California/Nevada 2022-23 Tahoe Traffic & Parking

[textrovert]

I have had Epic/Tahoe Local this season and apart from mid-week in Dec/Jan have not bothered to even attempt Northstar/Heavenly in Feb so far. Like Squaw/Alpine, had to be there by 8am to get the typical parking. Heavenly Boulder lodge seems to be the one to target for Epic this season. Expecting a long season and will be picking up Ikon in April. Hopefully the insanity is long done by then.

 

[John Webb]

Upper lot full at Alpine.
I done do Sat & holidays.

 

[Alexzn]

Upper lot full at Alpine.
I done do Sat & holidays.

This is Presidents’ Day, a full lot by 10:30 is fully expected, esp at Alpine which parks out quite early. You could still park at Squaw and take the gondola to Alpine.

 

[Alexzn]

Once again, we left late today (8:20), sailed through and still were able to park. Door to skis on snow: 35 minutes.

That weekend confirmed my “entitled” point: if you don’t have a reason to be at PT early, you will save yourself time and a couple hours of sleep by driving in much closer to the lift opening than the resort is telling you. And you will save more $$$ by not buying their overpriced breakfast fare.

Of course, that all was possible because my daughter drive herself to work every day before 6:30. But that still goes to my point about having a reason to go early.

 

[MarkG]

I’m giving the blackout weekend significant factor status towards the ease of drive/parking.

We will now resume to normal.

 

[Andy Mink]

Was it nuts or not nuts over the Christmas blackout?

 

[Alexzn]

Was it nuts or not nuts over the Christmas blackout?

This is a good question. That was mostly before early morning parking/traffic became an issue, so not quite a fair comparison.

 

[Alexzn]

I’m giving the blackout weekend significant factor status towards the ease of drive/parking.

We will now resume to normal.

Wasn’t today a non-blackout date? This is also ski week. I think next weekend with some fresh snow and the WC race will be an indication.

As a disclaimer, my rules apply to regular (no-fresh snow) days. On powder weekend days you always had to leave early and the mountain usually would park out.

 

[MarkG]

I avoided today thinking the blackout theory would hold water. My bad.

World Cup is going to make next week nuts. I think it should be excluded from your rules as well.

 

[Pequenita]

From KCRA:

Drivers frustrated with North Lake Tahoe ski season traffic

The traffic near North Lake Tahoe ski resorts can be a headache for both residents and visitors, especially on weekends, holidays and during special events.

www.kcra.com

 

[migdriver]

Saturday line up on 89 going into Palisades at 7:43 am…. Powder, WC, breakfast?

 

[freddie]

hello - this topic is about the palisades app and in particular the parking status live info section.

on friday 2/24 I checked it every couple of hours started at 8am till 3pm and it showed the same.....

the needle gauge image was at about 25% and show green with the words Available.

the status never changed.

friday was a powder day and also the opening parade and party for the World Cup races.

I would have expected it to be packed.

does this function work, or is it broken,

the parking status never changed from around 8am to 3pm.

anyone know?

 

[migdriver]

hello - this topic is about the palisades app and in particular the parking status live info section.

on friday 2/24 I checked it every couple of hours started at 8am till 3pm and it showed the same.....

the needle gauge image was at about 25% and show green with the words Available.

the status never changed.

friday was a powder day and also the opening parade and party for the World Cup races.

I would have expected it to be packed.

does this function work, or is it broken,

the parking status never changed from around 8am to 3pm.

anyone know?

Oh it works. Check it out tomorrow. Today it showed all parking full v early. What you might find helpful also is to scroll down the parking section to the traffic cams for various intersections on 89 including the turnoff/ light at entrance to Palisades and light to Alpine Meadows road. Also the West River intersection which is just below the mouse hole can give an idea of traffic flow.
Lastly, and v useful: get the Caltrans quickmap app , it is v accurate in showing traffic, accidents etc ( includes WAZE) so you don’t venture onto 89 when it is totally bogged down. But to your original question: yes the status meters on Palisades site re parking tend to reflect real time. Also check the notifications section buried in the app as well as the palisades ops blog ( on lift status page) which give usually heads up when they’re abt to close Alpine Meadows Road for a while - usually 30 minutes or so- for avi control ( GAZEX) in which case forget abt parking for a bit.

 

[Pequenita]

@freddie - the parking/traffic issues tend to be a weekend thing, and more specifically Saturday. Yesterday, all the lots at PT (both bases) were full before 10, 9 if you wanted to be in a main lot:

 

[raytseng]

hello - this topic is about the palisades app and in particular the parking status live info section.

on friday 2/24 I checked it every couple of hours started at 8am till 3pm and it showed the same.....

the needle gauge image was at about 25% and show green with the words Available.

the status never changed.

friday was a powder day and also the opening parade and party for the World Cup races.

I would have expected it to be packed.

does this function work, or is it broken,

the parking status never changed from around 8am to 3pm.

anyone know?

Last Friday was a storm morning with i80 closed. So those that commute in from beyond truckee, even from Reno had no access. So with the outsiders cutoff, more parking was available. Locals also had their own problems with a dig out and with continued storm conditions both at home and on mtn some may have decided to stay home to not have to dig out three times for no viz lowermtn only skiing

When i80 was finally released later in the morning alpine eventually filled up but well past noon. If you checked again well past that, spots likely opened up again after morning bell folks left


So I suggest to also watch the Twitter feed for more info.

Also, I've noticed they also like to move the meter and tweet a little earlier than actual status when cars are committed and turned off 89 into each valley, but perhaps not physically parked yet.

If lift status and snow report/weather isn't changing, another possibility is your app crashed or froze. On my phone, PT app tends to crash if it was launched when no internet nor gps was available, and pretty much goes into an "offline" mode. Suggest making sure your app is updated and force quit it or restart your phone.

 

[John Webb]

I’m at the gathering but am hearing it’s getting really bad in Western Nevada county where about half the people have lost power and it won’t quit snowing . Wife is Interlodged at home. 15 to 20 inches of snow everywhere including side roads. We moved there to be below snow line mostly. She’s tired of shoveling snow & almost all cars are stuck. 80 closed much of time. As is PT and Alpine.

 

[migdriver]

As my son asked yesterday: “doesn’t anyone work anymore?”. That was in response to the traffic on 89 yesterday which was similar to a Saturday. And, ALL parking at Palisades / Alpine was filled by 9:30 .
Apparently this morning traffic Truckee to Palisades is like yesterday: eg: jammed.
The local social site Next Door had a lengthy summary of a conversation a local Oly Valley resident had with Dee B. The COO of Palisades re traffic. Her response distilled down to “ We’re working on it”.

 

[Pequenita]

As my son asked yesterday: “doesn’t anyone work anymore?”.

I may have been on the phone with my supervisor as I was coming up to the 80 road closure at Applegate on Wednesday. And then when that night I put up an out of office message, she wrote, "I hope this means you made it to Tahoe!"

So....people work more strategically now. Also, I have a rad boss. (I did not contribute to the traffic on 89, though!)

 

[Eleeski]

Blizzard warning! I80 closed. 267 closed. Our surface road buried. They didn't even try. Travel was a nightmare.

Yet Palisades scored today. Despite road issues in Tahoe and lots of new snow, they opened! Nobody else in Tahoe did (except Diamond Peak? - Just keeping everyone else grounded). Somehow, the parking lot filled (80% capacity?). Long lines (all day and even at Far East) but really didn't take more than a few minutes to get through - they certainly addressed some of the early season line gridlock issues (the new Red Dog really helped and I stayed away from KT's waiting to open crowd).

Random big cheers from the lift crowds (everyone knew when KT opened). Not sure what triggered the other cheers but it was a good vibe. And the happy hooting from the hill constantly reminded us of just how cool it was to be skiing.

Too often they have closed on days like this. Management had much better acceptance of the weather. It was windy, but not outrageous. The visibility was occasionally crappy but we all made it down. Lots of snow but lifts got dug out and runs didn't avalanche. Well, it did open late - maybe we've been conditioned to accept that but hey, it opened in the morning!

Of course, it is Squaw at heart, so the powder was skied off before the first lap was done but the soft bumps were sweet consolation. I hope they continue to leave at least half of Red Dog ungroomed in moguls! Awesome day! Thanks, Palisades.

Spring will be magic this year! Might extend the parking and road woes into the spring. OK.

Eric

 

[Tony]

Yet Palisades scored today. Despite road issues in Tahoe and lots of new snow, they opened! Nobody else in Tahoe did (except Diamond Peak? - Just keeping everyone else grounded).

Kirkwood loaded 5, 6 and 7 at 1240 providing country club skiing to those already there since CA-88 remains closed on both sides of resort. Chairs 10 and 11 scheduled for 1030 today. See https://twitter.com/KWconditions for details.