We’ve got big news… we’ll be skiing 7 days a week through Memorial Day (weather and conditions permitting)! To join in on all the spring-skiing action, all you need to do is bring your friends and we will cover the rest. From soft corn skiing, signature events, live music, and a vibrant après scene, the party is just getting started!
Weather
Mother Nature is providing with beautiful sunny skies and high temperatures in the 50s and 60s. It is the perfect spring skiing weather, and we recommend not skipping the sunscreen! For more information check out the weather blog by Open Snow’s Bryan Allegretto.
Conditions
Spring has sprung at The Spring Skiing Capital, and we are getting into a freeze-thaw cycle which means it is time to harvest spring corn!
Cornology
Corn snow is made up of a thick layer of large melt-freeze grains that support the weight of skiers and riders while frozen. Melt-freeze snow grains get larger as they mature and start to take on a shape similar to corn. As the surface of corn snow melts and softens, it makes for ideal conditions for edging skis & snowboards while also providing good snow stability. Good corn skiing or riding hinges on a decent overnight refreeze and timing while only the top few inches have softened.
In order to farm the best corn skiing, we close specific terrain after new snow and right before warm spring conditions to allow the terrain to “cook.” This will allow our snow to get into a good freeze-thaw cycle and maximize high-quality skiing in these areas. In the days that follow, we reopen this terrain early in the day after a solid overnight freeze and close it again before skier traffic begins to degrade the surface. This strategy preserves the snow’s integrity and delivers exceptional skiing on legendary corn that can last for weeks. Many of the hikes at Alpine are closed during this process for this exact reason—ensuring the longevity and quality of the spring skiing experience
Here’s what you can do to help:
1. Stay out of closed terrain (You will lose your pass.)
2. Do not skin in bounds (We have a no uphill traffic policy.)
3. Communicate this information to your friends so we can enjoy this perfect corn together!
Operations
Cats out of the bag with operations 7 days a week through Memorial Day, but let’s dive a little bit deeper on what you can expect for this upcoming weekend (4/12-4/13):
Palisades
Terrain Parks: Gold Coast and Emigrant Gully are popping off right now, with tons of jumps, jibs, and even a mini-pipe. Our terrain parks crew is working on new features almost every day, and we plan to have a park offering all the way through closing day.
This is the last weekend for tubing at SnoVentures, get after it while you can!
Alpine
While we will be skiing and riding through Memorial Day, the last day to ride Alpine is April 27th.
Lifts: The last day for Subway is April 13th. Alpine Bowl Chair, Lakeview, Yellow, and Kangaroo are off schedule for the remainder of the season.
Alpine is serious about Cornology, and our operations team makes calculated decisions based on the conditions for what terrain can open and when. Starting on Monday, we will likely have a Sherwood/Scott switch. In the morning, we run the Sherwood chair, as it gets warmed by the morning sun and will soften first. Once the conditions shift, and the snow gets too heavy, we close Sherwood and open Scott Chair. This keeps the corn skiing in prime condition and helps preserve the snow for the next day’s turns.
Mountain Surf Report with Connery Lundin
Free Live Music with the Spring Tracks Music Series: April 12
Spring Tracks Music Series on KT Deck from 1:00 – 5:00 pm, featuring Fox & Buck and G. Love: Fox & Buck will be on from 1:00-4:00 pm followed by G. Love from 4:00-5:00 pm! G. Love is an American Hip-Hop Blues musician known for his unique fusion of hip-hop, blues, funk, and soul. His style has been described as a mix of “slacker blues” and “alternative hip-hop,” as he frequently incorporates elements of 90s hip-hop beats with classic blues rhythms. G. Love has collaborated with big names like Jack Johnson, and has played at festivals like Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza.
Alpine Lodge Music Series from 2:00 – 5:00 pm, featuring the Westones: This spring, we’re bringing the best live music to the heart of Alpine, creating the perfect vibe to cap off your day on the mountain. Enjoy the sounds by Westones, known for performing a blend of funk and soul! Gather with friends, sip on your favorite drink, and soak in the mountain atmosphere as live music fills the air.
Gold Coast Music from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm: Sit back and enjoy music from a live DJ at the on-mountain Gold Coast Lodge. With outdoor seating on the deck, Gold Coast is ideal for catching rays, watching the action on the slopes, and enjoying some tunes. Gold Coast is located at the top of Palisades Tahoe’s Funitel.
Last Weekend for Parking Reservations
This is the last weekend for required parking reservations, and there is plenty of free parking inventory! If you are trying to get to the mountain without your personal vehicle, there are other free options including: 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. This will be the last weekend for the Park and Ride and the Sherwood Shuttle. The Sherwood Shuttle will pick up from the Tahoe City Transit Center on Saturday (4/12), and Sunnyside on Sunday (4/13).
HOW TO GET OPERATIONS UPDATES:
Bookmark these pages:
Not wanting to check the website constantly? Try these other methods:
- Follow our Mountain Operations X (formerly Twitter) account
- Sign up for the Palisades Tahoe Ski & Ride Report (Weather Blogs + Conditions Blogs are included here)
- Download the Palisades Tahoe App
