By Kristen May
Lake Tahoe, nestled just southwest of Reno on the border between California and Nevada, has many ski
resorts scattered in the mountains around the lake. The biggest and best Lake Tahoe ski resorts have more than 1,000 acres each of downhill skiing terrain, in addition to ski and snowboard rentals, lodges and amenities.
Heavenly
Heavenly Mountain in Lake Tahoe is California's largest ski resort, with 4,800 acres of skiing terrain and a 3,500-foot vertical rise. Five lodges are scattered across Heavenly Ski Resort, and a gondola connects the ski resort to Heavenly Village located on the shores of Lake Tahoe at the base of the resort.
Heavenly Mountain Resort
3860 Saddle Road
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(775) 586-7000
skiheavenly.com
Mt. Rose
Even though it is one of the smallest of the Lake Tahoe ski resorts, Mt. Rose appeals to many expert skiers with its "Chutes" area, opened in 2004 with very advanced terrain descending the faces between the peaks. Two high-speed lifts seating six people per bench service the mountain alongside six smaller chairlifts.
Mt. Rose
22222 Mt. Rose Highway
Reno, NV 89511
(775) 849-0704
skirose.com
Kirkwood
Kirkwood ski resort has 65 ski runs and 12 chairlifts, including two high-speed quads. Some of the runs at Kirkwood wrap around to the back side of the mountain, allowing for more secluded skiing.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
1501 Kirkwood Meadows Drive
Kirkwood, CA 95646
(209) 258-6000
kirkwood.com
Sierra-at-Tahoe
Sierra-at-Tahoe is located right next to Kirkwood, and it offers a similar mountain skiing experience. It has 12 chairlifts and 46 runs, mostly grouped in clusters of the same difficulty. This allows skiers to remain in one area of the mountain rather than searching for appropriate runs on other parts of the mountain.
Sierra-at-Tahoe
1111 Sierra-at-Tahoe Road
Twin Bridges, CA 95735
(530) 659-7453
sierraattahoe.com
Squaw Valley
As the host site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, Squaw Valley is known throughout the world as a premiere ski resort. It has more than 150 runs scattered over the 4,000 acres of groomed ski slopes, along with three large terrain parks.
Squaw Valley
1960 Squaw Valley Road
Olympic Valley CA 96146
(530) 583-6985
squaw.com
About the Author:
Kristen May holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, specializing in childhood development. She has been writing for several online publishers covering topics such as entertaining, parenting, cooking, health and wellness, marriage and personal finance.
