Forecast today: Partly cloudy
There is more to this resort than the scenery alone – the mountain is home to some of Californiaโs finest ski terrain, including the fantastic steep runs in the Mott and Killebrew Canyons.
South Lake Tahoe makes for a excellent base, with numerous hotels (including good value rooms in the casinos) at the foot of the gondola and a great choice of vacation rentals available right down to the shores of Lake Tahoe. The town is divided by the California-Nevada stateline and this is clear to see when you arrive at it โ towering casinos dominate the Nevada side. Playing poker and blackjack in your ski boots is certainly a novel way to end a day on the mountain.
4800 acres of ski terrain make Heavenly the biggest of the Lake Tahoe resorts, giving excellent variety. The beginner zone at the top of the gondola at Tamarack Lodge is one of the best around, with a decent alternative in bad weather down at California Lodge. Intermediate cruising is the name of the game across much of the mountain, but especially on the Nevada side down towards the Stagecoach base โ our tip for quiet slopes would be the routes to the recently revamped Galaxy chairlift.
For more advanced skiers, the infamous bumps under the Aerial Tram are a right of passage, whilst after fresh snow the tree runs and glades really come into their own. The old pines that dominate the landscape are widely spaced, giving perfect gaps for making fast turns and great shelter on snowy days. Later in the season when the gullies fill in, head to the Mott and Killebrew Canyons for some seriously steep challenges โ some of which do require a hike out however.
South Lake Tahoe is unique in ski resort terms โ nowhere else can claim to offer accommodation and aprรจs ski in luxury casinos… Whilst the casino vibe may put off some, they offer cheap and good quality rooms (subsidised no doubt by peopleโs losses on the gambling tables) and are home to some great bars and restaurants. Alternatively there are loads of small lodges and self-catered homes to rent between the lifts and the lake โ which are great value in winter as summer is the most popular season here.
Unlike many US resorts, Heavenly has a very lively aprรจs ski scene, focused on the plaza around the base of the gondola. This really comes to life during the spring, when temperatures soar and the California sunshine takes hold. Look out for live bands and DJs and be sure to make the most of the great value Happy Hours on offer.
Hiring a car is a must and access is quickest from the small airport at Reno, an hour and a half to the north. This does require an internal flight, so if youโd rather fly direct head to San Francisco and enjoy a couple of days exploring this great city before making the three and a half hour drive up to Tahoe.
Vail resorts have not confirmed closing dates for many of their resorts, instead letting conditions dictate timelines!
| Tue 16 Dec | Wed 17 Dec | Thu 18 Dec | Fri 19 Dec | Sat 20 Dec | Sun 21 Dec | Mon 22 Dec | Tue 23 Dec | Wed 24 Dec | Thu 25 Dec | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | ![]() Broken clouds |
![]() Occasional rain |
![]() Light rain | ![]() Rain |
![]() Occasional rain |
![]() Partly cloudy | ![]() Mainly cloudy |
![]() Mainly cloudy |
![]() Broken clouds | ![]() Partly cloudy |
![]() Light rain |
![]() Rain | ![]() Rain |
![]() Light rain |
![]() Rain | ![]() Rain |
![]() Rain |
![]() Rain | ![]() Rain and snow |
![]() Rain |
![]() Rain/Snow shower | ![]() Snow shower |
![]() Rain shower |
![]() Snow | ![]() Snow |
![]() Rain and snow |
![]() Snow | ![]() Snow shower |
![]() Snow shower |
![]() Snow shower |
| Wind | |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.3 cm | 0.9 cm | 0 cm | 3 cm | 6 cm | 2.1 cm | 6.8 cm | 7.3 cm | 2.2 cm | 7.7 cm |
| Max temp | 9.8ยฐc | 11.4ยฐc | 8.4ยฐc | 7.4ยฐc | 8ยฐc | 6.2ยฐc | 8.3ยฐc | 10ยฐc | 8ยฐc | 7.1ยฐc | 8.6ยฐc | 6.3ยฐc | 6ยฐc | 7.4ยฐc | 5.6ยฐc | 5.7ยฐc | 7.1ยฐc | 5.8ยฐc | 6ยฐc | 7ยฐc | 5.4ยฐc | 5.2ยฐc | 6.1ยฐc | 4.5ยฐc | 2.1ยฐc | 3.4ยฐc | 2ยฐc | 1.8ยฐc | 2.9ยฐc | 1.6ยฐc |
| Min temp | 3.9ยฐc | 8.4ยฐc | 6.2ยฐc | 5.8ยฐc | 6.2ยฐc | 2.8ยฐc | 3.6ยฐc | 8ยฐc | 5ยฐc | 3.4ยฐc | 6.3ยฐc | 4ยฐc | 3.8ยฐc | 5.6ยฐc | 3.6ยฐc | 3.5ยฐc | 5.7ยฐc | 4ยฐc | 3.5ยฐc | 5.4ยฐc | 3.4ยฐc | 2.4ยฐc | 4.5ยฐc | 2.5ยฐc | 0.2ยฐc | 2ยฐc | 0.3ยฐc | -0.6ยฐc | 1.6ยฐc | -0.2ยฐc |
| Feels like temp | 4.1ยฐc | 9.2ยฐc | 6.8ยฐc | 4.4ยฐc | 4.3ยฐc | 3.9ยฐc | 1.3ยฐc | 5.6ยฐc | 5.5ยฐc | 0.2ยฐc | 3.8ยฐc | 3ยฐc | 1.5ยฐc | 3ยฐc | 2.6ยฐc | 1.4ยฐc | 2.7ยฐc | 2.5ยฐc | 0.9ยฐc | 2.8ยฐc | 2.2ยฐc | -0.9ยฐc | 1.6ยฐc | 0.5ยฐc | -2.9ยฐc | -1.8ยฐc | -1.8ยฐc | -3.5ยฐc | -2.2ยฐc | -2.7ยฐc |
| AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | ![]() Broken clouds |
![]() Occasional rain |
![]() Light rain |
| Wind | |
|
|
| Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
| Max temp | 9.8ยฐc | 11.4ยฐc | 8.4ยฐc |
| Min temp | 3.9ยฐc | 8.4ยฐc | 6.2ยฐc |
| Feels like temp | 4.1ยฐc | 9.2ยฐc | 6.8ยฐc |
| AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | ![]() Rain |
![]() Occasional rain |
![]() Partly cloudy |
| Wind | |
|
|
| Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
| Max temp | 7.4ยฐc | 8ยฐc | 6.2ยฐc |
| Min temp | 5.8ยฐc | 6.2ยฐc | 2.8ยฐc |
| Feels like temp | 4.4ยฐc | 4.3ยฐc | 3.9ยฐc |
| Tue 16 Dec | Wed 17 Dec | Thu 18 Dec | Fri 19 Dec | Sat 20 Dec | Sun 21 Dec | Mon 22 Dec | Tue 23 Dec | Wed 24 Dec | Thu 25 Dec | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | Partly cloudy |
Rather cloudy |
Light rain | Rain shower |
Occasional rain |
Mainly fair | Rather cloudy |
Rather cloudy |
Generally clear | Mainly fair |
Occasional rain |
Rain | Light rain |
Light rain |
Rain | Rain |
Rain |
Rain | Rain |
Rain shower |
Rain shower | Freezing rain |
Rain shower |
Rain and snow | Snow |
Rain/Snow shower |
Snow shower | Snow shower |
Rain/Snow shower |
Snow shower |
| Wind | |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0.4 cm | 6.9 cm | 0.5 cm | 6 cm | 9.8 cm | 0.5 cm | 8.4 cm |
| Max temp | 8.7ยฐc | 12.6ยฐc | 9.6ยฐc | 6.8ยฐc | 9.7ยฐc | 7ยฐc | 7.6ยฐc | 12ยฐc | 9.2ยฐc | 7.6ยฐc | 11.2ยฐc | 7.9ยฐc | 5.6ยฐc | 9.3ยฐc | 6.8ยฐc | 5ยฐc | 9ยฐc | 6.8ยฐc | 5.3ยฐc | 9ยฐc | 6.5ยฐc | 4.1ยฐc | 7.8ยฐc | 5.4ยฐc | 1.6ยฐc | 5.2ยฐc | 2.8ยฐc | 1ยฐc | 4.7ยฐc | 2.5ยฐc |
| Min temp | 1.2ยฐc | 8.7ยฐc | 4.6ยฐc | 3ยฐc | 6.8ยฐc | 1.4ยฐc | 1.5ยฐc | 7.6ยฐc | 2.8ยฐc | 1.4ยฐc | 7.6ยฐc | 3.2ยฐc | 1.3ยฐc | 5.6ยฐc | 2.2ยฐc | 0.8ยฐc | 5ยฐc | 2.8ยฐc | 0.8ยฐc | 5.3ยฐc | 1.4ยฐc | -0.9ยฐc | 4.1ยฐc | 0ยฐc | -2.6ยฐc | 1.6ยฐc | -1.6ยฐc | -3.5ยฐc | 1ยฐc | -2.4ยฐc |
| Feels like temp | 2.7ยฐc | 8.4ยฐc | 9.3ยฐc | 1.8ยฐc | 3.7ยฐc | 5.2ยฐc | 0.1ยฐc | 5.5ยฐc | 7.4ยฐc | -1.3ยฐc | 4.4ยฐc | 5.1ยฐc | -0.6ยฐc | 3ยฐc | 4.6ยฐc | -0.7ยฐc | 2.4ยฐc | 4.3ยฐc | -1ยฐc | 2.6ยฐc | 4.4ยฐc | -2.8ยฐc | 1.2ยฐc | 2.8ยฐc | -4ยฐc | -1.2ยฐc | 0.7ยฐc | -5.5ยฐc | -2ยฐc | -0.1ยฐc |
| AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | |
|
|
| Wind | |
|
|
| Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
| Max temp | 8.7ยฐc | 12.6ยฐc | 9.6ยฐc |
| Min temp | 1.2ยฐc | 8.7ยฐc | 4.6ยฐc |
| Feels like temp | 2.7ยฐc | 8.4ยฐc | 9.3ยฐc |
| AM | PM | Night | |
| Weather | |
|
|
| Wind | |
|
|
| Snow expected | 0 cm | 0 cm | 0 cm |
| Max temp | 6.8ยฐc | 9.7ยฐc | 7ยฐc |
| Min temp | 3ยฐc | 6.8ยฐc | 1.4ยฐc |
| Feels like temp | 1.8ยฐc | 3.7ยฐc | 5.2ยฐc |
| Snowfall | Last Snowfall | 22/11/2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Next 3 days | No information | |
| Depths | Upper piste depth | 35 cm |
| Lower piste depth | 27 cm | |
| Snow conditions | Snow quality | Hard packed |
| Lifts | Lifts open | 7 out of 27 |
| Resort opening date | Mon 24 Nov 2025 | |
| Resort closing date | Sun 12 Apr 2026 |
Updated 02/05
Mild conditions dominate over the Left Coast, with plenty of fine, dry and bright conditions thanks to high pressure over the region. A few flurries of snow and rain will move across the region, and Colorado will see temperatures fall and up to 30cm of snow moving in to start the week.
On the Ice Coast, warm temperatures dominate with plenty of rain to boot, all throughout this weekend and the new week.
Thus concludes our snow overviews for the 2024/25 season; thank you to everyone who has tuned in, and we look forward to seeing you again next season!