Weather and Climate

Snowfall

Big Mountain is strongly favored by a La Niña weather system.  For an excellent discussion of La Niña's impact, visit the page put together by Tony Crocker.  We are at the top through last season in the amount we are influenced by a La Niña weather pattern.  

Snow quality is not quite as dry as Utah, but it's just moist enough that when the snow comes (as it does most days) it stays put and you generally don't find yourself sinking down to bare rocks that you didn't see.  Sure, the snow stays longer in the trees most places, but since it's not like talcum powder most of the time it doesn't blow off our groomers in the first hour.  The normal type of snowfall we get is a few inches day after day after day, rather than huge foot+ dumps.  Our normal season is around 300 inches.  

NOTE;  The resort has a reputation of UNDER reporting the amount of snow received.  They don't start adding up the inches until opening day, at which point they take the base that is there then and add to it.  Then they stop reporting when we close.  Consequently, comparing our inches to other inches doesn't really make sense.  

Fog

Big Mountain is famous for its fog, no getting around it.  It preserves the snow quality longer, protecting it from the sun.  If you're a local you're used to it.  

We even say it's a "one chair" or "two chair" day.  (Based on the number of chairs you can see as you go up Chair One.)  If it's "three chairs", it's just overcast, not "foggy" to us.  

I'd call this one and a half:

And this would be a one:

The fog is what helps create our famous snow ghosts (see below).  On occasion, but not often, it is also freezing to your goggles.  I don't think there is anyone who enjoys that!  But, for those of you who are not used to skiing in the fog, here are a few tips:

• If you're a beginning skier, the best course is to stay on the lower half of the mountain.  NORMALLY, the lifts terminating below Chair Two are below the cloud layer.  There are times when we get a series of cloud layers, but that is the exception. The picture below is of an extreme inversion day where the cloud layer, rather than being in town, is on the lower half of the mountain.  

• If you're an intermediate skier, the trick is to analyze the location of the sun, figure out which trails in sunlight would have shadows falling on the trail from the trees along the side and then ski that side.  Normally there are SOME darker areas along the sides of trails bounded by trees and this darkness helps determine snow texture.  The trees themselves will help determine the pitch.  In the picture below, you can tell that snow texture and pitch are easier to see on the left side of the trail.

AVOID wide open areas such as Ptarmigan Bowl, the top section of Toni Matt, the top section of Moe-Mentum, and the ridge of Inspiration.  When heading down the nearly-unavoidable Ant Hill, ski on the side rather than the middle.  Generally there are more trees along the left side of the Ant Hill.  Depending on the fog density, you may or may not want to avoid moguls.  If you can see them, fine.  If it's so dense you can't see your feet, then you'll probably want  to avoid them.  The same goes for chopped up powder.  It can HELP with texture if you can see it.  Sometimes perfectly groomed runs or fresh powder are far more difficult than usual when conditions are foggy because of this reduced ability to see conditions.  In the pictures below, texture can be seen easily in the first picture where the powder is chopped up.  The lower picture with untracked powder is more likely to give you vertigo, especially when you are moving.  



In my opinion the fog balls or lollipops are useless.  Bet you can't see the NEXT one!

• If you are an expert skier, then you'll "head to the trees".  The fog is generally a non-issue in the trees.  Naturally, however, there will be more people in the trees on foggy days, so BE AWARE of who is in there with you to avoid surprises.

If you've just arrived in town, today might be the ideal day to take a tour with the Ambassadors!  (See below!)

For local humor about our fog, check out this employee video:

Snow Ghosts

All the fog you see above tells you there is a lot of humidity in the air here, in spite of our cold temperatures.  That is due to the influence of Flathead Lake.  So, on days where the air is super cold, the humidity causes vapor to freeze immediately onto whatever it comes in contact with.  Most of the time that is our trees, our lifts, and sometimes...our goggles.  The impact of this is seen in the beautiful snow ghosts that form and re-form all season long.  More on snow ghosts can be found here.  Rime also forms throughout the day on the trails themselves.  

Inversions

Some of the most stupendous ski days here are "inversion" days.  Not only will you get some spectacular views (shown below), but there are actually SOME people who STAY HOME because they think the weather is bad!!  Inversions occur when the cooler air gets trapped in the valley, bringing fog or even rain to the valley, while up above on the mountain, things are sunny and clear.  Some days the cloud layer starts to rise and eventually arrives AT the mountain.  Then, you'll find yourself descending into our old buddy fog.  But, the views will have been worth it.  So, if you are staying downtown and the weather LOOKS bad?  Check the web cams!

Enjoy!

The picture below also shows a "light pillar" (more on that below):

Descending into the cloud layer:

Visual Phenomena

Say what?  Yes, visual phenomena.  Since we are so far north, sometimes we see some neat things, such as light pillars, sun dogs, and fata morgana.  Unfortunately I don't yet have a picture of the last item, but here is a picture of one taken from the summit towards Glacier.

Light Pillars:

Both a light pillar (below the sun) and a sun dog (off to the side with a rainbow effect):