Where in tahoe: squaw or heavenly?

snomaster

snomaster

Active member
I'm thinking about my move for next season already and I'm pretty sure that Tahoe is calling. But what side of the lake?

Things to consider:

I ski about 75% back/sidecountry

Who's got the best night scene?

Affordable rent

Affordable ski pass

All that I really know is that more people live in South Lake and Heavenly is about 2,000' higher so it should have better snow more often.

Your comments are appreciated...
 
Well i was there for a week earlier this season and for that specific week squaw got several feet of snow and heavenly got kinda screwed with only like 6 inches to a foot. Squaw gets more snow but it gets skiied off faster. It also has more drops and is mostly bald. Go to heavenly for nightlife and glades, but squaw for everything else. Also i highly recommend kirkwood.
 
Most if not all of the replies on here will be for Squaw. The best answers will most likely be in the regional forum for Tahoe, by the way.

Anyways, for 75% bc like you say I'd say that while Heavenly is higher and boasts better snow, Squaw is unmatched. Plus if you choose northshore you have so many more options, becuase South Shore just has Heavenly and then Sierra a little further down the mountain, but north has Northstar, Alpine, Squaw, SugarBowl, Boreal etc. For nightlife, SouthLake is much bigger, but isn't all that much different than what you could find around Squaw or in Truckee.
 
North shore squaw and Alpine. Best bang for your buck. If you want to live here and don't work at Squaw then Alpine is your better option for a season pass and legit terrain.
 
Squaw is without a doubt my favorite mountain in tahoe for the terrain/mountain, but their passes are outrageously expensive, their college pass is over $300 with EVERY SATURDAY blacked out. Adult pass is $700 or something (they just dropped their prices this season too). Its also alot more crowded and the night life in truckee is weak. South Lake has more limited options as far as mountains go but I got an unlimited pass to Kirkwood on south lake for this year for $240 with no blackout dates (college network special, the bigger the group you get to sign up the cheaper all your passes are). The pass is normally $450 or something.

Kirkwood has the best back country terrain of heavenley and sierra in my opinion. I haven't waited in line this season until presidents weekend (no exageration). There are basically no hotels or anything for 30 miles so it is pretty much a locals mountain. the base it at 7,500 ft i think (Rain @ heavenly = wet pow at the wood.

Only thing is the park at kirkwood is pretty weak compared to other mountains. Also they don't check passes or tickets hard at all so we usually trade with buddies to hit up heavenly for a day to change it up.

If you want to commute to SF or Sactown South Lake is a better option.
 
Not to Kirkwood. From Sacramento it's about 1hr45 to Squaw or Alpine and 2hr to Kirkwood or Heavenly.

To further answer OP, there's not gonna be any value in Heavenly or Squaw, both are pretty outrageous with ticket prices. For expert terrain at value, Kirkwood would be best bet. But yes, the park is lacking compared to Squaw, or hell even boreal

 
heavenly for your criteria.

pass price- heavenly in a landslide 350 vs 1600

nightlife-truckee? ya right. almost every night of the week on the southshore something is crackin

housing- i pay about 200 more for a room on the northshore this winter than i ever have on the southside.

back/side-can't really comment on that, have not done so much on the northshore but southside is good.

i have lived on the south side for 6 years. i made the mistake of trying out the northshore. i can't afford squaw. but got passes at b-real, n* and sugar bowl. may try out alpine and homewood next year with a boreal pass but when i go to buy a home, it will most likely be on the southshore. i will not be getting a double whammy again, northstar sucks.

 
Northlake. Alpine meadows is my favorite. id rather be there any day over squaw. More of a local mountain not to mention the best jumpline in tahoe. Some damn good runs from the chair and some amazing runs if your willing to hike a little. Idiots is awsome, alpine bowl is awsome ( when its open ). AAAANNNNDDDDD a lot more of a skier friendly mountain. BUUUUTTT squaw is badass too, i just like alpine better. Northlake is deffinetly the way to go. Truckee is the shit!
 
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