Powder Compass

Atlas · Northern Rockies · ID

Brundage

7,640′ summit · 1,800′ vert · 1,920 acres · avg 320″/yr

Strong bet — Feb 16–28/29

Delivered 24″+ in 8 of the last 10 seasons

Over 20 winters: 12 of 20 · typical 32", most land 14"–40"

Before you book

This bet missed 2 of the last 10.

None of the last 10 came in under 8″ — a bust, under a third of the bet.

Odds count natural snowfall only. At snowmaking-dependent resorts, early-season cover can be fine in a low-natural-snow year.

The season, window by window

The bet: 12″ of new snow per week, scaled to each window. Counted from real seasons — how our odds work.

Brundage · the shape of a typical winter

Typical new snow, window by window

The middle season — median new snow per window, counted from the last 20 winters. A picture of timing, not a forecast. Snow is streaky; hover any window for the usual range.

0 20 40 60" NovDecJanFebMarApr
Window Bet Delivered Verdict Typical Biggest Leanest
Nov 1–15 24″+ 4 of 10 · 3 busts Coin flip 14" 48" 2017 0" 2019
Nov 16–30 24″+ 4 of 10 · 1 bust Coin flip 21" 47" 2014 6" 2023
Dec 1–15 24″+ 6 of 10 · 1 bust Solid odds 31" 67" 2015 1" 2011
Dec 16–31 30″+ 7 of 10 · 1 bust Solid odds 45" 63" 2021 4" 2023
Jan 1–15 24″+ 8 of 10 Strong bet 32" 77" 2020 3" 2012
Jan 16–31 30″+ 4 of 10 · 2 busts Coin flip 27" 74" 2012 1" 2026
Feb 1–15 24″+ 8 of 10 · 1 bust Strong bet 26" 87" 2019 5" 2013
Feb 16–28/29 24″+ 8 of 10 Strong bet 32" 69" 2019 5" 2015
Mar 1–15 24″+ 4 of 10 Coin flip 24" 58" 2017 1" 2015
Mar 16–31 30″+ 3 of 10 · 3 busts Long shot 25" 55" 2011 4" 2022
Apr 1–15 24″+ 5 of 10 · 3 busts Coin flip 16" 40" 2026 5" 2025
Apr 16–30 24″+ 2 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 11" 31" 2022 1" 2025

Biggest and leanest are the two ends of the same 20 winters Typical is counted from — the year is when it happened, most recent first where more than one season ties.

At the snow sensor

Reading the snow sensor…

Field notes

McCall's 'best snow in Idaho' boast holds up more often than not — a modest-vert, wide-open mountain whose glades and cat-skiing terrain ride far better than the stats. Friendly, cheap, deep.

A couple of hours north of Boise; McCall is a legit lake town. A pairing piece for an Idaho swing rather than a solo destination — and the cat operation is one of the best-value guided days in the West.

Watch this window

We'll email you when Brundage's odds move on the Feb 16–28/29 window — and the quote gets recorded as it stands today, so we can be graded on it later.

Planning a whole season? See the season outlook.

These are historical odds from the last 20 winters — not a forecast. Inside 16 days of a trip, a forecast is the better instrument; beyond that, counting real seasons is the honest play. Every number on this page is quoted under methodology v1.2.0, the same math we grade ourselves against in public.