What To Expect for MLK Weekend

Weather & Conditions: Blue Skies and East Wind

Skies will be sunny and clear for the weekend. On Friday, the forecast is calling for a ripping East wind (gusts up to 70mph) that will impact lift operations. Summit Chair at Alpine is notoriously affected by the East wind, as well as Alpine Bowl Chair and sometimes even in Treeline Cirque depending on how low the winds travel. On the Palisades side, we also expect some upper mountain lifts to be impacted by the winds Friday (most likely Bailey’s Beach, Mountain Meadow, Siberia, Granite Chief, and Silverado).

In addition to causing wind holds, this East Wind could also affect snow conditions by freezing over large parts of the mountains. That means off-piste terrain could be extremely firm, icy, and difficult to ski. To combat this shift in conditions, we will be grooming as much as we possibly can until things soften up more. Corduroy will likely be the best skiing this weekend, especially in the morning! After Friday, we expect clear, sunny skies. Winds will persist but lighten up slightly over the weekend. As always, please check our website or app for real-time lift and grooming status each day.

Best Ways to Beat Traffic & Congestion

• Use the FREE Truckee Park & Ride or Tahoe City Park & Ride. This shuttle runs with high frequency between the resort and the lot you select. The Truckee lot is the Truckee High School parking lot on Donner Pass Rd. The Tahoe City lot is at the Tahoe City Transit Center. The full Park & Ride schedule can be found here.
• Avoid aiming for an arrival time right around 9am this weekend. Our parking lots will likely fill up by the mid-morning on Friday, and by 9am on Saturday and Sunday. You will want to be here earlier (more like 7-8:30am) or closer to 12pm.
• Check Parking Lot Status on the Palisades Tahoe mobile app. You can also follow our Mountain Operations Twitter for real-time information on parking.
• Consider booking a prepaid parking spot at Alpine if you are nervous about parking filling up.
• When your day is over, avoid leaving the resort right around 4pm. You will be stuck in exit traffic. Either leave before 3pm or wait until after 5pm to make your exit. Grab dinner or après from The Village at Palisades Tahoe or from the Alpine Lodge area, or head to Plaza Bar for our $5 drink & $ 5 pizza deals starting at 5pm.
• The Palisades Tahoe Express Shuttle will not be running between the two mountains this weekend. Aim to park at the mountain you’d like to ski/ride at.

Plan Ahead & Use These Tips

• If you think you’ll only ski a few hours, wait to come to the resort until after 11am. Half-Day Afternoon Tickets are valid from 12-4pm and are significantly cheaper than full-day tickets. You’ll skip most of the traffic and still have plenty of time to ski! Buy online in advance for the best savings.
• Carry your credit card in a pocket (but not next to your pass or lift ticket!) This will make it easy to grab lunch or a drink on-mountain without having to go back to your car. Not all locations accept Apple pay or cash.
• Consider ordering food online for pick up. You can order at the top of the mountain and pick up your food after skiing down.
• Use the Palisades Tahoe mobile app to check lift wait times, lift status, parking lot status, and more. You can also join a group with your family and friends to see where they are on the mountains.
• If you bought a lift ticket online, use our self-serve kiosks to pick up your tickets. They are located in the Funitel Plaza at Palisades and inside the lower level of the Alpine Lodge at Alpine near Estelle Sports.