Tahoe Ski World

skiing in Lake Tahoe

Kirkwood, Sugar Bowl benefit most from Tahoe snow storm

By

After three days of snow, Lake Tahoe ski resorts were treated to a day of sun and mild temperatures Sunday.

Kirkwood Mountain near Lake Tahoe received 34 inches of snow in the past three days.

The storm began Thursday evening and concluded Saturday afternoon, dropping nearly three feet of snow at some Lake Tahoe ski resorts. The snow arrived after nearly a 10-day period of spring conditions in the Tahoe region.

Benefitting most from the recent storm were Kirkwood Mountain and Sugar Bowl. Located off Highway 88, Kirkwood received 4 more inches on Saturday for a three-day total of 34 inches. Sugar Bowl, located off Interstate 80 at the Norden exit, had only 1 inch Saturday and its storm total was 33 inches.

Other significant snow totals included Northstar California (29), Mt. Rose (29), Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows (28), Soda Springs (27), Boreal Mountain (27), Homewood Mountain (26), Sierra-at-Tahoe (25), Tahoe Donner (25), and Heavenly Mountain (21).

Temperatures were expected to reach the low-to-mid 40s today and will climb a little bit higher through Wednesday. According to Snow Forecaster Bryan Allegretto, the next chance of snow is Wednesday evening. Snow should arrive that night and continue for around a 24-hour period. The snow totals may range from 4 inches at around 6,000 to 18 inches above 8,000 feet.

It’s been quite the season for snow totals. 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.

Sugar Bowl ski resort added to its sizable snow totals this season with 33 inches over the past three days.

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