In a typical year, multiple ski resorts are open for the Thanksgiving holidays in the Lake Tahoe region.
However, this year that is not the case. Only two Tahoe-area resorts – Heavenly, Mt. Rose – are open for skiing and snowboarding during Thanksgiving week.
SEE PROJECTED TAHOE SKI RESORT OPENINGS BELOW
A lack of snow is one reason most Tahoe ski resorts haven’t opened yet. A second reason for only two openings for the start of the 2025-26 ski season is the unseasonably warm November temperatures that have limited snowmaking capabilities.
Located in Nevada, Mt. Rose was the first ski resort to start running its lifts on Nov. 21. This was the fourth straight year Mt. Rose was the first Tahoe-area ski resort to open. The resort is located off the Mt. Rose Highway, approximately 10 miles from Incline Village in North Lake Tahoe and 25 miles from Reno.
Mammoth Mountain was the first California ski resort to open this season (Nov. 20) – one day prior to Mt. Rose.
Located in South Lake Tahoe, Heavenly was not far behind Mt. Rose, staging its opening day Nov. 24. It was a memorable day for another reason – it was Heavenly’s 70th ski season.
“While the resort has grown from its humble beginnings back in 1955 with one single chairlift, the same heart, soul, and energy of this ski community continue to thrive,” said Shaydar Edelmann, Vice President and General Manager at Heavenly. “Our team at Heavenly couldn’t wait to celebrate this milestone season with our ski community from near and far.”
Ski resorts across the country all hope to get the lifts running by Turkey Day. A closure over the Thanksgiving holidays means missing out on revenue from lift tickets, lessons, rentals, food, and other on-site sales during a time when there is great demand. It also typically means local hotel vacancies are down in the region.
A year ago, there were seven Tahoe ski resorts that were running lifts by Thanksgiving week.
“Thanksgiving is the first big week for Tahoe. That’s when a lot of ski resorts always plan their projected opening day,” said Boreal Mountain spokesperson Tucker Norred.
PALISADES TAHOE OPENER DELAYED: Originally, Palisades Tahoe had targeted Wednesday (Nov. 26) as its season opener. Currently, the iconic resort has no set opening date.
The impacts of Mother Nature have put the season on hold for Palisades Tahoe and many other area resorts like Sugar Bowl, Boreal, Northstar, Sierra-at-Tahoe, and several others
“With early-season snowfall remaining limited and only brief windows for snowmaking, we have not yet been able to build the safe, durable base required to open,” Palisades Tahoe spokesperson Patrick Lacey said.
PROJECTED TAHOE SKI RESORT OPENINGS
- Mt. Rose: open Nov. 21
- Heavenly: Nov. 24
- Palisades Tahoe: TBA
- Northstar California: TBA
- Boreal: TBA
- Sugar Bowl: TBA
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: TBA
- Granlibakken: TBA
- Soda Springs: TBA
- Diamond Peak: Dec. 4
- Kirkwood: Dec. 5
- Homewood: Dec. 12
- Tahoe Donner: Dec. 19
