After Major Snowfall, First Sierra Resorts Open This Weekend — Ahead of Schedule
Snow season is here early, California.
Ahead of their previous schedules, two ski areas in the Sierra Nevada mountain range will now open this week following significant snowfall and cold temperatures in the region.
Mammoth Mountain in the Eastern Sierra will be the first to open on Thursday, Nov. 5. It was previously scheduled to open on Nov. 13, but this week’s storm made the earlier opening date possible, according to the resort.
“Mother Nature has been kind to us with this past storm cycle dropping 9 to 15 inches of fresh snow over the weekend,” Mammoth Resorts spokesperson Emily van Greunig told KQED by email.
“Snowmaking teams have also been able to take full advantage of the colder temperatures over the past few days to get the mountain ready for an early opening,” van Greunig wrote.
Mt. Rose in the Lake Tahoe area is also planning its first tracks for this Friday, Nov. 6. The resort announced it has enough snow to open its Lakeview Express lift, giving skiers and snowboarders access to both intermediate and beginner terrain, said spokesperson Mike Pierce.
“Once we can open that lift with at least a couple runs, that’s our goal,” he said.
Pierce said they’ve been making snow “at every opportunity” and this fall’s weather has helped their efforts. He said the “super El Niño” that’s brewing in the Pacific Ocean “bodes well for Mt. Rose.”
“We have a northern exposure and our base elevation is the highest in the area,” he said. “Even if the storms come in a little warmer, we’re almost always guaranteed to have snow.”
Tuesday’s Bay Area rain could bring a tad more snow to the mountaintops, but a break in the weather is expected this weekend, according to a post on OpenSnow from forecaster Bryan Allegretto.
Mt. Rose’s Pierce cautioned skiers and snowboarders planning to head up to the resorts for first tracks this weekend to still play it safe and take care not to over-do it — given it’s likely their first day on snow this season.
“Your first day on the mountain, always be wise, be safe,” Pierce said.