Big Holiday Guide

When the days are short and snow hides the dirt and make the water Lake Tahoe WAY to cold to swim, you did the only thing you can do: go skiing! There are fourteen ski resorts around Lake Tahoe in both California and Nevada. There are thousands of hotel and motel rooms, you can not swing a dead cat without hitting a gourmet, or favors a funky restaurant, and there is more music, theater, shows, gambling and amenities than you probably know what to do with.

But relax. It’s simple. Follow the two steps for the best winter vacation ever had: 1) go to Lake Tahoe. 2) go skiing! Everything else will come naturally.

Getting to Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is easy to find. If you’re flying (and you do not have their own helicopter), the nearest airport with good service is Reno Tahoe International Airport. All major carriers fly in there including the beloved Southwest Airlines. From Reno the closest Tahoe ski resort just 30 minutes away (Mt. Rose and Diamond Peak), and the furthest is almost nothing more than an hour. Fly to Reno also puts you at an advantage because most of the traffic coming from the Sacramento and San Francisco, so tourist congestion is minimal.

From Sacramento or San Francisco take U.S. Hwy 50 East to South Lake Tahoe, California and the casinos in Stateline, Nevada and Heavenly, Kirkwood or Sierra at Tahoe, or take Interstate 80 through Truckee to Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Donner Ski Ranch, Sugar bowl , Northstar or Homewood. Good weather can be found at weather.com (http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USCA0584?from=search_city), NOAA.gov and snotel (http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda. gov / snotel / California / california.html).

Check traffic and snow conditions before you go on Caltrans (http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/), NDOT (http://www.nevadadot.com/traveler/roads/) and Magnifeye ( http: / / www.magnifeye.com/).

Tahoe Terrain and Snow

Lake Tahoe is big: 22 miles long and 12 miles wide. Along 72 km of the coast ski conditions may vary from north (Northstar at Tahoe) to south (Kirkwood), so it helps to track the weather and snowfall rate. If you’re into groomers and perfect corduroy, or neck deep powder in the trees, check the snow report on the website of each resort and hit one with the most new snow.

Most of the resorts have terrain parks, and usually more than one. Heavenly has several jumps, including beginner, intermediate and advanced, rails and boxes for all skiers and snowboarders.

The resort should you go to? Well that’s complicated. Since everything at Tahoe is really great, it can be challenging to find a resort that is right for you. Huge resorts, Heavenly, Squaw, and Kirkwood, offer fancy dining, big vertical relief, and incredible on-mountain facilities. A small, Homewood, Diamond Peak and Mt. Rose, offers a lower key experience that might be good for beginners or people who want to experience everything Tahoe. Each mountain has its specialties, secret powder stashes and amazing views of the lake.

Outback Ski

Although there are some best ski and snowboard resort in the world, there are FAR more mountains to slide around Tahoe than you can reach by the end of a chair lift ride. Each peak around the Tahoe Basin, however, can be reached at the end of the climb.

Whether by snowshoe, crampon and ice ax or ski tour you can reach endless untracked mountains and couloirs from the Pacific Crest in the Desolation Wilderness on the West coast for the Carson Range above Reno on the east. Many resorts also have hikeable inland plains, like the Milkyway Bowl, at Heavenly which gives you a few more feet of vertical for a little extra effort. Always check for up-to-date avalanche, snowfall and weather forecasts for the entire Tahoe back country of the Sierra Avalanche Center (http://www.sierraavalanchecenter.org/) before you go out of bounds.

Elevator, Trams and Gondolas

Tahoe is a land of six-pack chairlift at high speed. We have a gondola, funitels, and trams along with a lifetime supply of high-speed chairlifts 6 people. Resorts here are fully modern with the latest technology and as rich skiing history, like the old Trams at Heavenly and Squaw Valley. Skiing in Tahoe is the experience, fully modern, fast and fun. Tremendous uphill capacity in the ski resort leaves you with minimal down time.

On-mountain facilities

What is it? You want a little down time? Understood. Skiing on to the Maestro endless powder run down or can be exhausting. You need to recharge now and then. Do not worry, no matter where you are located in the resort here you’re never far from a bite to eat. Mid mountain lodges, top of the mountain lodges abound with gourmet dining, and drinking straight from the stars walk with view of ski slopes and lakes and no shortage of wine and beer.

Tahoe Lodging

Sure, you can sleep in your car at the base of the ski runs after eating a meal-bum-gourmet crackers and ketchup, but why now live a little? You want either to yourself, that’s why you’re here.

As a year-round vacation destination, Lake Tahoe has thousands of hotels and motels to choose from after a great day on the slopes. If you are hungry there is enough food to feed tens of thousands of companies! Rates of lodging can be found to keep your budget happy even at a hotel close to the slopes!

In a competitive vacation market such as Tahoe, resorts are always working with hotels to offer ski and lodging packages to get the best deal for your trip. Whether you are skiing or snowboarding, you can bundle your lodging lift tickets and rental equipment to a great deal, so you spend less money and more time having fun.

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe, in California and Nevada, is a world-class winter destination mentioned in the same breath as Vail, Park City, and Banff. Snow falls. Elevator runs. Come hit the slopes!