The official count today is 10 Lake Tahoe ski resorts are now open, providing skiing and snowboarding over Thanksgiving weekend. Sierra-at-Tahoe joined the party Saturday (Nov. 26), becoming the 10th resort to begin running its lifts.
Both Sugar Bowl and Kirkwood Mountain opened Friday for skiing and riding. Five Tahoe ski resorts opened Wednesday – Heavenly, Northstar California, Alpine Meadows, Squaw Valley and Soda Springs. Both Mt. Rose and Boreal Mountain were the first Tahoe-area resorts to start running their lifts Nov. 18.
Royal Gorge, located near Sugar Bowl, also opened Friday and is offering 40 km of groomed cross-country trails from Summit and Village Stations with full services from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit www.royalgorge.com for complete opening day information.
The weather is growing stormy today in the Lake Tahoe region. According to Bryan Allegretto of Snow Forecaster, “the winds are gusty this morning and dark clouds are pushing in from the West. The snow should start around 4 p.m. today, possibly a little sooner near the crest. The heaviest snowfall is expected overnight which is good news with the cold air and higher snow ratios.”
Snow is expected to continue Sunday and into Monday morning. The snow totals could range to around 10 inches to nearly 2 feet.
Located along Highway 50 heading into South Lake Tahoe, family-friendly Sierra-at-Tahoe announced earlier this week that it will open for the 2016/17 with early-season conditions and limited terrain, accessed by two chairlifts and two surface lifts. Sierra will be operating Easy Rider Express and Rock Garden with access to Broadway and Echo beginner trails. There will also be a terrain park with small to medium features, allowing guests to get their park legs back underneath them.
“We’re excited to flip the switch and open the mountain,” said General Manager, John Rice. “Forecasts show possible snow showers throughout the weekend and into next week, potentially allowing us to open more trails, conditions pending.”
Tentative Lake Tahoe Opening Dates
- Rose: open Nov. 18
- Boreal Mountain: open Nov. 18
- Northstar: open Nov. 23
- Heavenly: open Nov. 23
- Squaw Valley: open Nov. 23
- Alpine Meadows: open Nov. 23
- Soda Springs: open Nov. 23
- Sugar Bowl: open Nov. 25
- Kirkwood: open Nov. 25
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: open Nov. 26
- Homewood: Dec. 9
- Tahoe Donner: Dec. 9
- Donner Ski Ranch: Dec. 9
- Diamond Peak: Dec. 15
- Granlibakken: Dec. 16
