Does anyone else remember PCMR closing last season with 10 feet of snow on the ground? Maybe these early season problems are from all the bad karma that caused with the snow gods. Has any ski resort ever closed with that much snow on the ground? Hopefully they have a better plan this year if the luck changes...
Eric replies:
Sh, all three Park City area resorts closed on the same day last year (April 13) and I'm pretty sure we're all scheduled to close on April 12 this season as well.

Jason - you'd have to have a lot better luck in Vermont than I've ever had for that to be a smart move. If conditions at PCMR are still poor in a few days head over to Alta/Snowbird. That's our plan.
Oh and one more thing - don't judge Utah skiing based on early December conditions. It isn't remotely representative of what it has to offer.
Eric replies:
MoSno, I'll agree completely with you about not judging Utah skiing based upon the conditions in early December and take myself out of the conversation on the rest ;) Thanks for offering up your advice!

I guess I better give the Heat Miser a call and tell him to chill out. I am heading out there tomorrow through Monday and want to get some runs in! Well...I am going to own those two runs that are open! If checking the weather report multiple times an hour helps...I am doing my part. See ya tomorrow!
Eric replies:
Brian, thanks for putting in the call, every little bit helps...see you on the slopes!

How much snow would actually have to fall for all the lifts and trails to be open. We are coming Dec 25 for 7 days and are a bit concerned. Should we think about moving our trip to the Bird?
Eric replies:
John, right now, we have just under a foot of settled snow up at the Summit. We still need more snow there, and just as importantly, we need to connect the Summit to the base of the Bonanza Lift where there isn't any snow on the ground. We aim to finish making snow on PayDay run, move to Treasure Hollow and then to Bonanza as quickly as possible. A good storm or two would certainly help the process along as well and it looks like we may be in line for one in the coming week it really is impossible to tell at this point, I wish I could be more explicit, but it's just too variable right now.

I was freaking out before when I wrote my comment. I didn't mean to sound so negative, I am just nervous/frustrated by the lack of snow. I'll be there no matter what and make the best of it. 2 lifts running is better than being stuck at work and hopefully it will snow this week and next. What can you do? Sorry again for the whining. I promise to be a good sport.
Eric replies:
Hey Jason - we are completely in the same boat as you are! We all want to get up on the mountain, but right now, "it is what it is." I also want to stress again that our ops team is doing everything that they can to get terrain open. ;)

Cheers Eric and thanks for the reply... I'm going to take my "snow clothes" and see how the conditions look tomorrow and Fri afternoon, and if I want to get out there, I can just rent the boots/board on the hill. Thanks for that tip, good idea! I hope the Payday run is no longer "mud" as previous commenter noted... argh... Fingers crossed!
Eric replies:
Erica, you're welcome, PayDay run is getting a good coating of man-made snow right now, I hope to have an update up soon as to when we think it might open *snow-dancing*!

I am coming to Park City on Sunday from NY for the first time and I feel like I have made a terrible mistake. I can't believe that there are only 2 of 16 lifts open. Am I expected to pay $50/day for 2 lifts? This doesn't seem worth it. I am contemplating staying home and just going to Vermont, where there is much more snow than Utah (and I have a season pass). Isn't there snowmaking in the mountains of Utah?
Eric replies:
Hi Jason - we have a great snowmaking system, we just haven't had any cooperation from Mother Nature :-(

I've been looking at the extended patterns and doing some research and it seems to me, at least, that the chance for some snow will be happening exactly around mid-month. The ridge in the west will begin to flatten out as a trough appears and a ridge builds here in the east. I'm hoping you all get your snow soon! I'm coming out on December 28th and staying until..the end of the season! I'm working in town and I can't wait. Being from Pittsburgh, it's weird to see all the resorts out west in the mid 50's while we can't push out of the 20's. Anyways, I hope my prediction is right. Last seasons snow fall was amazing and look when it started...keep your fingers crossed. And, if there's no snow we can at least do some fishing!
Eric replies:
Shane, sounds like you've done your homework and I hope you're right! See you in a few weeks.

ARGH!!! Like everyone else, I was hoping for more snow and more runs being open. OK it time to break out the big guns. I'm waxing the car!!! Doing the windows inside and out, and then I'm going to stand outside the local supermarket (location withheld) in a Frosty suit and pick a fight with Santa until he joins in the chant "MORE SNOW" "MORE SNOW" "MORE SNOW"!!!
Oh BTW, does anyone have a Frosty suit I can borrow?
Eric replies:
Kenn, if you find a 2nd suit, let me know - I'll try about anything for the cause! :-)

We're coming in this friday and wishing very hard to go skiing on saturday and sunday, we're not Black diamond skiers by any means, but wanted to get you take on what this weekend ski report looks like? I've been watching the weather channel and it looks like 40's for the weekend. can you make snow in that temp. Its a getaway that we both need and we wish the skiing is going to be part of this trip, thoughts?
Eric replies:
Hi Travis, here's what today's forecast is, "We start out the day with partly cloudy skies and a mild air mass, but a cold front reaches us between 1 and 3 PM ushering in a colder air mass along with some snow or snow showers. The chance of snow showers will linger into early Wednesday morning, and we'll see the 700 mb temperatures drop to -9'C at that time. We remain in a cool north to northwest flow of air through Thursday, but warmer Friday and Saturday. The overnight low temperatures are going to be influenced by some cloudiness, but if we can stay partly cloudy tomorrow night we'll drop into the 20 to 25 degree range. The temperatures aloft warm quite a bit on Friday and Saturday, and I'm expecting a shallow inversion to develop at night."
Also, to make snow we need a wet bulb temperature of 28 degrees or lower.

good, the weather has in fact been pretty weird. For the past few days, (I only went to pcmr one of them) it has been snowing or raining (at solitude), but it never amounted to much. In total, alta got 12 inches over 4 days and pcmr only got 4.
Well, at least its snowing, but from my observations payday (the run) went from almost skiable to half mud. Well, at least cresent still looks good.
Its raining here in LA. ^^snowdance^^
Eric replies:
Thanks for your update pacer521!

Hi,
I'll be in Park City for a conference on Wed and was planning to try to ride on Thurs & Fri. afternoons. However, given this snow report & the fact only 2 runs are open, I'm debating even bringing my board. Is it worth it? Thanks!
Eric replies:
Hi Erica, I guess it depends on what you mean by 'worth it,' because it's good riding on the terrain (ok 2 runs) that is open, if you're just riding afternoons, it might be fun. Also, if you like park features, we do have a really good line setup up with several new jumps opening tomorrow. BTW lots of good deals on snowboard rentals this time of year, which would help you avoid those luggage fees - yeah I checked out your blog ;)

Having skied PCMR last year in Dec. I can vouch for the fact that the snow really didn't arrive until the second week (my arrival), but not much terrain was open as a result of it having arrived so late.
I'm coming back for round two and plan to ski PCMR Friday the 12th. I am praying fervently that substantial snow arrives well before that lest a repeat of last year happen. Judging from the extended forecast, it ain't looking too promising right now. Sad when MI has more snow this time of the year than the mountain s of UT. What's wrong with this picture?
Eric replies:
Michael, I was talking to my mother-in-law in Grand Rapids yesterday and was very disappointed when she mentioned it was snowing there. At least we'll should be able to turn on the snowguns again soon (colder temps)... I guess I need to do a daily wash of my car over lunch ;)

Is it true that checking this blog and the snow reports every five minutes increases the chance of snow?
Eric replies:
YES! :D

We are also from Florida and share the previous commenter's concern. Our kids have never seen snow and we would love for Park City to be a wonderland when we arrive. We are planning to be there the first week of January. My question is: even though the snowstorms have been few and far between, has it been cold enough for snowmaking to continue? How much of Park City's terrain can be opened through snowmaking?
Eric replies:
Rob, we've been making snow whenever we can and, as noted in this post, it looks like we should have some favorable weather in the next few days. We have the capability to cover 500 acres of terrain over almost all of the mountain aside from the bowls and some of the other expert runs. See you in January!

coming up there from florida on the 16th to go snowboarding! itt'l be our first time so hopefully there's some snow by then! we don't see it much down here haha ;]
Eric replies:
Chris, we do have more snow now that what you do there, but we're all hoping to have a lot more by the time you get here :D

Thanks for the information. I am constantly checking on the weather for Park City and of course I am doing the snow dance and thinking snow at all times. I will be arriving to Park City on December 20th and I am a bit concern that there will not be enough snow to enjoy Park City to the fullest. What is your experience being a native to the area.
Thanks and see you soon.
Eric replies:
Roderick, I'm not really a native, but have lived in Park City since the early 90s. In that time, I've seen a whole slew of different weather patterns, so much so that I can honestly say that I don't have any idea of what December will bring. The best case scenario, would be like last season, when we had similar weather until the 2nd week of December, when it started to snow and then didn't stop for seven weeks. I've got my fingers crossed - see you in three weeks!