Conditions Report
Report from May 10, 2024
Every spring in Tahoe, when most resorts start winding down operations and bidding farewell to a great season, one mountain stays open and attracts ski enthusiasts from all over.
We arrived at the Spring Skiing Capital, Palisades Tahoe, California, just before 9 a.m.
The hot spring sun already piercing down through the bright blue sky.
After contemplating what to wear to stay cool and protected from the sun, we put on our boots, went to the ticket window, and then went to the Funitel.
Living and working full-time in South Lake, it’s harder for us to get up here in the heart of winter to enjoy this amazing place.
However once spring rolls around, it becomes a lot easier and more realistic to do.
Although I have skied here dozens of times during my tenure in Tahoe, this majestic, big-mountain resort remains relatively unknown to me.
Thankfully, my brother Mike, who skis here more often, told me to go check out Siberia or Headwall to start the day, so that’s just what we did.
While the hike looked tempting and terrifying, we opted for some hot laps down Siberia Bowl instead.
I wasn’t sure what to expect conditions-wise, but I quickly found out and realized how good it was.
The fast, soft, smooth, creamy corn snow beneath my skis gave me a burst of exhilaration as I straight-lined the top into some wide turns at the bottom right back to the lift.
We lapped Siberia Bowl several times before venturing further to check out Headwall.
Unfamiliar with where to go and what would ski the best as the day progressed, we explored a couple laps off of CII Ridge before heading to Gold Coast to check out the park.
The four-pack of jumps looked huge and intimidating, plus I didn’t see anybody hitting them at the time.
“That’s gonna have to be a no-go for me today,” I thought.
Instead, we found a super fun, short snake run toward the bottom of the rail garden.
There is something so electrifying about slush-slashing giant banked turns with walls as tall as you are.
Since Mike planned to meet us for an afternoon power hour, we took a quick car break after riding Mountain Run all the way down to the base.
A small snack, water, and a brief seat in the shade is a rejuvenating way to catch a second wind.
Before he showed up, we got back out there for a couple of laps on KT-22.
Here, we encountered deep, heavy, hot-pow, the remnants of the two-foot May storm from the prior weekend.
Finally, Mike arrived for a true power hour, and we also had the pleasure of meeting his girlfriend.
They both have much better knowledge of the mountain, so I was stoked to have someone showing us around for a bit.
We went straight for Chute 75, however the entrance was melted out, requiring us to enter through an almost equally boney Alt 75.
Watching three snowboarders side-slip and jump-turn over the steep, rocky moguls to enter was entertaining.
Once we were ready to go, I took off first, making quick work of the steep, slushy snow for a fantastic first lap down this particularly fun run.
Next up was more hot and heavy powder through Enchanted Forest, and with that, we knew the day was coming to a close.
After one more long, sluggish run down Mountain Run from the top of Siberia Bowl, we met my Mom for Mother’s Day and my brother’s birthday celebration.
We sat by the Lake and enjoyed the warm evening sun in solidarity before a delicious dinner at Soule Domain.
Palisades Tahoe remains open with daily operations through Memorial Day.
The skiing is fantastic, and the Tahoe spring skiing vibes are off the charts.
Thank you, Palisades, for keeping the lifts spinning and the stoke alive for the longest season in Tahoe!
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