California/Nevada 2017-18 Tahoe Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups Thread....

[Andy Mink]

You know you have it good when your rock skis are Renouns Stocklis ors Kastles !

As long as we stayed on the white there were no rocks. Pretty impressive work by the Rose crew.

 

[luliski]

 

[SSSdave]

Besides the NWS boosting snow totals this morning per luliski's post, the longer range forecast for the Sierra region is also now showing a wet pattern into mid November. If that pans out we could be looking at the kind of November skiing I experienced long ago but haven't seen in years. Usually we do receive a piddly storm or three late October through mid October that by Thanksgiving at resorts is rather limiting only suitable for rock skis. Certainly time for we I'll believe it when I see it fitness laggards to get serious.

 

[Tony]

It's been a long time since I skied in CA on Halloween which was free at Boreal if in costume as I was >20 or maybe even 25 years ago. I also skied Veteran's Day at Kirkwood in both 2003 and 2004, but it has not been that long ago that we had some mid-Nov skiing around Tahoe. Two year ago I skied Nov 16 and 17 at Kirkwood. @TonyC tried to get me to come down to Mammoth where he had some powder on Veteran's Day, then more variable conditions later in month. He posted reports from Nov 11-12 and Nov 17-18, 2015.

 

[TonyC]

I skied Mammoth Nov. 15-16, 2008: http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=7187
There was some glazed snow in spots from a weird cloud mist earlier that week but overall good skiing.

The greatest early season of course was 2004, when it snowed 82 inches the last two weeks of October. We first got to Mammoth Nov. 13-14: http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=194

I had also hit a rare Oct. 30 opening day at Snow Summit in 2004: http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=124

I do not see a decrease in the odds of decent November skiing at Mammoth over time. There was a streaky run of good early seasons in the early 1980's. Since then 2-3 strong Novembers per decade seems about right. The picture could be different at Tahoe due to rain/snow line. Rain incidence at the Central Sierra Snow Lab is higher in November than in the ensuing 5 months so it's not unusual to see snow at Mammoth and rain at much of Tahoe during the first storms of the season. By recent standards the upcoming storm in the Sierra is predicted colder than typical for early November.

 

[jwilli]

I recall getting in a day at Alpine the last day in November last year. Spent most of the day under the snowblowers coming down off Roundhouse but good for trying to remember how to turn. Also, better than all the storm days in January/February when nothing was spinning...

 

[luliski]

I didn't start skiing until Jan. 14 last season. If I'm going to do a day trip, I like for the snow to be decent (of course that's when it's also most difficult to get to mountains). Our ski lease started Jan. 5, but I worked that weekend. "Januburied" started the next week. I was on vacation because my daughter was home from college, and the plan was to spend the week in Tahoe. But with the road conditions, power outages, etc. we didn't make it up until late in the week, and then only got in one day of skiing (at Alpine) before she had to go back to school. We would have gotten in two days, but the first day that everything opened again we got to Alpine late, and even their remote lot was full. That was a first for me.
This year I might actually ski Squalpine's opening day, so I'm hoping for at least a little natural snow. Hope it stays cold!

 

[Tony]

I recall getting in a day at Alpine the last day in November last year. Spent most of the day under the snowblowers coming down off Roundhouse but good for trying to remember how to turn. Also, better than all the storm days in January/February when nothing was spinning...

You must have been skiing Jan/Feb at one of the Kan't Spin Lifts areas. I posted a summary at the end the January that included "3 (days,11/27-29) in Nov, 3 (days 12/21-23) in Dec and 11 in Jan, which is even more impressive when you consider it poured in Sierra the weekend of 1/7-8 (when my son went), (and) with the storms, traffic and roads closures, my drives were usually 4:30 or more and I was in Mexico 8 days. Of my 11 days in Jan, 9 were powder with 8 being on my powder skis." I averaged just over 20K per day. There were challenges including 20" and 30" days at Heavenly when you were 'stuck' skiing lower mountain in CA, but snow level was low enough that it was better than fighting crowds skiing mid-mountain - the top and most of NV was closed. Other challenges were having to take the long way home from Kirkwood or just staying at or going to Heavenly as getting to Kirkwood was too difficult. And then when I finally got to Kirkwood early in Jan, more of the mountain had slid (and went big) than I ever remember seeing before.

I only had three days in CA in Feb and did have over an hour delay for avalanche control just before Echo Summit getting there which meant it was after noon before we started skiing the 29" Heavenly reported that day.

For Jan posts see http://www.firsttracksonline.com/boards/viewforum.php?f=3&start=115 although the start will change as more posts from this season are added.

Hoping these early Nov storms come through and continue and that we'll be skiing some of the good stuff at Tahoe by Veteran's Day.

 

[SSSdave]

SF/Monterey NWS at 10:22am reduced precipitation from the imminent storm as moisture that has been to the south is now not expected to become entrained into the cold front. Reno NWS has not yet updated their forecasts from 3:10am but I expect they will also reduce snow forecasts somewhat especially further south than Tahoe.

 

[Andy Mink]

SF/Monterey NWS at 10:22am reduced precipitation from the imminent storm as moisture that has been to the south is now not expected to become entrained into the cold front. Reno NWS has not yet updated their forecasts from 3:10am but I expect they will also reduce snow forecasts somewhat especially further south than Tahoe.

D'oh!

 

[Mendieta]

SF/Monterey NWS at 10:22am reduced precipitation from the imminent storm as moisture that has been to the south is now not expected to become entrained into the cold front. Reno NWS has not yet updated their forecasts from 3:10am but I expect they will also reduce snow forecasts somewhat especially further south than Tahoe.

BA also has a modest dump in the update

https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/tahoe

The most promising thing is cold air coming and staying, and the possibility of another storm next week. So, the best case scenario, is about 1ft dump over the weekend, snow making for a few days, some more snow, and a fun weekend, 10 days from now. Am I day dreaming? Well, yes, but can oyu really blame me?

Mt Rose is closed Friday, but recommend that we keep an eye on the storm through the window, Hoping!

 

[JayT]

Low expectations for this storm below 7k, but figured it was about time to check into the seasonal thread...

 

[John Webb]

It's been a long time since I skied in CA on Halloween which was free at Boreal if in costume as I was >20 or maybe even 25 years ago. .

Didn't quite make Halloween this year but we just saw on TV 13 Sacramento an interview at Boreal.

/rumor Boreal is "planning" to open this Wednesday Nov 8, Check Mt Rose -may reopen sometime this weekend.
/end

 

[SSSdave]

All 3 primary weather models the NWS uses for forecasting over forecast the storm strength for the Sierra Nevada haha. North Tahoe region has received about half inch of liquid with freezing levels about 7.5k and areas to the south much less. Storm is still dropping snow so it is not done. Main pool of cold air that was supposed to push south then southeast across the Sierra instead went south then ballooned southwest out off our coast thus reducing forcing orographic flows over the range. Rather common way the models get it wrong. View current 8km infrared or water vapor satellite loops. Even though forecasting has been considerably improving over time through the past years and decades, they still get a lot wrong that reflects the vast complexity of the Earth's atmosphere and planet. Generally the larger our storms, the more likely elements of forecasts don't play out as expected. Also the last few years have noticed forecasts for these fall storms tend to be too optimistic. That said, the only 2 previous storm events this fall, September 20 and October 20, both were stronger than expected, but then storms that early only melt away.

 

[Jellybeans1000]

 

[ScotsSkier]

Strange. I was at squad this afternoon and it was just light rain/ sleet!

 

[Philpug]

Mammoth is opening Thursday, who is headed down?

 

[Andy Mink]

There were accidents on I80. Must be time to ski.

 

[ScotsSkier]

Mt. Rose Season Opens Tomorrow! Nov. 7th First in Tahoe again (and we even beat mammoth this year!!)

 

[Mendieta]

Mt. Rose Season Opens Tomorrow! Nov. 7th First in Tahoe again (and we even beat mammoth this year!!)

What do you know! I came to post that very same email announcement. Boy, I wish things were a little slower at work to take a day off and slide down that one trail, in a week day. (Note to self: soft-retire early if at all possible.)