While much of the country’s ski resorts have closed for the season, four Lake Tahoe ski resorts remain open.
Heavenly Mountain, Sugar Bowl, Mt. Rose and Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows are the Lake Tahoe ski resorts that are still running lifts for skiers and snowboarders. This comes after five Tahoe ski resorts – Soda Springs, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Diamond Peak, Northstar California, Boreal Mountain – shut down for the season Sunday.
It’s been quite the ski season for Lake Tahoe ski resorts. 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. Five Lake Tahoe ski resorts (Sugar Bowl, Northstar, Mt. Rose, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Boreal Mountain) have received 700 or more inches for the 2016-17 season.
Thanks to its enormous snow totals, Sugar Bowl recently announced that it would be extending its season until May 7. Sugar Bowl will run its lifts Friday through Monday on April 28-30 and May 5-7.
The only U.S. ski resort with more snow than Sugar Bowl (782 inches) is Mt. Baker in Washington state, which had 808 inches. However, unlike Sugar Bowl, Mt. Baker recently closed.
“This season has been tremendous from start to finish. The storms kept skiers and riders energized all year which translated into steady visitation throughout, including in the spring when interest in skiing and riding tends to wane,” Sugar Bowl spokesperson Jon Slaughter said.
Mt. Rose remains open for another five weeks, closing for good on Memorial Day (May 29). Located on Mount Rose Highway in Nevada, Mt. Rose announced last week that it will be starting a reduced schedule. The resort will be open Thursday through Sunday and close the other three days until Memorial Day.
The 761 inches this season shatters the old Mt. Rose mark of 600 inches in 1994-95. The ski resort has recorded 500 or more inches five times in its history.
“It’s been a record season in a big way. We should easily make 800 inches by the time we close,” said Mt. Rose spokesperson Mike Pierce said. “This season just won’t quit, and we can’t say we’re not happy about it. The conditions have been phenomenal.”
Following more snow last week, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows now has 705 inches of snow. The season was already going to be an extremely long one for Squaw Valley. While Alpine Meadows stops running lifts every day of the week after April 30, and goes to weekends only through May 14, Squaw is committed to offering skiing and riding through May, possibly moving to weekends only in June, and finally shutting down Fourth of July.
HEAVENLY MOUNTAIN: Located in South Lake Tahoe, Heavenly has reached 654 inches for the 2016-17 season. Heavenly reached 600 inches of snow by March, which is an astonishing fact, considering the resort averages 360 inches per season.
Heavenly will be the final Vail Resort in Lake Tahoe to close, shutting down its lifts Sunday (April 30). Both Kirkwood Mountain and Northstar already closed for the 2016-17 season.
“We have enjoyed amazing snow totals this season. The snow really started coming in December and it just never stopped.” Heavenly spokesperson Anna Jacobson said.
Closing dates for Lake Tahoe resorts.
- Homewood: April 16
Like all Lake Tahoe ski resorts, Squaw Valley had lifts that were buried in snow this winter following big snow storms. - Kirkwood Mountain: April 16
- Tahoe Donner: April 16
- Donner Ski Ranch: April 17
- Granlibakken: April 17
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: April 23
- Diamond Peak: April 23
- Northstar: April 23
- Boreal Mountain: April 23
- Soda Springs: April 23
- Heavenly Mountain: April 30
- Sugar Bowl: May 7
- Mt. Rose: May 29
- Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows: July 4
