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| Lake
Tahoe from the slopes of Heavenly Ski Resort 1 |
Tahoe...known
practically the world over for its spectacular scenery and the pristine blue
lake after which the region is named also boasts one of North America's premier
ski areas. And no wonder. With over 17,000 acres (8,880 ha) of skiable terrain
at more than a dozen resorts — all within close proximity to each other
— the peaks of the Sierra
Nevada mountains become a winter wonderland. Add to this mostly blue
bird days when Mother Nature isn't decorating her mountains with over 450 in
(12 m) of annual snowfall and it is easy to see why thousands of snow enthusiasts
flock to the area each winter. The Rockies
of Colorado are widely considered the capital of US skiing, but the
many choices and mild temperatures of Tahoe (rarely does it dip into single
Fahrenheit digits) rate Lake
Tahoe's resorts a close second.
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Scroll over skier icon to
view resort name
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ORIENTATION
Lake Tahoe straddles
the California / Nevada
state line and ski resorts basically fall into two regions – North
Lake Tahoe and South
Lake Tahoe. Most are in California but their proximity to Nevada means
that skiers or riders who want to play long after the lifts close can trade
the corduroy of the slopes for the felt of the gambling tables at night.
GETTING THERE & GETTING
AROUND
The Reno/Lake
Tahoe airport serves most of Lake Tahoe and is approximately 45 minutes
from the lake depending on visitors' destinations. By car, North Lake Tahoe
is accessed by Interstate 80, which runs from San
Francisco and
Sacramento to Reno
with Highways 89 and 431 leading to the north shore. For the south shore, Highway
50 runs from Sacramento
directly to South Lake Tahoe
and onto Carson City
and Reno in Nevada. Tourists can also visit Tahoe via Amtrak,
which provides rail service to the town of Truckee
along its California
Zephr route.
The Tahoe
Area Regional Transit (TART) runs a public bus service to and from many
of the ski mountains and several of the main resorts featured here operate free
shuttles to and from their mountain bases to the closest towns and main hotels.
NORTH LAKE TAHOE
Over 10 ski
areas are scattered around the northern end of Lake
Tahoe, the four largest being featured in this article. Despite the
number of choices, the north shore of the lake retains a quiet and rustic charm.
Tahoe City is a small
upscale town on the north shore with all the services
and amenities visitors might require for their stay. The resorts of
Alpine
Meadows and Squaw
Valley USA are close to Tahoe
City while Northstar
at Tahoe and Sugar
Bowl call Truckee
home. Truckee is a
picturesque mountain town with a good selection of shops
and restaurants
in its historic downtown.
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Squaw Valley USA —
host of the 15th Winter Olympic Games 2
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Squaw
Valley USA is North Lake Tahoe's largest ski resort and perhaps the
most well-known in Tahoe, mostly due to it being the host of the Winter Olympic
Games in 1960. Today, Squaw Valley USA is a four-season resort that in winter
boasts 4,000 acres (1,600 ha) of terrain and 30 lifts, including North America's
only cable car and funitel.
Winter enthusiasts of all
persuasions can find something to do at Squaw. The mountain offers open bowls,
steeps and nearly 3,000 ft (915 m) of vertical drop for those who hunger for
a challenge, and half-pipes, terrain parks and night-skiing for those wishing
to play.
For visitors who like to
keep their feet firmly planted on the ground, or at least not strapped to a
pair of planks, the village features several shops, restaurants, bars and spas
and the cable car runs to the High Camp, home to the Olympic Museum, a restaurant
and bar, the Olympic Ice Pavilion and the outdoor Swimming Lagoon & Spa.
And for those who have not yet mastered downhill sports but are not content
with retail therapy, Squaw offers snow tubing, dog sledding and sleigh rides
as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing from its Nordic Center.
Alpine
Meadows Ski Resort, just a few miles down the road from Squaw, is considered
a locals' favorite. Little known outside of Tahoe, this resort is ranked among
North America's best ski mountains and, true to its 'mild & wild' claim,
is known for its challenging terrain and laid-back atmosphere. With limited
amenities and no onsite village as such, Alpine's draw is its friendliness and
value-for-money terrain. The ski area can be deceptive and its 2,400 acres (970
ha) requires a bit of exploration to fully experience all of its groomers, bowls,
glades and chutes, including the quiet backside of the mountain.
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A
skier tricking it up at Alpine Meadows 3 |
For those wanting an adrenline
hit or some untracked powder, skiers and riders can take a short traverse from
the summit chair to access a bevy of extreme chutes and two additional patrolled
bowls. For those less energetic, a large, exceptionally family-friendly day
lodge sits at the base of the runs and non-skiers can relax on sofas in front
of a large fireplace or toddlers can run about in a separate children's play
area. For parents with small children, Alpine Meadows does not offer child care
services but sells parent interchangeable tickets for the price of one adult.
Northstar
at Tahoe is only a few miles off Interstate 80 between Reno and Sacramento
and has recently been developed into a four-season destination resort. The newly-built
village consists of several tiers and winding, cobblestoned pedestrian walkways
lined by shops and overlooked by second-story suites and rooms, giving the resort
a winter buzz and a real village feel.
The resort features a wide
selection of intermediate runs and reputably the best terrain parks in the area
— no fewer than six adventure parks offer every level of skier and rider
a whole range of natural and artificial jumps, rails, slides, bumps and pipes.
When the young (and young
at heart) are finished practicing their tricks, the village awaits with an all-you-can-eat
buffet of cafes and bars for all tastes and budgets, as well as several outdoor
gear stores and upscale boutiques ready to deliver the newest look on and off
the slopes. The resort has a well-earned reputation for family-friendliness,
from offering interchangeable parent tickets and parent/child lessons to skating
at the ice ring in the center of the village as well as a tubing center, bungee
trampoline and arcade.
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| The
mountain slopes of Sugar Bowl 4 |
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Sugar
Bowl, while sometimes not considered a Tahoe resort for its location
west of Truckee, is included here for its proximity to the area. Co-founded
by Walt Disney, the resort resembles nothing of an amusement park and everything
of a premier ski mountain with up-to-date lift systems and facilities. At the
summit of Mt. Lincoln, skiers and riders are afforded spectacular sweeping views
of the snow-covered Sierra Nevada that match any lake shots from other resorts.
Advanced skiers can delight
in an abundance of challenging terrain down chutes and steeps or intermediates
can opt for several blue runs and bowls available, including Rahlve's Run, named
after former US Olympian Daron Rahlves, who calls Sugar Bowl home.
At the bottom, two bases
offer a host of amenities and activities including sledding, snow bikes, airboarding
and dog sled tours. Ongoing investment in the resort is creating upscale ski-in/ski-out
condos and a base village which will elevate the ski mountain to a full-scale
resort. However, Sugar Bowl has thus far been successful in creating a good
balance between maintaining a low-key, friendly atmosphere with exceptional
skiing and riding.
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#
of Acres |
Summit
Elevation (ft) |
Vertical
(ft) |
#
of Runs |
#
of Lifts |
#
of Parks |
| Alpine
Meadows |
2,400
|
8,640 |
1,800 |
100
+ |
13 |
2-3 |
| Boreal
|
380
|
7,700 |
500 |
41 |
11 |
All
mtn. |
| Diamond
Peak |
655
|
8,540 |
1,840 |
30 |
6 |
1-2 |
| Heavenly
|
4,800
|
10,060 |
3,520 |
95 |
30 |
5 |
| Homewood
|
1,260
|
7,880 |
1,650 |
59 |
8 |
3 |
| Kirkwood
|
2,300
|
9,800 |
2,000 |
65
+ |
12 |
5
|
| Mt.
Rose |
1,200
|
9,700 |
1,800 |
60
+ |
8 |
3
|
| Northstar
at Tahoe |
2,490
|
8,610 |
2,280 |
83 |
17 |
6-7 |
| Sierra
at Tahoe |
2,000
|
8,850 |
2,210 |
46 |
12 |
6 |
| Squaw
Valley USA |
4,000
|
9,050 |
2,850 |
100
+ |
30 |
3-5
|
| Sugar
Bowl |
1,500
|
8,380 |
1,500 |
84 |
10 |
2-3
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*Statistics
accurate as of 2007/08 season
(Lessons and rentals at all resorts, Adaptive services at select resorts) |
Several other smaller ski
mountains offer good skiing and fun in the area. Boreal
Mountain Resort is located directly off I-80 between Truckee and Sugar
Bowl and is popular for its terrain parks and night-riding. Homewood
Mountain Resort, a quiet ski area on the west shore of the lake, should
not be overlooked for its unrivaled views of Lake
Tahoe and good beginner / intermediate terrain.
Of the North Lake Tahoe
resorts, only two are in Nevada. Diamond
Peak is an uncrowded, family-friendly resort above Incline
Village, also offering close-up views of the lake from the slopes and
low-key casinos
in town. Mt.
Rose, boasting the highest summit elevation in North
Lake Tahoe and just 25 mi (40 km) from downtown Reno
means visitors can stay and play at the gambling
dens in the city and in less than an hour be atop a mountain peak with
some of the best snow around. And, true to its Nevada
locale, visitors can even be 'The King' for a day when skiers and riders trade
Burton jackets for white suits and sideburns to take part in Elvis Day, held
annually every January.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
South Lake Tahoe
refers to both the southern area of the Tahoe region as well as the main town
on the south shore. Only three ski mountains are located in the area but all
three are large, well-known resorts and where the north shore is considered
upscale and quaint, the south shore is its boisterous, somewhat tacky cousin.
In California, the
town of South Lake Tahoe
becomes Stateline
at the Nevada border and
home to flashy, high-rise casinos.
The south shore is popular with young people and the numerous pubs
and clubs emphasize that many of the area's visitors come as much for
the nightlife as for the snow. The ski resort of Heavenly
is located on the shore of the lake while the peaks further south play host
to Sierra
at Tahoe and Kirkwood.
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| Thrill-seeking
off the slopes 5 |
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Heavenly,
with 4,800 acres (1945 ha), is Tahoe's largest ski mountain and draws visitors
from the world over. Rising from the shore of the lake to a summit elevation
of over 10,000 ft (3050 m) and straddling the California/Nevada state line,
Heavenly offers jaw-dropping views from a network of nearly 30 lifts and over
80 named runs, the longest being a five-mile (eight-kilometer) descent from
summit to base. Skiers and riders of all abilities can criss-cross the mountain
on gentle beginner slopes, long intermediate cruisers or the challenging chutes
of Mott Canyon.
Like its large counterpart
on the north shore, Heavenly also brings the usual food and fun of mountain
bases up the slopes to the top of its Adventure Gondola. Skiers or non-skiers
can dine, tube, sled, snowshoe or snowcycle to their hearts' content at this earthly-bound
heaven above Lake Tahoe. Sundown brings no fewer options – the mountain
may close but casino resorts such as Harrah's
and Caesars
Tahoe are quick to pick up providing entertainment and thrills where
the slopes leave off.
Sierra
at Tahoe is 15 mi (24 km) from South Lake Tahoe on Highway 50 and has
earned a reputation as a friendly, laid-back resort with first-rate parks and
diverse terrain. Featuring six terrain parks, a boardercross track, one super
pipe and two half-pipes, it is not difficult to understand why US Olympic Medal
Winner Hannah Teeter is among the thousands who frequently trick it out on the
resort's slopes and pipes.
There is no on-site lodging
at the base but the resort offers various dining and retail establishments and
especially caters to families, offering kid-specific adventure areas on the
slopes, tubing facilities and child care for those not on skis. The resort prides
itself on delivering a value and service-packed experience at the mountain and
its 'Winter of Love' slogan reflects the low-key atmosphere and the love of
everything white at Sierra at Tahoe.
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Another
blue bird day on the lift 6 |
Kirkwood
Mountain Resort, south of Sierra at Tahoe, is Tahoe's most remote mountain
and, with the highest base elevation of any California resort at 7,800 ft (2375
m), averages an annual snowfall of over 600 in (15 m). This combination equates
to a secluded and scenic winter playground and skiers and riders of all abilities
will find something to love at Kirkwood.
Steep chutes await the adrenalin-seeking
advanced skier or the USA Today recognized beginner area is ideal for those
just starting out. Those in between the greens and blacks are perhaps the luckiest
of the bunch with 50% of the terrain being classed as intermediate.
The resort has been ranked
among the country's best skiing destinations and has much to offer visitors
of all ages and interests - everything from ice-fishing and snowmobile tours
to spas and slope-side rooms can be found at Kirkwood.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
In addition to the non-skiing activities mentioned above, there are several
miles of cross-country
ski and snowshoe
trails around the Tahoe area, as well as tour companies offering snowmobile
rentals and guided trips. Cat-skiing
is also popular in the greater Tahoe area with a handful of businesses offering
back-country packages which include lodging and guide service. And for those
visitors content with a good book and a cozy fireplace, Tahoe's towering forests
are home to a legion of luxury lodges
with stunning lakeside views and enough creature comforts to tempt even the
most dedicated skier or rider to stay indoors for a day.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- Lake Tahoe from the
slopes of Heavenly:, South Lake Tahoe, CA, USA
- c/o Wikipedia; Olympic
Sign at Squaw Valley; North Lake Tahoe, CA, USA
- Weppler, S; c/o World
Web Technologies; A skier hitting a jump at Alpine Meadows; North Lake Tahoe,
CA, USA
- Barta, G; c/o Sugar
Bowl Ski Resort; The Mountain Slopes at Sugar Bowl; Truckee, North Lake Tahoe,
CA, USA
- Gambling in a South
Lake Tahoe casino; South Lake Tahoe, NV, USA
- A blue bird day on
the lift; Lake Tahoe, CA, USA
