Tahoe Ski Guide – Where to Do It All in the Tahoe Basin

Where to Stay:

One can obviously stay in the Tahoe Basin, however in any decent winter season there the Tahoe Basin tends to get completely booked. So note that Reno also offers a ton of options, you can stay off the beaten path and closer to the mountains or you can stay downtown, centrally locate or post up in south Reno. Staying in Reno keeps you closest to the ski resorts at the north end of the Tahoe Basin, namely, Sugar Bowl, Northstar, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, Donner Ski Ranch, Boreal, Mount Rose and Diamond Peak. One important note about Reno is that is a has an avenue that circles the entire city, including sparks. This is called McCarren avenue, and in western Reno you can travel on McCarren to I-80 to quickly head toward the northern most ski resorts. McCarren south sits you closer to Mount Rose and Diamond Peak that can be accessed by heading south down Highway 580(formerly US 395) and then taking a right onto the MountRose Highway(431).

Alternatively one could stay in Carson City or Carson Valley, this keeps you closer to the south end of Tahoe basin where you are closer to Kirkwood, Heavenly, Homewood and Sierra at Tahoe. Another perk in staying in Carson and Carson Valley is you can beat the rush if you play your cards right. Everyday is a celebration at all of the ski resorts during such an ‘epic’ season as this, so expect crowds on any day! Furthermore if you stay more in the south end you are close enough to take a day trip down to Mammoth Ski Resort, which as I hear is a bucket list contender. Another cool option is to stay in Virginia City, there are not as many options as Reno has to offer but one can truly have themselves an interesting winter vacation by lodging on the Comstock. Keep in mind that weather conditions can make travel in all of these locations more difficult.

There are far too many to mention by name but I can at least point out some cool options. If you care staying in Reno and you are planning on venturing into the mountains, make sure and have yourself a good breakfast. Downtown Reno has a lot of options for this, however if you are eager to get on the road you can make the attempt to stop in cafe’s and breakfast nooks in the surrounding towns that are situated at the base of the mountains. For example there are a list of good eatery’s in west Reno, you can find them on the west side of the ‘strip’ downtown or farther west off Mae Anne and McCarran and Robb drive. Stopping there will give you a quick landing and ascent back up I-80 to the northern most resorts. There is also the option of eating at some of the ski resorts, Northstar, Squaw and Alpine have their own restaurants, but if you don’t time it right they might be pretty crowded. In South Lake Tahoe Heavenly has some dining accommodations, but Stateline’s casinos and restaurants are even more available and well positioned. If you are planning to go to Sierra at Tahoe or Kirkwood there are less options for food, but Kirkwood has good eats ad Sierra at Tahoe is close to South Lake Tahoe. Both of these southerly resorts are favored for their deep snow and cold conditions.

Lift Tickets and Ski and Snowboard Rentals:

Tahoe has a number of rental options and shops for good ski and snow board gear, including clothing. In Reno there are a few options downtown, a good one in west Reno and 4 or 5 rental options in the south. Secondly each ski resort has a rental shop and a number of options. Some however prefer to put on their gear in the parking lot then head straight to the lift! So keep in mind that nearly all ski resorts give deals for buying your lift tickets in advance-online.