ski resorts

9/28/14 10:00 p.m. update: 4,420 firefighters and support staff are still on the scene of the 97.099 acre King Fire which is now 89% contained.

After 4 days of precipitation with accumulations of 1-3 inches, fire spread has been halted, however heat remains in the heavier fuels and in the heavy duff sheltered from the rain under the dense timber canopy. As the weather turns warm and dry over the next several days, expect to see an increase in fire activity and smoke production; however spread potential is extremely low, doe to the successful suppression efforts.

In typical Lake Tahoe fashion, the ski resorts are closing and a spring storm storm comes into the basin.

A couple of inches of snow is expected at lake level before the storm heads out early Saturday morning.

Thursday night: Rain, mainly after 1am. Low around 34. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Friday: Snow. High near 40. Breezy, with a southwest wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Heavenly Mountain Resort, Northstar California and Kirkwood Mountain Resort, opened up sales for their 2014-15 season passes.

Starting at $409 with as little as $49 down and the balance due in the fall, skiers and riders have until April 13 to secure the best available price for winter 2014-15 season passes and six buddy tickets.

A wet storm pounded the west coast over the last four days, dropping 3-5 feet snow over the Sierra and bringing drought ridden Folsom Lake up 6 feet. A strong atmospheric river with a lot of moisture from the subtropics was funneled into the area, creating swollen streams, rivers and minor flooding.

With snow levels fluctuating between 7500-8000 feet Sunday afternoon, South Lake Tahoe saw mostly rain, but the slopes of nearby ski resorts saw feet of snow, instead of the recent storm totals recorded in inches, added to their terrain.

Last week’s winter storm dropped up to three feet of fresh natural snow on Heavenly Mountain Resort, Northstar California Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort, creating a winter wonderland and allowing the resorts to open more terrain for skiers and riders hoping for a white holiday season.

Expedition Kirkwood will be holding free backcountry awareness clinics at the Sports Basement stores at the Presidio and on Bryant Street the weekend of Dec. 2-3.

“Most incidents that occur in the backcountry happen because people are not prepared to be there,” explains Jon Copeland, Director of Expedition Kirkwood. “Two of our goals at Expedition Kirkwood are to educate people on making smart decisions when in the backcountry and to train them on how to make a predetermined plan.”

With ski resorts busy preparing for the winter season ahead, now is the time to start planning your time on the slopes! "Plates for Powder" is the successful promotion run by the Tahoe Fund to increase sales of the Lake Tahoe license plates.

Individuals who purchase the specialty Lake Tahoe license plate in either Nevada or California prior to April 1, 2014 will receive two lift tickets to their choice of 11 Lake Tahoe resorts.

Some Lake Tahoe ski resorts say their revenues improved this past ski season because of new, automated snow machines.

With all Lake Tahoe ski resorts now closed for the season, operators are reporting record profits, despite a lack of snow after the early season.

The ski runs above Lake Tahoe are quiet and ski resorts operators are counting the season's cash and customers. Vail Resorts reports a 10 percent rise in sales at its 7 properties nation-wide, but it said growth at its Tahoe resorts was slower. The problem was a dry January through April.

With up to 26 inches of snow falling earlier this week around Lake Tahoe area ski resorts, officials at Heavenly Mountain Resort report solid conditions for March ski and boarding.

"With the US Freestyle National Championships March 29-31, and Shaun White’s High Roller Hold ‘Em April 6, followed by the Gunbarrel 25 on April 7, it’s going to be an amazing spring," said Heavenly spokesman Russ Pecoraro.

A California senator has introduced a bill that would require ski resorts to prepare public reports of safety procedures, as well as injuries and deaths.California Senate Bill 564 would require ski...

Terrain parks at ski resorts have grown from targeting a niche market with skateboard-inspired jumps and rails to part of prime time, with events like the X Games Superpipe finals attracting wor...

Quick: When you hear the phrase "Lake Tahoe," what's the first thing that comes to your mind? If you said "skiing" or "casinos," you'd respond as probably 99 percent of Bay Area residents do. If you said "geography," "sustainability" or "culture," you'd be among the minority, but you'd be onto a great new idea.

South Shore ski resorts are breaking out the big guns this weekend.Heavenly Mountain Resort and Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort are unveiling some big updates.Heavenly is all set to open it's new 18-foo...

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (AP) - Vail Resorts Inc. is trimming its profit forecast for fiscal 2013, after reporting weak snowfall through mid-December at its Colorado ski resorts.The company said Tuesday t...

Getting to North Lake Tahoe’s snowy ski slopes just got a whole lot easier with the launch of the region's first area-wide free ski shuttle serving North Lake Tahoe, Truckee and Donner Summit.

The service runs between area lodging properties to 9 different ski resorts on weekends and holiday weeks now through March 31. It was formed through a collaboration of the North Lake Tahoe Chamber/CVB/Resort Association in partnership with the Truckee/North Tahoe Transportation Management Association and Placer County, the town of Truckee and several ski resorts.

TAHOE/TRUCKEE - Two local men died from injuries suffered in avalanches that occurred Monday at two Tahoe-area ski resorts, a day after a major storm system dumped more than 4 feet of heavy snow th...

TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe ski industry received the ultimate Christmas present by way of a large storm that dumped upward of 4 feet of snow this past weekend at many locations throu...

With as much as 6 feet of new snow expected at the upper elevations of the Lake Tahoe region by Monday, skiers and snowboarders will likely receive the gift of fully open ski resorts this Christ...

A series of strong winter storms will arrive in three waves and when it is over, anywhere from 2 to 5 feet of snow will have dropped above Lake Tahoe, at ski resorts, on highways and throughout much of the Sierra in time for Christmas.

A Winter Storm Warning issued by the National Weather Service is in effect through Monday morning for Lake Tahoe and the Sierra as a strong series of systems moves into the region.

Periods of light to moderate snow will begin Friday and intensive early Saturday morning with moderate to heavy snow Saturday through Sunday night.

TAHOE/TRUCKEE - A day after most regional officials and residents were breathing a collective sigh of relief that forecast of major flooding in the Truckee area didn't pan out, Tahoe ski resorts ar...

A series of weather systems are due to arrive later this week that could bring significant snow amounts to Lake Tahoe area ski resorts and surrounding Sierra.
The weather changes are due to arrive beginning Wednesday with a quick-moving storm expected to bring a few inches of snow to the region, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.

When it comes to adventure sports films, there's the edge of insanity and then there's the abyss. For 10 years the Tahoe Adventure Film Festival has taken its viewers on a celluloid and digital tour filled with rapid-succession footage and no-holds-bar outdoor drama played out across continents, continental shelves and all points in between.
The film festival returns to Lake Tahoe, Saturday, Dec. 8, at MontBleu Resort Casino and Spa, and promises plenty of mountaintops, cliffhangers and enough high-energy entertainment between showings to ignite fervor for the New Year and its spectrum of outdoor adventure sports. The night includes guest speakers, action photo displays, break-dancers, DJs and a handful of surprises.

The Lake Tahoe area ski season is getting a strong start this year. Carol Chaplin, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, told Capital Public Radio that with ski resorts opening about a week early, lodging and bookings are up 5 to 10 percent from what they were last year.
Go here to read and listen to the full story.