As a late-season storm moves in to dump snow in the Sierra Nevada, only two resorts remain open for skiers to ride. Photo: Kirkwood//Instagram
A winter storm watch predicts more than a foot of snow will fall at some of the highest Sierra Nevada Peaks through Wednesday. However, after a warm spring with little snowfall whittled down the snowpack, only two ski resorts remain open for skiers and snowboarders to find fresh powder.
After Kirkwood and Mt. Rose closed over the weekend, Palisades Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain are the only resorts left standing for the 2025-2026 winter season. Mammoth intends to stay open through Memorial Day, and Palisades hasn’t set a closing date but says it’ll stay open as long as possible.
The weather alert issued by the National Weather Service says that the highest mountain peaks in the Great Lake Tahoe Area could see 12 to 18 inches of snow. Elevations above 6,500 feet could see 4 to 10 inches of accumulation. They also warn that heavy winds could stir up waves one to three feet high on Lake Tahoe — for those looking to do some lake surfing.
The spring storms cap off a winter season of ups and downs for much of the Western United States. The Sierra Nevada received several powerful storms interspersed with long heat waves and even high-altitude precipitation. The variable weather created weak snow layers prone to avalanches, contributing to a dangerous winter that included the deadliest avalanche event in modern California history.
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