14/?? The OFFICIAL Tahoe Thread

[NW_SKIER]

You make a valid point. It's been almost half a decade of suck down there. You're way overdue

[jvskinn]

Driving out to Tahoe tonight from CO for Winter Wondergrass at Squaw. I hear the snow is crap, but figured it would be fun to spend a day skiing Squaw Valley regardless. I was wondering since this is my first trip to Tahoe if there are any great hikes or can't miss things to do in the area other than skiing. Any suggestions appreciated!

[TahoeJ]

You should bring your mountain-bike too, if you're into that sort of thing. Ski in the morning, ride later in the afternoon.

[powdork]

the climbing is awesome now too.


finally got a tr up from the end of february/beginning of march super mega storm.
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...nowed-in-Tahoe
or you can go straight to the source where there's about twice the content
http://www.powdork.com/2015/remember...owed-in-tahoe/

[skier666]

I have a photo that comes to mind...

[californiagrown]

I hope you're right. Of course, you guys in the PNW just had one shitty year... so it's easy to stay optimistic. Try four in a row.

But again, we all hope you're right. We're certainly due.

Move to Washington they said, It'll have a better winter than the past 3 you spent in Tahoe they said...

[LightRanger]

Move to Washington they said, It'll have a better winter than the past 3 you spent in Tahoe they said...

Hah. I chuckled.

Since we're on the subject of CA water, generally, here's one that may be something of a game-changer...
http://www.capradio.org/articles/201...ay-be-extinct/

This also sucks...
http://www.capradio.org/articles/201...gas-emissions/

Had a fun powder day with meterdude 2.5 weeks ago. Too bad if we get any substantial April storms there'll be next to no base.

[kungpow]

Looks like Sugar Bowl is closing Sunday

I have 2 adult pass vouchers that I bought from a friend because my Bronze pass didn't come with the two Sugar Bowl days. They don't work on Saturday though. I won't be able to use them, sadly. Does anyone want them for the price I paid? $80 for both, or make an offer? I thought I was getting a good deal.

[old goat]

Looks like Sugar Bowl is closing Sunday

I have 2 adult pass vouchers that I bought from a friend because my Bronze pass didn't come with the two Sugar Bowl days. They don't work on Saturday though. I won't be able to use them, sadly. Does anyone want them for the price I paid? $80 for both, or make an offer? I thought I was getting a good deal.

maybe see if they will honor them on the last weekend of the season. Frankly for what's open at Sugar Bowl even $40 seems high for a lift ticket.

[~mikey b]

Yeah call the ticket office. They might give you some love. They helped me out last year with some extra comps for a race event just cuz.

[skier666]

I'll be at Kirkwood on Sunday with my 6 year old calling the shots...pretty stoked actually.

After that, who knows...

[skier666]

I feel blessed on my few Granite laps in Jackson last weekend with Squirrel99...

[Rodneyyee]

Move to Washington they said, It'll have a better winter than the past 3 you spent in Tahoe they said...

Ouch-yea. Sugarbowl pulling the plug on Sunday? Thats March. Fark Day late dollar short.

So weird when I hear people say they feel blessed ( for anything really ) and then mention skiing. BUT those pix look tasty.

[kungpow]

maybe see if they will honor them on the last weekend of the season. Frankly for what's open at Sugar Bowl even $40 seems high for a lift ticket.

Yeah call the ticket office. They might give you some love. They helped me out last year with some extra comps for a race event just cuz.

I agree it's probably not worth $40 at this point... if anyone was planning on riding SB in the next few days we can work something out. Beer? Trade?

It would be a bummer if they aren't used.

[gageyk]

Skiing on Slide Mt. Harvesting corn has been pretty damn nice recently. Today was 30K vertical of perfect corn on 100% of the Slide side. Chutes closed due to low tide on the exit. Slide will be hard pressed to make 10 more days. It's kinda fun slaloming the trees, boulders, and logs.

Make the best of it!

[thefrush]

Sigh...



But that day a couple weeks ago with powdork was one of my best ever, so I'm not that nostalgic.

[bodywhomper]

But that day a couple weeks ago with powdork was one of my best ever, so I'm not that nostalgic.

for the past 3 seasons i have made many concessions to get face shots on the rare powder day. all were great and fun! but, back in 9/10 and 10/11, it felt like 3d snow was easy to find, even at lower elevations. there were several months in both seasons where i knew the fatties would be in consistent use. anomalies.

the new norm is supposed to be less normal, larger deviations from average, more spastic, and often times warmer. many of the big water agencies have been forecasting and planning for over a decade (e.g. SFPUC) for the "average" snowline to be @ 8k ft in the next decade. this is supported by the big guns at SIO, USGS, NOAA, etc. this will have a drastic effect on snow sports and the economy in tahoe. there is need now for planning and taking action.

[PB]

Action ?? As in ..... migrate? While certainly related, the snow crisis is distinctly different from the water crisis, at least when it comes to skiing.

[old goat]

Action ?? As in ..... migrate? While certainly related, the snow crisis is distinctly different from the water crisis, at least when it comes to skiing.

not really--there is not nearly enough reservoir space to capture all the precipitation that falls in the mountains if it falls as rain. The state relies on the snowpack to melt throughout the summer to replenish the reservoirs. With a reduced snowpack water restrictions will be permanent, even in high precipitation years.

Here's an interesting story about precip totals and reservoir levels. http://ww2.kqed.org/news/2014/12/15/...eservoirs-look
In Norcal things don't look too bad, until you realize that the reservoirs are not going to be replenished this summer.

[meter-man]

Got an email from the KSL overlords that's ... nice. Color me surprised.

$39 LIFT TICKETS
For Passholders from Other Resorts

2014-15 passholders from other resorts can come enjoy the best spring skiing in Tahoe for just $39. Simply bring your 2014-15 season pass into our ticket office at either Squaw Valley or Alpine Meadows and you can purchase a $39 lift ticket*.

[bodywhomper]

by action, i'm referencing adapting to the forecasted changes in the CA climate, focusing on the forecasted snowline "average" at 8k ft. look at the proposed olympic valley development. it seems predicated on a snowpack base at red dog and kt-22. that's not forward thinking.

i don't hear much about decisionmakers talking about adapting and planning for climate change in the tahoe area, especially in regards to sustaining their economy. though, maybe i'm not paying close enough attention.

planning new development or redeveloping the basin with lift based skiing limited to the highest peaks; possible restoration and land swaps of existing development for development to occur on and migrate to those higher peaks. just ideas.

With a reduced snowpack water restrictions will be permanent, even in high precipitation years.

or more water storage will be developed to replace the snowpack reservoir, and get ag to change it's ways.... meaning that water rights in CA will need to be retooled.

[bobz]

The thing about Sierra climate trends is that it isn’t just the past four years that have been off from the long-term norm. Back in the 70s and early 80s, Thanksgiving weekend was the start of the regular ski season; people sometimes wondered if the snowpack would shape up in time, but it nearly always did, and without the snowmaking that’s become essential for early season resort skiing since then. I distinctly remember resort discount deals always being blacked out Thanksgiving weekend. In the past 15 years, the point where the snowpack is finally “on” is right around mid-December (on average, sometimes earlier sometimes quite a bit later). First time Tioga Pass was ever open to cars on New Years was ’99/’00, and it was stunning to see that happen. It’s happened again more recently, and no one will be surprised to see that remain an occasional thing in coming years.

One more thing I’ve seen is that southern Sierra high country spring skiing has gotten a lot less reliable in recent years (not just the past four), with slop-out due to multi-week failure to get a good nighttime freeze becoming far more common than when I first started doing crest tours in the 80s.

Not trying to spam the joint, but if you’re interested, bobskiing.com [slash] snodiary.htm (put it together yourself; noobs aren't allowed to post links) has about 15 years of weekly brief commentary on Sierra weather and snow conditions.

[TahoeJ]

or more water storage will be developed to replace the snowpack reservoir

Yep. There's actually a number of proposed new reservoirs in progress right now. My wife is writing the EIR for one in Marin. It'll take a while to get done, but it should be quick compared to trying to change water rights on the state level.

[PB]

BW & OG - I'm actually in agreement regarding the water situation - there are some reasonable choices assuming we have the proper motivation and will, but think that when it comes to skiing there really isn't much in the way of strategy options. I would definitely think that expanding low elevation operations is foolish, but how much new, unexploited, available and with desirable terrain acreage is there above 8,000' in the Tahoe region? N* to the contrary, snow-making is not the answer, nor is snow harvesting, unless you're willing to double or triple current lift ticket prices. So, what else is there except to relocate where there's a reasonable chance, on average, of reliable snow?

[bodywhomper]

Im not saying that its a viable idea or even a good idea, but there are several 9+k ft peaks in the area that have not been "exploited" for ski lift service.....