Squaw Valley combined with Alpine Meadows becomes the largest Californian ski resort of legends, home of the world’s first double chair in 1949, host of the 1960 Winter Olympics, and training ground to pro skiers. Although both are technically separate ski areas, there are plans to connect the two via gondola. Nonetheless, both are covered by the same lift ticket which gives you massive 6,000 ac to explore!
Reno-Tahoe International Airport
Squaw Valley (Palisades Tahoe) (1 hour)
Squaw Valley is where beginners will want to go! Most of the green slopes here are in the upper mid-mountain so beginners can join the more experienced skiers higher up! Hop aboard the Big Blue Express lift to access some of the best long green runs here!
We'd pick Alpine Meadows over Squaw Valley for intermediates as the runs are generally less crowded and there are tons of blues to cruise. Our favorites here include the Rock Garden Run off the Summit Express lift or Outer Limits off the Lakeview Chair for stunning vistas of Lake Tahoe. In Squaw Valley Lakeview Run and Knob Hill are great long runs worth trying out but our to-die-for run here is The Attic.
Both Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows have expert terrain but if we had to pick one, it would be Squaw Valley. Notorious for its steeps, Squaw Valley's best chutes and cliffs can be accessed by the KT-22 Express lift! The Silverado lift is also perfect for those looking for some crowd-free shredding. Otherwise, in Alpine Meadows, the powder-filled Beaver Bowl and Estelle Bowls are incredible!
Freshies are easy to find even days after a storm. If you're up for a hike, the advanced rated Beaver Bowl and Estelle Bowl off the Summit Express lift in Alpine Meadows has plenty of hidden powder stashes!
Crowds are inevitable on powder days and they're especially worse in Squaw Valley. Squaw Valley is also notorious for their terrible lift lines with the Gold Coast Funitel and Shirley Lake Express being two of the busiest lifts! Avoid them during peak times if you hate long waits!
Non-skiers will have a range of things to do here including dogsledding and Nordic skiing. There are also Casinos over in Stateline Nevada or if you're lucky enough to be visiting in April, the annual WinterWonderGrass California Music and Brew Festival at Squaw Valley is tons of fun for everyone!
Both Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows are quite family-friendly, though Squaw Valley has more facilities suitable for children as well as a larger ski school. Squaw Valley's base village also easy to walk around and has an abundance of restaurants for fuelling up.
