Are you looking for information about Lake Tahoe skiing for beginners? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. When we arrived in California 5 years ago we knew nothing about Lake Tahoe skiing for us, beginners. So I started collecting information, visiting different resorts, trying out slopes and ski schools. I am very happy to share my findings with you.
A lot of people try to figure out where is the best place to be: North Lake Tahoe vs South Lake Tahoe. If I were to choose North Lake Tahoe vs South Lake Tahoe I would definitely choose North. When we were in South Lake Tahoe it felt so much more crowded with more traffic jams and it felt like it has more of a party scene. If you are going to Lake Tahoe with family, North side felt more appropriate.
Another benefit of North Lake Tahoe vs South Lake Tahoe if you are coming from Sacramento or San Francisco Bay Area is that it is located right off HW 80 and it is easier to get to, especially in winter.
In this article I will cover 4 ski resorts in North Lake Tahoe area: Northstar, Squaw Valley, Soda Springs, and Tahoe Donner. There are other ski resorts in the area but since we have not tried them ourselves I cannot provide an objective review.
Lake Tahoe skiing for beginners – Soda Springs
Soda Springs has probably the smallest ski area in all of Lake Tahoe ski resorts. It only has 2 chairlifts and less than a dozen runs. It is good for kids who never skied before, especially very young ones. There is a separate ski area dedicated to tiny tots ages 2-4 with a tiny hill where they can obtain initial skiing skills. For kids under 8 you can only book 1 hour group (4 kids) or private lesson, but no half or full day ski school. For kids ages 8+ you can book a half day ski school.
Soda Springs Pros:
- great for small kids
- has non-skiing winter fun activities (tubing, play area for tots)
- parking on site
- affordable prices for ski school and lift tickets
Soda Springs Cons:
- not much fun for older kids or better skiers
- only 1 dining option, basic fast food (hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, etc.)
- nothing much for family members to do if they do not ski
- long, often slow moving lines for tickets
Lake Tahoe skiing for beginners – Tahoe Donner
Tahoe Donner is a great Lake Tahoe skiing resort for beginners. It has 2 chairlifts and 14 runs. Beginner runs are long and varied – great opportunity to practice your developing skills. Check out the photo below – all those runs on the background behind the tall tree is Green terrain. Full day ski school is available starting age 5.
Tahoe Donner Pros:
- great ski runs for beginners (long and wide)
- excellent ski school
- affordable prices for ski school and lifts, equipment rentals for kids is included in the price of the ski school reservation
- additional discounts on lift tickets and lessons are available if you stay at Tahoe Donner member property and present the member card during check-in.
Tahoe Donner Cons:
- only 1 dining option, basic fast food (hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, etc.)
- nothing much for family members to do if they do not ski
- no other winter fun activities on site, at the slopes
- parking is not on-site, you have to take a shuttle to the lodge. However, the distance is walkable if you don’t have to carry skiing equipment with you
Lake Tahoe skiing for beginners – Northstar
With over a dozen chairlifts and over 100 runs, Northstar is a huge ski resort. I don’t think that it offers the best Lake Tahoe skiing for beginners. I believe Northstar is better suited for intermediate and advanced level skiers. However, Northstar could be perfect for families that have skiers of different levels.
Northstar Pros:
- great ski school, even for young kids (my son started skiing there at the age of 3)
- other winter fun activities on site (ice skating)
- lots of things to do on site for non-skiers (yoga, pottery painting, movie theater, shopping, etc.)
- lots of various dining options, including healthy ones
- if you stay at Northstar you can ski right out the door
Northstar Cons:
- both lift tickets and ski school prices are the most expensive in North Lake Tahoe area and equipment rentals is not included in the price of the ski school lesson purchase, which makes it even more expensive
- lodging is rather expensive too compared to other areas in North Lake Tahoe
- parking can be an issue when there are a lot of people visiting
Lake Tahoe skiing for beginners – Palisades Tahoe
Palisades Tahoe, similar to Northstar, is a big ski resort, more appropriate for advanced skiers. Over a dozen ski lifts at Palisades Tahoe proper (not counting Alpine Meadows) and over 100 ski runs. I would say out of the 4 ski resorts it offers the least friendly Lake Tahoe skiing for beginners. The first “bunny” slope is short and has a sharp curve at the beginning, once you disembark from First Venture chair lift. This is where most of the beginners fall. “Magic carpet” area is good. There is also a beginner area up the mountain at the Gold Coast Base but I was scared to go all the way up there to ski.
I would recommend taking professional ski lessons before you set out skiing on these trails.
Palisades Tahoe Pros:
- good ski school
- other winter fun activities on site (tubing, snowmobiles for kids)
- lots of things to do on site for non-skiers (scenic gondola, Olympic museum, shopping, etc.)
- lots of various dining options, including healthy ones
- if you stay at Squaw Valley you can ski right out the door
- easy parking on site
Palisades Tahoe Cons:
- not super friendly ski terrain for beginners
- both lift tickets and ski school lessons are expensive, on par with Nothstar
- lodging is rather expensive too compared to other areas in North Lake Tahoe
Conclusion
So to sum up, if you plan mostly to ski at the resort then I highly recommend Tahoe Donner as the optimal location for Lake Tahoe skiing for beginners, which offers a great combination of quality runs and price. If you have skiers of different skill levels or non-skiers in your party I would recommend Northstar, if pricing is not an issue.
Additional tips for Lake Tahoe skiing for beginners
Where to stay in North Lake Tahoe?
When you decide on where to stay in North Lake Tahoe you have several options: ski resort lodging, stand alone hotels and cabin/condo rentals through VRBO or AirBnB. Ski resort lodging is the most convenient for skiing but typically most expensive. Squaw Valley, Northstar and Tahoe Donner all have on site lodging.
If you like reputable hotels with reasonable pricing, a free breakfast and a pool with hot tub I suggest Hampton Inn in Truckee. You can get 50% off Sundays when you stay Friday and Saturday at participating Hampton by Hilton!
If you would like to rent a cabin, there are lots of options available around Truckee area with a huge variety of prices. Book early to get cabins offering the best price/value combinations.
What is the weather in Lake Tahoe in winter?
For the skiing benefit we hope that the weather in Lake Tahoe in winter is cold with enough snow. In 5 winters that we have been living in California only 1 year there was no snow in Lake Tahoe up until the middle of January. Typical weather in Lake Tahoe in winter would be around 30-35 F during the day and below freezing at night. But even without snow most ski resorts have snow making machines. Granted, not all ski runs will be open but beginner ones will definitely be open. If Tahoe gets a wave of warm moist air it may rain (which happened twice to us in Tahoe in January).
Will I need chains in Lake Tahoe in Winter?
If you don’t have a AWD vehicle, you might, depending on weather conditions. Check Tahoe winter driving requirements HERE.
Where to dine in North Lake Tahoe?
There are many places where to dine in North Lake Tahoe. Big ski resorts such as Squaw Valley and Northstar have several good dining options. In addition to that, the towns of Truckee and Tahoe City have a bunch of restaurants and cafes too. Our favorite places are:
Fireside Pizza Company and Soupa at Squaw
Petra Wine Bar at Northstar
Best Pies Pizzeria and Restaurant in Truckee
Bridgetender Tavern and Grill in Tahoe City
What are things to do in Lake Tahoe for non-skiers?
There lots of things to do in Lake Tahoe for non-skiers in winter. Check out my detailed previous write up on on winter fun in Lake Tahoe.
If you found this information about skiing in Lake Tahoe for beginners helpful, please do me a little favor and share this information with others, for there’s a good chance that it will help them with their travel plans. 🙂 Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram where I post many more cool photos and videos about our trips than I could include in a blog post and organize some nice giveaways!
