Heavenly - South Lake Tahoe. Tips or insights ????

Gforce · Feb 28, 2017

Hi There, I'll be out there St Pats day weekend. I've skied out west and have been to a few of the North shore resorts (northstar, Alpine Med, Squaw etc..) many years ago. This will be my first trip to the South Lake Tahoe and Stateline. I know they have had tremendous snow this year.

Any pointers or suggestions on Heavenly and the town in general.?

thanks,

Puck it · Feb 28, 2017

Point your skis downhill and don't gamble.

mriceyman · Feb 28, 2017

Mott canyon.. do gamble

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Gforce · Feb 28, 2017

mriceyman said:
Mott canyon.. do gamble

Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

I like that the sound of that. thx!

snoseek · Feb 28, 2017

I wish I had a map and sharpie!

What kind of stuff do you like to ski?

Gforce · Feb 28, 2017

snoseek said:
I wish I had a map and sharpie!

What kind of stuff do you like to ski?

I downloaded the pdf trailmap. It's a huge area at nearly 5k acres. It's best to get tips from those who know the mountain. I'd rather not burn a full day figuring out what trials and lifts to do. Me and my son, Advanced skiers. thanks.

snoseek · Feb 28, 2017

OK I'm done watching that movie here goes:

I've spent the previous 5 winters in SLT and in fact lived right next to the Heave. I'm more a fan of Kirkwood (you must go here) but probably have close to a couple hundred days at Heavenly just because I'm lazy and get sick of driving over Carson Pass.

The first thing you need to realize is the mountain is sorta set up like a shit show. Its Californias version of Killington where if you play it wrong you can spend WAAAAYYY too much time moving around. Due to that I suggest Working the Cal side and NV sides on different days...sure you can do both but try to spend the majority of your time on one side.

Ill spill my favorite areas.

Edit-if I feel inspired tomorrow ill type out some decent places to eat which is good because SLT has some truly fucking awful places to eat along with a few decent ones.

A lot of people come back from Heavenly with unfavorable experience. Those are the people lapping obvious stuff off comet/dipper/upper cal. You really do need to explore. The trees here are fucking heaven if you choose them right.

Cal Side.
The steepest stuff is off of the face (lower mtn). Gunbarrel and East Bowl are obvioius and if its a warm day spend your afternoons here. It will be frozen shit in the morning most likely so go high. The trees on both side of these slopes provide some beautiful steep lines. Start with lookers left of the tram for more open lines. Then if you want tighter bumpier lines go to the trees on the right of gb....Get in as high as possible. Lap the quad Vs the tram its faster. Something like 1800 vert in like 4 minutes. Lots of old bumpers hang here, some are legends. Everyone else is skiing cruisers

Middle Cal is Powderbowl. Its a short six pack and maybe a good warm up. I mostly use it as a means to move up. Skip powderbowl woods and instead ski Waterfall or better yet the trees to the skiers left of waterfall. If you see the old lift line you're in a good area. That's all that interest me there.

Upper Cal-this is a crowded area generally and I usually avoid. Ridge run is tourist gaper central but goddamn if that view isn't one of the finest. It makes a good morning warm up. Theres a whole bunch of trees to the lookers left of Cal summit off Upper NV trail. Its self explanatory but if you get away from the main areas it gets fun sometimes. Theres a fun drainage underneath the chair if you're into that sorta thing.

The best part about cal is Maggies Canyon (not to be confused with the green run it will dump you onto) IMO. To get to Maggies you need to go to NV and take the Cal trail back to Cal. After it splits with the sixpack/top of gondola area theres a flat section...on the first bend you'll see a track going in. Follow it and stay high for what seems like too long. Stay high enough and you may see the Raleys gate to firebreak. Either way on your left is a beautiful meadow canyon that the sun will bake before it ever tracks up. I've skied untracked over a week past a storm. Good turns to be had on a corn cycle in here.

Nevada

Is overall better IMO.

I'll start with Stage coach. If its storming take the bus and start your day here as the lift almost always runs. The trees aren't super steep but instead medium angle GS trees. There's also similar terrain off of Olympic just above. High speed laps off Olympic downhill combining these two chairs is good times. There's also a main entrance to firebreak off Olympic.

About Firebreak-probably best to have a partner. The Olympic gate is a good place to start as its pretty straight forward. The first time just don't venture too far in either direction. Other than that its some fucking awesome sidecountry terrain and as you get to know this vast area better it gets better.

Still on lower Nevada is North Bowl. Overlooked and underrated. If you follow the ropeline to the skiers left off Olympic ( the other side is firebreak) you will come out to some fantastic steep trees. Stay sorta high and youll get to the burn. If the snow is manky drop in the trees before the burn but overall its good times. If you feel tempted to enter firebreak from this area I advise not to unless your with a local that knows the routes as you'll end up in suburbia. North Bowl is where you go to get away from people and ski powder.

Upper NV-this area is busy. honestly its a fucking shitstorm of gapers but you will need the dipper chair to access mott/killebrew.

Mott/Killebrew. Yeah buddy! Start off with Mott. Take a vanilla run down the gut and ski bumps to get a feel for the area. If you're not freaked out then explore a bit. My favorite lines are the Y, North 40 for that cold north facing chalky pow and promise land off the quick hike onto the second knoll for sweet corn and good desert views. Bills is a nice long straight bump shot along with snake eyes. The ridge trail that takes you out to a lot of this gets funky sometimes but stay high if possible.
When you're on that ridge track you'll get a good look and Killebrew-specifically from the avie gun. Take a picture for reference as its easy to get disorientated and trust me, you don't want to get in the wrong section over there. Killebrew is steeper than mott but you can start again going right down the gut then move to Stateline chute and further as you feel comfy. Somewhere near the top you will see a big rock outcropping with a memorial. This is a good place to drink a beer or eat some food. The lines to the skiers right of that outcropping get pretty hairy. I caught myself getting on some mandatory air that freaked me the fuck out but that was a lean lean winter I suspect this winter everything is filled. Also sometimes its fun to go in the first killebrew gate, follow the ropeline area and get on that second knoll. Theres chalky pow that faces north. The cutback to mott is easily seen from there. Stay high if possible. If you drop too far there's a bit of hiking to get out

There's sidecountry in this area but you should NOT go in as it can really screw up your day if you don't know whats up.

As far as dipper/comet its ok for some cruisers. Milky way is sorta fun. The trees to the skiers right are usually colder snow. The hike up to monument summit and descent down is always a good way to kill some time and get away from crowds. There's medium angle trees all over and dipper woods is fun for GS turning. This part of the mtn is just too busy at least on the weekend.

That's all I got right now. Theres a million other secret stashes but some of them I just not throwing out on the WWW and some are too hard to describe.

must do: Maggies, mott/killebrew, North Bowl, face trees, Firebreak.

bdfreetuna · Feb 28, 2017

Thanks for the refresher Snoseek. I might end up doing 2 days at Heavenly next week... basically 90% of what you mentioned is already on my to-do list plus a few other runs/tree zones that look cool. Killebrew and Mott look like they're worth devoting almost a whole day to, we'll see.

Firebreak and Maggies as well as some sidecountry that looks good on the skiers left of California side (you know anything about that? looks like a long long tree zone, not sure where to enter in though)

Gforce, keep an eye out for my probably week-long trip report here next week. I'll be in Tahoe skiing 6 days, I'm staying in South Lake Tahoe at the base of the tram/quad. My first time out there... if everything goes according to plan will also be skiing Squaw, Alpine, Kirkwood, Mt Rose and Sierra. Although that might turn into 2 days at Squaw as well.

snoseek · Feb 28, 2017

If you're thinking about off of upper cal and through the rope that will spill you out on Pioneer. I've done this a couple times when the snow was good and its great but it also landed me in my neighborhood. Theres a good chance you will have to walk back

Gforce · Mar 1, 2017

snoseek said:
OK I'm done watching that movie here goes:

I've spent the previous 5 winters in SLT and in fact lived right next to the Heave. I'm more a fan of Kirkwood (you must go here) but probably have close to a couple hundred days at Heavenly just because I'm lazy and get sick of driving over Carson Pass.

The first thing you need to realize is the mountain is sorta set up like a shit show. Its Californias version of Killington where if you play it wrong you can spend WAAAAYYY too much time moving around. Due to that I suggest Working the Cal side and NV sides on different days...sure you can do both but try to spend the majority of your time on one side.

Ill spill my favorite areas.

Edit-if I feel inspired tomorrow ill type out some decent places to eat which is good because SLT has some truly fucking awful places to eat along with a few decent ones.

A lot of people come back from Heavenly with unfavorable experience. Those are the people lapping obvious stuff off comet/dipper/upper cal. You really do need to explore. The trees here are fucking heaven if you choose them right.

Cal Side.
The steepest stuff is off of the face (lower mtn). Gunbarrel and East Bowl are obvioius and if its a warm day spend your afternoons here. It will be frozen shit in the morning most likely so go high. The trees on both side of these slopes provide some beautiful steep lines. Start with lookers left of the tram for more open lines. Then if you want tighter bumpier lines go to the trees on the right of gb....Get in as high as possible. Lap the quad Vs the tram its faster. Something like 1800 vert in like 4 minutes. Lots of old bumpers hang here, some are legends. Everyone else is skiing cruisers

Middle Cal is Powderbowl. Its a short six pack and maybe a good warm up. I mostly use it as a means to move up. Skip powderbowl woods and instead ski Waterfall or better yet the trees to the skiers left of waterfall. If you see the old lift line you're in a good area. That's all that interest me there.

Upper Cal-this is a crowded area generally and I usually avoid. Ridge run is tourist gaper central but goddamn if that view isn't one of the finest. It makes a good morning warm up. Theres a whole bunch of trees to the lookers left of Cal summit off Upper NV trail. Its self explanatory but if you get away from the main areas it gets fun sometimes. Theres a fun drainage underneath the chair if you're into that sorta thing.

The best part about cal is Maggies Canyon (not to be confused with the green run it will dump you onto) IMO. To get to Maggies you need to go to NV and take the Cal trail back to Cal. After it splits with the sixpack/top of gondola area theres a flat section...on the first bend you'll see a track going in. Follow it and stay high for what seems like too long. Stay high enough and you may see the Raleys gate to firebreak. Either way on your left is a beautiful meadow canyon that the sun will bake before it ever tracks up. I've skied untracked over a week past a storm. Good turns to be had on a corn cycle in here.

Nevada

Is overall better IMO.

I'll start with Stage coach. If its storming take the bus and start your day here as the lift almost always runs. The trees aren't super steep but instead medium angle GS trees. There's also similar terrain off of Olympic just above. High speed laps off Olympic downhill combining these two chairs is good times. There's also a main entrance to firebreak off Olympic.

About Firebreak-probably best to have a partner. The Olympic gate is a good place to start as its pretty straight forward. The first time just don't venture too far in either direction. Other than that its some fucking awesome sidecountry terrain and as you get to know this vast area better it gets better.

Still on lower Nevada is North Bowl. Overlooked and underrated. If you follow the ropeline to the skiers left off Olympic ( the other side is firebreak) you will come out to some fantastic steep trees. Stay sorta high and youll get to the burn. If the snow is manky drop in the trees before the burn but overall its good times. If you feel tempted to enter firebreak from this area I advise not to unless your with a local that knows the routes as you'll end up in suburbia. North Bowl is where you go to get away from people and ski powder.

Upper NV-this area is busy. honestly its a fucking shitstorm of gapers but you will need the dipper chair to access mott/killebrew.

Mott/Killebrew. Yeah buddy! Start off with Mott. Take a vanilla run down the gut and ski bumps to get a feel for the area. If you're not freaked out then explore a bit. My favorite lines are the Y, North 40 for that cold north facing chalky pow and promise land off the quick hike onto the second knoll for sweet corn and good desert views. Bills is a nice long straight bump shot along with snake eyes. The ridge trail that takes you out to a lot of this gets funky sometimes but stay high if possible.
When you're on that ridge track you'll get a good look and Killebrew-specifically from the avie gun. Take a picture for reference as its easy to get disorientated and trust me, you don't want to get in the wrong section over there. Killebrew is steeper than mott but you can start again going right down the gut then move to Stateline chute and further as you feel comfy. Somewhere near the top you will see a big rock outcropping with a memorial. This is a good place to drink a beer or eat some food. The lines to the skiers right of that outcropping get pretty hairy. I caught myself getting on some mandatory air that freaked me the fuck out but that was a lean lean winter I suspect this winter everything is filled. Also sometimes its fun to go in the first killebrew gate, follow the ropeline area and get on that second knoll. Theres chalky pow that faces north. The cutback to mott is easily seen from there. Stay high if possible. If you drop too far there's a bit of hiking to get out

There's sidecountry in this area but you should NOT go in as it can really screw up your day if you don't know whats up.

As far as dipper/comet its ok for some cruisers. Milky way is sorta fun. The trees to the skiers right are usually colder snow. The hike up to monument summit and descent down is always a good way to kill some time and get away from crowds. There's medium angle trees all over and dipper woods is fun for GS turning. This part of the mtn is just too busy at least on the weekend.

That's all I got right now. Theres a million other secret stashes but some of them I just not throwing out on the WWW and some are too hard to describe.

must do: Maggies, mott/killebrew, North Bowl, face trees, Firebreak.

SNOSEEK!
thanks man. That is Solid Gold!! Exactly what I was looking for. You will save me precious time, I've got just 2 days on the mountain this trip. If we ever cross paths during Apres Ski somewhere the drinks are on me!.
Cheers!

Gforce · Mar 1, 2017

bdfreetuna said:
Thanks for the refresher Snoseek. I might end up doing 2 days at Heavenly next week... basically 90% of what you mentioned is already on my to-do list plus a few other runs/tree zones that look cool. Killebrew and Mott look like they're worth devoting almost a whole day to, we'll see.

Firebreak and Maggies as well as some sidecountry that looks good on the skiers left of California side (you know anything about that? looks like a long long tree zone, not sure where to enter in though)

Gforce, keep an eye out for my probably week-long trip report here next week. I'll be in Tahoe skiing 6 days, I'm staying in South Lake Tahoe at the base of the tram/quad. My first time out there... if everything goes according to plan will also be skiing Squaw, Alpine, Kirkwood, Mt Rose and Sierra. Although that might turn into 2 days at Squaw as well.

Will do, thanks. Have a great trip.

Kleetus · Mar 9, 2017

Any ideas on what it will be like out there around the first weekend in April? Assume it will be spring skiing and guessing the snow pack will hold up given the ridiculous amount of snow they have out there.

Debating between heading out to Tahoe around then or Denver. I know Tahoe has more snow pack, but unfortunately flights are pretty expensive out there even until the middle of April and Denver is much cheaper. However, Denver does not have the snow pack and things look they will be warm and dry out there for the next couple weeks. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

andrec10 · Mar 9, 2017

Kleetus said:
Any ideas on what it will be like out there around the first weekend in April? Assume it will be spring skiing and guessing the snow pack will hold up given the ridiculous amount of snow they have out there.

Debating between heading out to Tahoe around then or Denver. I know Tahoe has more snow pack, but unfortunately flights are pretty expensive out there even until the middle of April and Denver is much cheaper. However, Denver does not have the snow pack and things look they will be warm and dry out there for the next couple weeks. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

Utah.....

dlague · Mar 9, 2017

Kleetus said:
Any ideas on what it will be like out there around the first weekend in April? Assume it will be spring skiing and guessing the snow pack will hold up given the ridiculous amount of snow they have out there.

Debating between heading out to Tahoe around then or Denver. I know Tahoe has more snow pack, but unfortunately flights are pretty expensive out there even until the middle of April and Denver is much cheaper. However, Denver does not have the snow pack and things look they will be warm and dry out there for the next couple weeks. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

andrec10 said:
Utah.....

Tahoe seems to be a good option due to deep base but are now running into the same issue as Colorado and Utah by default. Storms are hitting the coast around Upper Oregon and Washington state and tracking east. While there is a wobble in the Jet stream Colorado possible benefits from it. Many of the systems that have hit Tahoe and also hit Utah and Colorado just not as intense. The Utah and Colorado mountains are staying a little cooler

Tahoe - Sunny and mild for the next 7 days with highs in the 50's. Above 8000 feet in the 40's. There is not a lot of confidence that indicate that will change much after that.

Kleetus · Mar 9, 2017

dlague said:
Tahoe seems to be a good option due to deep base but are now running into the same issue as Colorado and Utah by default. Storms are hitting the coast around Upper Oregon and Washington state and tracking east. While there is a wobble in the Jet stream Colorado possible benefits from it. Many of the systems that have hit Tahoe and also hit Utah and Colorado just not as intense. The Utah and Colorado mountains are staying a little cooler

Tahoe - Sunny and mild for the next 7 days with highs in the 50's. Above 8000 feet in the 40's. There is not a lot of confidence that indicate that will change much after that.

Also should have mentioned looking into Banff and Kicking horse in BC. Flights are cheap up there and they appear to have a good snow pack right now and are getting in on the next round if storminess. Long range looks cold up there too

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snoseek · Mar 9, 2017

andrec10 said:
Utah.....

Yep this. It can and will pour rain at any point in tahoe. I love tahoe but I also know how things can turn either way. As far as getting on a plane to go there I would be reluctant coming from far. Its a great place to cherry pick your days/weeks.

dlague · Mar 10, 2017

snoseek said:
Yep this. It can and will pour rain at any point in tahoe. I love tahoe but I also know how things can turn either way. As far as getting on a plane to go there I would be reluctant coming from far. Its a great place to cherry pick your days/weeks.

For Utah

Utah has a very weak system brushing the far north today. Areas from about Provo northward could see a chance for a shower or two this afternoon with snow levels relatively high. No real accumulation likely. Then clear out and warm up again this weekend into next week.

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abc · Mar 13, 2017

Kleetus said:
Also should have mentioned looking into Banff and Kicking horse in BC. Flights are cheap up there and they appear to have a good snow pack right now and are getting in on the next round if storminess. Long range looks cold up there too

Well, I don't know what forecast you're looking at. Banff and Kicking (in fact the whole "powder highway") is currently in a freeze-thaw cycle. Many of the lower elevation are getting rain!

snoseek said:
Yep this. It can and will pour rain at any point in tahoe. I love tahoe but I also know how things can turn either way. As far as getting on a plane to go there I would be reluctant coming from far. Its a great place to cherry pick your days/weeks.

People say the same about Whistler too!

Kleetus · Mar 13, 2017

abc said:
Well, I don't know what forecast you're looking at. Banff and Kicking (in fact the whole "powder highway") is currently in a freeze-thaw cycle. Many of the lower elevation are getting rain!

People say the same about Whistler too!

I haven't really seen much of that from the forecasts for Banff. Been checking for the last week or so and they have been getting snow almost every other day with highs in the upper 20's to low 30's. In the valleys has been warmer but not by that much. Now later this week I see a day or 2 where it's going to go above freezing but then back to cold again with chances for snow. I read some trip reports on a couple other forums from people who were just there and didn't hear a freeze thaw mentioned at least not for the Banff area resorts.

Whistler can definitely rain at any time.

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dlague · Mar 13, 2017

Kleetus said:
I haven't really seen much of that from the forecasts for Banff. Been checking for the last week or so and they have been getting snow almost every other day with highs in the upper 20's to low 30's. In the valleys has been warmer but not by that much. Now later this week I see a day or 2 where it's going to go above freezing but then back to cold again with chances for snow. I read some trip reports on a couple other forums from people who were just there and didn't hear a freeze thaw mentioned at least not for the Banff area resorts.

Whistler can definitely rain at any time.

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It will get into the 40's for a few days and some might lead you to believe that is a blow torch. Entertain them!

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