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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Bay Area / Tahoe
    Posts
    2,463

    Where to Ski in Tahoe early December?

    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.
    Last edited by Muggydude; 10-05-2018 at 01:05 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Sierra Foothills
    Posts
    676
    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.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Tahoe
    Posts
    3,097

    Where to Ski in Tahoe early December?

    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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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Tahoe
    Posts
    949
    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.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Maine Coast
    Posts
    4,662
    Agree on Kirkwood highest elevation.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Wasatch Back
    Posts
    193
    +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.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Wasatch
    Posts
    6,256
    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.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Wasatch Back
    Posts
    193
    Quote Originally Posted by Sirshredalot View Post
    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.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    774
    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.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    57
    Kirkwood if theres snow lol.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    774
    If things play out the way they are forecasted to the next couple weeks then Kirkwood is now the easy call.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Posts
    14
    Another for kirkwood! Such a fun mountain!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Posts
    57
    Quote Originally Posted by Muggydude View Post
    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.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    In a van... down by the river
    Posts
    13,532
    Quote Originally Posted by amoeba View Post
    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...

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    295



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  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    295
    Also, Kenc4544 just a weird jong post or a bot spamming bad things about certain resorts? If the latter, ugh


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  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Paradise
    Posts
    5,190
    I'm just stopping in to hear more about these hookers and hopefully some blow. Tell me more please.
    dirtbag, not a dentist

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Dystopia
    Posts
    21,020
    Quote Originally Posted by CoorsLight99 View Post
    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.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Bay Area / Tahoe
    Posts
    2,463
    Quote Originally Posted by amoeba View Post
    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

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