Less snowfall doesn't dampen Utah ski season

SNOWBIRD — The 2006-07 ski season has been a little short on snow, but it may well come within reach of the record number of skiers posted in 2005-06. The record set last season was 4,062,188 skier days.

It may take a month or more to gather all of the final figures for this season. Snowbird will be open at least that long.

Several resorts reported record numbers of skiers during the Christmas and New Year's holidays. And, for the most part, skier counts remained high throughout March.

While resorts were not particularly short on patrons this winter, they were on total snowfall.

Alta has received 357 inches of total snowfall for the season. Last year at this point it was at 600 inches and counting. The season average is 500 inches.

Alta's total for the 2004-05 season was well over 650 inches.

Snow, or the lack of it, was dependent, as always, on the jet stream. While jet stream dropped down over Utah last year, it stayed to the north for most of this winter, which left Utah in a dry pattern.

States to the north, Canada and Alaska received heavy snowfalls. Alyaska, a ski resort outside Anchorage, had received more than 300 inches by early February, which matched its average for an entire winter.

Most of Utah's 13 ski areas will be closed by mid-April. Snowbird, which has been able to offer skiing up to July 4, isn't likely to match that record this year, but will, once again, be the last to close.

Beaver Mountain, Sundance and Wolf Mountain have closed.

The Canyons, which had planned to stay open until April 15, announced this week it will close April 8. Powder Mountain will also close April 8.

Closing on April 15 will be Alta, Brian Head, Brighton, Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, Snowbasin and Solitude.

Resorts did get a good storm last week that improved overall skiing conditions. Colder temperatures also came through, which helped keep the snow at the higher elevations light and skiable.

Even now, Utah resorts are holding a good base. Alta is reporting a total depth of 93 inches. Brighton has an 80-inch base, Deer Valley 69, Park City Mountain Resort 70 and Snowbird 85 inches.

Many skiers argue that this is the best time of the year to ski ... It's warm, there are no crowds and if a morning on the slopes isn't enough exercise, there's always golf or mountain biking available in the afternoon.