Targhee companies Idaho skiers underneath the gaze of the Grand Teton. Because of 77 inches of snow, thus far, the resort has been in a position to open 84 of its 95 trails and certainly one of two terrain parks. A promising storm is forecasted for this weekend, with the bulk set to fall on Sunday in the course of the day.
Wolf Creek, Colorado
Wolf Creek in Colorado tends to be the most effective ski areas for a sleeper pow day in Colorado and this early season has been no totally different. 94 inches thus far allowed the ski space to open one hundred pc of its terrain in mid-November, making it the one resort within the state totally open. The entire cold-smoke snow, not one of the large crowds of the I-70 hall, Wolf Creek is to not be missed.
2025 FREESKIER Editors’ Choose Skis
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