Snowboarding, like un-popped bubble wrap, is one of life’s finest pleasures. But between organizing gear, tickets, transportation, and housing, getting yourself out and on the mountain can feel a bit complicated. Fortunately, the following guide will give you everything you need to plan a perfect trip to Tahoe (or Mammoth), so read on.
Getting ready
If you don’t have your own gear, or don’t want to schlep it all the way to Tahoe, rentals are a great way to go. The Sports Basement offers one-day rentals for a very affordable $25 — a five day rental is just $10 more. If you’re short on space or time, Tahoe Dave’s in North Lake is a great option for last minute rentals. You can expect to pay around $30 per day. In South Lake try Rainbow Mountain rentals for performance snowboard packages as low as $32 per day. All can be reserved online, saving you time and effort.
And if you’re ready to take the plunge, the venerable snowboard brand Burton has a flagship store on Haight Street, while Mountain West, the only dedicated ski and snowboard shop in San Francisco, deals in high-quality boards, boots, and bindings.
Lift tickets
This is where it’s going to hurt the most. The biggest resorts charge upwards of $100 a day. At smaller mountains you can pay half as much, but you also get less terrain and fewer amenities (which, depending on how badly you need a doggie day care and a ski concierge, may not be a big deal).
Keep in mind, though, the worst thing you can do is head to the ticket office the day of. You’ll find same-day tickets sell for as much as a 30% premium, so plan ahead.
Drought deals
The bad news is that California is entering its fourth year of drought and the snowpack in Tahoe is just a fraction of average. The good news? As the dry conditions drive tourists away, you can support struggling ski resorts at just a fraction of the cost. Snowbomb is temporarily offering $500 worth of deals, including five lift tickets, two hotel nights, tuning and rentals, for $79. In addition to everyday discounted tickets to ten resorts ($10-$29 off), The Sports Basement is also selling all snow gear for 50% until the next storm. Snow or no, ongoing deals from Liftopia will get you discounted tickets to some of Tahoe’s smaller resorts. Or just head to a Shell station and fill up. Bring your receipt to a participating resort and receive a free ticket with the purchase of one of equal value.
Getting there
If you’re planning to drive to Tahoe for the weekend, avoid leaving during peak hours, which can turn the pleasant three-and-a-half-hour drive into a six-hour nightmare. On Friday, head out of the Bay early (before 4 p.m.) or late (after 8 p.m.) and plan to do the same on Sunday, when westbound 80 gets surprisingly clogged.
If you don’t have access to a car, affordable and convenient alternatives include Getaround, aka Airbnb for cars, or check out the ride-sharing program hosted by Snowpals, a Bay area based ski and snowboard club..
Still, for hassle-free one-day or weekend-long trips, local ski buses are the best option. Day trips leave at dawn, depositing weekend warriors to their resort of choice in time to catch the first chair, and return at dusk. Bay Area Ski Bus offers trips to all major resorts and costs between $129 and $159 for a roundtrip bus ride, lift ticket, breakfast and après ski BBQ. For a slightly wallet friendlier option, I like the no-frills NAC Ski, which nixes the BBQ and charges $89 to $145.
Once you’re there
In California, there’s a mountain to suit every style and sensibility. Some have lamented the recent lack of snow — two straight years of record-breaking drought will really put a damper on snowboard season — but with at least 30 inches of base at most major resorts, I’m not writing Tahoe and Mammoth off just yet. Below are some of my favorite spots in the state.
Heavenly is probably the most popular of the Lake Tahoe resorts. With more than 4,800 acres of terrain and stunning views of the lake, this South Lake Tahoe stalwart is a must see. And if you’re more bro than snow, head over to Unbuckle, where the DJ Cat — a snowcat converted into a 52 speaker, 12,000-watt DJ booth — spins music slopeside until the sun goes down
If low key is your middle name then Kirkwood is your game. It stands alone along a lightly trafficked corridor of Highway 88. What it lacks in facilities it more than makes up for in snow quality and ambiance. On a sunny day the backside mid-mountain bar and restaurant can’t be beat; cozy up in an Adirondack for some beer, BBQ, and prime slopeside people watching.
For all your champagne wishes and caviar dreams head to Northstar where, among other things, a daily 3 p.m. champagne toast will remind you of the finer things in life. If your budget allows, try the Ritz-Carlton where a “marshmalogist” will ensure your s’more is properly paired. For those of us who haven’t sold our startups for untold millions, Northstar is still very much worth a visit. Among Tahoe resorts it is undisputed king of terrain parks — it has seven. And if the 18-foot half-pipe isn’t big enough for you, there’s also a 22-foot superpipe.
Squaw Valley, famous host of the 1960 Winter Olympics, is known for the quality and variety of its expert terrain. But Squaw is surprisingly friendly to beginners, with an extensive network of bunny slopes at the top of the Gold Coast Funitel. Its terrain parks are also well maintained, making it a great choice for snowboarders of every stripe, from first timers to veteran freestylers. Alpine Meadows, which you can ride on the same lift ticket as Squaw, is right next door and when Squaw gets too hectic, people often threaten to flee to Alpine. Good news: They never do, so shuttle over to Alpine for a break from the crowd. But if you do want to mix and mingle, the always-popular Le Chamois gets my vote for best après option.
Mammoth Mountain, a veritable snowboarder’s paradise, is a not-too-terrible six-hour drive from the Bay, or a much shorter one-hour flight from SFO. Wonderful for spring skiing, Mammoth boasts the highest summit elevation in the state, and the season can last well into June. Home of 14-year-old snowboard phenom Chloe Kim, the youngest X Games gold medalist in history (Shaun White who?), Mammoth is known as a haven for park rats. Unrelated, but equally important: Breakfast sandwiches at the base are life changing and not to be missed.
Though dwarfed by Northstar and Squaw, its neighbors to the South, Boreal is a smart little resort with a lot to offer. It’s a forgiving place to learn, although, according to one Quora commenter, on a busy day it can be like watching one million baby giraffes learn to walk all at once. On the other hand, its link to Woodward, a 30,000-square-foot freestyle snow sports training facility, gives Boreal an edge for the rider who has visions of half-pipes and slopestyle courses dancing in her head.
Where to stay
Truckee gets my vote for ambiance, and it’s within 15 minutes of most North Lake resorts, while the decidedly less charming, but always exciting, South Lake Tahoe casino corridor is convenient to Heavenly, Kirkwood, and Sierra-at-Tahoe.
If you don’t mind sleeping with strangers, then the budget friendly Hostel Tahoe is your best bet. Thirty-five dollars per night will buy you snacking privileges in the communal kitchen and a spot in a single-sex dorm room. You might also consider joining the Apres Ski Lodge — membership includes access to its North Lake lodge in Kings Beach.
If a hotel is more your speed, South Lake Tahoe provides the widest variety of options. Boutique Basecamp Hotel is surprisingly chic and just minutes from Heavenly. The newly opened Hard Rock Hotel & Casino promises to be a veritable den of iniquity for those who like to court danger off the slopes as well.
Airbnb is still my favorite option. Gather a group of friends and rent one of Tahoe’s many slopeside chalets. Don’t have any friends? Make some, by joining Snowpals, where members regularly post about openings in existing ski leases or weekend shares.
What’s next
So you’ve been to Tahoe and you’re jonesing for more. For off-season, off-mountain skill building try San Francisco’s House of Air, an indoor trampoline park that offers board sports training sessions and even invite-only freestyle aerial maneuver programs.
If you want to give back while you’re shredding snow, SOS Outreach a youth development non-profit that hosts winter snowboarding programs at five Tahoe resorts, is regularly looking for on-mountain volunteers.
And if that’s still not enough, then join a race team. Northern California’s Open League hosts a full season of snowboard races across 11 ability levels and four age groups. Hook up with an existing team or drop in as a guest racer. If you’re like me, you’ll be the only person in your age group, the reward for which will be an undefeated season.
