Tahoe Ski Resorts Open For Fourth Of July Weekend

TAHOE CITY (CBS SF) -- As Fourth of July weekend kicks off, people across the West are donning shorts, bikini tops and Hawaiian shirts -- and then they're hitting the slopes.

Ski resorts from California to Colorado have opened for the weekend to take advantage of an unusual combination of dense lingering snow and a high-pressure system ushering in warm air.

Resort operators on Saturday reported crowds, balmy temperatures and plenty of bare skin.   Tahoe-area resorts such as Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows are recommending that skiers and snowboarders slather on more sunscreen than usual.

Alpine Meadows charged $34 for tickets bought in advance. During the winter season, single-day lift tickets cost $69.

But the conditions are proving frustrating -- and even deadly -- for visitors to some of the region's popular camping and hiking destinations. This year's massive snowpack is thawing and causing rivers and streams to surge.

At Yosemite National Park, one hiker was killed and another remains missing after they were swept into a reservoir Wednesday by unusually high runoff.

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