Both Sides Closed

Hello skiers,

If you are not in Tahoe, then you may not be able to appreciate the storm that has been raging all day.  It started during the night. I do not know how much snow we have received in the past day or two, but it is significant and continues to increase.   30 inches of snow was sitting on my deck this morning. This included accumulation from yesterday afternoon. My driveway was plowed early this morning (perhaps 4:30 am) by our snow removal contractor.  At 9:30 am I was out clearing it again with my snowblower.  There must have been close to a foot of new snow in the driveway when I opened the garage door.  Winds have been blowing steadily (up to 130 mph at the top of Summit Chair). The high winds tend to fill in driveways and roadways that are like deep canyons at this point in time.  I just walked in from clearing the driveway again that had at least a foot of snow covering the asphalt once again.

 Round one this morning

         It should be obvious that avalanche conditions are extreme. A number of small slides occurred as I was plowing my driveway.  It is a little frustrating blowing snow up onto banks along the driveway only to have it sluff back down in a mini slide, but that is what was happening.

 Slide path just above my driveway

It was not a surprise to find out that both sides of the mountain were closed today.  Extreme avalanche danger exists everywhere including along the Alpine Meadows Road.  High winds, copious amounts of falling snow, and zero visibility are a recipe for disaster. We do not want any disasters at Alpine Meadows.  Don’t stray far from home until avalanche conditions are no longer a factor.

We need to thank all the patrollers who are out in this huge storm fighting mother nature in an effort to make our mountains safe.

THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.

I think we should also thank all the employees who have been working hard clearing snow, grooming, working on lift maintenance and operations.  You have all been doing a great job.  Thank you to management for closing all operations at both resorts today. I want to be kept as safe as possible.  Sometimes it is best to just shut down and start over when the sun comes out.  Hopefully, will see the top of the mountain tomorrow.

Enjoy your day,

Andy

As of 5pm, the app shows all lifts closed at Alpine Meadows on Wednesday as well. This is not surprising. Then at 530, they all say anticipated weather impact….who knows.

Mark added this tweet from Mountain Ops filmed by Eva G. It was not a day to be out on the mountain for recreational purposes:

Here’s a short snapshot of current conditions at the Alpine Base area. Video by Eva Graves, Alpine Dispatch Manager. #palisadesops pic.twitter.com/oxy0APTmgy

— Palisades Tahoe Mtn Ops (@palisadesops) February 28, 2023