For Sugar Bowl Skiers & Riders
Well there were tons of people everywhere compared to the early-season emptiness before the weekend, and a packed parking lot… but not a lift line to speak of. Crow’s and Summit opened for the first time this season. I don’t think I’ve ridden Summit in _years_. I thought they only ran it on blackout dates, haha.
One week of lift-served skiing left in 2022 for the slightly restricted crowd. Get out there and enjoy!
Feet of snow on the untouched peaks and sunshine What more could you ask for? The weekend’s snow settled a bit and was way more navigable without getting stuck. Dis, Lincoln and the gates all opened up fairly early and lots of pow was crushed.
Sunshine in the forecast for now… time for this guy to break out the skins and visit Lunch Rock.
It is DEEP out there. Sugar managed to operate Dis on Saturday and Jerome & Tree on Sunday. Heard bombs coming from Lincoln all day long Sunday.
Monday is going to be a glorious bluebird day! Wear your pow tails!
Wow. What a start to the season!
Friday brought us the season’s first pow day, and what a glorious day it was! Dry, blower pow and sunshine.
Storms over the weekend, and Disney opened on Sunday offering a nice change from Lincoln laps.
Tuesday was once again sunny and bluebird! Patrol worked their asses off and we were treated to tons of new terrain. Sugar Bowl, the Sisters and Silver Belt all opened for the first time this season. So exciting to see all those gates open!
And… 5 (?!) feet on the way this weekend. Saturday looks like positively brutal blizzard conditions, not sure even this die-hard storm skier will brave that. Sugar is top-notch when it comes to operating in storm conditions but I don’t know what lifts they’ll be able to run Saturday. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was just Jerome, Tree and Nob.
Sunshine, mild temps and barely anyone at the mountain for opening weekend. What more could you ask for?
Lincoln was spinning and coverage was surprisingly good all things considered. A little dicey up top after some traffic, but not bad at all.
And a decent storm on the way for Thursday dropping a foot and a half, maybe two. Friday is going to be bluebird!
T-minus seven days until the season starts at the Bowl!
A friend asked me last night what I thought would open. My guess? Jerome, Tree and Hard Drinkin’ Lincoln! (plus Nob & Pine). Not expecting Dis or Judah.
Sugar announced an official opening date of Friday the 25th! Get your gear sorted and your snow tires on. See you in three weeks!
Wow, big news for our little mountain in the off season!
First off, Sugar is now on the Mountain Collective pass, as the sole Tahoe resort, replacing Palisades and Mammoth. Woah. While that’s not the apocalypse of crowds that joining the Epic or Ikon ridiculousness would bring to our uncrowded haven, it for sure puts the Bowl on the radar of traveling tourists and pow chasers with a much bigger spotlight than before. I don’t think we’re going to see a drastic increase in crowds this season because from MC passes, but I’d guess Sugar is going to start getting more attention and press.
Secondly, apparently we have a new CEO, Bridget Legnavsky, imported from New Zealand. Quoting the Sierra Sun article, her achievements at previous mountains include things like “impressive growth in skier visits by shifting focus to terrain parks”. Ugh. I sure hope that’s not in our future. Our summit spies tell me that Judah side overflow parking next to Donner Pass road has been paved, that’s not a good sign. 🙁
And to end on a high note… it felt like summer went on forever this year, but here we are looking at six+ feet in the forecast. Will we really get that much? Will Sugar open? Winter is here for sure. I’m going to have some hot soup and watch the mountain cams. See you soon!
Please join the Unofficial Sugar Bowl Ski Team for our SEVENTH (!!) annual closing day cave party!
Disco Cat, Will Spins and surprise guests will be playing tunes for your earballs. Wear a onesie or costume, bring something to share or just your fine-ass self.
When: Closing day, Sunday, April 17th
Where: Disney cave, between Eagle and Avalanche. Take the spine toward Disney Nose… there will be a sign for Eagle dropping to skier’s left, take it. Then ski underneath (downhill side) the giant rock on skier’s right. Alternately (easier, better coverage), you can take Duck about halfway down and then do a traverse to skier’s right, aiming for the downhill (left) side of the giant rock.
Of course this weird season is ending with a final week of storms. It wasn’t bottomless, but it was a legit, super-fun pow day out there for sure!
More on the way this week..