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TRUCKEE — With snow plows gone and shovels safely stored, Sierra Nevada locals are sharing a “Thank goodness that’s over” sigh and celebrating all that’s left: Great conditions for just about every mountain sport you can imagine.
The season’s final snowpack tally on Thursday at Phillips Station south of Lake Tahoe – 47 inches, and 188 percent of average – proves there’s still enough time to turn one day in the mountains into a year’s worth of adventures.
You can ski Squaw Valley’s iconic KT-22 expert terrain in the morning, snowshoe peaceful Page Meadows at lunch and then kayak the raucous Truckee River in the afternoon.
Still not tired? Find a wetsuit and paddleboard bone-chilling Lake Tahoe.
“Always a wonderful time,” said Caroline Miller, 27, who started at 5 a.m. on the last Saturday of April to climb the south-facing slopes of the Sierra Buttes before the snow turned mushy, then skied down the cool north face in the afternoon.
“There’s nothing quite like enjoying all of the greatness of springtime,” she said.
Visit Lake Tahoe in the winter, summer and fall, and you’ll get hordes of other people.
Springtime is a whole different story. While the rest of California is focused on Little League, backyard barbecues and car washes, you can find discounted lift tickets, easy accommodations and a quick seat at the bar at Tahoe City’s hugely popular Bridgetender Tavern.
Tahoe locals offer this advice: Follow the sun. With deep snow and bright blue skies, conditions change quickly, rewarding those who pay attention.
Skiing? Squaw Valley and Mammoth Mountain will keep some lifts running through the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
For the best conditions, get to resorts early and ski the south and eastern mountain faces first, then move clockwise to the west, then north. If you end up on a north-facing slope too early, you’ll hit tooth-rattling ice.
In the backcountry, Miller advises carrying crampons and an ice ax for the morning climb. In the afternoon, as temperatures rise, beware of afternoon thunderstorms and knee injuries in soft heavy snow.
Descending, “it felt great,” she said. “The snow was starting to get heavy and a bit ‘pushy,’ what we call it when it kind of pushes you around, when it gets a bit sticky.”
Ready for a hike? Expect dry trails to turn to mud or snow as you ascend. Always bring along extra food and water in case of contingencies, and don’t set out without a good trail map and a compass.
Snowshoeing prevents your feet from sinking deep in the thawing snow – and it’s great exercise and easy to learn. All you have to remember is to keep your feet a little more widely spread than normal. Snowshoes are available at local ski shops.
The footing is best in the woods, where it’s still shaded. In meadows, note any melting creeks or hidden ponds under thawing ice. If you’re looking to experience the wonders of Yosemite in winter, consider checking out the Crane Flat trail network. The 1.5 mile Crane Flat Lookout Trail is an uphill, rolling climb most of the way to the fire lookout, where the 360 degree views of Yosemite are spectacular.
The worst of avalanche season is over, although locals warn of “wetslide avalanches.” Triggered by settling water in steep snow, they’re slower moving but potentially dangerous.
On rivers, rafters and kayakers are rewarded with faster and higher flows as the day progresses. As the temperatures warm and snow melts, the rivers get wilder.
“A river is like a roller coaster. You can watch it trend up and down, following the day and night cycle,” said Jeremiah Copper of Raft California, a Lotus-based company which leads whitewater rafting trips on 12 rivers in Northern California, Oregon, and Nevada.
Sierra rivers offer a white water rafting Mecca, offering everything from Class II burbles to Class IV death tubs. The current water temperature is in the mid-50s.
There’s so much melting snow this spring that some free-flowing rivers, like the North Fork of the American or the North Fork of Yuba, are expected to run unusually late, until June, said Copper.
For paddleboarders, Lake Tahoe is full to the brim of cold and crystalline water. Locals advise paddle-boarding at Kiva Beach, a shallow and warmer place to enter. Other recommended sites: D.L. Bliss State Park, Baldwin Beach to Emerald Bay, and the dramatic geologic formation at Cave Rock, located on the lake’s eastern side.
“We love winter here,” said Miller, “but it’s been a long one. People are ready for sunshine.”
