More snow is falling today in Lake Tahoe, where the ski season is off to a great start. Seven of Lake Tahoe’s 15 ski resorts are now open, providing early-season runs for skiers and snowboarders.
Four more Lake Tahoe ski resorts opened Saturday (Nov. 14) – Northstar California, Heavenly, Kirkwood and Squaw Valley. Alpine Meadows began running its lifts Thursday, more than a month ahead of the originally scheduled opening date of Dec. 11.
The weather forecast has snow levels dropping to about 3,500 feet today and Monday. The accumulations could produce up to 8 inches at pass level, and up to a foot of new snow at the higher peaks.
Recent snowfall and repeatedly cold overnight temperatures allowed Mt. Rose to open more terrain. On Friday it opened the Lakeview chairlift, offering access to beginner and intermediate terrain, including Kit Carson Traverse, Around the World, Switchback, Galena, Easy Street and Ponderosa.
Mt. Rose has 11 open trails, three open lifts, and seven terrain park features set up on the Show-off trail, with snow base depths ranging from 22 to 32 inches.
“Having the highest base area elevation in Tahoe has definitely been beneficial over the past week for those who have been itching to get back on their skis or snowboards,” said Mike Pierce, marketing director at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. “We’ve not only been able to open more terrain thanks to the natural snowfall we’ve received, our snowmaking team has also been able to contribute to our snow pack, allowing us to continue to open more terrain.”
Mt. Rose in Nevada was the first Tahoe-area resort to open Nov. 4 and was quickly followed by Boreal Mountain, which is offering night skiing again this season. Thanks to a combination of early snow and improved snow-making capabilities, Boreal is open from top to bottom for the first time this early in the season since 2004.
Lake Tahoe ski resorts Opening Dates:
- Alpine Meadows Resort – Open
- Boreal Mountain Resort – Open
- Diamond Peak – December 10
- Donnor Ski Ranch – TBA
- Granlibakken – TBA
- Heavenly Mountain – Open
- Homewood – December 11
- Kirkwood Mountain – Open
- Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe – Open
- Northstar California – Open
- Squaw Valley – Open
- Sierra-at-Tahoe – TBA
- Soda Springs – TBA
- Sugar Bowl – November 26 (or earlier)
- Tahoe Donner – December 11
Heavenly is operating the Gondola, Tamarack Express, Dipper Express, Big Easy, as well as its Bear Cave Carpet. Upper California Trail and Orion’s are open, which, at over a mile long, will be the longest run available in the Tahoe basin. Tamarack Return and Easy Street are also open.
Northstar is open top-to-bottom with 10 freshly groomed trails, including West Ridge, Luggi’s, Skid, Pinball, Lumberjack, Lower Main Street and Village Run, along with seven lifts and 14 features in the Pinball terrain park.
Kirkwood has the Cornice Express, Solitude and Snowkirk lifts open. “We have everything from beginner to the expert terrain open,” Kirkwood spokesperson Kevin Cooper said. “We have the only expert terrain accessible in the Tahoe region.”
Although Sugar Bowl is officially waiting until Nov. 26, spokesperson John Monson says “the opening could be earlier. Sierra-at-Tahoe is also being cautious about opening prematurely.
“As of right now, even though we’ve received a bunch of snow, we’re going to be patient and make sure that we open with a quality product that is safe for our guests and employees,” said Sierra spokesperson Thea Hardy. “We are definitely looking forward to the upcoming storm this weekend.”
Jeffrey Weidel can be reached at skiweidel@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jeffweidel. Thanks for visiting his website at www.tahoeskiworld.com
