Winter is Coming: Mammoth and Tahoe See First Snow of the Season

In just 45 days, the lifts of Mammoth Mountain will be spinning for winter. The resort's social media team set the internet ablaze with white room scenes from the top of the mountain early this morning, September 30.

That leaves just enough time to get your sled tuned and gear in order.

Given Mammoth's penchant for extra long ski seasons, often stretching well into July and sometimes even August, the early season snowfall is nothing but a good omen. Here's to hoping it's a sign of greater things to come.

Mammoth starts running November 14, positioning them as one of the earliest ski resorts to open in the U.S. We can't wait.

A hop and a skip north, meanwhile, Tahoe locals enjoyed their first flakes of the season. Here's Mt. Rose getting a nice early season dusting. While the mountain hasn't announced their intended opening day, these early season storms certainly bode well for a strong winter.

While the first snowfall might only be a light coating, it’s the kind of shift that fires up the Sierra stoke machine. For locals, the flakes mark a hard reset from mountain biking and trail running back to waxing skis and checking beacon batteries. For visitors, it’s a sign to start locking in those early-season road trips before the calendar fills in with holiday price jumps and chaos.

Mammoth, with its reliable elevation and reputation for staying open into July, thrives on these early storms. A few inches in September or early October often translate into a base that holds through winter’s first real dumps. Tahoe, with its spread of resorts ranging from the basin’s north rim to the south shore, benefits once colder temps allow the snow line to settle in. Even a dusting on the peaks can transform the basin’s energy: photos hit feeds, locals start speculating about storm tracks, and the countdown to opening day feels real.

For both zones, the snow is more than weather. It’s the first spark in a season's long fire. Whether you’re chasing first lift at Mammoth or waiting on that big Tahoe storm cycle, winter is officially in view.