Conditions Report
Report from November 8, 2024
Opening day is something that almost all skiers and snowboarders worldwide patiently (or should I say anxiously) wait for.
If you’re able to make it, you feel the stoke and gratitude in the air before the lifts start spinning.
If you miss it, maybe you get FOMO, or maybe you’re eagerness grows for what the season ahead holds.
When Mount Rose Ski Tahoe, Nevada, posted on Instagram announcing its opening on Friday, November 8, I knew there was no chance I was going to miss it.
After an hour-long drive up from South Lake, we arrived at 8,260 feet, the highest base elevation of all resorts in Tahoe.
Whenever it’s my first time at a new mountain, I do my best to go in with low expectations, and try not to judge based on one early season day with limited terrain options.
However, we immediately came face-to-face with ‘The Chutes’; 1,000 steep feet of vertical, with pitches up to 55 degrees.
“Just imagine all of that filled in on a powder day in February,” I blurted out.
As we strolled past the main lodge, my initial thoughts were, “This place looks awesome,” and, as usual for me on a new mountain, “why did it take me so long to come here?!”
Those thoughts quickly turned into reality as we loaded up on Lakeview Express, the high-speed quad that would be our chariot to today’s fun.
We ascended up the mountain to a ridgeline where we were graced with a beautiful view looking west towards Lake Tahoe, and northeast towards the biggest little city, Reno.
Standing atop this new view with just a few folks around, clicked-in and ready to get my first turns of the season felt so right.
It was like love at first sight.
With just one lift (plus a magic carpet) and one main run open, I thought it would get repetitive fast.
I was indeed very happily mistaken.
Lakeview Express offered plenty of enjoyable and different types of skiing down 1,000 feet of vertical, mainly on Kit Carson Bowl.
Surprisingly, it had it all; a decently steep pitch where skiers could carve some GS turns, soft and spring-like moguls, side-hits all over the place, and even a park setup with a handful of small features.
With very little help from Mother Nature this early-season, I was thoroughly impressed with the snowmaking, grooming, and overall quality of snow.
It was truly glorious and some of the most fun I can recall having on an opening day in Tahoe in a while.
Honestly, it never got even the slightest bit old or repetitive at all.
We skied 12 laps in just about three hours, each one different enough from the last to keep things interesting.
As the sun started to hide behind the mountain, casting shadows on the run, we knew our opening day was drawing to a close.
It was an absolutely awesome and special first day of the season and first day skiing at a new mountain.
With more snow in the forecast this entire week, and Mount Rose Ski Tahoe the only resort open in the region, it is officially time to get out and make your first turns of the season!
Snow Report
Forecast
