Lake Tahoe Ski Areas

This world class destination has a huge concentration of ski resorts in the Sierra Nevada mountains surrounding the deep, beautiful blue waters of Lake Tahoe. Read on for a summary of the nearby ski areas.

Squaw Valley
Squallywood - what more can you say? Squaw is the home of many pro riders and is a favorite destination for expert and beginner skiers alike. Boasting 4000 skiable acres, including world famous places to shred like KT-22, Headwall, Granite Chief, and the Palisades, it's no wonder that Squaw is a bit overwhelming for some, and the mountain of choice for many. The new Village at Squaw is full of shopping, dining, and apres-ski nightlife to keep just about everyone happy.
Off HW 89 Between Truckee and Tahoe City
Snow Phone: 530-583-6955 800-403-0206
http://www.squaw.com

Northstar at Tahoe
Northstar is a family friendly place to ski, with 16 lifts, lots of groomed trails and good tree skiing. With a new family friendly village to match, Northstar is positioning itself as a premier summer and winter resort destination. They also offer 50 kilometers of groomed, scenic cross-country skiing trails, and in the summer, mountain biking and golf.
Off HW 267 Between Truckee and Kings Beach
800-GO-NORTH
http://www.skinorthstar.com

Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl is a great mountain, and for those coming from the west, it is closer to the Bay Area than the rest of the Tahoe resorts. Sugar Bowl has some challenging terrain and also offers access to backcountry skiing for those with experience.
Off I-80 west of Truckee, HW 40 at Norden/Soda Springs
Snow Phone: 530-426-1111, 530-426-9000
http://www.sugarbowl.com

Tahoe Donner Ski Area
With three lifts and 120 skiable acres, don't expect too much from Tahoe Donner. If you are a beginner, just bored looking to get outside, or are taking your children out to learn to ski, Tahoe Donner might be a good choice. It's not very crowded and has plenty of open space.
Northwoods Blvd, North of Truckee
530-587-9444
http://www.skitahoedonner.com

Homewood
Tahoe's west shore resort is small but popular for several reasons. First, the ski runs practically take you into the lake, so the views can't be beat. Second, Homewood has some decent terrain; although there are some flat spots, there are some good runs there, with steep areas such as Quail Face, a terrain park, and other secret places you might find on your own. Third, Homewood has excellent backcountry access for those up for adventure. And the biggest secret of all - on a storm day, when the big resorts are mostly closed, Homewood is normally open due to it's location, where it is sheltered from the 100MPH winds.
HW 89 6 Miles South of Tahoe City
Snow Phone: 530-525-2900, 530-525-2992
http://www.skihomewood.com

Heavenly
Heavenly is South Shore's premier resort, with views, views, and more views. It's huge, with 4,800 skiable acres split between Nevada and California. For the most part, Heavenly is all about the groomed runs, but they do have some challenging terrain. They also have a 'High Roller' terrain park for those looking for some night time air. Heavenly Ski Area also recently opened their boundaries, offering access to some great backcountry skiing for properly trained and equipped riders. Apres-ski, you can party all night long at the Stateline clubs and casinos.
Ski Run Blvd, Off HW 50 South Lake Tahoe
Snow Phone: 775-586-7000, 800-2HEAVEN
http://www.skiheavenly.com

Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Kirkwood rocks, with excellent high-elevation terrain, 2300 skiable acres, great expert skiing, and backcountry access. A lesser visited destination, Kirkwood should be on your list of resorts to visit. Kirkwood also has 80 kilometers of scenic, machine groomed cross country trails at high altitude, with dogs permitted on 2 trails.
Off HWY 88 South of the Lake
Snow Phone: 877-KIRKWOOD, 209.258.6000
http://www.kirkwood.com

Donner Ski Ranch
Located off I-80 at the Norden/Soda Springs exit. Donner Ski Ranch is a small, family resort with 6 chairs and 460 acres of skiing.
Off I-80 West of Truckee
530-426-3635
http://www.donnerskiranch.com

Granlibakken
With 2 lifts and 300 vertical feet, Granlibakken is a tiny resort with an old-European feel.
Granlibakken Road, off 89 South of Tahoe City
530-581-7333
http://www.laketahoeskiing.com

Diamond Peak
This small resort has 3 lifts with excellent views and beginner terrain. Not a bad choice for those looking to learn and/or avoid crowds.
Ski Way, off Country Club Drive in Incline Village
Snow Phone: 775-831-3211, 775-832-1177
http://www.diamondpeak.com

Boreal - Jibbasic Park
Boreal is a small ski area emphasising terrain parks including their Jibassic Park, where you can get your jib on, even at night. It is in a convenient location for many visitors from Sacramento and San Francisco, just off HW 80 at the summit.
Off HW 80 at the summit
530-426-3666
http://www.borealski.com

Mount Rose
Mount Rose has a high base elevation to keep snow light and fluffy longer than other resorts while providing good views. They also recently opened The Chutes, 15 long, steep, black or double black diamond chutes for expert skiers and boarders. Mt. Rose is easily accessible from Reno and north shore.
HW 430 between Reno and Tahoe
775-849-0704, 800-SKI-ROSE
http://www.mtrose.com

Sierra at Tahoe
Sierra is a nice mountain, with 2000 acres of trail and tree skiing and just over a 2000 vertical rise. The resort has a small, family friendly feel with a good mix of beginner, intermediate, advanced terrain, and terrain parks.
Of HW 50 West of South Shore
530-659-7453
http://www.sierraattahoe.com

Alpine Meadows Ski Area
Alpine Meadows is has some great terrain, with wide open bowls and great access to the backcountry as well as backcountry-like skiing within the patrolled ski area. You can take several hikes to get fresh snow within the resort boundary to get that 'backcountry feeling' and to practice backcountry skills.
Off HW 89 between Tahoe City and Truckee
Snow Phone: 530.581.8374, 530.583.4232
http://www.skialpine.com

Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort
North America's largest cross country ski resort is on Donner Summit. It's a huge resort with miles and miles of cross country trails with panoramic views. Stay at the Rainbow Lodge or Ice Lakes Lodge for comfortable accommodations and excellent dining. There are also some wilderness cabins, and private cabins at the Wilderness Lodge available.
Soda Springs, CA
800-500-3871
http://www.royalgorge.com