November Snow

Jack Sula, Staff Writer

Throughout the country, heavy snow has shattered many November snowfall records. From the Northeast to the Rockies, ski mountains across the country have opened early and with a larger percentage of open trails. The snowfall in November has allowed for one of the best Thanksgiving ski weekends in the past decade and provides a strong base to build upon for the rest of the season.

The Northeast has had the coldest and highest amount of recorded snowfall in most places since the 1980s or 1990s. In Killington, Vermont a record-breaking 62 inches of snow fell allowing for 110 of their trials to be open this past weekend. Jay Peak has already received 72 inches allowing for them to open all of their terrain including the renowned gladed terrain. This Thanksgiving, many travelers flocked to the mountains across to the Northeast due to the Thanksgiving weekend storm that dropped an average of 24 to 32 inches across many mountains in Vermont and upstate New York. The amount of snowfall this November is shocking in the Northeast since it normally the mountains often do not often even see 30 inches and are plagued with rain. (these mountains do not often see 30 inches and are plagued with rain.)

The Rockies have experienced high snowfall totals allowing for them to open some of their more rugged terrains early in the season. Calgary in the Canadian Rockies has already experienced a third of its annual snowfall this season. The surrounding mountains, such us Revelstoke, have been blessed with mountains of powder. Additionally, in Big Sky, Montana has had a record-breaking 76 inches of snow in November and Vail with 90 inches of snow. These totals have allowed these mountains to open its more advanced terrain, which is not usually open from mid to late December.

The amount of snowfall seen already is intriguing to many skiers and meteorologists, who predict a cold and very snowy year. Additionally, the snowfall has allowed for ski mountains to cut cost, since they did not have to use as many snow guns to open terrain. The plentiful snowfall is not just good for the riders but also for the mountains themselves since it greatly increasing early season profits.