Lake Tahoe ski resorts have gained recognition world-wide for its enormous snow totals this winter. Meanwhile, Mammoth Mountain has quietly had an amazing season of snow as well.
Mammoth Mountain reported 20-26 inches of snow on Friday morning and Saturday morning added another 16 inches. Mammoth has received 578 inches of snow at its main lodge area for the 2016-17 season. It currently has a base of 336 inches at its summit and 181 inches at its main lodge. Mammoth may receive up to 5 feet of snow from the current storm, which is expected to conclude today.
Practically every Lake Tahoe ski resort has extended its ski season by a week or more, with Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows saying it will be open July 4th. Mammoth Mountain will also be running its lifts into the summer and has a tentative closing date of July 4th.
“It’s not all that uncommon for Mammoth to remain open through Fourth of July – we did just last year,” Mammoth Mountain spokesperson Tim LeRoy said. “The difference is how early that announcement was made this year (in January). Currently all lifts and runs are open, pending weather.”
Lake Tahoe has been getting pummeled with snow the past few days. In the past 24 hours, Sierra-at-Tahoe received 21 inches and both Heavenly Mountain and Kirkwood Mountain got 18 inches. Sugar Bowl has received 32 inches and Northstar California
25 inches in the past two days. Kirkwood is reporting 30 inches over the past two days. Bear Valley ski resort, located in the central Sierra, is reporting the most snow in the state over the past three days with a whopping 53 inches.
“It’s just been an epic season. We’re in awe of the of the snow conditions this year,” said Northstar spokesperson Marcie Bradley. “We’ve extended the season and people are still excited about being here in April.”
Snow continued throughout Lake Tahoe on Friday with colder temperatures. Snow showers are lingering into Saturday where the winds may gust to 65 mph
There should be a break in the weather Sunday through Wednesday, but spring-like temperatures will not return. Another storm is anticipated Wednesday night through Friday.
By mid-March, there were eight Lake Tahoe ski resorts that had received 600 or more inches this season. Historically, the average annual snowfall at upper elevations in the Lake Tahoe-Truckee region is 450 inches.
Heavenly reached 600 inches of snow by March. The South Lake Tahoe ski resort averages 360 inches per season. According to Heavenly Mountain spokesperson Anna Jacobson, this is the 16th time since 1879 that the summit at Heavenly has passed the 600-inch mark. The last time was 2011.
“It’s been a truly amazing season,” Jacobson said. “The snow really started coming in December and it just never stopped.”
Closing dates for Lake Tahoe resorts.
- Homewood: April 16
- Kirkwood Mountain: April 16
- Tahoe Donner: April 16
- Donner Ski Ranch: April 17
- Granlibakken: April 17
- Soda Springs: April 23
- Sugar Bowl: April 23
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: April 23
- Diamond Peak: April 23
- Northstar: April 23
- Boreal Mountain: April 23
- Heavenly Mountain: April 30
- Mt. Rose: May 29
- Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows: July 4
