10 Snowiest Ski Areas of 2017 (So Far)

It has been an amazingly snowy start to 2017 in ski resorts around the world.

In the Alps, around 50 successive days of dry weather has ended with snow falls of up to 90cm (three feet), so far, in Austria and there have seen some of the biggest snow falls in years further east too.  There’s been snow in the north of Scandinavia as well.

In North America, unlike Europe, the snow had been falling in abundance in December after a warm,  dry November, but if anything the snowfall has notched up another level and there have been some incredible snowstorms in the last few days, particularly in California with up to 2.15m/over 7 feet in 7 days at some resorts.  But the snow has been falling across the West and on the Eastern side of the continent too.

The snowy weather is expected to continue in most areas with as much as 3m/10 feet more snow expected in the ext 10 days in some areas.

Our top 10 list is not a precise list of the 10 resorts that have had the most snow since Jan 1, 2017 – as they’d all be in Western North America – but takes the snowiest resorts from different countries to give you more of a global view.

1. Homewood, California, 225cm / 7.5 Feet in 7 Days

Nearly all ski areas in California have had amazing snowfall totals this week, but Homewood have had a few inches more than next nearest Squaw Valley which has only had 7 feet/2.1m.

2. Mammoth Mountain, California – 180cm / 6 Feet in 3 Days

Mammoth has seen spectacular snowfalls over the past few days – at one point getting nearly 4 feet/1.2m of snow in just 24 hours.

The snow has buried cars (as pictured top), amongst other things, and not just little Italian Puntos but great big American SUVs, and it has taken the resort’s base depth up to 432cm/14.5 feet, the second ski area to pass  the 4 mark this season and now the deepest base in the world.

3. Tremblant, Quebec, 106cm / 3.5 Feet in 7 Days

There’s been fantastic snowfalls in Eastern North America too where ski areas along the East Coast of the US and Canada are seeing one of their best starts to the season in years.

Resorts in Quebec, Canada have had up to a metre or more of new snow in the last few days with Tremblant topping the snowfalls tally table..

4. Zugspitz, Garmisch, Germany, 90cm / 3 Feet in 3 Days

Ski areas in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic seem to have done the best so far from the return of snowy weather to the Alps with 3 foot/90cm accumulations so far at a number of areas including Germany’s highest, the Zugspitze glacier above Garmisch Partenkirchen, pictured during white-out conditions. Only Samnaun in Switzerland, linked to Ischgl, has had more, possibly, with 1m of snow according to one report, but others don’t confirm this and it doesn’t look like it from the pictures.

5. Harrachov, Czech Republic, 90cm / 3 Feet in 3 Days

The Czech Republic got central Europe’s snowy weather first on Monday/Tuesday Jan 2^nd/3^rd so bases have bee building here longer than elsewhere.

A number of areas including Harrachov and Spindleruv Mlyn (pictured below) have had three feet/90cm of snow now, exceptionally good for this region.

6. Saalbach/Kitzsteinhorn, Austria, 80cm / 2.7 Feet in 3 Days

Many of Austria’s biggest ski areas have fantastic powder conditions at the moment after more than two feet of snow fell in two days.  Among them is Saalbach, one of the country’s three biggest ski regions which posted the video above this week.  The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier and the Ski Jewel region incorporating Wildschonau and Alpbach have also had 80cm of fresh snow so far.

7. St Anton am Arlberg, Austria, 65cm / 2.3 Feet in 3 Days

One of the world’s most famous ski regions has seen one of its most exciting infrastructure improvements in its 115+ year ski history this winter with the connection of the Lech and St Anton halves of this huge region, now Austria’s largest.

However until this week mother nature was not really delivering the white stuff to match this exciting initiative. Thankfully that has now changed, big time.

8. Davos, Switzerland, 53cm in 3 Days

Davos looked good in November but had a very thin base through December with no fresh snow. Finally it has snowed and snowed, dramatically improving conditions. 

The world’s movers and shakers will be in town from 17-20 January for the annual World Economic Forum just before a certain event takes place in the US so it’s nice they’ll be able to enjoy the powder.

9. Bansko, Bulgaria, 50cm in 2 Days

The snow has arrived in Bulgaria and banskoblog.com reports live from the slopes.

10. Laax, Switzerland, 40cm

Laax is home to some of Europe and the world’s biggest snowsports events in January on so it’s great that there’s now plenty of fresh snow.  Arosa has also posted 40cm of fresh snow.

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