How To Make The Most Out Of A Low-Snow Winter
There is no sugarcoating it; this low-snow winter is frustrating. Fewer storms, limited terrain openings, and the absence of snowy days can drain motivation quickly, especially for skiers who live for powder and high-alpine terrain. When conditions are thin, it becomes more about the art of the turn than the chase for soft snow. Seasons like this provide opportunities to work on technique, explore different terrain, expand the ski-day experience with other activities, and we need to pay special attention to our gear.
In high-snow years with soft conditions and open terrain, finding the perfect line of untouched powder or leaping off rocks and jumps and tackling steep terrain makes for an ideal ski day. Deep snow requires slightly different techniques than firm snow, however we all can become better powder skiers by practicing on the groomers. On firm snow, every turn provides immediate feedback; you can feel whether your weight is centered or drifting too far back and it’s clear when you get it right. You notice when edges engage cleanly and when the turn initiates and you feel the acceleration as the turn releases and the skis flex through the tails. Transitions become more deliberate, and mistakes are impossible to ignore.
This is where the ideas from Lito Tejada-Flores’ classic book The Art of the Turn feel especially relevant. His philosophy emphasized understanding how a turn begins, how it develops, and how it finishes. In firm, low-snow conditions, those phases are exposed on every run, regardless of the pitch. Instead of simply reacting to terrain, skiing becomes intentional as each turn demands balance, pressure control, and clean edge engagement. It is not flashy skiing, and it does not make for dramatic video footage, but it builds precision and discipline. Those skills translate directly to confidence and control when steeps, bumps, and technical terrain eventually open … hopefully soon.
Equipment becomes equally important in a season like this as well, particularly ski choice and tuning. No need to bring the big fat all-mountain and freeride skis out this year, stick with narrower waist-widths and smaller sidecut-radius options. You may have some older skis dubbed “rock skis” which are a good choice if you do adventure beyond the groomers, as variable conditions certainly exist. Tuning is incredibly important on a low-tide year, as man-made snow is significantly harder and more abrasive than natural snow due to its crystal structure. That abrasiveness dries out ski bases quickly and dulls edges faster than many skiers expect. Poorly tuned skis that might feel acceptable in soft snow can feel nervous, grabby, or ineffective on firm surfaces.
Sharp edges are critical for maintaining grip and predictability, especially on morning corduroy and refrozen sections. Warm temps in the afternoon under the sun combined with below-freezing temps overnight make for an aggressive melt / freeze cycle that causes the snow to become incredibly unpredictable under dull or burred edges. In addition to the edges, bases need fresh wax to reduce friction, protect the base, and improve glide on dense snow. In a high-snow winter, it is easy to overlook tuning and let the edges and wax go for a while; however, in a low-snow year, it becomes obvious after just a few days. When skis are properly tuned, the snow feels more manageable, and attention can shift away from fighting equipment and back toward improving technique.
Ski resorts are also adapting in meaningful ways this season. While they cannot manufacture storms, many resorts are leveraging innovative terrain management strategies to preserve snow where they can. Snowmaking, when temperatures allow, continues to build durable bases and maintain consistent surfaces on key runs. Grooming operations are often at their best in seasons like this, creating predictable, high-quality skiing on the limited terrain that is available.
Beyond snow surfaces, resorts are leaning into the broader guest experience. At places like Vail, event programming such as their on-mountain concert series and village activities add another dimension to the vacation experience. While, to some, no amount of entertainment replaces a storm cycle, these efforts help maintain energy and community during a challenging winter. They also reflect a larger shift toward adaptability, which is likely to define the future experience of resort skiing.
It is important to acknowledge that advanced skiers and riders are typically impacted the most in low-snow years. Steep terrain, glades, and expert zones typically require deeper coverage to open safely, and those areas remain closed. That reality can be discouraging for experienced skiers who are accustomed to pushing into more technical terrain. At the same time, beginner and intermediate terrain is often available and typically, very well maintained.
A low-snow year may not deliver the moments skiers dream about, but it can deliver progress. Focusing on technique, maintaining well-tuned equipment, and embracing what is available on the mountain can turn a frustrating season into a productive one. This might even be the year where something finally clicks, where improvements in form and efficiency show up later when advanced terrain and deeper snow return.
Low-snow winters may not be the most memorable, but they are often the ones that quietly make skiers better.
