Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort, formerly Squaw Valley, and now also including nearby Alpine Meadows, very quickly became my favorite mountain in North America. Yes, it’s pricey and yes, the lines can get crazy, but the freedom to ride where you want is next to none and I now know why it is one of the top ski resorts in the United States.
If you want unrivaled access to all types of terrain, this is the best place to find it.
Location and getting to Palisades
Address: 1960 Squaw Valley Road, Olympic Valley, CA 96146
Palisades Tahoe is located in the Olympic Valley. Best place to fly in is Reno, where you can either rent a car or take the North Lake Tahoe express ($70 each way/person). I personally recommend the shuttle, not only is it better for the planet but then you do not have to navigate potentially sketchy road conditions in the winter.
If you are in California, many locals from the bay area make the drive on the regular, so that is an option for you too. Just keep in mind that the drive takes a couple hours and can be longer depending on weather and if the pass is open.
Mountain information
Palisades is the largest ski resort in the Tahoe region with 6,000 skiable acres between the two mountains and some of the most iconic terrain anywhere. They are open from 9-4pm, depending on weather.
Palisades basic stats
Base elevation: 6,200 feet
Peak elevation: 9,050 feet
Vertical: 2,850 feet
Average annual snowfall: 400 inches
Ski Lifts: 29, including an aerial tram that can hold 110 people at a time, a Funitel, which is a 28-person gondola and the base to base gondola
Alpine Meadows basic stats
Base elevation: 6,835 feet
Peak elevation: 8,637 feet
Vertical: 1,802 feet
Average annual snowfall: 400 inches
Ski lifts: 13
I highly recommend taking the base to base gondola between Palisades and Alpine Meadows and checking out both mountains. Not only is it quick access to both mountains, the views there are awesome.
You get to see some of the expert skiers and riders take on the fingers while you head up K2 on the Palisades side, then you ride over an area of un-developed beauty that’s owned by the National Forest Service, and then down into the Alpine Meadows base area. I recommend going just for the ride, even if you don’t intend to ski or ride there (though you should definitely spend time at Alpine Meadows, it was my favorite of the two).
Palisades is an Ikon mountain and you get a full season even with the base pass. I would choose that over individual lift tickets if you can, those will cost an adult $229-$269 per day! There are some packages available that can make it a little less spendy, but if you plan to ride more than one day, just get the Ikon Pass. It opens up other mountains and it also gives you a discount at a lot of the retail stores and restaurants.
For trail status, lift line information, weather information and open chair lifts I would recommend downloading the Palisades Tahoe mobile app (though they have boards at both base mountains that show some of that information in real time). Typically I use the Ikon app, just because I can track my day and it also gives me some of that information, but the Palisades app is just really comprehensive.
There are a couple parking lots at the base of the Palisades side as well as a large parking area at the base area of Alpine Meadows. But if you are looking to avoid the drive, parking and want to be a little kinder to the planet, there is also a free shuttle service from Truckee and Tahoe City, as well as other nearby areas. For more parking information, check out the Palisades website and also read up on their new parking program.
The typical ski season starts in November and can run anywhere from May to July, depending on how many inches of snow they get that year. If you are new to skiing or snowboarding, or just want to try the other out, there are both beginner lessons and group lessons available as well as guided tours to help you familiarize yourself with the mountain. Check their lessons page for pricing and bear in mind that you also get 20% off lessons as an Ikon pass holder.
Trail Information
At Palisades there are over 170 trails with a great variety of terrain for any skill level. The ski area is 3,600 acres with 25% of trails for beginners, 45% of the trails for intermediate skiers and snowboarders, and 30% for advanced skiers and snowboarders. There are also 16 bowls for those expert skiers and riders with a variety of black diamond and double black diamond terrain. There are also 5 terrain parks if you are into riding rails and flying over jumps.
My favorite area to explore on the Palisades side was the CII ridge to Bullet, beautiful winding trails with great snow.
On powder days watch the experts come out and show off some serious skill from the K2 lift. It is truly next left.
You can take the aerial tram up to High Camp to access a whole bunch of beginner terrain there, dine at their restaurant, check out the museum and even spend some time soaking in the hot tubs. It’s a small village all on its own!
At Alpine Meadows there are over 100 trails with 25% beginner terrain, 40% intermediate terrain, and 35% advanced terrain over 2,400 skiable acres. There are also 7 bowls for the expert skiers and riders out there.
I recommend taking the Lakeview chair on the backside of the mountain at least once while you are over there for some spectacular views of Lake Tahoe. It is a slow lift, so once is enough honestly.
Some of my favorite trails were on the backside of the mountain around Robin Hood and Maid Marian, because you could pop in and out of perfectly spaced apart groups of trees. On the front side of the mountain the Alpine Bowl and the Wolverine Bowl were my favorites because of the interesting and winding trails that, again, have some trees and gullies you can ride in.
Dining
There are multiple places to eat at the two base areas and also outdoor seating for those good days. At the base of the mountain on the Palisades side, there is a small village (the Olympic Village) with 5-6 restaurants, a small grocery store, and multiple retail shops. You really can’t go wrong with the dining in this area, though be aware that it is pricey. One of our favorites that we went to on more than one occasion was Rocker.
The best places to eat on the Alpine Meadows side are also at the base of the mountain. There is a cool little chalet that is partway down the mountain and nestled between a couple of trails but it can get super busy and the food selection isn’t great. The Alpine Bar is also a great spot to grab a beer during happy hour. Anywhere on the mountain you are likely to pay $10-12 a beer, but the happy hour at the Alpine Bar is $6!
Where to stay
There are a couple lodges at the base of Palisades where you won’t need to drive in every day and you can just walk to the lifts. There is also a free shuttle from Olympic Village Inn and some of the other lodges if you didn’t feel inclined to walk 5 minutes to the mountain. We stayed at the Olympic Village Inn, which was the former dorms for the competitors of the winter Olympics that were held in the area and has been renovated into rooms with a separate kitchen/living room and a balcony.
Many are time share rooms but you can book a few using other means. They have several hot tubs on the property and daily activities including non-instructional tours of the mountains and a day of snowshoeing, with snowshoes included for free. On one day there is also a wine tasting from a local winery that is included in your stay.
You could also stay in Tahoe City or Truckee and take the free shuttle in everyday if you are looking for something a little more budget friendly.
Things to do nearby
In the Olympic Village at the base of Palisades, like I said there’s lots there. At La Chamois and Loft Bar, head upstairs to what feels like an old school, locals mountain bar with over stuffed couches and old photos on the wall. Or, on the weekends stay outside and enjoy live music and beer.
If you are taking a day off, I recommend checking out Tahoe city. You can take the free public transportation there and then just walk around the town (it’s not really a city, it’s super small). There’s some eclectic shops and the usual gear stores to check out and some great restaurants. I recommend Bridgetender Tavern and Grill and definitely try their bloody Mary (and I don’t even like Bloody Mary’s having grown up in Canada on Bloody Caesar’s, which are saltier and in my opinion better).
There’s also some great walking trails around the town that will take you along the river or along the waterfront.
Concluding Thoughts
In my opinion this is one of the best resorts in the country. Go to watch the talent as they take on the fingers or come to ride the trails and check it out for yourself. You will not be disappointed.
Want more mountain suggestions? Check out my Ultimate Guide to the best mountains in Utah.
