RENO, Nev.-
Lake Tahoe ski resorts are cranking into higher gear after a storm dropped up to 14 inches of snow earlier in the week.
Three more resorts opened for the season Friday: Alpine Meadows, Squaw Valley USA and Sierra-at-Tahoe.
Mt. Rose resort opened for the season Thursday, while Boreal, Sugar Bowl, Heavenly, Kirkwood and Northstar-at-Tahoe kicked off the season earlier.
“The cold day and night temperatures, and the help of the snowstorm this week gave Boreal’s trails great snow coverage and conditions,” said Boreal spokeswoman Jody Churich.
The resorts are open on a limited basis and need more snow before they can fully open.
On Friday, two of 13 lifts were open at Alpine Meadows and two of nine lifts were in operation at Boreal.
Less than 25 percent of Squaw Valley USA’s terrain was open.
“We really need another storm to open the upper-mountain terrain,” Squaw Valley USA spokeswoman Savannah Cowley told the Sacramento Bee.
With major storms slow to arrive in the Sierra so far, skiers and snowboarders must make do with mostly man-made snow.
Nonetheless, Tony Heilman, 37, of Reno, said he was impressed with conditions for snowboarding at Mt. Rose just southwest of Reno.
“It was surprisingly good,” he told the Reno Gazette-Journal. “The winds were slow and there was enough coverage. Best of all, there was no one out there. It was nice and empty.”
Eugene Han, 21, a University of Nevada, Reno student, said he had expected more of Mt. Rose to be open but enjoyed his day on the slopes anyway.
“The snow was good. I’m satisfied,” he said.
A cold spell has allowed resorts to crank up snow-making machines to capacity.
The cold has allowed Diamond Peak near Incline Village to make snow nearly 24 hours a day over the last week, manager Ed Youmans said.
Diamond Peak plans to open Dec. 8, while Homewood on Lake Tahoe’s west shore plans to start the season Dec. 14.
