By Vicki Olds, aka Shibumi – “Snowpals Reporter At-Large”
SnowPals is making a difference; saving our planet and particularly the Lake Tahoe Basin, to help keep Lake Tahoe BLUE, one ride-share at a time.
“Did you know there are 1 billion cars in the world? Unfortunately, we’re set to double this in the next 10 years. Each shared car takes 13 cars off the road (on average). You can make a difference by sharing a car.” — getaround.com
Since 1999, SnowPals members have ride-shared from the Bay Area to Lake Tahoe and back at least 5,100* times (this is a conservative estimate*). For an average 400-mile round-trip to/from Tahoe in a vehicle that gets 28 miles per gallon average highway miles will burn 14.3 gallons of gas. A gallon of gasoline burned releases 20 pounds of CO2 into the air. By carpooling, each rider, in addition to the driver, represents 14.3 gallons of gasoline saved from being burned — or 286 pounds of carbon dioxide per round trip!
“Let’s break down how CO2 is produced: a gallon of gasoline weighs about 6 pounds. Roughly 90% of that mass is carbon or about 5.5 pounds. When that carbon is burned one atom of carbon, C, combines with two molecules of oxygen, O2, to form carbon dioxide, CO2. One molecule of CO2 weighs about 3.5 times as much as an atom of carbon, so that 5.5 pounds of carbon burned results in about 20 pounds of CO2.”
High Five yourself, SnowPals’ rideshare participants. Together we have saved the planet from 1,458,600 pounds of carbon dioxide pollutants!
To calculate how much carbon pollution you contribute to the planet, annually, use the energy calculators at Infinite Power (gee, those Texans are really serious about oil): http://www.infinitepower.org/calc_carbon.htm
Plus, think about how much you have saved in gasoline expenses by offering to share your vehicle with a snow rider or two. At 5,100 SnowPal ride-shares, times 14.3 gallons, times the price of a gallon of gas … that’s no small change. In fact, that would be $218,790 in total per snow season that did not go to Big Oil if you had paid $3/gallon at the pump.
And, how many of us have made friends along the way? Or shared a meal and a drink, or two, after the slopes … That’s the non-tangible perks of ridesharing so we at SnowPals encourage you to rideshare / carpool to and from Lake Tahoe resorts as much as possible and to forward this piece to folks you know who goes to Tahoe often but mostly drive solo – advance thanks in helping us preserve our natural environment for ourselves and for generations to come.
* Median of 15 ride-shares/wk; with New Snow this shoots up to 30-35 ride-shares/week. We’re saying that at least 4x/season when there’s a surge of snow riders looking for new snow.
Help keep our planet green, save money and expand your circle of friends by joining SnowPals to ride share to Tahoe area ski resorts and snow destinations beyond (SnowPals members’ in past years joined forces and resources to organize ski and snowboard trips via carpooling/ride sharing to Colorado, Utah and even British Columbia ski resorts).
Are you a local business? Please consider partnering with us to help increase awareness of SnowPals’ rideshare / carpool to help people pool resources to drive together to and from Lake Tahoe.
SnowPals’ mission is to enable SF Bay Area residents to pool resources to ride share/carpool to Tahoe resorts to reduce impact to our environment. We kick off the ski season with annualKickoff Parties around the SF Bay Area.
We invite businesses to partner with us to help bring awareness to our ride-sharing offerings, and to encourage people who might otherwise drive solo to use our services to make new friends and to reduce their carbon footprint.
Individually we each can make slight carbon footprint reductions, and together we can make significant reductions that will help preserve our natural environment. Please consider partnering with SnowPals and we can also help local businesses with its marketing exposure.
What’s the best value ski season pass deal for 2019/20?
IKON Pass ($749/$1049), Epic Pass ($699/$939), or Mountain Collective Pass at $489?
Here’s why the MOUNTAIN COLLECTIVE PASS 2019/20 is the best value season pass:
Ski, Ride & Explore 18 Mountains Around The World. 2 Days At Each Resort. No Blackout Dates, 2 Days at the Collective Ski Resort Destinations for Passholders.
For the 2019-2010 season included is a BONUS THIRD DAY AT THE DESTINATION OF YOUR CHOICE. Perfect Ski Getaway. Adults and Kids’ Passes. That’s a total of 35 lift tickets included with the pass.
Unlimited 50% off single day lift tickets after the 2 days of lift tickets per resort, plus exclusive lodging deals at each destination. Includes big name resorts like Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, Aspen Snowmass in Colorado, Taos in New Mexico, Niseko United (Japan) & more (see full list below)
The pass includes two days of lift tickets at each of the following resorts:
+ Taos Ski Valley (New Mexico)
+ Jackson Hole (Wyoming)
+ Big Sky Resort (Montana)
+ Sugarbush Resort (Vermont)
+ Revelstoke Mountain Resort (British Columbia, Canada) – sets record for highest vertical at 5,620 feet & longest ski season in Canada and is only 35 miles away from Banff Sunshine
+ Banff Sunshine (Alberta, Canada)
+ Lake Louise (Alberta, Canada)
+ Niseko United (Japan) – watch the epic powder riding video below; Japan skiing is on many skiers’ bucket list
+ Coronet Peak | The Remarkables (New Zealand)
+ Thredbo Alpine Village (Australia)
+ Mt Buller (Australia) – added for 2019/20
+ Valle Nevado (Chile) – added for 2019/20
How is THE MOUNTAIN COLLECTIVE SKI SEASON PASS a best value deal?
1) Ski or ride three days and the pass will have more than paid for itself; keep in mind a single adult regular lift ticket goes for $169 at Squaw Alpine and similar resorts cost just as much. Once you have redeemed three days of lift tickets, you still have 32 more days of skiing at other resorts. The more days you ski and ride, the more value you get from the pass. So the key question is from your past experience, how many ski days do you actually take? If you have a busy work schedule, this pass offers the best value for the price aka the best bang for your buck.
2) THE MOUNTAIN COLLECTIVE SKI SEASON PASS gives you the opportunity to ski and discover big name resorts like Alta, Aspen Snowmass, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Snowbird, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Mammoth Mountain, Niseko United (Japan), Banff Sunshine, and Taos Ski Valley resort. The pass gives you an excuse to explore new resorts. Take to 2-3 days at one resort, then take a road-trip to another as opposed to staying in one place for a week or longer. This pass is your ticket to adventure.
3) If Tahoe area resorts suffer from lack of snow as a result, you can chase powder dumps at your choice of 16 other resorts included in the pass, namely Alta (Utah), Aspen Snowmass (Colorado), Big Sky Resort (Montana), Banff Sunshine (Alberta), Coronet Peak | The Remarkables (New Zealand), Jackson Hole (Wyoming), Lake Louise (Alberta), Mammoth Mountain (California), Niseko United (Japan), Revelstoke Mountain Resort (British Columbia), Snowbird (Utah), Sugarbush Resort (Vermont), Taos Ski Valley (New Mexico), and Thredbo (Australia). THE MOUNTAIN COLLECTIVE SKI SEASON PASS lets you go where the powder is. In case Lake Tahoe area resorts suffered from insufficient snow, you have a list of other resorts you can go to.
With the Mountain Collective, it’s possible for passionate skiers and riders to discover thousands of vertical feet and chase ideal winter snow conditions across Alberta, Australia, British Columbia, Japan, California, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, New Zealand, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS FOR PASSHOLDERS
+ 2 days at Chamonix in France*
Chamonix — France
* Benefits at Chamonix apply to their 2019/20 season. Mountain Collective global affiliate benefits are valid only at the current Mountain Collective Global Affiliates. Global Affiliates are subject to change each ski season.
Looking for an EPIC POWDER ski/ride trip that will stay with you for life? Watch the YouTube video below to see why Japan is on many skier’s POWder galore bucket list.
Every year consistently Epic POWder: Niseko, Japan
Included in the pass is one of the top ski destination: Niseko United (Japan), where you’ll discover simply some of the driest, lightest powder aka champagne powder in the world. Consistently recording winter seasonal snowfall of 45.9 feet of snow or more, it’s a favorite powder skiing and riding destination.
The ski resort Niseko United – Annapuri/Grand Hirafu/Hanazono/Niseko Village is located on Hokkaido (Japan). For skiing and snowboarding, there are 44.5 km of slopes available. 32 lifts transport skiers and riders to the summit (check out the resort’s trail map). The winter sports area is situated between the elevations of 300 and 1,200 m.
Seasonal winds from the Eurasian continent pick up moisture over the warm currents of the Sea of Japan to form snow clouds and in turn some of the driest, lightest powder in the world. With its rich variety of terrain and beautiful winter woods, Niseko offers an unforgettable experience for all levels of skier/snowboarder.
The Niseko United is composed of four resorts on one pass: Annupuri, Niseko Village, Grand Hirafu, and Hanazono. With over 14 meters of powder per year, fantastic lift-accessed backcountry, a short 20-minute hike from the top lift to the 1308m-high peak, and night skiing until 8:30pm throughout the season; Niseko offers the best ski resort experience worldwide. The international nature of the resort means that even English speakers can travel to Japan without any language barrier worries.
Watch the video below to see what riding powder looks like at Niseko United (Japan):
Join us for an epic silky powder ski/ride trip to Hakuba + Niseko, Japan Feb 1 to 12, 2020; details @
✔ Olympic Valley 2019-20 Ski Lease 3BR, 2 1/2 bath 1960’s vintage cabin with large communal open space, a king bedroom, double, and bunk room. E-Z access, only 10-minute drive to Squaw and Alpine Meadows – details & contact.
Heavenly Ski Run Townhouse Sleeps 6
✔ Heavenly Ski Run 2019-20 ski lease; everything is NEW and modern decor! gourmet kitchen, new appliances, new bathrooms, new washer/dryer, new carpet, new beds and linens. 950 sq feet townhouse with 2 bedrooms 1 1/2 bath: 1 queen bed, 1 full and 2 twin – details & contact.
Lake Tahoe Area Vacation Rentals + Rentals Available for Seasonal Ski Lease
✔ Condo at Village at Squaw Valley. Skip the daily traffic this winter at Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows. Ski lease available for lovely condo at base of Squaw in The Village at Squaw Valley complex, a two-minute walk to ski lifts. Sleeps six, 1.5 bathrooms. Steps away from fitness center and two outdoor hot tubs. Includes underground parking for one vehicle and two ski lockers. Coin-operated laundry on same floor. One minute walk to free shuttle to Alpine Meadows. Lease term is December 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020. $5,000 per month plus departure cleaning fee – details & contact.
✔ Blue Majestic – Tranquil Tahoe Keys Home$9000
Available to lease is this tranquil, 5 bedroom, 4200 sq. ft., waterfront home, with majestic views of the mountains and the channels, is the perfect location for families and friends to get together for a relaxing visit to South Lake Tahoe. Located just 3 miles from Heavenly, 4.8 miles from the casinos, and 16 miles to Sierra Ski Resort – details & contact.
What: Join to increase your ‘fun factor” by expanding your circle of ski, ride buddies for Tahoe ski trips & powder trips to other snow destinations especially covered by a multi-resort pass such as the
EPIC PASS, IKON PASS, MOUNTAIN COLLECTIVE PASS + POWDER ALLIANCE PASS.
Our Host is Emily ..
“I was born & raised Vermonter, and a current Epic Pass holder. Most weekends you can find me at Kirkwood, or Heavenly shredding the pow. Interested in carpooling on weekends, or weekdays to any Epic Resorts. Looking forward to meeting everyone!”
– Swag giveaway: $25 Sports Basement gift card Sports Basement + other swag in the works
– Watch ski/ride video from last season to get stoked for winter season powder ski/ride trips to Tahoe, Colorado, Utah, British Columbia, South America Europe and Japan.
– Share POWDER Stories from last season and enjoy complimentary drinks and light snacks 😉
– Expand your circle of friends/buddies for snow sports & backcountry ski/ride partners as well
Find yourself driving to/from Lake Tahoe with mostly empty seats?
Carpool/RideShare with skiers, boarders who love snow sports as much as you, share expenses and help preserve our environment by ride-sharing to/from Tahoe.
At 8 pm, we will have a swag drawing giveaway so get there early to partake – print your event ticket and it will be used as your drawing entry to win event swag.
7:30 PM – New ski & board gear demo
8:00 PM – Event Swag Giveaway Drawing
8:10 PM – Learn how to wax your skis / snowboard based on the type of snow slopeside
Important: PLEASE be courteous and let us know if you can’t make it after you have RSVPed; sign into EventBrite to change your RSVP so that we can get an accurate count of how many folks to expect. Behind the scene, we work tremendously hard to put together events so in return please be mindful to give us a heads up if your plans have changed and you can no longer attend. Much appreciated!
Use promo code ‘snowpals’ to get 1/2 off discount on Powder Pass and VIP Beer Tasting Admission Tickets to SnowBomb’s NorCal 2019 Ski and Board Festival. A VIP ticket costs $20 using ‘ snowpals ‘ promo code which is 1/2 off $40 ..
Looking for a family fun filled weekend activity perfect for kids and adults?
Let the kids play in the game booths to win Tahoe lift tickets, season pass + prizes/swag and watch pro BMX bike & skateboard show while adults enjoy craft beer tastings, listen to music and shop for up to 75% off last season’s ski, snowboard, boots, snow-sports gear and winter clothing.
Two festival locations to choose from:
→ November 9-10, 2019 at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds located at
344 Tully Rd San Jose, CA 95111, CA (map, get directions below)
Festival Show Hours:
Saturday, November 2nd, 10am-6pm
Sunday, November 3rd, 11am-5pm
Beer Tasting for VIP Ticket Holders Sat & Sun: Noon-4pm.
All 21+ VIP ticket holders are welcome to beer tasting experience with several local and popular micro-breweries from Noon to 4pm Saturday and Sunday at the festival.
Buy 1/2 off tickets at Eventbrite; once on Eventbrite page, click on ‘TICKETS’ then click on ‘Enter the Promotional Code’ link. Enter discount code: ‘ snowpals ’ then click apply to receive the 1/2 off ticket discount.
→ November 1-3, 2019 in San Francisco @ Pier 35 at
1454 Embarcadero San Francisco, CA 94133
(map, directions below)
Buy 1/2 off tickets at Eventbrite; to get 1/2 off tickets; once on Eventbrite page, click on ‘TICKETS’ then click on the ‘Enter the Promotional Code’ link; enter discount code: ‘ snowpals ‘ then click apply to receive the discount.
Enter to win a Snowbomb VIP Festival Ticket Giveaway
Here’s how to enter:
(1) Copy and paste to your Twitter post this:
SAN FRANCISCO ski & board festival this weekend; enjoy beer tastings, pro BMX shows, chat w/ ski resorts, buy ski/board gear; 1/2 off tickets @ http://www.snowpals.org/2019/half-off-snowbomb-festival-tickets/
In your post, tag us using our hashtag: #snowpalsdotorg on Twitter.
(2) Be sure to specify using our hashtag #snowpalsdotorg which Snowbomb festival location and date you’d like to be entered into for our VIP ticket giveaway.
(3) Giveaway winners will be announced on Twitter between 12pm-1 pm Saturday Nov 2, 2019.
One VIP ticket will be given away to each of the above festival location. The winners will have 2 hours to claim his/her VIP ticket prize.
with family and friends to invite them for a fun weekend activity that’ll get you stoked for the ski, ride season 😉
== SUMMARY OF WHY $20 VIP EVENT TICKETS ARE YOUR BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK ==
VIP event tickets include:
1) 3 hours of craft beer tastings
2) Lift ticket to Homewood – ($79 value)
3) Lift ticket to Bear Valley – ($79 value)
4) Lift ticket to China Peak – ($83 value)
5) BOGO (Buy One Get One) Squaw Alpine lift ticket – ($119 value)
6) Free Basic Ski/Board Rental ($35 value) or
Free Edge and Wax
Valid 7 Days a week, 11/1/19 – 4/10/20,
Non-HolidayRainbow Mountain Sports
South Lake Tahoe Only
Total value: $395 not including beer tasting + fun weekend activity for the entire family or group of friends = priceless
* For free lift tickets valid dates & blackout dates: scroll down page to read
HOW TO GET YOUR FREE GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS
Order your Free General Admission Tickets for free entry tickets to the Santa Clara Festival and SF Festival. Get free entrance to the Festivals, ski and snowboard sale, access to exhibitors and festival entertainment. Note that the FREE GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET DOES NOT INCLUDE FREE LIFT TICKETS.
POWDER PASS + VIP PASS BENEFITS
** Powder Pass and VIP Pass (Discounted 1/2 off when ‘ snowpals ‘ promo code is used; discount available online only at Eventbrite, click on the links above for the desired festival location).
** POWDER PASS admission comes with THREE FREE LIFT TICKETS.
POWER PASS includes the following LIFT TICKETS TO:
Homewood Mountain Resort
1 Free All Day Lift Ticket ($79 value)
During the 2019/20 Ski Season
Valid Tues – Thurs, Non-Holiday.
VIP PASS includes 3 FREE LIFT TICKETS as described above and UNLIMITED BEER OR WINE TASTING PLUS a BONUS Free Squaw Valley/Alpine lift ticket($119 value) (buy one get one free(BOGO); Valid Sunday – Friday, non-holiday. Both lift tickets must be used on the same date.
*VIP admission includes beer unlimited tasting 1 PM – 4PM at both locations. In addition, to the three FREE LIFT TICKETS detailed above, you will also get a BONUS Free Squaw Valley/Alpine lift ticket BOGO (buy one get one free).
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows
2-for-1 Weekday Lift Ticket ($119 value)
During the 2019/20 Ski Season
Valid Monday – Friday, Non-Holiday
Holiday Dates: 12/26/19 – 12/31/20, 1/18/20 – 1/19/20, 2/15/20 – 2/16/20
Buy One (1) adult lift ticket at the resort window and receive a second lift ticket for FREE. Complimentary ticket must be used on the same date as the purchased ticket.
Why it's best to ski, ride on weekdays?
(1) Powder days usually happened when we least expect it: on weekdays 🙂
(2) Tahoe resorts on weekdays: practically empty slopes – you have the entire mountain to yourself
(3) Services such as eateries and ski/snowboard lessons are more enjoyable/less rush/less crowded (which means you get a semi-private lesson for the cost of a group lesson since there are less sign-ups on weekdays) and quality of service is much better
(4) No waiting in line to get on the lifts and no waiting in line for lunch or drinks
(5) Resort parking is a breeze; no road traffic on weekdays
Bonus included in POWDER PASS + VIP PASS:
Rainbow Mountain Sports
South Lake Tahoe Only
Free Basic Ski/Board Rental ($35 value) or
Free Edge and Wax
Valid 7 Days a week, 11/1/19 – 4/10/20,
Non-Holiday
At San Jose and SF Festival locations: enjoy unlimited Beer Tasting Available with VIP Tickets.
Saturdays: Enjoy Some of the Best Beer in the World from California.
Tasting times are from 1pm – 4pm on Saturday + Sunday
SKI/SNOWBOARD SALE, SKI RESORTS REPS, VENDORS: Over $1 Million dollars in snow sporting goods from top brands such as Burton, K2, Atomic, Rossignol and many, many more… UP TO 75% OFF. Over 25 premier ski resorts from all over North America. Leading manufacturers in the ski and snowboard industry. Hoteliers and destination getaways. Featured auto show.
ENTERTAINMENT: Bounce House for Kids, Pro Athletes, BMX/Skate Ramp Show & Live Music. Get a chance to win lift tickets, season pass and prizes when you play games at most ski resort booths. Attend to get a chance to buy discount ski season pass to your favorite Tahoe ski resort and chat with resorts’ reps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Which Snowbomb Ski Festival location is more fun?
Answer: Hands down SF ski festival is typically more fun because: (1) it’s bigger (2) more ski resorts exhibitors (3) more vendors (4) more chances to win prizes and lift tickets and season pass giveaway when you play games at the resorts’ info booth (5) beer tasting.
Mark your calendar, gather family and friends together and make it a fun filled day together.
Question: How do I activate my Snowbomb Festival Free Lift Tickets included in the Powder Pass and VIP admission tickets?
Answer: Important, remember to redeem your 2019 Snowbomb Festival Activation Code to get your free lift tickets before December 1, 2019; enter your festival pack code at http://www.sfskifest.com/activation/
Video of Snowbomb’s first ski and snowboard festival event at Fort Mason in SF:
* New to SnowPals? Join us to expand your circle of ski and ride buddies and Tahoe ride-share contacts for powder trips to Tahoe and to powder resorts in Utah, Colorado, British Columbia, etc.
* What's it like to ski/ride Japan's famous dry champagne powder?
As of this article’s posting, we still have about 2 weeks until start of the 2019-20 Lake Tahoe winter ski season. Checking in with meteorologists at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seasonal climate outlooks for November – December – January 2019-20) reveals their long range winter forecast for 2019-2020 ski season to be a higher probability of an El Niño winter season which calls for a warmer than average winter across the United States especially the Sierras and Lake Tahoe.
Three-month precipitation outlook for winter of 2019-20
Three-month temperature outlook for winter of 2019-20
Specifically, the Pacific Northwest and the Northern Rockies will all see below average chances of precipitation from October through December. However, Colorado, parts of Utah, and the Southern Rockies are all expected to see above-average precipitation for the start of the season. New England is expected to see average precipitation throughout the start of the winter.
While predictions for low precipitation averages and warmer temperatures are not good news for powder chasers among us, it’s important to remember that this just an early forecast; bookmark this page to revisit as we’ll post updates as the season draws closer.
Keep in mind last season’s precipitation called for mostly average precipitation across much of the country, with higher than average precipitation in Colorado and much of the Rockies. This turned out to be incorrect, Utah and much of the Pacific Northwest saw average to higher than average precipitation totals.
If this ski season ends up bringing record low snowfall levels for the Lake Tahoe area, which season pass is a best value buy so you can have the option to ski other destinations blessed with fresh powder?
Answer: Check out THE MOUNTAIN COLLECTIVE PASS which includes 18 SKI RESORT DESTINATIONS. TWO DAYS AT EACH with no blackout dates with two days of bonus lift tickets at your choice Chamonix (France) or Valle Nevado (Chile). That’s a total of 36 lift tickets included with the pass. Unlimited 50% off single day lift tickets after the 2 days of lift tickets per resort, plus exclusive lodging deals at each resort destination.
The Climate Prediction Center defines. .
“El Niño conditions” as existing when:
A one-month positive sea surface temperature anomaly of 0.5C or greater is observed in the Niño-3.4 region of the equatorial Pacific Ocean (5oN-5oS, 120oW-170oW) and an expectation that the 3-month Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) threshold will be met AND
An atmospheric response typically associated with El Niño is observed over the equatorial Pacific Ocean (see The ENSO Cycle).
“La Niña conditions” as existing when:
A one-month negative sea surface temperature anomaly of -0.5C or less is observed in the Niño-3.4 region of the equatorial Pacific Ocean (5oN-5oS, 120oW-170oW) and an expectation that the 3-month Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) threshold will be met AND
An atmospheric response typically associated with La Niña is observed over the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Loading ...
