Overview
This trip is well suited for
riders and skiers of all ages and all levels.
All clients will have ample opportunity to ride/ski
terrain that bests suits their level. The goal
of this trip is to enjoy North America’s
top ski resorts and backcountry. Lake Tahoe is
situated on the border of California and Nevada
and is just a 3.5 hour drive from San Francisco,
if you have some extra time come early and spend
a few days exploring the city before joining our
tour. San Francisco is one of the top tourist
destinations in the United States. And the liberal
atmosphere makes it the most welcoming place in
the country. This trip will allow you to experience
beautiful Lake Tahoe with its typically sunny
days and the warm and relaxed Californian culture.
Our week has been planned out for moments of fun
up in the mountains, moments of relaxation, and
many cheerful nights. You will be accompanied
by a guide who speaks three languages (English,
Portuguese, and Spanish) and will be available
for any information or help needed. He has lived
in the area for a few years and has great knowledge
of everything there is to see and do.
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Terrain
Big air. Deep powder. Legendary
steeps. Natural highs. Lake Tahoe is a snowsporters
dream. North America's largest concentration
of world-class ski resorts and enough downhill
and cross-country variety to show even the heartiest
skier or boarder something new every day. There
are 15 Resorts within a one hour drive: Heavenly,
Sierra-at-Tahoe, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose, Diamond Peak,
Homewood, Granlibakken, Alpine Meadows, Squaw
Valley, Boreal, Donner Ski Ranch, Tahoe Donner,
Soda Springs, Northstar-at-Tahoe, & Sugar
Bowl. Unfortunately we will not have time to visit
all of them but we have made a special itinerary
that will include days at resorts ranked highest
by ski magazines and considered best among the
locals.
Lake Tahoe is the highest lake of its size in
the United States and the largest alpine lake
in North America, the water is 99.9% pure and
so clear that a 10 inch white dinner plate would
be visible at 75 feet below the surface. There
are 63 tributaries draining into Lake Tahoe with
only one outlet at the Truckee River. It is truly
an amazing place to see, and you will have spectacular
views of the lake from many of the runs at most
of the resorts. However, the reason you have come
is to ski/ride and the pacific storms are notorious
for bringing large dumps of powder to the Sierra
Nevada. With average annual snowfalls of 360-500
in (914-1270 cm) among the resorts we'll
visit you'll surely have a chance to enjoy
the legendary powder of Tahoe.
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Accommodations
Accommodations will be in a
3 or 4 bedroom modern rental home with 2 or more
bathrooms, a large living room area, deck, fireplace,
laundry, kitchen, and possibly a hot tub. The
house will be within South Lake Tahoe and less
than 15 minutes to Heavenly Mountain. The home
will give you ample opportunity to relax and enjoy
yourself after a day on the mountain.
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Attractions
In Lake Tahoe, the odds for excitement
are always in your favor. Caesars, Harrah's,
Harvey's, The Horizon, Bill's and
Lakeside Inn Casinos offer you the chance to hit
it big 24 hours a day. But the action doesn't
stop there the Casino/Resorts continue to roll
out better-than-ever thrills with award-winning
restaurants, indulgent spas and superstar entertainment,
such as cabaret shows, live music & dancing....
Big names like Tony Bennett, Bonnie Raitt and
Robin Williams should give you a good idea of
the caliber of performers that visit here regularly.
Nightclubs, like Vex, Boost and Blu Nightclub,
attract great crowds and world-renowned acts.
Harvey's Casino is host to the renowned
Improv comedy club. Not mention around 100 restaurants
and many pubs/bars. South Lake Tahoe is often
voted #1 ski town for nightlife. We will provide
transport to restaurants every night and to the
bars. There are many special locals' nights
with great drink specials and music and your guide
will be happy to take you out and show you around.
Agenda
/ Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome to Tahoe!!!. Your tour
guide Adam welcomes you at the San Francisco (SFO),
Sacramento (SMF), or Reno (RNO) airport. Then
transports you to South Lake Tahoe, CA it's
a drive of 3.5 hrs from SFO, 2 hrs from SMF, or
1 hr from RNO. Once arriving at our rental home
you can settle into your room to rest a while
or take a walk into town to become acquainted
with it and to check out for gear for rent or
sale and the available skiing or snowboarding
lessons in town.
We will visit a different resort each day. Everyday
resort ski/ride day we will wake up around 7:00-8:00,
have breakfast and leave the lodging by 8:30-9:00am,
arrive at the resort by 9:15-10:00am depending
on distance. At the resort Adam will provide you
a map of the trails with the proper conditions,
he will be there to guide you if necessary and
to give you safety information. You will receive
your ski pass and will be able to enjoy the mountain
and its tracks. Lunch will be available to pickup
from Adam between 12:00-1:00pm. Then Ride/Ski
until resort close 4:00-4:30pm or until tired
then return to lodging by 5:00-5:30pm. Relax at
the Lodging and then transport to local restaurants
for dinner and pubs/bars/clubs in late evening.
Day 2
We will have breakfast and then
leave at around 8:30 am for the 45 minute extremely
scenic drive along the Lake Tahoe's west
shore to small homely resort of Homewood. This
resort has runs that feel like they go into the
lake they are so close. The terrain here is pretty
mellow and this is a good warm up day and has
plenty of opportunities for great pictures. Ranked
12th in SKI Magazine's 2001 reader's poll
the resort features 59 runs all with incredible
lake views. 1260 acres (510 Hectares), 1650 vertical
feet (503 m), Annual snowfall: 450 inches (1143
cm), Terrain: 15% Beg, 50% Int, 35% Adv.
Day 3
Sierra-at-Tahoe is a 30 min
drive south. The boarders favorite, because it
has many terrain parks and Tahoe's best
halfpipe. There is also nice off-piste terrain
with good drops and well spaced trees. 2,000 Acres
(810 Hectares), 2,212 (674 m) Vertical
Rise, 46 Trails, 6 Terrain Parks, 2 Half Pipes,
Annual Snowfall: 420 Inches (1066 cm), Terrain:
25% Beg, 50% Int, 25% Adv.
Day 4
A quick 10 min drive will bring
us to the base of Lake Tahoe's biggest and
most famous resort, Heavenly. Known for its excellent
tree skiing and breath-taking lake views. With
such a large amount of terrain the best riding
will be found off-piste and your guide will show
all the secret spots. Vertical Rise: 3,500 feet
(1067 m), Annual Snowfall: 360 in (914 cm), Total
Acreage: 4,800 acres (1943 hectares), Trails:
91, Terrain: Beg 20%, Int 45%, Adv 35%.
Day 5
Another scenic drive of about
1 hr to the north shore of Tahoe will bring us
to Alpine Meadows. This resort features many large
open bowls and access to ridge tops. It is a local's
favorite and seldom has crowds or lines. 13 Lifts,
2,400 acres (972 Hectares) , 100+ designated runs,
Annual snowfall: 495 in. (1257cm), Terrain: 25%
Beg, 40% Int, 35% Adv. Optional stop in Tahoe
City on way back for food/coffee/cocktails.
Day 6
Drive up Tahoe's east
shore, possible stops at Logan Shoals and Sand
Harbor to take some scenic pictures of the lake.
Arrive after 45 minutes at Mt. Rose. This resort
is famous for its chutes, which are for expert
riders/skiers only. The chutes were just opened
two seasons ago and are a very steep 45-55 Degrees.
We may alter the itinerary to make sure we are
here on a powder day. Acres: 1200+ (486 Hectares),
Annual Snowfall: 400 inches (1016cm), Vertical
Drop: 1,800 ft (549m), Total Trails: 60+, Terrain
Parks: Badlands & Double Down, Terrain: 20%
beg, 30% int, 40% adv, 10% exp.
Day 7
Wake up 8-10:30am and have a
big breakfast 9:30-11am. At 11is 1 hr drive to
Red Lake Peak, elevation: 10063 ft (3067 m). Drop
off one car for shuttle then a 1.5 hour hike to
summit and then lunch (20-30 min). Descent via
large open bowls (40 min) and run car shuttle.
One hour drive back to lodging arriving before
4pm or we can make stop at some great hot springs
in a state park (Entrance fee $10) and eat at
the small historic town of Markleeville and return
in the evening.
Day 8
This will be a rest day, Sunday.
We will get up late giving people a chance to
rest and sleep in if they went out to the clubs
the night before. Transportation to local café
for brunch will be provided. At noon we will leave
our Tahoe lodging and drive 2.5 hrs to Mammoth.
This is a scenic drive passing through the high
desert of California. There will be many scenic
vistas'to take pictures from and we will
stop and visit Mono Lake, a high alpine saline
lake. If we have time we can also stop at some
natural hot springs for a soak. In the evening
we'll arrive at Mammoth and check-in to
our lodging.
Day 9
Mammoth Mountain, wow it's
got it all. Basically the resort is the entire
mountain. So take your pick, to the top for some
epic open bowls right off the ridge or summit,
or stay lower and ride the trees. There is just
so much and the best powder in all the Sierras
is found here, the runs were open until July 4
last year. Not to mention great parks and pipe.
Vertical Rise: 3,100 ft (945 m), Area Size: 150
trails, 3,500 acres (1417 Hectares), Longest Run:
3 miles (5 km), Trail Difficulty: 25% Beg, 40%
Int, 20% Adv, 15% Exp.
Day 10
A second day here, because there
is just so much terrain. At 4pm after last chair,
the 2.5 hr drive back to Tahoe. Optional stop
a natural hot springs for another soak.
Day 11
The most snow in the Tahoe area
is found here at Kirkwood, along with the most
difficult terrain. For those who like steep and
deep this is the spot. There are two lifts that
go up to a ridge from which you can traverse along
until you've found the cornice you'd
like to drop. It takes about an hour to get there
from our lodging and the drive is absolutely beautiful,
passing through all national forest lands. Annual
Snowfall: 500 inches (1,270 cm), Vertical Rise:
2,000 feet (609 m), Skiable Acres: 2,300 (930
hectares), Trails: 65+, Terrain: 15% beg, 50%
int, 20% adv, 15% exp.
Day 12
Wake up between 8-10 am then
have a big breakfast at 10:30 am. Drive 30 min
to Tahoe's most scenic peak Mt. Tallac,
elevation: 9735 ft (2967 m). It is a 3-4 hour
hike to the top of peak with a great view of Lake
Tahoe, Emerald Bay and the Desolation wilderness
the whole time. We will stop for 20-30 minutes
to eat lunch about halfway (after 2 hrs). Descend
via Main Bowl route (30 min). Drive back to lodging
and arrive before 4pm and relax for the afternoon.
Day 13
A 75 min drive will take us to
Sugar Bowl. This resort is much like Alpine Meadows
with access to nice ridge tops with ample cliffs
and rock gardens to cruise through, and of course
nice tree runs too. Vertical Rise: 1,500 ft (457
m), 13 lifts, 84 trails, 1,500 acres (607 Hectares),
Trail Difficulty: 17% Beg, 45% Int, 38% Adv. Option
to go straight from Sugar Bowl back to Sacramento
(1.5 hrs) or San Francisco (3 hrs).
Day 14
Goodbye!!! Check out of lodging
and transport to San Francisco, Sacramento, or
Reno for your flight.
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USA - Lake Tahoe Ski/Snowboard
Road Trip (14 days)
Dates :
January to April
Prices : USD
2495
Number of people :
min. 4, max. of 8 people
Registration deadline
: 4 months before
Included:
- Lodging
- Breakfasts & lunches
- Lift tickes to all resorts
- Transfer to all ski areas and mountains
Not included:
- Equipment Rental (if needed)
- Evening meals
- Drinks
- Your personal expenses
The schedule can be subject
to modification, dependent of your flights and
the weather forecast.
For more information: info@kosta5.ch
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