Rank the BC Interior Ski Areas for Average Quantity of Snowfall

**skiman** · 08-06-2008, 03:39 PM

Does anyone have first hand knowledge, the answer, or know of web site that lists statistics for this? Individual ski area web sites tend to fabricate the fact based on their best ever season.
Want to know how Revelstoke, Red MT., Kicking Horse, Fernie, Panarama, and the rest compare?
I didn't live in Utah to ski Park City areas when LCC and BCC avg about 200" more a season. Need the same knowledge for Interior BC.
Cheers!

**Buster Highmen** · 08-06-2008, 03:44 PM

You left out the biggest.

**Rusty Nails** · 08-06-2008, 03:49 PM

I'll say this, Red Mountain UNDER REPORTS their snow more than any other place I have ever skied. It's almost silly.

**mntlion** · 08-06-2008, 03:51 PM

also factor in the

number of snow day vs rain day and if the systems leave wet or dry (100cm system but rain on the last 10 is useless, as is powder overnight if it rains at 10am)

not sure if it is better for skiing to have 10cm a day for 10 days or 100cm and nothing for 9 more days.

**el hefe** · 08-06-2008, 03:58 PM

Most snow - 1 fernie, 2 whitewater/revy, 3 red, 4 SS and BW, 4 KHMR(really depends on the winter here, 2 years ago was incredible but has drought like winters at times) and pano would be last

Best snow (light, lack of rain, consistent weather) - Whitewater, 2 revy (due to the low elevation of the bottom) , 3 red/KHMR, 4 SS and BW (very consistent but a little boring - 10cm's all the time just not really big ones), 5 fernie

Not really sure where to look up historical total's but www.avalanche.ca might have some info. They do a great job during the winter of updating the various areas.

**facedeep** · 08-06-2008, 04:36 PM

I think Red got negative snowfall last year. Hopefully that means they will be blessed this coming year but probably not. Your best bet would be to see if you can rent a room for the winter at glacier park lodge or sleep in a snow bank, ski the pass and drink beer at snow punchers.

**Wiilbert** · 08-06-2008, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by skiman

Does anyone have first hand knowledge, the answer, or know of web site that lists statistics for this? Individual ski area web sites tend to fabricate the fact based on their best ever season.
Want to know how Revelstoke, Red MT., Kicking Horse, Fernie, Panarama, and the rest compare?
I didn't live in Utah to ski Park City areas when LCC annd BCC avg about 200" more a season. Need the same knowledge for Interior BC.
Cheers!

http://members.aol.com/crockeraf/crocnet.htm

Revy is not listed on the site yet, even though it is updated fairly often. The Fidelity plot is near Revy, but receives more snow than the hill.

**teamdirt** · 08-07-2008, 10:12 AM

Revy has no prior snow record data before last season.

Same with Kicking Horse, no data before the resorts opening day back in 2000 or something like that. They only have data from the year they opened for the alpine areas.

\

**el hefe** · 08-07-2008, 11:05 AM

^^^ you sure about KH? They have a weather station just under 2100m that provides very detailed and techy info every hour, temp, water content, snowfall per hour, per storm etc...........

Check it all the time during pineapples......

I could see how they won't have the true alpine data though.

**facedeep** · 08-07-2008, 11:42 AM

Talk to the cat ski area in revy for snow statistics. They will have very accurate numbers and I'm sure would be happy to share the info.
Don't know what this site is, http://www.alltracksacademy.com/resorts/75.html they state 40 to 60 feet??? lots more than any where else around but don't know the validity of the site. Also, you can call the ranger station at the pass to get snow stats for the area. I think these might be available at avalanche.ca

**Blurred** · 08-07-2008, 11:53 AM

Which one of these resorts listed above has the sickest amount of tehgnar terrain? Is Revi up there?

**snoboy** · 08-07-2008, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by facedeep

I think Red got negative snowfall last year.

HUH??? Just because we didn't have an awesome season like everyone else doesn't mean it didn't kick ass here last winter. Not to mention that I was still skiing fresh face shots at the end of April...

**el hefe** · 08-07-2008, 04:48 PM

"Which one of these resorts listed above has the sickest amount of tehgnar terrain? Is Revi up there?"

Revi is up there, as is KH (very gnarly) and white water( with some touring)

The new north bowl lift will open more gnar that would have required a big slog out before. Now there will be some ski outs to the bottom the new chair, big turn around time though. Not totally sure where it is going in but it should open up some nice north facing stuff. The stuff we were skiing this winter def has some gnar if you are so inclined.........

North Face of Mt Mackenzie from Greg Hill's site: greghill.squarespace.com/journal

This chute is off of Mt Mackenzie and should lead back to the new chair.

Closer to inbounds:

Back down into inbounds:

**el hefe** · 08-07-2008, 05:43 PM

White water b/c:

Mt Ymir @ WW, LOTS of options of this ridge/summit:

**alto** · 08-07-2008, 05:51 PM

el jefe's post = best stoke I've seen all summer. Bar none.

**Mike Pow** · 08-07-2008, 09:46 PM

Alberta, BC, northern Idaho and northern Montana for 2001/02

Kicking Horse measurements were taken by me at town level. The rest were from the resort web sites.

**Mike Pow** · 08-07-2008, 09:48 PM

Alberta, BC, northern Idaho and northern Montana for 2002/03

Kicking Horse measurements were taken by me at town level. The rest were from the resort web sites.

**Mike Pow** · 08-07-2008, 09:50 PM

Alberta, BC, northern Idaho and northern Montana for 2003/04

Taken from the resort web sites.

**Mike Pow** · 08-07-2008, 09:53 PM

Alberta, BC, northern Idaho and northern Montana for 2004/05

Taken from the resort web sites.

Forgot to mention that I recorded daily (either myself or from resort web sites) and then collated the info as monthly totals.

Hope that helps.

**Adamantium** · 08-07-2008, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by skiman

Does anyone have first hand knowledge, the answer, or know of web site that lists statistics for this? Individual ski area web sites tend to fabricate the fact based on their best ever season.
Want to know how Revelstoke, Red MT., Kicking Horse, Fernie, Panarama, and the rest compare?
I didn't live in Utah to ski Park City areas when LCC and BCC avg about 200" more a season. Need the same knowledge for Interior BC.
Cheers!

http://bestsnow.net/

On the left side go to "Canadian Rockies & Interior BC"

direct: (http://members.aol.com/crockeraf/crocnet.htm)

**powfreak** · 08-08-2008, 03:52 AM

Had a beat up trailer at Castle from 2001-2003, then onto Flanker's abode around Fernie in 2004. By Mike Pow's charts it seems i chose the right mountains at the right time. Great seasons were had

Haven't been back since 2004

Blurred, this place has been getting more and more tracked out every year but with a short tour/sled you can find the goods (http://www.skicastle.ca/extreme.html)

**Adamantium** · 08-08-2008, 04:42 AM

Originally Posted by powfreak

Had a beat up trailer at Castle from 2001-2003, then onto Flanker's abode around Fernie in 2004. By Mike Pow's charts it seems i chose the right mountains at the right time. Great seasons were had

Haven't been back since 2004

Blurred, this place has been getting more and more tracked out every year but with a short tour/sled you can find the goods (http://www.skicastle.ca/extreme.html)

I skied a foot of fresh at 1pm there on a Sunday this past February. (Then again, it was -10F so that might have helped with the crowds.) It's gotten some more attention recently for sure, but it's still a far cry from crowded. The hostel at the base is also a pretty solid deal.

**moose pit** · 08-08-2008, 09:16 AM

Southern BC would have been a been a better qualifier.

I think mtnlion has the right idea - rain days and wet days should be considered.

**teamdirt** · 08-08-2008, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by el hefe

^^^ you sure about KH? They have a weather station just under 2100m that provides very detailed and techy info every hour, temp, water content, snowfall per hour, per storm etc...........

Check it all the time during pineapples......

I could see how they won't have the true alpine data though.

Heffe- I meant before they opened the resort back sometime around 2000. The old resort Whitetooth has data but only for the tenure that was operating, not the alpine.

**teamdirt** · 08-08-2008, 10:21 AM

A few friends of mine descended Mackenzie's north face near the end of the year. They hooked the line into the coulior that leads back to the resort boundries.

I stood at the top back in Feb. with clear sky's low avi and pretty confident about stability. However I decided to drop the south face back to the resort in question of what a terrible year in terms of major avalanche events and deaths which had took place leading up to the month. Perhaps another day. I don't have my personal computer with me but I have a shit load of recon photos of the face I will post when I get back.