Where to ski in December?
 

Hi
While I know weather patterns vary from year to year, is there anywhere in the US I can probably get decent snow for skiing in mid-December (pre-holidays)? I usually go in February when this isn't an issue. I've heard Colorado can be hit or miss for good snow in December. I would also prefer if it's an easy in/easy out location (i.e. within 30-40 minutes of an airport) since we're only going for a few days. I've skiied most areas in CO, as well as Salt Lake, Tahoe, J-Hole, Big Sky and wouldn't mind somewhere new. I'm not asking for too much, am I? :)

We've skied at both Crested Butte and Steamboat in mid-Dec and had incredible snow.

Hi LM3682,

I always go to Mammoth Mtn....snow there is usually great in Dec. and there is some nightlife there as well.

http://www.mammothmountain.com/index.cfm


Hill
www.edufire.com

Check out Sandpoint, Idaho. You can fly into Spokane Washington. Not sure how the skiing is there. My sons used to ski there and Utah and Colorado. If you are interested, I could ask them about the slopes.

http://www.schweitzer.com/mountain/trail_maps/

How about Big Mountain in Whitefish Montana?

skiwhitefish.com

I'd suggest somwhere with lots of terain (like Vail) or several areas within close proximity (like Park City, Summitt County or Lake Tahoe) so you have options if all parts of the mountain aren't open or in good condition.

Tahoe is not reliable enough in December for planning a vacation for skiing. It's ok for those of us who are close and can deal with limited snow but to actually plan a ski vacation, the chance of poor snow conditions in mid-Decemebr at Tahoe is very real.

I've gone to Vail for the past three years during the middle of December and it's been great. A little cold, but good snow and awesome skiing.

I can't imagine going to ski where it is cold. Some one must be able to recomend a ski resort that has dec to march temps in the 70 f and super powder snow.

In reponse to someone else's post, do not count on snow in Lake Tahoe in mid-December. It's very iffy. I've been there at Christmas when we've skiied on mud. Tahoe is only reliable come mid-January.

xxx30-
Are you being sarcastic, because if not good luck finding a resort like that. Skiing is a WINTER sport, and in the WINTER it is usually colder. Unless you go to Florida or California of Texas. OMG....I don't get it sometimes with these posters.

LM, it is impossible to know which resorts are going to get the early snow. It varies year to year. Last year (I think it was last year!) Utah got the early snow and Mammoth was hopeless. Up here in the inland Northwest we had pretty good early snow too.

Some years Whistler is great even at Thanksgiving, but you can't count on that either. And it's not within 30-40 minutes of an airport.

What I would do is wait and see who gets the early snow, and then make plans, rather than trying to predict now and face possible disappointment.

Back to the original question. I generally ski Beaver Creek the second week of Dec. Most years are good and the last two year were terrific. You have good airline service into Eagle which is less than 30 minutes from BC and Vail is 15 minutes further. With snow making equipment most of Summitt Cty (Keystone, Breck, Copper) will be decent but falls out side of your 30-40 minute window. Go for BC, it will be wide open at that time of year/

Try Utah. Snowbird is open early season, Alta is nearby, too. They always seem to have great early and late snow. If Park City dumps, then stay in Park City. With 3 resorts in one town, and just minutes apart from each other,you'll be skiing in no time! Additionally, the ride from the airport to Park City is about 30-45 minutes, depending upon conditions. If they don't work, drive on over to Snowbasin or Sundance. And there's more! Wolf, Solitude, Powder... So many choices...

I think Snowbird opened 3 or 4 weeks ago.

I think skiparkcity is a tout for Park City since he/she has made three similar postings within a 12 minute period. All on the same subject. A sneaky ad for Park City.

Many Colorado ski areas received a lot of snow this past Thanksgiving weekend. 16" at Winter Park, for example. Still not many trails open, though. Another storm is predicted for today.

I've heard that Tahoe has no snow yet, however.

Loveland had 4'. More runs will open as demand slowly increases and the base develops in the non-manmade snow areas.

<i>I've heard that Tahoe has no snow yet, however.</i>

Right now, hiking would be better than skiing in Tahoe. Absolutely no snow.

Someone at the gym today mentioned that Vale got 3 feet of snow over the weekend.

I don't think Vail got 36&quot;, from what our weather reports said. I could be wrong.

Let's see how much we get in the next couple of days. Cross your fingers for Colorado mountain snow! (NOT Denver snow-- ha ha)

Funny coincidence-- as soon as I made the above post, an e-mail from Vail Resorts popped into my Inbox:

&quot;The Snow Has Arrived At Our Resorts — Big Time!

Snow Alert — December 2, 2008
A winter storm dropped 24 inches of snow on Vail Mountain in 4 days, with 24 inches at Beaver Creek, 20 inches at Breckenridge and 11 inches at Keystone. More terrain continues to open daily and snow remains in the forecast all week long for all four Colorado resorts. Heavenly is also open for the 2008-09 season with great early season conditions — the best in Lake Tahoe.

Visit our interactive BIG SNOW Website to view videos and photos of our recent and abundant snowfall. You'll also find great downloads, lodging offers and more.

BIG SNOW is in the mountains — you should be too!&quot;

However, they do say Heavenly has &quot;great early seasons conditions&quot; and I don't think that's true. At least not yet.

Heavenly - machine-made, machine-groomed snow. You can tell because if you look at the top of the gondola there is no snow at all around the machinery, but the cams on the slopes look as if they do have snow. Either way, awful.

Last Friday my DH was standing at the top of Heavenly in shorts. The weather hasn't cooled off since then either. He said the conditions are bad.