Taking it to the slopes

NIAMH MARREN

Surrounded by the Sierra Nevadas, Tahoe has an abundance of great mountains for winter sports. Many visiting for the first time go to popular tourist attractions; however, many smaller ski resorts are hidden gems within the mountains.

Skiing since second grade, Ariana Goldenshteyn, a senior, expressed how the best ski resorts are away from tourists.

“I honestly look for a place that is not too touristy because that usually means more expensive tickets and longer lines. I normally ski at Heavenly, but because of the tourists, my next top place is Donner,” Goldenshteyn said.

Donner Ski Ranch is one of the oldest ski resorts in California, celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2017. Since 1937, the family-owned and operated Donner Ski Ranch has been very popular. With one of the highest base elevations in the Sierras, Donner Ski Ranch guarantees some of the best powder in Lake Tahoe. In addition to non-crowded ski resorts, many skiers look at the size when deciding where to ski. Gabby Lee, a senior who has competitively skied since she was nine years old, prefers smaller ski resorts.

“I mainly look at the size of the ski resort. Personally, I like the smaller to medium-sized resorts so that it is less crowded, and there are a good amount of runs without getting lost,” Lee said.

Alpine Meadows Ski Resort is another ski resort in the Tahoe region that features over 100 acres with 20 runs, ranging from beginner to expert. Opening in 1961, the ski resort was first developed as Ward Peak Ski Resort. In Sept. 2011, Alpine merged under common management led by Squaw Valley, now called Palisades Tahoe.

For Lee, this is her favorite ski resort specifically because of its hospitality.

“My favorite ski resort is Alpine Meadows because I practically grew up skiing there, and everyone is nice and friendly. They have a great variety of runs for all types of skiers,” Lee said.

Ski resorts are becoming increasingly more impacted by climate change as the snowfall comes later in the season, affecting the ski industry. From devastating fires to late winter storms, Tahoe is at the heart of climate change.

Climate change does not only affect the Sierra Nevadas, but also has a significant impact on the entirety of California.

The Sierra Nevada’s snowpack serves as one of the most crucial water sources in the state. In previous years, the frozen snow in the mountains melts during the spring and runs into major rivers and reservoirs that feed into central and southern California. This sustains urban populations and agricultural fields. According to the California Department of Water Resources, the Sierra snowpack supplies over 30% of California water needs.

In the 2011-2015 drought, the human-caused global warming caused a 25% decrease in Sierra Nevada’s snowpack levels. This affects the millions of Californians who rely on its freshwater supply and the ski resorts that need snow to stay open.

In today’s climate environment, shorter winters and later snowfall are affecting the ski industry. Although ski resorts have the ability to use machine-fed snow, the annual ski trips are shortening.

“It starts to get colder later in the year, affecting all resorts. Most of the time, they have to make snow at night if the conditions are not right or close the resort together,” Lee said. The mountain range is becoming increasingly more vulnerable to the effects of climate change. But, the student body also believes that we should do more to protect Tahoe.

“I have seen a huge effect of climate change. The snow came way later than expected. I feel that we should do more to protect Tahoe. Tahoe is so beautiful and one of the closest lakes to us, which makes it so special,” Goldenshteyn said.

Heating up the slopes

PHoto by JESSICA CoNLEy