After a frustrating 2017/18 winter, Colorado deserved the start it got this year as mountains across the state opened with healthy snow totals. 

Now, as the calendar turns to December and you plan your holiday trip west, see where the snow has fallen so far. 

BONUS: Delta is offering a great deal from Minneapolis-St. Paul to Denver at just over $100 right now. (Courtesy: Thrifty Traveler)

As usual, Midwest Ski Journal uses OpenSnow as a reference for snow totals. I can’t recommend OpenSnow enough. It’s the best $20 I spend each year. 

I-70 corridor:

Loveland

• Loveland has had a great start this season and is easily accessible from I-70 from Denver.
• They are looking at 35” of base, which is a whopping 146 percent of average. They are 38 percent open as of Dec. 1. 

Arapahoe Basin

• A-Basin is in a similar boat as Loveland with plenty of powder so far this season. Both mountains are also relatively affordable, too. 
• They are looking at 37” of base, or 164 percent of average. 47 percent of the mountain is open. 

Vail

• On the less affordable side, Vail has also had plenty of snow this season.
• They have a 34” base, which is 130 percent of average. After opening the back bowls, they have 89 percent of their mountain open so far, which is remarkable for Dec. 1. 

Breckenridge

• With 178 percent of average snowfall so far, Breck is having one of the better starts in the country. 
• They have 40” of snow reported in their base. The mountain is 63 percent open. 

5” of new #snow out there this morning! #Breck #SeizeTheSeason pic.twitter.com/6PUAe2BU2D

— Breckenridge Resort (@breckenridgemtn) December 1, 2018

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Southern CO:

Wolf Creek

• A hidden gem in southern Colorado without the usual resort frills. The appeal is the snow always falls here.
• 36” base depth, which is 94 percent of average. 90 percent open. 

Silverton

• The non-resort resort. You have to call ahead to ski and ride here. 
• No totals posted at the time of this posting, but snowfall is at 102 percent of average. 

Telluride

• An old classic in southern Colorado.
• Telluride boasts 31” of base depth, which is 99 percent of average. Area is only 7 percent open right now. 

Others: 

Crested Butte

• It’s a little off the beaten path, but with conditions like they are, it might be worth the hike. 
• Crested Butte is reported 44” of base and 134 percent of average snowfall. 40 percent of the mountain is open. 

Aspen/Snowmass

• Aspen’s four mountains are back in business after a really tough season last year. 
• Ajax has a 23” base and has seen 147 percent of total snowfall, but the mountain is only about half open with 45 percent.
• Highlands and its famed Highlands Bowl opened for the first time Dec. 1 with 40” of base and 135 percent of average snowfall. The mountain debuts with 57 percent of trails open. 
• Snowmass has 33” of base, or 125 percent of average snowfall. Snowmass is only 39 percent open. 

Highlands opening tomorrow is going to be really really good. Shot on @rylo_inc this morning. pic.twitter.com/uJPfJ8SaHx

— Aspen Snowmass (@AspenSnowmass) December 1, 2018

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Steamboat

• Up at Steamboat, they are reporting 38” of base and 134 percent of snowfall so far. The mountain is only 27 percent open, however. 

Didn’t see your favorite ski area on this list? Tell us about it so we don’t forget it next time: Midwestskijournal@gmail.com.