Mt Rose 2/21/16

So as mentioned before, I have been to many of the "Big" Tahoe resorts adding Kirkwood to the list yesterday but I wanted to try something different. Today it was Mt. Rose. This place was fantastic, not the big behemoth. Reminded my a lot of Solitude but with better terrain. The snow was excellent, not as thick as Kirkwood because a lot of it faces dead North and the snow was not as dense. The base elevation is 8200' with about 1800' of vertical with no run out. With 2 HS 6packs and the fact that it is not a destination resort it was ski on every run. I was working out my legs from yesterday and the groomers were pure heaven so I explored and lapped it all morning, keeping an eye on the chutes to see when the locals started to drop in. By 11AM I must of had close to 10 runs in or 18K vertical. The groomers stayed like heaven all day so as I ventured out into bump runs and steeps I would throw a few groomers in to work the lactate out.  



You can see the HS6 in the pic and to the left that entire ridge line is skiable without hiking. Although I did not sample each chute none appeared to have a wicked drop in, you could make a traversing entry into a good line. I skied the one at the top of the peak just to the left of the lift line and the one next to it (right) which they called Jackpot and it certainly was, full of soft snow where the sun was hitting it (this was about noon - the picture was taken at 9AM). Where there were spots that get the afternoon sun on the east side they were crusty but once you figured that out and stayed either in the spots that didn't get any sun or where the sun was hitting it was pillows of soft snow.

Most of the people skiing just stayed on the groomers. I sampled some trees and a lot of bump runs in the afternon. I know there are quite a few hidden spots, saw tracks going into what could be interesting areas but because I could not circle around and see what the terrain actually was I decided to leave it alone. By 2:30 the legs were jello, I bet this was a 30K day.

This made up for a disappointing season in the Daks. I can probably ditch the grumpy old man avatar in hopes he does not have to show his face next year.

This place will now be the first place I hit if I come out to Tahoe again.

Nice!

Great stuff PT.  

Skied a day at Mt Rose about 5 years ago, in April, unplanned.  Actually saw the hill from the hotel room and said hey that looks fun!   It is!  Love the chutes, and the two fast chairs,  would go again when in the Reno area.  Hidden gem.

Rose had that "feels like home" vibe to it. i did hear it was for sale. I sure hope Vail doesn't buy it up and ruin it.

If you like Rose you would probably like Alpine Meadows but the price of a ticket will scare you now that it is part of Squaw.

Love Alpine.  Have not been there since the merge however, wonder if SV wrecked the feel.  Homewood still, well, homey?

  Nice Job!!

Hoser wrote

Love Alpine.  Have not been there since the merge however, wonder if SV wrecked the feel.  Homewood still, well, homey?

It still feels like an old fashion ski area. Great place. Hope to get there in March.

Cool! Looks a little crowded though. ;)

Very cool. Making me nolstagic for my time in Tahoe. Looks like a great trip

Been to Alpine Meadows many times, have not been there in maybe 10 or 15 years though. I really liked Rose because of the lack of crowds and the mixture of terrain. More a family place.