WEB EXCLUSIVE With temperatures beginning to drop this autumn, Lake Tahoe experienced a snowfall this past weekend of approximately two feet during a typically snowless October.

Due to the close proximity of Lake Tahoe, students like junior Sydney Mountain elect to ski at many northeast resorts. To kick off the ski season earlier than normal, Palisades Tahoe, a ski resort located in northeast Tahoe, is planning to open their ski lifts on Oct. 29.

“I probably will start skiing earlier in the season, but that depends on when my family and I find a time to go,” Mountain said. “I usually ski during winter break but I might get the opportunity to go up sooner now.” 

Although the two feet of snow created improved skiing conditions, it also contributed to a lake level rise of 0.6 feet, or approximately two billion gallons of water, according to the United States Geological Survey. 

“In large snow years, which this year very well could be, some resorts extend into May, and a few have been open for The Fourth of July,” Jenn Boyd Lemming of Weidinger Public Relations said. “The late October snow gift portends a winning winter season for South Lake Tahoe and enthusiasm for the upcoming season.”

In previous years, Lake Tahoe typically receives a maximum of eight inches of snow in October, so these additional two feet have been unusual but also beneficial for the mountains. 

“I don’t have a lot of free time due to finals, school and college applications, so I won’t be able to make it up to Tahoe relatively soon,” senior Eliza Spaht said. “However, my family and I plan to go during ski week and since there has been so much more snow already this year, I’m hoping the conditions will still be good.”

Although Lake Tahoe got an early start to its winter season, the snow will likely not impact the prices of lift tickets at ski resorts. One may purchase different types of tickets at Palisades Tahoe, including day passes, four day passes, or an Ikon Pass, which permits access to multiple resorts.

“I am looking forward to this winter in Tahoe,” Mountain said. “I have always enjoyed skiing in Tahoe and a couple of feet of snow is always a good sign for a good season.”