Current Weather:
Snow
weather -°

Base Depth:
164-164"

24hr Snowfall:
6"

Surface:
Powder

Squaw Valley

PO Box 2007, Olympic Valley, 96146
Phone: 530-583-6985 Snow Report: 530-583-6955 (snow report)
Squaw Valley Website

by Ann Marie Brown

With a reputation for terrain that intimidates, the undisputed king of the North Shore ski scene is Squaw Valley USA. Located seven miles north of Tahoe City and 12 miles south of Truckee off Highway 89, Squaw Valley came into prominence when it hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics. Today it is one of the largest ski resorts at Tahoe, and has some of the priciest lift tickets.

Squaw's summit elevation is 9,050 feet at Granite Chief, and it features more than 150 possible runs covering more than 4,000 acres of terrain. The mountain’s runs are spread out in sprawling, wide-open bowls rather than funneled into narrow trails. Six mountain peaks are accessed by 34 lifts, including an aerial cable car and North America's only high-speed Funitel, a speedy, six-person gondola. Freestylers have a wide choice of places to play, with three terrain parks, two standard half-pipes, and two superpipes.

Everybody has their own reason to explain the magnetic draw of Squaw. Some local hardcores spend their whole season on the notorious steeps of KT-22, the mother of all Tahoe expert runs, named for the number of kick turns its takes to get down from the top. (The run was built for the women's downhill and men's giant slalom in the 1960 Winter Olympics.) For others, Squaw’s allure is the powder-filled woods of Granite Chief, or the daredevil challenge of the mountain’s craggy outcrops and unforgiving moguls (Warren Miller has shot several ski films here.) Squaw is a serious mountain for serious skiers, but there’s ample terrain so that beginners and intermediates can have a fine day here, too.

Squaw is not a place for skiers who shun crowds; on winter weekends, this is always the busiest resort on the North Shore. It helps if you know where to go. Beginners should head to the lifts at High Camp, with its large, open bowl and great views of Lake Tahoe. Lower on the mountain, the Papoose Learning Area is also a good place for novices to get a feel for the mountain. On the other end of the skills spectrum, the slopes of KT-22, Granite Chief, and Broken Arrow offer only expert terrain. Intermediates will do well in the Snow King, Shirley Lake, and Emigrant Peak areas.

Squaw's success is not just due to the size and variety of its terrain (although that certainly helps), nor is it the fact that there is almost always abundant snow (an average 450 inches fall here per year, plus the resort has an advanced snowmaking system). It's the fact that the resort is an entire industry in and of itself. Visitors could easily spend a couple days at Squaw Valley and never put on a pair of skis. At High Camp at elevation 8,200 feet, accessible via a thrilling cable car ride, there’s a swimming lagoon (open during spring skiing season), a climbing wall, bungee jumping, and an Olympic-size skating rink, plus the white-tablecloth Alexander’s Restaurant and an outdoor bar made of ice. The Gold Coast day lodge complex at the top of the Funitel has large outdoor decks, a restaurant, bar, ski-check area, and ski repair shop. At the bottom of the mountain, the Village at Squaw beckons with its boutiques, dining spots, a full-service day spa, and frequent live music and events. Those who want to play in the snow but don’t want to ski can snowshoe or go for a dogsled ride.

The clientele at Squaw is generally more upscale than at other North Shore resorts, and its lodging options reflect that. Suite-style hotels include the Squaw Valley Lodge, the Plumpjack Squaw Valley Inn, and the Tyrolean-esque Olympic Village Inn. A short distance away is the Resort at Squaw Creek, a ski-in/ski-out hotel with its own ice rink, four restaurants, and a huge swimming pool. Spending the night at any of Squaw’s lodgings saves a lot of driving and parking hassle, and also makes it easy to take advantage of the resort’s night skiing. Squaw is the only resort at Lake Tahoe that has a lighted ski trail, the 3.2-mile, intermediate Mountain Run, which is open from 4-9 p.m. most evenings. The run is lit up by a 1000-watt, color-corrected floodlight system, designed to allow easier vision on the snow. Dinner at High Camp followed by an evening glide down the hill is a memorable way to end a memorable day at Squaw.

WEATHER CONDITIONS

Current Weather:
Snow
weather -°

Forecast:
No data available
°

SKI CONDITIONS

Latest Report: 20100309T05:47:00
24hr Snowfall:
6"		 Last Snowfall:
Mar 04 - 2 3"		 Surface:
Powder
Base Depth:
164-164"		 Trails Open:
170		 Total Trails:
170
Percent Trails Open:
100%		 Lifts Open:
icon 22		 Total Lifts:
icon 33
Terrain Type:
Beginner:
N/A		 Intermediate:
N/A		 Advanced:
N/A		 Expert:
N/A
Elevation:
weather Peak Elevation:
8950 ft 2728 m Vertical:
2850 ft 869 m Base Elevation:
6200 ft 1890 m		 Total Acres:
4000 Total Miles:
65
Longest Run:
Mountain Run
3 2 miles		 Easiest Run:
Start Me Up		 Steepest Run:
The Palisades (hike-to off of Headwall or Siberia lifts)
Best Bumps:
Johnny Moseley's Run		 Best Trail Name:
Strawberry Fields		  
 

Tahoe Snow!!!

Submitted by dscamp2012 on January 27, 2010.

I just spent the weekend tearing up the powder at Squaw. I'm from Jersey and got lucky visiting Tahoe during great conditions. Squaw is HUGE! So much terrain that I didn't really feel the crowd that poured over the mountain (the snow was great!). There's nothing worse than waiting 30 minutes on the lift line to ride. Not here! Make sure to grab some drinks and delicious pizza at Le Chamois after your day of riding. The 2-hour wait at Mamasake was worth it. Sushi was sooooo good! Can't wait for to visit again!

Post new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.

More information about formatting options

Squaw Valley USA is just 42 miles from Reno, NV., 96 miles from Sacramento, CA and 196 miles from San Francisco via all-weather maintained Interstate 80. Located off Hwy 89, we are 8 miles from Truckee and 6 miles from Tahoe City and the North Shore of Lake Tahoe.

Air Travel

Located on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, Squaw Valley USA is easily accessed by 3 international airports...

Reno Tahoe International Airport, an easy 42 miles away via all-weather interstate 80, is served by major carriers with non-stop flights from most US destinations.

Sacramento International Airport is a short 2 hour drive away, and

San Fransciso International Airport is just 3 hours away.  

Driving Directions

From San Francisco/Sacramento/Northern California: Squaw Valley USA is 96 miles from Sacramento, and 196 miles from San Francisco. It generally takes about 2 hours from Sacramento and about 4 hours from San Francisco depending on traffic and weather.  Take Interstate 80 northeast into the Sierra Nevada.  Exit at Truckee, onto Highway 89 SOUTH, towards Lake Tahoe/Tahoe City/Squaw Valley.  Follow Highway 89 south 8 miles to the Squaw Valley Rd. Exit. Turn RIGHT and follow Squaw Valley Rd. to the base of the mountain.

From Reno, NV & Eastern US:  Squaw Valley USA is just 42 miles from Reno, NV and it generally takes about 1 hour to drive.  Take Interstate 80 WEST into California and on to Truckee.  Take the Highway 89 SOUTH Exit towards Lake Tahoe/Tahoe City/Squaw Valley.  Follow Highway 89 SOUTH 8 miles to the Squaw Valley Rd. Exit. Turn RIGHT and follow Squaw Valley Rd. to the base of the mountain. 

From S. Lake Tahoe & Heavenly Valley: This drive generally takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on road conditions and traffic.  Take either HWY 89 NORTH through Emerald Bay along the California side of the Lake, to Tahoe City, or HWY 28 NORTH along the eastern (Nevada) shore of Lake Tahoe through Incline Village, to Tahoe City.  From Tahoe City intersection of HWY 28 and HWY 89, take HWY 89 NORTH towards Truckee, 6 miles to the Squaw Valley Rd. Exit.  Turn LEFT and follow Squaw Valley Rd. to the base of the mountain.

From N. Lake Tahoe & Incline Village:  Take HWY 28 WEST along the north shore of Lake Tahoe to Tahoe City.  From Tahoe City intersection of HWY 28 and HWY 89, take HWY 89 NORTH towards Truckee, 6 miles to the Squaw Valley Rd. Exit.  Turn LEFT and follow Squaw Valley Rd. to the base of the mountain.

From Tahoe City, W. Lake Tahoe & Alpine Meadows:  Take HWY 89 NORTH towards Truckee, to the Squaw Valley Rd. Exit.  Turn LEFT and follow Squaw Valley Rd. to the base of the mountain. 

From Northstar:  Take HWY 267 WEST into Truckee.  Take WEST RIVER ST. , INTERSTATE 80, or Donner Pass Rd. to HWY 89 SOUTH.  Follow Highway 89 SOUTH 8 miles to the Squaw Valley Rd. Exit. Turn RIGHT and follow Squaw Valley Rd. to the base of the mountain. 

From Truckee:  Take WEST RIVER ST. , INTERSTATE 80, or Donner Pass Rd. to HWY 89 SOUTH.  Follow Highway 89 SOUTH 8 miles to the Squaw Valley Rd. Exit. Turn RIGHT and follow Squaw Valley Rd. to the base of the mountain.

Local transport in the Valley and surrounding areas includes the wide range of free bus shuttles to and from the resorts, the TART (Tahoe Area Regional Transit) and a vast number of private transport operators (see www.laketahoetransit.com for full details).