Ski Alpine Meadows » Conditions

Tons o’ Fun this February

admin — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:51:50 +0000

The sun is shining and with top to bottom skiing and a killer line up of incredible events- Alpine Meadows is the place to be this February. Conditions at Alpine couldn’t be better- 2,200 acres open and 13 terrain park features in the Dance Floor and Tiegel Parks. Dance Floor is boasting two flat rails, trap rail and a hitching post. Can you say FUN?! Have fun and get the most bang for your buck with the Tahoe Super 4, granting you access to Alpine Meadows for just $73 a day. We should also mention that you can ski/ride next door at Squaw Valley- conveniently connected by the Squaw/Alpine Express that runs continuously every day.

Looking for some après action off the hill? We’ve got that. February 18^th we’ll have an Après Ski Party with Headphone Union playing old school funk mixed with classical rock from 2 to 5pm in The Alpine Bar. Better yet- grab a $5 Hurricane to celebrate Mardi Gras.

In its second year, The Rahlves Banzai Tour will come back to Alpine on Thursday and Friday (Feb. 23rd & 24th)! This electrifying event combines the competitive excitement of ski and boarder cross with the speed-thrill of a downhill. Watch as competitors show off their skills down Alpine’s notorious Beaver Bowl- known for its gnarly steeps and features.

Don’t miss the weekend of February 25th and 26th! The Ice Bar Kick-off Party will commence on Saturday at 12pm featuring live music from DJ Zeb Early on the Alpine Bandwagon, the ultimate stage setting propped up on an actual snow cat.

The slopes are looking good and so is our event calendar. Now all you need to do is come check it out for yourself. We’ll see you out there!

First major winter storm of 2012

Jeremy Benson — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:30:40 +0000

It took a while to get started this year, but the first major winter storm of 2012 and this winter is bearing down upon Alpine Meadows as I write this. The beginning of this season certainly stands out in glaring contrast to last year’s epic early snows, but try as we might we can’t change the weather and we have to play the hand we’re dealt. I applaud the efforts of the snowmaking and grooming teams for fighting an ongoing battle against the sun, warmth, and lack of natural snow over the past month and half. I think we can all agree that some skiing is better than no skiing, but there’s nothing better than the real thing which is why this storm is so exciting. We’re finally getting that season-opener storm, sure its a little overdue, but better late than never…

Luckily, this storm is rolling in just the way we need it, starting warm and hopefully finishing cold, if the forecast is correct. Since there is little to no base over most of the mountain this wet dense snow is just what the doctor ordered to spackle in and stick to everything and cover it up for the rest of the season. The temperatures are forecast to drop overnight tonight while the precipitation intensifies, dropping as many as 9-13 inches at lake level around Tahoe City by Saturday morning with snow forecast to continue intermittently through Tuesday. I’d recommend dusting off the powder boards and maybe even throwing a coat of wax on ‘em, it looks like winter has finally arrived…

As we head into the next week I would also urge the use of caution. This is, quite literally, the first major storm of the season. While the snow should be piling up quickly it is important to remember what the mountains looked like a few days ago. Its pretty obvious that people are powder starved and chomping at the bit to get out shred, so have fun and be safe, there’s still a lot of season left to enjoy….

-Jeremy Benson

Happy Holidays from Alpine Meadows

admin — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:17:42 +0000

This is that great time of year where after the hustle and bustle, you can stop for a minute or two and spend some some quality time with your friends and family. What better way to do that than on the slopes! Conditions are great at Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley. The grooming is top notch, and terrain park features are sprinkled throughout the mountain for your enjoyment.

Check out our latest video and see what is in store!

Getting Ready for Opening Day!

admin — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 02:14:27 +0000

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been getting everything ready for Opening Day. The excitement and anticipation has been high, and now the big day is upon us!

Since November 21, our snowmaking team has been working around the clock to help out where Mother Nature hasn’t been so kind. What you’ll ski/ride on tomorrow is the result of 13.2 million gallons of water being transformed into snow. A huge thanks goes out to Rasta and the rest of the crew for making it happen.

As far as lifts go, we’ll be opening with Meadow and Roundhouse lifts. Roundhouse was getting warmed up today and it looked in great shape, if I do say so myself.

Also, a huge thanks goes out to Snow Park Technologies and Jonahs for working hard on getting some features ready for everyone. They just let us know that we’ll have 3 rails, 6 jibs, 1 signature ball jib and 1 small jump ready for you tomorrow.

It’s going to be a beautiful sunny day, can’t wait to everyone out there!

October Versus June Snow Comparison

Rachael — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:25:06 +0000

Ski photos continued to float our way yesterday, well into evening. Ecstatic skiers and riders shared their great energy through pictures of their October powder turns and huge smiles; and documented knee-high snow depths in a few places during their ascents.

Robb, a local Tahoe dad, sent a few photos yesterday which not only depict the topped-out fun level; they offer a snow level comparison that is both bewildering and exacting.

This photo was taken of Robb yesterday (Oct. 6, 2011) at the Wolverine Bowl trail sign.

This photo was taken of Robb with his son at the same location on June 4, 2011.

We couldn’t think of a better way to pay homage to La Nina than to show the comparison. From the heels of one La Nina to the nose of the next, we’re ready for another unforgettable winter. Have fun out there!

Additional 10/6/11 photos sent from Robb the Dad:

More Powder Photos & Video – 10/6/11

Rachael — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:25:19 +0000

If the Sierra Nevada mountains are anything beyond amazing, they are direct. As in, “yes, you will be transitioning from flip flops to Sorels and/or ski/snowboard boots in a matter of 24 hours”.

We love that. Powder turns three weeks prior to Halloween, or a chance just to get out there and build a snowman in the yard are all fantastic attributes found at our playground. Enjoy some amazing photos that were taken today and we’ll see you here at Alpine soon!

Ben Grasseschi making some sweet turns on October 6, 2011 at Alpine:

Alpine Meadows’ Sundeck looks a bit different today than it did over July 4 weekend:

Slightly more than 11 inches covers the ground near the Alpine Meadows base lodge:

The snow banks are starting to pile high:

Another beautiful day at Alpine!

New snow October 5!

Rachael — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:28:08 +0000

Mother Nature has reported for duty, and last night’s snow has started to cover the slopes at Alpine Meadows! Four to six inches of the stuff is currently blanketing the area around the base lodge.

A few extremely zealous skiers headed up the Kangaroo trail for a few inaugural turns, and others streamed into the parking lot to either follow suit or to just have a look at the winter scene.

Needless to say, we’re beyond excited at the great start to what’s predicted to be another snowy winter. Enjoy some fresh photos and we’ll see you soon on the mountain!

October 5 snow accumulation on the ground near Alpine Meadows base lodge:

Three skiers hike up Kangaroo Run at Alpine Meadows for Oct. 5 turns:

The Buttress hangs above the Alpine Meadows lodge with some fresh snow:

The sun doing battle with storm clouds. Current score: clouds 2; sun 1. :

Looking up the mountain, the storm is still parked over the Pacific Crest:

Summer hikes, location-naming contest

Rachael — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:40:46 +0000

Alpine is in full swing preparing for another powder-filled winter; however, we can’t help but to appreciate the unmatched scenic beauty that Tahoe has to offer during the summer months. As many of you know, the wildflower bloom this summer is beyond vibrant, with fragrant seas of purple, red, yellow, fuscia, white, and orange. Now is the time to view Mother Nature’s very own fireworks display.

Thanks to a healthy snow pack which continues to melt in the high country, waterfalls offer fantastic opportunities to cool off during a long hike, as well as sublime havens for a day picnic or afternoon snooze.

Quick contest:
Have fun out there! Soak it up! The first reader to name this waterfall will win two 2011-2012 lift tickets to Alpine Meadows. Hint: it is near Lake Tahoe, but it is not at Alpine Meadows (you can get there from Alpine if you really want to, but there are other access points that offer a shorter commute).

To submit your answer, send an email to AlpineNewsLetter@gmail.com. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address, so that the tickets can be mailed to the winner. Alpine Meadows welcomes contest submissions until Wednesday, August 31, 9 a.m.

And the winner is… Dave Cassaro of Homewood, CA! Dave identified these falls as the Fontanillis Falls, which flow from Fontanillis Lake into Upper Velma Lake. Congrats, Dave!

Purple Daisies:

Alpine Weather: Closing With a Snow Day!

BA The Weather Guru — Sat, 14 May 2011 17:31:00 +0000

After a season of record snowfall it only seems fitting that we should close out the Season on Sunday with a snow day.

A very cold low pressure for this time of year is currently sitting off of the CA coast. It will begin to push inland Saturday night with snow beginning to fall on the mountain. The snow will fall through the day on Sunday before tapering off Sunday night.

We are looking for 3-6 inches at the base and 6-9 inches at the summit by Sunday night. Temperatures will be cold with highs only in the 30′s on the mountain and maybe only the 20′s at the summit.

It should be a great final day with fresh snow on the slopes. There should be a few inches by the time the lifts open in the morning with fresh snow falling throughout the day.

Can’t complain about adding some extra base for riding on the 4th of July! BA

Alpine Weather: The Sun is Finally Out! For Good?

BA The Weather Guru — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:24:56 +0000

It hasn’t really stopped snowing on the mountain since last Wednesday although it has been showery and light. Alpine has picked up a few inches each day adding up to 22 inches up top over the past 6 days. That brings the April total now to 43 inches up top and the season total is already over 800 inches.

The sun is finally out today and it will stay out with warming temps for the next few days. The average high temp for this time of year at lake level is around 58 degrees at the base. We may hit 50 today at the base but Wednesday and Thursday we will be into the 50′s getting close to average. On the upper half of the mountain we will be in the 30′s today and then the 40′s Wednesday and Thursday.

The ridge in the Pacific this week will be moving from West to East from about 160w towards 140w by the weekend. A storm will drop into the Pacific NW on Thursday just ahead of the ridge and will drag a colder air down the coast for Friday. It doesn’t look like we will get much moisture down here, maybe a another dusting. Temps will be back into the 30′s on the upper mountain & 40′s at the base for Friday and Saturday.

By Sunday the ridge is expanding in the East Pacific off our coast and it now looks like it will be a bit further North. That would keep the storm track next week a bit further North into Western Canada and allow us to be a little warmer and dry. Temperatures should be around average for this time of year with sunny skies all week.

Looking long-range we should have a negative Arctic Oscillation & North Atlantic Oscillation. That should bring a shot of cold air into the Eastern half of the country while the ridge build in over the West. The GFS forecast model is onboard with the Euro model today in showing a warmup the weekend of the 7th. We could have above average highs that weekend into the second week of May if this pattern comes through. That’s good news for all of you that like to ski or board in your shorts.

The teleconnections don’t all come together yet for a definite lock and hold of the ridge. We could still see shots of cold air with some troughs as we go through the month. To summarize: a cold shot this Friday-Saturday, nice weather next week with average temps, and a possible warmup the weekend of the 7th into the second week of May. BA