Comparison
Mammoth Mountain vs Palisades Tahoe: which has more reliable snow?
Mammoth Mountain or Palisades Tahoe? Natural snow month by month, at the village, mid-mountain and summit, from thirty winters of weather data.
The season at a glance
Each cell is one month: the share of days with 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow at mid-mountain over the last 30 winters, from brown (often thin) to deep blue (snow-sure). Blank means almost none.
The short answer
Both have been snow-sure at mid-mountain in 4 months of the year, but Mammoth Mountain has had the edge more often. Month by month, Mammoth Mountain has the edge in May, and Palisades Tahoe in December.
Month by month
November: Mammoth Mountain 3 of 30, Palisades Tahoe 2 of 30 snow-sure winters (27% and 31% of days).
December: Mammoth Mountain 17 of 30, Palisades Tahoe 20 of 30 snow-sure winters (77% and 85% of days).
January: Mammoth Mountain 28 of 30, Palisades Tahoe 28 of 30 snow-sure winters (96% and 96% of days).
February: Mammoth Mountain 30 of 30, Palisades Tahoe 30 of 30 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
March: Mammoth Mountain 30 of 30, Palisades Tahoe 29 of 30 snow-sure winters (100% and 99% of days).
April: Mammoth Mountain 29 of 30, Palisades Tahoe 28 of 30 snow-sure winters (99% and 95% of days).
May: Mammoth Mountain 13 of 30, Palisades Tahoe 8 of 30 snow-sure winters (67% and 53% of days).
A snow-sure winter is one where mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on at least 90% of that month’s days.
Height and terrain
Mammoth Mountain and Palisades Tahoe are 203 km apart as the crow flies. Mammoth Mountain first, then Palisades Tahoe: Village 2,424 m against 1,890 m; Mid-mountain 2,896 m against 2,320 m; Summit 3,369 m against 2,750 m. Mapped downhill runs: Mammoth Mountain 86 km, Palisades Tahoe 68 km (OpenStreetMap).
In February, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 83% of days at Mammoth Mountain and 51% at Palisades Tahoe.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Mammoth Mountain or Palisades Tahoe?
Both have been snow-sure at mid-mountain in 4 months of the year, but Mammoth Mountain has had the edge more often. Month by month, Mammoth Mountain has the edge in May, and Palisades Tahoe in December.
Which has better snow down to the village, Mammoth Mountain or Palisades Tahoe?
In February, Mammoth Mountain: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 83% of days, against 51%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.