Snow Days: Tahoe's World Class Ski Season
Record Snowfall
This year's record-threatening totals began just before Christmas with a series of fronts that set up perfect holiday ski conditions. Then after a balmy January, which locals were calling June-uary, February and March came in like a lion.
When it comes to current conditions, that is how much snow is now on the hill,
SkiInfo.com lists the Top-4 ski resorts in the world, as of 3/24/2011: Mammoth Mountain, CA (889 cm/350 inches); Sugar Bowl, CA (780cm/ 310 inches); Boreal (762cm/300 inches); Alpine Meadows (744cm/292 inches).
Boreal and Sugar Bowl sit atop Donner Summit, Alpine Meadows is near Tahoe City, and Mammoth Mountain is a three hour drive south (in good weather).
According to Mister Truckee, "I've been here thirteen years and this is the most snow I've ever seen in the Town of Truckee." VIDEO: Truckee snow
Of course, measuring snow is not a precise science, so Squaw Valley, which neighbors Alpine Meadows would point to different measurements, but it all melts down to one of the most impressive years ever.
The region is not unfamiliar with such snow totals. For instance, in the winter of 1951-52, a series of brutal storms left 65 feet on Donner Summit, stranding 226 train passengers aboard "The City of San Francisco". All escaped safely, but two rescuers gave their lives in the effort.
In the winter of 1937-38, residents of Tahoe City were cut off from all road deliveries for days. One night the locals built fires on the Tahoe CIty Golf Course, and a United Airlines plane dropped ten packages of food to the hungry town.
Of course, Interstate-80 which opened just prior to the 1960 Olympics at Squaw Valley, has put an end to the days of air drops. But, it still takes an army of maintenance personnel and machines to keep roads open and services available in this region of epic snow quantities.
Oh, and another 18 inches is expected by tomorrow morning....and another storm comes in Saturday and Sunday!
Published by Nolan O'Brian
Teacher, 30-year media professional, guitarist, storyteller, dad View profile
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1 Comments
Post a Comment2010-2011 may have been a good year for snow; however, 2011-2012 was not (at least in VA)...unusually warm this winter.