Sierra Nevada ski resorts are open, but getting there will be ‘very difficult to impossible’

The next stage in an atmospheric river storm is expected to provide plenty of snow to skiers who don’t want to waste any time hitting the slopes.

Heavenly Ski Resort, the Northstar California Resort, Mt. Rose and Palisades Tahoe all were open Friday as the first wave in an atmospheric river storm prepared to shift and dump snow in the Sierra Nevada. Only a handful of lifts were open at each resort.

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning that went into effect at 10 a.m. Friday and will last until 10 p.m. Saturday.

According to the weather service, between 1 and 2 feet of snow likely will fall above 7,000 feet with up to 3 feet and winds at 125 mph at the highest peaks. About 2 to 6 inches of snow are expected below 7,000 feet, with southwest winds blowing between 25-35 mph and gusting up to 55 mph.

Travel is expected to be “very difficult to impossible,” the weather service’s warning said. The hazardous conditions are expected to affect the Friday evening commute in that area.

Early Friday, eastbound travelers on Interstate 80 were being screened at Applegate in Placer County, and drivers were required to have maximum chains to proceed. Westbound drivers were screened 5 miles west of Reno.

U.S. Highway 50 remained open Friday morning without chain requirements.

At Heavenly, there was 22 inches of snow on the ground Friday morning, much of it still machine made, according to the Lake Tahoe Snow Report on the On the Snow website. Pacific Palisades had 18-20 inches of snow at its base, and Northstar had 16-20 inches of packed powder. Mt Rose had 20-40 inches.

Northstar and Heavenly Ski Resort each had five lifts open, while Pacific Palisades and Mt. Rose had four lifts open.

The Sierra Avalanche Center issued an avalanche watch for the backcountry. It went into effect at 9 a.m. Friday and will stay that way until 6 a.m. Saturday.