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destination feature
Winter Fun in Lake Tahoe
Photo: Tom Zikas
Photo: Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
In winter, Lake Tahoe is a fun playground offering plenty of activities and world- class skiing for both beginners and experts. Mary Ellen Hickey shares the best places to ski and have fun.
Nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, sapphire blue Lake Tahoe is one of Ameri- ca’s favorite places to ski. As the largest alpine lake in North Amer- ica, it straddles two states – Cali- fornia and Nevada. The majority of its 15 downhill ski resorts reside in California while the Nevada side is known for its high-rise casinos.
The ski areas range from mam- moth first-class facilities to smaller, friendly “mom-and-pop” operations with fewer frills that are less over- whelming for beginners. Each small community along its 115km shore- line has a distinct persona, includ- ing the two main towns – the north shore’s more modest and historic Tahoe City versus the shopping and entertainment capital of South Lake Tahoe (SLT).
Where To Ski
South Shore
The king of the south Tahoe ski scene, Heavenly Lake Tahoe, is one of North America’s larg-
est ski areas. Ex-
perienced skiers
and snowboarders
love it for its first-
rate facilities, tree
skiing, the longest
ski run (8.8km) and
largest superpipe in
Tahoe. Non-skiers en-
joy the ride 915m up
the aerial tram to soak
in spectacular lake
views and have lunch
on the sprawling out-
door deck. At least 12 RCI resorts in- cluding Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort are within 3.2km or even walking distance of Heavenly’s slopes.
Although a 30- to 50-minute drive from SLT, two other ski areas offer less glitz, better value and plenty of top-notch amenities – Sierra-at- Tahoe (snowboarders’ favorite) and Kirkwood (home to a top-ranked learn-to-ski programme).
North Shore
Squaw Valley, home of the 1960 Win- ter Olympics, is the premier north shore ski area. Along with world- class skiing, its “High Camp” at the top of the 610m aerial cable car
is a mountain-top retreat loved by non-skiers, complete with a sledding park, a huge heated swimming pool, a 25-person Jacuzzi, an Olympic museum and a cliff-hugging ice skating ring with panoramic
lake views.
Within walking distance
to the gondola or ski lifts are RCI resorts Olympic Village Inn and Squaw Valley Lodge. Diamond Peak at Incline Village, a relaxed, mid-sized and less crowded family- oriented ski area, hosts innovative programmes for kids aged 4 to 12, plus a unique après-ski wine tasting event called “Last Tracks” every Saturday afternoon. Incline Village is home to RCI resorts, Club Tahoe and Tahoe
Chaparral.
If you’re stay-
ing on the south
shore, take the
world’s only aqua
ski shuttle (www.
zephyrcove.com)
for a day of ski-
ing at Squaw
Valley or North-
star, followed
by an après-
ski party and shuttle back to SLT on board the Tahoe Queen paddlewheeler boat.
1 EnDLEss VACATIon
Photo: Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority