Powder Compass

Atlas · Alberta · AB

Marmot Basin

8,570′ summit · 3,000′ vert · 1,720 acres · avg 160″/yr

Long shot — Nov 1–15

Delivered 24″+ in 2 of the last 10 seasons

Over 20 winters: 4 of 20 · typical 17", most land 15"–22"

Before you book

This bet missed 8 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.

Marmot Basin · 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 10 20 30" NovDecJanFebMarApr
Window Bet Delivered Verdict Typical Biggest Leanest
Nov 1–15 24″+ 2 of 10 Long shot 17" 31" 2015 9" 2017
Nov 16–30 24″+ 2 of 10 · 2 busts Long shot 15" 39" 2009 2" 2023
Dec 1–15 24″+ 2 of 10 · 3 busts Long shot 12" 31" 2025 4" 2017
Dec 16–31 30″+ 1 of 10 · 2 busts Long shot 11" 32" 2025 2" 2010
Jan 1–15 24″+ 1 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 14" 29" 2014 3" 2025 · 2 of 20
Jan 16–31 30″+ 0 of 10 · 6 busts Long shot 8" 20" 2012 2" 2010
Feb 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 · 1 bust Long shot 10" 29" 2015 2" 2010
Feb 16–28/29 24″+ 0 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 8" 20" 2024 3" 2019 · 2 of 20
Mar 1–15 24″+ 1 of 10 · 5 busts Long shot 11" 34" 2025 6" 2024
Mar 16–31 30″+ 1 of 10 · 2 busts Long shot 13" 34" 2007 4" 2023
Apr 1–15 24″+ 0 of 10 Long shot 11" 24" 2013 7" 2016
Apr 16–30 24″+ 1 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 12" 26" 2017 4" 2016

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

Jasper's quiet giant — real vertical, empty alpine bowls, and a long high-speed quad accessing terrain that would draw crowds anywhere less remote. The solitude is the luxury.

The remoteness is total: hours from Edmonton, further from Calgary via the spectacular Icefields Parkway. Jasper town is low-key charming. It only fits an ambitious Alberta road trip — but it rewards one.

Watch this window

We'll email you when Marmot Basin's odds move on the Nov 1–15 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.