tseeb
Well-known member
The only runs open so far this year at Tahoe are those where snow-making has augmented the 8” and 3” storms early in November. Predicted storms before Thanksgiving did not deliver and it could be another two dry weeks. Heavenly and Northstar have the two biggest snowmaking systems at Tahoe and both are included in my $359 Tahoe Value Pass (bought in May, blacked out all Saturdays at Northstar and holidays at both places). My original plan was to go to Northstar on Tuesday and Heavenly on Wednesday, then return to where skiing was better on Thursday. But the winds kicked up (I heard up to 150 mph at Mammoth) and the temperatures dropped so I did not ski Thursday.
Northstar on Tuesday 11/29 was my first day of the season. My friend from Truckee and I met in the Village. We went up the gondola, then Vista and Comstock lifts, as Pinball, the main run open on Vista lift, had Terrain Park and looked too crowded. We skied Comstock at least 8 times before my friend had to leave for 2 pm appt. Even though Northstar counts three runs open on Comstock, it was really only one way down, until almost the bottom where there were two options. In the afternoon, the crowds went down, so you could go faster without danger of crashing into anyone. I did find some better snow lower down the mountain as it was not skied as much. I also took a couple runs on Pinball. South Lake Tahoe hit 61 on Tuesday, breaking the old record for the date by 2 degree. The snow did not get too soft as the sun angle is low this time of year and there is a lot of shade from the trees. Over 21.6K vertical including over 8K in last hour
My friend joined me at Heavenly on Wednesday 11/30, his first day there in about twenty years. We found lifts and runs that were open and snow surface a little better at Heavenly than Northstar. Heavenly had two runs open from the top of both Dipper and Tamarack chairs, while Comet chair only had one run. The snow was much dryer due to temps in the high teens and because lifts top out at almost 9,800 feet, twelve hundred feet higher than top of Northstar. The runs seemed wider, the traffic was not as heavy and there was no light gravel on runs as there was on the turn at Northstar from West Ridge to Luggis. The big problem was at about 1:30, Heavenly closed lifts due to wind and there was a large crowd downloading the gondola. We had a rockin’ and rocky ride down, thanks to the fellow passenger who passed out beers and the wind. I felt sorry for visitor from PA who paid over $200 for the day for himself, wife and child. His wife and child had ridden gondola down for lunch and were unable to get back up. We told him they might give him a partial credit. 13.5K vertical, not including gondola
My friend stopped at Northstar on his way back to Truckee and rode the gondola in street clothes to claim an EpicMix (virtual) pin for riding lifts at both areas on the same day. I drove back to the Bay Area Wed. night, getting to Placerville just before it was totally dark. There was some debris from trees on the road, but nothing major. Heavenly was unable to open Thursday and Friday, due to wind and because the only way access to access open runs is gondola.
Northstar on Tuesday 11/29 was my first day of the season. My friend from Truckee and I met in the Village. We went up the gondola, then Vista and Comstock lifts, as Pinball, the main run open on Vista lift, had Terrain Park and looked too crowded. We skied Comstock at least 8 times before my friend had to leave for 2 pm appt. Even though Northstar counts three runs open on Comstock, it was really only one way down, until almost the bottom where there were two options. In the afternoon, the crowds went down, so you could go faster without danger of crashing into anyone. I did find some better snow lower down the mountain as it was not skied as much. I also took a couple runs on Pinball. South Lake Tahoe hit 61 on Tuesday, breaking the old record for the date by 2 degree. The snow did not get too soft as the sun angle is low this time of year and there is a lot of shade from the trees. Over 21.6K vertical including over 8K in last hour
My friend joined me at Heavenly on Wednesday 11/30, his first day there in about twenty years. We found lifts and runs that were open and snow surface a little better at Heavenly than Northstar. Heavenly had two runs open from the top of both Dipper and Tamarack chairs, while Comet chair only had one run. The snow was much dryer due to temps in the high teens and because lifts top out at almost 9,800 feet, twelve hundred feet higher than top of Northstar. The runs seemed wider, the traffic was not as heavy and there was no light gravel on runs as there was on the turn at Northstar from West Ridge to Luggis. The big problem was at about 1:30, Heavenly closed lifts due to wind and there was a large crowd downloading the gondola. We had a rockin’ and rocky ride down, thanks to the fellow passenger who passed out beers and the wind. I felt sorry for visitor from PA who paid over $200 for the day for himself, wife and child. His wife and child had ridden gondola down for lunch and were unable to get back up. We told him they might give him a partial credit. 13.5K vertical, not including gondola
My friend stopped at Northstar on his way back to Truckee and rode the gondola in street clothes to claim an EpicMix (virtual) pin for riding lifts at both areas on the same day. I drove back to the Bay Area Wed. night, getting to Placerville just before it was totally dark. There was some debris from trees on the road, but nothing major. Heavenly was unable to open Thursday and Friday, due to wind and because the only way access to access open runs is gondola.
