More than 3.5 feet of new snow at Lake Tahoe ski resorts

It might have been raining across much of Northern California, but last week’s storm brought snow to Lake Tahoe ski resorts – more than 3.5 feet of the white stuff, making for a great ski weekend.

“You just never know how these storms are going to play out,” said Chief Marketing Officer Andy Chapman of the North Lake Tahoe Chamber/CVB/Resort Association. “But Mother Nature cooperated and we’ve got new snow on the mountains.”

With a base elevation of 8,260 feet, Mt. Rose – Ski Tahoe welcomed 45 inches of snow throughout the series of storms and has received a total of 100 inches of snowfall to date. On Donner Summit, Sugar Bowl Ski Resort at an elevation of 6,883 feet is reporting storm totals of 44 inches. Squaw Valley’s upper mountain at 8,200 feet got 42 inches of snow.

According to Chapman, the timing is perfect as the region will host the 13th Annual Learn to Ski and Board Weekend – Learn More on the North Shore – December 8-9. The event is geared for beginners, costs only $30 and includes an all-day beginner lift ticket, group lesson and gear rental.

First-timers have their choice of six resorts to learn at including Alpine Meadows, Boreal Mountain Resort, Granlibakken Resort, Homewood Mountain Resort, Squaw Valley and Sugar Bowl Ski Resort. Several resorts will also offer guests a bounce back offer with savings good on a return visit.

Reservations are not required, but participants should arrive early. Lesson packages can be purchased at each individual resort the day of lessons. Students should contact resorts directly for resort-specific information. Some restrictions apply. Resorts not open December 8-9 may offer a Learn to Ski Weekend later in the season.

For more information about the Learn to Ski and Board Weekend, North Lake Tahoe ski resorts, events, activities and other winter offerings, go here. And, for the best bargains, including lodging, check out the website’s Cool Deals, which is updated daily.

Lake Tahoe has been recognized by national media outlets, including Good Morning America, Travelocity, Orbitz, The New York Times, The Weather Channel, ESPN The Magazine, among others for its scenic splendor and reputation as a leader in outdoor recreation, entertainment and dining. Recently, Lake Tahoe was ranked the “Best Lake in America” in a survey by USA Today readers.

North Lake Tahoe is a 45-minute drive from the Reno Tahoe International Airport, two hours from Sacramento International Airport and just over three hours from San Francisco International Airport. Visitor information centers are located at 100 North Lake Boulevard in Tahoe City and 969 Tahoe Boulevard in Incline Village. The North Lake Tahoe Visitors Bureaus, Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau and the North Lake Tahoe Chamber/CVB/Resort Association, work together to promote North Lake Tahoe as a premier, year-round destination.

Here's the latest from Tahoe South:

Early season in overdrive with arrival of 3-4 feet of snow
A series of winter storms rolled into the Sierra over the past few days dropping 3-4 feet of powder at Tahoe South resorts followed by sunny skies.

With chairs turning at Heavenly Mountain Resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Kirkwood Mountain Resort, the storms put a heavy blanket on Lake Tahoe mountainsides giving skiers and boarders plenty to celebrate as the season kicks into high gear in time for holidays.

"The momentum these storms carried with them was spectacular and is exactly what we asked Santa for this season," said Carol Chaplin, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. "One by one they covered every acre at our resorts — effectively telling the world that Mother Nature has taken charge of Tahoe South."

A fleet of city and state snow removal vehicles around the Lake Tahoe Basin will be keeping the roads clear and safe for travel. Caltrans has current California road conditions at www.dot.ca.gov or 1-800-427-ROAD (7623) or 916-445-7623. For road conditions in Nevada, contact the Nevada Department of Transportation at www.nevadadot.com or 877-687-6237. Travelers can also get up-to-the-minute online road information and more on their smart phones at NV.mobi.

For the most up-to-date information on snowfall, mountain base depths and road conditions in South Lake Tahoe, check area ski resort web sites and cams or call snow phones: Heavenly Web Cams – 775-586-7000; Sierra-at-Tahoe Web Cams – 530-659-7475; Kirkwood Web Cams – 209-258-3000 and Heavenly Village Web Cams.

Entertainment and Nightlife
Once the sun sets on Tahoe South, it’s the call of the wild at Lake Tahoe’s nightlife epicenter as award-winning entertainment cues up with Grammy-toting musicians, live music, lounge acts, 24-hour gaming and an active bar and social scene.

Come off the slopes and step into MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa Dec. 8 and enjoy a wild ride of the digital kind with the 11th annual Tahoe Adventure Film Festival. Guests should brace themselves for this anything goes, beer-chugging, film watching party complete with go-go dancers, hideous costumes and plenty of outrageous contests. (www.laketahoefilmfestival.com)

Heavenly Holidays is two weeks of festivities at Heavenly Village, Dec. 19-31, featuring live music, ice sculpting, professional ice skaters and photos with Santa inside a giant snow globe. The celebration culminates Dec. 31 with “A Heavenly New Year Celebration” including a concert, fire dancers, ice sculptors, culminating with a 9 p.m. Gondola Drop. A decorated and illuminated car will descend from the mountaintop accompanied by a community countdown, all followed by a fireworks celebration to welcome 2013 (www.skiheavenly.com).

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe entertainment includes Night Ranger, Dec. 8; Christmas with Aaron Neville, Dec. 15; Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker, Dec. 21; Asleep at the Wheel, Dec. 22; Robert Randolph and Karl Denson, Dec. 28; Tainted Love, Jan. 5, 2013 and Jonny Lang, Jan. 12, 2013. (www.harrahslaketahoe.com).

MontBleu’s showroom entertainment/events line-up features Thunder from Down Under, Dec. 12; Daniel Tosh, Dec. 15; End of World Party, Dec. 21; New Year's Eve Nightclub Party at Opal Ultra Lounge, Blu Nightclub and Convention Center, Dec. 31; Mario Cantone, Jan. 26; George Benson, Feb. 17 and Comedian Jo Koy, Feb. 23. (www.montbleuresort.com).

Getting to Tahoe South
The drive to Tahoe South from the Reno International Airport has been shortened, thanks to the opening of the new I-580 freeway. The six-lane, 65-mile-per-hour freeway is safer, more convenient and faster, bypassing Pleasant Valley and Washoe City. The 8.5 mile divided freeway features new anti-icing technology on all nine bridges. When factoring in the convenience of Reno Tahoe International Airport, voted the top airport for skiers by SKI Magazine, getting to South Lake Tahoe from the east has never been easier. Not to mention that South Tahoe Express offers luxury coach shuttle service more than eight times per day, and driving from the Bay Area is only a three plus-hour drive or a two-hour drive from Sacramento, this winter destination is convenient from all points of the map.

For real time updates on events, promotions, packages, conditions and events in Tahoe South, The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority is on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TahoeSouth, Twitter: www.twitter.com/SouthShoreTahoe, YouTube: www.youtube.com/LTVA. For Tahoe South information: 1-800-AT-TAHOE (1-800-288-2463) or www.tahoesouth.com.