With significant snowfall expected across the greater Lake Tahoe area over the next two days, several ski resorts have announced their opening days.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning this afternoon for the entire Tahoe region predicting snow accumulations of 10 to 20 inches until 4 a.m. on Wednesday.
The storm comes as a relief to skiers and resorts alike. This year’s first snowfall arrived about two weeks later than seasonal averages would have predicted and the delay caused several Tahoe resorts to push back their opening dates.
Mt. Rose, a ski resort on the way to Reno that claims the highest base elevation in Lake Tahoe, announced today that it will open this Friday for Veterans Day weekend. Mt. Rose’s chairlifts will run through Sunday and will resume the following weekend, starting Friday, Nov. 18.
“We’re expecting lots of inches versus feet, but it could be substantial,” said Mike Pierce, director of marketing at Mt. Rose. “It could make for a more remarkable opening weekend than is typical.”
Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe and Northstar in Truckee are both projected to open next Friday.
Donner Ski Ranch, which is located in Norden, hopes to open the weekend of Nov. 18 but told The Standard it is waiting to see how this week’s storm will impact ski conditions.
Palisades Tahoe, which includes Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows, will kick off its season on Nov. 22. Kirkwood Mountain Resort is projected to open on Dec. 2. Boreal Mountain, which is one of the closest ski resorts to the Bay Area, hasn’t announced an opening date but plans to do so this week.
This week’s snowfall is also one of the most significant November storms in recent years and could bring an end to fire season, according to atmospheric scientist Colin McCarthy.