Palisades Tahoe
- 6,000+ acres
- Expert terrain
- Olympic history
- Ikon Pass
- Half-pipe & terrain parks
ActivitiesSkiing & Riding
Skiing and riding at Lake Tahoe
More than a dozen resorts sit within an hour of the lake, from 6,000-acre Palisades Tahoe to small family hills. Every ability level and budget is covered.
Conditions today
- Right now
- 72°F, Sunny
- Today
- High 72°, low 48°
- Wind
- 8 mph
- Snow base
- No snow reported
- Resorts open
- 0
- TomorrowPartly Cloudy, 10% chance of rain68° 45°
- ThuMostly Clear, 5% chance of rain74° 50°
- FriPM Storms, 75% chance of rain61° 44°
Best months
- Jan: best
- Feb: best
- Mar: best
- Apr: possible
- May: out of season
- Jun: out of season
- Jul: out of season
- Aug: out of season
- Sep: out of season
- Oct: out of season (this month)
- Nov: possible
- Dec: best
Most resorts run from December to April. The highest ones open earlier and stay open later in good snow years.
Know before you go
- Roads
- I-80 and Highway 50 close or require chains during storms. Carry chains even with four-wheel drive and check road conditions before you leave.
- Passes
- Palisades Tahoe is on the Ikon Pass. Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood are on the Epic Pass. Several smaller resorts sell their own day tickets for much less.
- Tickets
- Day tickets are cheapest bought online in advance. Weekend and holiday prices at the big resorts are the highest of the season.
- Crowds
- Parking at the large resorts fills early on powder days and holidays. Midweek is quieter everywhere.
Best known for
- Palisades Tahoe6,000+ acres, expert terrain, Ikon Pass
- HeavenlyLake views, Epic Pass
- KirkwoodDeepest snowpack, Epic Pass
- NorthstarGrooming and families, Epic Pass
- Mt. RoseHighest base in Tahoe at 8,260 ft
- Sky TavernNon-profit hill, est. 1948
Shore by shore
North Shore
Northstar California is the north shore's most family-friendly resort — excellent grooming, a village base area, and strong terrain park. Tahoe Donner is good for beginners.
East Shore
Diamond Peak and Mt. Rose are the east shore's best resorts. Mt. Rose has the highest base elevation in Tahoe (8,260 ft) — meaning more reliable early and late season snow.
South Shore
Heavenly (4,800 acres) and Kirkwood are the south shore's anchors. Kirkwood consistently gets the deepest snowpack in the basin — 500+ inch seasons are common.
West Shore
Palisades Tahoe (6,000+ acres) and Alpine Meadows are the west shore anchors. Palisades has the most vertical and the most expert terrain in Tahoe.
16 places for skiing & riding
Open the resort mapAlpine Meadows
- Linked to Palisades
- Tree skiing
- Steep bowls
- Ikon Pass
- Separate character from Palisades
Heavenly Mountain
- 3,500 acres
- Spans CA & NV
- Gondola from Stateline
- Lake views on every run
- Epic Pass
Northstar California
- 3,170 acres
- Epic Pass
- Village base area
- Best grooming in Tahoe
- Terrain parks
- Beginner-friendly
Kirkwood Mountain
- 2,300 acres
- Deepest snowpack in basin
- 500"+ seasons
- Expert terrain
- Epic Pass
- Uncrowded
Sierra-at-Tahoe
- 2,000 acres
- South shore
- Deep tree skiing
- 5 terrain parks
- Huckleberry Canyon backcountry
- Ikon Pass
All 16 skiing & riding places, A to Z
Gear and rentals nearby
Open the amenities map- REI — South Lake TahoeOutfitter, South Lake Tahoe, CAFull outfitter, Rentals, Expert staff
- Tahoe Outdoor CenterOutfitter, Tahoe City, CAGear, advice & guided adventures
- Alpenglow SportsOutfitter, Truckee, CABackcountry & ski, Climbing gear, Truckee hub
- Dave's Ski & BoardOutfitter, South Lake Tahoe, CASki & snowboard rentals & tuning
Guides and official sites
These open on other websites.
- Palisades Tahoe (opens in a new tab)palisadestahoe.com
- Heavenly (opens in a new tab)skiheavenly.com
- Northstar California (opens in a new tab)northstarcalifornia.com
- Sierra Avalanche Center (opens in a new tab)sierraavalanchecenter.org