Snow on the Fourth of July: Skiers bring out the shorts to the slopes

Visitors to Squaw Valley experienced the unusual pairing of warm weather and ideal snow conditions, as they took to the slopes in shorts and t-shirts. Visitors to Squaw Valley experienced the unusual pairing of warm weather and ideal snow conditions, as they took to the slopes in shorts and t-shirts. Photo: Courtesy Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows Photo: Courtesy Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Snow on the Fourth of July: Skiers bring out the shorts to the slopes 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Thousands of excited snowboarders and skiers took advantage of the snow in Squaw Valley over the holiday weekend, as slopes remained open thanks to the huge snowfall this year.

The warm weather, paired with "corn snow" — the snow consistency that is the more desirable pellet-type favored for beginners — made for a great atmosphere as people took to the slopes.

"The snow is very soft and forgiving, so it's great for beginners and intermediates," said Sam Kieckhefer, spokesman for Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows. "You're coming out in a t-shirt and shorts, and it's warm — you don't have to worry about getting cold."

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The temperatures guaranteed some fun people watching as droves of people arriving at Squaw Valley ditched the normal winter snow attire and not only brought out the shorts, but a variety of whacky outfits.

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"We're seeing a lot of people in swim trunks and bikinis and tutus and board shorts and Fourth of July attire — really all sorts of costumes," Kieckhefer said. "The environment is very festive and fun up here right now."

Snow totals for the slopes remained at just under 100 inches over the weekend, and Squaw Valley is still in the midst of figuring out just how much longer it will remain open to the public.

The large snow totals for the year led the resort to predict that it would be able to stay open for the Fourth of July way back in February. At that point, just three months into the ski season, an extended season seemed likely as the area received more than its season average of 450 inches of snow — measuring up to 565 inches of accumulative snowfall.

It also certainly didn't hurt that the Sierra Nevada got a small dusting of snow to help top off the snow reserves in mid-June, when a rare low-pressure storm left a few inches of snow at Squaw Valley.

SFGATE writer Amy Graff contributed to this story.