If you are one of those skiers or snowboarders who never wants the season to end, that wish will be partially filled after Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows announced it would extend the season until the Fourth of July.
The Lake Tahoe resort off Highway 89 has already surpassed its annual average snowfall of 450 inches by 115 inches – and there are several months left in the 2016-17 ski season
The amazing snow totals means Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows will be operating its lifts well into June. The Lake Tahoe ski resort says it plans to offer skiing and riding on the Fourth of July at one or both locations, weather and conditions permitting.
“This has been a record-breaking season at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows: more snow in January than any other month on record, more precipitation than any other year on record, and we are planning to be open on the Fourth of July for only the fourth time in 50 years,” said Squaw spokesperson Liesl Kenney. “It’s been a doozy, to say the least. I think everyone is looking for some sun-soaked spring skiing in the months to come. We’ll be hosting Tahoe’s longest season yet again, so I’d encourage spring skiing revelers to start dusting off their retro onesies.”
Vail Resorts announced earlier this week that its Tahoe properties – Heavenly Mountain, Kirkwood Mountain, Northstar California – will stay open until mid-to-late April.
Heavenly will keep running its lifts through April 23, as well as the weekend of April 28-30. Northstar will offer skiing and riding through April 23, while Kirkwood will remain open through April 16. All three resorts have season totals measuring more than 45 feet. Kirkwood has 564 inches, Northstar is right behind at 562 inches, while Heavenly has 545 inches.
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has a current base snowpack of 21 feet. The resort has received more than 7 feet of new snow since last Feb. 17, bringing the season total to 565 inches or 47 feet, well above the season average of 450 inches.
After topping its 45-year historic record for snowfall in a single month with 282 inches in January, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has received nearly 180 inches in February with three days remaining. As of Wednesday, the resort had amassed 126 percent of its average annual snowfall, 63 percent of which fell in January.
“Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has already surpassed its annual average snowfall of 450 inches by 115 inches, with months left to go in the season,” resort officials said.
The last time Squaw was open for Fourth of July was in 2011, the year it received record snowfall in March. Last year, Squaw closed for the season on Memorial Day.
The total Sierra Nevada snowpack stands at 90 percent above average. It will start melting this spring, delivering additional water to reservoirs and rivers that have been struggling to keep up the past few weeks.
