There’s no doubt Lake Tahoe depends heavily on the ski season to help fill its hotels, visit its restaurants, spend money at its casinos, and in general leave behind a trail of cash that gets spread around throughout the region’s business community.
And there is no more important time than during the holiday season. Experience a poor one and the ramifications are felt all through the year.
Thanks to a number of winter storm systems that generously dropped snow by the foot, Lake Tahoe definitely enjoyed a Merry Christmas and the good times continued into the New Year.
Despite the tremendous advances in snowmaking, this is still a sport that relies heavily on the fickle ways of Mother Nature. There’s no better advertising than a snowy Lake Tahoe portrait.
“The holiday season has a way of seeming magical. There’s lots of smiling faces in the parking lot and on the hill,” said Sierra-at-Tahoe spokesperson Thea Hardy. “We hope that having snow during the holidays propels our guests’ interest in continuing to enjoy skiing and snowboarding throughout the beginning of next year.”
The Tahoe-area business community certainly understands the importance of a strong holiday, not only in the business it brings, but the potential for more. It’s been a good Christmas for Steve Sewell, who owns Truckee-Tahoe Pet Lodge.
“Business definitely seems better this year than last, especially our day care,” Sewell said. “Lots of skiers have been attracted by the recent storms and we’ve had more advance reservations than last year. A good holiday season definitely gets January going. But in the end it depends how well the snow holds up and if the storm door stays open.”
Here’s a sampling of how Lake Tahoe-area ski resorts are faring during the holidays.
Kirkwood: The resort off Highway 88 near South Lake Tahoe has more snow than any resort thus far. It has 100 percent of its terrain – 11 lifts and 86 trails – available for skiing and snowboarding over the holidays.
Heading into the final week of December, Kirkwood had received 53 inches of new snow at its base elevation of 7,800 feet and had significantly more snow (83 inches) at its summit. Kirkwood has 65 inches of snow at its base and 103 inches at the summit.
“What a great way to start out the season – good conditions and 100 percent open over the holidays will set the tone in the minds of skiers and riders,” Kirkwood spokesperson Kevin Cooper said. “What we are looking at is a normal winter pattern, consistent precipitation moving across the state, small storms, easy to navigate, and great for the mountain and fun for all to enjoy.”
Sugar Bowl: The recent winter storms dropped considerable snow on Donner Summit, which allowed the resort off Interstate 80 to open 100 percent of its terrain one day after Christmas.
“With that message reaching skiers and riders, coupled with great word-of-mouth testimonials regarding the quality conditions, we’ve seen great turnout thus far,” Sugar Bowl’s John Monson said. “When the holiday skiers and riders return home and spread the good word about great conditions in Tahoe, it definitely carries forward and sets us up for a strong January ahead as well.”
Sierra-at-Tahoe: The South Tahoe resort has 10 lifts available that access 34 trails, which translates to 70 percent of the mountain open.
“It’s exciting to see children and adults lined up for lessons, ready to adopt a new sport. We also love seeing families and groups of friends gather on the slopes to make unforgettable memories together,” Hardy said.
Northstar: Recent snowfall and cold temperatures that dipped to near zero degrees made for ideal snowmaking conditions, allowing the resort to open additional terrain, including the popular Lookout Mountain.
“With cold temps in the forecast for quite a significant number of future days, we expect guests to enjoy the mountain well beyond the New Year,” said Northstar spokesperson Rachael Woods.
Diamond Peak: The family-friendly resort in Incline Village didn’t open until Dec. 20. It currently has three lifts operating, but anticipates providing more terrain, especially if the cold weather continues.
“I think when it snows during Christmas and people have had a great experience in Tahoe, they’ll start planning their MLK and President’s Weekend vacations here, so it definitely helps out with the rest of the season,” Diamond Peak spokesperson Kayla Anderson said.
Granlibakken: The historic ski hill in Tahoe City was open Dec. 19 for sledding and skiing. According to Granlibakken CEO Ron Parson, the resort experienced good lodging numbers over Christmas and New Year’s. He hopes the trend continues, but cautions that “low snow conditions are reducing advance bookings into January.”
