Kicking Horse snow history

10 years of snow depth, snowfall and conditions at British Columbia, Canada · 3,855ft to 8,048ft

Over the last 10 seasons Kicking Horse, Canada has averaged 94in of snowfall, a peak snow depth of 57in, 0 powder days and 7 bluebird days a year, with skiable cover from around November 4 to May 28.

Snow history & climate

10-year averages for Kicking Horse

94 in
Snowfall / season
Nov-May total
57 in
Peak depth
typical season high
0
Powder days
6in+ in a day
7
Bluebird days
sun after snow
13
Rain days
0.04in+ of rain
200
Skiable days
12in+ cover

Month by month

Monthly averages

Average snowfall, snow depth, rain, sunshine and day counts by month at Kicking Horse, over the last 10 seasons.
MonthSnowfallAvg depthRainSun/dayTempPowderBluebirdRain days
Jan13 in42 in0in5.0 h19° / 5°0.00.70.1
Feb14 in47 in0in6.6 h19° / 3°0.01.50.0
Mar15 in50 in0.2in8.5 h30° / 11°0.01.20.9
Apr10 in47 in0.3in10.5 h37° / 18°0.00.32.3
May4 in25 in1.5in12.2 h50° / 29°0.00.28.6
Jun2 in2 in3in12.9 h57° / 36°0.00.014.9
Jul0 in0 in2.7in14.2 h66° / 44°0.00.012.2
Aug0 in0 in2.5in12.2 h66° / 44°0.00.010.0
Sep2 in0 in2in9.9 h55° / 36°0.00.011.5
Oct15 in5 in0.9in7.3 h38° / 21°0.11.34.9
Nov19 in19 in0.2in4.9 h26° / 11°0.31.20.9
Dec19 in34 in0.1in4.4 h17° / 4°0.11.50.3

Averages across the last 10 seasons. Powder, bluebird and rain columns are the average number of such days per month.

Season by season

SeasonSnowfallPeak depthPowder daysBluebird daysSkiable days
2025/26best126 in52 in012170
2024/2590 in48 in06202
2023/24101 in51 in06202
2022/23leanest62 in53 in02193
2021/22102 in74 in36201
2020/2197 in58 in012212
2019/2093 in63 in14205
2018/1976 in51 in06202
2017/1894 in65 in07203
2016/1796 in59 in05212
How these numbers are calculated
  • Powder day — at least 6in of new snow in 24 hours.
  • Bluebird day — sunshine for at least 60% of daylight, following at least 4in of snow over the previous 3 days.
  • Rain day — at least 0.04in of rain (not snow) at this elevation.
  • Skiable day — at least 12in of settled snow on the ground.
  • Snow depth is modelled from Open-Meteo / ERA5 reanalysis at 5,951ft, not measured at the resort. Use it to compare seasons and resorts; use the resort's own report for today's conditions.

How Kicking Horse compares

Measured against 40 other resorts across 18 countries, each analysed exactly the same way. The line down the middle of each bar is the median.

Snowfall per season
below average
94 in
Ahead of 38% of resortsMedian 111 in

Total new snow between November and May.

Peak snow depth
well above average
57 in
Ahead of 85% of resortsMedian 33 in

How deep the settled base gets at its yearly high.

Powder days
well below average
0
Lowest of every resort we compareMedian 2

Days with 6in or more of new snow.

Bluebird days
about average
7
Ahead of 40% of resortsMedian 10

Sun and fresh snow on the same day.

Rain days
well below average
13
Drier than 92% of resortsMedian 32

Days with 0.04in or more of rain, not snow.

Skiable days
among the very best we track
200
Ahead of 95% of resortsMedian 115

Days holding 12in or more of settled snow.

The season at Kicking Horse

Typical stretch holding 12in or more of settled snow, averaged over the record.

SepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAug
Cover arrives
November 4
Season ends
May 28
Days of cover
207 days

When to go

These rarely land in the same month, so it is worth deciding which one matters most before you book.

Deepest base
March
50in average depth
Most new snow
November
19in and 0.3 powder days
Best bluebird odds
December
1.5 bluebird days, 4.4h sun a day
Wettest month
May
8.6 rain days

Is Kicking Horse a good place to ski or board?

a deep, reliable basevery little raina long season

On 10 years of record, Kicking Horse stands out for a deep, reliable base, very little rain and a long season.

Figures are modelled at 5,951ft from reanalysis data and describe an average year, not a forecast.

Kicking Horse snow record in detail

How much snow does Kicking Horse get?

Kicking Horse averages 94in of snowfall over a full season, measured from November to May across the last 10 winters. That is below average: more snow than 38% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, where the median season brings 111in.

Season to season the spread is wide. The best of the last 10 winters was 2025/26 with 126in, and the leanest was 2022/23 with 62in — a difference of 64in between a good year and a poor one. The most recent complete season, 2025/26, delivered 126in.

November is reliably the snowiest month, averaging 19in and 12 days with fresh snow.

How deep does the snow get at Kicking Horse?

Snowfall totals flatter resorts that lose their snow quickly, so the more useful number is how deep the settled base actually gets. At Kicking Horse the snowpack peaks at an average of 57in each season. That is well above average, deeper than 85% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median peak of 33in.

The base is deepest in March, averaging 50in through the month and topping out around 55in in a typical year.

How many powder days does Kicking Horse get?

Counting any day that delivers at least 6in of new snow, Kicking Horse averages 0 powder days a season. That is well below average, more powder days than fewer than every other resort in the set, where the median is 2 a season.

November has the most, 0.3 on average.

How often does Kicking Horse get bluebird days?

Kicking Horse averages 7 bluebird days a season — days of sunshine for at least 60% of daylight after 4in or more of fresh snow. That is about average, more than 40% of 40 resorts we have analysed the same way, against a median of 10.

December is the best month for it, averaging 1.5 bluebird days and 4.4 hours of sunshine a day.

Does it rain at Kicking Horse?

At mid-mountain Kicking Horse sees an average of 13 days a season with 0.04in or more of rain rather than snow. That is well below average: 8% of the 40 other resorts we have analysed the same way see fewer wet days, against a median of 32.

May is the wettest month of the season, with 8.6 rain days and 1.5in on average.

When is the best time to ski or board Kicking Horse, and when does the season end?

Kicking Horse typically holds at least 12in of settled snow from around November 4 through to May 28, which works out at roughly 207 days of skiable cover in an average year. 200 of those fall inside the November to May season. On season length that is among the very best we track compared with the 40 other resorts we have analysed the same way.

For the deepest base, go in March; for the most new snow, November; for fresh snow with sunshine, December.

Comparisons use 40 resorts across 18 countries, each measured over 5 recent seasons at mid-mountain height. Glaciated locations, where the model never melts the snow out, are excluded. Figures for Kicking Horse are taken at 5,951ft. Corpus last rebuilt September 2, 2026.

Kicking Horse month by month

What to expect in each month of the season, from the same ten-year record. Figures are averages for mid-mountain; a good or poor winter can move them a long way.

Kicking Horse in November

Base building

November is when the base starts to build, averaging 19in and deepening towards its March peak. It is the snowiest month of the season, with 19in of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 0.3 powder days. Average highs are 26°F and lows 11°F, with 4.9 hours of sunshine a day and 1.2 bluebird days. Rain is rare: under two days in a typical November.

Kicking Horse in December

Base building

Through December the base keeps building, to an average of 34in. It is the second-snowiest month of the season, with 19in of new snow on average, 12 snow days and 0.1 powder days. Average highs are 17°F and lows 4°F, with 4.4 hours of sunshine a day and 1.5 bluebird days, the most of any month.

Kicking Horse in January

Base building

Through January the base keeps building, to an average of 43in. It brings 13in of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 19°F and lows 5°F, with 5 hours of sunshine a day.

Kicking Horse in February

Best all round

By February the base is close to its March peak, averaging 47in. It brings 14in of new snow in an average year, with 9 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 19°F and lows 3°F, with 6.6 hours of sunshine a day and 1.5 bluebird days. Taking cover, fresh snow, sunshine and rain together, it is the best all-round month at Kicking Horse.

Kicking Horse in March

Deepest base

March is when the base at Kicking Horse is at its deepest, averaging 50in through the month and peaking around 55in in a typical year. It is the third-snowiest month of the season, with 15in of new snow on average, 10 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 30°F and lows 11°F, with 8.5 hours of sunshine a day and 1.2 bluebird days.

Kicking Horse in April

Still deep

April still has a deep base, averaging 47in — only a little down on the March peak. It brings 10in of new snow in an average year, with 8 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 37°F and lows 18°F, with 10.5 hours of sunshine a day. Expect the odd wet day — 2.3 on average at mid-mountain.

Kicking Horse in May

Late season

In May the base averages 25in, past its March peak of 50in and thinning. It brings 4in of new snow in an average year, with 3 snow days and almost no powder days. Average highs are 50°F and lows 29°F, with 12.2 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is a real risk: 8.6 days with rain rather than snow at mid-mountain in an average May.

How Kicking Horse compares with nearby resorts

Of Kicking Horse and the 4 nearest resorts with a ten-year record, Kicking Horse ranks 3 of 5 for snowfall, with 94in a season. Lake Louise and Revelstoke get more; Banff Sunshine and Panorama get less.

Revelstoke has the most powder days (1 a season, against 0 here); Revelstoke builds the deepest base (81in against 57in); and Revelstoke gets the most bluebird days (15 a season).

Each resort is measured at its own mid-mountain height, so part of any difference is altitude: a resort modelled 1,640ft higher will usually hold more snow. The table shows the height each figure comes from.

Ten-year snow averages for Kicking Horse and the nearest resorts with a record
ResortDistanceMeasured atSnowfallPeak basePowder daysBluebird days
Kicking Horse—5,951ft94in57in07
Lake Louise39 mi7,028ft96in58in07
Revelstoke54 mi4,495ft152in81in115
Banff Sunshine58 mi8,136ft93in50in07
Panorama69 mi5,866ft84in46in15

Distances are straight-line. Season averages, November to May, over the last ten winters.

More on Kicking Horse

Ski resorts near Kicking Horse

Distances are straight-line, not by road.