This report was written by Claire Weiss.
Today is the Winter Solstice, which marks the first day of astronomical winter as well as the shortest day of the year. Let’s hope that an upcoming snowstorm will blanket our mountains with fluffy white snow, and we’ll get more terrain open!
We arrived at Alpine in the afternoon and parked near the lodge. The previous storm brought ~7-10 inches of snow to the upper mountain. Despite being wetter than we all desired, it does a pretty good job in the early season of covering rocks and branches, creating a great base layer for future snowfall.
We started with Roundhouse, where we met our friends. The only open trail here is Rock Garden, which has good coverage. Today, skiing felt more like spring rather than winter, at least in the afternoon.
There was a thick cloud sitting at Alpine, and most of the time we skied through the fog. Occasionally, the clouds were breaking, and the sun was lighting the gorgeous lake and the snow-covered peaks. Despite the fog, visibility remained relatively good, slightly deteriorating by the end of the day.
The snow on both Rock Garden and Weasel was wet and heavy, although it skied like butter. Remember to wax your skis or snowboards as the next few days, the weather pattern will be the same, with highs in the upper 40s F and lows of ~20 F. Trails may be firm in the mornings.
There’s word that the new terrain is expected to open on Friday at Palisades Tahoe side—Shirley Lake and The Belmont areas.
The holidays are finally coming to Tahoe, and crowds of skiers and boarders will come to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s. Be aware that trails will be crowded. Please always share the mountains and try to keep at least 15 feet of distance from your fellow skiers and boarders.
Happy Holidays!
