Over 10 Feet of Snow this December

It took some time to get things rolling this winter but Mother Nature came through big time in the month of December delivering over 10 feet of snow. Squaw is almost 100% open (still waiting for Silverado) and are running 30 lifts. The conditions are excellent as we head into 2009.

Happy New Year and we hope to see you in Squaw Valley soon!

KT-22 is Open!

Skiers and riders are enjoying turns on KT-22. Recent snow has opened up additional terrain on both lower and upper mountain. Squaw has 21 lifts spinning today and there are some great stashes of light fluffy snow. The recent wind has blown some snow around so look to see where that snow is landing to find the stashes. There is plenty of beginner and intermediate terrain open and the kids are out there with smiles on their faces. Night operations begin on Christmas Day which offers skiing and riding on the 3.2 mile long Mountain Run. Below are some pics of KT-22.

More Snow on the Way!

The Tahoe community was eagerly anticipating the arrival of winter and some snow. Now we are preparing to get buried! With 3 feet from this last round of storms and 18-24 inches expected by Friday night, things are looking really good. Even better, a big, wet storm is on its way Sunday. Below is an excerpt from the Weather Discussions on www.noaa.gov regarding the long term forecast (Sun - Wed). It sound like this weather pattern is going to continue through Christmas Day at least. Book your reservations today before the holidays are all filled up.

From WWW.NOAA.GOV:
....OTHERWISE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF HEAVY PRECIPITATION TO THE SIERRA...NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA AND NORTHWEST NEVADA. LOWER VALLEYS OF WESTERN NEVADA MAY SEE A PERIOD OF RAIN LATE SUNDAY BEFORE CHANGING OVER TO SNOW OVERNIGHT. WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED ONCE AGAIN AS THIS SYSTEM APPEARS EVEN WETTER THAN ITS PREDECESSORS.

Squaw Gets Over 3 Feet of Fresh!

A huge storm hit the Tahoe region over the last few days and more snow is in the forecast. Upper mountain lifts will be opening tomorrow (12/17). Below are some pics of the storm.

Wax Up Those Boards!

Photo by Scott Gaffney

It has been a slow start to the winter but the weather pattern is changing today and snow is on the way. There has been an inversion layer (warmer at higher elevations than lower elevations) and snowmaking was not possible up top. That has all changed, snowmaking has been in full force for the last few days and a huge drop in in temps is expected starting today. The weather forecast for the weekend and next week is looking really good for some of the white stuff. Conditions should be good for the holidays.

Squaw is running the Cable Car daily with ice skating available at the Olympic Ice Pavilion. The new mid station at Exhibition was open last weekend and will be open this weekend as well. There is also plenty of snow at the tubing hill by the Papoose chair and snow tubing is open on the weekends as well. There are lots of events lined up for the holidays this year as part of the Squawlidays Celebrations. Take a look at our Events Calendar for a full list of special events including Santa in the Village, the Torch Light Parade, and New Year's Eve celebrations.

To get help us get all get pumped to hit the slopes, send us your favorite Squaw Photos or Videos. You can send them in via EMAIL.

The Winner of the Greatest Stay Contest is Gabie Benson!

Congratulations Gabie on your prize of a 5 Night Stay here at The Village at Squaw Valley USA!

It was tough deciding on the winner with so many incredible entries about vastly different experiences. Thanks to everyone who entered the contest and keep an eye out for our next contest.......

Here is the winning entry:

It's really fitting that I found this contest on the same week my husband and I are celebrating our 1 year anniversary and our week long retreat to Squaw Valley. I always new Lake Tahoe was the ideal honeymoon location for us. My husband loves nature, good food, and the great outdoors. I wanted to find a place where we could peacefully relax in a beautiful atmosphere, but find an exciting night life. I knew the combination of the majestic views and the nearby casinos would please both of us. And, after a long 13 month engagement and all the stress of wedding planning, Squaw Valley was just what we needed.

I couldn't have asked for a more prefect week in Squaw Valley. I often woke up early for a stroll through the Village to enjoy the crisp chill of the morning and a cup of Starbucks. Dave would prepare breakfast for us in the in-suite kitchen and plan out our day. Lunch in Tahoe City? A hike around Emerald Bay? Cruise on a sailboat? Win big in Reno? Get stuck in a snow storm? We did it all. We made candles at Waxen Mood. We drank Irish beers at Auld Dubliner and had pizza at Fireside…twice. We spent our gambling winnings on fleece jackets to keep us warm and became the chocolate shops best customers. We took advantage of everything Squaw Valley and Lake Tahoe had to offer.

A year later, photos of those beautiful views we enjoyed from our balcony in the Village hang in our living room. We are reminded every day of that very special trip. Dave and I plan to return to Lake Tahoe again. Until then, the Village at Squaw Valley will always be close to our hearts!

David and Gabrielle Benson

The Greatest Stay Winner Update

Today is the final day of the Greatest Stay Contest. Thank you very much to everyone who submitted their stories and it was a pleasure reading them all. In fact, we need another day to go through them all and decide on the winner. Stay tuned for the winning entry.....