http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Top-Stories-Photos-Sugarbush-ski-resort-Warren2C-Vt/ss/705/im:/100129/1911/hjv1i1qmu6/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100129/ap_on_hi_te/us_snow_exaggeration_3

I'd say Sugarbush is probably one of the more accurate snow reports I've run across. The worst is our friend to the north with their Jay Cloud that apparently spits out more feet of snow then Revere Beach has 80's style haircuts and red Iroc-Z's.

There was one report over Christmas break this year, I think the day following New Year's or maybe even the weekend after where they reported 4 inches at the base, 6 mid and 12 at the summit. I'm not sure which summit of which mountain they were referring to because even 4 inches was a stretch, but that was probably the first in a long time where I thought the Bush might have used some slight embellishment. Usually I find they under report the amount.

This seems to be a debate every year. I don't know for sure about every resort, but i personally think it depends on where you ski on the mountain. Take today for example, they reported 8 in. If i were the average weekend/day warrior i would have found the report to be total BS as there was not 8in on any trail. I skied the woods all morning however, and there was easily 8 to mabye even 15 where the wind blew it around. You can't please everyone all the time but just because you don't see what they reported doesn't mean it isn't there .

The whole business of reporting exact snowfall figures in a mountain climate is difficult. Snowfall totals vary immensely due to elevation, direction of exposure, and wind, among other factors. I personally like MRG's approach, with a simple range and an explanation, as in today's report: "While it was difficult to ascertain an exact measurement it would appear as though we picked up 4"-6" of wind blown snow yesterday and into last night!" Anything more specific than that and you're marketing and advertising, not reporting. That said, I do feel Sugarbush is one of the more accurate-reporting resorts, though I can't say I read most other reports too regularly.

The biggest problem with this report is that they compare a Resort's report with the weather station nearby which may or may not be even close to the mountain. As you all know, there can be nothing in the Valley and something on the Mountain. We also report on our website base, middle mountain and summit snowfall and the difference along 2600 feet of vertical can be signficant. Unfortunately, the third party services like Snow Country will pick up only one number in their, so we will give them the summit snowfall.

I would assume from your post you consider yourself an above average weekend/day warrior, but I'm not entirely certain of the grading scale used here. Regardless just because you find a snow drift in a tree well deep within the woods that took 4 hours to skin to that a hurricane gale force wind blew in doesn't mean that you can report it as a summit total is my point. I think you have to report the snowfall where people will be skiing. That works in both ways. We stay in a place on the Rox Gap Road for the season where we've woken up and had a dusting on our cars, but when we got to the mountain it was puking snow. I never trust the weather station reports because it's not necessarily where I'm skiing and small variations in location can have huge differences. However I do expect that if they report 12 inches on top then when I get off the Summit chair, Heaven's Gate or Castle Rock and look around I should see something remotely close or evidence that there might have been. On the day of my example they did caveat the whole thing saying that it was hard to tell because of the winds, but I would guess on that day they did not err on the side of caution. To be honest I'm highly dubious of reporting wind blow. If it did not drop from the sky put blew into a pile from the wind moving older snow around then it shouldn't count. I know it must be tough sorting that out, but on that day, after Josh Fox angered so many that entire week with his 79 feet of snow is coming, I felt like it was a marketing move. I was in the woods, trails, slack country, you name it. 4 inches was still a generous reporting for any where on the mountain. A foot was right out.

As I've said this is a rarity for the Bush who in my mind more often then not will underestimate the totals. That day in particular, after a week of the storm is coming mentality and the huge disappointment associated with it, it just stuck in my mind.

I have always wondered this but do all resorts use the Summit snow fall totals as their yearly snowfall amounts? The one thing that drives me nuts is when you look at the yearly snowfall total for sugarbush it states 96" but i have been tracking that and its for the summit. I would be surprised if the base has received 40" this year. I could swear that out west they use the mid mountain measurements for their yearly totals. I totally understand why the Bush would do it if everyone else does though.