Letting the mountain tell you where to start
Snow quality isn't random. Aspect, elevation, sun, and temperature decide it — and they change through the day.
The problem
Standing at the lift trying to guess where to go next usually comes down to a hunch or last year's memory. The run that was great an hour ago might already be tracked out or sun-affected by the time you get there.
Why it happens
Best Snow Today ranks every run for morning, midday, and afternoon by measuring each run's aspect, slope, and elevation band, computing the sun's position with a NOAA solar model, and applying Lambert's cosine law to estimate solar energy on the tilted surface — scaled by forecast cloud cover and elevation-adjusted temperature.
How to check it in First Chair
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Open Best Snow Today
Pick the daypart closest to right now.
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Scan the ranking
The model already accounts for aspect, elevation, and how much sun each run has had.
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Tap a recommended run
See it highlighted on the resort map before you commit to the lift.
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Recheck later in the day
The ranking shifts as the sun moves — the best run at 9:30 usually isn't the best run at 15:30.
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