tseeb
Well-known member
I started my season skiing both Kirkwood and Heavenly on same day, something I also did to start my last season on 11/15/22. Kirkwood made their scheduled (in August) opening day of 12/1 and reported 7” new that morning, the most by far that day of any Tahoe ski area, but they only had 12” in all of November. Kirkwood is running chair 5 which I rode 20x (15K). I did see chair 6 spin a few times, but patroller I asked said chair 11 (The Reut) will most likely open before 6 (Cornice). Last year Kirkwood had been running chair 6 as snowpack was much better, but it was on windhold on 11/15/22.
The only run with snowmaking and being groomed is Bandit, usually a terrain park. They are also letting you ski natural snow that was thin, firm and had some bumps on Lower Monte Wolfe (OK but run is somewhat flat), Mokelumne (has two entrances, but not recommended as very shaded and thin) and Lower Zachary (best of these three and I made some turns in 3-day old powder near bottom). There is a ropeline diagonally above mostly untracked. I made a few turns staying above it on three of my laps.
All the open runs face N/NE and have a lot of shade this time of year from trees along E edge. Some of the best snow I found was lookers right edge of groomer.
This is looking up Monte Wolfe. Building at top is patrol shack at top of (not yet open) chair 6
I quit at 1230 and was on road about 10 minutes later, then loaded Gunbarrel at Heavenly about an hour after that, eating my lunch while driving. I went as high as was open (Canyon chair) and skied Ridge Run 10x. Surface on the semi-steep face in the middle of Ridge was not as good as most of Kirkwood as it was very firm. Some narrow lanes on skiers right edge were better.
When I was done with Ridge and skiing down Maggie's, I was surprised to see SW-facing Stein's was open so I took it.
Stein's skied well in late afternoon sun. Heavenly has also opened S/SW-facing California Trail (visible just to right and below occupied chair on Canyon) on snowmaking from the top of the gondola (where start of run is too flat - walking required) to Canyon/Sky base. To ski CA Trail requires walking out to Maggies after it or going up Canyon, skiing down to and going up Patsy’s chair, then downloading Gunbarrel and taking a shuttle back to gondola base. But it does allow people staying near gondola base to get to skiing without a shuttle.
Gunbarrel is bare until very top where there is an inch or so of snow and a lot of rocks that are usually well-covered.
I quit at 3:45 with 11K after downloading Gunbarrel, a very scenic ride. Looking N over casinos towards Mt Rose.
Last picture is looking W/NW. Top of Palisades visible to left of furthest right cable and runs at Homewood are visible to left of that.
The only run with snowmaking and being groomed is Bandit, usually a terrain park. They are also letting you ski natural snow that was thin, firm and had some bumps on Lower Monte Wolfe (OK but run is somewhat flat), Mokelumne (has two entrances, but not recommended as very shaded and thin) and Lower Zachary (best of these three and I made some turns in 3-day old powder near bottom). There is a ropeline diagonally above mostly untracked. I made a few turns staying above it on three of my laps.
This is looking up Monte Wolfe. Building at top is patrol shack at top of (not yet open) chair 6
I quit at 1230 and was on road about 10 minutes later, then loaded Gunbarrel at Heavenly about an hour after that, eating my lunch while driving. I went as high as was open (Canyon chair) and skied Ridge Run 10x. Surface on the semi-steep face in the middle of Ridge was not as good as most of Kirkwood as it was very firm. Some narrow lanes on skiers right edge were better.
When I was done with Ridge and skiing down Maggie's, I was surprised to see SW-facing Stein's was open so I took it.
Gunbarrel is bare until very top where there is an inch or so of snow and a lot of rocks that are usually well-covered.
I quit at 3:45 with 11K after downloading Gunbarrel, a very scenic ride. Looking N over casinos towards Mt Rose.
Last picture is looking W/NW. Top of Palisades visible to left of furthest right cable and runs at Homewood are visible to left of that.
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