Snow Falls on First Ski Weekend

Avid skiers and snowboarders are getting their fix this weekend.

If you open, it will snow.  That could have been the mantra for Heavenly and Northstar ski resorts this weekend.

Both opened the ski season on Friday thanks to mostly man made snow. By Saturday night and into Sunday they had the real stuff.

It was too much of a good thing for drivers with chain restrictions on both I-80 and Highway 50, but any snowfall is good snowfall for skiers.

The snow should stop by Sunday night with more in the forecast by the holiday. If you are planning a Tahoe trip for Thanksgiving, keep an eye on the forecast. The coming system is much stronger than the one that just past through the area, according to NBC Bay Area's Rob Mayeda.

All of the Lake Tahoe area resorts are hoping for a second monster snow year and are putting those hopes in a weather system called La Nina.

Last year all of Tahoe was blanketed with a record amount of snow.

For example:

  • Squaw Valley 811 inches
  • Kirkwood 780 inches 
  • Mammoth 669 inches

All are hoping for a repeat.

For now, Heavenly is the only spot going full bore from the start and will be open seven days a week until 4 p.m.

They have traditional ski trails open, plus a full terrain park on Ante Up run that includes two jumps.  You can also take a Gondola ride without skis for dinner or drinks at the Tamarack Lodge.

"There is so much cool stuff going on, we had to stretch the week into nine days to fit it all in," said Pete Sonntag, Heavenly's general manager.

  Northstar also opened this weekend, but on limited terrain.

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