Lake Tahoe Resorts 2024 Closing Dates, Live Web Cams, Upcoming Events, Snow Report, Trail Maps, Public Transit Options

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Last Updated April 15, 2024 – Thank you for visiting SnowPals.org ♥ ! Bookmark this page for quick access.

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Lake Tahoe/Sierra Resorts Closing Dates, Live Cams, Lift, Mountain Conditions, Trail Maps|
Best Learn to Ski Snowboard Package Deals |
Love to chase POW? Glean some POV insights via SnowPals’ member Marc’s powder hound adventures which spanned over 20 years of riding Tahoe resorts freshies |
SoCal Eastern Sierra Nevada Resorts |
Nordic Cross Country Ski, Snowshoeing Areas |
Getting Around Lake Tahoe Transportation Options |
NWS Forecast, Winter Driving Tips, Chain Controls, Caltrans Tahoe Roads Conditions |
Snow-sports Businesses Cross-marketing Opportunities, and Guest Blog Writers |
Events Calendar – what’s up |

Mark your calendar for Saturday May 4 Palisades Tahoe’s Event, The Cushing Crossing (formerly Squaw Valley USA at Olympic Vallley CA) Pond Skim is prelude to the end of the ski/ride season. Here’s what it looks like from last season:

2024’s 32nd Annual Cushing Crossing is the best event of the spring season scheduled for May 4th, 2024 at 1pm*. Join in on the fun, watch big spills, and share some much-needed laughs with Palisades Tahoe’s celebrity judges and 2 of the best emcees around. Costumes are highly encouraged! Costume theme? MAY THE FORCE (fourth) BE WITH YOU.. The awards ceremony will immediately follow the event at Cushing Pond. Each category winner will win prizes from our sponsors: Yeti, Smith, Dakine, and Darn Tough. Official prize details coming soon!

Event Details

Date: May 4th, 2024
Time: 1pm
Location: Cushing Pond near the base of KT-22
Participant Registration: See details, link below
Spectating is free. We recommend bringing a chair, sun protection, & water.
Subject to change based on weather & conditions.

Registration begins @ 7am on Friday, May 3rd on the KT Deck (day before the event) – tip: from past years, if you want to make the participants list, get in line no later than 5am day of. Registration fee is $20, cash only. Visit Palisades Tahoe for more details.

Tahoe Rideshare

Need a ride or got empty seats in your car for a Tahoe rideshare? If you are driving with empty seats in your car, offer a ride and get gas/EV supercharger money compensation to offset your Lake Tahoe gas/EV supercharging trip cost . Meet ski, ride buddies in the process; some skiers, snowboarders have made lasting friendships through our rideshare connection. SnowPals’ rideshare forum was launched in 1999 with a few friends and have now grown to over 8k+ members strong, consisting of working professionals, college students, retirees, and out of town visitors to Lake Tahoe. Connect with SF Bay Area professionals for Tahoe Ride-sharing/carpooling: join SnowPals to expand your circle of rideshare contacts and ski/ride pals.


If you spot any errors on this page, . Thank you!


2023/24 Projected Closing Dates Winter Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts Snow Totals, Trail Maps, Live Cams

Palisades Tahoe (aka Squaw Valley USA Alpine Meadows) closes on Monday May 27, 204 | Trail Map | Cam | Conditions | Events Calendar

Alpine Meadows Trail Map | Cam

squaw-alpine

Boreal closes April 14, 2024. Check their website for night skiing hours. Trail Map | Cam | Events Calendar

Heavenly Mountain Resort closing date April 21 | Trail Map | Live Cams | Conditions | Events Calendar

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Sierra at Tahoe closes April 21, 2024 | Trail Map | Cam | Conditions | Events Calendar

Kirkwood April 28 Trail Map | Cam | Conditions | Events Calendar

kirkwood-resort

Northstar-at-Tahoe April 14 | Trail Map | Cam | Conditions | Events Calendar

Sugar Bowl closes April 28, 2024 Trail Map | Cam | Conditions | Events Calendar

Homewood April 14 Trail Map | Cam | Conditions

homewood-resort

Diamond Peak closes April 28, 2024.Learn about this Incline Village NV resort that has the best pano lake view in North Lake Tahoe | Trail Map | Cam | Conditions | Events Calendar

Mt. Rose April 28 | Trail Map | Cam | Conditions | Events Calendar

Tahoe Donner April 7 | Trail Map | Events Calendar

Donner Ski Ranch May 30 | Trail Map

Bear Valley April 21 | Trail Map | Cam | Events Calendar

China Peak April 21 Trail Map | Events Calendar

Dodge Ridge April 30 | Trail Map | Cam | Events Calendar

Soda Springs April 14 | Trail Map

Yosemite’s Badger Pass® Ski Area TBA | Trail Map

Mt. Shasta Ski Park Resort April 14 Trail Map | Cam | Extended night skiing/riding hours 3:30 PM to 9:00 PM. | Events Calendar

New to SnowPals? Join us to expand your circle of ski and snowboarding buddies. Attend our fun informal meetups to connect with skiers, snowboarders and backcountry ski/split-board enthusiasts close to you for Tahoe trips.



Learn to ski, snowboard deals, discounts

New to skiing, snowboarding and looking to find the best learn to ski, ride package deal which includes rentals, lesson and lift ticket? We put together a useful list of the best deals saving you time searching for them (feel free to share this page with family/friends to plan a ski trip to a Lake Tahoe resort).


One Minute Shred the POWDER GOPRO Video Contest Grand Prize Winner & Submit your video entry to our SECOND ROUND Video Contest

Congrats to Achal for winning our grand prize contest giveaway for our 1st round winner:


ROUND TWO SHRED THE POW 1 MINUTE VIDEO CONTEST: with back to back Sierra winter storms delivering mucho powder snow freshies, share with us your POV 1 minute POWDER shredding video!


NORDIC CROSS COUNTRY SKI, SNOWSHOEING AREAS CLOSING DATES

Granlibakken: is open
Tahoe XC: TBA – opening date TBA
Tahoe Donner: TBA
North Tahoe regional park nordic ski area: TBA; check website for list of areas
Royal Gorge Cross-country ski resort: is open
Other Nordic Ski Areas and snow parks/SNO-parks: TBA, visit goTahoeNorth.com

Granlibakken Resort TBA Trail Map | Cam

Royal Gorge Cross Country Ski Resort TBA Trail Map

Spooner Lake Cross Country Ski Area TBA Trail Map

Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area TBA Trail Map

* Plan a Tahoe getaway: browse/book a Tahoe vacation rental or if you have a season pass, join a ski lease to set a new personal record for most ski and ride days.

* Rideshare to your favorite Tahoe resort and expand your circle of friends for POWDER trips using your Epic/Ikon pass to Utah, Colorado, Whistler, Europe, Japan, South America and other worldwide snow destinations.

Snow-sports Businesses Cross-marketing Opportunities

If you have a snow sports business or a business that compliments well with skiing, snowboarding, and/or our year-round pursuit of an active opt outside lifestyle, about cross-marketing opportunities that is mutually beneficial.

Guest Blog Writers

If you are good with the pen and like to share your experience and wisdom about the A to Z of snow-sports and/or have deep insights about Lake Tahoe in all its seasons, how we can add you as a guest blog contributor.

✔ Our first guest author is a resident of SLT: “Eight microbreweries in South Lake Tahoe SLT to choose from but here’s my Fave

Quick Navigation Links:

* Caltrans Road Conditions | Road Traffic Live Cams | Chain Control Advisory

* Discount Ski Bus Trips: one day, overnight, private small groups, corporate ski bus trips

* Join Tahoe ride-sharing / carpool to help reduce carbon emissions and share expenses

* North Lake Tahoe Public Transportation Information

Getting around Lake Tahoe Local Transit – linkingTahoe.com

At Lake Tahoe you can enjoy an abundance of local transit options on the North Shore, the South Shore, and everywhere in between. All public transit routes are now FREE to the user!

TART (Tahoe Truckee Regional Transit)
TART provides bus service along the North and West shores of Lake Tahoe, state Route 89 from Tahoe City to Alpine Meadows, Olympic Valley, and state Route 267 to Northstar and Truckee. TART runs at hourly and 30-minute service intervals. Find out when your bus will arrive with real-time information on Next Bus.

TTD (Tahoe Transportation District)
TTD offers daily service within Tahoe’s South Shore with regular connections to the Carson Valley and Carson City, Nevada. You can find out when your bus will arrive with real-time information on Transit.

TART Connect
TART Connect offers a FREE and easy way to leave the car behind. Enjoy curb-to-curb service and connections to North Shore destinations within three different zones. Download the app to book your trip today!

Lake Link
Lake Link is a FREE, on-demand shuttle which takes you to South Shore beaches, trails, entertainment, and nightlife. Catch the service between 7am and 9pm on weekdays and 7am and 10pm on weekends. Download the app to book your ride!

SKI RESORT SHUTTLES
Many of the ski resorts including Heavenly, Northstar, and Diamond Peak, provide free shuttles to get you on the slopes. Check the resort’s website to find schedules and pick up locations.

Mountaineer provides free seasonal transit within Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows for guests and residents. Download the app and call a ride from anywhere to anywhere within the two valleys.

Park, Ride & Recreate!
TART’s winter park and ride program provides free bus service to Olympic Valley and Northstar on weekends and holidays from Late December through mid-March.

TTD’s seasonal (Summer) East Shore Express provides a convenient and affordable way to enjoy a day at Sand Harbor. Learn more about the Park Tahoe Program and park-and-ride rates along Lake Tahoe’s East Shore.

HOTEL SHUTTLES
Many hotels offer free shuttles to major destinations in and around Tahoe. Check your hotel website or speak with a concierge to find out what services they may offer.

MOUNTAIN BIKING SHUTTLES
Flume Trail Mountain Bikes operates a seasonal shuttle, June through October, 7 days a week. The shuttle is FREE with a bike rental, entrance fee for the State Park is included. You can also take one of the hourly shuttles with your own bike. The shuttle goes from Flume Trail Mountain Bikes next to Tunnel Creek Cafe in Incline Village to Spooner Lake State Park. Then, you can ride your bike back to Flume Trail Mountain Bikes via the spectacular Flume Trail. The classic Flume Trail ride is 14 miles back to the shop/cafe and your car.

Flume Trail Bikes also offers shuttles to Tahoe Meadows to access the Tahoe Rim Trail on even days of the month.

Shoreline of Tahoe offers bike rentals and a seasonal shuttle service to several mountain bike trailheads.

Wanna Ride Tahoe operates a mountain bike and hiking shuttle service daily from 7am until 7pm. Priced per person, the service includes gear, snacks, water, and a ride!

* The above transportation information is provided by LinkingTahoe.com

PUBLIC SHUTTLES

TART (Tahoe Area Regional Transit)

Call 530-550-1212. Regular schedules run 7 days / week from 6:30 AM until 6:30 PM. TART service runs along 30 miles of the North Lake Tahoe shoreline including a shuttle between Tahoe City and Truckee via Hwy. 89. Buses equipped with bike racks in summer and ski racks in winter.

Truckee Transit

Call 530-587-751 for information. Buses run from 9 AM to 5 PM, no service between 1:15 to 2:15, Monday through Saturday. Service from Truckee Airport / Downtown Commercial Row / Donner Lake.

Ski Resort Shuttles and Schedules

– Free Ski Shuttle. Call 800-736-6365 for information. Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows and Homewood resorts: TART service offers weekend and holiday week schedule.

Night Rider Free Night Service

Call 530-546-2912 for information. Free service stopping at all TART public bus stops at night through the summer and winter with variable schedules.

TIMING YOUR BUS

NextBus.com

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION

There are free public transit fixed route service that covers the city of South Lake Tahoe, Stateline, NV, and Carson Valley.

Visit TART – Transit for the Tahoe Area

Information about the free SLT fare smartphone app, and phone number. This app is for the south shore casino/Heavenly area/east side of the city of South Lake Tahoe.

“Don’t have a smartphone? Call 530-494-0153 to book a ride.”

– Public bus service from and to South Lake Tahoe Airport
Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) has a bus stop located at the airport. The bus stop is on route 18X N.B. and E.B.

– BlueGO
BlueGO is a service of the South Tahoe Transit Authority, operated by the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD). BlueGO provides fixed route, demand response, sky shuttles, seasonal trolley service, and commuter express routes on the south shore of Lake Tahoe and to the Carson Valley.

– BlueGO operates seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For more information, please visit the Tahoe Transportation District website: https://www.tahoetransportation.org/transit/south-shore-services.

– Shuttle Service to & from Reno/Tahoe international Airport
South Tahoe Airporter
(530) 544-5289
http://southtahoeairporter.com

South Tahoe Express
This luxury bus shuttle service offers nonstop service between the Reno-Tahoe International Airport and South Shore casinos and hotel properties. There are 8 daily departures each way from Reno between 5:45 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. and from South Shore beginning at 3:30 a.m. and ending at 11:15 p.m. Purchase tickets through your travel agent, the Welcome Center at the Reno Airport and South Shore Casinos. $27.50 per person, each way. $49.00 round trip. Children 4-12 travel for $15.50 each way or $28.00 round trip with paid adult. CALL 866-898-2463

Amador Stage Lines
Busses for Airport Transfers, Casino Trips, Convention Event Shuttles, Golf Outings, Government contracting, Parties, Party Bus, Ski shuttles, Sporting events, Weddings, Reno ~ Lake Tahoe Bus Trips. 635 Ferrari-Mcleod Blvd. Reno, NV 89512 | 775-324-4444

Heavenly Ski Resort
During the ski season, this resort offers FREE fixed route shuttle service to most South Shore lodging properties. The shuttle runs between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. daily. Call for designated stops. 530-541-7548

Sierra At Tahoe Ski Resort
During the ski season, this resort offers FREE fixed route shuttle service to most South Shore lodging properties. The shuttle runs between 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. daily. Call for designated stops. 530-541-7548

Please contact us if any of the above information is out of date or is incorrect; advance thanks. We rely on your feedback to provide Lake Tahoe area transportation options that are clear and accurate.

Screen Shot 2017-11-18 at 3.24.35 PM – source: onthesnow.com

Would you like to sleep and let a professional driver drive you to your favorite Tahoe resort? Book a discount SF Bay Area to Tahoe ski bus trip: one day and overnight bus trips. Enjoy a full day of skiing or riding; sleep on the way to Tahoe and watch movies on the return while enjoying complimentary snacks and drinks.



* Extreme cool POWDER Van Adventure shoutout to Chris Benchetler’s fluid style as a skier (athlete and an artist) and his journey to ski fresh powder as he travels around the West Coast USA visiting various powder destinations.

GoPro: Chasing POWder AdVANture with Chris Benchetler in 4K


* What’s it like to ski/ride Japan’s famous dry champagne powder?



This season pass gives you two days of skiing / riding in Japan among 18 other resorts across Alberta, Australia, British Columbia, Chamonix (France) and Valle Nevado (Chile), California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, New Zealand, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming. For 2018/19 season, this pass enables you to go where there’s POWder galore!


Caltrans Road Conditions, Road Traffic Live Cams, Highway Patrol Traffic Incidents Report, Chain Control Advisory, Tahoe Seven Day Weather Forecast

* Check to see when the next snow storm is in the forecast. Browse traffic and road webcams. Check Caltrans live feed.

* WINTER DRIVING TIPS

http://www.dot.ca.gov/cttravel/winter.html

* CHAIN CONTROLS

http://www.dot.ca.gov/cttravel/chain-controls.html

* Roads, Traffic – Check Current Highway Conditions

http://www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi

* LIVE TRAFFIC CAMS

http://www.dot.ca.gov/video/

* CHP Traffic Incident Information

http://cad.chp.ca.gov/

* TAHOE ROAD LIVE CAMS

http://newtoreno.com/ca-i80-webcams-donner-summit.htm

* NORTH TAHOE LIVE CAMS

https://tahoetopia.com/webcams

* SOUTH TAHOE LIVE CAMS

https://tahoesouth.com/lake-tahoe-web-cams/

* Tip: before you drive to Tahoe, check Current California Highway Road Conditions & Traffic; Enter Highway Number(s)

Check weather forecast:

On the Beyond Tahoe Snow Destination ‘Bucket List’: where can you ski and ride at midnight, soak in a hot mineral water pool, then follow that up with soju shots and BBQ eats? Dragon Valley, South Korea – site of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

=== SoCal – Southern California’s/Eastern Sierra Ski Resorts ===

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort  CLOSING DATE April 21 for Canyon Lodge & April 28 is the resort’s full closure | Trail Map | Live Cams | Events Calendar

mammoth-mtn-resort

Mountain High Resort (located in the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County in California) May 18, 2024 closing date | Trail Map | Live Cams | Events Calendar

*All opening dates posted are based on snowfall and could change. Check with the resort directly before you go for the most updated information.

Map of Lake Tahoe Area Ski Resorts

map source: unofficialnetworks.com

For a detailed listing of Tahoe ski resorts, check out our handy guide to all the Lake Tahoe area ski resorts! It’s the fastest way to scan lift ticket prices and compare the resorts to find the perfect one for you.

Looking to join a Tahoe ski lease? Browse our listing, or list yours.

♥ Share this page with friends and family via twitterfacebook.

*If you spot any error on this page or would like to make a suggestion, please email .  Advance thanks!

 

Planning a Tahoe Trip? Read Insiders’ Tips/Share Yours to Win Lodging Stay, Ski Bus Trip

tahoe-ski-trips-logo

Planning a getaway to Lake Tahoe to enjoy snow-sports​?​

Page last updated: Feb 28, 2022 at 10:00 AM PST

Scroll down the page to read our ‘Best of Tahoe List’ and ti​​ps ​from veteran skiers and boarders who frequents Lake Tahoe resorts for snow sports recreation 😉

– pitstops en route to/from Lake Tahoe; best pricing gas stations to fill-up gas
– North Tahoe & South Tahoe apres-ski spots/venues + happy hour deals
– pet-friendly hotels
– pet-sitting
– winter driving tips: best snow tires, AWD, 4WD, Dual Motor EV
– wind protected Tahoe resorts on high wind gusts days(which causes ski lift closures especially ones to the mountain’s summit), etc.

Please note, this giveaway is held in conjunction with SnowPals ski, ride Tahoe powder video contest.

Congrats to the winners!

Please by email [ contactus @ snowpals.org ] within 7 days to claim your prize:

(1) Grand prize Tahoe ski bus day trip winner David’s GoPro POWDER DAY video (imdave___ @ gmail.com) Grand Prize giveaway sponsored by Tahoe Ski Trips (expires 12/31/2023; view the bus trip schedule). David made it to Tahoe after December 2021 back to back snow storms that dropped over 200+ inches of fresh snow; he skis untracked virgin powder freshies on Dec 30, 2021 with a smile that says it all: joie de vie!

View ski/ride powder videos from our previous years’ contest.

(2) Congrats to Rinda S (herst___ @ msn.com) on winning a one weekdays night stay at the Mellow Mountain Hostel by Heavenly Resort for sharing her Tahoe tip:

“Kirkwood parking attendances will direct you to a lower parking lot near Timber Creek when the upper lot gets full. These lower lots have no EV charging available. If you let them know you need to go to the Mountain Club, they will let you go to the upper lots, where there are EV charging stations for free. 🙂 ”

(3) Congrats to Diana E (D_EDWARDS @ GMAIL.COM) won an unrestricted lift ticket to Bear Valley Resort (expires end of winter 2021-22 season). Her Tahoe pitstop tip:

“When headed to north Lake Tahoe from the Bay we like to stop and use the restrooms at Ikeda’s in Auburn. The restrooms open up at about 7am and are cleaned first thing even though the store and restaurant are not opened yet. Fresh clean restrooms for the win!

Also a fantastic, albeit crowded stop on the way home for delish pies, fresh local produce, and delicious burgers.
https://www.ikedas.com

Best garlic fries in the Tahoe basin at Inclined Burgers and Brews in Incline Village.
https://inclinedburgersandbrew.com/

(4) Congrats to Achal (achalas___ @ gmail.com) won a $20 credit that can be applied to any upcoming SnowPals social events(in the works: wine tastings on the patio). Tahoe tip:

When a storm system comes in and you are considering driving up, always check/bookmark for easy access on road conditions using Caltrans’ QuickMap app iOS or andriod or their website – http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ – includes reliable information and camera along the highway leading into Tahoe!

Get notified of upcoming contests/giveaways, events, Lake Tahoe ski resorts, hotel deals, etc, subscribe to our “All Things Tahoe” newsletter or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and/or Twitter.

New to SnowPals? Join to expand your circle of snow sports recreational activity partners and engage in an active lifestyle: view membership perks.

Tahoe Ski Trip Tips

Travis S. tips:

(1) What is your favorite place for a pitstop whenever you drive to and from Tahoe & why?

Burger Barn in Pollock Pines. Quirky staff, cheap but good food, and really good meat and veggie burgers. https://www.yelp.com/biz/burger-barn-pollock-pines

(2) Owners of all wheel drive vehicles, this tip is for those looking to buy an AWD or 4WD vehicle for Tahoe trips/driving on snow/icy roads, what make & model do you recommend? why?

I think it’s less about the model and more about getting snow tires. They make all the difference.

(3) For winter snow & icy roads, which tire brand do you use and recommend for best traction control and why?

I like and use Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires. They’ve served me well, from Tahoe to Montana, Colorado, Utah, and all over icy/snowy conditions in the west.

(4) For Apres ski & ride, what places do you like to hang out to enjoy drinks / snacks? happy hour?

Tahoe Aleworx in South Lake Tahoe is the best. You can’t beat RFID wristbands to pour your own beer 🙂
They have 2 locations in South Lake Tahoe (Stateline near Heavenly Village and at the “Y”).

https://www.yelp.com/biz/lake-tahoe-aleworx-south-lake-tahoe

https://www.yelp.com/biz/lake-tahoe-aleworx-stateline-stateline

(5) Winter snow and ice driving and safety tips?

I’ve seen countless people driving to and from Tahoe in cars that have no business being in the mountains in snow and icy conditions. Have or use 4WD/AWD *and* snow tires!

(6) Which resort do you recommend for first time beginners and advance level/expert skiers and snowboarders?

– True beginners/first timers: Tahoe Donner
– Beginners: Sierra at Tahoe, Northstar
– Advanced: Heavenly, Kirkwood, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows

(8) What’s your favorite Tahoe area for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing?

Sugar Bowl/Royal Gorge
Camp Richardson
Kirkwood
Tahoe XC

(9) On high wind days, which resort is your go to that is mostly protected from high wind/gusts? FYI, on high wind days, many resorts put ski lifts on wind hold; to avoid, good to know which resort is unlikely to be affected?

– Homewood
– Northstar
– Sierra at Tahoe

(10) For those who are new to skiing and snowboarding, what are your tips for gear? Buy new or used? Learn from friends/family or from ski resorts experts?

If planning to develop and progress, buy new. If just going for a few times then buy used or rent.

(11) What’s your favorite place for Tahoe area petsitting?

Truckee Tahoe Pet Lodge (Truckee)
https://tahoebestfriends.com/ (South Lake Tahoe)

(12) Which Tahoe area resort have the best lake view run?

Heavenly-Ridge Run

(14) What’s your favorite Tahoe area hotel? Fave hotels that are dog & pet-friendly?

Edgewood is the best, and priced accordingly.
– Best pet friendly: Basecamp (South Lake Tahoe & Tahoe City) or a vacation rental (such as those found on dogtrekker.com

###

Marc D tips:

(1) What is your favorite place for a pitstop whenever you drive to and from Tahoe & why?

If driving to South Lake Tahoe, one good pitstop for the cheapest gas and coffee is the new Fuel Express Station between Folsom and Placerville. Stay along highway US-50 and take exit 39 for Shingle Springs Dr.

Coming back from SLT along the US-50 after a good skiing day, best is to escape SLT before traffic builds, drive all the way to Placerville where you can enjoy the best BBQ in town at the Hog Wild Bar-B-Que (good food and reasonable price). If you are not a meat fan, then not far away still in Placerville is Let’s Poke restaurant. Quick and delicious.

(2) Owners of all wheel drive vehicles, this tip is for those looking to buy an AWD or 4WD vehicle for Tahoe trips/driving on snow/icy roads, what make & model do you recommend? why?

Some newer cars like the RAV4 AWD, it is not AWD all the time but when required. This is good if you are driving on fresh snow on a flat road but I don’t like it when going downhill or uphill. So check your car before driving to ensure it is full time AWD or if it is a 4WD then put it to 4H and drive carefully.

(3) For winter snow & icy roads, which tire brand do you use and recommend for best traction control and why?

The best is to have studded snow tires but we all know most of the people live in the Bay Area and can’t have these snow tires in the city. So another safe option is to have All Season Tires. These tires can be identified with a Mountain / snowflake Symbol on the side of the tire or an M+S label.

(4) For Apres ski & ride, what places do you like to hang out to enjoy drinks / snacks? happy hour?

Again this is for Skiing Heavenly and staying in SLT.
If skiing from the Gondola, then you have multiple choices for drinks and food for Après-Ski.
Azul Kitchen and California Burger in Heavenly Village have good happy hour deals (4 to 6pm) and good food too.

The best pizza is not far too at the Base Camp Pizza Company just next to the Gondola.

If you are parked at the California lodge (top of Ski run Blvd) then don’t worry no need to drive after your long epic day. Himmel Haus is a great German restaurant across the street from the parking lot and have great drinks and food.

(5) Winter snow and ice driving and safety tips?

Driving on snow is tricky and the best is to avoid sudden braking or turning. Try to use engine braking when going downhill versus braking all the time. Don’t use your phone and get distracted, again sudden reactions when driving on snow can lead you to an accident.

Accelerating, stopping and turning take longer and are less predictable when driving on snow.
Slow driving is the key to maintaining control.

(6) Which resort do you recommend for first time beginners and advance level/expert skiers and snowboarders?

– for first timers, Heavenly has good easy runs (maybe easier on California side), but another great and easy resort (my favorite) is Northstar. Very convenient for families.

– for advance skiers and snowboarders, then Squaw Valley and Kirkwood are the best places around Tahoe to enjoy double diamond runs and push your skiing limits.

(7) For Lake Tahoe backcountry skiing/snowboarding, what are 2-3 of your favorite backcountry areas?

The north side of the lake (around Mt Rose) has great backcountry areas.

Also the road to Kirkwood along the 88 has multiple spots for backcountry (Waterhouse peak being the easiest).

Best is to check the App Snow Project for locations and levels.

(9) On high wind days, which resort is your go to that is mostly protected from high wind/gusts? FYI, on high wind days, many resorts put ski lifts on wind hold; to avoid, good to know which resort is unlikely to be affected?

Both Heavenly and Kirkwood get very windy during stormy days. Heavenly is probably the one that shuts down first.

Squaw as well is known to receive strong winds.

Northstar on the contrary is well protected from winds, being in the back side of Lake Tahoe so that would be my best option in a bad stormy day.

(12) Which Tahoe area resort have the best lake view run?

For best views over Lake Tahoe I recommend Heavenly and Mt Rose.

(13) What’s your favorite Tahoe area restaurant / eatery?

Basecamp Pizza Co is the best but it gets very busy.

Heidi’s pancake house has the best breakfasts.

###

Adam J tips: is our 2nd prize winner; he innovates with his Subaru DIY POWder chaser makeshift sleeping pad so he can be slope-side for first tracks – see pic below (passionate pow seeker sans ski cabin)

Screen Shot 2019-01-24 at 3.05.15 PM

(1) What is your favorite DIY money-saving strategy for Tahoe trips?

My greatest realization was that with a little bit of effort, I can make the back of my Subaru a very comfortable (and cheap) place to sleep for the night. So now, I drive up to the Truckee rest stop the night before, crash out in back since I’m usually tired from driving, and then pop up bright and early in the morning and I’m parked in the front row of free parking at Squaw within 20 minutes. Then I can take my time getting ready cuz I’ve already got a great parking spot! I love it.

(2) Owners of all wheel drive vehicles, this tip is for those looking to buy an AWD or 4WD vehicle for Tahoe trips/driving on snow/icy roads, what make & model do you recommend? why?

Subaru. Period. Also, luggage racks make your car top-heavy and reduce fuel efficiency people.

(3) For winter snow & icy roads, which tire brand do you use and recommend for best traction control and why?

Anything at Costco, mostly because they will do rotations for free. More importantly, have a good set of CHAINS. Also, make sure to test the chains before you need them! Amazon sometimes sends you chains for a different tire size by mistake.

(4) For Apres ski & ride, what places do you like to hang out to enjoy drinks / snacks? happy hour?

My backpack. The resort takes enough of my money. My wife’s sammiches are the bomb! Also, remember those lil flasks you see people use on tv? They work well for apres ski, too!

(5) Winter snow and ice driving and safety tips?

Checklist: Chains (that fit), good tires (lots o tread left), and good wipers (Rain-x, baby!). Don’t crowd the plow!

(10) For those who are new to skiing and snowboarding, what are your tips for gear? Buy new or used? Learn from friends/family or from ski resorts experts?

Thicker socks don’t help! If your feet are cold, they probably aren’t getting sufficient circulation (took me years to figure this out). Try loosening your boots.

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Check out our Tahoe money saving tips such as where to go for lift ticket deals, free birthday lift ticket, learn to ski, snowboard package deals, apres ski happy hour venues, etc at

http://www.snowpals.org/deals/daily-tahoe-tips/

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* Join our fun informal happy hour meetups organized by our members to connect for Tahoe ridesharing (share expenses, help reduce impact to our environment, expand your contacts for ski & ride buddies).

* Got a 60 seconds GoPRO video of you skiing or riding POW? Enter our skiing / riding POWDER contest.

* Plan a Tahoe getaway: browse Tahoe vacation rentals or those with a season pass, join a ski lease to set a new personal record for most ski and ride days.

* Book a discount SF Bay Area to Tahoe ski resorts trip: one day, overnight and 7+ day trips; also makes a great gift for holidays, birthdays, etc.

* Rideshare to your favorite Tahoe resort and for those who are holders of Epic Pass, Ikon Pass, Mountain Collective Pass, or other multi-resort season pass, connect for POWDER trips to Utah, Colorado, Whistler, Europe, Japan, South America and other worldwide snow destinations.

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How to enter our giveaway

Share a Tahoe tip that’s not already listed below to get entered into SnowPals’ giveaway of one night’s lodging stay in South Lake Tahoe by Heavenly Mountain Resort or win our grand prize of a Ski Bus Trip..

First prize: Ski Bus Day Trip of your Choice (expires 12/31/2023) sponsored by Tahoe Ski Trips (view the bus trip schedule).

Second prize: Mellow Mountain Hostel (weekday night’s stay). ‘Surrounded by pine trees, this laid-back hostel is 11 minutes by foot from Lakeside Beach along Lake Tahoe. It’s a 3-minute walk from the Heavenly Ski Resort and a 5-minute walk from the
Stateline Transit Center.’ View Map/driving directions.

Third Prize: Free entry to any SnowPals Events (a $20 value to cover event fee; expires 12/31/2025)

Giveaway entry submission deadline: 11 PM PST on Sunday February 20, 2022. Winners will be announced on Monday Feb 28.

Click here to submit your Tahoe Tips (opens in a new window).