So you’ve taken time off work and booked a trip to Tahoe this winter. Check item #1 off your list. Now you’ve got an entirely different task ahead: figure out how much you can pack into your trip to make it the best ever. We could come up with a thousand things to do, but that’s what GoTahoeNorth.com is all about.
Here are some tips from fans of North Lake Tahoe on the can’t-miss, must-do, make-plans-to-enjoy things you should add to your list.
Outdoors
Snowshoe(from Esther B.). You can snowshoe in a ton of places around Tahoe, from designated trails and hiking areas, like the Tahoe Meadows at the Mt. Rose Summit, to resorts including Tahoe-Donner Cross Country Ski Area, Northstar California and Squaw Valley. Several companies, such as Tahoe Adventure Company, offer snowshoe tours, and many more shops have rentals available for day trips.
Dog Sledding(from Alena S.). Truly an experience to remember (trust us, we cherish our memory). Wilderness Adventures has hour-long tours through the Squaw Valley Meadow, between the ski resort and Resort at Squaw Creek. The guide leads a team of 8-10 huskies with a four-person sled.
Hang loose and enjoy (from Richard A.). North Lake Tahoe is definitely built for relaxation. In the winter you can still hang out on beaches and enjoy the serenity of the lake. Or, enjoy a hot beverage and the company of friends at any of the area’s watering holes, coffee houses, lodges or villages. There’s never a shortage of warm fires and great views at Tahoe.
Paddleboard Lake Tahoe on a Bluebird Day (Andy C.). This may seem a little crazy, but if you throw on a wetsuit and try really hard not to fall in, it could turn out to be your best day on the lake, ever. Consider this, in the winter there are far fewer boats on the water, making it like glass on a calm, sunny day. There’s nothing but you on a board paddling across a blue expanse and surrounded by snow-covered mountains. Paints a picture, doesn’t it? Check out this post for details on where to rent a SUP for the day.
Indoors
Rent a cabin(from Jodi S.). Definitely a cozy way to experience Tahoe and maintain that homey feel. Cabins in the area range in price and size and have a variety of amenities from ski-in/ski-out to pet friendly, lakefront views, hot tubs and more.
Visit The Center for Environmental Sciences, Sierra Nevada College (from Diane M.). Open Tuesday – Friday from 1 – 5 p.m., you can tour the center and learn about Lake Tahoe’s ecology, see research in action, fly through a 3D model of Lake Tahoe and dive under the water, and also learn about the building’s sustainable design.
Meteorologists are predicting another banner winter in North Lake Tahoe. Last year, the destination received more than 70 feet of snow, making for epic conditions December through May.
We mentioned a lot of the ski/board resort improvements in our last update, but we’ve picked up a few more in the past week that we’d like to share.
Granlibakken, which has an intimate, beginner ski hill, and lift access to cross country skiing is perfect for those just learning, along with Nordic skiers. New this year is the Lighthouse Spa with a variety of treatments, such as massage therapy, skincare, manicures and pedicures, body waxing and healing treatments. (Photo, right: The sled hill at Granlibakken)
Homewood Mountain Resort, on the West Shore, is the second resort in North America to install the Magnestick chair lift safety technology. (It was introduced at Alpine Meadows last winter.) The Magnestick chair lift safety system keeps kids in place on the lift through an electromagnetic seatback and corresponding magnetic vest worn by child riding a chair lift. When a child reaches the chair lift deboarding platform, the vest is deactivated allowing for a seamless release from the seatback. Magnestick has been installed on the resort’s Quail chairlift, which is adjacent to Homewood’s children center.
On Donner Summit, Sugar Bowl Ski Resort has skiers and riders saving on lift tickets every day of the season with their CORE Daily Pass. The pass, a points-based loyalty and rewards program, offers $15 off all-day rack rate lift ticket for just a $19 annual membership. CORE members also earn points every time they ski and ride, and for every qualifying dollar spent, it can be redeemed for free items across the resort. (Photo, left: Sugar Bowl during an early storm, October 6, 2011)
Ski and board resorts in North Lake Tahoe continue to raise the bar with millions of dollars in capital improvements that add new lifts, expand terrain and enhance mountain and base operations services for visitors. Ski Lake Tahoe helped us out with a round-up of what’s happening at are resorts. Here’s the lowdown:
Squaw Valley Squaw Valley has joined forces with Alpine Meadows to offer more than 6,000 acres of legendary skiing and riding accessed via a single lift ticket, the Tahoe Super Pass, and interconnecting shuttle. This season will mark the first phase of $50 million in capital improvements announced as part of a modern-day renaissance taking place at Squaw Valley that includes a new day lodge, new restaurants and upgraded skier services around the mountain. The resort’s base area will undergo a major transformation this offseason to include: a new restaurant and bar in the heart of the village; a remodel of the infamous Olympic House sundeck; transformation of the base level of Squaw Valley’s Olympic House into a new day lodge and family recreation center; and a renovation to the interior of the 17,000 square foot Squaw Kids facility. On the mountain, the upper terminal of North America’s only Funitel (28 person gondola) will be renovated to include the new Funi’s Mountaintop Café and Market along with the only ski-in/ski-out coffee shop on the continent. Three new magic carpet lifts, new rental gear, progression-based terrain features and a new lesson structure will be in place at the Snowsport School as part of an evolution taking shape to vastly improve the beginner learning experience. (Photo credit Nathan Kendall.)
Northstar California Recently acquired by Vail Resorts, Northstar has $30 million in capital improvements underway for the upcoming 2011-12 winter season, including a new 1,440 foot detachable quad chairlift and a new 700-seat on-mountain restaurant atop the resort’s Tahoe Zephyr Express Lift, featuring expansive views of the Pacific Crest. The Village at Northstar will welcome top outdoor brands Patagonia and Burton to its impressive shopping outlets, and has expanded The North Face and True North retail stores. Two-time Olympic gold medalist, professional snowboarder and skateboarder Shaun White will call Northstar his home mountain and primary training resort, and will work with Northstar and Snow Park Technologies to build a custom 22 foot halfpipe this season that will be open to the general public when White is not training. The resort has also expanded its boundaries offering 170 additional acres of new sidecountry terrain, new snowcat tours on Sawtooth Ridge and guided backcountry tours outside the resort’s boundary into a highly anticipated area of future expansion. Finally, Northstar will be the lastest Vail Resorts’ owned mountain to bring EpicMix to the slopes allowing guests to effortlessly share their ski and snowboard experience via social media and take advantage of real-time features such as finding their friends on the mountain. EpicMix photographers will also be on the slopes to take professional photos that will be uploaded directly to guests’ EpicMix accounts and can be shared for free on Facebook and Twitter. (Photo, progress on Northstar’s new lodge as of August 2011. Work has moved along at a rapid pace.)
Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe Boasting Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation, Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe enhanced its supplemental snowmaking capabilities this offseason by installing a top-to-bottom system on its Silver Dollar run ensuring early season access on the Slide Bowl portion of the resort. This side of the mountain has been the focus of significant improvements over the last few seasons such as the modern amenities now housed in the Winters Creek Lodge powered by three environmentally-friendly extreme energy windspires. Located less than thirty minutes from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, families hoping to make turns right off the tarmac can take advantage of the reduced pricing this season on Family Packs which include two adult lift tickets and two child lift tickets (17 and under) for only $138. (Photo, left, taken after October 5, 2011 snowfall.)
Alpine Meadows Alpine Meadows has joined forces with Squaw Valley to offer more than 6,000 acres of legendary skiing and riding accessed via a single lift ticket, the Tahoe Super Pass, and interconnecting shuttle. Following last season’s introduction of a cutting-edge child chairlift safety system and GPS tracking units for kids enrolled in ski school, the resort continues to invest in innovative, industry-leading technologies designed to enhance the guest experience. This season Alpine Meadows plans to debut an entirely new fleet of demo and rental equipment that take advantage of the revolutionary new rocker technologies currently advancing the sport. What differentiates this fleet from others is the “standard” equipment will be on par with most resorts’ high end demos. Additionally, the resort has created a totally unique instructional program called Adventure 55 geared exclusively towards baby boomers. The eight week program will take place on Tuesdays with a goal of pairing like-minded individuals looking to meet other active-minded members of their age group who share a passion for exploring the varied terrain found at Alpine Meadows. (Photo credit Jonathan Selkowitz.)
Adding to an already stellar snowpack, North Lake Tahoe got two feet of new snow in the last 24 hours. That makes more than 14 feet of snow falling at the ski resorts’ higher elevations since late October, with more snow on the way. It started dumping heavily last night and this morning we woke up to bluebird skies and a ton of fresh powder, perfect conditions for skiing and riding.
Another great place to cross country ski and snowshoe is Ed Z’berg- Sugar Pine Point State Park on the West Shore, which offers routes, used during the 1960 Winter Olympics, on five color-coded trails, ranging from one to three miles in length. Trailheads are located on the campground and day-use sides of the park.
Après ski, mark your calendar for a slew of North Lake Tahoe events this weekend. The Telluride Mountain Film Festival comes to North Lake Tahoe Thursday, December 16, 6:30 p.m., with a VIP Private Opening and Film Showing at Gallery Keoki in Olympic Valley, and a public showing Friday, December 17, 6:30 p.m., at the Resort at Squaw Creek, also in Olympic Valley. The Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe hosts “Saturday with Santa” Saturday, December 18, 2-5 p.m., in Incline Village with complimentary photos with Old Saint Nick and holiday treats, including fresh-baked cookies, hot mulled cider and hot chocolate.
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, the Four Diamond resort nestled within the Sierra Nevada Mountains,announces a significant CCS Architecture-designed, $700,000 renovation to the iconic Lone Eagle Grille and Lakeside Ballroom, the area’s only resort lakeside ballroom, scheduled for completion in early December 2010.
Lone Eagle Grill - Pre-Renovation.
Lone Eagle Grille lounge’s spacious bar will be extended to meet the lakefront windows, while removing a portion of the river rock-faced double-sided fireplace will provide more standing room and a feeling of spaciousness. The floor-to-ceiling mock bookcase edging one wall will be removed, making room for additional seating and artwork. New seating will include plush, comfortable couches in warm earth tones, and convivial groupings of lower-backed chairs in rich, mahogany-hued leather. The addition of high communal dining tables will encourage mixing and mingling. Other design details include stools and end tables made of distressed reclaimed wood, and three antler chandeliers throughout, emphasizing Lone Eagle Grille’s signature luxury lodge style. Overall, the renovations will increase seating to approximately 58, with an additional seating for 14 at the bar.
Offering unobstructed lake views of the mountains from its position overlooking Hyatt’s private beach, the Lakeside Ballroom also receives a $300,000 makeover. Construction kicked off last week on new design details include new carpeting, light fixtures, wall treatments and mechanized shades.
Renovations to Lone Eagle Grille’s lounge will be complete November 23, just in time for Thanksgiving. The Lakeside Ballroom will completed by December 1. During construction, Lone Eagle Grille will remain open for lunch and dinner, and the lounge will reopen just in time for snow season après-ski and holiday festivities. Dedicated to continued investment in the resort, the renovations are part of a series of capital improvement projects, to include a full remodel of all guestrooms, with model room to begin in the first quarter of 2011.
For more information about North Lake Tahoe, dining and lodging options visit North Lake Tahoe online.
In the last of our “What’s New” blogs for the 2010/11 ski and board season we’re taking a look at what’s new at area lodges. While the mountain is the most important part of a ski/board experience, lodges also play an important role.
The legendary Olympic House base lodge at Squaw Valley has been brilliantly remodeled for the start of the 2010-11 winter season. Changes include a complete remodel of Bar One which has been updated to include a cozy fireplace, expansive bar, and improved views of Squaw Valley’s majestic peaks. The space’s new layout and design embraces the rich history of the bar and employs extensive use of natural materials and environmentally advanced materials.
Squaw Valley also just completed an extensive remodel of the Olympic Village Lodge and Conference Center. This facility is available for meeting space, weddings and conferences. This storied building was the first and only facility in which Olympic athletes dined together under one roof, and the space maintains its classic and romantic feeling but now with modern functionality. The remodel included all new flooring, A/V updates and a redesign of the outdoor deck.
Alpine Meadows also unveils an entirely redesigned outdoor seating area at its base lodge. The 7500 square foot sundeck, which offers outdoor slopeside seating, features an inviting space for relaxation around a new firepit.
At Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe the panoramic new Winters Creek Lodge, which opened last season, benefits from a new sustainability initiative including three “extreme energy windspires” along the lodge’s walkway that will help offset energy costs to the new facility while contributing to a greener environment.
Any great ski and board getaway deserves maximum time on the mountain. That being said, everyone needs a little down time. Tahoe’s resorts know that and so they’ve continued to focus on off-slope amenities that delight.
The Village at Northstar’s shops and restaurants expand with the addition of All Fired Up! pottery-making studio offering guests another experiential opportunity along the lines of existing jewelry design, candle, mosaic and teddy bear making stores already present in the village. The Marketplace also opens its doors this winter offering guests the convenience of grab and go grocery and personal items, fresh coffee from Equator, a Bay Area coffee roaster, plus spirits, micro brews, wine, locally baked breads and more. Northstar also adds two new movie theaters to the Village opening in December.
Not to be outdone, Squaw welcomes a host of new shops to the European-style base village as well including three new retail stores: Squaw Dogs, Marmot and the Squaw One Logo Company. Geared towards active dogs and their people, Squaw Dogs features a wide offering of food and supplements to keep dogs healthy, as well as all the gear they need for great adventures. Marmot features name-brand Marmot gear and outdoor clothing, and Squaw One Logo Company has all the essential Squaw Valley logowear.
Two years of improvements to Squaw Valley’s culinary services program is topped off with the completion of 39° North. Squaw Valley has received rave reviews on the completely redesigned menus and facilities and this year welcomes Dave Benge as the new Director of Culinary Services. Benge comes to Squaw Valley with over eighteen years of executive food and beverage experience at Lake Tahoe resorts.
Northstar’s on-mountain dining expands to include vanilla cinnamon French toast and pancakes on the breakfast menu at the Big Springs Day Lodge, and grilled chicken, beef or shrimp fajitas served with piping hot Spanish rice, black beans and flour tortillas with house made salsa, shredded cheese and sour cream at the Summit Deck & Grille. The Snow Bar, an outdoor bar made of snow that guests can ski, ride or walk up to, also opens this winter at the top of the mountain featuring suds from Sierra Nevada Brewery.
Check out photos of other resort upgrades in our Flickr gallery. Our next post in the series of what’s new for Tahoe’s ski and board season focuses on lodge improvements at area resorts. Until then, plan your Tahoe ski getaway.
The snow just keeps on coming. North Lake Tahoe ski resorts are reporting a foot of new snow at their higher elevations in the last 24 hours in addition to the eight feet that fell last week throughout the region.
For ski resort conditions and holiday special events, click to the North Lake Tahoe Visitors Bureaus’ website. While you’re there, hit Cool Deals, which is updated daily, for savings on North Lake Tahoe lodging, skiing, activities and special events.
There’s only two days left to save big on your Lake Tahoe ski vacation, when traveling November 4 to February 10, 2010.
The Southwest Airlines Vacations Ski Destinations Special has every second person flying free into the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, a 45-minute drive from North Lake Tahoe and the largest concentration of ski resorts in the U.S., as well as staying and skiing free when you book a special ski lodging package.
Even your skis fly free for first and second checked bags. Weight and size limits apply. Blackout dates are November 24 to December 1 and December 17 to January 3, 2010. Deadline to book is Thursday, November 26 before 6 p.m. Central Time.
Pack your bags and prepare for an epic ski getaway to North Lake Tahoe.
We’re launching a great new feature on our website that allows all Lake Tahoe lovers from far and near to tell a story about Lake Tahoe for a chance to win a two-night stay at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoeand two 2-dayinterchangeable lift tickets.
Chances are if you have ever visited Lake Tahoe during anytime of the year, you’ve had an experience to remember and an experience to share. We invite you to tell your storywhether it is romantic, adventurous, dramatic, inspiring or amusing to be automatically entered to win.
Boasting Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation, 
