With more snow coming to Northern California, ski resorts will open with COVID-19 rules
With precipitation reaching Northern California and high elevations in the Sierra Nevada mountains reporting snow, the ski season is just around the corner.
Resorts, however, remain closed for now — but some are still planning to soon.
Alex Hoon, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Reno, said that Truckee reported an inch of snow Friday, while Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows each reported 9 inches at their summits and 2 to 5 inches at their bases. Homewood Mountain Resort reported 2 inches at its base and 3 inches at its summit.
A new storm system is coming Tuesday night , with showers continuing into Thursday, forecasters said. The fast-moving storm could bring 3 to 10 inches of snow to the Sierra, with snow levels staying around 6,500 feet.
Donner and Carson passes, the summits for Interstate 80 and Highway 88, are expected to get 6 to 8 inches of snow, while Highway 50 over Echo Pass could see 1 to 2 inches.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resorts will be implementing safety precautions, including riding the lift with only those in your household and wearing face coverings at all times. Many ski areas have gone cashless and will restrict occupancy inside lodges and restaurants. Increased distance between skiers and riders, and more sanitation areas have been added.
Some ski resorts — such as Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood — will require guests to book a reservation before hitting the slopes.
Badger Pass, the ski and snowboard area at Yosemite, will not open for the 2020-21 ski season “due to ongoing concerns related to COVID-19,” according to their website. Both Nordic and downhill skiing will be unavailable.
Here’s when ski resorts in Northern California are planning to open:
- Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows: Nov. 25, weather and conditions permitting
- Heavenly: Nov. 20
- Northstar: Nov. 20
- Kirkwood: Dec. 4
- Sierra-at-Tahoe: waiting for more snow
- Sugar Bowl: Nov. 27
- Homewood: Dec. 11
- Donner Ski Ranch: waiting for more snow, typically open by second week of December
- Boreal: Nov. 23
- Snow Valley: Nov. 16
- Soda Springs: Nov. 27
- Tahoe Donner: Nov. 27 for cross country ski, Dec. 11 for downhill ski, Dec. 18 for snowplay
- Dodge Ridge: waiting for more snow
- Bear Valley: Thanksgiving weekend
This story was originally published November 15, 2020 at 1:21 PM.