Which Ski Resorts Got The Most Snow During The 23/24 Season
The 23/24 winter season was the polar opposite to the 22/23 season in by way of the fact that there was far less snowfall across the whole country. I mean, this is to somewhat be expected as the 22/23 winter season smashed resort records across the west, with the likes of Alta and Mammoth Mountain both seeing more than 900 inches off snow.
Many entered the start of this season with high hopes of good snowfall but November was a tad warm and it was really only Utah that saw descent snowfalls by the end of the month. Colorado got some snow in late October and California was looking exceptionally dry as Mammoth Mountain only seeing 4 snow days across the whole month of December. Not exactly what travellers had hoped for as they booked their ski trips over the Christmas and new years break, but that’s snow seasons for you, sometimes it nukes powder and other times you are sliding on groomers manufactured out of manmade snow. As the new year rolled in many resorts started to see more snowfalls increase which allowed much more terrain opened up, this is also when winter really set in as there was consistent snowfall all the way through to the end of the season.
All the total snowfall reports have been taken directly from the ski resort websites as of the 25th of April 2024. There are of course the usual suspects in the top of the list but the number one might surprise you or you might not even know it exists.
#10 Mt Hood Meadows, OR 434”
When we first started writing out this list in mid April the number 10 spot was held by a resort in Utah however thanks to some late season snowfalls in Oregon Mt Hood Meadows has crept into the top 10. Located on the south eastern slopes of Mt Hood the ski resort is no stranger to large snowfalls however due to the proximity to the ocean the snow the falls here is not as light and fluffy to what you will find in Utah and Wyoming. Mt Hood Meadows has collected 434 inches or 11m of snow during the winter season which means they will be able to offer riding for a few more weeks and plan to stay open till May 18th
#9 Grand Targhee, WY 438”
Grand Targhee resort is typically in the top 10 for the snowiest resorts and this season they landed at number 9 thanks to 438 inches or 11.2m of snow. The snowfall at Grand Targhee has been consistent all season with an average of about 85” falling per month which is about 2.5 inches per day. The resort is situated on the western side of the Teton Range in Wyoming which allows for extensive snow accumulation as storms roll in from the north and the west before getting stuck on the mountain range and depositing insane snowfalls.
#8 Jackson Hole, WY 447”
Just over the mountain range from Grand Targhee is Jackson Hole mountain resort which proudly sits at number 8 on the list with just under 10 inches more snowfall. 447 inches or 11.35m of cold smoke powder fell across the slopes with the largest majority falling in the last few months. In late January the resort had to make the hard decision to not run the world famous Kings and Queens of Corberts event due to a lack of snow, however, fast forward to March 2nd and the resort broke its 24 hour snowfall record with 30” falling at the Rendezvous Bowl snow stake, which also resulted in the resort not opening due to the extreme snow risk. The 23/24 winter season certainly was full of surprises at Jackson Hole.
#7 Sugar Bowl, CA 481”
The first and only California ski resort to make it into the list is the one that claims to consistently get the most snow in Lake Tahoe. Number 7 on the list is non other than Sugar Bowl in California. Sugar Bowls location on Donner Pass means they are the first resort to see the storms that climb up into the Tahoe Basin before getting to the right elevation to start depositing their payloads of snowfall. Whilst its not the 700+ inches the resort saw last season, a modest 481” or 12.1m of snow fell across the slopes at Sugar Bowl this season and most of the snowfall came from a collective of atmospheric rivers during February and early March.
#6 Timberline Lodge, OR 551”
The pacific northwest had a questionable season however two resorts made it into our list, Mt Hood meadows was number 10 and the second resort is also located in Oregon, it is the most western located resort in the lower 48 on this list and is no stranger to insane snowfall totals during the winter season, they also offer hands down the best summer skiing operation in North America, yes number 6 on our list is Timberline Lodge which can be found on the southern slopes of Mt Hood. Powerful storms from the pacific have left 515 inches or 13m of snowfall at the resort and with a base of 129 still to be found at the resort, chances are they will be riding the summit lifts well into June.
#5 Solitude Mountain Resort, UT 530”
Now we are in the top 5 on the list and four of them are from the same state, and let’s not kid ourselves, I think we all know what state this is and where in that state these resorts are located. Number 5 is of course Solitude Mountain Resort which calls Big Cottonwood Canyon its home. Solitude is the first of two resorts in the canyon and this season saw 530” or 13.46m of fluffy dry Utah snow fall across the ski resort. Solitude claims to get an average of 500” so with an extra 30” on top, we think it’s safe to say this Utah ski resort had a bang on average season.
#4 Snowbird, UT 557”
Ask any advanced or expert rider where is the best place to ride on a 20” powder day, it’s highly likely that Snowbird is going to top the list or at least, be in the top 3. When it comes to total snowfall in the 23-24 winter season Snowbird was able to collect 557” or 14.1m of snow, this putting Snowbird in the 4th spot on our Top 10 list. As is with most resorts in Utah, it started off as a rather dry but as soon as the new year rolled around the storms were backing up reading to kick the season into gear. Snowbird was hit with 120” in Jan, 140” in Feb and 109” in March which lead to some incredible days on the mountain and a few interlodge events.
#3 Brighton Mountain Resort, UT 559”
As we enter the top 3 it’s kind of obvious who might be the next resort on the list, the question remains, is it Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon that this ski resort calls home. Well it’s the bigger of the two which means we could only be talking about Brighton Mountain Resort. Over the course of the winter season Brighton has collected a cool 559 inches or just over 14.2 metres of snowfall which has allowed for some incredible deep powder days and just like the other Utah resorts the best days were in February and March.
#2 Alta Ski Area, UT 621”
If you are to hike to the very top of Black Bees Peak, don’t know where that is, look directly above Solitude Mountain Resort. From here you can look down and over the whole ski resort that proudly sits at number 2 on our list. For those who frequent the Cottonwood Canyons would have already identified this as Alta Ski Area. Since opening in November Alta has accumulated 621 inches or 15.7m of the greatest snow on earth, l we have experienced it first hand, the Utah number plates don’t lie. Whilst last season the resort broke records with over 900 inches a simple 600 inch season puts it just above average, where as 900 inches of snow is bonkers and is sometimes too much to handle.
#1 Alyeska Resort, AK 738”
The king of snowfall during the 23/24 winter season is none other than Alyeska ski resort in Alaska. Alyeska is the most northern major ski resort in North America and typically sees incredible snowfalls due to this fact. A whopping 738 inches or 18.75m of snow has fallen across the slopes of the resort with no standout months, it was really just snowing all season long. The resort joined the Ikon Pass this season however due to its extremely remote location the crowds will never be like those at Palisades Tahoe or the resorts in Colorado.
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