Will Squaw Have To Close? | 10 Days of 50 F Temps Forecasted

{At 6am this morning, it was 45 F at 8,200 feet at Squaw Valley.  The high forecasted today in Lake Tahoe is 62 F.}

Rumors have been floating around about Squaw Valley closing until large storms come and give Squaw its first real snowfall of the season or until snowmaking temperatures return to Lake Tahoe.  I don’t think Squaw could possibly close considering the fact that KSL is doing everything they can to make Squaw popular, that they have pledged $50 million in improvements, and that they recently fundraised $3 billion.

Squaw/KSL has the means to do what they have to do to keep Squaw open with a “rainy day fund” is fat, supple, and ample.  Closing would be bad for the community, bad for Tahoe business, bad for Squaw, & bad.  

This graph:  temperatures at 6,200 feet at Squaw Valley.  

Squaw Valley Temperatures the past 48 hours.  Only 9 hours below freezing.  Noaa.gov

Yet, there is one factor that good intentions and even money can’t control:  the weather.  Squaw has a reported 12” base that we all know is much thinner than that in many places on our only two open runs.  Combine that 12” base with highs in the 50s and 60s for at least 10 days and what do you get?  You get melting snow and lots of it.

Lows will be in the twenties at night, but it may not be enough hours per night to perform snowmaking.  Even if they can make snow, it may not be be effective against the temperature onslaught.

This scenario isn’t totally unheard of.  Mount Ashland in Oregon just closed until more snow arrives.

“Mt. Ashland is temporarily closing until the ski area receives enough snow to be able to reopen the ski slopes. Only four inches of snow fell at the ski area during an unusually warm and dry December that affected the entire western region of the U.S.” – Mount Ashland ski area officials, Monday.