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North Lake Tahoe |
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One of the great things about North Lake Tahoe is its variety of activities. For the downhillers, this area has the largest concentration of alpine ski resorts in North America (seven areas with a combined area of 13,045 skiable acres). For those donning the skinny skis, countless miles of terrain will engulf you, giving you a sense of the vastness of this dazzling region. For those who are spending time at more than one ski area (and who wouldn't?), Interchangeable Lift Tickets are available for all seven downhill and five cross-country resorts.
But that's only the beginning. Last year, North Lake Tahoe was rated one of the top five nature travel destinations in the United States, among Hawaii, the Florida Keys and various national parks. To experience this side of the Sierra Nevada, all you have to do is strap on your snowshoes (a simple sport to pick up for all ages and abilities). For those who want a glimpse of this region by night, guided moonlight snowshoe tours give an incomparable glimpse of the Sierra sky and winter backcountry. Guided tours are offered throughout the winter through several companies.
Many of the resorts stay open well into spring, bringing
the ski season in some parts to an impressive seven months. Late
in the season, it's not uncommon to ski in the morning and catch
some sun in the afternoon at the beach. And with powder falling
well into April and even May, it gives the resorts all the
reason they need to break out the festivities. Events throughout
the year give everyone an excuse to party, including Vans and
X-Games contests that give guests |
the chance to check out the most extreme winter athletes in
the world. For newbies and anyone wanting to improve their game, there are plenty of Learn-to-Ski events throughout the season.
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When you've put the skis away for the night, you might find yourself gravitating toward the newest oasis the area has to offer: the Trilogy Spa at the Village at Squaw. This 3,800-square-foot spa offers state-of-the-art pampering with traditional Hawaiian treatments and beautiful island amenities. The area has many more spas, including the 20,000-square-foot Stillwater Spa at the Hyatt Regency, the ski-in/ski-out at Resort at Squaw Creek and many others.
Speaking of new, Northstar at Tahoe has some exciting improvements
for this season. More than $10.5 million dollars have been
invested in new developments, including two new lifts. One,
six-pack lift, will access 13 trails and 137 acres of terrain.
Sixty of those acres are new intermediate terrain and includes a
new mile-long run that connects skiers and |
boarders directly from the top of the sixpack to the Backside. The second life is a European-style lift that will provide great access to Lookout Mountain. Another addition is the Cedar House Sport Hotel, which opened in Truckee in April 2006, minutes from Northstarat-Tahoe, Sugar Bowl, Alpine Meadows, Squaw Valley and Diamond Peak ski resorts. The 42-room boutique inn is described as embodying a
'hip, contemporary, European style.' The property features a lobby with full bar, twelve designer suites, outdoor heated spa and complimentary Wi-Fi service.
For the 21+ crowd, gambling is closer than you think-in addition to being an endless natural playground, North Lake Tahoe
reaches into Nevada and is home to a handful of intimate casinos for those hoping to win big. The Cal-Neva Resort Spa and Casino, built in 1926, straddles California and Nevada and was a haven for Rat Packers and Hollywood bigwigs in the early 60s when Frank Sinatra owned the property from 1960 to 1963.
The Celebrity Showroom was built, as was the rooftop helicopter pad, for Sinatra's colleagues and guests appearing at the resort. There are tunnels running underneath the property and, depending on whom you ask, they were used for escorting the likes of Marilyn Monroe around the property and/or for bootlegging. If asked really nicely, guests might get an impromptu tour from one of the employees.
Forty-five minutes from the airport, getting to and from North Lake Tahoe just got easier this winter, with the new North Lake Tahoe Express daily airport shuttle service.
Contact: 888.434.1262, www.puretahoenorth.com
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| West New & Noteworthy |
On either side of the Canadian border, skiers get a worldclass experience that always keeps visitors on their toes with tens of millions of dollars in improvements this season. Let's see what's coming onto the scene!
On the heels of their best season ever with more than 12.5 million snowrider visits recorded, Colorado has a lot to live up to in 2006/07. With that come many improvements, additions and innovations to make sure the last two years' success will continue through the rest of the decade.
Contact: www.coloradoski.com
One of the most admirable innovations happening this season is that Vail Resorts has announced that it will offset 100% of its energy use with wind-power by purchasing almost 152,000 megawatt-hours of wind energy for all of its 125 retail stores, its lodging properties, all five moun-tain resorts and even corporate headquarters. By putting this amount of energy back on the grid, Vail Resorts has done the equivalent of taking 18,000 cars off the road or planting 27,000 acres of trees. Vail Resorts encompasses Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone, Beaver Creek and Heavenly ski areas.
Contact: 888.222.9324, www.vailresorts.com
Beaver Creek itself will open 180 acres of new terrain this season in Stone Creek Chutes. The new chutes range from 400-600 vertical feet with pitches of up to 45o. The new area also offer the stunning views of the Gore Mountains.
Contact: 800.842.8062, beavercreek.snow.com
The old Squaw Pass ski area in Clear Creek County is under new ownership
- the newly titled Echo Mountain Park opened this past March as the first ski area in the country to be built specifically for terrain-park-style riding. Visitors in 2006/07 will be able to choose from forty rails, boxes, tabletop jumps and other features on thirty acres of straight terrain park.
Contact: www.echomtnpark.com
For skiers and riders with tykes, Ski Cooper has begun construction on a new Children's Center, which will house its Children's Ski School and expanded nursery program. Already marketing itself as a family ski destination and with last season's 13% hike in visitors, Cooper recognized the need for expanded services and programs to satisfy their multigenerational guests. Located right in front of the rental shop, parents can ski worry-free.
Contact: 800.707.6114, www.skicooper.com
Don't forget to take a daytrip to Fort Collins to take the Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour, which takes you through the facilities of the largest brewer in the world, or if you prefer, you can tour the Coors Brewery, whose Golden brewery is the largest single brewing site in the world.
Contact: 800.274.3679, www.ftcollins.com
Alyeska Ski Resorts near Anchorage, Alaska, has some great programs coming on this season. With an average annual snowfall of 631 inches and 2,500 vertical feet of terrain, this ski destination is a stunning way to experience not only the thrill of the snow, but also the majesty of the Aurora Borealis. Don't forget to ask for a Northern Lights wake-up call.
While at Alyeska, visitors would be remiss to leave without seeing some of Alaska's other natural treasures. Wildlife and glaciers are so close that visitors can almost touch them (though MWS does not recommend it), while native culture museums are a beautiful tribute to Alaska's original residents.
Contact: 907.754.2213, www.alyeskaresort.com
Idaho's Schweitzer Mountain has spent $2.5 million this summer to improve the ski resort. The purchase of a dedicated Park Bully will allow Schweitzer's park staff to build and groom better features quicker, allowing them to do more each night. Also, extensive forest thinning throughout the mountain will add even more tree skiing, while the learning area continues to be improved with a new snowmaking gun and a re-graded Musical Carpet area.
To support future development and growth, $1 million was
invested in improving the resort's infrastructure including
sewer and water facilities, technology and networking.
Schweitzer's ski and snowboard rental fleet has also been |
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updated, and the rental process streamlined for a smoother and
faster guest turnaround time. Schweitzer is located 45 miles south
of the Canadian border, allowing a view from the top of three states
and Canada.
Contact: 800.831.8810, www.schweitzer.com
Whistler Blackcomb now measures 500,000 acres of skiable terrain, thanks to the purchase of 8,000-acre Whistler Heli-Skiing. One major benefit of the two companies joining forces, according to Whistler Blackcomb, is the shared knowledge of snow science and experienced professionals. WHS will still operate as a company, only as a subsidiary of WB. Official opening day is Nov. 23 but their first snowfall of the season came in mid-September.
Contact: 800.766.0449, www.whistlerblackcomb.com
Snowbird Mountain outside of Salt Lake City has some great updates for the new season. The original Peruvian lift has been taken out and replaced with a new high speed quad. While the base will stay near the original base shack, the top station will be located below the steepest Chip's Run pitch, an approximately 2,600-vertical-foot rise. This lift allows for continued skier access to Peruvian Gulch and Mineral Basin even if wind conditions prevent the tram from functioning.
More cool happenings on the mountain: Snowbird's new 600-foot tunnel, the first of its kind in North America, houses a conveyor lift that will transport skiers and riders from Peruvian Gulch into Mineral Basin. The 12-foot-high, 10-footwide tunnel provides a four-minute ride to intermediate terrain in Mineral Basin, making intermediate terrain more accessible to skiers and riders by eliminating a number of switchbacks and the steepest pitch of Chip's Run. It's also an efficient way to reach Hidden Peak without using the tram.
Contact: www.snowbird.com
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