Tahoe Ski Resort Owners Welcome Fresh Powder, Keep Hopes Alive For White Winter
TAHOE (CBS13) — Many ski resort owners are hoping for not just a white Christmas, but a white Thanksgiving as ski slopes are opening throughout Tahoe.
After a dismal winter last year thanks for California's drought, the resorts are hoping this winter is much kinder.
Beth Howard with Northstar admits that with the excitement comes anticipation.
"Were expecting Mother Nature to cooperate," she said. "We'd really like to have that, but we have a state-of-the-art snowmaking system and to get us open today it took a huge effort."
And that artificial snow has become more of a main attraction than a backup plan. Northstar spent six days making the white stuff before Friday.
Mother Nature hasn't been that kind to Tahoe ski business in the past few years, prompting some resorts to cut prices to lure in hesitant customers.
But it hasn't been all bad—Sandy Evans Hall with the North Tahoe Chamber and Visitors Bureau says occupancy rates have actually grown.
"I think the community has been coping very well, in fact this last year, we had record lodging numbers throughout the years," she said.
And it's not just the lift tickets bringing in money—nearly $15 sandwiches also help out businesses' bottom line.
Northstar hopes the weather holds up and allows them to continue keeping the slopes open throughout the winter.
The rest of the ski resorts that haven't opened are expected to do so in the coming days and weeks.
