Conditions Report
Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows are both open and both quite low on snow. Today we skied both ski resorts to make a direct, real time comparison. Alpine won.
SQUAW VALLEY:
At Squaw Valley right now, they have Red Dog, Squaw Creek, and Gold Coast open. The best skiing is between the Squaw Creek run (which was great first thing this am in the sunlight) and the Dog Leg run off Red Dog (which was icy at first but softened by the afternoon and was fun).
The snow at Squaw was slushy in most zones by 11am. Squaw has lost a lot of snow in the past two days. Temperatures have been in the high 40s to low 50s and the off-piste is mostly done for now. Rocks, trees, stumps, logs, and cut-off-at-45-degree-angle-stab-you-if-fall-on-them saplings abound on Squaw’s off-piste. Groomers are still fun, though.
ALPINE MEADOWS:
At Alpine Meadows right now, they have Summit, Kangaroo, Meadow, and Round House open. Summit is great because it takes you from the bottom to the top of the mountain in high speed fashion.
The snow was slushy by 11:30am. Alpine is losing snow fast as well, but it’s holding up a bit better than Squaw. The off-piste was still doable today, but you’re certainly hitting more rocks than you were a few days ago.
In the morning the off-piste was icy and most unfriendly.
OVERALL:
For our money, we’d certainly say that Alpine is skiing better than Squaw right now and it’s a better overall experience.
SQUAW & ALPINE FORECAST:
The forecast at Squaw & Alpine tomorrow if for 2-3cms of snow (we’ve been forced to switch to centimeters to make snow totals seem more significant). Sunny skies and temperatures in the 40s return by Thursday and continue through the weekend with no storms in sight…
We repeat: no storms in sight. Find out more here:
This confirms it was good to skip Squaw or Alpine on Wednesday. I skied
Sugar Bowl on Wednesday and it wasn’t great either. Groomers (1 from top
to bottom on Lincoln Chair) were good. Some ungroomed stuff at top was
firm but shaded and doable. No Black runs were open. Off trail stuff on Jerome
Hill lift was not closed but softened only slightly by mid afternoon and avoiding
rocks was nearly impossible. Gondola, “main lodge, & Disney are closed.
Sugar Bowl was deserted -few cars, few people in lodge or on lifts or on trails.
Great meeting you Sunday on Summit @ AM. I would hafta concur w/ the report – I too skied both Squaw and Alpine Wednesday – and until the “dancefloor” was overrun around 12-12:30 It was great fun – took the free shuttle over to Squaw around 1pm and started riding the resort chair and yes it skied great and there were NO crowds to speak of . Point and shoot from top to bottom !! We need a few more feet to make the off piste less dangerous to boards and bodies tho – and it’s looking pretty grim for the next few weeks . Pray for a change in the Jet Stream and those epic sierra dumps we all know and love !!
great report. I heard it’s gonna be super fun at squaw this weekend!
Yimmers i want pow pow pow!!!!!!!!!