Some progress is being made on the TLC slope at Alpine Meadows, but it is minimal at this time. A little birdie told me that 30 to 40 hours of snowmaking is still needed to open the Weasel slope. On the Palisades side of the mountain, you will have the distinct ability to ride the beginner carpet this weekend. It might be a good time to take your child out for his or her first day of skiing.
If you want to park for free, you will need to make your parking reservation by noon on Tuesdays. Parking reservations will not be required this weekend, but they will be required starting the weekend of December 13. Parking is free after 1 pm if space is available. Otherwise, you will need reservations, whether you are seeking a free spot or paying for a spot. Reservations are required for weekends and holidays. For additional information, please review the policies on the IKON app.
For those of us who live in either the Alpine Meadows Valley or Squaw Valley, the free Mountaineer shuttle service is an excellent option for transportation to either ski area base. Below is this winter’s information for the use of the Mountaineer service.
Mountaineer will operate this winter in Alpine Meadows:
5 days per week (Thursday – Monday), 7 am – 11 pm
Plus on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 7am – 11pm, December 24-25, December 30-31, and February 17-18
Plus on New Year’s Eve until 2 AM within Alpine Meadows and between Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley
Two additional vans have been added, one in each valley, on Saturdays and Sundays, December 20-March 22, to increase capacity and reduce wait times during peak demand periods. After taking a deep dive into past seasons’ Mountaineer passenger feedback, Mountaineer ridership reports/demand, and evaluation of Palisades Tahoe’s visitation, the Board of Directors decided to add vans on Saturdays and Sundays, one van in each valley, to improve wait time during peak demand. The Board seriously considered going to daily service in Alpine Meadows at the same time but decided that increased service on Saturdays and Sundays and other wait time accuracy improvements were a higher priority, especially considering budget limitations.
Other wait time improvements include:
Prescriptive van flow in parking areas
Passenger education on when to request a ride to set typical wait time expectations
Fine-tune driver protocol for curbside wait time.
Increase in-app and text communication with passengers.
The reconstruction of Fanny Bridge in Tahoe City is coming along. Hopefully, the bridge will be open in the coming weeks. This afternoon, I took a walk to the bridge to check on the progress.
If you really cannot wait to slide down the slopes, Boreal, Mt. Rose, and Mammoth appear to be your best opportunities.
Enjoy your day and pray for snow
Andy
Mammoth is doing a fantastic job with what they have and it riding good for early season
Held up for another day Mike?