Lake Tahoe ski resorts received the first snow of the season Wednesday (Nov. 21) and more of the white stuff has been falling Thanksgiving Day.
There are currently five Lake Tahoe ski resorts open for 2018-19 season – Northstar California, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Heavenly Mountain, Mt. Rose, and Boreal Mountain. All five resorts have limited terrain, but that should be expanding over the holiday period, thanks to the snowfall that began Wednesday afternoon and will likely continue into Friday.
The news wasn’t all good for skiers and snowboarders hoping for a fun time on the slopes Thanksgiving Day. Due to high winds, Heavenly Mountain in South Lake Tahoe decided to shut down the mountain for the day. Heavenly is anticipating reopening Friday (Nov. 23).
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows has also been impacted by the Thanksgiving weather. High winds shut down the popular Tram in the morning and it could be down throughout the day.
“Snow is still coming down and the Vail Resorts (Northstar, Kirkwood, Heavenly) are looking at snowfall through the day and night, making for a white holiday weekend,” said Vail Resort spokesperson Stephanie Myers.
Below is a quick look at the Lake Tahoe ski resorts that are open this season.
Northstar California: The resort off Highway 267 reported 7 inches of new snow this morning, allowing the resort to open more lifts. Northstar has six lifts running, accessing seven trails.
Mt. Rose: The Nevada resort got 5-7 inches of snow overnight. The new snow allows Mt. Rose to open, top to bottom. Despite windy conditions, five lifts are running Thanksgiving.
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows: The resort received 6 inches of new snow by Thanksgiving morning. The windy conditions have impacted terrain. There are five lifts operating and two available trails.
Heavenly Mountain: The resort got 6 inches of snow overnight. Although closed today, the good news is Heavenly is expecting 6-10 inches of snow to fall on Thanksgiving. Heavenly will have a 45-foot Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday.
Boreal Mountain: Located off Interstate-80 at Donner Summit, the resort received 6 inches of new snow. It has one lift running Thanksgiving that provides access to multiple trails.
Kirkwood Mountain: The resort is reporting 11 inches of snow today. Kirkwood is scheduled to open Saturday (Nov. 24).
Sugar Bowl update: The popular Lake Tahoe ski resort, located off Interstate-80 at the Norden exit, also got 11 inches of snow overnight. The resort is expected to open Nov. 30, weather permitting. Sugar Bowl has enhanced snowmaking system for the 2018-19 season.
Soda Springs Mountain: The family-friendly resort that caters to young children opened Planet Kids and Tube Town on Nov. 16, marking the resort’s earliest opening in 85 years of operation.
