At Mt. Washington, B.C. 16.2% of winter days see 6 inches or more of snow, 30% of winter months see 90 inches or more, and only 11% of months see less than 30 inches. This is top tier snow frequency, exceeded only by a handful of North American ski areas. The key risk to snow conditions is not drought but rain. This is a minor issue for the locals, who can sit out the wet weather and wait to ski the next week’s dump. It does, however, make planning a big trip involving air travel here more of a gamble. In terms of quality, storms at Mt. Washington can bring the cold stuff that makes for beautiful turns, or just as often, they can douse you with warmer snow that you weigh by the pound instead of measuring by the inch. Be prepared with the fattest, most rockered skis you can get for the latter conditions.

Accumulation and Preservation

With its ample snowfalls, Mt. Washington is often well covered by mid-December and rates to be in full operation by Christmas most of the time. The location on Vancouver Island is about as maritime as any ski area, and predominant exposure is southwest. Thus snow preservation is not the greatest. Mt. Washington is best skied midwinter or immediately after fresh snowfalls.