Tahoe area advice - Page 2 - Snowboarding Forum

**killclimbz** · 10-27-2011, 02:14 PM

Then again, being California, you are going to know if you are going to have a chance of driving in a storm. The weather is pretty easy to forecast there. If snow is in the forecast go with the 4WD, if not, I'd say save some bucks and just get a 2wd model.

philadendron · 10-27-2011, 03:17 PM

Thanks for everyone's help, can't wait to get up there.

KIRKRIDER · 10-27-2011, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by philadendron

Planning a Tahoe trip for the weekend of December 2nd. A couple questions:

Is it too early in the season to make it worth it? Will the snow be decent?
Someone mentioned I should rent an AWD vehicle or there's a chance they won't let me up into the passes to get to the resorts. Should I make sure I rent an AWD, or will any SUV type vehicle do? Don't wanna get all the way there and not be able to get to the resorts.

I will have two full days of riding. My idea is to hit Squaw for one day, then maybe a local place the other day, maybe Homewood or Diamond Peak. What do you guys think?

Last season my first day was November 24th...with 2 feet of fresh. Yes AWD is always better on snow. Wasting 30 min to chain up and then travel at 15mph is not the best solution.

pmetz · 11-05-2011, 11:06 PM

Check out the rental places in Reno. If any of them rent a Subaru, I'd go with that. I'm up at my family's place on Donner Lake often during the winter riding squaw and the other north shore resorts. Subarus are AWD and the CHP are generally looking for the "M+S" logo and the tread on them. As for resorts, I love squaw, but also hit up Alpine Meadows with my cousins who live in Reno. Never been to Homewood yet, but Mt. Rose is great if there is fresh snow and the whole mountain is open. Northstar is also a fun bet on a weekday (less crowds) if there is snow. Not sure however how the snow is going to be early December. I normally go up around Jan-Feb.

cocolulu · 11-07-2011, 06:19 PM

December 3rd is a bit early. Squaw is shooting for end of Nov., and Alpine is going for Dec. 10.

Homewood is nice for the views, but it's pretty small, and at least as I remember it, it's not really wide open bowls or terrain. Homewood and Heavenly (way on the south side of the lake) are the best places for views.

If you like doing terrain parks, Northstar is nice. They have loooong runs, but most of them are short drops followed by rather extensive greens (thus the name, 'flatstar').

I would recommend Squaw and Sugarbowl if you want both decent size resorts and terrain (and you're staying on the north side). Pick Homewood only if you want to do a chill day, just enjoy the views, and don't mind a small resort. Mt. Rose is also really fun.

surfinsnow · 11-18-2011, 11:35 PM

First, why risk getting stuck? Get an AWD. It'll already have the red-dot M+S tires that Cal Trans looks for, and if you've never driven across the road from Reno to North Lake Tahoe, you'll be thankful for the peace of mind. Some freaky-ass roads out there!

Second, I recommend Homewood. Mt. Rose and Alpine are both great, but if you've never been to Tahoe, Homewood will blow your mind. Yeah, it relatively small, but it's got lots of glades and steep stuff (in fact, there are only two green trails on the whole mountain), a big steep 55 degree bowl (unfortunately you have to make a short hike to get to it) and it's quiet and one of the most beautiful places at Tahoe. You'll be stopping every five minutes to take pictures. If you don't care about that kind of stuff, Alpine Meadows is between Homewood and Squaw and has lots of wide-opeen terrain and big steeps. Parking sucks, though. Another reason I like Homewood...it's like pulling into a 7-11 parking lot and you can park right next to the lifts at either the north or south lots.

WasatchMan · 11-19-2011, 12:06 AM

Wow, I really wished they enforced ANY of the 4x4/chains/snowtire rules here in utah.

At MOST they will have some cop sitting in his car drinking coffee letting honda civics, toyota camrys pass by without a head turn. It's fucking ridiculous. especially when they're driving past you head on.

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10-27-2011, 02:14 PM	#11 (permalink)
killclimbz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Front Range Posts: 9,173	Then again, being California, you are going to know if you are going to have a chance of driving in a storm. The weather is pretty easy to forecast there. If snow is in the forecast go with the 4WD, if not, I'd say save some bucks and just get a 2wd model.

10-27-2011, 03:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
philadendron Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 62	Thanks for everyone's help, can't wait to get up there.

11-05-2011, 11:06 PM	#14 (permalink)
pmetz Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 19	Check out the rental places in Reno. If any of them rent a Subaru, I'd go with that. I'm up at my family's place on Donner Lake often during the winter riding squaw and the other north shore resorts. Subarus are AWD and the CHP are generally looking for the "M+S" logo and the tread on them. As for resorts, I love squaw, but also hit up Alpine Meadows with my cousins who live in Reno. Never been to Homewood yet, but Mt. Rose is great if there is fresh snow and the whole mountain is open. Northstar is also a fun bet on a weekday (less crowds) if there is snow. Not sure however how the snow is going to be early December. I normally go up around Jan-Feb.

11-07-2011, 06:19 PM	#15 (permalink)
cocolulu Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 203	December 3rd is a bit early. Squaw is shooting for end of Nov., and Alpine is going for Dec. 10. Homewood is nice for the views, but it's pretty small, and at least as I remember it, it's not really wide open bowls or terrain. Homewood and Heavenly (way on the south side of the lake) are the best places for views. If you like doing terrain parks, Northstar is nice. They have loooong runs, but most of them are short drops followed by rather extensive greens (thus the name, 'flatstar'). I would recommend Squaw and Sugarbowl if you want both decent size resorts and terrain (and you're staying on the north side). Pick Homewood only if you want to do a chill day, just enjoy the views, and don't mind a small resort. Mt. Rose is also really fun.

11-18-2011, 11:35 PM	#16 (permalink)
surfinsnow Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New England Posts: 382	First, why risk getting stuck? Get an AWD. It'll already have the red-dot M+S tires that Cal Trans looks for, and if you've never driven across the road from Reno to North Lake Tahoe, you'll be thankful for the peace of mind. Some freaky-ass roads out there! Second, I recommend Homewood. Mt. Rose and Alpine are both great, but if you've never been to Tahoe, Homewood will blow your mind. Yeah, it relatively small, but it's got lots of glades and steep stuff (in fact, there are only two green trails on the whole mountain), a big steep 55 degree bowl (unfortunately you have to make a short hike to get to it) and it's quiet and one of the most beautiful places at Tahoe. You'll be stopping every five minutes to take pictures. If you don't care about that kind of stuff, Alpine Meadows is between Homewood and Squaw and has lots of wide-opeen terrain and big steeps. Parking sucks, though. Another reason I like Homewood...it's like pulling into a 7-11 parking lot and you can park right next to the lifts at either the north or south lots.

11-19-2011, 12:06 AM	#17 (permalink)
WasatchMan Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 1,023	Wow, I really wished they enforced ANY of the 4x4/chains/snowtire rules here in utah. At MOST they will have some cop sitting in his car drinking coffee letting honda civics, toyota camrys pass by without a head turn. It's fucking ridiculous. especially when they're driving past you head on.