Alpine Meadows Ski Resort

A Tahoe Favorite for Locals and Tourists alike

For many people, vacationing at Lake Tahoe is similar to staying at an all-inclusive resort.  The abundance of activities at your disposal is impressive.  Want a change of scene for the day?  Drive 20 minutes and discover a whole new mountain, a whole new resort and a whole new world! One of the best-loved get-a-ways in Tahoe is Alpine Meadows.

Alpine Ski Resort is a 13-lift mountain that has the distinction of being the training ground to Jamaican Ski Team phenom, Errol Kerr.   With a top elevation of 8,600 feet and a vertical drop of 1,800 feet, Alpine has excellent skiing and snowboarding for the entire family.

Set up in the traditional ski resort fashion, the lodge (housing ticket sales, equipment rental and dining) sits at the confluence of all the ski runs.  Sitting on the patio watching the day’s skiers come in is a treat you don’t get at every resort.

Resort Skiing for Everyone

Alpine Meadows really does have it all.  Beginning skiers will feel comfortable with the two chairlifts that service several gentle runs.  At the opposite end of the skill-spectrum, there are many black-diamond (and double black-diamond) runs with ungroomed territory sprinkled throughout the mountain challenging the most advanced skier.

Alpine has 2 Terrain Parks with rail slides and jumps that is perfect for the adventurous skier or snowboarder.  The Terrain Parks feature jumps, spines, half-pipes and tabletops.  New Terrain Parks are being designed for the 2009-2010 season.  The new features will blend with the mountain’s natural banks and rolls giving it a more natural, organic feel.  When complete, you will be able to ski one of the area’s best mountain, take jumps and slide rails all in the same run.

Ski/Snowboard Lessons at Alpine

Alpine Meadows offers many instructional options for those who want to learn a new sport or for those that want to take their performance to the next level.  Alpine’s Ski School offers ski and snowboarding lessons for all levels of experience.  From single-day clinics to multi-day camps, the Ski School offers instruction for everyone.  Equipment rental is available for children and adults.

Refilling and Refreshments

Dining at Alpine is available in the Lodge.  In addition to the traditional cafeteria-style service popular in many ski resorts, there is also a bar for après-ski cocktails.  For those desiring a fancier affair, groups of 15 to 20 can travel by snow cat to a mid-mountain Chalet for a private dinner.  Guests will enjoy the likes of smoked salmon crepes and pan seared trout while enjoying the private chalet and its spectacular views.

After leaving the lodge after a long day of skiing, the River Ranch Lodge at the intersection of Alpine Meadows Road and CA 89 is extremely popular.  This old lodge has a huge rock fireplace and you can watch the trout coming down the Truckee River.

Tagged as: alpine, resorts, skiing, snowboarding