Let It Snow
| travel |
SKI RESORT ROUNDUP by SUZIE DUNDAS
Northstar California Resort
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stylemg.com
| JANUARY 2022 |
Northstar California Resort
5001 Northstar Drive, Truckee, 530-562-2267, northstarcalifornia.com
Northstar has a reputation for being the fanciest resort at the lake and tends to attract an equally posh clientele. It’s the most like East Coast skiing, with very defined runs and truly excellent grooming. Most skiers here are out-of-towners, not locals, which makes it busy on the weekends but one of the least busy “major” resorts on the weekdays. • Base area has an expansive (and expensive) village with an ice-skating rink and happy hour s’mores. • Some of the most defined terrain around the lake. • Has a few well-built parks. • Close parking lot is very small; expect to shuttle to reach the village most days.
Diamond Peak Ski Resort
1210 Ski Way, Incline Village, 775-8321177, diamondpeak.com
Diamond Peak, aka DP, is one of the most affordable mountains and, along with Homewood, offers probably the best views of Lake Tahoe. It has one particularly nice trail that looks like you’re going to ski directly into the lake, but—bonus(!)— leads directly to a mid-mountain bar. • Fewer trails but great progression (if you’re a beginner, it’s a good place to start on blues; if
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Diamond Peak Ski Resort
you’re skiing blues, it’s a good place to work up to black, etc.). • Very short lines; one of the least-crowded mountains. • Ideal for kids and lessons; if you’re skiing the steeps, you’ll have a lot of space to yourself. • Has great midweek deals.
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe
22222 Mt. Rose Highway, Reno, 775849-0704, skirose.com
As the highest resort along the lake, Mt. Rose gets brag-worthy amounts of snow. It’s also the closest resort to Reno, so it tends to get crowded with tourists. The front side is good for families, and expert skiers will love the steep chutes on the backside.
Northstar photos by Tomas Cohen. Diamond Peak photo by Chris Talbot.
Tahoe is home to ski resorts for all—from glitzy and glamorous to budget-friendly options that won’t break the bank. As a local who specializes in writing about the outdoors and adventure sports, I’m often asked: “What’s the difference between them, and how do I pick one?” So, here’s a quick and dirty guide, from my humble perspective, starting clockwise at the top of the lake.
