Sugar Bowl ski resort in Lake Tahoe will open Friday with top-to-bottom skiing and snowboarding for Thanksgiving weekend.
Family friendly Soda Springs will also open Friday. With the addition of Soda Springs and Sugar Bowl, there will be eight Tahoe ski resorts open for the Thanksgiving holidays.
Other than a few days in late October, last year there were virtually no ski resorts open until the middle of December.
Located off Interstate 80 at the Norden exit, Sugar Bowl is the closest resort to the Sacramento region. The resort is reporting nearly 3 feet of natural snowfall combined with its snowmaking efforts. For the opener Friday (Nov. 25), Sugar Bowl will offer a large selection of terrain accessed via the following lifts.
AVAILABLE LIFTS
- Jerome Hill Express
- Mt. Lincoln Express
- Christmas Tree Express
- Nob Hill
- White Pine
- Flume Moving Carpet
- Village Gondola
OPENING WEEKEND FESTIVITIES: The resort will start the season with a few traditions, including fresh sugar cookies and a banner break at the Jerome Hill Express, scheduled for 9 am. The first 50 people at Jerome Hill Express will receive a custom neck tube to commemorate the season. Team members will also be handing out free sugar cookies at the lift (while supplies last).
During the early season, lift ticket rates are reduced and the resort will have modified operations. Lift ticket rates vary by day and how early they are purchased. Note that all lift tickets must be purchased online at least one day in advance. Season passes are 90 percent sold out and prices will increase Dec 8 – assuming they last that long. Ticket and pass pick-up locations will be available at Highway Tickets and Judah Ticket Windows.
The après ski scene for the opening weekend will feature DJ Chango on the Judah Sundeck from 11 am to 2 pm. Ski and snowboard lessons will be available. Village retail, the cafeterias and the Belt Room Bar will be open.
TAHOE SKI RESORT OPENING DATES
- Mt. Rose: Open Nov. 11
- Boreal: Open Nov. 11
- Northstar: Open Nov. 12
- Heavenly: Open Nov. 12
- Kirkwood: Open Nov. 12
- Palisades: Open Nov. 18
- Sugar Bowl: Nov. 25
- Soda Springs: Nov. 25
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: Dec. 3
- Diamond Peak: Dec. 8
- Tahoe Donner: Dec. 9
- Homewood: Dec. 16
- Granlibakken: Dec. 18