Update 3:45 p.m.:

Over 3.5 feet of snow is already on the ground at Homewood Mountain Resort, and it just keeps coming! The resort announced this afternoon it will open Wednesday for skiing and riding — this being its 60th winter season.

Source: Homewood

Initially Posted:

Snow is falling and local resorts are gearing up to open for ski and snowboard enthusiasts.

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Sugar Bowl plans to open Wednesday and Diamond Peak plans to open Thursday. Northstar will open Sunday.

Below is a list of what lifts will be spinning and COVID-19 safety information:

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Northstar

Northstar is opening on Sunday, Dec. 19.

Big Springs Gondola will begin loading at 8:30 a.m. and Arrow Express and Vista Express will begin loading at 9 a.m. Arrow Express and Vista Express will service Skid Trail, Lumberjack and Lower Main Street.

Opening Day Mountain Dining:

Lodge at Big Springs

• Health + Safety Information: Detail on all health and safety protocols is available on our website; key things to know include:

• We will not have a mountain reservation system this season and will load lifts and gondolas at normal capacity, optimizing guest movement around our resorts.

• Face coverings are required for guests in all of our indoor spaces. including restaurants, lodging properties, restrooms, and retail and rental locations, and on buses.

• Guests ages 12 and over will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations to dine at our indoor, on-mountain cafeteria-style restaurants. This requirement includes those guests 12 and over in our ski and ride school programs that include lunch.

• Guests should book reservations for on-hill dining via our EpicMix app or via the resort website. This year, reservations will be available beginning the day before, so it’s easy to plan your weekend.

Early season protocols are in place: Early season conditions currently exist, and we require skiers and riders to observe all posted signs and warnings for their safety. Closed trails may contain hazards due to limited natural snow coverage and snowmaking operations.

Source: Northstar

Diamond Peak

A strong winter storm system has dropped over 36 inches of fresh snow on Lake Tahoe’s Diamond Peak Ski Resort in the past 48 hours, leading the resort to announce it will be opening for the season on Thursday, Dec. 16.

Diamond Peak will be opening with top-to-bottom terrain and full services including ski and snowboard lessons, rental equipment, and food and beverage options at both the Base Lodge Provisions food court and the mid-mountain Snowflake Lodge.

Specific runs to be open for Opening Day are still to be determined. Details will be posted to Diamond Peak’s Conditions page on the website as they are available.

Source: Diamond Peak

Sugar Bowl

With more than 3 feet of new snow since Sunday, Sugar Bowl is ready to open for daily operation starting Wednesday, December 15.

Scheduled lifts on opening day include Jerome Hill, Christmas Tree, and Nob Hill. After Wednesday morning’s opening, we’ll turn our attention to Lincoln… followed by Disney. We’ll keep you updated on the lift and terrain opening timeline as soon as we hear more from our mountain operations team.

Our first two days of operation will be for season passholders only and their friends and family using a voucher (plus those few who pre-purchased lift tickets prior to today). We will not be selling any additional lift tickets for Wednesday or Thursday.

Know before you go

The threat of COVID-19 remains with us. While our policies are looser than last winter, we are still focused on maintaining a safe environment for our guests and staff and will comply with all state, county and local guidelines. Some important items to remember:

No walk-up, day-of purchases. Advanced reservations are required. All lift tickets, lessons and rentals must be purchased online, prior to arrival.

Face coverings. California has reintroduced a statewide indoor mask mandate. All guests and staff must wear a face covering at all times inside, except when actively eating or drinking. Face coverings are not required outdoors.

Credit/debit/gift card payments only. Sugar Bowl will be cashless this winter for all in-resort purchases, including food, beverages and retail items.

Please read all of the information in our Winter Covid Guide before you visit and we look forward to seeing you back on the mountain.

Source: Sugar Bowl