Accidental_Tourist

JanisJ is SO RIGHT. We live in the bay area and ski Northstar and I would NEVER NEVER NEVER try to drive to Lake Tahoe on a Friday night. It is as she says a parking lot. I have done it. A 4 hour drive turns into 7 hours or more. Stay somewhere near the airport and get up and leave early on Saturday morning. We leave at 5:30 a.m. and are on the slopes by 9:30 a.m.

We are intermediate/advanced skiiers and Northstar is our ski resort of choice. They were recently bought by the group that owns Vail and Heavenly. They built a new lodge (Zephyr) at the top which is fabulous and has wonderful food. Forget the name but there is an older lodge as well.

Northstar web cams:

http://www.northstarattahoe.com/info...ntain-cams.asp

Actually, you Europeans better go to Squaw or Heavenly and leave Northstarr to us! lol It can get quite crowded on the weekends. We are midweek skiiers. All the resorts make snow.

We have often stayed in Roseville(on way up) at the Hyatt for $89 advance reservation or $104 last minute. The Hyatt Place in Roseville is cheaper than Sacramento. Marriott Roseville is a little more but I noticed recently that it seems they are trying to compete with Hyatt and their prices were the same although smaller rooms.

We like to ski a lot and hence always looking for a cheap place to stay. I hate Reno but rooms are cheap if nothing is going on. We last stayed at the Sienna Hotel for $89 for two nights. Check their website for specials. It is about 45 minutes to Northstar. There are good restaurants in Reno - we recently at at the steak house in Harrahs which was wonderful, and 4th St. Bistrot was lovely - run by a couple from the Bay Area. There is a Hampton Inn very close to Northstar which runs more and you might also check the Northstar website to see what is available in the way of a condo.

We have also stayed at the Silver Legacy and the Eldorado which both have covered parking. Rooms can run as little as $39 a night but not if there is something going on. My husband prefers staying at these hotels if it is snowing. They are also big casinos with lots of expensive restaurants and bars. Roxys is our favorite bar as it has a great happy hour and a singer and piano. All the hotels have shuttles to the ski areas but better to drive.

janisj

I've stayed there. It is definitely a motel. WONDERFUL views from almost half of the rooms, parking lot views from the rest. Their website makes it seem more 'glamorous' than it is.

A very nice motel w/ great views. I personally wouldn't stay there in the winter, but it would be OK.

Tomsd

If you are coming all the way from Europe - definitely stay at beautiful Lake Tahoe - and be close to the skiing - as well as enjoying the beauty. You might drive into the "biggest little city in the world" - or whatever Reno calls itself now. Also - if you are going to spend the night in the SF area - why not do it in downtown SF - say around Union Square, and enjoy some of the city.

Around the Lake - Incline Village used to be mostly beginner - but I think it may have added something in the intermediate range - and could be good for a warmup - if you are staying by King's Beach. We also used to like Mt. Rose/Slide Mountain - for some good high speed cruising. You could tuck at the top coming off the Mt. Rose chair - to the skier's left - and let em rip all the way to the bottom of the lift, but we only did that when there weren't that many skiers on the hill. http://www.mtrose.com/

Sierra Ski area - on the way to South Shore - is also a fun place and there are they also some runs that you can really let em go. http://www.sierraattahoe.com/

Tomsd

So JanisJ: Where do you stay?

Tomsd

And I ask again: What radio station in the Bay Area gives frequent traffic reports?

Tomsd

Just googled and found this. Any other Bay Area stations offer frequent traffic reports?

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/station/kcbs/

janisj

yes -- MANY stations give traffic reports . . . doesn't really change anything.

I usually stay at my Mom's condo in Incline.

sf7307

cbs (AM740) if fine - traffic reports every 10 minutes or so. But if the OP has access to the internet, either googlemaps traffic or sigalert.com is better. sigalert gives speed limits on all the major highways at all exits/entrances, so just check "101 North" from Millbrae (which is essentially SFO) to where it connects with 80 East, and then "80 East" the rest of the way (check from San Francisco all the way past Sacramento).

Tomsd

Thanks. Of course - it changes things janis: You may just assume that the traffic is chockablock - which it might usually be - but the one day somebody wants to travel - it could possibly be lighter than normal. And also good advice sf7.

Sounds like Fridays - noon or so on are quite busy- but you never know for sure until you confirm, eh?

And this being "low" season - one could get a hotel room without much advance notice, righto?

sf7307

>>

Not gonna happen. This isn't a "sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't" proposition. It is ALWAYS a parking lot on 80-E to Tahoe on Friday afternoons in winter.

janisj

Tomsd (as in San Diego - right?? ) Give it up will ya?? As sf7307 says, ain't no chance no how . . .

Tomsd

Even with this lousy skiing winter? Methinks ye be too much creatures of habit.

Michael

Even with this lousy skiing winter, as most of the traffic does not seem to go to or come from the slopes but from the Reno area. Moreover, the slow down is predominantly in the valley because of commuters and local traffic; the entire 80 corridor has been built up.

janisj

"Methinks ye be too much creatures of habit"

Nope -- you have heard the exactly same thing from sf7307, Accidental_Tourist, LoveItaly and me. None of us are delusional.

I live less than 1 mile from I-80 and I can't even get 5 miles to Roseville to shop at the Galleria on a Friday afternoon. What should be a 10 minute hop from my front door to Nordy's is a 30-35 minute schlepp.

Franypans

Wow, so much information. Thank you all very much. My husband is determined to drive up on the Friday. (heaven help us!) I reckon we should get on the road by about 3.30 pm so we will hit the traffic for sure. It could be worse I suppose, we once hit Paris in rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon towing a caravan!!! Scary....

Our M25 round London is a parking lot most of the time, it's a standing joke in the UK.

I looked at the ski shops you recommended but will try and find some on the North Shore. We will bring our own boots but can't stand the hassle of bringing our skis so will hire over there.

Our hire car is a chevrolet Cruze or similar. Will we get skis inside it?

Please keep the information coming - it is so very useful xx

Tomsd

If you rent the shorter skis they use today - I think they will fit in the car. In the "old days" - my 210 GS K2's might be a bit tight.

You might also consider trying to slug it up the East Bay side from SFO - (taking the bridge across the south bay) going the back way - up 880 to 580 -and then on up - via the Martinez Bridge or whatever it is. You come out about Fairfield there - and that might beat some of the heavier Bay Area traffic. Used to do that when were picking up friends in Walnut Creek. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&cp...ed=0CB4Q9w8wAA

Tomsd

BTW - good for your husband. He's my kind of guy, and I raise a toast to him.

It will be a bit of a stiff push on Friday - but on Sat am - you will be very happy you are waking up in Ski Country.

And the big North Shore ski areas are Squaw Valley and the adjacent Alpine Meadows, but a short distance away are Northstar (probably the next biggest mountain) and Incline Village - and Mt. Rose is about 20 minutes toward Reno on 267 is it? - right at King's Beach. You will pass Sugar Bowl on the way into North Shore - and it's just off I 80 - what - 20 minutes from Squaw?

There is also a little area you can see from 80 - Boreal? - which is mainly for beginners, but it might be lit up at night - so you will get a preview.

Tomsd

And just figured out - you were talking about fitting the rental skis in the car while you are driving around North Shore, righto? No problem - as if they are too long - just bundle up in your ski gear and let them stick out the window.

Should really not be a big problem, and here is a page with some rental shops in the North Tahoe area. If somebody in say Tahoe City also has a shop at say Squaw - Dave's? - that might be a good idea as if there is any problem slopeside - you could go to the shop they have on the hill.

And smart to bring your own boots. That is the hardest thing to get right.

Hey - have a blast and please give updates, ok.

Tomsd

Oops. Didn't paste the page. Here it is.

http://www.google.com/#q=Ski+rentals...w=1253&bih=660

Tomsd

And if you are staying by King's Beach - this shop is right there. http://www.tahoebikeski.com/

We also used to like Christy's I think it was - which I think is now at Squaw? I thnk we used to get our beginner friends fixed up there.

Hey - you are bringing back some old memories. Even though we usually stayed at my buddy's place in South Shore - and skied Heavenly - we loved Squaw and also Alpine - and Mt. Rose. Back in the day - we were all over the mountains, and Chute 75 at Squaw is about as challenging as you can find. Get em turning fast at the top or you may be schussing down the mountain on your tummy or backside.

Up on top - over on the right side of the Squaw - they put in some "new" lifts (back in the 70's) and that has some nice cruising areas. If in doubt - just ask around for what is the best snow/groomed areas if you want to cruise.