Skiing In Lake Tahoe

Skiing in Lake Tahoe at Heavenly Lake Tahoe Ski Resort with lake view

It’s your first time skiing in Lake Tahoe? Or are you simply looking for options on where to go skiing in Lake Tahoe? We have skied many Lake Tahoe ski resorts and explored the lake’s winter wonderland from North to South Lake and beyond.

In our Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts Guide, we’ll give you an overview of all ski resorts in Lake Tahoe including a Lake Tahoe ski resorts map so you know where they are located. All the winter resorts are included, from the biggest and most popular ski resorts in South Lake Tahoe to the smaller and less known North Lake Tahoe ski resorts.

We also talk about ski resorts for beginners in Lake Tahoe and our favorite resorts with the best lake views.

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Map Of Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts

Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts

Where To Ski In Lake Tahoe?

Best Tahoe Ski Resorts For Beginners

Both of us have learned skiing and snowboarding in Lake Tahoe and therefore have been to many ski resorts in Tahoe as beginners.

Lake Tahoe Beginner Ski Resorts

All of the resorts around Lake Tahoe have beginner areas. The beginner slopes differ in their size, as the resorts themselves vary in their skiable acres, of course. Check out below for more details on the percentages of terrain (beginner, intermediate, advanced) each resort offers.

Other than the size of the beginner terrain the resorts have different types of (chair) lifts for beginners. Which one is the best beginner ski resort in Tahoe, depends mostly on your personal preferences we would say.

Most importantly, however, all the Tahoe ski resorts do the job of providing an area where you can learn to ski or ride. The largest ski resorts usually offer the largest beginner areas.

Best Tahoe Ski Resort For Beginners

Some beginner area highlights: Palisades Tahoe (Squaw Valley) has a nice and wide beginner area on top of the mountain, which is special. Homewood Mountain has a long beginner slope all the way from the top to the bottom to the lake. In Northstar, the village run is pretty long and great for beginners.

Beginner Ski Lessons

All of the resorts offer beginner ski lessons. They vary in pricing, however. It is also possible to simply learn how to ski and ride on your own at these beginner areas without taking a class.

Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts With The Best Lake Views

The absolute best views of Lake Tahoe directly from the slopes can be enjoyed at Heavenly Ski Resort in South Lake Tahoe, Homewood Mountain on the West Side of the lake, and Diamond Peak in North Lake Tahoe located at Incline Village. These ski resorts are directly or almost directly at the lake and therefore offer the best views of Lake Tahoe. See below for more detailed information on these ski resorts.

Biggest Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts

HEAVENLY SKI RESORT IN SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

Heavenly Ski Resort is probably the most popular and well-known ski resort in South Lake Tahoe. It spans over the Stateline of California and Nevada and has endless options from beginner slopes to tree skiing/snowboarding. A favorite at Heavenly Resort is the epic views of blue Lake Tahoe you get from the top of the slopes. It’s hard to beat that amazing lake view, especially on a bluebird day.

Heavenly Ski Resort has many access points but the main gondola and ski village are located in South Lake Tahoe. You will find many restaurants and shops, ski rentals as well as lodging in South Lake Tahoe.

The terrain varies from wide-open cruisers to plunging 1,600-foot chutes.

HEAVENLY MOUNTAIN TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 4,800
Trails: 97
Lifts: 28
Base Elevation: 6255 feet
Summit Elevation: 10,067 feet (3,068 m)
Terrain:
19% beginner
45% intermediate
36% advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS AT HEAVENLY SKI RESORT

Heavenly Ski Resort is located in South Lake Tahoe, where there are the most vacation rentals and hotels at Lake Tahoe. There are hotels in Heavenly Village directly as well as plenty of Airbnb vacation rentals in South Lake Tahoe and around. If you stay at the Heavenly Village or close by you can just walk up to the gondola in the morning ready for the slopes, which is super convenient. We have done this many times and it saved a lot of time.

NORTHSTAR CALIFORNIA RESORT

Skiing in Lake Tahoe with affordable ski clothes at Northstar Ski Resort — Skiing in Lake Tahoe at Northstar California Resort

Northstar California Resort is located in the Northwest of Lake Tahoe and is famous for its luxury ski-in and ski-out hotel, The Ritz Carlton. If you don’t have the means to splurge on a 5-star luxury hotel, Northstar has a nice ski village with different kinds of accommodations, restaurants, and shops. The village’s main attraction is the ice skating rink.

Northstar California Resort has groomed runs, family learning zones, and exquisite tree skiing which Felipe loves.

NORTHSTAR TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 3,170
Trails: 100
Lifts: 20
Longest Trail: 1.4 miles
Base Elevation: 6,330 feet
Summit Elevation: 8,610 feet
Terrain:
13% beginner
60% intermediate
27% advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS AT NORTHSTAR RESORT

Northstar California Resort has its own ski village. Hotels at Northstar Village are slightly upper-scale accommodations with direct gondola access. We have stayed a weekend at Northstar Village and the convenience and easy access to the slopes is really unbeatable.

You will find many vacation rentals near Northstar Village as well if you prefer more of a cabin than a hotel. Other accommodations near Northstar are located in Truckee or Kings Beach at Lake Tahoe. From here you need to calculate in a bit of traffic to the ski resort in the morning and evening.

Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort (Squaw Valley)

Skiing in Lake Tahoe at Squaw Valley Ski Resort

Ski or ride where once the winter Olympics took place in 1960. Squaw Valley Ski Resort is known for its winter Olympics, the infamous hot tub pool on top of the mountain, but also the sheer size of the resort. Squaw Valley Resort is especially loved among skiers. The ski resort is great for first-time skiers and beginners since it has a comparably huge beginner’s ski area on top of the mountain with amazing views.

Squaw Valley has some good aprés ski bars like the Le Chamois & Loft Bar and once a year hosts the Squaw Valley Bluegrass Festival – WinterWonderGrass.

Squaw Valley offers everything from mountain-top beginner slopes with views of Lake Tahoe to plunging chutes and wide-open bowls for experts and Olympians.

SQUAW VALLEY TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 3,600
Trails: 170+
Lifts: 29
Longest Trail: Mountain Run, 3.2 miles or 5.15km
Base Elevation: 6,200 feet
Summit Elevation: 9,050 feet
Terrain:
25% Beginner
45% Intermediate
30% Advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR SQUAW VALLEY

Since the resort is very large, there are hotels at Squaw Olympic Village directly as well as plenty of vacation rentals at Squaw Valley and the area around.

ALPINE MEADOWS SKI RESORT

Skiing At Lake Tahoe: Alpine Meadows is one of the most popular Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts

Alpine Meadows Ski Mountain belongs to Squaw Valley. It is a more chill ski resort right next door to Squaw. Alpine Meadows has great terrain and is less crowded compared to the other big ski resorts at Lake Tahoe. We really enjoyed the slopes at Alpine Meadows and the more relaxed vibe.

With over 100 trails, you’ll find terrain for everyone at Alpine Meadows ski resort, from top-to-bottom groomers to beginner-friendly slopes.

ALPINE MEADOWS SKI TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 2,400
Trails: 100+
Lifts: 23
Base Elevation: 6,835 feet
Summit Elevation: 8,637 feet
Terrain:
25% Beginner
40% Intermediate
35% Advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR ALPINE MEADOWS

On Airbnb, you will find vacation rentals in Alpine Meadows directly. Check out accommodations at Squaw Valley as well, since it is right next door and has both hotels and cabins.

SUGAR BOWL RESORT

Sugar Bowl Resort is perched atop Donner Summit and is one of the oldest ski resorts in California. The ski resort has a storied past with ties to Austrian ski culture. To this day historic touches of Austrian character and Bavarian charm are still maintained within the modern resort of today.

Sugar Bowl Resort consists of four peaks all catering to a different type of skier/snowboarder. From beginner areas to groomed runs to open powder bowls and tree skiing, etc.

SUGAR BOWL RESORT TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 1650
Trails: 100
Lifts: 12
Base Elevation: 6,883 feet
Summit Elevation: 8,383 feet
Terrain:
17% beginner
45% intermediate
38% advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

MT ROSE SKI TAHOE

Mt. Rose Ski Resort is located in the North of Lake Tahoe and is 25 minutes from Reno and 10 from Incline Village.

With a base elevation of 8,260 ft, Mt. Rose has Lake Tahoe’s highest base for skiing and snowboarding. The ski resort is quite large and with its main side, the side bowl, and the chutes, Mt. Rose offers skiing for everyone.

MT ROSE SKI TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 1,200
Trails: 60+
Lifts: 8
Longest Trail: 2.5 miles
Base Elevation: 8,260 feet
Summit Elevation: 9700 feet
Terrain:
20% beginner
30% intermediate
40% advanced
10% expert

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS AT MT. ROSE

Mt Rose is located North of Lake Tahoe. The nearest vacation rentals at Mt. Rose are located more toward Incline Village. The same goes for hotels located in Incline Village. Hotels in Reno are also a good option, as the city is only a few mins away.

Mid-Size Ski Resorts In Lake Tahoe

KIRKWOOD MOUNTAIN RESORT

Restaurant at Kirkwood ski resort — View of the slopes at Kirkwood Ski Resort south of Tahoe

Kirkwood Ski Resort is located South of Lake Tahoe on State Route 88. The resort is less crowded and we love the more chill vibe of Kirkwood. A favorite is the outside bar at the back of the mountain where you can take a break and have a beer and soak up the sun on a bluebird day.

Kirkwood doesn’t really have a village like the other bigger resorts by the lake. People solely come to Kirkwood for skiing and snowboarding, as there isn’t much else to do around. Though, Kirkwood has cabins and resort accommodations directly at the resort and a bar & restaurant with live music where you can hang out together with the locals in the evening.

With over 2,300 acres of terrain ranging from calm, groomed, beginner runs to expert terrain and cliffs, there’s something for everyone at Kirkwood ski resort.

KIRKWOOD MOUNTAIN TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 2,300
Trails: 86
Lifts: 15
Longest Trail: 2.5 miles
Base Elevation: 7,800 feet
Summit Elevation: 9,800 feet
Terrain:
12% beginner
30% intermediate
38% advanced
20% expert

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS AT KIRKWOOD MOUNTAIN

Kirkwood Ski Resort is located 45 mins South of South Lake Tahoe. There are accommodations at Kirkwood Mountain directly. However, most hotels and rentals are located closer to South Lake Tahoe. Check out cabins in Meyers which is on the way on highway 50.

SIERRA AT TAHOE SKI RESORT

Sierra-at-Tahoe is a ski and snowboard resort in Twin Bridges, CA located south of Lake Tahoe. The resort has a medium-sized ski area and is a more family-oriented ski resort in Tahoe.

At Sierra-at-Tahoe there are progressive terrain parks and plenty of steeps, groomers, and backcountry terrain as well as beginner ski slopes. Sierra-at-Tahoe’s terrain is 25 percent beginner, 50 percent Intermediate, and 25 percent advanced.

SIERRA TAHOE TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 2,000
Trails: 47
Lifts: 14
Longest Trail: Sugar n’ Spice – 2.5 miles
Base Elevation: 6,640 feet
Summit Elevation: 8,852 feet
Terrain:
25% beginner
50% intermediate
25% advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR SIERRA AT THAOE RESORT

Sierra Ski Resort is located at Twin Bridges, half an hour south of South Lake Tahoe. You will find almost all of the hotels in South Lake Tahoe and on the way there. There are some vacation rentals in Twin Bridges, but here as well, most cabins are located closer to South Lake Tahoe. Check out cabins in Meyers which is on the way on highway 50.

HOMEWOOD MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT

Where the mountains meet the lake! Literally! Homewood Mountain Resort is located directly at Lake Tahoe and is, therefore, the closest ski resort to the lake in Tahoe. With a 1,650ft elevation gain, you’ll find one of the most extraordinary lake views of Tahoe.

Homewood Mountain is a family-friendly resort with an epic peak-to-shore experience. From groomed boulevards to hidden powder stashes, Homewood Ski Resort has something for everyone.

HOMEWOOD TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 1,260
Trails: 67
Lifts: 8
Longest Trail: Rainbow Ridge – 2 miles
Base Elevation: 6,230 feet
Summit Elevation: 7,880 feet
Terrain:
15% beginner
40% intermediate
30% advanced
15% expert

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS AT HOMEWOOD MOUNTAIN

Homewood Mountain is located on the West Side of Lake Tahoe where you will find plenty of vacation rentals at Homewood directly and hotels in the surrounding nearby area at the lake.

DIAMOND PEAK SKI RESORT AT INCLINE VILLAGE

View of Lake Tahoe from slope of Diamond Peak ski resort. — Diamond Peak Ski Resort – One of the Lake Tahoe ski resorts with the best views

Diamond Peak Ski Resort located in the North of Lake Tahoe at Incline Village is one of the smaller resorts. What it lacks in size it makes up in amazing lake views from the ridge slope at the top of the mountain. Lift tickets are also a bit cheaper than at the big resorts.

DIAMOND PEAK TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 650
Trails: 30
Lifts: 6
Longest Trail: 2.1 miles (3.4 km)
Base Elevation: 6,700 ft (2,042 m)
Summit Elevation: 8,540 ft (2,603 m)
Terrain:
18% beginner
46% intermediate
36% advanced

ACCOMMODATIONS AT DIAMOND PEAK SKI RESORT

Diamond Peak resort is located right at Incline Village in the North of Lake Tahoe. There are plenty of hotels or cozy cabins in Incline Village. Also check out hotels in Kings Beach, which is close by.

Smaller Ski Resorts In Lake Tahoe

Birds eye view of Donner Lake in winter — Skiing in Tahoe with a view of Donner Lake winter wonderland

DONNER SKI RANCH

Donner Ski Ranch is a family-friendly and one of the oldest resorts in Tahoe. It is located near Donner Lake at Donner Pass Road. The resort has one of the highest base elevations in the Sierras.

Donner Ski Ranch has a wide variety of terrain for all types of skiers and riders. At Donner Ski Ranch you will find aggressive high-mountain and backside terrain, but also easy access and novice runs.

DONNER SKI RANCH TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 500
Trails: 52
Lifts: 6
Base Elevation: 7030 feet
Summit Elevation: 7780 feet
Terrain:
25% beginner
50% intermediate
25% advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR DONNER SKI RANCH

Donner Ski Ranch is located West of Donner Lake. You will find the closest cabins to rent around Donner Lake. Check out Booking.com and Airbnb as they both list cabins at Donner Lake.

BORREAL MOUNTAIN CA

Boreal Mountain CA is a ski area in Soda Springs, near the Lake Tahoe area of California. The resort is located northwest of Lake Tahoe, 45 miles from Reno, Nevada. Boreal is known for its popular Playland snow-tubing area and offers night skiing until 9 pm. Boreal is also home to Woodward Tahoe.

Pro athletes, as well as winter enthusiasts of all ages and abilities, take advantage of the experiences like snowboard, Freeski, skateboard, BMX, slopestyle, mountain bike, scooter, parkour, digital media at Boreal Mountain.

BORREAL MOUNTAIN TERRAIN

Skiable Acres: 380
Trails: 41
Lifts: 8
Base Elevation: 7,201 feet
Summit Elevation: 7,701 feet
Terrain:
30% beginner
55% intermediate
15% advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR BOREAL MOUNTAIN

The resort is located on I-80 West of Donner Lake. With its proximity to the town of Soda Springs, check out Soda Springs cabins to rent on Airbnb to find the closest accommodations to Boreal Mountain. There are also a handful of cabins to rent in Soda Springs on Booking.com. For more options to stay check out accommodations in Truckee.

Skilift at Diamond Peak Ski Resort at Lake Tahoe on a snow day — Snow day at Lake Tahoe ski resorts

SODA SPRINGS SKI TAHOE RESORT

Soda Springs Ski Tahoe Resort is located directly off I-80, 15 miles from Truckee. You will find Soda Springs to be a relaxed and family-friendly resort.

Soda Springs ski resort offers access to Planet Kids, a dedicated snow play area featuring tubing carousals, snow-tubing lanes, ski/snowboard-specific learning areas for children.

SODA SPRINGS SKI TERRAIN

Trails: 15
Lifts: 4
Base Elevation: 6,750 feet
Summit Elevation: 7,300 feet
Terrain:
30% beginner
40% intermediate
30% advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR SODA SPRINGS

The resort is located in the small town of Soda Springs, California. Check out Soda Springs cabins to rent on Airbnb. There are also a handful of cabins to rent in Soda Springs on Booking.com. Since the area is so small there are no hotels in town.

TAHOE DONNER DOWNHILL SKI RESORT

Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort is located in the upper reaches of Truckee. The resort offers wide-open bowls, uncrowded slopes, beginner terrain, and groomed slopes. Tahoe Donner Ski Resort is a family-friendly ski resort.

SKI TERRAIN AT TAHOE DONNER

Skiable Acres: 120
Trails: 17
Lifts: 5
Base Elevation: 6,750 feet
Summit Elevation: 7,350 feet
Terrain:
40% beginner
60% intermediate – advanced

WINTER TRAIL MAP

ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR TAHOE DONNER DOWNHILL SKI RESORT

The Tahoe Donner resort is located North of Donner Lake near Truckee. You will find the closest Airbnb cabins to rent in the adjacent neighborhood and around Donner Lake. There are plenty of accommodations and hotels in Truckee as well, which is close by.

GRANLIBAKKEN

Granlibakken is a family-friendly resort and the smallest ski resort in the Lake Tahoe area. The resort offers a sled hill and the Granlibakken’s Ski and Boarding Hill.

GRANLIBAKKEN TERRAIN

Lifts: 2
Longest Trail: 1,2 miles
Base Elevation: 6565 feet
Summit Elevation: 1040 feet
Terrain:
50% beginner
50% intermediate

MORE INFORMATION

ACCOMMODATIONS NEAR GRANLIBAKKEN

The small ski area is part of Granlibakken Resort, which offers its own accommodations. More hotels can be found close to Tahoe City. There are plenty of cabin rentals near Tahoe City as well.

Lake Tahoe Lift Tickets

Saving Money On Lake Tahoe Ski Lift Tickets

Skiing in Lake Tahoe can get really expensive. Especially at the bigger ski resorts in Lake Tahoe, lift ticket prices are veeeery high.

If you buy a lift ticket on the same day at a big resort you will pay at least $150 and oftentimes even more.

Buy Lift Tickets In Advance To Save Money

One way to save money on lift tickets in Tahoe is by booking your tickets in advance. Look for lift tickets at least 2 weeks before. At the beginning of the season, some resorts also offer discounts on small lift ticket packages.

Epic Season Pass For 3 Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts

Another way to save money on lift tickets in Tahoe is by committing to a season pass. This could be with a ski resort directly or getting the Epic Pass from Vail Resorts, for instance. This is what we usually do. Epic offers different kinds of passes. At Lake Tahoe, the ski resorts of Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood are included in Vail’s Epic Pass. Depending on which pass you will get, you can bring in the costs of a season pass by skiing as little as 4 or 5 days only.

Skiing Smaller Ski Resorts At Lake Tahoe

Lastly, the bigger the ski resort, the more you usually pay. So, to save money on skiing in Lake Tahoe, opt for smaller ski resorts. Lift tickets will be below $100 per day and even less than that when you go to the smaller ski resorts at Lake Tahoe.

Summary: Skiing In Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts Map

FAQ

When Is The Lake Tahoe Skiing Season?

Ski Season Start

Ski season in Lake Tahoe usually starts mid to late November. Depending on snow conditions this can change year by year. If the conditions aren’t great yet, most of the resorts open around late November to early December. On good years, some Lake Tahoe ski resorts opened as early as the beginning of November.

Usually, it’s the bigger winter resorts in Tahoe that open first.

Ski Season End

For most resorts in Tahoe, ski season ends around April. Some resorts, like Palisades Tahoe, is open until May and even opens on some weekends during June and July for special occasions like the 4th of July.

Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts Opening Dates 2021

Find the preliminary opening dates of Lake Tahoe ski resorts below. The dates are subject to change and depending on weather conditions. To be sure, check with the ski resorts directly for up-to-date days.

Palisades Tahoe
Friday, October 29

Boreal
Monday, October 28

Mt. Rose
TBD, November 6

Heavenly
Friday, November 19

Northstar
Friday, November 19

Sierra At Tahoe
Thursday, November 25

Sugar Bowl
Friday, November 26

Kirkwood
Friday, December 3

Diamond Peak
Thursday, December 9

Tahoe Donner
Friday, December 10

Homewood
Sunday, December 11

Where To Find The Best Skiing In Lake Tahoe?

Well, this really depends on your personal preferences. Do you like crowds or try to avoid them as much as possible? Do you snowboard or ski? Do you like to go backcountry skiing or prefer the slopes? Do you like to ski trees? Do you have the Epic Pass or Ikon Pass? These are just a few things that may have you decide for one or the other ski resort.

We personally like all the ski resorts that we have skied in Tahoe, as each resort has its own highlights. Be it lake views, or really long slopes, or amazing tree skiing.

In general, though, the biggest ski resorts in Tahoe offer the most diverse and largest terrain which is likely to please many different types of skiers and snowboarders.

Overview & Map Of Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts

Lake Tahoe is the ski vacation destination in California and Nevada. The Tahoe ski resorts offer the most amazing views from the slopes, which is one of the many reasons why we love skiing in Tahoe so much.

There are many ski resorts at Lake Tahoe. No matter if you are a snowboarder, skier, a beginner or a family with kids you will have plenty of options to enjoy skiing in Lake Tahoe.

We hope you found our Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts Guide helpful and got useful information for your upcoming ski trip to Lake Tahoe.

If you want to know what else to do at Lake Tahoe in winter, other than skiing, check out our Lake Tahoe Winter Vacation Guide with the best things to do during winter in Lake Tahoe.