Northstar California opened in November and today (April 15) will be offering skiing and snowboarding for the final time this season.
Northstar California and seven other Lake Tahoe ski resorts will be closing Sunday in what was an up-and-down 2017-18 ski season.
There was a promising start to this ski season with numerous openings in November and decent snow for the crucial Christmas holidays. But dismal snow totals in January and February looked to derail the winter sport. However, multiple storms arrived in March to give the ski season a strong finish. Many resorts will be closing with a good amount of snow still on their slopes.
It’s been a mixed bag for spring skiing this year at Northstar California and other Lake Tahoe ski resorts. While there have been sun-drenched days where skiers and snowboarders head down the slopes in light clothing, there have also been some rainy weather and cloudy, colder days that don’t allow for the typical spring conditions that Tahoe visitors have come to expect. The final week for many resorts even included snow.
“April skiing is (usually) all about soaking up the last bit of winter and spending time in the sun. Skiers and snowboarders are looking for a more relaxed day and après drinks on the deck,” said Northstar California spokesperson Stephanie Myers said.
Despite some fresh snow earlier this week, Kirkwood Mountain didn’t reopen after being the first Lake Tahoe ski resort to close – April 8.
Kirkwood will have plenty of company late Sunday afternoon (April 15) when eight more Lake Tahoe ski resorts pull down the curtain on the 2017-18 season. Closing time has arrived for Diamond Peak, Northstar California, Soda Springs, Boreal Mountain, Homewood Mountain, Sugar Bowl, Sierra-at-Tahoe, and Tahoe Donner.
Like all Lake Tahoe ski resorts, multiple snow storms in March at Sugar Bowl helped make the final six weeks of the ski season memorable.
Sugar Bowl had contemplated staying open longer, but announced this week that it would stick to its April 15 closing date.
Sugar Bowl is telling skiers and snowboarders to “come on out and get your last turns of the season in with a little new snow, sunshine, and live music on the Judah Lodge patio both Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Thank goodness for Miracle March – without all that March powder the season would surely have qualified as a dud!
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows says it will remain open through Memorial Day weekend, shutting down May 28. Heavenly Mountain has an April 22 closing planned and Mt. Rose announced it will be offering skiing and riding until April 29.
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows announced this week a “Spring Vertical Challenge.” Running through April 30, the Spring Vertical challenge will reward guests who ski or snowboard 10,000 or more vertical feet in one day with special offers in The Village at Squaw Valley. The following offers are valid between 3-5 p.m. on any day in April for App users who skied 10,000 or more vertical feet that same day.
2018 Closing Dates
Kirkwood Mountain: April 8
Diamond Peak: April 15
Northstar California: April 15
Soda Springs: April 15
Boreal Mountain: April 15
Homewood Mountain: April 15
Sugar Bowl: April 15
Sierra-at-Tahoe: April 15
Tahoe Donner: April 15
Granlibakken: April 16
Heavenly Mountain: April 22
Mt. Rose: April 29
Squaw Valley: May 28
Alpine Meadows: May 28
