Winter Storm Harper Delivers the Goods for Vermont Ski Areas

Jan 22, 2019

2 min read

Slashing pow turns at Pico Mountain

Fresh snow in the trees at Jay Peak Resort

Snorkel needed at Mad River Glen

Slashing pow turns at Stratton Mountain Resort

Friends skiing powder together at Pico Mountain

Raise your hand if you love riding pow at Smugglers' Notch Resort

A skier spots a soft landing at Pico Mountain

Snowboarder enjoying the deep snow at Pico Mountain

Getting air in the trees at Pico Mountain

Director of Marketing at Mount Snow getting after it

The special delivery of deep powder snow ordered by Vermont ski areas for the Martin Luther King holiday arrived right on time and with authority.

Winter Storm Harper dumped between one and two feet-plus of light, fluffy snow across the Green Mountains into Sunday evening, delighting skiers and snowboarders with some of the best conditions in what has already been an historic season for snowfall.

Storm totals were impressive: Killington Resort reported a total of 29 inches from the multi-day weather event, while Bolton Valley Resort (21 inches), Burke Mountain Resort (26 inches), Jay Peak Resort (29 inches), Smugglers' Notch Resort (27 inches) and Stowe Mountain Resort (22 inches) also saw abundant accumulations.

Once the snow finally stopped falling, it left a depth at the measuring stake atop Mount Mansfield of 80 inches - the second-deepest snowpack for the date of Jan. 21 since such records were first recorded in 1954.

Graph courtesy MatthewParrilla.com

The new snow helped put every bit of skiable and rideable terrain in play at many Vermont Ski Areas: Bromley Mountain Resort, Jay Peak Resort, Middlebury Snow Bowl, Mount Snow Resort, Okemo Mountain Resort, Smugglers' Notch Resort, Stowe Mountain Resort, Sugarbush Resort and Suicide Six Ski Area all reported 100-percent open status as of Tuesday morning's snow report.

Ski Vermont Partners