Lake Tahoe - Last week

[soulseller]

Trailboss, your pictures from Squaw are getting me even more excited. How were crowds / lift line times?

 

[thetrailboss]

Trailboss, your pictures from Squaw are getting me even more excited. How were crowds / lift line times?

Well, it was midweek non-holiday so the only lines per se were at the Funitel. KT-22 was busy on Friday because of new snow. The other lifts were pretty much ski on.

 

[wa-loaf]

I haven't put together a trip report so I'll just attach myself to this one. I was in Tahoe the week before the big storm. Had a good time, but the snow was pretty hard most of the week. Skied Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood. Kirkwood is still my favorite there, though I haven't been to Squaw or Homewood.

Some pics:
Heavenly -

Bumps were firm and chalky, but nicely spaced. Skied well.

Mott Canyon, steeper than it looks and softened up some in spots:

Edge Deep Pow!

Kirkwood:

 

[Rushski]

Being a guy with problem feet and trying to protect my boots, the lack of a "base" daylodge at Northstar and lack of cubbies/hooks elsewhere is disconcerting.

Northstar in my opinion skied like a bigger Homewood, trail-wise. Though Homewood is a lot easier with a small, but useable daylodge and having lifts within spitting distances of the parking lot. Do like the laid back feel of Homewood but not sure how them being acquired by Alpinme Meadows and their major plansd ahead. Granted some sort of a lodge mid-mountain makes sense but not sure they need condos.

Northstar with the only half decent parking being pay ($15 or more) on top of a $90 lift ticket (Tahoe Dave's gave us $65 tickets) is a bit much. Plus the chore of trying to get out of the boutique, cutesy village to find lifts. Glad I tried it out and was the first day of the storm skiing for me, so that was good, but will probably stay away from it on future trips.

Alpine Meadows is also a bit of a pain, lodge-wise. If you come in from the parking lot you have to go up to the third floor to find a place to sit and boot up. Second floor has a family only area. Fisrt floor is pay lockers. Fortunately when I was on that third floor I asked some people where to store my bag and they offered to watch it as they were a ski club and one guy was hanging around. So thanks to teh Bay Area Ski Club for their helpfulness and friendliness... Do agree with a previous post that it is very similar to Squaw just quite a bit smaller.

Anyone headed out there soon should enjoy the area in general as more snow is headed that way...

 

[billski]

No day lodge: that was something that was weird about Squaw and Homewood in my experience. Although we used the base area on the eastern side of Homewood.

Smuggs is that way if you hit the wrong parking lot.

 

[abc]

I'm heading our there next Thursday, staying in Tahoe City. Current plan is to on mountain Friday-Monday, with a possible day off Sunday. My plan is to do Squaw, Alpine Meadows, and Homewood though one of our guys is pushing for more time at Squaw and dropping either AM or Homewood. Any advice you can give would be extremely helpful.

Depends on what sort of skiing you're looking for.

Squaw without a question has the most super-gnarly stuff. Especially the super-steep terrain, I don't think Alpine Meadow can compare. However, for the majority of mere mortals who doesn't have to be scared to have fun, AM has enough terrain to please most.

I've never skied Homewood so can't comment. But I'll plug Mt. Rose for your consideration. It's a smaller version of AM, just right for an easy day. So instead of taking a day off, you might just check that out instead.

 

[wa-loaf]

Vid my buddy put together, skip to 2:30 to get past the Hot Tub Time Machine Stuff.


And anything referring to binky is me ...