Mountain West News Bureau

This year's ski season kicks off in the Lake Tahoe region with Mt. Rose

KUNR Public Radio | By María Palma

Published November 10, 2026 at 5:00 AM MST

Racks of snowboards at the base of a snowy mountain with ski trails curving through it. You can see a ski lift in the near background and various ski and snowboarders walking around in the snow. — Views from the base of Mt. Rose - Ski Tahoe opening weekend.

The ski season is officially underway in the Lake Tahoe region of eastern California and western Nevada. Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe opens Friday, Nov. 6, and several other resorts are preparing to welcome skiers and snowboarders in the coming weeks.

Recent snowfall, combined with weeks of snowmaking, has helped crews at Mt. Rose prepare for opening day.

"Over the weekend we got 8 to 10 inches of new snow, and that's on top of extensive snowmaking that we've been doing since the middle of October," said Mike Pierce, spokesperson for Mt. Rose.

Northstar California and Heavenly Mountain Resort are targeting Nov. 20 for their openings, while Palisades Tahoe is scheduled to follow on Nov. 25.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting a strong El Niño this winter, which could bring above-average precipitation across much of California.

However, warmer-than-normal temperatures could push snow levels higher, making winter conditions less predictable for ski resorts across the region.

Projected opening dates of resorts in the Lake Tahoe region (2026–2027 season):

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe: Friday, Nov. 6, 2026
Northstar California Resort: Friday, Nov. 20, 2026
Heavenly Mountain Resort: Friday, Nov. 20, 2026
Palisades Tahoe: Wednesday, November 25, 2026
Boreal Mountain California: Friday, Nov. 27, 2026
Sugar Bowl Resort: Friday, Nov. 27, 2026
Diamond Peak: Thursday, Dec. 3, 2026
Kirkwood Mountain Resort: Friday, Dec. 4, 2026
Donner Ski Ranch: Friday, Dec. 11, 2026
Homewood Mountain Resort: Friday, Dec. 11, 2026
Tahoe Donner: Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026
Soda Springs: Friday, Dec. 18, 2026

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Boise State Public Radio, Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Northern Colorado, KANW in New Mexico, Colorado Public Radio, and KJZZ in Arizona as well as NPR, with support from affiliate newsrooms across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Eric and Wendy Schmidt.