BY JEFFREY WEIDEL
A lack of snow has ended the season prematurely for one more Lake Tahoe ski resort. Sugar Bowl Resort announced today that its final day of the 2014-15 season would be this Sunday, March 22.
On Monday (March 16), Sierra-at-Tahoe announced it is likely closed for the season after suspending operations that day.
Other smaller Lake Tahoe resorts have also been impacted. Homewood Mountain, Donner Ski Ranch, Granlibakken and Tahoe Donner are also temporarily closed and unlikely to reopen.
Deteriorating snow conditions at the base of Sugar Bowl and no snow in the immediate forecast prompted the decision. Situated off Interstate 80 at the Norden exit, Sugar Bowl annually gets as much or more snow than any other Lake Tahoe ski resorts.
But this season was a dismal one for all Tahoe resorts, who have received little snow since a very promising start to the season with snow storms hitting the region hard in late November and December.
Sugar Bowl has been a California owned and operated ski resort since 1939 and typically is voted a Top 25 Ski Resort in North America by Outside magazine.
Sugar Bowl will operate through Sunday with the Mt. Lincoln Express, Christmas Tree Express and Nob Hill chairlifts, offering top-to-bottom skiing and riding on 40 trails.
Sugar Bowl Resort said in a press release that it “would like to thank all season pass holders, day skiers and staff for making the 2014/15 season the best it could possibly be, despite the challenging weather.
On Sunday, closing day, skiers and riders can enjoy Sugar Bowl Pale Ale drink specials at the Belt Room, live music on the Lodge deck with Chi McClean, and 50 percent off most items at Sugar Bowl Ski & Sports.
For more information on Sugar Bowl, visit www.sugarbowl.com.
Jeffrey Weidel can be reached at skiweidel@gmail.com. Thanks for visiting his winter website at www.tahoeskiworld.com
