California ski resorts opening early after storms — including China Peak near Fresno
Tim Cohee can’t remember the last time China Peak Ski Resort opened before Thanksgiving.
It’s certainly hasn’t been in the decade-plus since Cohee took over the 1,300-acre ski resort 65 miles east of Fresno. Looking through the records, he says, “It’s been a least 20 years.”
If all goes as planned and weather forecasts hold, the resort plans to have its season opening Nov. 12. It would remain open, on weekends, through Thanksgiving, when the season would kick off in earnest.
“The odds,” Cohee says, “are definitely in our favor.”
That’s because of a storm that dumped 4-6 inches of snow earlier this week and another storm that’s expected for Sunday. It’s also because the low temperatures (in the teens and low 20s) and humidity have provided great conditions to make snow, which the resort has been doing nightly, with the machines it reinstalled for just that purpose in 2018. The system is one of the largest in the state and allows them to make four times the amount of snow it would otherwise get, Cohee says.
In Cohee’s experience, an early ski season is a good ski season, even if “it’s a bit of panic for staff.”
He’s not talking about the number of people showing up to the resort on opening day, but the number of people who will see the news and start paying attention. Maybe it will get some people who were on the fence to buy their season pass, or book their lodging before Christmas, instead of after, Cohee says. It will certainly remind people they need to unpack their winter gear, he says.
“Everybody starts going into the garage or storage unit.”
Dodge Ridge and Mammoth Mountain
China Peak is not the only area ski resort looking to start its season.
On Friday, Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort hosts a POW-a-bunga party, as the official kick off to its pre-season. The event happens 7 p.m. at the Armory in downtown Sonora. If the weather forecasts hold the resort could open a portion of its operations that day.
Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort in Mammoth Lake will have a chair banner breakthrough to mark the start of its ski season on Saturday. The event starts 7:30 a.m. with lifts spinning at 8:30 a.m.
Folks will have to wait to enjoy Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area, what used to be called Badger Pass. According to travelyosemite.com, the ski area won’t open until Dec. 16, conditions pending.
This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 2:11 PM.