Know Before Visiting
Carry a face mask at all times & use it when close to others or indoors.
Masks are required for everyone in California and for most counties in Nevada regardless of vaccine status as of press time for this guide. | covid19.ca.gov, nvhealthresponse.nv.gov
Some resorts may require proof of vaccination for ages 12 and older for indoor dining.
Buy a pass for the best deal.
Purchase all tickets, rentals and lessons in advance online. There will be limited or no on-site sales.
Some resorts may require ordering food in advance online or through an app. Download ski area apps in advance of visiting.
Be prepared & dress for being outdoors all day, including eating outdoors.
Carry a credit card. Many resorts use cashless systems.
Avoid long traffic lines and limited parking by taking shuttles or public transportation to ski areas.
Stay home if you’re not feeling well or have been in contact with someone not well.
FOR A FULL LIST OF STATS AND AMENITIES OFFERED BY EACH RESORT OR AREA, PLEASE SEE THE DIGITAL EDITION.
NOTE: Clair Tappaan and Grover Hot Springs State Park will not be open for the 2021-22 winter season.
Auburn Ski Club Training Center
Events
Dec. 31 | NYE Night Race
Jan. 9 | Snowshoe Thompson Classic
March 26 | Nordic Skier X
The ASC trails are open to the public with the 25km trail system groomed nightly to competition standards providing an always-perfect snow surface. Wide, overlapping loops accommodate all abilities with a lot of terrain options that keeps skiers no more than 5km from the lodge. At 7,200 feet elevation, its season is the longest in the Sierra.
Night skiing | ASC is introducing cross-country night skiing for the 2021-22 winter season as part of a pilot program with 1km of lighted trails available Wednesday and Friday until 7:30 p.m. through early January. Regular trail passes are also good for night skiing.
ASC is in the planning stages for a permanent project to install high-intensity LED lighting on 2.3km of cross-country trails in 2022 with plans for another 3.88km in the future.
Day passes & equipment | Day passes are available for purchase in the lodge office. For the 2021-22 season no daily rental equipment will be available due to supply chain issues. Call ahead for updates
Bijou Community Park
Bijou Community Park features 4km of marked trails that is mostly flat and great for beginners centrally located in South Lake Tahoe.
Free access | There is no fee for skiing or snowshoeing. No rentals or services are available on site.
Fun for all | The park features a historic railroad exhibit, skateboard park and fenced dog park.
(530) 542-6056, cityofslt.us
Camp Richardson Historic Resort & Marina
Camp Richardson’s Mountain Sports Center provides 10km of groomed and marked trails for beginners to experts.
Several trails head out from the center looping through the open forest to the shores of Fallen Leaf Lake. Two other shorter trails meander through the grounds of the resort and along the shores of Lake Tahoe. The Beacon Bar and Grill and General Store are both open for the winter.
Donner Memorial State Park
Event
Feb. 18 | Donner Relief Expedition
Donner Memorial State Park has more than 16km of trails throughout the park. Although the trails are not groomed, visitors can make his or her own route to Schallenberger Ridge, Coldstream Canyon or along the shores of Donner Lake.
Donner Party anniversary | The park is named for the infamous Donner Party that was trapped on or near the grounds of the present-day park during the winter of 1846-47. This winter marks the 175th anniversary of those tragic events. Read more about the Donner Party in Tahoe Weekly’s ongoing series available at TheTahoeWeekly.com. Click on Donner Party under the Explore Tahoe menu.
The Donner Relief Expedition will reenact the 1st Relief Party mission to save the pioneers from Feb. 14 to 18. | forlornhope.org
Free trail access | Access to the trails is free; parking is $5 for the winter. Dogs are welcome but must be on leash and are not allowed on marked ski trails.
Annual parking pass | Purchase a Tahoe Regional Parking Pass for $75 good at all the state parks in the Tahoe region for a year. Available in the museum or at parks.ca.gov.
Donner Project | The Sierra State Parks Foundation is fundraising to restore the more than 100-year-old Pioneer Monument at the park. Donate at sierrastateparks.org.
Granlibakken Tahoe
Event
Dec. 31 | New Year’s Eve Celebration
Cross-country skiers and snowshoers can explore the historic resort’s 74 acres. Follow a 1.5-mile trail around the property and a groomed access trail to Paige Meadows (flat-groomed, without stride-skiing tracks) when weather and snow conditions permit.
All tickets for skiing, riding and tubing must be purchased in advance online.
Family Fun | The resort offers popular tubing lanes served by snowmaking systems along with the Benny the Bear snow play area, which is open daily in the winter.
Skiing & Riding | The ski hill and ski school are open Friday to Sunday during the season and daily during holidays. There is also a Nordic trail around the property and an access trail to Page Meadows.
Kids sled free | Kids younger than 3 sled for free.
Treetop park | The Tahoe City Treetop Park located at the resort offers aerial adventures for ages 5 and older.
Kirkwood Cross Country & Snowshoe Center
Events
Dec. 31 | Torchlight Parade
TBA | Banked Slalom
Jan. 29-30 | Freeride Junior Tour
Offering 80km of groomed trails at 7,800 feet, Kirkwood features three interconnected trail systems and two trailhead facilities with parking areas.
Fat Bikes | Rent a fat bike or bring your own to explore three interconnected trail systems.
Dogs welcome | Dogs are allowed on the High Trail located behind the Kirkwood Inn and the Outer Loop on the meadow.
Kids ski free | Kids ages 4 & younger ski free.
#Kirkwood Deep | The #KirkwoodDeep rider’s competition showcases video footage of the boldest snowboarders and skiers each year. Details TBA.
Expedition: Kirkwood | Expedition: Kirkwood is for the avid adventurer looking for back-country opportunities with a range of clinics and private guides.
Masks | Face coverings will be required in indoor settings including in restaurants, lodging properties, restrooms, retail and rental locations, and on buses. Face coverings will not be required outdoors, in lift lines, or on chairlifts or gondolas, unless required by local regulations.
Dining | Guests will be required to book a reservation to eat at many on-mountain restaurants. As well, guests 12 and older will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations to dine at indoor, on-mountain quick-service (cafeteria-style) restaurants.
LTCC Nordic Center
The Nordic Center on the campus of Lake Tahoe Community College provides 5 to 7km of groomed trails for classic and skate skiing with views of Freel Peak and Job’s Sister.
The center is operated by volunteers, and trails are groomed two to three times a week.
Dogs are welcome; dogs must be leashed at trailheads and in parking lots. The center offers a variety of day and season passes. A grooming report and trail map are available online.
Nevada Nordic
Nevada Nordic is a nonprofit organization bringing a groomed cross-country ski presence back to the state of Nevada. Trails are offered at several locations in the region and are groomed and open depending on conditions. Donations are needed to continue to offer groomed trails and may be made online.
Tahoe Meadows | Trails are operated at Tahoe Meadows near the Mount Rose summit off Highway 431 with 17km of groomed skating and striding trails, including grooming up to Chickadee Ridge this year. The Lower Loops will be closed in February to protect Goshawk breeding area.
Dogs are allowed on the trails, but owners must pack out all dog waste.
Parking is available along Highway 431 on either end of the trail system. There is no parking fee and detailed driving instructions are available on the website.
Spooner Lake | Eight km of trails are groomed by volunteers at Spooner Lake State Park on the East Shore. Trail access is free but there is a $10 parking fee.
New groomer | New for the 2021-22 season, the nonprofit was purchased a new Pistenbully 400 Snowcat and a new classic track setter to ensure pristine classic tracks at the Tahoe Meadows system.
Grooming updates | Visit facebook.com/inclinemeadowsxc.
North Tahoe Regional Park
Events
Fridays | Sunset Snowshoe Tours
Jan. 14, Feb. 20 & March 4 | Snowshoe Star Tours
Jan. 17-April 16 (select dates) | Full Moon Snowshoe Tours
The North Tahoe Regional Park offers 6km of groomed trails for skating and classic skiers, as well as snowshoeing and walking. All the trails are open to dogs.
Sledding | Sledding and snow play is allowed throughout the park. Both the main larger sled hill near the soccer field and the smaller children’s sled hill near the entrance are available for public use. Sled rentals are not available.
Snowshoe tours | Guided snowshoe tours are offered through Tahoe Adventure Company including full moon, sunset and star tours. | tahoeadventurecompany.com
Treetop Adventure Park | The adventure park offers a treetop rope, platform and zip line tour with nine courses for all abilities for ages 5 and older. | tahoetreetop.com
Free access | Access is free, but parking is $5 parking fee or visitors must have a NTPUD Resident Sticker or Park Supporter Sticker.
Year-round soccer | The NTPUD also maintains the region’s only year-round synthetic turf soccer field and is cleared of snow as conditions permit.
Grooming updates | Visit the North Tahoe Recreation & Parks on Facebook and Instagram for weekly updates.
Northstar California Cross Country, Telemark and Snowshoe Center
Events
Until March 26 (Sat.) | Live Music
Dec. 29-March 5 (select dates) | Snowshoe Stargazing Tours
Dec. 31 | New Year’s Celebration
Jan. 1-March 12 (select dates) | Twilight Snowshoe Tours
Northstar California provides 35km of Nordic terrain right in the middle of a world-class downhill ski resort. Northstar is one of the few resorts offering a full line of downhill telemark equipment and instruction, along with fat tire bike rentals.
Snowshoe Tours | Enjoy guided Snowshoe Stargazing Tours lead by Tony Berendsen or guided Twilight Snowshoe Tours on dates throughout the season.
Kids ski free | Kids 5 and younger ski free.
Masks | Face coverings will be required in indoor settings including in restaurants, lodging properties, restrooms, retail and rental locations, and on buses. Face coverings will not be required outdoors, in lift lines, or on chairlifts or gondolas, unless required by local regulations.
Dining | Guests will be required to book a reservation to eat at many on-mountain restaurants. As well, guests 12 and older will be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccinations to dine at indoor, on-mountain quick-service (cafeteria-style) restaurants.
Plumas-Eureka State Park
Events
Jan. 16, Feb. 20 & March 20 | Longboard Revival Races
Plumas-Eureka State Park in the Lost Sierra offers 12km of groomed trails for skating and classic skiers, along with three designated snowshoe trails that are snowmobile groomed. The trail system is managed by Plumas-Eureka State Park Association volunteers and trail maps are available at each trailhead. Visit plumas-eureka.org for grooming report, a trail map and information on the trails.
Free trail access | The use of the trails is free, but donations are requested to maintain the trails for $5 per day or $20 for the season.
Longboard races | The Plumas Ski Club hosts the Historic Longboard Revival Races each year at the Plumas Eureka Ski Bowl at Johnsville in the park. The races are open to everyone. Check in advance before visiting at plumasskiclub.org for details and conditions.
Resorts at Squaw Creek
Resort at Squaw Creek offers 10km of groomed Nordic trails for a quiet refuge from the crowds of Olympic Valley where the views of the mountains are spectacular with cross-country and snowshoe rentals available onsite.
Self-service ski check | Guests staying at the resort can drop off ski equipment with the bell staff, who will deliver it to the ski check for storage. A ski attendant will be available for assistance. Guests may retrieve equipment with the ski check before heading to the slopes. At the end of the day, use the ski valet on the Sun Plaza deck at the base of the slopes to check gear back in.
Sledding | Enjoy a day of sledding on the designated hill beyond the Resort chairlift. Sleds can be rented at the Recreation Center.
Ice skating | Glide around the resort’s outdoor ice rink with a view of Olympic Valley’s six peaks. Rentals for figure and hockey skates, as well as helmets, are available.
Royal Gorge
One of North America’s largest cross-country resort, Royal Gorge offers six distinct trail systems featuring eight warming huts across 6,000 acres and integrated with the Village at Sugar Bowl. From classic striding to cross-country skating, snowshoeing and dog trails, Royal Gorge offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy scenic winter adventures with some of the finest views in the Sierra. The resort also celebrates its 50th anniversary this season.
Lift tickets & rentals | All trail passes, rentals and lessons need to be purchased in advance online again this season.
Dog trails | Royal Gorge offers 30.1km dog-friendly trails with a ticket office located at Van Norden Trailhead to access the dog trails. Check conditions in advance to ensure the dog trails are open and groomed. Dogs are only allowed on designated trails in the Van Norden Meadow. Dogs are not permitted in Summit Station lodge or on the deck.
The Royal Gorge | One of the most breathtaking experiences in the Tahoe Sierra is skiing to The Royal Gorge. The Gorge is one of the natural wonders of the Sierra – a 4,417-foot-deep gorge that is the namesake for the ski area.
Sugar Pine Point State Park
Events
Jan. 15, Feb. 12 & March 12 | Full Moon Snowshoe Tour
The Ed Z’berg/Sugar Pine Point State Park is a spectacular spot to cross-country ski and snowshoe along the dense forests of the West Shore or along Lake Tahoe’s shores. The park offers more than 20km of marked trails for all levels. However, the five trails are not groomed and are user packed. A trail map is available on the website. The park is also a popular sledding location.
Free trail access | Use of the trails is free; it is $5 to park. Dogs on leash are allowed only on the paved, cleared paths; they are not allowed on the trails, the beaches or in the Nature Preserve. Restrooms are available in the parking lot.
Winter camping | Sugar Pine Point is one of the only winter campgrounds open year-round in the Tahoe area, offering 16 campsites on a first-come, first-served basis.
Annual parking pass | Purchase a Tahoe Regional Parking Pass for $75 good at all the state parks in the Tahoe region for a year – D.L. Bliss, Donner Memorial, Ed Z’Berg Sugar Pine Point, Emerald Bay and Kings Beach State Recreation Area. Available at parks.ca.gov.
Tahoe City Winter Sports Park
The Tahoe City Winter Sports Park offers ice skating, sledding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and is a great spot for family fun.
Tickets | Reservations for recommended in advance for all activities, with limited day tickets available. Season Passes are also available.
Trail access | The park provides 4km for both skating and striding, as well as a snowshoe loop/walking trail. Dogs are allowed on the trail system.
Dual trail access | Passholders to Tahoe XC also receive a free trail access pass to Tahoe City Winter Sports Park.
Kids ski free | Kids 14 and younger receive free access to the trail system.
Webcam | Check out the webcam of the action on the ice rink at tcpud.org/winter-webcam.
Tahoe Donner Cross Country
Events
Dec. 31 | New Year’s Eve Snowshoe Tour
March 27 | Sierra Skogsloppet
Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center offers more than 100km of world-class trails open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The resort also offer 7km of dog-friendly trails (dog season pass is required). Fat biking is no longer allowed on the trails.
Grooming & trails | Tahoe Donner has expanded its grooming fleet with new Pisten Bully 400 machines. And summer trail improvements will allow more snow to hit the trails for better coverage and grooming.
Lessons | Group lessons are back in addition to private lessons for skating and striding this season, along with cross-country ski programs and clinics.
Snowmaking | A snowmaking project was started at the ski area in 2021 but was not completed due to supply chain issues, heavy smoke from wildfires and early winter storms causing frozen ground. The resorts plans to offer snowmaking for the 2022-23 season.
Assisted skiing | Ski for Light, which provides a cross-country skiing experience for the blind and visually impaired, will offer a guided outing from Feb. 26 to 28. Volunteer guides are needed. | Apply srsfl.org
Tahoe XC
Events
Jan 17 | Old Skool Klassic Ski Race
Jan 23 | Season Pass Holder Pancake Feed
Jan 30 | Tahoe Rim Tour
Feb. 13 | Shooter Bowl Laser Biathlon Relay
Feb. 14 | Valentine’s Day Ski
Feb. 24-27 | Alpenglow 20k Race
March 6 | The Great Ski Race
Tahoe XC was recently named the 2nd Best Cross-Country Ski Resort in North America in the USA Today Readers’ Choice awards. The nonprofit ski area offers stunning lake views along the trails making it one of the area’s best spots for cross-country skiing. Fat tire bikes are not allowed on the trail system.
Expansion project | The Tahoe XC expansion project was approved by the TCPUD Board of Directors in late February to relocate the base area from its current location to property next to the North Tahoe Middle & High Schools and reconstructing the historic Schilling Lodge on the property to serve as the new main lodge with rentals, a cafe, lockers and community meeting areas.
The project still needs approval from Placer County and the TRPA before it can move forward. | tahoexclodgeproject.com
Ski free | Youth ages 18 and younger ski for free, as well as seniors ages 70 and older.
Dog trails | Dogs are allowed on the 9km of dog trails only.
Trail cam | Navigate to all the web cams, weather and snow gauge by clicking the camera icon on the top corner of the website.
Wylder Hope Valley
Events
Dec. 31 | New Year Snowshoe Tour
Dec. 31-Feb. 20 (select dates) | Eastern Sierra History Talks
Ongoing | Live music
Ongoing | Moonlight Snowshoe Tours
Nordic ski and snowshoe trails will once again be groomed in Hope Valley for the 2021-22 season. Wylder Hope Valley, which purchased and renovated the former Sorenson’s Resort in Hope Valley, has also started grooming local trails.
Rentals available | Stop by The Ski Shop inside Wylder Hope Valley’s General Store to rent cross-country skis or snowshoes. Joyce Coker, former owner of Hope Valley Outdoors, joined Wylder’s team in 2020, bringing her extensive cross-country and back-country knowledge to the resort.
Free trail access | Enjoy free access to 11 trails including trails leaving from Wylder, as well as along Highways 88 and 89 including trails to Burnside, Grass and Winnemucca lakes. Trails maps are available at The Ski Shop and online.
Parking permits | Trail access is free but most of the trailheads are in the Hope Valley Wildlife Area and require a California Department of Fish & Wildlife Lands Pass, which is available online and from participating vendors. There are no permits available at the trailheads. | (800) 565-1458, wildlife.ca.gov
Winnemucca Lake access | The Winnemucca Lake Trail requires a California Sno-Park parking pass available for purchase online or from participating vendors. Permits are not available at the trailhead. | (916) 324-1222, ohv.parks.ca.gov
