Could it be? Could we be so lucky as to get a second La Nina year in a row, with potentially amazing amounts of snowfall? Only time will tell, but so far so good with a recent Arctic cold front bringing nearly a foot of fresh snow to the peaks of the high Sierra last week.
According to the Tahoe Weather Geek last month, a weak La Nina remains in place, with sea surface temperatures a half degree below normal. If, as expected, the condition strengthens we could see colder and wetter conditions than normal, though maybe not as strong as last winter.
With the cold temperatures dipping into the teens at night, ski areas are not wasting any time making snow to supplement Mother Nature. If the weather stays cold, a big if, it could make for some excellent early conditions. Most area resorts are planning opening days for mid-November, and early season deals abound.
Here are some highlights from some of the major ski areas around Lake Tahoe:
Squaw Valley, now partnered with Alpine Meadows,is slated to open Wednesday, November 23rd. A two night stay in a one bedroom condominium suite at The Village at Squaw Valley can be had for $368 from opening day through December 15, 2011. Out of town guests who present an airline boarding pass on the same day as their arrival can ski or ride that afternoon for free. Please visit www.squaw.com for more details.
Alpine Meadows has joined forces with its neighbour, Squaw Valley, to offer more than 6,000 acres of skiing and riding accessed via a single lift ticket or season pass and interconnecting shuttle. The resort plans to open December 10th, conditions permitting. Stay updated at www.skialpine.com.
Northstar Californiahas begun snowmaking on a number of its runs including Cat's Face where a new Shaun White signature 22-foot halfpipe will be custom built this season. The resort is slated to open for skiing and snowboarding on Friday, November 18th. Stay-and-ski free packages starting as low as $105 per person are available. Log on to www.NorthstarCalifornia.com for further details.
Kirkwood Mountain Resorthas a killer deal on its stay-and-ski free packages through December 18th starting as low as $79 per person. The resort is targeting an opening day of Thursday, November 24th with an unveiling of the new Expedition: Kirkwood Headquarters, complete with classrooms, high-end retail storefront, demo center and morning meeting location for guided snowcat trips. Visit www.kirkwood.com for further details.
Heavenly Mountain Resortplans to open for the season on Friday, November 18th due in part to its extensive snow-making capabilities. Three nights lodging and two days skiing or riding at Heavenly is available starting as low as $255 per person. Opening week festivities include a screening of Warren Miller's new film "Like There's No Tomorrow". Visit www.skiheavenly.com for more info.
Sierra-at-Tahoe Resortis partnering with the Montbleu Resort Casino and Spa to offer three nights lodging and three days of skiing or riding for just $300 per person valid on Sunday through Thursday stays. Packages must be booked by December 15, 2011 for stays between November 27th through March 29th (blackout dates apply, limited availability). The resort is scheduled to open as soon as conditions permit. Visit www.sierraattahoe.com for the complete lowdown.
Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoeis aiming for an opening date of Wednesday, November 23rd and offseason improvements to its top-to-bottom snowmaking system will improve early season access to the Slide Bowl portion of the resort. The resort has partnered with a number of Reno casino resort properties such as the Grand Sierra Resort to offer unbeatable early season stay-and-ski packages starting as low as $49 per person. Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe's Happy Landings program rewards guests who ski the same day they fly in with a second day free. Check out www.mtrose.com for further information.
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