There have been more big snowfalls in Western North America and this time it's not just north Western US states like Washington and Wyoming that have benefitted alongside Canada's Alberta and BC, but also more southerly states, particularly Colorado where Steamboat has reported a metre of snow in the past 48 hours with more snow forecast almost continually for the rest of the week.
The heavy snowfall has created serious avalanche danger however, with three experienced and well equipped back country skiers killed in an avalanche in Washington state at the weekend and a number of other single person avalanche fatalities elsewhere in the Western US.
In BC Revelstoke reported over 40cm of fresh snow fell on the resort at the weekend creating daily powder conditions. The forecast for this week predicts more snow on the way, with heavy snowfall anticipated for the weekend. Revelstoke has received 19cm of snow in the last 48hrs, 51cm in the last 7 days, with a total of 764cm of snowfall to date this season and currently has a deep base of 226cm (7.5 feet).
Further west, after receiving 50 centimetres of new snow over the last seven days, Mount Washington will extend their winter season by a full week in April. Skiers and snowboarders can now carve the slopes until April 22, 2012.
"Our snowbase is now over 300 centimetres so the decision to extend our winter season was easy," says Don Sharpe, Director of Business Operations and Marketing. "Skiers and boarders will now be able to enjoy another week of great Spring riding in April."