Mt. Rose has very good snow frequency of 15.0% of winter days with 6 inches or more and 26% of winter months with 90 inches or more, but also endures 36% of winter months with less than 30 inches. Mt. Rose’s 8,200 foot base is the highest at Tahoe, so rain is rare. Average snow density of 12% is not the blower of the Rockies but easily managed on modern fat rockered skis.
Accumulation and Preservation
The original Rose and Slide terrain is fully open for the holidays in about ¾ of seasons. However, it takes a very snowy start to get the precipitous Chutes open by Christmas. Sierra droughts can be extreme, so even the snowiest areas are less than ¼ open at Christmas in the worst 15% of seasons. Due to its elevation range of 8,200 – 9,700 feet and over half north exposure, Mt. Rose rivals Kirkwood for the best snow preservation at Tahoe. Mt. Rose is usually best skied in February and March.
