With Northstar-at-Tahoe reporting 24 inches of fresh snow in the last 24 hours, and another 15 to 25 inches expected today, it's officially a powder day in the Lake Tahoe area.

A sampling of Tahoe resort snow reports (last 24 hours):

Northstar: 24 inches +
Squaw Valley: 22 inches +
Heavenly: 24 inches
Kirkwood: 24 to 34 inches
Mt. Rose: 15 to 17 inches
Alpine Meadows: 36 inches

The fresh snow came in perfect time for a group of SierraSnowboard.com's Expert Members  and staff who were up in Truckee to ride together on some of the best new gear of the 2009-10 season.

Things were a bit sketchy on Saturday as the crew went riding at Northstar-at-Tahoe on mostly man-made snow. But things got interesting that night as the first big-time storm of the season blew into Tahoe with 80+ mph wind gusts and plenty of moisture behind it.

Half the crew made a break for the pass the next morning (Sunday), with flights to catch in Sacramento and no end in sight to the storm (that's still dumping on Tahoe today).

The hardier half of the crew made it back out to Northstar, for what turned out to be the first powder day of the 2009-10 Tahoe season with approximately six inches of fresh snow falling throughout the day.

But the real bonus came for those willing to stay an extra day, as Northstar is truly going off today (Dec. 7, 2009) with 24+ inches and more falling as I type.

So it's time to get to Tahoe! Take the day off work. Brave the conditions on I-80. It's going to be worth it.


Photos: SierraSnowboard.com staff Doug Fagel (top) and Erik Christiansen (middle) get ready to shred the six inches of fresh snow that fell on the backside of Northstar-at-Tahoe on Sunday. Below, the two feet of fresh in downtown Truckee.

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