SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – After an early season closure on April 5 due to less-than-ideal conditions, Heavenly Mountain Resort has decided to give one last hurrah to its guests by reopening its Upper California Trail and Tamarack Return on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 after the recent storm cycle brought in 25 inches of snow for the mountain. 

“When we got this storm after we closed, we immediately started brainstorming – ‘What can we do? Can we get something open? Can we take some snow off of other runs and move it to at least one or two runs to be able to get our guests back on snow?’” said Cole Zimmerman, Senior Manager of Communications at Heavenly Mountain Resort. “So that’s what we did. We started working hard.”

The unusual reopening serves as a “thank you” to their guests and pass holders who helped celebrate Heavenly’s 70th season. 

Those wishing to purchase lift tickets or day passes can do so online, and if you’re a 2025/26 Epic Pass holder, you can utilize your pass this weekend. Access to the mountain is available via the Heavenly Gondola. 

“If you buy a lift ticket this season, you’re able to use the cost of that towards an Epic Pass for next season,” said Zimmerman. In addition to skiing and riding, their mountain coaster, observation deck, and food and beverages will be open to enjoy.

Zimmerman notes that parking at Stateline can be limited so starting at 9:30 a.m. and running every 15 minutes, a free shuttle will transport folks from Heavenly’s California Main Lodge to the Stateline Transit Center. Free shuttle rides from Heavenly in South Lake Tahoe to Kirkwood will also continue.

“It will be another weekend of activities, skiing and riding, gondola sight-seeing, and we’re super stoked to be able to offer it,” Zimmerman added.