Short answer: For the 2026 holidays, the high Wasatch and Colorado sites we checked have had snow on the ground every Christmas Day on record, usually about 2 to 3 feet. Snowbird's measuring site has the deepest typical Christmas base of the group. Vermont's Mount Mansfield, above Stowe, has a similar median but swings much more from year to year. Past snow is not a forecast, and the last two Christmases were thin in Utah. The bigger risks for a family are logistics: lessons and childcare that fill, pass blackouts between Dec 26 and Dec 31, and resorts with no childcare at all. Book ski school and childcare as soon as your dates are firm.
The holiday window this year
Christmas is a Friday this year. Indy Pass's blackout list defines the Christmas/New Year period as Dec 19, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027, and Deer Valley runs its holiday-only Teen Escape program Dec 19, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027. School breaks vary. In Philadelphia, for example, winter recess runs Dec 23 to Dec 31, 2026, school is also closed Jan 1, and students return Jan 4, 2027. Check your own district's calendar before you book.
Where the snow has usually been on Christmas Day
We pulled Dec 25 snow depth from public measuring stations at or near resorts we cover: USDA NRCS SNOTEL sites in Utah and Colorado and the NOAA co-op station on Mount Mansfield in Vermont. Each row covers every year that station has a Dec 25 snow depth reading, through Dec 25, 2025.
| Station (elevation) | Near | Years of Dec 25 data | Median Dec 25 snow depth | Years with 24 in. or more | Thinnest Dec 25 | Deepest Dec 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snowbird SNOTEL (9,170 ft) | Snowbird, Alta | 24 (2002 to 2025) | 42.5 in. | 22 of 24 | 17 in. (2024 and 2025) | 90 in. |
| Thaynes Canyon SNOTEL (9,260 ft) | Park City Mountain | 29 (1997 to 2025) | 30 in. | 23 of 29 | 16 in. (2024 and 2025) | 67 in. |
| Brighton SNOTEL (8,790 ft) | Brighton, Solitude | 29 (1997 to 2025) | 29 in. | 19 of 29 | 10 in. (2025) | 59 in. |
| Berthoud Summit SNOTEL (11,300 ft) | On the drive to Winter Park | 24 (2002 to 2025) | 30 in. | 21 of 24 | 15 in. (2025) | 44 in. |
| Vail Mountain SNOTEL (10,290 ft) | Vail | 20 (2006 to 2025) | 28.5 in. | 14 of 20 | 10 in. (2017) | 46 in. |
| Copper Mountain SNOTEL (10,500 ft) | Copper Mountain | 21 (2005 to 2025) | 27 in. | 12 of 21 | 11 in. (2025) | 41 in. |
| Hoosier Pass SNOTEL (11,600 ft) | South of Breckenridge | 21 (2005 to 2025) | 26 in. | 14 of 21 | 10 in. (2025) | 38 in. |
| Mount Mansfield, VT, NOAA co-op (3,950 ft) | Stowe | 27 (1996 to 2025, no Dec 25 reading in 2020, 2021, 2024) | 30 in. | 18 of 27 | 0 in. (2015) | 63 in. (2025) |
Snow depth at a measuring station is not the same as open terrain. Stations sit at one elevation, often in a sheltered clearing, and resorts add machine-made snow. We did not find a long, complete Christmas Day snow-depth record next to the Pocono resorts, so they are not in the table.
What the table says
- Every Utah and Colorado station in the table had snow on the ground on every Christmas Day in its record. The thinnest reading was 10 inches.
- Snowbird's station has the deepest typical Christmas base, a median of 42.5 inches, and reached 24 inches in 22 of 24 years. If deep snow is the priority and your kids already ski, the Cottonwoods have the best history here. Alta and Brighton have no childcare, so that choice works best for families who don't need it.
- Mount Mansfield's median, 30 inches, matches Park City's Thaynes Canyon, but the range is much wider: zero on Christmas 2015, 11 inches in 2006 and 2011, and 63 inches on Christmas 2025.
- Recent years are a reminder that history is not a forecast. Dec 25, 2025 was the thinnest Christmas on record at Brighton, Copper, Hoosier Pass and Berthoud Summit, and 2024 and 2025 tied for the thinnest at Snowbird and Thaynes Canyon. On that same day in 2025, Mount Mansfield had its deepest Christmas reading in our data.
What is usually open by Christmas
Most resorts we cover in Utah and Colorado have opened or target opening by mid-December. Deer Valley targets Dec 5 and Powder Mountain Dec 11. Brighton had not announced a date when we last checked. For current dates, see Wasatch opening day 2026-27 and early season in Colorado vs Utah. What matters more for families is whether the learning area, ski school and childcare are running. Opening dates and the Thanksgiving guide track this through November; by Christmas, check each resort's terrain report the week before you fly, because how much terrain is open depends on the season's snow.
Childcare is the trip-breaker for little kids. On our resort pages, Alta, Brighton, Snowbasin, Copper Mountain, Steamboat, Powder Mountain, Camelback and Blue Mountain list no visitor childcare. Deer Valley, Park City, Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, Winter Park, Okemo, Stowe and Smugglers' Notch list childcare with age limits that differ by resort. Those resort-page details were last checked on the dates shown on each page, so confirm holiday-week availability with the resort.
When to book ski school and childcare
Several resorts say plainly that holidays fill up. Quotes below are from their own pages, checked Nov 12, 2026.
- Deer Valley: "Advance reservations are essential for all Deer Valley services throughout the ski season, especially during the December holiday period." Its Children's Center charges a Holiday Season rate, $230 a day for ages 12 months to 12 years and $235 for infants. See Deer Valley.
- Keystone: "Book Lessons Early: Classes fill up fast, especially on weekends and holidays." See Keystone.
- Winter Park: "It is highly recommended and sometimes required that lessons be purchased online 24 - 48 hours in advance." The resort adds that spots are limited and fill up quickly, and that booking at least 72 hours ahead gets the best value. See Winter Park.
- Snowbird: "Book online in advance or visit the Mountain Center to reserve your lesson or guided experience." See Snowbird.
- Camelback, for a Pocono day: lesson prices vary on weekends and holiday periods, and Camelback asks families who need rental gear to check in at least 90 minutes before a family and friends or private lesson on weekends and prime (holiday) periods. See Camelback.
Our rule of thumb: once flights and lodging are booked, book ski school and childcare the same day. It costs nothing to check a resort's cancellation policy first.
Your pass may not work that week
| Pass | Holiday-week restriction (2026-27) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Epic Pass | No peak restrictions at Epic's unlimited resorts | epicpass.com |
| Epic Local | Restricted Dec 26-31, 2026 at Vail, Beaver Creek, Whistler Blackcomb, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Stowe and Verbier | epicpass.com |
| Full Ikon Pass | No blackout dates | ikonpass.com |
| Ikon Base | Blacked out Dec 26-30, 2026 | Ikon Help Center |
| Indy Base | Some partners black out Dec 19, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. Indy+ has no blackouts | Indy 26/27 blackout list |
| Snow Pass | Many partners post holiday blackouts; check each mountain's restrictions | mysnowpass.com/faq |
Our full comparison is Indy Pass and Snow Pass vs Epic and Ikon for families, and the classic map is Epic vs Ikon for families.
Picking a mountain for your family
- Toddlers or a child who needs daycare: start with a resort that lists childcare (see above), then pick by snow history and flights. Deer Valley, Park City and Keystone all list childcare on our pages.
- Kids who already ski and want the deepest snow odds: the Cottonwoods (Snowbird, Alta, Brighton, Solitude) have the strongest Christmas history in our table. Plan around no childcare at Alta and Brighton.
- Driving from Pennsylvania: Vermont (Okemo, Stowe, Smugglers' Notch) is the drive-to holiday week, with a Christmas history that varies more than the West's. The Poconos (Camelback, Blue Mountain) work for a day or two near home; check open trails before you go.
- Watching the budget: holiday week is the priciest stretch of the season at most resorts. Our family ski weekend cost guide and trip cost calculator show how to price it before you commit.
Keep planning
How we made this page
Snow depths come straight from NRCS and NOAA station records, pulled Nov 12, 2026 for every Dec 25 reading each station has through 2025. Dates, rates and booking quotes come from the resorts' and pass companies' own pages on the same day. No resort paid for or reviewed this page.
Quick answers
Where is snow most reliable for a Christmas ski trip with kids?
Of the stations we checked, Snowbird's in Little Cottonwood Canyon has the deepest typical Christmas Day snow depth, a median of 42.5 inches since 2002. Every Utah and Colorado station in our table had snow on the ground every Christmas on record. Past snow is not a forecast.
When is Christmas week for ski trips in 2026?
Indy Pass defines the Christmas/New Year period as Dec 19, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. Epic Local is restricted Dec 26-31 at Park City, Vail, Stowe and six other resorts, and Ikon Base is blacked out Dec 26-30. School breaks vary, so check your district's calendar.
How early should I book ski school for Christmas week?
As soon as your dates are firm. Deer Valley says advance reservations are essential, especially during the December holiday period, and Keystone says classes fill up fast on weekends and holidays.
Can I use an Ikon Base or Epic Local pass at Christmas?
Not on every day. Ikon Base is blacked out Dec 26-30, 2026. Epic Local is restricted Dec 26-31, 2026 at nine resorts including Park City, Vail and Stowe. The full Epic and full Ikon passes have no holiday blackouts.
Sources
- USDA NRCS SNOTEL daily snow depth, Snowbird (766), Thaynes Canyon (814), Brighton (366), Berthoud Summit (335), Vail Mountain (842), Copper Mountain (415), Hoosier Pass (531), pulled Nov 12, 2026: https://wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov/reportGenerator/
- NOAA NCEI daily summaries, Mount Mansfield, VT (USC00435416), pulled Nov 12, 2026: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/cdo-web/datasets/GHCND/stations/GHCND:USC00435416/detail
- Indy Pass 26/27 blackout list: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTUXA5uhe2QwuQvCTpaSpIQmNNWIAp4gADGo5DIUeDwMOfgg9a8nEMU2K_4J9_24E2dGaLgbBnplpqg/pubhtml?gid=1360740952&single=true
- Epic restricted peak dates: https://www.epicpass.com/info/peak-restricted-dates.aspx
- Ikon Base blackout dates (Ikon Help Center): https://www.ikonpass.com/en/help/blackout-dates/what-are-the-ikon-base-pass-blackout-dates
- Deer Valley Children's Center: https://www.deervalley.com/things-to-do/activities/childrens-center
- Deer Valley Ski School (Teen Escape dates): https://www.deervalley.com/plan-your-trip/ski-school
- Keystone beginner skiing guide: https://www.keystoneresort.com/travel-guide/keystone-beginner-skiing.aspx
- Winter Park lessons: https://www.winterparkresort.com/lessons
- Snowbird lessons: https://www.snowbird.com/lessons/
- Camelback children's lessons: https://www.camelbackresort.com/ski-ride-academy/children-lessons
- School District of Philadelphia 2026-27 calendar: https://www.philasd.org/calendar/
- Snow Pass FAQ: https://mysnowpass.com/faq/
Last updated: 2026-11-12