Skip to main content
Discovery Ski Area ski resort
Indy PassBuy pass
Tier E — Deep timing play — aim late winter

📷 Discovery Ski Area

North America

Discovery Ski Area

Closed for the season

Season ended April 5, 2026

Conditions data updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:02 AM UTC · informational only

Closed for the season — closed April 5

Weather data is still collected for informational purposes.

Last Snowfall

--

Past 24 Hours

0cm

Past 48 Hours

0cm

Past 10 Days

0cm

14-Day Forecast

0.1cm

Snow Depth

--

🎿

Powder Days

13

2026–27 season

Updated: Aug 28, 9:02 AM•Weather at base: 1981m

Overview

Discovery Ski Area is a ski resort in North America, United States, currently closed for the season (Season ended April 5, 2026). Conditions last updated 2026-08-28 09:02 UTC.

Resort Guide

Discovery Ski Area is located near Philipsburg, Montana, offering over 2,200 acres of skiable terrain across four distinct mountain faces. The resort features a mix of beginner, intermediate, and expert runs, including challenging steeps and groomed cruisers, with a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere. Key amenities include a full-service lodge, equipment rentals, ski school, and a terrain park, making it suitable for a wide range of visitors. Discovery stands out for its uncrowded slopes, diverse terrain, and scenic views of the Pintler Mountains.

Resort Info

Summit2499m
Base1981m
Vertical518m
Lifts7
Runs74
Skiable Area2200 acres
Average snowfall215 inches / 546 cm
CountryUnited States
Visit Resort Website →Follow on Instagram →View Trail Map →

Season dates

Season endedApril 5, 2026
Projected openingDecember 7, 2026

Future dates are operator estimates and may change.

Ski passes

Indy Pass

Buy pass →

Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.

Top Après Ski

Unable to determine top apres ski place for this resort.

Snow Summary

2499mECMWF Model

Updated Aug 28, 2026 at 9:02 AM

0cm
24h
0cm
Past 10d
14-Day Forecast
0
Prev10d
—
Now28
—
S29
—
S30
—
M31
—
T1
—
W2
—
T3
Past
Today
Forecast

Snowfall Forecast Maps

Pacific Northwest & BC region

Current Conditions

Reported Fri, Aug 28, 09:02 AM UTC

Depth by source

every reading we have
  • SNOTELSummit 0cm

The headline depth uses the most trusted available source. We show every reading so you can judge for yourself.

Base

1981m

Temp

13°C

Wind

1.3km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

0.2cm

Mid-Mountain

2240m

Temp

--°C

Wind

1km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

0.1cm

Summit

2499m

Temp

9.6°C

Wind

1.3km/h

Snow Depth

--

14-Day Forecast

0.2cm

El Niño Outlook · Winter 2026-27

Discovery Ski Area El Niño rank & forecast

Discovery Ski Area ranks #379 of 488 SnowSure resorts — Tier E, −12% in strong El Niño winters.

Tier E — Deep timing play — aim late winter: Strong El Niño winters ran clearly below this resort’s own baseline (≤ −8%). Still skiable — schedule late season; one storm cycle can beat the climatology.

#379 of 488Tier E — Deep timing play — aim late winter

Strong-event signal: −12% vs this resort's 30-yr avg

In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Discovery Ski Area averaged -12% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. Historically this is a timing play rather than a reason to stay home: aim for late winter (February–March) in winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 -19%, '15-16 -14%, '23-24 -1%. A pattern, not a promise.

'97-98 −19%'15-16 −14%'23-24 −2%

Signal = average snowfall in the three strongest El Niño winters since 1996 ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24) vs this resort's own 30-year ERA5 baseline. n=3 — a lean, not a law. Updated monthly against measured snowfall Dec–Mar.

Full El Niño report →

Live Conditions

Discovery Ski Area Webcams

All Webcams

Discovery Ski Area

Discovery Ski Area

2 webcams • Click to expand

Snow Stake Cams

All Snow Stake Cams

Discovery Ski Area

Discovery Ski Area

2 snow stake cams • Click to expand

Local Reports

0 reports
SnowSure™ Forecast Range

Daily Snowfall Forecast by Model

Black line = verified SnowSure™ blend (not a simple average). Weights update weekly from measured snowfall at SNOTEL stations and resort reports.

SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting

The black line is not a simple average. For Discovery Ski Area (rockies), we combine seven global weather models using weights learned from daily forecast verification — comparing each model's prediction to measured snowfall (SNOTEL, resort reports, ERA5).

  • 1.Horizon buckets: days 1–3, 4–7, and 8–14 each get separate weights — short-range skill differs from long-range.
  • 2.Regional calibration: weights come from verified error in this geography (Rockies, Alps, Japan, etc.), recalculated weekly.
  • 3.Ground truth only: we never grade a forecast against another model — only against measured snow.

Building verification history for this resort.

How we verify forecasts →

Hourly Forecast Detail

AM / PM / Night breakdown with wind and freezing level

NWP models refresh up to 4× daily · Last synced Aug 28, 9:02 AM

Hourly Forecast Detail
 
Today
19 / 9
Sat, Aug 29
13 / 55.3mm
Sun, Aug 30
11 / 21.6mm
Mon, Aug 31
17 / 3
Tue, Sep 1
20 / 42.1mm
Wed, Sep 2
14 / 53mm
PeriodAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Snow (cm)000000000000000000
Precip (mm)0000.23.71.40.101.500000.21.92.80.20
Temp (°C)1218111113831057167101986139
Wind (km/h)2154673918621134645168
Gusts (km/h)103814193614254720103121193530334738

14-Day Snow Forecast by Model

Summit elevation (2499m)

ECMWF
0.3cm
GFS
0cm
GEM
0cm
JMA
0cm
ICON
0cm
Météo-Fr
0cm
SnowSure™
0.1cm

10-Day Forecast

Today

28

☁️

19.1°

8.7°

17 km/h

Sat

29

🌧️

13.4°

4.7°

9 km/h

Sun

30

🌧️

11.3°

1.9°

18 km/h

Mon

31

☀️

17.2°

3°

13 km/h

Tue

1

🌧️

19.5°

4°

7 km/h

Wed

2

🌧️

14.4°

5.2°

17 km/h

Thu

3

☁️

18.4°

5.4°

8 km/h

Fri

4

🌧️

19.4°

5.1°

15 km/h

Sat

5

❄️

7.4°

1°

0.3cm

12 km/h

Sun

6

⛅

11°

-0.7°

7 km/h

Summit elevation (2499m) • ECMWF model

Avalanche

No bulletin for this mountain

Avalanche.org (US avalanche centers)

This resort lies outside every forecast zone published by its national warning service, so no bulletin covers it.

Read the official bulletin ↗

SnowSure relays the official avalanche bulletin and does not issue avalanche forecasts. Read the full bulletin at the issuer’s link and make your own terrain decisions. Not a substitute for avalanche education, equipment, or local knowledge.

Season vs Historic

Updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:02 AM UTC

0cm

Season Total

This Season to Date

—

vs 5-Year Avg

Off-season · 249cm full-season avg

—

vs 30-Year Avg

Off-season · 240cm full-season avg

249cm

5-Yr Avg by Now

The last completed season totaled ~331.2 cm. That's 33% above the 5-year average (249 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 38% above the 30-year average (240 cm).

Discovery Ski Area Snow History

Average annual snowfall is 294cm with an average of 136 snowfall days per season. The table below shows monthly averages across 30 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).

Average monthly snowfall history
MonthAvg SnowfallSnowfall DaysAvg Base DepthMax Base DepthBiggest Snowfall
November33.2cm16 days14cm26cm7.9cm
December41cm20 days36cm52cm8.1cm
January35cm18 days56cm67cm7.4cm
February40.2cm18 days71cm84cm8.1cm
March42.5cm20 days79cm94cm8.3cm
April40.7cm17 days78cm92cm8.8cm
May25.4cm11 days44cm72cm8.7cm

Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.

Season at a Glance

Next season(2026-27)

Opens Dec 7, 2026

Multi-season averages will appear once SnowSure has tracked more than one full season.

ENSO seasonal analog

History · not a forecast

In 10 past El Niño winters at Discovery Ski Area, ERA5 season snowfall median was 271 cm (107 in), about 9% below this resort’s long-term median. This is a historical analog from reanalysis — not a prediction of this winter’s storm track.

Prevailing ONI

El Niño

MJJ 2026 · ANOM +1.39°C

Analog season median

271 cm

10 El Niño winters · 9% below median

All-season median

299 cm

Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026-27)

PhaseSeasonsMedianp25–p75Recent analogs
El Niñocurrent10271 cm241 cm – 296 cm2023, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2014, 2009
La Niña12311 cm283 cm – 344 cm2022, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2011, 2010
ENSO-neutral8300 cm258 cm – 326 cm2025, 2024, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2003

Season snowfall from Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (~9 km). ENSO phase from NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index. Relative phase differences are more trustworthy than absolute cm totals. Source: NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index + Open-Meteo ERA5 via SnowSure season archive.

Best Months to Visit

February

Peak Season

January

Peak Season

March

Good

December

Good

Note: Based on typical ski season patterns for this region.

Back to All Destinations

Frequently asked questions about Discovery Ski Area

Where is Discovery Ski Area?
Discovery Ski Area is a ski resort in the United States.
How high is Discovery Ski Area?
Discovery Ski Area runs from a base elevation of 1,981 m (6,499 ft) to a summit of 2,499 m (8,199 ft), giving a vertical drop of 518 m (1,699 ft).
How big is Discovery Ski Area?
Discovery Ski Area has 2,200 acres (890 hectares) of skiable terrain, 74 marked runs and 7 lifts.
Which ski pass covers Discovery Ski Area?
Discovery Ski Area is on the Indy Pass. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
When is ski season at Discovery Ski Area?
Discovery Ski Area typically operates from December to April. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
How much snow does Discovery Ski Area get in a typical season?
Discovery Ski Area averages 215 inches / 546 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
How will El Niño affect Discovery Ski Area in winter 2026-27?
El Niño Signal Rank: #379 of 488 SnowSure resorts · Tier E · strong-event signal -12% vs its own 30-yr average. In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Discovery Ski Area averaged -12% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. Historically this is a timing play rather than a reason to stay home: aim for late winter (February–March) in winter 2026-27. Analog winters: '97-98 -19%, '15-16 -14%, '23-24 -1%. A pattern, not a promise.