Tahoe '23/'24 - Reserve Now For Best Pricing!!!

[SnowMachine]

Fir engraver beetle is the main culprit, but it was the years of drought that allowed it to take hold. There are numerous other reasons, most notably overgrown forests
https://www.sfgate.com/renotahoe/art...e-17455575.php

I remember that article.

I've been actively thinning for years now.

https://www.sbsun.com/2018/12/04/wil...ent-practices/

[old goat]

Seems like there a number of different beetles affecting different species. The one I'd be most worried about would be the Western Pine, since our trees are Ponderosas. Sounds like it's a combination of stressed trees and abundant beetles. The weaker (the less able to make sap) a tree is, the fewer beetles it takes to kill it. Enough beetles can kill a healthy tree.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE...rdb5384837.pdf

[powdork]

Depends where you are. The reason there are so many dead trees along the west shore is there are so many white fir here. It's really sad driving along 89 thru Tahoe Pines when there are about 30 huge dead ones lining the road.

[jackstraw]

Bryan via Open Snow bumped it up -

Thursday - Saturday Storm:

It was pretty amazing this morning to wake up and see all the models trending wetter and colder with the storm after it was already looking like a big storm. There is pretty remarkable consistency and agreement among the models, which is lending to confidence in the snowfall forecasts.

The latest model runs show snow showers reaching the mountain around 4-7 AM Thursday morning. The snow starts off lighter and increases in intensity through Thursday afternoon, with the heavier snow pushing in Thursday night. The heaviest snow looks to fall Thursday night and Friday night, and Saturday we could see moderate-heavy bands of snow moving through that could diminish down to lighter showers Saturday night into Sunday morning.

Winds will be gusting over 100 mph up top through Friday closing several ski lifts and blowing the snow creating blizzard conditions. The mountain could close on Friday to deal with the heavy snow and high winds. Highs in the 30s Thursday and then 20s for the upper mountain Friday. Saturday the winds could still be gusting up to 60-70+ mph over the ridges for much of the day. Highs drop into the 20s.

We are less than 24 hours from the start of the storm and the trend is wetter and colder for the storm. Snow levels look to start near the base and then drop lower through the storm. That will start us with denser snow that becomes more powdery through the end of the storm. The heavy precipitation & cold temperatures will combine to bring up to 5-6 feet of snow near the base, 6-7 feet near mid-mountain, and 7-8+ feet up top by Sunday morning!

[bodywhomper]

Chicken feet, you should leave today or (maybe) early tomorrow.

The landscape-level forest health project along the Tahoe west shore has white fir management as one of its objectives. That species has previously been allowed to behave like a noxious weed.

A cold winter will reduce the number of annual life cycles for the western pine beetle. A wet winter will improve tree resilience to fighting them off when they attack. Long term view, one of the best strategies is to reduce to competition for water for pondo’s, which means reducing the number of smaller trees and shrubs. However, even if a pondo can successfully battle an initial attack from the beetles (you can often tell by the color and quality of the pitch tubes), the beetles may win in the end because they usually carry the fungus that causes blue stain. I was told that it can take a decade or more for that fungus to kill a previously healthy mature pondo pine.

[J. Barron DeJong]

And Snow Lab saying there’s chance for this storm to break the all-time single day snowfall record:

[Powcruzer]

All aboard.

[J. Barron DeJong]

This is what AI comes up with for ‘snowstorm hype train’?



This technology is obviously not ready for prime-time.

[heckacali]

Ask it for
"Tourist gapers with 2wd cars and tire chains trying to get to Tahoe in a blizzard"

[J. Barron DeJong]

Ask it for
"Tourist gapers with 2wd cars and tire chains trying to get to Tahoe in a blizzard"

Nailed it!

[TahoeJ]

I’m in Tahoe now, trying to drive to Utah on Sunday. Fx seems all over the place. Should I bail before the storm or ride it out?

If you need to be in Utah you should get out while you still can. Roads are going to close and so are ski resorts.

[heckacali]

Lol @ image

[old goat]

You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
Also, the pump don't work 'cause the vandals took the handle.

[mmmm...pow!]

And Snow Lab saying there’s chance for this storm to break the all-time single day snowfall record:

I think someone let their kid put that together, not right at all.

[J. Barron DeJong]

I think someone let their kid put that together, not right at all.

[Not DJSapp]

Hype train gets face shots!

[caderader]

Here's my generative AI created contribution. Expectation versus reality?

[deciblast]

I think someone let their kid put that together, not right at all.

I remember a 54" overnight in 2017 or 2018. Took me 3-4 hours to get out of the driveway. Squaw closed at ~1:30pm.

And a 48" overnight in 2009. The road at our house in Meyers wasn't plowed. I just gunned it and plowed the road. Luckily it wasn't far to 50. Made it to Heavenly and it was a ghost town.

[bodywhomper]

Is it true in Japan that they don’t record/report snow that falls during the night? This is my first attempt to confirm this “fact.”

[TahoeBC]

The corn before the storm today


A year ago today was possibly some of the deepest turns of the season

[SnowMachine]

Today was a crazy wild mix. We skied full corn conditions off Sherwood and cold chalk off KT.

Let's get this storm started and see where we land.

I'm getting some entertainment from the PT Driven App. Those parents are dead set on getting their kids on the mountain this weekend...

I'm expecting some quality time in a tractor.

[::: :::]

looking at a spring break sqawlpine option; kid wants to see where gnar went down
have no idea what the daily drive to the hill is like...
what's it like staying in Truckee or Tahoe or ___ in terms of getting to the hill each day? is there a beat the crowd race to the hill?
how is mid-week (but nevertheless spring break) parking? free/paid options? carpool reqts? [def not premium lot]
ideally we'd just stay in the village & not drive while there, but pretty sure that's our price point...

thx for any advice to a 1st time tourist to your hill

[Thesystemsplit]

Well that didn't take long. I80 (E) closed at around 7:30, estimated reopening 13:15 ... unless it closes due to whiteout conditions. Pfft.

damn, way earlier than I guessed(4pm)

[J. Barron DeJong]

Corrected record days from the Snow Lab:

[Muggydude]

Well I made it up last night. Didn’t want to risk it tonight. Currently in Carson City, trying to decide if I think it’ll be possible to make it to Squaw early Saturday morning or not. Could take 50->28, or 80 to 89.

Seems likely that Alpine and Won’t even open Saturday until late if at all