Encore skiing as some Western Canada resorts extend the season
Skiers rejoice: A frontal system approaching from the northwest is expected to drop more than 10 cm of snowfall on some B.C. and Alberta ski resorts, helping to extend the skiing season
After a sluggish start to the 2023-24 ski season, Mother Nature turned on the natural snow-making machine in February in Western Canada, and never looked back.
SEE ALSO: Are B.C. and Alberta experiencing the worst ski season ever?
To time the last ski weekend perfectly, a cool, upper trough will slide across B.C. on Thursday, bringing 10-20 cm of high-elevation snowfall to much of the higher terrain, including Whistler-Blackcomb.
With a snowy second half of the season, more than 952 cm of snowfall accumulated, so the season will likely come close to 90 per cent of normal.
Some Interior resorts accumulated more than 5 metres of snowfall, including Big White, with similar snowfall totals to the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons.
In Banff, Alta., more than five cm of snowfall was also recorded, closing in on an average season for the resort.
Did you know the decision to close a ski resort isn’t strictly just based on the snow base number?
Staffing resorts become a challenge as many seasonal workers have other commitments elsewhere, so even the modest season extension is welcome by many. As people switch to more typical springtime activities like baseball, soccer and golf, the interest in skiing naturally falls.
Although B.C.'s Grouse Mountain hasn’t announced a closing date, it’s typically in mid-April. Head up to Cypress and Seymour this weekend to take advantage of the final powder days of the season before the lifts stop spinning on April 14.
For reference, in spring 2023, Mount Seymour closed on April 9, and Cypress closed on April 16.
