California/Nevada 2018-19 Tahoe Ski Resorts/Conditions/Meetups Thread....

[textrovert]

Even the Bay Area right now-

 

[raytseng]

Agree everything is changing everywhere and its harder overall to scratch out a living in the US in the same lifestyle they were accustomed 20years ago. Around the bay area, just about every restaurant has helpwanted signs out, with like $20+ an hour posted, even fastfood chain restaurants; but if you just look at rent its not enough to make it work. The Millenials struggle is real!

In tahoe, didnt there always used to be professional live tv segments every morning wih live reports from multiple resorts? Despite camera and internet and youtubes being cheap, now we only get 140characters on Twitter. At best, occasional seasons, they get a snow reporter who is aspiring newsmedia grad who doesnt know how to ski, doesn't known Tahoe, butchers ski and snow terms, and is working basically for free in exchange for camera time and their demo reel.
From a macroeconomic view they say technology and automation and innovation is how historically you maintain the same output without needing to have 10x prices, so things like better snowblowers, snowcats, automatic snowmaking, gazex and so on should help.
But forcemultiplying your human labor has the downside that it loses resiliency if you lose that multiplier. When those machines breakdown, are overwhelmed, cant be deployed, or operators are unavailable, you are impacted a lot more. Losing a snowblower is way worse than than losing 1 hand shoveler out of your squad of 50 other shovelers.

 

[jwilli]

One nice thing about the storm on Saturday is that I almost have a feel for how to ski 3D snow now and I got to check the 'spend the night at Circus Circus in Reno' box off my bucket list. Getting to Reno from Truckee was a bit sketchy, though.

 

[Eleeski]

Raining at Squaw. The bottom of the mountain is open. A few people tougher than me are riding the lifts.

I don't want to get wet so I'm going swimming in the Truckee pool.

Eric

 

[Pequenita]

I need to be in north lake early Saturday morning, and I'm sort of already panicking about travel from the (non-Silicon) valley.

 

[luliski]

Raining at Squaw. The bottom of the mountain is open. A few people tougher than me are riding the lifts.

I don't want to get wet so I'm going swimming in the Truckee pool.

Eric

Lol. I just finished swimming in the rain! At one point it was pouring, and the cold rain drops contrasted with the warmish pool water. Invigorating. Have a good swim

 

[luliski]

I need to be in north lake early Saturday morning, and I'm sort of already panicking about travel from the (non-Silicon) valley.

I have tentatively agreed to go to N* Sunday-Monday. I can't even think about the drive back Monday, not to mention the crowds at Northstar.

 

[SSSdave]

Freezing level at Schneiders CDEC station at elevation 8750 feet a few miles from Kirkwood has been at 33F degrees between noon and 7pm. Since 10pm last night, 3 inches of mostly rain and wet Sierra Cement has fallen in that area below that elevation with more to come. Here down in the South Bay it is a very balmy 61F outside now at 8pm.

 

[textrovert]

Freezing level at Schneiders CDEC station at elevation 8750 feet a few miles from Kirkwood has been at 33F degrees between noon and 7pm. Since 10pm last night, 3 inches of mostly rain and wet Sierra Cement has fallen in that area below that elevation with more to come. Here down in the South Bay it is a very balmy 61F outside now at 8pm.

All the Tahoe freeways have been showing "no traffic restrictions" all day. I.e. No snow and rain all day (and night so far). BA has the snow levels at 8500' all night and into Thursday morning... but dropping down to 5000' by evening. Hoping its earlier than that. NWS also has high wind warning all day tomorrow (till 10 pm).

 

[Eleeski]

My driveway was flooded almost into the garage (took a couple hours of shoveling to clear the drains). It poured at Squaw today.

I drove to Incline (to pick up my new Praxis skis!!!). Hydroplaning everywhere. It was raining over Brockway summit. Bummer. Went swimming in Truckee (Squaw needs a pool!). Difficult walk to the pool in deep slush or flowing ice water. Crazy!

My turn off on the drive home was called out on the radio KTKE as flooded. I detoured. Still went through water.

Rain sucks. It will snow again!

Eric

 

[DoryBreaux]

While everyone was on the other side of the river or at a certain lift on this side of the river, we were doing this:

I think that was the deepest turn she's ever had. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face all day.

 

[SSSdave]

With yet a third round of exceptionally cold powder snow of a few feet set to cap over the next 3 days the wettest cement of this season with rain up above 9k, beware that the wet layer is going to freeze like a rock setting up dangerous avalanche conditions.

 

[textrovert]

 

[Pequenita]

Hey! That's my car!

Actually, I drove through an hour earlier than that photo, and it was some of the sketchiest non-snow driving I've done in about a decade. Between my new car being a lot lighter than the old one, the wind, and the general lack of drainage because of snowbanks, I was driving as slow as I do with chain control (but not trafficky chain control). I don't know how they are going to keep the road from being a skating rink - beyond my paygrade, but the precip has changed over.

 

[LouD-Truckee]

I just came over Donner Summit.... about 20 minutes ago..... no controls..... had a pickup spin as he was passing me.... guess I wasn't going fast enough for him.... missed me.... Ymmv....

 

[murphysf]

THURSDAY, 2/14: DIAMOND PEAK WILL BE CLOSED FOR THE DAY DUE TO LIGHTNING AND SUSTAINED HIGH WINDS. If you had a ticket/rental/lesson for today, please contact Guest Services at [email protected]. Stay safe if you are traveling today and make plans to join us for the upcoming holiday weekend.

 

[Eric267]

After 22 hours of strait rain here at 6600’ it turned back to snow about 15 minutes ago

 

[raytseng]

AR firehose is going off in the bay area. soaked just going from parking lot to the front door. 60degrees in the car thermometer. When this hits tahoe, gonna be a soaker or dumper again.

Hope caltrans is ready with the grit; because a wet road freeze+cold powderon top=ballbearings, so expect car-valanches as well.

 

[Pequenita]

To your point, @raytseng :

 

[DoryBreaux]