Ski season arrives at Lake Tahoe

As many of us think of turkey and stuffing in preparation for the holiday weekend, local ski areas are thinking snowmaking and crowds.

"Our feeling here is this is going to be one of our bigger Thanksgiving weekends," said Eric Brandt, communications director at Squaw Valley USA, who added that reservations are greater than in previous years.

Squaw has 10 lifts open and all of its facilities.

Because of early snow and cool temperatures, local resorts are hoping crowds will bundle up and hit the slopes.

"There's something for almost everybody," said Brandt about the recent storms covering most of the beginner and intermediate trails.

According to the National Weather Service, two weak storms are expected to blow through the mountains before this weekend dropping a couple of inches of snow at the higher elevations.

Brandt assures leary skiers that the coverage is good and because of the coverage there are few rocks or bare spots.

- Shannon Darling

Resort Openings

Alpine Meadows, Open, Snow phone: (800) 441-4423

Boreal, Open, Snow phone: (530) 436-3666

Diamond Peak, Opens Dec. 14, Snow phone: (775) 832-1177

Donner Ski Ranch, Open, Snow phone: (530) 426-3635

Heavenly, Open, Snow phone: (775) 586-7000

Homewood Mountain Resort, Opens Dec. 13, Snow phone: (530) 525-2992

Kirkwood, Open, Snow phone: (209) 258-6000

Mt. Rose, Open, Snow phone: (775) 849-0704

Northstar- at- Tahoe, Open, Snow phone: (530) 562-1010

Sierra-at-Tahoe, Open, Snow phone: (530) 659-7453

Soda Springs, Open, Snow phone: (530) 426-1010

Squaw Valley USA, Open, Snow phone: (530) 583-6985

Sugar Bowl, Open, Snow phone: (530) 426-9000

Tahoe Donner, Opening set on weather conditions, Snow phone: (530) 587-9445