North America Weekly Roundup #242

Last Chance to Hit the Slopes: Final Week for Many US Ski Resorts

• The final week of the ski season is underway for many US ski areas, with only Killington in Vermont still open on the East Coast.
• In the Rockies, Snowbird in Utah and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado remain open, with both planning to stay operational into June if conditions allow.
• On the West Coast, Timberline and Mt Bachelor in Oregon and Mammoth Mountain and The Palisades in California aim to remain open through Memorial Day weekend.

NORTH AMERICA INTRO

We're into what's going to be the last week of the season for around half of the nine US ski areas still open. In Canada the season is really all over with Banff’s Sunshine and Whistler Mountain closed at the start of this week, ending their 6 month 23-24 seasons. In Sunshine's case, closure came as the snow was still falling, the centre received about 25cm (10") for its closing weekend. Over on the East Coast Sommet St Sauveur in Quebec was also open at the weekend, re-opening under floodlights for a final hurrah before it too closed. But you can still ski in six US states – Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Vermont. It’s been very springlike, as you’d expect, although overnight lows on high slopes have got down to the 20s and there have been a few light snow showers reported in the Rockies. Daytime highs into the 40s and even 50s with 60s reached on the West Coast. On the east coast only one resort, Killington in Vermont, remains open and it has only one run, Superstar, still open, a ribbon of white on green hillsides. Killington says they'll keep it open as long as they can but have now opened their golf course for the summer season so the end may be nigh.

ROCKIES REPORT

The number of areas still open in the Rockies is continuing to fall away, as you’d expect by late May. There has though been some fresh snowfall on high slopes in Colorado and Utah at the weekend with overnight lows still getting down to the 20s. Utah’s Brighton closed its 23-24 season at the weekend leaving only Snowbird (40/290cm / 16/116”) still open in the state, and only Fridays to Sundays too. It says it’ll be open at least through to Memorial Day and potentially longer. In Colorado Arapahoe Basin (20/64” / 50/160cm) has its usual intention of staying open into June and still has more than half of its runs available, whilst Winter Park (14/72” / 35/180cm) is going for keeping its Mary Jane slopes open so long as the snow remains skiable. It still has more than a third of its terrain open. You can also ski for one more weekend, probably, at the Arizona Snowbowl.

ROCKIES FORECAST

Continuing mostly sunny with a chance of light snowfalls on high slopes until the end of the week. Overnight lows on high slopes getting down to the high 20s Fahrenheit, daytime highs mostly in the mid-340s but reaching the low 50s at resort bases in the afternoons.

USA WEST REPORT

We're down to four ski areas still open on the West Coast, two each in California and Oregon, all aiming to stay open through the coming long weekend for the Memorial Day holiday. It's unclear if any will aim to stay open into June afterwards. It has certainly been warm, leading to a rapid thaw of the snow cover. Mt Hood Meadows was the latest centre in the region to close last weekend but its Oregon neighbours Timberline (44/156" / 110/390cm) and Mt Bachelor (12/76" / 30/190cm) remain open, the former still posting the deepest snowpack in North America and still likely to have its Palmer Snowfield stay open into the summer as usual. In California it's Mammoth Mountain (36/72" / 90/180cm), which stayed open until August last year, that's still open with about a third of its terrain still available. The Palisades (7/104" / 18/260cm) is down to about a quarter of theirs. It's been a mostly sunny week with just a few light fronts coming through. Overnight lows up high getting down below freezing still, daytime highs into the 50s or even low 60s.

USA WEST FORECAST

Predominantly sunny although with the chance of a little midweek sleet/snow further north in Oregon whilst remaining dry in California. Overnight lows typically around freezing bit dropping to the high 20s on high slopes at times. Daytime highs are mostly in the 40s and 50s but potentially low 60s on lower slopes by the weekend.