Tahoe Guide

1960 Squaw Valley Rd, Olympic Valley, CA 96146 (map)

Squaw has a gritty glamour. The legion of pros who have turned nearly every cliff on the mountain into a launching pad are outnumbered only by upscale rubberneckers who watch the action from the base lodge or the green and blue slopes that make up 70% of the mountain’s runs.

100 Northstar Dr, Truckee, CA 96160 (map)

Hate driving in the snow? Northstar’s got you covered. With fine dining, hopping bars and accommodation that ranges from reasonably priced condos to the Ritz-Carlton, the only time guests have to get in the car is to go home.

5145 Westlake Blvd, Homewood, CA 96141 (map)

Located on Tahoe’s west shore, this is beginner- and intermediate-friendly mountain promotes the philosophy that winter sports don’t have to be expensive by offering $29 lift ticket specials, making it a favorite of local snow bums.

1590 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA 94103 (map)

Sports Basement offers screaming deals on closeout skis, snowboards, and softgoods at its three SF locations, so if you don’t need this season’s latest and greatest, this is the place to stock your gear closet.

180 Post St, San Francisco, CA 94108 (map)

The three-story North Face store is big enough to have an adventure in and is packed with all the gear you’ll ever need for winter conditions, from slick Gore-Tex jackets to four-season backcountry tents.

770 N Point St, San Francisco, CA 94109 (map)

Environmentally-conscious store staffed by outdoor-nuts has snow apparel for the more mature crowd. It's good-looking, long-lasting, foul-weather clothing but it's not cheap and the Ghiradelli/Fisherman's Wharf location isn't ideal for anyone but a tourist.

5 Highway 28, Crystal Bay, NV 89402 (map)

On the Nevada side of state line, the 108-room Biltmore has seen better days, but that works in the favor of budget travelers: rooms start at $39 so you’ll have some cash left over to lose at the in-house casino.

1920 Squaw Valley Rd, Olympic Valley, CA 96146 (map)

Where better for a high-profile California politician to open a hotel than at the base of the state’s most famous ski resort? Mountain-rustic meets city-chic at this sixty-room hotel and restaurant, co-owned by San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom and located a snowball’s throw from Squaw’s gondola.

10918 Brockway Rd, Truckee, CA 96161 (map)

It may seem like a counter-intuitive business plan but, as its name implies, the goal of this 42-room sport hotel in Truckee is to get clients out the door. Cedar House partners with local outfitters to create custom adventures like dog-sledding and backcountry snowshoeing and at the end of the day guests feast at Stella, an in-house private Italian restaurant.

1202 Ski Run Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 (map)

If you want to stay in South Lake Tahoe, but neon lights and smoky casinos aren’t your bag, check out Black Bear. The mounted head of a 12-point elk craning from the 34-foot-tall stone fireplace will either make you feel like Paul Bunyan or give you nightmares.

18 Highway 50, Stateline, NV 89449 (map)

It’s not quite ski-in ski-out but just one block from the Heavenly gondola, Harvey’s might as well be. The recently remodeled 740-room hotel and casino strives for Vegas-like grandeur and rooms come with half-canopy beds and marble bathrooms.