The first band of this mega storm series moved in last night, bringing us 4-6 inches of snow across all elevations at both mountains. We were able to open KT-22 right at 9am today, and though we experienced a power issue around 10:30, we thankfully were able to re-open it just after noon. Winds have been starting to pick up a bit, causing a few upper mountain holds and reassuring us that another storm is on the horizon. Bryan Allegretto of OpenSnow, who writes our Weather Blog, predicts that tonight’s snowfall will start after midnight, intensifying through Saturday.
Photo above was taken by Tommy, a groomer at Palisades.
Weather Outlook
The snow levels for this storm look promising. There may be a point where they rise to 7,000 feet for a small amount of time, but overall, we are very likely to see all cold snow instead of a wintry mix. Wind gusts predictions have been upgraded, and they are likely to have the biggest impact on the weekend. On Saturday morning, things look like they might be okay right now, but in the afternoon, it will really ramp up: forecasts are calling for winds in the 110 mph range, if not higher. Sunday’s winds should be less intense, closer to the 65 mph range.
By Monday morning, we could see upwards of 60 inches of snow. The bulk of this snow will come in on Saturday during the day and into Sunday morning. This is a very narrow timeframe to receive such a huge amount of snow. We will be performing avalanche control throughout the weekend and will be implementing deep snow safety standards going into next week.
Photos taken on Scott and Sherwood by Alpine Grooming Manager Jeremy Simpson today.
Lift + Terrain + Services Updates: Alpine
- We are still planning for a lower mountain weekend, with Roundhouse, Treeline Cirque to mid-station, Meadow, Subway, and the Big Carpet. Summit is likely to be impacted by winds.
- We had groomers on Scott today building roads and track packing runs. If the forecast is like it says and the snow cooperates safety-wise, we will likely get Scott during the day on Monday. If not Monday, then definitely Tuesday.
- Almost all of Sherwood‘s grooming is done now. We also built berms to catch snow here, as well as on Lakeview and Scott. Sherwood is still most likely going to open on Wednesday. With Sherwood open, that will be 100% of terrain at Alpine. (100% terrain, not 100% lifts!)
- We will possibly be performing avalanche control on Alpine Meadows Road on both Saturday and Sunday. This usually causes a short road closure, so please plan accordingly.
- We opened the Chalet today, but it may not be open on the weekend pending conditions. Services in the Alpine Lodge will be open.
All photos taken by Tommy, a groomer at Palisades.
Lift + Terrain + Services Updates: Palisades
- We are expecting to focus on the lower mountain this weekend given the wind forecast. This means we will aim to run Resort Chair, First Ventures, Exhibition, Olympic Lady, and KT-22. Of the lower mountain lifts, Olympic Lady is the most likely to experience wind impacts.
- After opening at 9am, KT-22 experienced an electrical issue at 10:30am. We cleared the chair on auxiliary power and eventually reopened it around 12:15pm.
- We always have a crew of groomers on during the day, but we are bringing on a larger-than-usual group to work on Saturday and Sunday to keep up with the constant snowfall.
- All other lift updates are similar to yesterday: Granite Chief, Emigrant, Headwall, and Big Blue are next on the agenda. Big Blue is likely to open on Monday. We still cannot open Far East due to the Red Dog construction. We’re not talking about Silverado yet.
- It is likely that our on-mountain offerings such as The Arc, Funi’s, Granite Bistro, and High Camp Marketplace will not open this weekend. Village services and Olympic House offerings will be available.
Plan ahead + stay safe
- Roads are going to be impacted throughout the weekend. It will take extra time to get here and to leave the resort. Bring extra food, water, and blankets in your car, and be sure to check our Road Conditions page for local information and winter driving tips.
- We do not allow overnight parking in our lots.
- Familiarize yourself with our deep snow safety tips. Ski with a buddy and avoid tree wells.
Photo taken by Justin Haverkorn
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