Ski resorts rejoice after storm brings first major snow of year to Tahoe

RENO, Nev. - Lake Tahoe ski resort operators were jubilant Saturday after a storm left up to 9 inches of snow and ended a 27-day dry spell.

National Weather Service forecasters said it was the first snow of any note at Tahoe since the weekend before Christmas, and another chance of snow was expected Sunday and Monday.

The Tahoe snowpack fell from about 130 percent of average just before Christmas to 73 percent of average on Thursday.

"There's a lot of smiling faces around here today," Boreal ski area spokeswoman Jody Churich said Saturday. "It's exciting to get snow. It opens up the storm doors again."

Alpine Meadows spokeswoman Rachael Woods said resorts were growing worried over the lack of snow.

"We're excited and we hope today is an omen for the rest of the season," she said. "It takes a lot of pressure off our minds. We have multi-million-dollar businesses based on whether it'll snow or not."

Chains or snow tires were required Saturday on some Sierra highways, including Interstate 80 over Donner Summit and Highway 88 over Carson Pass. But the controls were lifted after the snow let up.

Boreal reported as much as 8 inches of new snow while Alpine Meadows got up to 9 inches. Kirkwood reported from 5 to 7 inches.

Despite the lack of snow in recent weeks, Tahoe resorts have reported large crowds this season primarily because of unusually heavy snow before Christmas.

"We're almost a sell-out here for the (Martin Luther King Jr.) holiday weekend," said Northstar-at-Tahoe spokesman Bob Hamilton.

Resorts were able to keep most or all runs open during the dry spell with the help of man-made snow.

A series of storms expected over the holiday weekend could pose problems for holiday travelers heading home over Sierra passes.

"Monday could be messy," said Dave Pike, a weather service forecaster.

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