SALT LAKE CITY – A year ago, snow was falling in Utah at about twice the average rate, and resorts were reveling in the white stuff, packed with crowds of tourists swarming the ski slopes.
Now the state’s snowpack is at about 50 percent of average, and one resort without snowmaking capability hasn’t even opened for the season.
“We had three to four times more snow last year at this time, but that said, it’s still very, very early,” said Randy Julander, supervisor for the Utah Snow Survey. “Anything is still a possibility.”
Julander said at this time last year, snowpack in most areas of the state was up to 210 percent of normal.
Instead of deep bases of up to 60 inches more typical for this time of year, the mid-mountain level at Utah resorts is just 17-32 inches.
“We are definitely hanging in there,” said Steve Pastorino, director of public relations at Canyons Resort in Park City.
He said the lack of snow hasn’t hurt business — yet — adding that the resort is near capacity for the holiday week, and zip line tours and horse-drawn sleigh rides have given visitors options other than skiing.
“The biggest negative is if it drags on into January
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