Park City Mountain vs Vail
One clear look at snowfall, elevation, and access, so you know which to ski.
Park City Mountain
UT · 10,026 ft
Vail
CO · 11,570 ft
Side-by-Side
| Metric | Park City Mountain | Vail |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Utah UT | Colorado I-70 & Aspen CO |
| Summit elevation | 10,026 ft 6,900 ft base | 11,570 ft 8,120 ft base |
| NWS forecast bias | Pending grade pending | Pending grade pending |
| Season snowfall | 0" 1 storm | 3" 3 storms |
| Avg storm-day rate | 0.2"/day | 0.9"/day |
| Best storm | 7/100 Tracked | 45/100 Significant |
| SNOTEL record | 1 storm-days measured | 3 storm-days measured |
| Community reports | 27 TGR posts | 481 TGR posts |
| Nearest airport | SLC | EGE |
| Drive time | 0.58h 32 mi · SLC | 0.58h 35 mi · EGE |
| Access difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Pass | Epic | Epic |
Snowfall totals come from each resort's tracked storms. NWS forecast grades read “pending” everywhere: six winters of checking found no per-mountain bias we can honestly correct, so we show the raw NWS number and do not grade it.
The Verdict
StormDrop shows the raw NWS forecast for both Park City Mountain and Vail and does not grade it. Six winters of NWS-against-SNOTEL checking found no per-mountain bias we can honestly correct (it turns on an unresolved snow-measurement question), so we show the number NWS publishes and tell you that is what it is.
Vail got more snow this season: 3" versus 0" at Park City Mountain. Vail also averaged 0.9"/storm-day.
Park City Mountain is the easier trip — about 0.58h from SLC (Salt Lake City), versus 0.58h from EGE for Vail.
Best for
Park City Mountain — Epic pass holders weighing where to point a trip, with flight prices and drive timing side by side.
Best for
Vail — chasing the biggest totals — it out-snowed Park City Mountain this season.
Local Knowledge
TGR Community IntelPark City Mountain
SE flow storms favor Park City Mountain with significantly more snowfall than Cottonwoods (10+ inches more documented); historically receives more snow than Alta/LCC during SE flow events
Vail
Monitor competing areas - when Summit County (Breck/Keystone) closes due to weather, Vail becomes mega-crowded.
FAQ
Does Park City Mountain or Vail get more snow?
Vail got more snow this season: 3" versus 0" at Park City Mountain. Vail also averaged 0.9"/storm-day.
Is Park City Mountain or Vail easier to get to?
Park City Mountain is the easier trip — about 0.58h from SLC (Salt Lake City), versus 0.58h from EGE for Vail.
Which has the more accurate snow forecast, Park City Mountain or Vail?
StormDrop shows the raw NWS forecast for both Park City Mountain and Vail and does not grade it. Six winters of NWS-against-SNOTEL checking found no per-mountain bias we can honestly correct (it turns on an unresolved snow-measurement question), so we show the number NWS publishes and tell you that is what it is.
Don't book the wrong mountain
Trip planning · Storm alerts · Access timing · Local knowledge for 27 mountains.
Start 7-Day Free Trial - $500/yearNo card required to start · Cancel anytime