One Tahoe ski resort summed up this week’s blizzard-like weather and heavy snowfall very succinctly Thursday morning.
“This storm means (serious) business,” a message on the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski website said.
SEE TAHOE SNOW REPORT BELOW
Certainly the South Lake Tahoe-area resort has felt the full punch from Mother Nature this week. Sierra received another 18 inches of snow from Wednesday’s storm, bringing its three-day total at its summit to 79 inches. There’s more than 6½ feet of snow piling up as resort work crews scramble to try and keep up.
For a frustrating third straight day, Sierra-at-Tahoe was closed again Thursday. Not a single run has been taken by any skier or rider since Monday afternoon. Treacherous driving along the resort’s main artery – Highway 50 – hasn’t helped either. Highway 50 was closed Tuesday and so was the winding road leading into Sierra. Travel to Tahoe this week has been extremely challenging.
“Due to continual stormy conditions, including heavy snowfall, strong winds and low visibility, Sierra-at-Tahoe will be closed for skiing and riding (again) today,” a resort website post noted. “Our teams have been working around the clock to dig out the resort and perform avalanche mitigation. We hope to welcome guests back to the mountain Friday.”
After a five-week stretch of no snow and unseasonably warm spring-like temperatures, the weather turned dramatically this week in Lake Tahoe. Eight Tahoe ski resorts have received 71 inches or more of snow over the past three days. The worries about lack of snowfall have obviously ended.
According to the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab, the Tahoe region is now sitting at 98% of average snowfall for the season. And more snow is dropping Thursday and the forecast calls for snow multiple days next week.
“It’s still coming down (at Palisades Tahoe) and we could see up to another foot throughout the day,” said Patrick Lacey, a spokesperson for Palisades Tahoe. “If you’re planning to visit the resort in the coming days, we encourage our guests to prepare in advance – fill the gas tank, pick up groceries and other essentials (water) before heading into the Tahoe area.”
RESORT OPERATIONS: The Palisades Tahoe website said all lifts were closed Thursday, with the exception of First Venture and Ahsoka carpet. The Alpine side of the mountain had one lift operating (Roundhouse).
Boreal Mountain received 24 inches and was open for the first time since Monday with two lifts running. However, there was no Thursday night skiing at Boreal, which is closing at 4 pm.
Soda Springs also opened Thursday with one lift and its tubing area available following two straight days of closures.
Sugar Bowl received 74 inches the past three days and due to the conditions, it decided to close Thursday.
Mt. Rose had six of its seven lifts open, accessing 1,000 acres of terrain. The resort closed at 3 pm to help assure guests departed early for home.
Heavenly easily had the most to offer skiers and riders Thursday, after reporting 10 new inches of snow and a terrific powder day. The South Lake Tahoe resort had its tram running and also 19 lifts, accessing 104 trails.
AVALANCHE UPDATE: Sugar Bowl, a longtime resort near the site of the tragedy, revealed that “multiple” members of its academy had been lost in the avalanche that claimed the lives of nine people. Six of the 15-member group were rescued late Tuesday evening (Feb. 17).
The Sugar Bowl Academy is a boarding school that provides college preparatory courses for promising skiers and riders (age 5-23) and serves as a competitive ski training center. It has ski teams and offers schooling for children in grades 6 through 12.
“We are an incredibly close and connected community. This tragedy has affected every one of us,” Academy Executive Director Stephen McMahon said.
Eight people trapped in an avalanche slide near Castle Peak were found dead Wednesday morning. Six of the deceased were men and two were women. Authorities reported that one person, a man presumed dead, remains missing. The rescue effort has now moved from a search one to a recovery mission.
This was the deadliest avalanche in California history. Among the deceased were three guides working for the Blackbird Mountain Guides company.
The previous record was held by a 1992 avalanche at Alpine Meadows ski resort (now part of Palisades Tahoe) that crashed into the base of the resort while it was closed and killed seven people.
TAHOE SNOW REPORT (February 17-19)
- Palisades Tahoe: 29-44-21 – 94 inches
- Homewood: 21-44-25 – 90 inches
- Boreal: 30-26-24 – 80 inches
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: 26-35-18 – 79 inches
- Tahoe Donner: 27-32-17 – 76 inches
- Soda Springs: 26-25-25 – 76 inches
- Sugar Bowl: 27-26-21 – 74 inches
- Kirkwood: 21-38-12 – 71 inches
- Northstar: 15-40-13 – 68 inches
- Granlibakken: 20-34-14 – 68 inches
- Diamond Peak: 13-46-8 – 67 inches
- Mt. Rose: 20-30-14 – 64 inches
- Heavenly: 10-40-8 – 58 inches
