Skiing in Lake Tahoe - Reccomendations ?
Discussion
Pray they get more snow next year than this! We only spent 4 days in tahoe in the end this year, when we got there there was nothing other than man made and limited runs so just drove straight to salt lake which wasn't bad. on return to tahoe 4 weeks later they had more but it was still like skiing a slurpy.
Anyway where to go. Don't discount the smaller resorts no one has heard of. Whilst hevenley has fantastic views if its not snowing you can get just as good views from places like diamond peak or homewood at half the ticket price. Ok so the terrain is not as vast but unless your capable of skiing the whole of heavenly in a day do you really need all those runs, i know we tend to pick a few runs each day so you can get to know them a bit and where the bumps and bends are rather than stopping to figure out where next all the time.
There are also a few of the smaller resorts up at donner. Boreal is a bit small on vertical but can be fun, but there is also donner, and sugar bowl.
As for lodging, we have only stayed in south lake tahoe in the embassy and marriot, which are very good for access to the "shiny" bit of tahoe and heavenly gondala but you pay a price for that. We usually now stay down in reno for the restaurants and shops (big chains). it is a bit of a drive up the I80 or around the lake but unless your only skiing heavenly you going to have to get the car out anyway and most place in north tahoe are as quick from there as south lake tahoe. It can take an age to get around the lake as its a single lane road most of the way and any significant snow will close the western road at emerald bay. If you want to ski both north and south resorts i would recommend moving locations halfway. Ski heavenly, sierra and kirkwood from south lake tahoe and the donner areas, northstar, Mt rose, homewood, diamond peak and squar, alpine (the last two on one ticket now they have merged) either from truckkie or reno. It looks like there are lots of places to stay on the north shore but driving through it looks quite limited on other facilities (restaurants etc) but i guess it depends what you want.
One other tip. if your driving around much seek out the shell gas stations that offer the ski for free voucher. 10 gal of fuel gets you a buy one get one free voucher, this year you could use it at squar, alpine, homewood and kirkwood, just check the gas station you go to as there were less participating this year than two years ago. $30 odd of gas can get you a $90 lift ticket!
I would also say of you are renting a car you should get a 4x4 as two years ago we were there for the "western wallop" as the weather channel called it, 10ft of snow in a week. all the roads around tahoe were constantly under chain or 4x4 control so you wouldn't be able to go anywhere without a 4x4 as your rental agreement is unlikely to permit the use of chains.
Anyway where to go. Don't discount the smaller resorts no one has heard of. Whilst hevenley has fantastic views if its not snowing you can get just as good views from places like diamond peak or homewood at half the ticket price. Ok so the terrain is not as vast but unless your capable of skiing the whole of heavenly in a day do you really need all those runs, i know we tend to pick a few runs each day so you can get to know them a bit and where the bumps and bends are rather than stopping to figure out where next all the time.
There are also a few of the smaller resorts up at donner. Boreal is a bit small on vertical but can be fun, but there is also donner, and sugar bowl.
As for lodging, we have only stayed in south lake tahoe in the embassy and marriot, which are very good for access to the "shiny" bit of tahoe and heavenly gondala but you pay a price for that. We usually now stay down in reno for the restaurants and shops (big chains). it is a bit of a drive up the I80 or around the lake but unless your only skiing heavenly you going to have to get the car out anyway and most place in north tahoe are as quick from there as south lake tahoe. It can take an age to get around the lake as its a single lane road most of the way and any significant snow will close the western road at emerald bay. If you want to ski both north and south resorts i would recommend moving locations halfway. Ski heavenly, sierra and kirkwood from south lake tahoe and the donner areas, northstar, Mt rose, homewood, diamond peak and squar, alpine (the last two on one ticket now they have merged) either from truckkie or reno. It looks like there are lots of places to stay on the north shore but driving through it looks quite limited on other facilities (restaurants etc) but i guess it depends what you want.
One other tip. if your driving around much seek out the shell gas stations that offer the ski for free voucher. 10 gal of fuel gets you a buy one get one free voucher, this year you could use it at squar, alpine, homewood and kirkwood, just check the gas station you go to as there were less participating this year than two years ago. $30 odd of gas can get you a $90 lift ticket!
I would also say of you are renting a car you should get a 4x4 as two years ago we were there for the "western wallop" as the weather channel called it, 10ft of snow in a week. all the roads around tahoe were constantly under chain or 4x4 control so you wouldn't be able to go anywhere without a 4x4 as your rental agreement is unlikely to permit the use of chains.
Edited by ViperDave on Friday 24th February 11:22
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