July Skiing? CA Resorts Extend Seasons Amid Historic Snow

CALIFORNIA — California's ski season could stretch clear into midsummer at some resorts, courtesy of a historic winter and snowpack hovering near all-time highs, with more on the way. Amid the latest storms, Mammoth Mountain on Tuesday revealed plans to remain open until at least the end of July, and Palisades Tahoe on Friday announced plans to stay open through the 4th of July.

Parts of the state surpassed record snow totals Friday, and other parts of the state are expected to surpass the highest snow totals ever recorded next week.

The snowpack in the southern Sierra was a record 286 percent of normal Friday, shattering the 1969 record of 263 percent, the Los Angeles Times reported. The central Sierra is expected to set a new record next, according to the UC Berkeley Central Sierra Snow Lab. So far, they've measured nearly 56 and a half feet of snow.

At some California ski resorts, the snowpack is nearly as high as the ski lift chairs.

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort intends to ride the snowpack into the summer.

"As always, we do not have a closing date set, but will plan to stay open as long as conditions allow," the resort posted on social media. "Sitting on one of the deepest base depths ever recorded at Main Lodge, it's going to be some of the best spring skiing and riding we've ever seen."

Mammoth said they were "just one storm away" from breaking its seasonal snowfall record of 668 inches, and more mountain snow is in the forecast. On Friday, the resort said they added another 3 inches of snow overnight and were "quite literally inching towards breaking the record."

At Big Bear Mountain Resort, officials said they would keep the season going through at least the end of April, thanks to a base depth between 75 and 100 inches and overall excellent conditions. According to The Los Angeles Times, the resort's seasonal snow totals were already north of 200 inches by the start of the week.

Also in Southern California, Mountain High Resorts in Wrightwood has more than 160 inches of snow for the season and already extended operations into mid-April, with hopes holding on even longer.

"We have extended our season to April 16th and then day to day based on conditions," a resort spokesperson told Patch. "We'll stay open as long as we can and hope to make it to May but don't want to overpromise."

Similar plans are afoot around Lake Tahoe.

Vail Resorts officially extended the ski season by a few weeks at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood. Heavenly will welcome visitors through at least the first week of May, Northstar will be open two extra weekends into the end of April, and Kirkwood's season will roll through at least the second weekend in May.

Kirkwood's season will prove longer in both directions, having already opened three weeks ahead of schedule. Heavenly and Northstar each opened a week earlier than planned. Kirkwood is drawing close to its seasonal record of 700 inches of snow, with Heavenly and Northstar not far from their own records.

Elsewhere, the Sugar Bowl said it planned to keep the lifts running into late April.

Palisades Tahoe plans to hang on into July. For now, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is aiming to put a cap on the season somewhere in mid-to-late April — but that too may change.