Where to Ski in Tahoe early December?

[Muggydude]

Road tripping with my brother from bay area to Denver early December (10-15 roughly). Plan is to stop a day (or two if the snow is good) in Tahoe, then on to Park City for a few days, then to Denver. I am picking him up from the Reno airport, so if there's going to be shit snow everywhere I'd probably just stick to Northstar?

On the Epic local pass, so 3 main options are Kirkwood, Heavenly, and Northstar. Know next to nothing about any of them. Judging on type of terrain, elevation, and opening date, Kirkwood seems like it may have the best early season snow? And probably will be empty due to location. Plus lots of terrain we'd enjoy skiing.

Heavenly maybe seems like a good second choice, lots of terrain, nicer lodging too.

Just curious on local's thoughts. There's chance I'll be able to use a friend's California Gold pass, so may squeak in a day at Squaw too.

Will most likely book refundable lodging in a few places. I'm guessing the snow will be a good deal better in PC, considering it's probably going to be an El Nino year, but we might as well get in some skiing in at Tahoe before the 8 hour drive to SLC one day.

[Bosco]

Northstar would be last of those 3 on my list. Kirkwood is likely to have the best "real" snow in December, Heavenly probably the worst. Hopefully we don't have a repeat of last year.

[Banh Mi]

Shoot 3 hours down to Mammoth and pay for a pass, and ski with me there or at Squaw!

Out of those 3, Kirkwood


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[sierraskier]

Kirkweed. But the more important question is will there be any snow? Could be mid-winter like or bone dry, it's a total crapshoot.

[cat in january]

Agree on Kirkwood highest elevation.

[barkcity]

+1 on Kirkwood.

If there isn't much natural snow, Heavenly (or Northstar) will have more snow making. I'd lean towards Heavenly, because there's casino nightlife... if that's any interest to you guys. North shore will be dead in mid Dec.

[Sirshredalot]

Given how things have been for the past several years now, I wouldn't count on PC skiing well at that time of year. Realistic best case scenario these days might be having the mountain 50 percent open with groomers only. Realistic worst case scenario would be WROD only.

[barkcity]

Given how things have been for the past several years now, I wouldn't count on PC skiing well at that time of year. Realistic best case scenario these days might be having the mountain 50 percent open with groomers only. Realistic worst case scenario would be WROD only.

Sad, but true. Gotta make a sacrifice to the snow gods.

[jorion]

Kirkwood’s pretty far from Reno but worth it if it’s filled in enough to ski off-piste. If you’re stuck on groomers may as well just go to Northstar. They have good snow making at least.

[tnorts]

Kirkwood if theres snow lol.

[jorion]

If things play out the way they are forecasted to the next couple weeks then Kirkwood is now the easy call.

[Wondo]

Another for kirkwood! Such a fun mountain!

[amoeba]

Road tripping with my brother from bay area to Denver early December (10-15 roughly). Plan is to stop a day (or two if the snow is good) in Tahoe, then on to Park City for a few days, then to Denver. I am picking him up from the Reno airport, so if there's going to be shit snow everywhere I'd probably just stick to Northstar?

On the Epic local pass, so 3 main options are Kirkwood, Heavenly, and Northstar. Know next to nothing about any of them. Judging on type of terrain, elevation, and opening date, Kirkwood seems like it may have the best early season snow? And probably will be empty due to location. Plus lots of terrain we'd enjoy skiing.

Heavenly maybe seems like a good second choice, lots of terrain, nicer lodging too.

Just curious on local's thoughts. There's chance I'll be able to use a friend's California Gold pass, so may squeak in a day at Squaw too.

Will most likely book refundable lodging in a few places. I'm guessing the snow will be a good deal better in PC, considering it's probably going to be an El Nino year, but we might as well get in some skiing in at Tahoe before the 8 hour drive to SLC one day.

Everything in your post is so half-assed to suggest it is a joke. Nobody, but nobody, "plans" a trip for early December, especially coming from Colorado. 80% chance of having zilch skiable snow on your entire trip. Northstar will have nothing. Squaw will have near nothing, maybe a slim chance of a groomer shit show on the West's longest lift line at Shirley Lake. If Heavenly has anything, it will be limited to the Comet/Dipper chairs where they can make high snow. Kirkwood doesn't make high snow, so they will have nothing. If they do get a dump that time of year, there will be avalanche controls on the road and mountain, and a half-mile line of locals waiting to ski 10 minutes to trash their rock skis on thin cover. It won't "fill in", and even if it did, Vail Resorts won't have enough staff to open the whole mountain. In Colorado, only Beaver Creek's Birds of Prey run will have enough artificial snow/ice to run the World Cup which kicks off at that time; and if you ever watched it - most years; the rest of the mountain has more dirt than snow showing. Park City will have nothing worth skiing until mid January.

50% open best case scenario is highly unlikely. Maybe 15%, as in 2 lifts per mountain, would be optimistic. Refundable bookings will be superabundant, if you think you need them.

As to the remark that Lake Tahoe is pricey; that's wrong too; Tahoe is cheaper than dirt in almost every respect compared to Park City, and everywhere in Colorado, with the notable exception of the higher end hookers on the Nevada side (younger, sans tattoos). If that's what you and bro are really looking for (since your skiing chances are limited), dress well, spend big at the tables, and they will find you.

[skaredshtles]

Everything in your post is so half-assed to suggest it is a joke. Nobody, but nobody, "plans" a trip for early December, especially coming from Colorado. 80% chance of having zilch skiable snow on your entire trip. Northstar will have nothing. Squaw will have near nothing, maybe a slim chance of a groomer shit show on the West's longest lift line at Shirley Lake. If Heavenly has anything, it will be limited to the Comet/Dipper chairs where they can make high snow. Kirkwood doesn't make high snow, so they will have nothing. If they do get a dump that time of year, there will be avalanche controls on the road and mountain, and a half-mile line of locals waiting to ski 10 minutes to trash their rock skis on thin cover. It won't "fill in", and even if it did, Vail Resorts won't have enough staff to open the whole mountain. In Colorado, only Beaver Creek's Birds of Prey run will have enough artificial snow/ice to run the World Cup which kicks off at that time; and if you ever watched it - most years; the rest of the mountain has more dirt than snow showing. Park City will have nothing worth skiing until mid January.

50% open best case scenario is highly unlikely. Maybe 15%, as in 2 lifts per mountain, would be optimistic. Refundable bookings will be superabundant, if you think you need them.

As to the remark that Lake Tahoe is pricey; that's wrong too; Tahoe is cheaper than dirt in almost every respect compared to Park City, and everywhere in Colorado, with the notable exception of the higher end hookers on the Nevada side (younger, sans tattoos). If that's what you and bro are really looking for (since your skiing chances are limited), dress well, spend big at the tables, and they will find you.

2018 calling...

[GeorgiaSnow]

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[GeorgiaSnow]

Also, Kenc4544 just a weird jong post or a bot spamming bad things about certain resorts? If the latter, ugh


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[raisingarizona13]

I'm just stopping in to hear more about these hookers and hopefully some blow. Tell me more please.

[Core Shot]

December is the best month for skiing. Feb is the new March and March might as well be April/May with global warming. Gotta go early and be there when the slopes get buried.

Coots light for the win. Rocky Mountains baby. Fuck Tahoe.

[Muggydude]

Everything in your post is so half-assed to suggest it is a joke. Nobody, but nobody, "plans" a trip for early December, especially coming from Colorado. 80% chance of having zilch skiable snow on your entire trip. Northstar will have nothing. Squaw will have near nothing, maybe a slim chance of a groomer shit show on the West's longest lift line at Shirley Lake. If Heavenly has anything, it will be limited to the Comet/Dipper chairs where they can make high snow. Kirkwood doesn't make high snow, so they will have nothing. If they do get a dump that time of year, there will be avalanche controls on the road and mountain, and a half-mile line of locals waiting to ski 10 minutes to trash their rock skis on thin cover. It won't "fill in", and even if it did, Vail Resorts won't have enough staff to open the whole mountain. In Colorado, only Beaver Creek's Birds of Prey run will have enough artificial snow/ice to run the World Cup which kicks off at that time; and if you ever watched it - most years; the rest of the mountain has more dirt than snow showing. Park City will have nothing worth skiing until mid January.

50% open best case scenario is highly unlikely. Maybe 15%, as in 2 lifts per mountain, would be optimistic. Refundable bookings will be superabundant, if you think you need them.

As to the remark that Lake Tahoe is pricey; that's wrong too; Tahoe is cheaper than dirt in almost every respect compared to Park City, and everywhere in Colorado, with the notable exception of the higher end hookers on the Nevada side (younger, sans tattoos). If that's what you and bro are really looking for (since your skiing chances are limited), dress well, spend big at the tables, and they will find you.

Gave me a laugh.

A, because this is from 2018.
B, because for some reason it didn't occur to you that someone might be driving from CA to CO anyways, and might happen to want to ski along the way?
C, because I just had a phenomenal Pow Day at Kirkwood this Weekend (Dec 4th at that)
D, 2018-2019 was the best season of my life. Over 700 inches at most resorts, almost 30ft in February. December was nice too