Lake Tahoe Skiing - Lake Tahoe Snowboarding
Lake Tahoe is home to over a dozen ski resorts. Whether you prefer Alpine or Nordic, you will find one of the longest ski seasons anywhere. On the north shore you will find Squaw Valley, the home of the 1960 Winter Olympics and Alpine Meadows, the skier's mountain. Also on the north shore is Royal Gorge, one of the large Nordic resorts found anywhere. Northstar-at-Tahoe, Mt. Rose, Homewood, and Sugar Bowl also make their homes on the north shore.
On Lake Tahoe's south shore you will find Heavenly and Kirkwood. Heavenly offers up the creature comforts while Kirkwood offers up terrific steeps. And over on the east shore you will find Spooner Lake offering up a great Nordic experience.
The Lake Tahoe skiing and snowboard season usually runs from Thanksgiving through Easter, with Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows usually battling to close last during the month of May, with Squaw offering up turns on the Fourth of July, conditions permitting. You know the skiing season is bomb when the season starts before Halloween, the holiday that typically marks the beginning of winter like weather in the Lake Tahoe basin. Our last first turn October was the 2004/2005 season.
Palisades Tahoe (Alpine Meadows & Olympic Valley)
Palisades Tahoe, formerly Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, is the largest ski resort in the Lake Tahoe region. It hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics and its two mountains are now connected by the Base to Base Gondola.
Mountain Facts:
- Skiable Acres (Combined):
- 6,000 acres
- Vertical Rise:
- 2,850' (Palisades Peak: 9,050' / Base: 6,200')
- Total Lifts:
- 43 (Including 1 Tram, 1 Funitel, 1 Base to Base Gondola)
- Terrain:
- 288 designated runs; 25% easier, 43% intermediate, 32% advanced/expert.
General Information:
- Hours of Operation:
- Lifts Open Daily 9am-4pm (subject to change)
- Average Annual Snowfall:
- 400 inches
- Longest Run:
- Mountain Run, 3.2 miles
- Location:
- Olympic Valley, California (Connected to Alpine Meadows)
Boreal Mountain Resort
Boreal is known for its accessibility, terrain parks, and night skiing options, often being the first resort to open in the season.
- Top Elevation:
- 7,700 ft.
- Base Elevation:
- 7,200 ft.
- Vertical Rise:
- 500 ft.
- Rideable Acres:
- 380
- Lifts:
- 8 (Including 2 Quads, 3 Triples, 1 Double, and Moving Carpets)
- Trails:
- 34
- Terrain:
- 30% beginner, 55% intermediate, 15% advanced
- Average Snowfall:
- 400 in.
Diamond Peak
Located in Incline Village, Nevada, Diamond Peak offers stunning views of Lake Tahoe and a great learning environment with challenging advanced terrain in Solitude Canyon.
- Elevation:
- 6,700' - 8,540'
- Vertical Drop:
- 1,840 feet
- Skiable Acres:
- 655
- Lifts:
- 6
- Hours of Operation:
- 9am to 4pm
- Terrain:
- 40 runs; Beginner 18%, Intermediate 46%, Advanced 36%
- Longest Run:
- 2.5 Miles
- Snowmaking:
- 75% of developed terrain
Donner Ski Ranch
Donner Ski Ranch provides a relaxed, family-owned skiing experience on Donner Summit with terrain for all abilities.
- Base Elevation:
- 7,031'
- Summit Elevation:
- 7,781'
- Skiable Acres:
- 505 acres
- Average Snowfall:
- 396 inches
- Lifts:
- 6 Chairlifts plus a moving carpet
- Runs:
- 52 runs
- Terrain:
- 25% Beginner, 50% Intermediate, 25% Advanced
- Longest Run:
- Up to 1.5 miles
Heavenly Lake Tahoe
Heavenly is uniquely situated on the border of California and Nevada, offering the largest skiable area in Tahoe, world-class views, and diverse terrain from wide groomers to steep chutes.
- Summit Elevation:
- 10,067' (Highest in Lake Tahoe)
- Vertical Drop:
- 3,500' (Longest in California)
- Skiable Acres:
- 4,800 acres
- Average Annual Snowfall:
- Over 250 inches
- Lifts:
- 28 chairlifts, including nine high-speed lifts
- Trails:
- 114 trails
- Terrain:
- Varies from wide-open cruisers to 1,600-foot chutes.
- Location:
- South Lake Tahoe, CA/NV
Homewood Mountain Resort
STATUS UPDATE: The resort is closed for the 2024-2025 winter season due to ongoing redevelopment efforts. The Master Plan amendments were approved to ensure the resort will remain open to the public when it reopens, which is currently planned for the **2025-2026 season**.
General Facts (When Operating):
- Skiable Acres:
- 1,260 Acres
- Vertical Drop:
- 1,650 vertical feet
- Summit Elevation:
- 7,880'
- Lake Views:
- All 60 runs offer incredible lake views.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Kirkwood is known for its steep, deep, and challenging terrain, receiving some of the highest annual snowfall in the Tahoe area.
- Base Elevation:
- 7,800' (One of Tahoe's highest base elevations)
- Summit Elevation:
- 9,800'
- Vertical Drop:
- 2,000 feet
- Skiable Acres:
- 2,300 acres
- Average Annual Snowfall:
- 354 inches
- Lifts:
- 15 lifts
- Runs:
- 86 runs
- Location:
- Kirkwood, CA (South Lake Tahoe area)
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe
The closest major resort to Reno, Mt. Rose boasts Tahoe's highest base elevation (8,260'), offering high-quality snow and challenging terrain, including the steep Chutes.
- Base Elevation:
- 8,260 ft. (Tahoe's Highest)
- Summit:
- 9,700 ft.
- Vertical Drop:
- 1,800 ft.
- Acres:
- 1,200+
- Terrain:
- 20% beginner, 30% intermediate, 40% advanced, 10% expert
- Total Trails:
- 60+
- Longest Run:
- 2.5 miles
- Chair Lifts:
- 8 Total Lifts (including 2 high-speed six-packs)
Northstar California Resort
Northstar is known for its family-friendly atmosphere, upscale village, impeccably groomed trails, and award-winning terrain parks. Parking reservations are often required on weekends/holidays.
- Skiable Acres:
- 3,170
- Vertical Drop:
- 2,280 ft
- Summit Elevation (Mt. Pluto):
- 8,610 ft
- Average Annual Snowfall:
- 350 in
- Total Lifts:
- 20
- Number of Trails:
- 100
- Terrain:
- 13% Beginner, 60% Intermediate, 27% Advanced
- Longest Run:
- 1.4 miles - Logger's Loop
Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort
Royal Gorge is North America's largest cross-country (Nordic) ski resort, featuring thousands of acres of terrain and spectacular views.
- Skiable Terrain:
- Over 9,000 acres
- Trail System:
- Over 165 km (100+ miles) of track
- Amenities:
- Equipment rentals, ski school, dining, and lodging.
- Location:
- Near Sugar Bowl/Donner Summit area.
Sierra-at-Tahoe
Sierra-at-Tahoe is a South Lake Tahoe favorite known for its deep snow, expansive tree-skiing, five terrain parks, and access to Huckleberry Canyon backcountry.
- Skiable Acres:
- 2,000 Acres
- Vertical Rise:
- 2,212'
- Top Elevation:
- 8,852'
- Lifts:
- 14 Lifts
- Trails:
- 47 Trails
- Terrain:
- 25% Easier, 50% More Difficult, 25% Most Difficult
- Terrain Parks:
- 5 Terrain Parks and South Shore's Only Superpipe
- Longest Run:
- Sugar n' Spice - 2.5 miles
Soda Springs Mountain Resort
Soda Springs is the longest-running ski resort in California, focusing on a small resort atmosphere perfect for families, beginners, and snow play activities like tubing.
- Base Elevation:
- 6,700 ft
- Summit Elevation:
- 7,352 ft
- Skiable Acres:
- 200 acres
- Lifts:
- 2 Chairlifts and 3 Moving Carpets
- Location:
- 1 mile off I-80 at the Norden / Soda Springs exit.
Sugar Bowl Resort
Sugar Bowl is one of Lake Tahoe's oldest resorts (since 1939), known for its high summit, deep snowpack, and a traditional ski experience with no residential development on the main mountain.
- Skiable Acres:
- 1,650 acres
- Vertical Drop:
- 1,500 ft.
- Summit Elevation:
- 8,383 ft.
- Average Annual Snowfall:
- 500+ inches
- Trails:
- 105 runs
- Lifts:
- 13 Lifts
- Location:
- Donner Summit, CA
Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort
A family-focused resort in Truckee, Tahoe Donner is dedicated to teaching skiing and snowboarding with uncrowded slopes and excellent beginner terrain.
- Skiable Acres:
- 120 acres
- Vertical Drop:
- 600 ft.
- Summit Elevation:
- 7,350 ft.
- Trails:
- 17 trails
- Lifts:
- 5 Lifts
- Cross Country:
- Tahoe Donner also operates one of the premier Cross Country Centers.
