“The storms just keep coming,” Snowbasin employee Mike Luna said. “We have had so much snow come in at the same time that our grooming staff does not know what to do with it all and has piles all around the mountain.”
The recent snowstorms have brought some of the best skiing and snowboarding conditions in years to resorts like Powder Mountain and Snowbasin.
After last month’s series of storms, Powder Mountain and Snowbasin have already doubled their snowpack in the months of February and March from years past. Even with more storms on the way, it will be the best spring skiing conditions in years.
Powder Mountain’s last few storms dumped around 100 inches of fresh powder in the past 10 days alone. With an average of 500 inches of snowfall each year, Powder Mountain is just 30 inches away from meeting that average.
“We have already doubled our snowpack and season total,” Jean-Pierre Coulet of Powder Mountain said. “We have had record months of snow since January, and we are excited to see what the late season storms bring.”
Powder Mountain has been capping day passes since December. For those planning to head up the canyon, plan accordingly and buy your lift ticket online ahead of time.
“With all the snow that has fallen this ski season, we have had record months since December,” Coulet said. “We still are seeing more and more storms roll in, and we still have two months left in the 2016–17 ski season.”
Just a few miles away is Snowbasin Ski Resort, which, over the past 10 days’ of storms, received around 75 inches of new snow. With Snowbasin’s recent storms, the season total is now up to 376 inches, meeting the season averages of years past.
Luna said that out of his 8 years working at Snowbasin, this year has brought the best conditions he has seen, and storms are continuing to roll in, dropping powder that hasn’t been seen in years.
Much like Powder Mountain, Snowbasin has seen record amounts of skiers this season. Over the Presidents Day weekend, Snowbasin had 7,500 guests, shattering the previous record day, which was over the Christmas break — and they are continuing to have busy weekends.
Powder Mountain and Snowbasin plan to be open through at least mid-April, depending on the spring snowfall.
On March 18, Weber State Ski Day will be held at Snowbasin. Lift tickets are on sale for $55 with a valid Wildcard, one per student. Free morning and afternoon shuttles will depart for Snowbasin from Wildcat Village at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
For more information on the ski day, rentals and shuttle, visit www.weber.edu/outdoor/WSU-Appreciation-day-at-snowbasin.
