God Bless the Groomers

It's a pretty lean snow season so far across the west.  A look at NRCS SNOTEL snow-water equivalent data for the contiguous western United States showing most major drainage basins running at or below median. 

Source: NRCS

In northern Utah, there isn't a single SNOTEL at or above median.  The closest is Hickerson Park in the northeast Uinta Mountains (where median is pretty pathetic to begin with), which sits at 96%.

Source: NRCS

In the central Wasatch, Snowbird, Mill D, Brighton, and Thaynes Canyon are at 81%, 68%, 51%, and 56% of median.  Records at the snowbird SNOTEL go back to 1990.  We're currently running at about the 30th percentile for snow water equivalent since then, meaning that 30% of the seasons were below current levels and 70% were above.  30th percentile doesn't sound that bad, but the difference between 30th percentile and the absolute lowest year on record is only a couple of inches of SWE and not that much.   

Source: NRCS

On the Park City side, Thaynes Canyon is even uglier.  Records go back to 1989 and this season almost has the lowest SWE on record (4.5" vs. 4").  

Source: NRCS

Given instrument accuracy and the like, a half inch difference is essentially a dead heat for worst snowpack on record.

Keep in mind that the SNOTEL records don't include 1976/77, which is probably the worst snow year on record.  Nevertheless, the snowpack situation is pretty poor.  

Dare I say it?

2020.

The resorts though have snowmaking.  The real Christmas miracle is happening at Mountain Dell.  I've gotten in four or five days up there now and, as I drive up the canyon, I can hardly believe they are open.  Trails are limited with a 0 to 5 cm base, but the Mitten-Main loop "goes" and the thin spots can be avoided.  

God bless the groomers who have made it work with scant natural resources.