Rocky Mountain Snow Report
Week of October 26, 2026 · See this week's report
Whitefish Mountain in line for 13 in. as north builds pre-season snow
Northern resorts in Montana and the Canadian Rockies hold the most 7-day snow ahead of November openings. Utah and New Mexico average 0 in. for the week.
Whitefish Mountain leads the next 7 days with 13 in., followed by Fernie with 11 in., Castle Mountain with 11 in. and Brundage Mountain with 8 in. None of the 64 resorts is in its usual season yet, but 43 of 64 resorts have at least 1 in. in the 7-day forecast.
Utah and New Mexico average 0 in. of summit snow for the next 7 days. Recent Colorado readings ran higher than day-ahead forecasts on Oct 23, with Wolf Creek forecast 0 in. and measured 7 in. and Telluride forecast 0 in. and measured 6 in.
The 16-day trend points to Lake Louise with 15 in., Whitewater with 15 in. and Kicking Horse with 14 in. With Lake Louise next usual opening Nov 6 and Banff Sunshine Nov 8, early November plans line up best around those openings.
Tables from Veabird's forecast data. Text written by AI (Muse Spark) from those numbers and checked against them before publishing.
Most snow in the forecast
Snowfall forecast at the summit, in inches. Amounts are reliable about 3 days out, fair to a week, and a trend after that.
| Resort | Area | Next 7 days | Next 16 days | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitefish Mountain | Montana | 13 in. | 12 in. | Opens ~Nov 22 |
| Fernie | Canadian Rockies | 11 in. | 14 in. | Opens ~Nov 22 |
| Castle Mountain | Canadian Rockies | 11 in. | 12 in. | Opens ~Nov 22 |
| Brundage Mountain | Idaho | 8 in. | 12 in. | Opens ~Nov 22 |
| Panorama | Canadian Rockies | 7 in. | 7 in. | Opens ~Nov 22 |
| Kicking Horse | Canadian Rockies | 6 in. | 14 in. | Opens ~Nov 22 |
| RED Mountain | Canadian Rockies | 6 in. | 12 in. | Opens ~Nov 22 |
| Jackson Hole | Wyoming | 6 in. | 10 in. | Opens ~Nov 29 |
| Big White | Canadian Rockies | 6 in. | 10 in. | Opens ~Nov 22 |
| Lake Louise | Canadian Rockies | 5 in. | 15 in. | Opens ~Nov 6 |
| Whitewater | Canadian Rockies | 5 in. | 15 in. | Opens ~Nov 22 |
| Banff Sunshine | Canadian Rockies | 5 in. | 13 in. | Opens ~Nov 8 |
Opening dates
Usual opening dates; resorts announce the real date as snow and snowmaking allow.
| Resort | Area | Usually opens | Snow next 7 days | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Louise | Canadian Rockies | Nov 6 | 5 in. | Ikon Pass |
| Banff Sunshine | Canadian Rockies | Nov 8 | 5 in. | Ikon Pass |
| Whitefish Mountain | Montana | Nov 22 | 13 in. | – |
| Fernie | Canadian Rockies | Nov 22 | 11 in. | Epic Pass |
| Castle Mountain | Canadian Rockies | Nov 22 | 11 in. | – |
| Brundage Mountain | Idaho | Nov 22 | 8 in. | – |
| Panorama | Canadian Rockies | Nov 22 | 7 in. | – |
| Big White | Canadian Rockies | Nov 22 | 6 in. | – |
| RED Mountain | Canadian Rockies | Nov 22 | 6 in. | Ikon Pass |
| Kicking Horse | Canadian Rockies | Nov 22 | 6 in. | Epic Pass |
| Grand Targhee | Wyoming | Nov 22 | 5 in. | – |
| Whitewater | Canadian Rockies | Nov 22 | 5 in. | – |
| Loveland | Colorado | Nov 22 | 4 in. | – |
| Schweitzer | Idaho | Nov 22 | 4 in. | Ikon Pass |
The Rockies by area
Average summit snow forecast for the next 7 days across each area's resorts, the snowiest resort, and how last season compared with normal.
| Area | Resorts | Open | Avg. next 7 days | Snowiest | Last season vs normal | Weekly trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | 22 | 0 | 1 in. | Loveland (4 in.) | 92% | |
| Canadian Rockies | 16 | 0 | 5 in. | Fernie (11 in.) | 99% | |
| Utah | 10 | 0 | 0 in. | Alta (1 in.) | 77% | |
| Montana | 5 | 0 | 4 in. | Whitefish Mountain (13 in.) | 83% | |
| Idaho | 5 | 0 | 3 in. | Brundage Mountain (8 in.) | 74% | |
| New Mexico | 4 | 0 | 0 in. | – | 55% | |
| Wyoming | 2 | 0 | 6 in. | Jackson Hole (6 in.) | 52% |
How last week's forecast did
Veabird's day-ahead snowfall forecast against what the nearest SNOTEL snow station measured.
| Resort | Day | Forecast | Measured | Station |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolf Creek | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 7 in. | Wolf Creek Summit |
| Silverton Mountain | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 7 in. | Red Mountain Pass |
| Telluride | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 6 in. | Alta Lakes |
| Aspen Highlands | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 6 in. | Castle Peak |
| Aspen Mountain | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 6 in. | Castle Peak |
| Monarch Mountain | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 5 in. | Porphyry Creek |
| Brundage Mountain | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 4 in. | Brundage Reservoir |
| Powderhorn | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 2 in. | Mesa Lakes |
| Beaver Creek | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 1 in. | Beaver Ck Village |
| Crested Butte | Friday Oct 23 | 0 in. | 1 in. | Butte |
About this report
This week's skiing in the Rockies: where the snow is falling, which days grade best, opening dates and how the forecast did, resort by resort. It comes out every Monday and covers Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, New Mexico and the Canadian Rockies. Grades run from A+ (best) to F; they weigh the things that make or break a trip, not just the weather.
Sources: Open-Meteo forecast models (ECMWF, GFS, ICON, GEM and regional models); USDA NRCS SNOTEL snow stations; Veabird snow model and crowd calendar. Forecasts are estimates, not safety guidance.
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