Finding Powder: The Holiday Season Promises

As the Christmas holidays approach, finding powder is a priority. Our mountains are finally sliding into a proper winter rhythm—fresh storms, improving coverage, and steadily growing bases. La Niña is doing her thing, delivering the goods at higher elevations while dumping enough valley rain to keep every drainage crew in BC busy.

Snowpack stability has been shaped by early-season layers, and a recent natural avalanche cycle swept through parts of the province this week. The upside? It’s been absolutely dumping up high. Elevation matters—always has. Lift-served resorts sit lower and show smaller snowpacks, while backcountry lodges perched high in the mountains often report double the depth. This season, Great Northern and Mike Wiegele are both reporting over the 2.5-metre mark in the alpine, reminding everyone why backcountry operations are the envy of the holiday pow-chaser.

Early-season conditions were slow across the board, but December stepped up. Revelstoke delayed its opening by a week and now leads the pack with the most snowfall and the biggest snowpack. Fernie launched last week with limited terrain however has seen recent storms dramatically improve coverage. Lake Louise and Sunshine have both come out ripping with one of their stronger starts in recent years. Kicking Horse and Whitewater opened today with great powder conditions!

Skiers watch the numbers for a reason: total snowfall tells the story of the season’s accumulation, while snowpack reflects the settled depth at the resort’s snowplot. Most plots sit in the alpine, tucked away from wind and sun to keep the readings honest.

Here are the total Snowfall and Snowpack numbers heading into the Holidays—straight from the snowplots:

Total Snowfall – Snowpack (cm)

Revelstoke – 384 – 160
Kicking Horse – 307 – 127
Lake Louise – 306 – 120
Whitewater – 300 – 135
Fernie – 278 – 97
Sunshine – 277 – 159
Red Mountain – 181 – 80

Whistler Blackcomb didn’t make the list because, frankly, it’s become of too many skiers per centimetre. Since dropping total snowfall reporting and dialing customer service down to “retro low”, according to locals, – the experience just isn’t what it used to be. The good news? Canada has plenty of big, snowy options with more pow and fewer crowds—so skip the chaos and find your turns elsewhere!

Whether you’re lapping lifts, chasing turns between storms, or heading into the backcountry for something a little wilder, you’ll find your share of holiday pow this season. Check the avalanche forecast, stay safe, and enjoy the simple, perfect gift of untracked snow.

Happy holidays from PowderCanada.com—get out there and find your powder!

Photo: Facebook