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Highway 89 Avalanche Delays Opening

Update: At 11:15, Highway 89 and Alpine Meadows Road were opened. Check the app for updates on lift openings. 🙂

There’s not really any doubts that the last wave of the storm came in like a wrecking ball last night. This snap from the Alpine Meadows webcam shows just how deep it got.

Image via SkiAlpine.com

In case you have not heard, a good sized avalanche trapped two cars on Highway 89 near Alpine Meadows Road overnight. All people were rescued without injuries. The road remains closed while avalanche danger is mitigated. Note those are Alpine Meadows patrollers assisting in securing the road, which means fewer people are available to work at getting the mountain open. Patience is the name of the game here. I would consider any opening at Alpine Meadows today to be the result of some very hard working people. Squaw will have some lifts open around 11 AM for those that just can’t wait.

All photos below are via Truckee CHP Facebook page:

14 thoughts on “Highway 89 Avalanche Delays Opening”

  1. Just heard AM rd closed for avi safety (10:45). Not hearing a lot of bombs. Lifts scheduled but no eta & no “open trails”.
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  2. Woke up at 7:10, checked the snow report, “Today’s Word” from yesterday evening said to expect delayed openings. Makes sense. Driving from Tahoe City hit the road closure, detoured through kb, checked the report again around 9, “Today’s Word” from 6:30 AM mentions the avy and road closure. Typical KSL.

    1. I dunno. The slide happened at 1 in the morning. I happened to note it at 2 am as I was lying awake and checked roads. But I don’t expect them to make all night update. Early notifications have been better this year.

  3. I was driving that road Sunday night around 9:30 following an A Sante workout, shopping at Safeway and SaveMart and burger at the Bridgetender. Due to the way it was dumping and a defective windshield wiper I was experiencing severe visibility problems. So I stopped to let a vehicle pass me so that I could use its rear reflector lights as a reference point to get to Squaw. And whilst on 89 between Ramparts and River Ranch I had a definite thought that there was avalanche potential and I was vulnerable. Interesting.

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