Tahoe Winter Activities
Places to Rent Skis or Snowboards
Ski rental service in Incline Village
Village Ski Loft – (If you are staying at our home it’s .4 miles away) 800 Tahoe Blvd, Incline Village, NV 89451 Phone: (775) 831-3537 – Website – https://www.villageskiloft.com/
Ski rental service in Kings Beach (and other locations, see website link)
Tahoe Dave’s Skis & Boards – 8299 N Lake Blvd, Kings Beach, CA 96143 Phone: (530) 546-5800 – Website – https://tahoedaves.com/
North Lake Tahoe Skiing
Diamond Peak Ski Resort
Diamond Peak Ski ResortDiamond Peak Ski Resort
1210 Ski Way Incline Village, NV 89451
(775) 832-1177
Diamond Peak Ski Resort – An underrated gem just minutes above Incline Village, Diamond Peak wins a spot on our list for its approachable family-friendly terrain backed by incredible views of Lake Tahoe. An easy 30-mile drive from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, small-but-mighty Diamond Peak comes in at 644 skiable acres, but those acres are generally uncrowded, easy going, and mindblowingly scenic, especially from the 8,540-foot summit. Another perk from its largely untrammeled slopes: A fresh-snow feeling and quality powder tend to stick around, even days after storm.
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Northstar California Resort
Northstar California Resort
Northstar California Resort – Impeccable groomers, long cruisers, and generally mellow terrain—there’s a reason Northstar is considered one of the best family ski resorts in the U.S. and Canada. Its 3,000 acres also offer an excellent place to progress in a day, whether you’re warming up on the easy Skid Trail to Lumberjack (perhaps taking a break at the mid-mountain Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, to create your own gourmet s’mores and hot cocoa from a new wall of chocolates and candy), taking in sweeping views of the lake from the blue East Ridge trail, or hitting the black-diamond Promised Land for an evenly groomed slope. Northstar is also home to the best terrain parks in Tahoe, one of which boasts an 18-foot halfpipe. Lift lines can get crowded on big ski days but a breather is expected with the newly upgraded mid-mountain Comstock Express, now a high-speed six-person chair to the top of the 8,610-foot mountain. Want the ultimate crowd-free experience? New this season, pass holders can access the mountain a half an hour earlier on Mondays at 8:30 a.m. for first tracks.
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Palisades Tahoe
Palisades Tahoe
Palisades Tahoe – Host of the 1960 Winter Olympics and North Lake’s crown jewel, Palisades Tahoe is one superlative after another. Boasting one of the longest ski seasons in the country (November to mid-May), it’s California’s largest ski resort with 6,000 skiable acres across two mountains, the 9,050-foot Palisades and 8,637-foot Alpine Meadows with its hike-to back bowls. Both valleys will be newly connected this season by a game-changing 2.4-mile gondola. The majority of the resort is famously heaven on earth for extreme skiers who come to rip KT-22 and off-piste terrain, the one place, according to U.S. Hall of Fame big-mountain skier Kristen Ulmer “where every born-to-ski skier, at some point or other, wants to move to [and] make it as a ‘professional’ skier.” But you’d be remiss to think this enormous Lake Tahoe ski resort doesn’t offer something for everyone. Think mountain-top beginner slopes, fantastic groomed runs, and a properly stacked village with restaurants, bars, shopping—even a climbing wall. In February, Palisades Tahoe will also host men’s slalom and giant slalom events as one of four U.S. stops for the World Cup.
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Sugar Bowl Resort
Sugar Bowl Resort
Sugar Bowl Resort – In a snowstorm, the drive to Sugar Bowl is especially rough and not for the faint of heart, but the payoff for die-hard skiers and riders is huge. That’s because the 8,383-foot mountain at the top of Donner Summit is among the lucky few on the Sierra Crest ridge line, making it a magnet for massive dumps of deep snow. It’s also the first Lake Tahoe ski resort you’ll hit on the drive in from Sacramento and among the best from the San Francisco Bay Area. Expect massive steeps, jaw-dropping views, and crowd-free lines. Drop into the East Face bowl off the Christmas Tree chair for the chance to straight line it in on a steep groomed run. Across its 1,650 acres, Sugar Bowl is also home to great groomers, so have a ball with the kids on long runs down Mt. Lincoln through the trees to Judah Lodge.
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South Lake Tahoe Skiing
Heavenly Mountain Resort
Heavenly Mountain Resort
Heavenly Mountain Resort – Straddling both California and Nevada, skiers and riders can check off a lot of boxes at Heavenly, a favorite for Olympian and alpine skier Seba Johnson. The resort boasts the largest and tallest mountain in Lake Tahoe at 10,067 feet and arguably the best and most expansive views of the lake itself. Made for the European skier with mostly on-piste skiing (think groomers) and seriously fun intermediate runs, Heavenly offers superb tree skiing and plenty of opportunities to pop in and out of side-country terrain. You’ve also got a good chance for snowy slopes with one of the largest snowmaking operations around the lake. The best part: this Lake Tahoe ski resort is known for its low-key vibe. Basically, Heavenly is vast and well-equipped with something for everyone. It’s also easy to plan a carless vacation around; get there via a 50-minute shuttle ride from Reno-Tahoe International airport and take advantage of gondola access to several lodging and après options.
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Kirkwood Mountain Resort
1501 Kirkwood Meadows Dr, Kirkwood, CA 95646 (209) 258-6000Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Kirkwood Mountain Resort – Shredding the gnarly cliffs, chutes, and gladded terrain that define the majority of Kirkwood with its air-thinning summit elevation of 9,800 feet is a dream for extreme skiers. More specifically, the advanced and infamous Wall is the best place to check yourself on a wide open, choose-your-own-adventure steep, while Sentinel Bowl with the fattest skis you can tolerate is a blast on powder days. Newbies in the group need not fear. In fact, this tiny-but-mighty Lake Tahoe ski resort is a bit of a find; check out its solid learning area with great beginner lifts and an uncrowded magic carpet.
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Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort
1111 Sierra-At-Tahoe Rd, Twin Bridges, CA 95735 (530) 659-7453Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort
Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort – With just 47 trails, Sierra-at-Tahoe is a dark horse for the full days of extreme skiing it delivers across the front and back side of the mountain. Especially great on powder days, you can expect to pack in more runs than you’d ever dream of at more popular Lake Tahoe ski resorts. The Caldor Fie wildfire ravaged Sierra-at-Tahoe and its beloved terrain in September 2021; this winter will be its first full season since. Locals say it’s something about the energy here that is the draw, but now there’s new excitement in the air to see the changed resort come back to life.
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