 Poster: A snowHead
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I thought I would post here about 2 very different options I found for accommodation in lake Tahoe, mostly because I was not aware such places existed and others here may be interested:
The BlackJack Motel
The primary selling points of this place are:
150 Dollars a week!!!! (ring them for this price, it is not on the web site)
A short walk to Heavenly Gondola, as well as the casinos and the rest.
Down sides:
It is a very low brow motel. The non-smoking room I was in stank more of smoke than anywhere I can remember. There were spots of (well dried on) blood on the walls. The fire alarm was eventually located in a draw, and the fitting for it blocked up with a rag. The room was not much bigger than the (fairly large) double bed.
You get the idea. But if you are single, or have a VERY understanding and cheap other half, it is by some margin the cheapest place I have found to stay within walking distance of a US ski hill. It has a fridge, microwave and TV (no internet though). Perfectly acceptable shower and toilet. I think it has laundry facilities.
Après Ski Club (main web site is down ATM, I have let them know)
This is a bay area singles club, that own a chalet in Kings Beach, North Lake Tahoe. You need to be single to join, 35 USD for an introductory 6 months. Then you can have up to 5 guests, which can include couples. It costs 20 USD for a bed in a shared bunk room, or 25 USD for a bed in a 2 bed private room. Obviously this rules out many people, but if you can make it work it is a great base for the various resorts on the north shore. It is a very friendly place, with a live in manager who will show you the various drinking options as well as tell you about the resort options.
There are public transport options to Northstar and Squaw Valley, but I would recommend a car if you are staying here allowing you to visit any of the many resorts on the north shore within 30 mins or so (Northstar is only 10 mins away if there is no traffic / snow). They have a large and well equipped kitchen, a large living room with a massive fire place (as well a well stocked woodshed), a large hot tub (apparently they have had 30 people in it, but they must have been good friends). It is a 5 USD taxi ride to Crystal Bay Casino, which while not being as big as the South lake ones has lots of live music and good beer. It was always very friendly, with us sharing cooking, drinks and nights out.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Plenty of similar options without the CSI bloodspatter - especially midweek rooms are very cheap at the casinos in Crystal Bay e.g. Biltmore with multiple beach motels at Kings Beach not much more. Reno casinos also run ski shuttles though it's not anyone's idea of a ski resort (but then neither is Stateline, South Lake except a mentallist who thinks a big bankrupt hole in the ground is a draw.)
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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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If you are willing to drive you can find cheap rooms. I have not found anything close a walk from the gondola. Mid-week rooms in the other motels in south lake can be pretty cheap, but for a weeks accomodation I have not found anywhere even close to that.
I kind of agree about the stae of south lake. It is a crime that that hole in the ground is still empty, I do not understand how they are aloud to leave it without even a pavement. It is the only real town a walk from any hills in tahoe though. Without a car I think it is head and shoulders over any other place with motels in Tahoe. If you are keen and do start to finish skiing every day and can live with a bus you can do it, but for me the convenience of SLT wins.
EDIT: And it is not the blood spots which put me off. All those other things I would have given up for internet.
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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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hughbedo, Yep Stateline is the only game in town for cheapish walk in/out skiing in Tahoe though there is the downside of skiing Heavenly which IMO is the worst hill in Tahoe except if you're a parkmonkey. Good tourist suck though which keeps other places quieter.
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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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The worst hill? I would say a lot of Squaw is better than anything in Heavenly (as long as the snow level is low enough, which it was not in early december), and some of Kirkwood (esp. off chair 5) , Seira (esp. around castle and such though I have only been there twice) and mount rose (only the chutes). Other hills that I skiied (Northstar, Incline and Homewood) really did not have there teran of Heavenly, like the canyons and the Burn. Though I have not skiied them, I have not even heard talk of lift or bus served off piste like the fire break and the run down the other side of kingsbury grade.
I know what you mean about the crowds, but that was not a problem for me. I tended to ski at heavenly all week, then my brother came up at the weekend with a car and we went elsewhere.
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