 Poster: A snowHead
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Thinking of heading to Tahoe from April 12 -20th 2014. Is this too late to get in some decent skiing? Please let me know your experiences and opinions. Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Not usually too late, on an average snow year, most resorts are open until the first weekend in May. Some years have been epic - there was a 10ft snow storm mid-April a few years back. Last year was dire, but Squaw was still open until the end of April. I've skied in May in Tahoe for the past 9 years.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I concur with skinanny, late spring in Tahoe can be awesome, and often has the biggest dumps of the season. Of course, you never know, but your chances are pretty good.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We've skied Heavenly at Easter in April 2006 & 2009 and both times had great conditions. A little slushy at lower altitudes in the afternoon but that's to be expected. Both times were a little earlier in the month (more early to mid April).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Firwin, I've been over there years ago in early April and while it was quite odd to be basking in hot sunshine down in 'town' the skiing was fine - springlike of course - but fine.
Tahoe itself I thought was an unspeakable dump, but then that's just an opinion.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| red 27 wrote: |
Firwin, I've been over there years ago in early April and while it was quite odd to be basking in hot sunshine down in 'town' the skiing was fine - springlike of course - but fine.
Tahoe itself I thought was an unspeakable dump, but then that's just an opinion. |
Tahoe is a whole Lake/region. South Lake Tahoe/Stateline at least along the strip is a bit of a dump not helped by the big hole (legacy of a failed real estate project) opposite the Gondola village.
Snow goes pretty springlike and you have to watch some of the resorts for more limited openings especially on low altitude south facing terrain e.g. Sherwood at Alpine could well be done by them. But as said above big storms can still sweep through. I was there early May once after a week hiking in Yosemite and SLT got dumped on. Unfortunately Heavenly in its wisdom was only opening weekends and Kirkwood had closed so had to drive the long way round to Squaw to get skiing.
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fatbob, Big hole is in the process of being filled in - construction had started again on it this summer. South Lake Tahoe is looked on a bit like Blackpool.....although in the last couple of years it has smartened up a bit.
Two years ago we were skiing at Squaw on July 4th.
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| red 27 wrote: |
| Tahoe itself I thought was an unspeakable dump, but then that's just an opinion. |
You mean to say the village of Tahoe City? Or South Lake Tahoe? Or...?
Lake Tahoe is a lake with 60 miles of shore line dotted with anything from parks to campgrounds to private homes. It's an area people go to camp and relax on holidays (and gamble, across the state line). So if the idea of camps and rustic cabins are "dumps", I guess one man's floor is another man's ceiling.
I've stayed in both Tahoe City and South Lake Tahoe on ski trips. Not the sort of place I would live but fine for parking my head on a pillow. Perfectly safe and relatively inexpensive. I've never bothered with either for summer holidays except to go re-supply for groceries...
Keep in mind Lake Tahoe is really a summer destination that also happen to have some scaled down activity in the winter. Skiers tend to have tunnel vision...
As for skiing in April, I've done that quite a bit. The region is actually better known as a late season skiing more than early season ones. (need a lot of snow to cover up some of the rocks)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| abc wrote: |
You mean to say the village of Tahoe City? Or South Lake Tahoe? Or...? |
South Lake Tahoe - we drove up from Mammoth for a few days. I've always hated those type of American 'towns' which are just some ugly buildings either side of the main drag. I like everything about America except those type of places.
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red 27, South Lake is a bit like that, but there are many places around the lake which are not. The west side of the lake is amazingly beautiful (and a few turns at Homewood definitely worth it!) and North Lake has a lot of personality. But, with the casinos and all, South Lake is not much to my personal liking...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ssh, I see yes - I didn't mean to slate the whole area. Just shows the value of local knowledge 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Any thoughts on Alpine Meadows? I have 3 young kids (10, 8 4) that are skiers...pretty good ones. Looking at renting a house nearby, walk to Sherwood quad lift. Going April 12-19th..thanks
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Alpine is great! And it's now joined with Squaw Valley, which has some of the fabulous terrains!
Both mountains are right by the lake. Beautiful lake views from high up.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Firwin wrote: |
| Any thoughts on Alpine Meadows? I have 3 young kids (10, 8 4) that are skiers...pretty good ones. Looking at renting a house nearby, walk to Sherwood quad lift. Going April 12-19th..thanks |
As above - Sherwood might be shut by then. It's a very sunny south facing slope/bowl which makes for fantastic spring skiing (first place to soften) but does mean that if there is not a really good base the snowpack could be eroded rapidly. Houses at Sherwood are splendidly isolated in their own little valley but it does mean its a pretty long drive round to the other side of the mountain via Sunnyside and Tahoe City and its a drive to even a basic store at Sunnyside. I was there mid March and dirt was showing through in places in the bumps and on piste at Sherwood and I believe they were closing the lift by 2pm on hot days.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'd say mid April is a little late to rent a house on the Sherwood side, unless it's a big snow year. Alpine Meadows is lovely in that it doesn't have much commercial presence, but then that can be a drawback if you want to eat out, or have run out of milk. This last season Sherwood closed really early due to lack of snow, when the rest of Alpine (and Squaw) was still open. At that time of the year I'd stay at Squaw and take the bus to Alpine - it's a 15 minute ride.
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