Park City’s Ski Season Is Off to Its Driest Start in Years—But There’s Still Snow at the Top

Park City, Utah, one of the West’s most beloved ski destinations, is having an unusually difficult season. For a state that prides itself on its snow, 2026 has started on an unexpectedly thin note.

By this point in winter, rooftops are typically glazed in white and aspen groves disappear beneath Utah’s signature “champagne powder.” This year, that familiar scene is missing. Snowfall has been scarce, leaving the mountain town looking more like late fall than peak ski season.

“I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but this is the driest season we’ve ever had,” McKensee Harris, a supervisor at a local ski rental shop in town, told Travel + Leisure.

After a handful of promising snow days of around Thanksgiving, December brought rain instead. More recently, temperatures in the city—set at 7,000 feet above sea level—have hovered in the low 50s. For reference, Park City typically averages about 300 inches of snow a year. So far, the total stands at just 85 inches.

Here’s what travelers should know.

It Looks Worse Than It Is

A Tiktok that circulated in December—showing a chairlift drifting over a brown, snowless hillside—sparked immediate concern. After all, what is a skier to do at the top: roll back down? News coverage hasn’t been much more reassuring. Rob Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts, which owns Park City Mountain, told Skimag.com that this has been among “the worst early-season snowfalls … in over 30 years.”

The data backs him up. According to The National Water and Climate Center’s SNOTEL, a network of backcountry weather stations that tracks snowpack, levels across Utah are among the lowest on record. In Park City, the base depth currently sits at about 40 inches—respectable, but a far cry from the staggering 636 inches the region saw in 2023.

What those headlines often miss; however, is where the snow actually is. At the base of the mountain, where most hotels and apres-ski spots are clustered, there’s barely a trace. Climb roughly 1,000 feet higher, though, and the slopes turn white. And yes, people are skiing.

Despite the slow start, roughly two-thirds of Park City Mountain’s trails are open. Considering it’s the largest ski resort in the U.S., spanning 7,300 skiable acres, that still amounts to a substantial amount of terrain.

The resort is split into two areas—Canyons and Mountain Village—and limited snowfall has led to selective closures. On the Canyons side, for example, the easternmost terrain served by the Super Condor Express remains closed, as do lower-elevation lifts such as Town Lift and Eagle Lift, where snow coverage is minimal or nonexistent. Higher up, conditions are far more encouraging. McConkey’s and Jupiter, two of the resort’s most popular high-alpine bowls, are fully open.

Should You Go?

Expert skiers in search of steep, tree-lined black diamond runs may come away disappointed, as those areas typically require a much deeper snowpack. With most of the mountain sitting on a roughly 40-inch base, however, intermediate skiers are faring far better.

“My expectations were low,” one traveler visiting from Tampa, Florida, told T+L. “It was all over the news, how they haven’t had snow in a month.” He added that once on the mountain, he was pleasantly surprised by how much terrain remained skiable. Over the past few days, he spent much of his time in the Tombstone Express area, which serves a cluster of blue runs well-suited to intermediate skiers.

Others were less optimistic. “It’s not really great conditions,” Stephanie, a local nurse who was skiing with her friend, told T+L. “But at least the lifts are open.” With natural snowfall scarce, she noted, the resort has leaned heavily on snowmaking, which produces a denser, grittier surface—far from the light, fluffy powder Utah is famous for. 

Recalibrating expectations is key. Early February typically marked the sweet spot of the ski season, when pristine conditions and miles of wintery slopes are at their peak. This year; however, the experience feels markedly different. “This is basically like March or April conditions,” she said. 

An unexpected upside of this year’s snow drought is the lack of crowds. Lift lines are virtually nonexistent, and it’s not uncommon to have a chair to yourself—an almost unheard-of luxury during Park City’s typically hectic winter season. On the slopes, there’s room to spread out, carve wide turns, and ski at your own place. For travelers seeking a quieter, more relaxed mountain experience, Park City is delivering that right now.

The Forecast

For now, Park City is slogging through the back half of a dry, underwhelming winter. Still, optimism hasn’t entirely melted away. “Two good storms and we’re back to having fun,” John Kanaly, Vail Resorts’ communications manager, told T+L.

Relief may be on the horizon. Temperatures are expected to dip into the low 30s next week, and forecasters are hinting at the possibility of fresh snow by Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s enough to salvage the season remains to be seen—but if the storms do deliver, the transformation could be instant.