Skiing Lake Tahoe for the first time!
 

Hi All. I am hoping someone out there can help me. My husband and I are going to Lake Tahoe for a week in three weeks time to ski.

As we live in the UK we normally ski in France or Italy and I would say we are intermediate skiers. We are looking for a cheap, cheerful place to stay, reasonably near to skiing areas, but there is so much choice we are floundering a bit!

Any advice would be much appreciated

You can stay anywhere -- if you want to ski Heavenly, stay on the south shore. If you want to ski Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, etc -stay on the north or northwest shore -anywhere from south of Tahoe City to Incline Village.

bear in mind this has been a horrible snow season thus far. Not too much snow -- barely any at all. It has been almost historically dry. However the storm track has shifted a bit and a few storms are due in so things will likely improve by the time you get here.

Most of the resorts do manufacture snow so there will be some skiing, but unless we get more precipitation - don't expect marvelous conditions.

A side effect of the poor season, a lot of hotels/condos are offering deep discounts. What is your budget -- and where are you fling in/out of?

Janisj - we had people over for dinner on Sat who had just returned and I was shocked to hear exactly what you shared, that there is no snow - just manufactured...which for a skiier is such a bummer.

I learned to ski really at Heavenly - and have great memories of the amazing views from the top of runs, overlooking the lake -

I am reminded of the year we finally decided to go to Utah to ski, and arrived only to find it it had been one of the worst winters ever and that it was all manufactured snow - we were SO bummed.

Regarding were to stay - we always stayed at the ridge sierra condo/timeshare - and they had a shuttle to the lift areas. It has been too many years for me to comment on them and when we would go - I felt at the time they were pretty dated, but clean and it worked for what it was/what we needed.

It is a beautiful lake/area - I hope you have a wonderful time and that some great storms hit before your arrival!

If you decide conditions are horrible in the Tahoe area, you could travel 8 hours north to Bend Oregon. Mt Bachelor now has over 100 inches of mostly natural snow.

Yes - Squaw Valley is King - and we also like nearby Alpine Meadows - but Heavently is Queen - and we have found some great "off piste" areas at Heavenly. A friend of mine skied Heavenly last weekend and said there was new snow on the Olympic Downhill (a good intermediate cruising course to get your legs back in shape) and some of the other upper runs were fine.

There is more to do at South Shore/Heavenly (Casinos on the Nevada side) - so IMO - it's pretty much even for first time visitors as to head to North or South shore.

We used to also call Kirkwood - the hot springs bonus - as not only is Kirkwood (about 45 minutes from Heavenly) a good mountain to explore - the nearby Grover Hot Springs are super. You enjoy the hot springs and then can plunge in the pool which is about 50 degrees cooler. :)

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=508

We have enjoyed staying at Squaw Valley Lodge to ski Squaw and Alpine and staying at Forest Suites to ski Heavenly.

Northstar is very good for intermediate skiers. It probably has more intermediate terrain than Squaw. Staying at the resorts will tend to be expensive. If the OP has a car, staying in Truckee (20 minutes from Squaw, 25 from Alpine Meadows, 20 from Northstar) may be the cheapest option. For the north shore Reno might be even cheaper, but it is not as convenient.

One can use Google map or equivalents to find out distances and time to get to the slopes.

Two more thing: there is public transportation available from Truckee to Squaw and Alpine Meadows. Scheduling should be available from the TART (Tahoe Area Regional Transit?) website. Sugar Bowl used to have a shuttle from Truckee, but I do not know if it is still in operation.

I've been to South Lake Tahoe the last 3-4 years but this year just couldn't take it as they have no snow. I think they just got five inches (finally) in the last few days, but the base is still totally pathetic (about 24 inches) and a lot of it isn't open (I get daily snow reports and only 30 pct of the terrain is open for some reason). It's like that all over that area, no one has snow.

I'd stay in Stateline as at least there are a few things to do if you can't ski. And rooms are dirt cheap due to the casinos. You can easily get a room for around $100-125 a night in Harrahs or Harveys. Heavenly is good for intermediate skiers and you can take the bus free to Sierra Resort from there (only 30 min away). that is really nice for a change, they have good green runs but enough blue. And you can get a bus to Kirkwood from there for the day, also (I think it is free, also, but not very expensive in any case). I have always stayed at Harveys, it's only two short blocks to the gondola and one block to the transit center.

Someone above said some resorts are expensive, if so, that is a better reason to stay in Stateline where it is cheap. I know I just checked rates a few weeks ago and rooms were around $100. I couldn't take the lousy snow and finally booked in Aspen instead for March.

First of all - here is a snowreport page for Tahoe - and Heavenly Valley is showing 35 inches on top and 25 mid-mountain and at the bottom, which should be enough cover for decent skiing. http://www.onthesnow.com/lake-tahoe/...FaYaQgodfB2dHg

And for me - Lake Tahoe is so beautiful I would recommend someone enjoy it even if conditions are not super.

As for accommodations, you can stay cheaper along the Stateline - but I prefer to be more in the ski atmosphere if possible - and on the Nevada side of Heavenly there are a number of condos and other lodging, or at Squaw - also trying to find something in the Squaw Valley - or maybe by Incline, Northstar, etc.

Actually - looking again at the Ski Report - it says Squaw has most of the mountain open (over 40" of packed powder)- and don't know about up there - but we are getting a little weather down here in San Diego today.

And fyi - from Squaw Valley down to Heavenly (North Shore to South Shore) is about an hour. Also - Sugar Bowl (North Shore) usually gets the most snow and there are some accommodations over that way too.

Wow - thank you all so much for your advice. I hope everyone is as friendly as you lot when we get there!!!

We are flying into San Francisco and have a hire car booked. We will have six nights in Tahoe. Someone else has pointed us in the direction of Ferrari's Crown Resort in the north. It seems ok on paper, anyone have any experience of the place and is there decent skiing nearby?

Trust us to wait for years to take the plunge and ski USA for it to be the worst snow for years!!!! It has always been a dream of mine to ski Heavenly, but hotels there seems so expensive.

In the UK we have B&B's, that are often family homes, just renting out a few rooms, which is a lovely atmosphere. Is there anything like that around? We were looking for $100 or less per night if that's attainable?

Another question for you all - what will the weather in San Francisco be like in mid March? We will be spending a couple of nights there on the way home, so again any advice on where to go/stay would be appreciated. We are flying in/out of SFO which seems a bit out on a limb from the City - is that right?

Many thanks again

Compare the fares flying in/out of Sacramento or Reno.
It would be an easier drive and the rental car may be cheaper than SFO.
It is also possible to get to downtown San Francisco using Amtrak train with an Amtrak bus from Emeryville.
The CA Zephyr has a stop in Truckee.

Northstar and Sugar Bowl offer free group lessons during the week. As intermediate skiers you might find them useful.

Squaw Valley is offering a two pack lift ticket deal. You have to purchase these by Feb 17th. The two pack entitles the purchaser to two lift tickets for the price of one. They are also good at Alpine Meadows. It does not seem as though you and your husband could use both of them on one day at one of the two resorts.

http://www.squaw.com/the-mountain/li...t-ticket-deals

It is the Tahoe Super 2.

Tom: They are flying from the UK -- SMF or Reno aren't easy options. They will have been flying for 11 hours or more just to get to SFO. Any itinerary into Sacramento or Reno would add at least 5 hours to their travel time. And BART/Amtrak about the same.

Franypans: Not to worry -- it is actually snowing up on the summit as I type this. Just for you :)

As I mentioned, there has been a shift in the storm track and a series of small but significant storms is predicted.

One thing, I do hope you are staying one night in San Francisco or at SFO before jumping in the car for the drive to Tahoe. What time do you land and what day of the week? It is a long haul and Bay Area, Fairfield and Sacramento traffic - parts can be like the M25 on a bad day . . .

As for getting to SFO from downtown San Francisco - easy peasy. BART (underground rapid transit) serves the airport and even taxis are not that expensive.

If you arrive after the morning rush hour (say post 9 AM) - or before the afternoon one (3 PM or so - as getting your car would take half an hour) - you can get out of the Bay area and on the way to Tahoe fairly easily - making it in say three and a half to four hours - so I would go for it - unless you really beat from your flight.

Mid March weather in SF could be nice - but a rainstorm could also blow through.

Tomsd: But if they DO get out of SF by 3PM -- they will land in the middle of the Sacramento commute. US immigration can take quite a while and most UK flights land in the early to late afternoon so there really isn't a way to miss a traffic mess somewhere.

I usually book a hotel at SFO for one night after flying in from London . . . I personally don't want to face I-80/hwy50 after that flight. I get a good night's sleep and head out around 9:30 or 10:00 the next morning all refreshed. But that is just me.

janisj: Understood - but I like to get on the road and if there is evening traffic/rush hour in Sacto - pull off and have dinner - and then continue on the other 2 hrs to Tahoe. :)

Or even stay in Sacto - on the other side even - cute Auburn off 80 - http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&cp...ed=0CDsQ8gEwAQ
or maybe even Placerville off 50 - for the night and the next day - you could still get in half a day of skiing. :)

But having said that - if you have never been to SF - it's certainly worth a night - either at the start or at the end of your ski trip. :)

They are staying in the City at the end. But having flown from the UK to SFO countless times -- that is a long/tiring flight followed by a long drive. That's why I'm suggesting maybe staying the night and starting fresh the next morning.

janisj - horses for courses. I can grab a few winks on the flight and then like to make progress after I land. :)

Hey - you never know if there might be something the next day that might cause a travel hassle - at least that's what I take into consideration. If it happens the day you arrive - you can always find a place for the night.

Ferrari's Crown Resort is a motel - not exactly a resort despite its name. I don't know the quality...check TripAdvisor for that.

Again, many thanks for your comments. I have taken it all on board and we have changed our tickets and extended our stay now so that we can stay an extra couple of nights in SF at the end of our trip. My husband is used to driving all over Europe towing a caravan (after a long ferry crossing to Spain sometimes) so he feels he should be ok to drive on the Friday we arrive. It would be good to get the travelling over with in one day, so fingers crossed it all goes well.

Anyone have any ideas where to get a cheap SD card with USA maps on for a tomtom sat nav? They are very expensive in the UK. Just a thought.

Janis, thank you for the snow information, maybe it won't be too bad for us - fingers crossed!

So excited.....

It's been snowing in the last few days, although the fact that resorts are advertising 10 inches of powder shows how desperate they are.

Checked Ebay for the SD card- not sure this is the one you need:http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Genuine-...item53e39a63e8
I prefer my Magellan with the SD card slot.

Oh oh -- <i>Friday</i>

What time do you land? Friday Afternoon generally have heavy eastbound traffic basically all the way from San Francisco to well past Sacramento.

It's not that complicated getting from the Bay Area to Tahoe. Get over the Bay Bridge and head on Interste 80 toward Sacramento - and there stay on 80 to North Shore - or 50 to the South Shore.

Just use the old fashioned maps if you have to. :)

Here is an overview: http://www.distancebetweencities.net...cisco_ca/route

And I think there has been another front moving in. Might drop a couple of feet all told.

Going east on I-80 on a Friday can make you feel like you are in a parking lot. I see the traffic here in Vacaville when going across the freeway on the overramps. Janisj is correct. I would stay in SF and leave for Tahoe Saturday morning. Btw, coming back on I-80 (going west) on Sunday afternoons and early and sometimes even late evenings is the same situation. Wishing you a wonderful trip!

Tom: "<i>It's not that complicated getting from the Bay Area to Tahoe</i>"

Not complicated at all. But timing on a Friday is <u>everything</u>. Been a while since you lived up here I think. As LI says, SFO all the way through Roseville/Rocklin (on I-80) or Placerville (on hwy 50) can be a parking lot from early Friday afternoon. And if it is a good ski weekend or it is snowing, the parking lot stretches all the way to the Lake.

Whereas - Saturday morning will be free and clear.

And may have mentioned it - but one of our favorite - smaller areas - was Sugar Bowl - and sometimes we would ski it on Sunday afternoons - as it's about a half hour closer to getting back to SF. They used to get the most powder on the North shore.

see: http://www.sugarbowl.com/home

Jani - I was speaking to not having to worry about having some kind of GPS system.

And if you arrive by early afternoon - you can beat the traffic. If not - have dinner in SF and then you can still make the drive - or get as far as say Auburn.

Somehow - it seems there are those that fear for your safety?

Tom, early afternoon is not early enough to leave for Tahoe on Friday. Maybe if they could leave by late morning, it would be OK. it's truly awful (I live near SFO - I'd rather leave home at 8 pm on Friday and get to Tahoe late (or sleep in Auburn) than leave anytime after noon. Not that I'm recommending leaving late to someone who has no idea where they're going - I'm not!

Geesh: What a bunch of worry warts.

You get on the freeway heading to SF and then look for the signs to the Bay Bridge/Oakland/Sacramento/Interstate 80 and you have to work at getting lost from there. :)

"<I>And if you arrive by early afternoon - you can beat the traffic.</i>"

repeat after me . . . <B>Not on <u><red>Fridays</red></u></B>

So far you have heard it from moi (near sacramento) LoveItaly (right off I-80) and sf7307 (works in SF and lives on the Peninsula) . . . please believe us, we know what of we speak. It is a parking lot (or as the OP would say, a Car Park)

Driving I-80 years ago has no similarity to now.

Not to mention there will be a lot of pent-up demand if we ever get any significant snowfall this year - MORE people on the road on Friday!

Another do not drive to Tahoe on a Friday afternoon from SF unless you can leave before noon. I have to drive to Berkeley twice a week from SF and on Friday afternoons in ski season it can take me 1 and 30 mins to drive 13 miles!!!

Ok Ok: It would appear traffic has gotten worse - but hey - sometimes it used to take 45 minutes to get from the Bay Bridge to out even by Albany/Golden Gate Field way back when on Friday afternoons.

Hopefully - they are arriving by 3 PM or so - and I just say go for it and see what happens - and if it's too bad - pull off and have something to eat and get back on later, or find a place where to stay.

Actually - where could they check on arrival what is going on traffic wise - much like AM 1070 on the radio in the greater LA area. And if it was too bad - then would agree - spending a nice night in SF would be fine and if you got up early - you could still get a half day on skis at somewhere such as Sugar Bowl - assuming you wanted to check out what might be a recent powder drop.

Oh yes: Assuming you are going to rent equipment - that also has to be factored into the schedule. Generally - it was less expensive for visitors to rent in SF (Swiss Ski Sports in the old days was great) - but if you were up at Tahoe and wanted to change out boots, whatever - that could be a problem v. renting from right at a place in the Tahoe area.

Here are some shops at South Shore - and there are of course - others at North Shore and almost every ski resort has a shop or two. http://www.virtualtahoe.com/SkiTahoe/SkiRentals.html

BTW -checked out (Ferrari's) Crown Resort - and yes, it's motel type style - but it's right by the lake with what looks like great views and even a hot tub overlooking the lake. King's Beach is a nice area - with even a Safeway/large grocery/liquor store not too far away - so it appears to me it could fit one's needs, such as enjoying some wine (plastic glasses) and cheese and snacks during apres ski relaxing in the hot tub. :)

http://www.tahoecrown.com/lakefront-rooms