Y2K, little snow could keep skiers away from Lake Tahoe over holidays

Martin Griffith

Sunday, Dec. 19, 1999 | 10:12 a.m.

RENO, Nev. - Skiers may find shorter lift lines than usual on some Lake Tahoe slopes over the Christmas holiday period.

Ski resort operators said that while they expect good crowds over two of their busiest weeks of the season, they think Y2K and below-average snows could keep some skiers home.

"We're anticipating our numbers to be down over New Year's because people aren't traveling (due to Y2K fears)," said Heavenly spokeswoman Monica Bandows.

"I don't think we'll see a horrible Christmas. I think we'll just see a good Christmas."

Not only are some travelers wary of being away from home, but many companies are requiring workers to be on the job in case computers crash. Many San Francisco Bay area high-tech workers will be on call as 2000 arrives.

"Sitting three hours away from Silicon Valley, that's a chunk (of lost business)," Bandows said. "You have other groups of workers whose companies are not letting them travel. They'll get their time off, but it will be later."

Sierra-at-Tahoe spokeswoman Tracy Owen Chapman said she expects the lack of snow to take more of a toll on holiday crowds. After five straight unusually snowy winters, the Tahoe Basin snowpack now stands at 29 percent of normal.

"Anytime we don't get a lot of early-season storms the market is slow to wake up," she said. "I expect there will be a decrease (in holiday crowds) but it won't be traumatic. It'll be a positive holiday period."

Only Boreal and Soda Springs have 100 percent of their terrain open. Most resorts offer limited operations and some haven't opened for the season.

A year ago, a string of December storms left Tahoe resorts with above-average snows and the nation's best Christmas skiing conditions. Today, resorts have their snow machines in overdrive.

"Of course, we wish we had more snow," said Rachael Woods of Alpine Meadows. "It's unusual to open the entire mountain before Christmas and people forgot that after the last five years."

Lake Tahoe resorts usually are sold out in October, but plenty of rooms are still available this year, especially for the period around New Year's Day.

Major resorts are pretty much booked up but mid-size properties still have rooms. Rates started out high, but have since fallen to traditional holiday prices.

Y2K fears and below-average snows also are blamed for keeping crowds away at resorts in Colorado, one of Tahoe's biggest competitors.

The Pacific Northwest is the only region getting heavy snow so far this season.

"You don't need 10 feet of snow to ski or snowboard," Woods said. "It's awfully nice but it doesn't happen every year."

Heavenly's Bandows said resorts' prospects can turn around quickly with a series of major storms. Forecasters were calling for dry weather through at least Thursday.

"Who's to say this won't end up a good winter?" she asked. "We are still in a La Nina weather pattern. Last season the big snow didn't start until the end of January, so this is still early."