Powder Compass

Atlas · California/Tahoe · CA

Palisades Tahoe

9,050′ summit · 2,850′ vert · 6,000 acres · avg 400″/yr

Solid odds — Mar 1–15

Delivered 24″+ in 7 of the last 10 seasons

Over 20 winters: 12 of 20 · typical 40", most land 16"–77"

Before you book

This bet missed 3 of the last 10.

1 of the last 10 came in under 8″ — a bust, under a third of the bet.

Odds count natural snowfall only. At snowmaking-dependent resorts, early-season cover can be fine in a low-natural-snow year.

The season, window by window

The bet: 12″ of new snow per week, scaled to each window. Counted from real seasons — how our odds work.

Palisades Tahoe · the shape of a typical winter

Typical new snow, window by window

The middle season — median new snow per window, counted from the last 20 winters. A picture of timing, not a forecast. Snow is streaky; hover any window for the usual range.

0 30 60 90" NovDecJanFebMarApr
Window Bet Delivered Verdict Typical Biggest Leanest
Nov 1–15 24″+ 2 of 10 · 4 busts Long shot 11" 45" 2022 0" 2019 · 3 of 20
Nov 16–30 24″+ 6 of 10 · 3 busts Solid odds 18" 70" 2010 0" 2021
Dec 1–15 24″+ 4 of 10 · 2 busts Coin flip 25" 128" 2022 0" 2025
Dec 16–31 30″+ 5 of 10 · 2 busts Coin flip 34" 159" 2021 0" 2011
Jan 1–15 24″+ 5 of 10 Coin flip 16" 219" 2017 0" 2015
Jan 16–31 30″+ 4 of 10 · 2 busts Coin flip 26" 91" 2010 0" 2022
Feb 1–15 24″+ 5 of 10 · 3 busts Coin flip 25" 187" 2019 2" 2016
Feb 16–28/29 24″+ 5 of 10 · 2 busts Coin flip 35" 120" 2017 1" 2020
Mar 1–15 24″+ 7 of 10 · 1 bust Solid odds 40" 121" 2023 1" 2007
Mar 16–31 30″+ 6 of 10 · 2 busts Solid odds 32" 128" 2011 5" 2015
Apr 1–15 24″+ 5 of 10 · 1 bust Coin flip 14" 62" 2017 3" 2008
Apr 16–30 24″+ 1 of 10 · 5 busts Long shot 9" 53" 2022 0" 2020

Biggest and leanest are the two ends of the same 20 winters Typical is counted from — the year is when it happened, most recent first where more than one season ties.

At the snow sensor

Reading the snow sensor…

Field notes

KT-22 is the most concentrated expert lift in America — palisades, chutes, and Olympic history in every direction, with Alpine Meadows' quieter bowls now linked by gondola. When Sierra storms stack up, no lift-served terrain offers more consequential fun.

Reno is the practical airport, under an hour out. Sierra cement is real: aim for storm-then-clear cycles, and expect wind and avalanche holds on the good stuff. Olympic Valley lodging is convenient; Truckee is the value-and-charm base. Bay Area weekend traffic is oppressive — ski Sunday through Thursday.

Watch this window

We'll email you when Palisades Tahoe's odds move on the Mar 1–15 window — and the quote gets recorded as it stands today, so we can be graded on it later.

Planning a whole season? See the season outlook.

These are historical odds from the last 20 winters — not a forecast. Inside 16 days of a trip, a forecast is the better instrument; beyond that, counting real seasons is the honest play. Every number on this page is quoted under methodology v1.2.0, the same math we grade ourselves against in public.