Ahead of Mega-Storm, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, CA Advises Visitors What to Expect this Weekend

In anticipation of the storm that is about to slam the Tahoe area and dump up to 5-FEET on ski areas, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows in California today advised visitors what to expect during this period:

• Related: NOAA: Winter Storm Warning for Tahoe Area | 36-60″ Snow to BURY Ski Areas

A substantial storm is in the forecast! We could see 3-5 FEET of snow on the upper mountains by Monday. Here’s what you need to know about this weekend:

Weather 

• • Friday: Sunny, 47 degrees. Winds will top 60mph at night.
  • Saturday: Snow! Expected accumulation is 3-7 inches throughout the day. Ridgetop gusts of 80+ mph.
  • Saturday Night: Snow! Expected accumulation is 9-13 inches.
  • Sunday: Snow! Expected accumulation is 10-14 inches. Ridgetop gusts of 60+ mph.
  • Sunday Night: Snow! Expected accumulation is 6-10 inches.
  • Monday: Snow! Expected accumulation is 4-8 inches.
  • Monday Night -Wednesday: A chance of snow.

Operations Impacts 

In anticipation of what weather forecasters have categorized as a “Major Storm” that runs from Friday through Monday, along with the development of a cut-off low positioned system off the coast through Wednesday, we have decided to make the following operational changes.

• • The Aerial Tram (including High Camp facilities such as Granite Bistro, High Camp Marketplace, and The Terrace Bar & Restaurant) will be closed Saturday and Sunday.  We also plan to keep the Aerial Tram closed Monday through Thursday, based on the high winds and heavy snow caused by the cut-off low.
  • Upper mountain lifts at Squaw Valley including Headwall, Siberia, Emigrant, Granite Chief, Solitude, Mountain Meadow, Belmont and Bailey’s are also closed through the weekend.  At this time our confidence on other upper lifts being able to operate (Gold Coast, Big Blue, and Shirley Lake) is not high, but a call will be made as the storm progresses.
  • We anticipate having Squaw Creek, Far East, KT-22, Exhibition, Squaw One, and the Funitel operating as well. Bear in mind that avalanche control will be intense and could cause further delays.
  • Operations at Alpine will also be affected. At this time we are anticipating several of the upper mountain and ridgetop lifts not being able to run.

COVID-19

Please know the health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. Although there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our local community, we are monitoring the situation closely and remain vigilant in maintaining a high standard of cleanliness across the resort. As a standard, all of our facilities are disinfected daily, with additional attention throughout the day as needed. We are taking a number of actions above and beyond these standards as well. Please visit our COVID-19 page for the latest information.

• • We will be limited the number of people entering the Funitel building at the Base Area, as well as reducing the number of people in each Funitel cabin.

Stay Up-To-Date on Weather & Conditions

• • We will be performing avalanche control on Sunday & Monday mornings. Please be patient as we work to get lifts open in a safe, timely manner.
  • If you’re not big on arriving early, make sure that you enable push notifications using the Squaw Alpine app. This way, you can take your time and still get the most up-to-date information on what parking is available.
  • You can also follow the Mountain Ops Twitter account for real-time information on parking, lift status, and more.
  • If you want to know what to expect before you get to the resort –for example, on Saturday & Sunday when weather will be dynamic– you can ask Alexa or Google Home for the latest on weather & conditions to help inform your decision.