Heavenly Lake Tahoe

Photo credit: Heavenly Lake Tahoe

Heavenly Lake Tahoe

Heavenly is unique in that it sprawls across state boundaries. Part of the ski area is in California and part is in Nevada, and for my money, the Nevada part is the better part. The fall line is more sustained, meaning that runs tend to be longer.

For novice skiers, Heavenly can be deceptive. One look at super-steep Gunbarrel and the typical beginner is apt to pack it in and seek out another sport. However, much of the terrain hidden beyond Gunbarrel on the California side is easygoing. Even many of the intermediate runs are generously rated as such.

For intermediate skiing, I'd head straight for the Nevada side, although "straight" is a relative term at Heavenly. At least three lift rides from the California base area are required to get to Nevada. Once there, however, the runs accessed from the high-speed Dipper and Comet lifts make for the best cruising on the mountain.

The steep chutes of Mott and Killebrew canyons, also on the Nevada side, are prime expert terrain. Unfortunately (at least in my experience) they are too often closed. Snow conditions must be just right; insufficient snow won't cut it, of course, whereas too much snow invites avalanche danger. Otherwise, experts can pound the moguls of Gunbarrel and neighboring East Face, where being a showoff helps—both trails are in full view of the California base area. For the 2005-2006 ski season, Heavenly is home to an amped-up ski village, part of Heavenly's $10 million in on-mountain improvements.

Where: On the south shore of Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Resort is 50% in Nevada and 50% in California.

What's There: As one of nine resorts under the American Skiing Company umbrella, Heavenly is tied into ASC's Perfect Turn program. I wouldn't say Perfect Turn instruction is dramatically different from the usual ski instruction. But if you've enrolled in Perfect Turn classes elsewhere, you'll at least be familiar with the slight variations in terminology and technique.

For families, Heavenly is a good-news, bad-news deal. The good news is the abundance of gently rolling terrain and high-speed chairs, which are easy for kids to climb on to. The bad news is Heavenly's general sprawl. God forbid that your six-year-old is in Nevada at the end of the day when you are in California.

What's New: A high-speed six passenger lift has replaced the old Powder Bowl and Waterfall lifts, which means less time going up, more time coming down.

Back to: California Skiing

• Alpine Meadows
• Boreal
• Dooner Ski Ranch
• Homewood
• Kirkwood Mountain Resort
• Lake Tahoe
• Mammoth Mountain
• Northstar at Tahoe
• Sierra at Tahoe
• Squaw Valley
• Sugar Bowl