Resorts look ahead to a hearty rebound from highway closures

After wondering if they would have a season at all, area ski resorts have gotten enough snow in recent days for an epic season ahead. They just need to be patient with Mother Nature so patrons can make their way up there from the valley. The Christmas and New Years holidays are routinely a busy time for area resorts. However, as the heavy snowfall brought chain controls to low levels on Highway 50 and eventually forced it to close, it was a bit of a silent night last weekend for many resorts that are gearing up for the days ahead. However, its expected that travel will still be a task to many areas as crews continue to dig out. "This might not be the biggest storm we've had in the area but it happened on a holiday weekend," said Caltrans public information officer Angela DaPrato. "We had a lot of travelers. It's a huge, huge, huge difference." Northstar reported 69 inches in just 48 hours and Kirkwood and Heavenly both reported 43 inches in that time frame. Northstar had a base of 252 inches as of early Tuesday, while Kirkwood reported a base of 187 inches. Heavenly, which is now the closest resort to Folsom with the continued closure of Sierra at Tahoe, reported a base of 98 inches Tuesday. Soda Springs reported 135 inches while Sugar Bowl estimated to be between 91 inches and 135 inches. Tahoe Donner reported 80 inches at base while Boreal was at 135 inches. While the piles of snow equate into revenue for ski resorts ahead, it's also bringing business to the Highway 50 corridor. Areas of Folsom, Rancho Cordova and El Dorado Hills can expect to see an influx of visitors in the days ahead as they make it a stopping point enroute to and from the slopes to dine, shop, lodge and maybe even partake in ice skating locally. "Our holiday ice rink is ready for business this week," said Folsom Historic District Executive Director Judy Collinsworth. "We expect the drier weather will bring many travelers into the district to visit, dine and shop. We look forward to having them." Skiers should prepare for significant wind chill, according to the National Weather Service. Snow showers are possible throughout the week. New Year's Eve is forecast to be dry but colder than normal. Another precipitation productive storm from is expected early next week.