Sunny skies and the new patrol-dog-in-training Floyd are here at Palisades Tahoe! If you are interested in learning more about Floyd’s training, check out the blog: From Pup to Palisades Tahoe Patrol Dog. As a reminder, as overwhelmingly cute as Floyd and all the patrol dogs are, please do not approach them without permission from their handlers (they are working dogs!).
Weather
Sunny skies will prevail through next Thursday with highs in the 40s. Colder air arrives this weekend with highs dropping to the 30s, though the high-pressure ridge will keep conditions dry through mid-month. A pattern shift may bring colder air and light snow around the 18th-23rd, with the potential for wetter storms later in the month. Check out the weather blog by Open Snow’s Bryan Allegretto.
Conditions
With the temperatures freezing overnight and warming up throughout the day we are entering a freeze-thaw cycle. Expect firm and fast conditions in the mornings and then softer snow as the day goes on, especially on the south-facing slopes. Due to the firm nature of the snow in the morning, I would suggest sticking to the groomers and not venturing off-piste until the sun has warmed our slopes.
In the world of good news…..the Ice Bar at Alpine will be open starting tomorrow!
Operations
As of now, we have 5700 of our 6000 skiable acres open. Silverado still needs more snow before we can start to expand our terrain into that area. We do not anticipate major weather or conditions impacts to our lift operations this week. However, if the wind makes an appearance, we could have some wind holds especially on our ridge-lifts. To learn more about wind holds, check out this operations blog that includes a deep dive on wind holds. Video of Solitude chairlift January 4th by Marcus Morgan
space
Mountain Surf Report
Safety
It is always incredibly important to ski and ride within your ability level, be cognizant of hazards and other skiers, and pay attention to all signage. The closed signs and ropes that patrol puts up are for your safety, and if you go past a closed sign, you can lose your pass. Make sure to ski defensively and give other skiers and riders at least 15 feet of space between yourself and them.
January is Learn to Ski and Ride Month, and it is your responsibility to know the National Ski Area Association Responsibility Code to keep yourself and others safe. If you are a first time skier or want to improve your skills, Palisades Tahoe has a premier Mountain Sports School for all ages. From first lessons to advanced athletic coaching, our elite, certified instructors, professional alumni, and exceptional mountain terrain provide a top-tier learning environment that enables any guest to progress past their limitations and achieve their goals.
space
A great tool for navigating your way around the mountain is the Palisades Tahoe App. It delivers real-time updates on lift and terrain statuses, features trail maps, offers personalized riding recommendations based on ability level, and allows you to track your friends on the mountain.
Parking
As a reminder, parking reservations are required every weekend and select holiday periods. For this weekend, our free parking reservations have sold out, but plenty of paid reservations are available. You can also check the morning of to see if any free reservations have opened up. Unless it is a holiday period, midweek parking remains free and first come, first served. With Sherwood open, we will have the Sherwood Shuttle running daily (as weather and conditions permit) as a free way to get to the mountain. There are also other free ways to get to the mountain: 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.
space
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
