Alyeska Resort, Alaska, has received nearly two feet of snow in the past 24 hours at the top of the Glacier Bowl Express lift, bringing its seasonal upper mountain snowfall to 727 inches.
Alyeska's upper mountain is now nearly 100 inches past its seasonal average of 650-plus inches. And the storm isn't entirely done yet—OpenSnow reports that the resort could see another five inches of snow in the next five days.
According to KSL News, as of April 8th, Alyeska had outpaced every other U.S. ski resort in terms of snowfall.
Alyeska isn't a stranger to being the number one recipient of snowfall. The resort is considered the snowiest or one of the snowiest ski resorts on average in the U.S., depending on who you ask.
However, Alyeska's snowy dominance wasn't a given at the start of the 2023-2024 winter, thanks to the arrival of an El Niño. In Alaska, El Niños can create drier, less snowy winters.
But the El Niño isn't the only player in the snowfall game; other factors also impact how any given winter pans out. Therefore, the USDA notes that dry Alaskan winters "are not a certainty" during El Niños. And this winter at Alyeska, the dice rolled in the favor of skiers, delivering plenty of snow.
Despite the successful winter, Alyeska plans to close earlier than several North American ski resorts on April 28th.
The closing day announcement sparked frustration amongst skiers on social media.
"Didn't you guys stay open till late May with way less snow?" wrote one commenter. Several others parroted this sentiment, wondering why, with over 700 inches of snowfall, Alyeska was calling it quits so soon.
At Alyeska, the answer likely has to do with running a financially sustainable operation.
In a 2017 conversation with the Reno Gazette Journal, a Californian ski industry insider explained that "a lack of business" is one of the key factors that determine when many resorts close.
As the weather warms up, day ticket visitors tend to dwindle, leaving resorts without a key source of income, the insider said. Other challenges, like snowpack levels rapidly changing in the spring, can also create logistical hurdles.
Alyeska's probably faces a similar situation. Yet, even after the resort shuts down, there should be plenty of snow to enjoy—provided you're willing to work for it.
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