It’s a monumental understatement to say Tahoe ski resorts are off to a slow start for the 2025-26 season. As of Thursday (Dec. 18), there were only a combined 21 total trails in the Tahoe region open for skiing and snowboarding.
There are only six Tahoe ski resorts currently running lifts. And just like the trail total, the lift total for the region is also miniscule – 20. And many of those are surface (tow) lifts or ones that only access beginner terrain.
A seventh Tahoe ski resort – Diamond Peak – announced Thursday it would be opening Friday (Dec. 19). However, six Tahoe ski resorts have still not opened this season.
SEE OPEN RESORT DETAILS BELOW
The slow start to winter has resulted in Tahoe ski resorts delaying opening dates to an undetermined time or open with very little terrain. After offering limited terrain in early December, Sugar Bowl recently announced it is temporarily closed and will reopen as soon as conditions allow.
Arguably the most notable ski resort in Tahoe, Palisades Tahoe has just one of its 296 trails and only two of its 39 lifts currently open. A year ago, the resort was almost completely open for the super-busy Christmas holidays.
Palisades Tahoe hasn’t been able to make snow lately and Mother Nature has been extremely stingy in how much of the cherished white stuff it has delivered. Thus far, the Palisades Tahoe “Start Me Up” beginner area is the resort’s lone place to ski or ride. The famed tram is open, but only for sightseeing.
Who’s to blame? Mother Nature, of course.
“Whenever you have that humidity mixed with non-cold temperatures, then we can’t make snow,” said Palisades Tahoe spokesperson Patrick Lacey.
Another prominent Tahoe ski resort – Heavenly – has seven lifts open, yet the number of trails is only six, all on the California side of the mountain. It hasn’t been the early season Heavenly envisioned for the start of its 70th anniversary season.
Last year by Dec. 17, Northstar California had 20 lifts operating, including two gondolas, with access to 100 trails – 60% for intermediate skiers, 13% for beginners, and 27% for advanced skiers and riders. The longest available run measured 1.4 miles.
“It’s shaping up to be a Hallmark-worthy winter wonderland at Northstar California,” Northstar spokesperson Ashlee Lambert said a year ago. “With nearly 3 feet of new snow and some more on the way just in time for Christmas, conditions couldn’t be better for holiday fun.”
In terms of weather this year, November delivered minimal snow and it’s been an incredibly dry first half of December, although there is hope some storms will arrive in time for the Christmas holidays.
“We could see a pretty large system moving into the Tahoe area and hopefully we get some more lifts open during that time,” Lacey said. “But ultimately there’s been winters that have had a really slow start with a crazy amount of snow coming in January and February.”
STORM ON THE HORIZON? It’s possible a storm could arrive this weekend that brings snow to the Tahoe region. However, it might not be cold enough for the snow to stick at lower elevations.
With colder temperatures expected to arrive early next week, it could bring a snow storm on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But the possible snow days may also create travel problems and impact anxious skiers and riders trying to drive to Tahoe.
OPEN RESORT DETAILS
Heavenly
- 7 lifts
- 6 trails (California side only)
Mt. Rose
- 3 lifts
- 6 trails
Northstar California
- 4 lifts
- 4 trails
Boreal
- 2 lifts
- 3 trails
Kirkwood
- 3 lifts
- 1 trail
Palisades Tahoe
- 2 lifts
- 1 trail
