The snow keeps piling up at Mt. Rose ski resort, which has received a staggering 8½ feet from this week’s storms.
Snow resumed Wednesday afternoon in the Lake Tahoe region and by Thursday morning Mt. Rose had accumulated another 2 feet of snow. The 102 total inches this week is by far the most snow among Tahoe ski resorts.
SEE TAHOE SNOW REPORT STORM TOTALS BELOW
Also receiving two feet from the latest snow day were Boreal Mountain and Soda Springs. Homewood Mountain got 18 inches, while both Northstar California and Tahoe Donner were reporting 17 inches.
Despite the abundance of snow, it’s been a frustrating week for Mt. Rose. It was closed Monday through Wednesday, before finally reopening Thursday, operating six lifts on a powder day for skiers and riders.
The Nevada resort is dependent on its only artery – State Route 431 – for skiers and riders to reach its parking lot. Mt. Rose has Tahoe’s highest base elevation (8,260 feet) and features 1,800 feet of vertical.
Only 25 minutes away from Reno and 15 minutes from Incline Village in North Lake Tahoe, the closing of the Mt. Rose highway Tuesday and Wednesday was agonizing. Monday’s closure was due to blizzard conditions.
VAIL RESORTS EXPANDING TERRAIN: All three Vail Resorts in Tahoe have naturally benefitted from big snow totals this week and it’s reflected in the available terrain.
All three resorts opened last week with minimal lifts operating.
Kirkwood has been the recipient of the most snow, getting 17 more inches overnight, increasing its storm total to 78 inches. Kirkwood has opened 5 lifts that access 35 trails.
Northstar is reporting 68 inches this week and now has 6 lifts running and 35 available trails.
Heavenly got 10 more inches overnight and has 7 lifts and 35 runs going for skiing and riding.
Sugar Bowl opened Wednesday and announced one day later it would be adding the popular Mt. Disney Express and White Pine and the Flume Carpet to its available terrain Friday. Once Disney opens, Sugar Bowl will begin working on expanding to Mt. Judah.
Available lifts the past two days were Jerome Hill Express, Christmas Tree Express, Mt. Lincoln, Express and Nob Hill.
WEATHER FORECAST: Following the stormy weather that lasted much of this week, the Tahoe region will definitely saw a shift in the weather Thursday afternoon with the sun breaking through.
According to OpenSnow forecaster Bryan Allegretto, Friday through Sunday should be mostly sunny skies and slightly warmer temperatures in the Tahoe region.
Allegretto expects the highs to be in the 30s and maybe near 40 degrees at lake level by Saturday. Winds may increase Sunday and get severe, with ridgetop gusts to 70-plus mph by afternoon, possibly shutting down a few upper mountain lifts.
The next storm could arrive sometime Monday and it may snow at least a portion of every day right into Christmas Day.
TAHOE SNOW REPORT (storm total, Dec. 16)
- Mt. Rose: 102 inches
- Boreal: 78 inches
- Kirkwood: 78 inches
- Soda Springs: 78 inches
- Sierra-at-Tahoe*: 77
- Palisades: 75 inches
- Northstar: 68 inches
- Homewood: 66 inches
- Sugar Bowl: 66 inches
- Tahoe Donner*: 62 inches
- Heavenly: 56 inches
- Diamond Peak: 52 inches
*Indicates resorts not open
