What's there left to believe in? I don't believe in Santa Claus. Don't believe in the Easter Bunny. The Tooth Fairy is a hoax. And sadly, this year, I lost faith in Punxsutawney Phil.
Dear Punxsutawney Phil,
I don't believe in you anymore. Groundhog Day came and went this year and though you saw your shadow you were stingy when it came to delivering the powder we all craved. Now, on the heels of the biggest storms of winter in Lake Tahoe, Heavenly and Kirkwood have done what I now believe you don't have the power to do -- extend winter.
Sincerely,Skiing in Lake Tahoe
That's right. Heavenly and Kirkwood have done what Punxsutawney Phil couldn't do. They've extended winter. With 9 feet of fresh powder in this most recent set of storms we now have the snow pack needed to keep enjoying the slopes well into spring.
What welcomed news. As I hit the slopes this morning I felt a tinge of sadness knowing that this season was slipping away. With an original closing date of April 15, the sand was really slipping through the hourglass.
Both resorts will now be open Friday through Sunday the weekends of April 20 - 22 and April 27 - 29. You can get all the details on Heavenly's website.
An April 29 closing date. Epic.
“It’s no secret that this has been one of the most challenging seasons on record,” said Pete Sonntag, Heavenly’s general manager. “So we wanted to reward all the pass holders who stood by us this season, and create more opportunities for them to realize even more value from what was already the best pass product on the market.”
Hey, thanks, Pete.
There's also no time like now to buy your 2012/13 Epic Pass, Tahoe Local Pass, or Tahoe Value Pass. New pass holders get access to the mountains on 1 day prior to April 15 and have full access during the extended season. It's a great perk. I have friends who did not buy a pass this year who I am going to be hounding to join me now -- and next year -- on the mountain. Just $49 down with the balance due in December. Amy Kemp has the details and the scoop on why you should buy your pass now.
That extended season time also gives me a little wiggle room to accomplish some of my personal goals on EpicMix. I'm a bit of an addict when it comes to tracking my stats and I haven't hit my vertical feet or days on the mountain goals yet.
-- Clark Vandeventer