Heavenly Mountain Resort prepares for opening day Friday

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Opening day at Heavenly Mountain Resort is planned for Friday, November 20, with ski and snowboard operations exclusive for all pass holders until December 8.

This year there are many changes due to COVID-19 and Vail says their goal is to prioritize pass holders, including those who have the Epic Day Pass. Those with passes need to reserve their day on the slopes as does the general non-pass holding public.

There will be no ticket sales at the Vail ski resorts this season and all is conducted virtually except for sightseeing rides.

Wednesday, November 18 is the first day for pass holders to reserve their time on the mountain during opening week. Passes are available for sale until November 22 at epicpass.com.

Some skiers have reported delays on the reservation website but Heavenly says all core season days, December 8, 2020 - April 5, 2021, are still available and can be found HERE. If there is heavy use on the website people are put into a virtual waiting room until space is available to reserve.

"We made investments to assure a positive experience to our pass holders when purchasing a pass or making a reservation, including managing the load of potential visitors to our sites," said Joanna McWilliams of Vail.

With early season terrain, spots will be limited but Heavenly will continue to release more spots as the season goes on. They plan on opening 100 percent of their terrain as soon as weather and conditions allow.

The gondola will only be used for sightseeing and there is no access for skiing and riding, and the only way at this time to get on the mountain for those activities is from the California Lodge base area.

Reservations are not required for sightseeing-only tickets, which are available only at the ticket window. Reservations are required for pass holders wishing to ride the Gondola for sightseeing.

There is a complimentary shuttle-service running between the Heavenly Village base area and California Lodge base.

The resort plans to open for skiing and riding from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and operate sightseeing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.