Operations Update: Hello Spring!

By Maddy Condon

Operations
Mar 21, 2025

March has provided and set Palisades Tahoe up for an incredible spring skiing season. Our upper mountain snow base is sitting at 152″ inches and the conditions are phenomenal. This weekend, the fun is amplified with two of our signature events: The Pain McShlonkey Classic and The Mothership Classic. You don’t want to miss it!

Weather

The forecast calls for a few scattered showers Friday and Saturday, and mainly cloudy skies. A high-pressure system strengthens Sunday and into Wednesday, bringing sunny days with highs in the 50s and 60s (hello spring)! To learn more check out the weather blog by Open Snow’s Bryan Allegretto.

Conditions

After 59″ inches of snowfall in March, conditions are “all-time”. The powder is slightly heavier, but you can find powder, packed powder, and chalky snow this weekend. Next week when the temps are higher, you will likely be riding spring corn on the South-East slopes and chalk in the North-facing slopes.

*Josh Gold March 18,2025. Photo by Ryan Salm*

Operations

For the upcoming weekend, every lift across the resort is scheduled except for Exhibition, Broken Arrow, and Olympic Lady. You can still access Olympic Lady and Exhibition terrain by riding up KT-22. Even though we have an abundance of soft snow around the mountain, you should ride within your ability level. While we have plenty of beginner and intermediate terrain, we also have a lot of expert zones with large cliffs, chutes and hazards. Please pay attention to all signage as it is there for your safety.

Learn to Ski and Ride Weekend: April 5-6

If you are new to the world of snow sports, it is not too late to join in the fun this season! Kickstart your skiing or snowboarding with our Learn to Ski/Ride weekend special. Our friendly instructors help beginners feel comfortable and confident on the slopes. For $119, get everything you need for your first trip on the mountain, including rentals, limited lift access, and instruction.

Mountain Surf Report

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Weekend Events

The Pain McShlonkey Classic

Debauchery is officially back on the menu. Wax up your snowblades, dress up in your most outrageous ski duds, and come out to Palisades Tahoe for a day full of belly laughs, camaraderie, and philanthropy to celebrate legendary skier Shane McConkey. The Annual Pain McShlonkey Classic coincides with International Snowblade Day to create an epic day where Shane fans around the world to get involved in this irreverently hilarious day. Join us for the Hot Dog Downhill, awards, huge raffle, and more! This event benefits The Shane McConkey Foundation, which was founded in recognition of the worldwide community of skiers, adventurers, and everyday people who share a passion for life. In Shane’s honor, we support epic causes that protect kids, wildlife, and our planet.

The Mothership Classic

The Mothership Classic is a pledge-driven event held each Spring on the world’s greatest chairlift, KT-22. Participants begin by gathering pledges like a NASCAR racer chasing sponsorships. On the day of the event, each participant will challenge themselves to hot lap KT-22 as many times as possible from first chair to last on skinny skis, retro snowboards, mono-skis, snow blades, etc. Nostalgic ski attire is encouraged.

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Disco Tubing’s Last Weekend

If you haven’t experienced the joy of throttling yourself down a snow chute while lasers, lights and a live DJ pump energy into the atmosphere, then you need to add disco-tubing to the top of your to-do list! Disco Tubing at Palisades Tahoe offers a unique, family-friendly snow tubing experience held at the SnoVentures Activity Zone, this event transforms traditional tubing into a vibrant nighttime activity suitable for all ages.
This is the last weekend for disco-tubing, and you don’t want to miss out!

Ice Bar BBQ

Head to Ice Bar at Alpine for a Brat & Beer Combo Special and live DJ set from 10:30 am – 3:00 pm this Sunday. Whether you’re taking laps on the backside or just stopping by for a break, this is the perfect spot to grab a bite, enjoy a drink, and take in the mountain atmosphere.

Parking

As a reminder, parking reservations are required every weekend and select holiday periods. Unless it is a holiday period, midweek parking remains free and first come, first served. We recommend carpooling as a great way to make sure all your friends get to the mountain to ride together. If you are trying to get to the mountain without your personal vehicle, there are other free options: the Sherwood Shuttle, the Mountaineer Shuttle, which offers free rides in Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows, TART, and the free Park and Ride, available in both Truckee and Tahoe City with frequent rides between 6:30 a.m. and 5:45 p.m.