Palisades Tahoe, CA, Operations Update February 28, 2024: The Biggest Storm of the Season Is on the Way

Operations Update: The Biggest Storm of the Season is on the Way

By Liz Worgan

Feb 28, 2024

A massive storm is barreling towards Lake Tahoe, with the potential of 5-8 FEET of snow by Sunday. While we’re thrilled about the prospect of deep coverage, we are preparing for challenging operational impacts, and we would like you to be prepared before you travel. There will be slick roads, reduced visibility, and closures on mountain passes that are pretty much guaranteed. Our recommendation: Use the CalTrans QuickMap app and OpenSnow to make a safe and realistic plan.

• Related: The Dangers of Powder Panic—How I Drove My Car Off a Cliff on the Way to the Ski Area

WEATHER OUTLOOK

Expect heavy snowfall and hazardous winter weather conditions from Thursday to Sunday.

• Thursday: Snowfall will be heavy. Wind gusts over 100 mph on ridges. Lifts will be impacted. Snow levels will start around 6,700 feet (Alpine Lodge) and fall throughout the storm.
• Friday: Extremely heavy snowfall throughout the day. In the Palisades base area, there is the potential for more than 40 inches of snow. There is the potential for either or both mountains to be closed entirely or significant delays for dig out and avalanche control.
• Saturday: Heavy snowfall throughout the day. There is the potential for either or both mountains to be closed entirely or for significant delays.
• Sunday: Be patient. We will be digging out. We could see 5-6+ feet near the base, 6-7+ feet near mid-mountain, and 7-8+ feet of snow in total on the upper mountains by Sunday morning.

We saw a similar-sized storm around this same time last year, with 92 inches between 2/27 and 3/1. This resulted in one closure day for the resort.

PLAN YOUR TRAVEL ACCORDINGLY

We want you to be aware of what the reality of the current situation is, what to expect, and how to be prepared before traveling here. Again, by Thursday night, it is likely that highways will be closed.

• Do not drive up to the Lake Tahoe area without checking the weather and road conditions.
• Use the CalTrans Quick Map app to check the status of roads like Interstate 80 or Highway 89
• Get gas and groceries before you enter the mountains. There is potential for the area to run out of fuel and have low grocery stock in large storm cycles when trucks cannot get up to resupply.
• Use caution when traveling on side roads. While most main arteries in North Lake Tahoe are well-cleared, this will be a huge storm to recover from, and there will be a lot of work to do to dig out the side streets.
• Check our list of winter driving tips to help you make safe travel decisions. If you absolutely must travel, you should stock your car with water, blankets, and food, and you should carry chains.

LIFTS + TERRAIN: WHAT TO EXPECT

We are going to lose access to the upper mountain(s) during this storm. This means that all of the snowcat access roads and snowmobile routes will have to be re-established. Extensive avalanche control will have to be performed as well. Essentially, we will be starting from scratch with our ridgeline lifts (if not ALL of our chairlifts). We cannot put out estimated opening dates or times until we see what this storm actually does. Our teams always work as hard as they can to get everything open as soon as possible.

HOW TO GET UPDATES

• OPERATIONS BLOG: We publish this blog anytime we have an important update, complete with behind-the-scenes photos and insider information Sign up to get our Operations Updates sent directly to your inbox with intel from Grooming, Lift Maintenance, Patrol, Snowmaking, and more. Sign up here. You can also bookmark our Operations Blog webpage, and easily check if a new one has been published at any time.
• TAHOE SKI & RIDE REPORT: Sign up for our Tahoe Ski & Ride Report, a daily message that comes straight to your inbox with lift predictions for tomorrow, including snowfall reports, weather forecasts, and more. Make sure you’re signed up here.
• THE PALISADES TAHOE APP: Download the Palisades Tahoe App and enable push notifications. On storm days or days when we’re slower to open, we send a push notification every time we have a terrain update. Plus, the app allows you to check lift & trail status in real time.
• MOUNTAIN OPS TWITTER: Follow our Mountain Operations X (formerly Twitter) account, @palisadesops. We post updates that come directly from our mountain dispatch every day.

DON’T GIVE IN TO POWDER PANIC

We know this is a ton of fresh snow and we are stoked to ski it, too. Please make safety your number one priority. Remember, we will be open through at least Memorial Day. That’s THREE MONTHS to keep skiing and riding, so you have plenty of time to get out on the hill.

• Ski with a friend or a group and maintain visual contact.
• Avoid tree wells, especially after a storm like this one.
• Have a rendezvous point in case you get separated from your friends or family.