Top 5: Best Ski Resorts In Lake Tahoe For Experts
Michael Fulton (SnowStash)
Lake Tahoe has plenty of advanced and expert terrain for experienced skiers and snowboarders. The region is known for its challenging terrain, with many resorts offering steep chutes, moguls, glades, and off-piste skiing. Each resort offers a unique mix of terrain, so it's worth checking out each one to find the runs and areas that suit your skill level and style. In this article, we'll outline the top ski resorts in Lake Tahoe for advanced to expert riders, so you can choose the perfect spot to test your skills and take on some of the hardest / most legendary ski trails in the country. #1 Palisades TahoePalisades Tahoe is a popular ski resort located in Olympic Valley, California, in the Lake Tahoe region. It has a long history of hosting major skiing competitions, including the 1960 Winter Olympics. The resort offers over 3,600 acres of skiable terrain with 170 trails, 16 bowls, and 30 chairlifts. It's known for its challenging terrain, with nearly 54% advanced and expert runs, which include technical cliffs, steep chutes, tight tree runs and wide open bowls. Here are some of the advanced and expert runs you might want to check out:KT-22: This is the most famous lift at Palisades Tahoe and takes you to the top of the mountain, where you can access some of the most challenging terrain in the resort. The runs off KT-22 are all rated as advanced or expert, with some of the steepest and most challenging terrain in the area. Super expert rider will take on The Fingers, if this is too extreme for you then you can watch from the KT-22 lift. The Palisades: The Palisades are a series of chutes and cliffs that are accessed from the top of Siberia Express. They are rated as double black diamond and require a hike from the top of the lift, but the terrain is some of the most challenging in the resort and will only open up during the best snowfall seasons.Headwall & North Bowl: Headwall is a steep, north-facing run that starts at the top of the Headwall Express lift. It's rated as a black diamond run and has a lot of moguls and variable terrain, making it a challenge for advanced skiers. Northbowl is also north facing and is more technical and challenging that Headwall with a double black diamond rating. Siberia Bowl: Siberia Bowl is a wide-open bowl that offers some of the best skiing at Palisades Tahoe. It's rated as an advanced black diamond run and has a mix of terrain, from steep pitches to open powder fields. The single groomed trail which runs down the front of Siberia Bowl is perfect for getting some speed and feeling those edges. Silverado: Silverado is more of a zone rather than just a lift with trail ratings which vary from advanced to expert and these all starts at the top of the Silverado lift. It's a steep, narrow run that requires some technical skiing and is often left ungroomed for experts to enjoy.These are just a few of the advanced and expert runs at Palisades Tahoe. The resort has plenty of other challenging terrain to explore, from steep chutes and moguls to tree runs, sometimes you just need to hunt it out or follow where the cliff hucking skiers are going.
The Fingers are possibly the most legendary trail at Palisades, in full view whilst you ride the KT-22 lift. Credit: SnowStash #2 Alpine MeadowsAlpine Meadows, which is part of the larger Palisades Tahoe and is now connected by a gondola has some great terrain for advanced and expert skiers and typically doesn’t get the same spotlight as big brother over at Palisades. Here are a few runs and areas you might want to check out:The Face & Face Cliffs: The Face is a steep, north-facing run that starts half way down the Summit Chair. It's a double black diamond run and has a mix of terrain, from steep pitches to moguls and trees. On your way to the trail you can take on the one of the D-5 - D8 chutes as a warm up.Estelle Bowl: Estelle Bowl is a wide-open bowl that offers some great skiing for advanced skiers. Its located to the right of he Summit Express and will require some traversing or hiking. This keeps the snow fresh longer as you enjoy the wide open bowls with treelined sections. Wolverine Bowl: Wolverine Bowl is another great area for advanced skiers. It's located to the right off the Summit Express and offers a mix of terrain, from steep pitches to open powder fields.Sherwood Cliffs: These super technical tree lined cliffs will test even the most seasoned rider and can be located directly under the upper section of the Treeline Cirque lift. Scott Chute: Scott Chute is a steep, narrow run that requires some technical skiing. The trail is a double black diamond and is located off the Scott Chair and takes riders right below the chair through a no fall zone. The no fall is not just related to the technical cliffs but also to save yourself the embarrassment.