Why not call the BC visitors bureau at 970-754-4636? They tend to have all of those statistics on hand. I'd also try calling Ritz's concierge directly. I'd be happy to connect you to my contact at that Ritz if you're not finding the answers you need.

Have you visited Bachelor Gulch before? Fantastic property. We stay at the base of Arrowhead, which is just a cat run to the west of Bachelor Gulch.

Thanks, Jujubean. Yes, we have been there twice, actually, but not yet with the kids. I will try the visitors' bureau. I hadn't thought of that because I assume they are biased but if I am asking for something they have hard data on ...

Juju, until your post, I had not thought of searching with the word "statistics". Thank you! I found wealth of data.

Not a Vail local and it has been years since I have spent any time at Vail (and that was later in the season), but the page below reports base depth last few years (2007 -2013) ranging between between 18" and 25" Thanksgiving week. But that alone doesn't give a lot of information because it doesn't say where it was measured and different resorts report base differently.

I am very familiar with Steamboat, about 90 mike to the north, and I would expect that on average the conditions that time of year are fairly similar. Although Vail is larger 5200 acres vs 3600 acres), average snowfall is similar as is snowmaking coverage (375 acres SB compared to 380 acres for Vail. Steamboat usually opens the week of Thanksgiving and some years has great top to bottom skiing on opening day (even though many trails and areas aren't open yet) and other years opening day can be very sketchy with few trails and those are only from mid-mountain down. Rarely is opening day delayed, but it can happen. Sorry I can't give specifics for Vail, but maybe this helps.

That said, if it is 'use it or lose it' I'd take my chances and go. It could be an epic snow years, but even not, I feel sure you can find plenty of adventure off the slopes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vail Historical Snow Conditions

I'm not sure if statistics will give you comfort. The weather is always different from one year to another. Ski resources are priority for area revenue, so you do have this on your side. We haven't had the levels wanted for far too many years. Perhaps asking how much snow making is done to reach their optimal level for opening would give you the info needed. They definitely do not want to turn away skiers.

Actually, the stats on that site (same one I found) are amazing. It looks like over the period shown (06-'13), there has always been an adequate base for skiiing (we are intermediates), and typically several light snowfalls.

I could try to move another trip we have and go over the holidays, but ski resorts are total zoos then.