Heavenly and Northstar to open more terrain this weekend

With last week's winter storms dropping nearly four feet of snow at Lake Tahoe's south shore, Heavenly Mountain Resort will open more trails and terrain beginning Saturday. Heavenly will open Galaxy Chairlift and the associated trails, Groove Terrain Park with six jumps and 18 creative features, and Lakeview Lodge, which is the final of Heavenly’s nine on-mountain restaurants to open.

Here is the latest news release about what to expect this weekend.

HEAVENLY AND NORTHSTAR CONTINUE TO OPEN NEW TERRAIN AFTER RECEIVING

OVER FOUR FEET OF NEW SNOW

New Snow Combined with Superior Snowmaking Systems Allow Vail Resorts Properties to Offer Finest Conditions at Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE and TRUCKEE, Calif. – Jan. 27, 2012 – Fresh off a powerful Lake Tahoe snowstorm that dropped over four feet of new snow over three days, Heavenly Mountain Resort and Northstar California Resort have announced that they will open more new terrain for the upcoming weekend. The new natural snowfall combined with two resorts’ expertise in snowmaking and grooming allow them to lay claim to the most open trails and finest surface conditions Lake Tahoe has to offer.

After receiving five feet of new snow, Northstar has opened 89 trails accessed by 15 lifts featuring top-to-bottom skiing and riding on 2,280 vertical feet of terrain. The resort also has Lake Tahoe’s only 22-foot Superpipe, 20 terrain park features, all three of its on-mountain lodges open daily, as well as lift-served snow tubing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

“It will be obvious to our guests that when a commitment to early-season snowmaking gets a little help from Mother Nature, the results are truly impressive,” said Bill Rock, chief operating officer at Northstar. “While we wait for more snow to fall, we will continue to make snow and offer our guests access to the the best snow conditions, most open trails and most complete winter mountain resort experience in North Lake Tahoe.”

On Lake Tahoe’s South Shore, Heavenly received nearly four feet of new snow, allowing it to open 66 trails accessed by 24 lifts with top-to-bottom skiing and riding on Lake Tahoe’s longest vertical drop of 3,500 feet. The resort also continues to offer Ante Up Terrain Park featuring 20 jibs and two 50-foot jumps, as well as the West Coast’s largest tubing operation. For the weekend, Heavenly plans to open Galaxy Chairlift and the associated trails, Groove Terrain Park with six jumps and 18 creative features, and Lakeview Lodge, which is the final of Heavenly’s nine on-mountain restaurants to open.

“Heavenly’s elevation, the highest of any Lake Tahoe resort at over 10,000 feet, combined with our superior snowmaking and grooming, plus a little help from Mother Nature equals some of the finest skiing and snowboarding conditions Lake Tahoe has to offer,” said Pete Sonntag, Heavenly’s general manager. “With the President’s holiday coming up, Heavenly and Northstar are uniquely positioned to offer the best winter resort experience at Lake Tahoe.”

Heavenly is offering 33 percent off President’s Week if guests book before February 10, 2012. Prices start as low as $108 per person. Stay & Ski Free lodging packages start at just $115 per person, per night at Northstar. Some restrictions apply.

For conditions updates or more information, visit www.NorthstarCalifornia.com and www.skiheavenly.com.