Snowfall up near end of ski season

SNOWBIRD — The Utah ski season is on its downhill run. Good skiing will continue for about two more months ... and then it will be down to one.

After a dozen resorts close, Snowbird always offers skiers an extended season.

Reports to date on Utah's ski business for 2009-10 indicate that, so far, this season has been very similar to last.

But, according to Craig McCarthy of the Park City Chamber of Commerce, "That could change. February was good, and March is also looking good.

"This week, for example, we're up 12 percent over the same week last year. We had a slow start in January, but we're about even now."

Consensus is Utah's strength this year is coming from destination skiers.

A New York couple, for example, noted that even though the eastern part of the United States is getting hit with heavy snowstorms, they came to Utah to find "good snow."

Eastern areas have been hit with snow and rain, which has resulted in very heavy snow. One man reported the snow was so heavy his snowblower wouldn't operate and he had to resort to the shovel.

While the destination business has been strong, the local business has been weak. With no snow on the valley floor and few major storms, there's the belief among locals that snow is scarce on the slopes.

"In truth, skiing is really very good. You've got Alta with a 93-inch base and the Park City resorts with bases of more than 70 inches," said Nathan Rafferty, president of Ski Utah.

"In years like this, where we don't have tons of natural snow, resorts have come to rely on snowmaking. Thirty years ago, we wouldn't have had skiing like this, but because resorts stepped up and have made substantial investments in snowmaking, we are able to have the good skiing."

Compared to the rest of the country, Utah is doing well in the snow department.

Alta, for example, has a base of 93 inches and has received nearly 325 inches of total snowfall this season. Last year at this time, its total was 407 inches. Last year, however, Alta received nearly 700 inches of total snowfall, which is 200 inches over a normal year.

At last count, Snowbird is holding a 91-inch base mid-mountain. Up the canyon a couple of miles, Alta is holding a 93-inch base. Over on the Park City side, Deer Valley is at 74 inches, The Canyons at 71 and Park City Mountain Resort 75 inches.