It’s certainly not among the biggest ski resorts in California. But one thing that tiny Boreal Mountain Resort has going for it right now is Wednesday (Nov. 8) it became the first California ski resort to open for the 2017-18 season.
Located off Interstate 80 at the Boreal Ridge Road/Castle Peak exit, Boreal Mountain had one lift operating for opening day, thanks to 15 inches of snow over the weekend and its snowmaking effort.
Boreal is spinning the Castle Peak chairlift from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for skiing and snowboarding. Lift tickets are going for $49. Boreal is also offering night passes from 3-6 p.m. for $29.
The lodge and cafeteria will be operating from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lessons, rentals and retail needs are available.
Boreal edged Mammoth Mountain for top honors this season. Mammoth is scheduled to open Thursday (Nov. 9).
“It’s always nice to be able to say that Boreal Mountain Resort was the first ski resort to open in California,” said Tucker Norred, Communications and Marketing Manager at Boreal. “We have good coverage today and have had quite a few folks on the hill. So, it’s been a great opening day for us.”
For more than a decade, Boreal Mountain was typically the first Lake Tahoe-area ski resort to open. However, that role has been taken over by Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, a Nevada resort near Lake Tahoe that has been the first to open for the last three seasons.
“I guess it’s a little bit of a rivalry we have going on with Mt. Rose,” Norred said. “It’s always nice to be the first Tahoe resort to open. But it’s also great to be known as the first ski resort to open in California.”
Mt Rose welcomed skiers and snowboarders October 27 and ran one lift the following day as well – then shut down and awaited a break in the weather. The break came when it got 3-4 inches over the weekend, but more importantly was able to make snow due to the chilly weather.
Mt. Rose began daily operations Tuesday (Nov. 7) for the 2017-18 season. The family-friendly resort off Mt. Rose Highway will offer access to one beginner ski trail, accessed by the Wizard chairlift, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. The resort will continue to open additional terrain as weather and conditions permit.
Boreal Mountain will also depend on the weather and its snowmaking operation to open more lifts and terrain.
“Once we open, we always want to stay open for the season. Hopefully that will be the case this season,” Norred said.
For more information, visit www.rideboreal.com.
