b_rendSmall hills on the east coast can not really be used as a comparison, those resorts are not fit to host what is literally the biggest competition for many aspects of skiing. You would think that there would be at least some snow in the middle of the winter, on a mountain that is going to be used for the winter olympics.
Yes, you would think so, but since this is the Olympics, there is no reason or sanity.
I didn't want to compare to small hills, I was comparing to places like Killington and Stowe. They're actually perfect examples, since they have been known to open in october, prior to any natural snowfall. In Norway, which is what I call home, many of the big resorts, including ones that have hosted the Olympics, do not see significant natural snowfall until mid-late december and rely solely on snowmaking up until then. And these are places that often open in early november.
Again, it is entirely possible to have the Olympics in a place without natural snowfall, whether or not it is a good idea is a whole other matter.