Yay for Tahoe's longer ski season!

[TsuKata]

I'm excited! I thought we were done for the season (I'd started looking into what to do to store our skis), since we wouldn't have time to ski for the rest of this month (and that's pretty much it for the season around here, usually). But we managed to score a cheap airfare to Reno in early April, which should be okay for skiing. We have casino comps at Reno, too, so no hotel cost.

We're going to Northstar for sure. We're going to check out some other places, too, before we go out there to see if there's anywhere else nearby that we should check out. We've already been to Heavenly, so we're not doing that again...we're going to save it for when we can go with friends and show it to them and/or for when we have comps to the hotels that are right near the Heavenly gondola. We only have 2 days to ski, but we're going to ski our hearts out.

Totally open to recommendations/thoughts/warnings/whatever about Northstar or any of the places in that vicinity. Northstar seems pretty cool for me, though...seems like they have lots of long, gentle runs. I love their website, too. I've watched almost every tour video, and the interactive map is wicked cool.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Oooo Oooo, check the Divas Only Getting to Know You section - I think there are several new divas who call that their "home" area!! Early April should be great. I've been to Tahoe area in late late March, and it was still full-on winter there! My son has been there in late April, almost til closing (South Lake Tahoe), very soft snow but still fun. They are buried this year, this stuff isn't going away anytime soon!

 

[Daria]

TsuKata, when are you going to be at Northstar? I have skied there for the last 15 or so years and know the resort pretty well - although there are still new lines in the trees we have yet to discover Let me know what kind of terrain you like best and I can share some tips.

 

[Ski Spirit]

Tsukata,
Northstar is in North Lake Tahoe. It has a lot of gentle runs but gets VERY CROWDED on week-ends and most of the runs converge into one main run (w/a fork)...leading to a lot of people and potential collisions. I like Northstar best on a week-day. Also, close by are Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley. Alpine has more challenging terrain but is usually less crowded (I love that!) and kind of family oriented/less commercial. Squaw is the largest of the three...lots of terrain for different levels. Squaw is also the most expensive and Alpine the least ($58 non discounted lift ticket; Squaw is mid $70's I think as is Northstar). Squaw has the best ski school if interested in lessons ($49 for groups, NS and Alpine about $80). However, on weekdays, Northstar does offer free group lessons for advanced intermediate and above skiers. There are shuttles to all of them from Reno.
Sugar Bowl is about 10 miles away and also has a lot of nice terrain.
Northstar is the most protected weather-wise. Alpine and Squaw are subject to wind shutdowns more easily.
Squaw has a lot of shops/restaurants. Alpine is fairly simple and homey. Northstar has a central ice rink and usually a lot of activity. Lots of new building going on.
If gentle slopes are your top criterion, Northstar is probably your best choice. Hope your travel days are during the week. It's also one of the most popular snowboard resorts although I think the people are better behaved than they are at Heavenly...perhaps the runs are generally wider at Northstar.
The weather is looking better this season but can vary quite a bit. I hope you have a great time on your Tahoe vacation. Strangely, I'm planning a Colorado trip around that time.

 

[ISki]

Totally open to recommendations/thoughts/warnings/whatever about Northstar

Here's a warning: it is a loooong journey to get to where you can actually start skiing at Northstar. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the top of a ski slope. Like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, at Northstar you'll have a shuttle bus ride*, a walk through the "village", a gondola ride, a chairlift ride, and if you want the summit, another chairlift ride.

*The shuttle bus ride is from the parking lots, the "free parking" ones, to the village. If you're not getting there by car, I'd guess you wouldn't have this step. Or if you'd want to pay $45 for valet parking or $20 for paid parking.

 

[Ski Spirit]

This is a good point. Also, on a week-end the lift line to get on the gondola can be very long. There's a lift that goes up that's less crowded and drops off on a low intermediate blue slope. Definitely recommend NS for a weekday rather than Saturday especially. Ironically that's where I'm going w/Ski Bus this Saturday! There are quieter slopes if you know where to go (blue - Loggers Loop, take Vista lift/Comstock to East Ridge..I think that's quieter.) Lots of traffic on Lower Main and West Ridge..buth they are wide runs. Long lift lines on weekends!!

 

[num]

How cheap and what airline? I think I hear "late season trip" faintly in my head...:D

I don't have any insight for you, TsuKata, but have fun!

 

[TsuKata]

How cheap and what airline? I think I hear "late season trip" faintly in my head...:D

United but via Orbitz only (couldn't get it via United's site for some reason), $258 per person from ORD->RNO.

The flight kind of sucks. The hours are good, but we have 1 stop on the way out and 2 stops on the way back. But, it's cheap, and it's at times that we can do, which is all we needed.

 

[persee]

I would highly recommend SugarBowl. They'll definitely be still open with lots of great skiing and the attitude there is very relaxed and the prices very reasonable. I skiied there on April 29th 2 years ago (end of my second season on skis) and I found lots to ski there and had a great time. I'll PM you with some other info!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Anyone skied at Mt Rose? Sure looked interesting.

 

[TsuKata]

I'm also curious about Mt. Rose. Since that one is the closest to Reno, it may well be our second ski site.

Current plan is to ski at Northstar on Friday April 4 and ski somewhere TBD on April 5.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

GREAT time of season to be there Can't wait to hear how you fared.

 

[CMCM]

I'm partial to Squaw and really recommend that you go there! The best intermediate (also advanced too) skiing is at the TOP of the mountain, at the 8200 ft. level and above (you ride up a Funitel or Cable Car to get to High Camp at the top). Being so high, the snow seems to last better than many other resorts, which are lower elevation. There are so many lifts and runs for people to fan out into that it never feels as crowded as other places. I've skied 30 times thus far this year and have never waited in a lift line more than a couple of minutes! Squaw is expensive ($73), but depending on how much time you have, you can do things like get a series of consecutive days tickets that save money. They also have a pass you can get online ($5) where you ski 4 days and the 5th is free, and also with that pass on Tues-Wed-Thurs the ticket is $10 off (and also counts towards the 5th free day one). So there are ways to save money. You simply must experience Squaw....it's one of the world's great ski experiences, and the views of Lake Tahoe from the top area are breathtaking. It's heaven up there!