Had to go up to Heavenly today if I was going to get a day in before the end of the year. I couldn't sleep. I maybe got 2 hours. I hit the road a little before 6. Arrived in Tahoe just as the lifts were opening. It was everything I could do just to keep my eyes open on the last leg of the drive from Placerville, but I survived.

I validated my season pass. I went outside to Gunbarrell. It was shocking how little snow there was on the bottom of the mountain. There was more on the top, a few groomed runs with packed man-made snow, no doubt. Tthe crowds were light for most of the morning, but the Sky Express was closed because of high winds so there was no outlet to Nevada. Skiers started arriving at mid-morning and since there was no getting off the CA side, the lift lines started to explode. I was going to head down, take the shuttle over to Nevada and ski back, but I was there was only one lift open over there, so I called it day after about runs, just enough to shake the rust off and get a taste before real season starts.

Hopefully we'll get some snow. We really need it. I downloaded (sadly) and was back in the Bay Area by 2:45. At least it was a beautifully sunny day. The weather was nicer in Tahoe than it was in Emeryville. I want to say it was worth it. I drove 6 hours round trip on limited sleep to ski 10 runs. I had been postponing going up because I wanted more snow and for the whole mountain to be open. I got neither. I could have come up weeks ago and gotten the same experience and with a full night sleep. I'm glad I did it, but I don't know if I'd do it again.