Sierra-at-Tahoe

This fun, accessible resort on the way to Lake Tahoe has every right to boast, yet it stays surprisingly under the radar. Accolades are showered on Sierra at Tahoe by a flurry of gold medal winning snowboarders and freestyle skiers, including Hannah Teter and Maddie Bowman, who call the mountain home. Yet you won’t find any big banners or flashy signs trumpeting the mountain’s top notch fans. That might be one reason they love it here, it’s all about the snow and the mountains. There are some great groomers for beginners and intermediates, and surprisingly long runs too, including the 2.5mile Sugar ‘N Spice run, the resort’s longest. Another plus-Sierra at Tahoe has some of the best tree skiing in the region, an expert’s only paradise of steeps, glades, and big fat pillows of puffy snow. 

But the big star is the collection of terrain parks and pipes. In fact, those features might make this one of the best places to go if even if you don’t ski or board: the world class athletes who train here mean you can get a slope side view of some of the finest snow athletes in the world. Hard to believe it, but that tangle haired young woman clomping around in her boots in the lodge probably has a closet full of gold medals back at her ski cabin.

Insider tip: During ski season, a free shuttle runs between Sierra-at-Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe. Also, the Tahoe Super Pass lets you ski and snowboard at Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Sugar Bowl, and Sierra at Tahoe.