A SINGLE SNOWFLAKE... can seem so wee, so ephemeral, so melty, so here-today-gone-now, that it can be hard to believe how oodles and oodles of snowflakes, or the lack of them, can change calendars and impact plans in such major fashions. And yet, oodles and oodles of snowflakes do just that, each and every winter, in locations throughout the world, including some of the popular ski resorts of California. Sometimes those oodles and oodles are so darn oodle-y that the slopes are full of fresh powder, but sometimes the snowflakes oodle-out, and there's not too much to speak of, at least not in the beginning of the season. And two Sierra-based ski spots are finding that things are a bit de-oodled at the moment, snowflake-wise, which means that they're postponing their opening dates, both originally set for the 15th of December, 2017.
"WEATHER PERMITTING"... is always the understandable caveat when it comes to ski resorts' opening dates, and the snow-making weather has not permitted at June Mountain nor Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area. But hang tight: Temperatures are starting to drop, drop, drop again, and moisture is coming up in the long-range forecast. "(K)eep doing those snow dances!" recommends a recent post on the June Mountain Facebook page, and, of course, watching for the new opening date, which can come up faster than seems possible. Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area suggests the same, snow dances, so as you plan your Sierra snow trip, the one that'll surely come up in the near future, throw in a shake or shimmy or two. Keep in mind, as you wait, that other places around the state are humming, from Big Bear Mountain Resort to Mammoth Mountain to numerous places around Lake Tahoe. So snowflakes, please start doing your thing, up at June Mountain and Yosemite, and the sooner, the brrr-ier.
