It’s no secret that the West gets the most snow in North America. Cold fronts come down from the Gulf of Alaska, hit our North-South oriented mountain ranges, and orographic lifting does the rest. There are 10 ski resort in the west that average over 500” of snow. Alyeska and Baker average over 600″ of snow per year. Alyeska has already gotten 268″ of snowfall this season…

Sometimes, we don’t realize how lucky we are. This year, we do know how lucky we are.

The list below displays the largest annual snowfall averages in North America per ski resort.

LARGEST SNOWFALL AVERAGES IN NORTH AMERICA:

#1 – Mt. Baker, WA = 655” (1,140” in 1999)

#2 – Alyeska, AK = 650” (978” in 2012)

#3 – Alta, UT = 563″

#4 – Timberline Lodge, OR = 551”

#5 – Sugar Bowl, CA = 500″

#5 – Kirkwood, CA = 500″

#5 – Snowbird, UT = 500” (record of 743” in 2011)

#5 – Solitude, UT = 500”

#5 – Brighton, UT = 500”

#5 – Grand Targhee, WY = 500”

#6 – Crystal Mountain, WA = 486″

#7 – Jackson Hole, WY = 459″

#8 – Squaw Valley, CA = 450” (record of 811” in 2011)

#8 – Alpine Meadows, CA = 450”

#8 – Stevens Pass, WA = 450″

{Note: All of these snowfall averages were taken from the websites of the ski areas themselves. There are actually 15 ski resorts listed.}