#250050 - 21/02/2005 14:02
Tahoe Ski Areas
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veteran
Registered: 21/01/2002
Posts: 1380
Loc: Erie, CO
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I'm headed to Lake Tahoe this weekend and we're planning on hitting Alpine Meadows on Sat. and Squaw on Sun. Any tips on either of those two areas? Secret stashes, untracked powder? Is it wise to wear a pack if you want to move around the mountain a bit? I've ridden at large areas before (Sugarloaf, Sunday River) but only out east, this will be my first left coast trip.
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#250051 - 21/02/2005 14:19
Re: Tahoe Ski Areas
[Re: cushman]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31597
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Secret stashes, untracked powder?
On the weekend? No.
The trick to the Tahoe ski areas is to go during the week. For me, the weekend only works if the conditions are really good and I get there early enough so that I get a decent parking space (i.e., I arrive a half hour before the park opens). And things still pretty much suck because of the crowds.
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Is it wise to wear a pack if you want to move around the mountain a bit?
Some people swear by packs, but I've seen people get their packs caught in the chair lift and get tangled up as they are trying to get off. Not pretty.
Me, I just have a couple of big zipper pockets in my jacket and keep my wallet, cell phone, and a cloth to wipe my goggles in there. Everything else gets stuffed in a locker at the lodge. I'm not the type of person to carry a water bottle with me on the slopes... if I'm thirsty, I just go back to the lodge.
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#250052 - 21/02/2005 22:26
Re: Tahoe Ski Areas
[Re: tfabris]
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veteran
Registered: 21/01/2002
Posts: 1380
Loc: Erie, CO
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On the weekend? No.
Unfortunately, that's what I thought too, but I couldn't get anyone to stay longer into the week.
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Some people swear by packs, but I've seen people get their packs caught in the chair lift and get tangled up as they are trying to get off. Not pretty.
Hopefully you won't see me on the news, then.
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Me, I just have a couple of big zipper pockets in my jacket and keep my wallet, cell phone, and a cloth to wipe my goggles in there. Everything else gets stuffed in a locker at the lodge. I'm not the type of person to carry a water bottle with me on the slopes... if I'm thirsty, I just go back to the lodge.
Usually I would do the same thing, but looking at the trail maps (especially Squaw) I may not be back to the same place every few runs. I guess I was trying to maximize my on-snow time by packing everything along.
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#250053 - 22/02/2005 07:51
Re: Tahoe Ski Areas
[Re: cushman]
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addict
Registered: 25/06/2002
Posts: 456
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Quote:
I'm headed to Lake Tahoe this weekend and we're planning on hitting Alpine Meadows on Sat. and Squaw on Sun. Any tips on either of those two areas?
Secret stashes, untracked powder?
When you go looking for that elusive powder stash, I would advise that you stay in-bounds right now. There was an avalanche death on Sunday in the back-country between Squaw Valley and Sugar Bowl.
A dozen or so cross-country skiers got caught and one didn't make it. So if you're going to do it (go back-country) make sure you
- know what you're doing, and
- bring the usual stuff: pack, shovel, avalanche transceiver,
- sign out with ski patrol.
Actually, I guess (b) and (c) are just subsets of (a).
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Is it wise to wear a pack if you want to move around the mountain a bit?
I think packs work great for skiers. It's less clear to me if they are as great for snowboarders.
I like to ski with a pack.
But that's because I don't want to have to ever go back to the base -- and I like to carry water, trail mix, power bars, extra layers, backup glasses in case my contacts freak out, digital camera, spare camera battery, Rio Karma, cellphone, FRS radio, and sometimes GPS. And I like to have somewhere to throw my helmet and goggles if I decide to switch to baseball cap and sunglasses in the afternoon.
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Some people swear by packs, but I've seen people get their packs caught in the chair lift and get tangled up as they are trying to get off. Not pretty.
That's one big downside with packs. The other ones are that they can throw your weight balance off and that you can fall on them and get pointy uncomfortable corners jammed in your back (and it's none-too-good for the objects themselves, either).
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wallet, cell phone, and a cloth to wipe my goggles in there. Everything else gets stuffed in a locker at the lodge. I'm not the type of person to carry a water bottle with me on the slopes... if I'm thirsty, I just go back to the lodge.
I'm just the opposite.
Hence, I wear a pack, and you do not.
Different strokes for different folks.
(But if I get stuck on the lift for an hour, or end up waiting 15 minutes for my ski partner to find a ski and come out of the trees, then during that interval I'll be warm, well-fed/hydrated, and filled with rocking tunes. Not to mention being in contact with said ski partner on the radio to make sure he's conscious and without broken extremities.)
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I guess I was trying to maximize my on-snow time by packing everything along.
Whatever you feel comfortable with. You now have a response from two people at both extremes.
Anyway, to answer your question. I can't give you "local"-quality advice, but I ski Alpine Meadows enough that I'll throw out some suggestions.
- At Alpine you can do the high traverse and drop over the backside into Sherwood Bowl. Sometimes you can get fresh tracks there without too much hiking. Downside: can be windpacked. Also Sherwood gets direct sun and can melt in the afternoon and refreeze. If you've had a few warm days without new snow, avoid it in the morning. But if that is the case, the afternoon slush skiing can be pretty fun there -- besides you can stop halfway down for a beer at the Ice Bar.
- The trees off the Lakeview chair may not get skied out as fast as some of the other places, also they're (possibly) less likely to have the melt/refreeze problem of the trees under the Sherwood chair.
- Wolverine Bowl and all that other stuff off to the right (skier's left) of Summit Chair. It'll be crowded, and you probably won't get first tracks, but it's fun, and you never know....
I can't offer any detailed suggestions for Squaw. Except to remind you that you get night skiing for free. (Or more accurately, that you are forced to pay for night skiing in your lift ticket cost, so you might as well use it.)
Look! Pretty pictures to follow.
First: Lake Tahoe on Feb. 5th. (no recent snow)
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#250057 - 22/02/2005 08:40
Re: Tahoe Ski Areas
[Re: music]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 23/08/2000
Posts: 3826
Loc: SLC, UT, USA
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And it's still coming down eh? I can't wait to come up this week!!!
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#250058 - 22/02/2005 21:37
Re: Tahoe Ski Areas
[Re: loren]
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addict
Registered: 25/06/2002
Posts: 456
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And it's still coming down eh? I can't wait to come up this week!!!
Have fun. I wish I could have stayed an extra few days.
At Heavenly, it snowed 10 inches Sat., 10 inches more Sun., and 8 inches Monday.
It's really nice up there right now.
Of course, with lots of schools on break this week, I'm sure every resort is fairly crowded. Sure can't complain about the snow, though!
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#250060 - 23/02/2005 12:10
Re: Tahoe Ski Areas
[Re: canuckInOR]
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enthusiast
Registered: 21/08/2000
Posts: 346
Loc: Rochester, NY USA
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I just got back from a week in Tahoe! Simply the most beautiful place. 40F and Sunny everyday. Sqaw's Granite Chief was a healthy hike and yielded some nice finds.  As you have already heard the weekends at both sqaw and Alpine can be a zoo. Alpine has terrible parking / shuttle situations on the weekend, but its almost 1/2 price. We ended up snowmobiling the 2nd Saturday instead. Found a place (the ski barn) you can tow the sleds to where ever you want or have them delivered to a monster rec area and go as fast as you want...  Enjoy!
_________________________
Cheers,
-Doug Morrison
Mk2-32G Back light buttons, Neon red screen
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#250061 - 02/03/2005 17:19
Re: Tahoe Ski Areas
[Re: morrisdl]
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veteran
Registered: 21/01/2002
Posts: 1380
Loc: Erie, CO
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I ended up having a great weekend, we rode at Alpine Meadows on Saturday and at Squaw on Sunday. I didn't find either place really crowded, lift lines were very short and I only had to wait a minute or two for a chair just a few times. I rode with a pack the entire time (a Dakine Heli) and it didn't bother me a bit. Alpine Meadows was a lot of fun, Squaw had more terrain and better bowls but the vibe there was more resort-like while AM was chill. There wasn't any new snow while I was there, a disappointment for sure, but it was a good time anyway. After the sun had come out and melted up some of the choss on the ungroomed stuff it was fantastic. Good tree skiing at Squaw also, especially off of KT-22. I can see where that lift would be off the hook on a powder day!  Here are some pictures I took while I was there.
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#250062 - 02/03/2005 17:51
Re: Tahoe Ski Areas
[Re: cushman]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 20/12/1999
Posts: 31597
Loc: Seattle, WA
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I love it when Tahoe looks like glass like that. Mmmmm.
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