Palisades Tahoe says it will not be opening on November 26th, but it does not have a new date set just yet.

They say the reason is that limited early-season snowfall, with only brief windows for snowmaking, has prevented their team from building the safe, durable base needed to open.

The resort will continue to host a full lineup of Thanksgiving Week events and Village experiences.

Those experiences include their Aerial Tram from November 27 to 30, Thanksgiving dinner at Olympic House on November 27, Welcome to Winter Celebration on November 29, and FORGED Community Reception on November 29.

Preparations at the resort will look a little different this year. 

"We have Pistenbully's and the world's only diesel electric snowcat," said Maddy Condon, a spokeswoman for Palisades Tahoe.

Even though the PistenBully 600 E + is new to the resort, its fuel is not.

"It's renewable diesel," Condon said. "All of our machinery on mountain is all 100% renewable diesel, which also released less emissions into the atmosphere."

The resort said the new snowcat releases 20% fewer emissions compared to other snowcats while running on less fuel.

Condon said these machines help skiers by grooming the snow.

She said the machine does this by adding "nice corduroy lines, and it makes it easier for skiers and riders to, ride upon [the snow]. It's much better for beginners, and sometimes intermediate."

Condon said the snowcats do this with the help of lasers.

"Planes come over the map our entire mountain with an airplane without any snow," she said. "Then that map translates into our LIDAR system and our grooming cats."

Condon added "With our grooming cats, we can tell how deep the snow is and we can move snow accordingly."

Palisades Tahoe not only grooms snow but also makes it. Condon assures us the man-made stuff is similar to the real thing.

"It's still water," she said. "The way that the crystals are made in the air and the way that it falls, it allows it to stick around longer."

Condon has high praise for their snow-making setup.

"We actually have the most efficient snowmaking system around," she said. "We've got new snow guns, new fan guns."

Condon says these preparations will make for a good 76th season at the host site of the 1960 Winter Olympics.

Palisades Tahoe gets a new diesel-electric snowcat, which is the first.