We’re Opening THIS FRIDAY!
Here’s the news you’ve all been waiting for – Blaise Carrig, Heavenly’s COO (AND co-president of Vail Resorts’ Mountain Division), announced to a small community group Thursday night that we’d be opening for sure this Friday, November 20, 2009 at 9:00am sharp. We’ll access the mountain through the Gondola, doing laps on Cal Trail off Tamarack Express. We’ll have about 20 acres available (to get an idea of the terrain we’re talking about, Candlestick Park covers about 15 acres) and given the progress of our snowmaking, more terrain could follow soon. Check out these photos:
TOG is looking great!
The base of Comet and East Peak are buried!
We’re still making snow whenever we can, and we’ll have mid-winter conditions on the runs we open. Thank the snowmakers for their awesome work. Here’s a video Dane and Chris made chronicling their work:
There’s still time to get your $369 Heavenly season pass, Lake Tahoe’s best snowsports value. And we’ve got a sweet deal going on right now for the holidays. Check it out.
November 16th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Largest snowmaking on west coast and yet only one trail will be open?Bigbear has one trail open since october 30th.
November 16th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
I hope the weather cooperates as predicted. Can’t wait to ski again.
November 16th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
I see in one of the photos the base of Comet and East Peak are buried in snow also in the snowmakers video they were working on Orion. With some snow in the weather forecast what is the chance you would have Dipper Express open on Friday or Saturday ? Thank You to the snowmakers great job!
November 16th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
do you think you will have any additional terrain open around thanksgiving day?
November 16th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
YES SOO EXCITED!
November 17th, 2009 at 12:19 am
All the talk about largest snowmaking on the west cost and what we have is one trail for the opening day.Nice work guys I guess rest of us can only pray for snow
November 17th, 2009 at 1:31 am
Hi Russ, thanks alot for the effort and update!
Sorry if this is a stupid question: is there free parking near the gondola for skiers? We have always accessed the mountain from the California Lodge so I am not sure about the Heavenly Village parking.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:42 am
WOW! I just finished watching the Video and am overwhelmed at the dedication and determination of the SnowMakers!!!
This video should be see on TV — truly amazing.
Thanks to all you wonderful guys working so hard to get the runs open.
See you in December.
Kathy
November 17th, 2009 at 5:53 am
come on hope snow keeps comminhg c u all in the new year
welsh wonder in the uk
November 17th, 2009 at 7:30 am
Party! I will be up for Turkey day! Hope Comet and Dipper get rolling by then! Way to go Snowmakers!
November 17th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Hey, Matt. We offer free parking at the California Lodge with our free, low-emission shuttles taking you over to the Gondola.
November 17th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Russ,
(2) questions for you…….
Can you give us any insight into when more trails will open?
For us pass holders with blackouts, will those be exempt over the T-day holiday due to limited runs?
November 17th, 2009 at 8:51 am
BTW- Great job working hard…… we just need mother nature to cooperate.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:14 am
We’re making snow whenever we can. Orion’s is close, but we still need a few more good nights of snowmaking. All season pass black-outs will remain in effect. Sorry.
November 17th, 2009 at 9:23 am
I take my hat off to the snowmakers, they seem to work so hard and it looks like they approach it with an attitude of it being more than just a job. looks like a great base layer! Can’t wait to see episode two tomorrow. I think if you meet a snowmaker you should buy them a beer!
see you on the 7th Dec!
November 17th, 2009 at 10:39 am
For all the naysayers (and not being a Johnny Sunshine)–lighten up Frances! Yes Bear Mountain, Mountain High (and Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard for that matter) opened up weekend skiing on their respective White Ribbons of Death– minimal coverage on single runs. Big deal.
Heavenly is tree to tree and deeper base than any of the areas you mentioned. Furthermore Heavenly is a little more spreadout than the areas which you mentioned. Mammoth opened on (you guessed it) one run. If you argued that any of the other Tahoe/Donner resorts (other than Boreal) were beating Heavenly to the punch, opening earlier or more terrain, perhaps you would have a beef. However it is opening before Thanksgiving this year, which is the past few years was not even possible. If you will not appreciate skiing it this weekend, then simply don’t come.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Will the conditions will be good for a ‘true’ beginner? I want to bring my kids…
November 17th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Chris, I second your thoughts, Heavenly does a great job of getting a good base down and not going by min coverage just to beat the race of opening, thats a marketing gimmick that doesn’t do much for anyone (slopes get ripped up because of not enough coverage and your skis get ripped up from the same problem).
Heavenly snowmakers have done an AWESOME job getting the resort up and running, and as stated above think of the bad weather years before when we had to wait until December. If it’s white, sticking to the side of a mountain and we can slide on it we should be all going crazy!!!!!
Looking forward to a great season, thanks Heavenly
November 17th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Unfortunately, we probably won’t have any “never-ever” type terrain available for Friday. Keep checking the blog, I’ll communicate more info as it becomes available.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Hopefully that 2 foot storm will come this Friday. I am flying in to Reno this Friday and hope that I can get there for Saturday.
Damn Whistler, They’ve gotten 11 feet of snow already this year and have a great base. At least that is good for the Olympics. Hope that snow comes this way.
November 17th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
HEAVENLY SNOWMAKERS ARE AWESOME!!! Thanks for your hard work guys! You guys do the best job of getting TRUE coverage on the mountain without any natural snow….see you this weekend!
November 17th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
So where is this supposed “El Nino” weather all the ski resorts and weather channels have been talking about? We need some snow NOW damnit!
November 17th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
For Chris
You mentioned Mammoth (I didn’t because I know it’s way higher and it has colder temperatures)but just for record Mammoth has 9 runs with a total of 123.6 acres and it’s top to bottom not 1/4 of vertical and it’s tree to tree but that’s not important.I know it’s hard and it takes a lot of time and effort to prepare slopes but you have the biggest snowmaking system you should be doing better than other guys not same or worse.I’ll be there from november 29th to december 5th and I’ll be happy to volunteer if you lack personnel.Let’s fire up those snowguns to theirs potential.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
How much greens/blues will open ? I only skied for 2 weeks and I think I’m at level 3 or something.
Will you give lessons this weekend?
I skied in Europe blue level runs.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
That Vid was great. If I was younger I would apply for a snowmaker job! Thanks to all! and see you in Dec.
November 17th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
will there be a terrain park opened up to the public on saturday the 21st? cant wait to ski, thanks guys for opening early.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
i am exited for the opening i hope you guys can get orion open too after the storms coming this week! this year should be great and i am exited for another great year at heavenly. and thank you snow makers you guys are the s***
November 18th, 2009 at 6:20 am
Sima, Big bear? Are you kidding me? Orion is one of the longest, widest runs around and gives you a little bit of everything. You can ski it 50 times and do it differently each time. If Cali trail is open as well, thats all I need for a couple days.
SWOOSH!
November 18th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Our family is comming for Thanksgiving week, is their any possibility of the new four-lane tubing hill will be open next week?. Thanks.
November 18th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Mike – be patient. The snow will come. In the meantime, we’ll make it ourselves!
November 18th, 2009 at 8:57 am
As of right now, we’ll only have blue/intermediate-level terrain open.
November 18th, 2009 at 8:58 am
Parkrat – the early-season terrain park resides on Comet Trail. Our priority is to get Orion’s and Big Dipper open, and Comet after that. Stay tuned, we’ll keep you updated. – Russ
November 18th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Brian – Unfortunately, the tubing hill won’t be open for Thanksgiving. More like early December. – Russ
November 18th, 2009 at 9:20 am
“AWESOME JOB BY SNOWMAKERS” listen that’s there job. Its what they are paid to do and its what my pass fee pays for. Enough with the praise. Now stop all the brutal grooming over night and have less groomed runs and I will praise them. Good to see an active chat board Vail resorts finally doing something, now if we can only don the $8 slice of Pizza and $3.75 hot chocolates.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:41 am
Hey Russ, don’t worry about the nay sayers. Getting the top of the mountain going is fantastic! If we get Orion and Big Dipper and Cali, thats more than plenty for first turns!! Pray for snow ya’all, Heavenly Rocks!!!
November 18th, 2009 at 10:18 am
What an amazing second video! looks like so much snow but i guess there is a lot of terrain to cover! I hope these storms the weather men keep chatting about actually come and hopefully there will loads more terrain open by the time i arrive dec 6th/7th! Good work guys, keep it up!
November 18th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
John:
You discussed Mammoth having 9 runs–that’s today. Mammoth opened this season with 1 chair and 2 runs available of pretty icy conditions (if you were there you will know of what I am speaking). What you describe as tree to tree coverage is being EXTREMELY charitable.
Since you assert that Heavenly should be doing better than the other guys with its snow making system, which other Tahoe resorts will be open on November 20th? When those resorts do open, how much terrain will they have available? Heavenly is beating Vail (which is also colder) to opening this season. Everyone (including Heavenly) would have preferred the resort to be fully open 2 weeks ago? However I am pleased that it is opening earlier this year and appears to be doing so well with the snowmaking.
November 18th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Never skied Heavenly before. Not all Blues are the same. I have skied blues that are more like blacks and some that are as easy as greens. How do Cal trail and Orion fit in? I have skied blues at Steamboat, Vail and Deer Valley. Find the Steamboat blues to be a little on the easier side.
November 21st, 2009 at 3:42 pm
never snowboarded heavenly in fact never rode anything out west i live in northern ny state i was amazed to see that heavenlys passes were only 369 the mtn i ride at with only 24 trails charge 389 for a season pass this shows i live in the wrong spot !!!! to ride
December 10th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Wow! What an awesome place, i love it, thanks!!!!!