Early season skiing---what's open?
 

November storms here in the Northwest have dripped a lot of snow on our mountains. In Washington, Crystal Mountain and Mt. Baker open today. Whistler/Blackcomb opens Saturday, the 18th. earlier than they expected.

How is it looking in Utah and Colorado?

Wolf Creek in CO is open. Telluride got 21" in past few days and opens 11/22.

For more - http://www.coloradoski.com/snow/index.cfm

Debi

Thanks, Debi.

I misspoke about Blackcomb---they won't open until the 23rd. Whistler will open on the 18th with 30" of snow. Crystal Mountain, here in Washington, has 21" at the base and 31" on top. I can't find stats for Mt. Baker, but they usually get more snow than anyone (a few years ago they had to shut down for a few days because the chairlifts were buried.)

We have set a record for all-time wettest November here in Seattle---and the month is only half-over. But it's meant lots of early snow, as well as some unfortunate floods, and a lot of damage, in lower areas.

Things are looking great in Colorado. There's a few resorts already open and a lot scheduled to open in the next week. Check out this site:
http://www.coloradoski.com/snow/

Hi enzian,

Brighton opened yesterday, they are always the first. Others will be opening this week and next.

Powder to the people!

Hi Dayle--why is Brighton the first to open? Fewer rocks to cover?

We've got reservations for Solitude in January---can you tell me anything about the Nordic area there if we want to take a day off form downhill?

I think Brighton really just likes to have bragging rights. Since they are at very top of Big Cottonwood, and their runs pretty much all face north, they do have some decent conditions first. Also, they are a small, local outfit and have a huge local, young snowboarding crowd. Some of those people are anxious to get out and not very picky about conditions!

I only did cross country once (badly) at the Big Pine campground (where I think you are talking about). Not sure if there is x country around the base of Brighton, around Silver Lake. That would probably be very nice. Scenery at the top of the canyon is awesome.

From the map, it looks like the Nordic Center is at Silver Lake, with trails going through the woods back toward Solitude Village. Normally I only go Nordic if the conditions are awful for downhill, but they offer night skiiing too, in the moonlight. Could be fun.

This will be DH's first time on alpine skis since he was in college, so we'll take it pretty easy on the slopes. He bought a pair of demos when we were at Snowbird last summer. I don't know what possessed him! But I'm looking forward to it---haven't skied at Solutude since they upgraded and built the village.