Squaw Valley USA

I have skied all of the mountains in Tahoe over the past 25 years and I never tire of Squaw. It has  terrain that challenges the very advanced skiers--that's a given. But what I really love about it is that it has a TON of challenging terrain for the intermediate - advanced skier, which is where most skiers classify, myself included.

 

I was at Squaw last weekend in the middle of a big storm. It was raining at the bottom of the mountain, but sure enough when I got off the gondola mid-mountain, it was pure snow. At the top it was a literal white out. That weekend I did some of the best skiing of my life in knee-high powder. The wind was pelting us on the front sie of the mountain, but on the backside near the Shirley's Lake chair it was a calm snowy day in the woods. The Tree Runs 1-5 were amazing, as were the backside bowls off of the top of the mountain.

 

They recently renovated the restaurant mid-mountain was CROWDED. But had good hearty food.

 

It was my birthday weekend, and for a treat my boyfriend rented a condo in the village at the base of the mountain. (The village is new in the past 10 years--it was buit to resemble a European ski village and is really pretty). If you ever get the chance to stay in the Squaw Valley resort village, I recommend it. Our condo was so convenient, had a nice kitchen, a great whirlpool tub, and was just really comfortable. We met friends for drinks in the village and ate at the village bistro one night. It was just awesome. Not sure how much it cost--it seems liek it would be pricey. But definitely worth it if you want something a little luxurious.

Squaw is the Monster of Tahoe. The resort is 6 different mountains, all with many, many distinct above treeline bowls. Although the resort is a big pricey, it makes up in it's world-class terrain. Take the tram up to High Camp for a variety beginner runs with great views and good snow due to the high altitude. Even though the runs are a little short and somewhat flat, it is still a great learning area. The intermediate runs are in huge numbers. Shirley Lake provides the Tree Runs and Shirley Bowl, which are tree-lined slopes that vary in pitch and are immense. Gold Coast provides easier intermediate terrain, which can be accessed from the top of the Gold Coast Funitel, the only funitel in North America! Red Dog is another tree covered area with a easy intermediate slopes.

 

But Squaw is most famous for its expert terrain. From the main parking lot, KT-22 stares at you, daring you to head up to the expert-only peak. From the top of the rated #1 lift in the world many times, you can head down Rock Gardens, an rocky and steep chute, Jonny Moseley's Run, a long bump run that is very steep and named after the Olympic bump skier Jonny Moseley, Women's Downhill, a steep and wide open bowl, or the famous Fingers. The Fingers are many rock lined chutes that are mandatory straightlines with large cliff drops. On powder days, the best skiers in the area will ski these chutes in packs and it is a great sight to watch.

Also, the Headwall lift has a couple hundred vertical feet of steep expert terrain. Try Hogsback, a less skied powder bowl with a double fall line! Or Headwall, which is a wide open above-tree line run directly under the lift with slopes of high 30s to low 40s!

Granite Chief is another advanced chair lift. Granite Chief offers above tree line terrain like the famous hike-to Smoothie run to long glades.

Siberia Express is another good advanced chair. From here, you can access the Terrain Park, Siberia Bowl, and the Palisades. I found the Terrain Park to be limited, but it is worth a try. Siberia Bowl is the vastest of vast bowls (LOL!) with a continuous high 20s degrees with a groomed track down the middle. The Palisades are hike-to terrain and very very famous. Off the Palisades are 60 degree chutes and 80 foot cliffs such as Chimney Sweep, Bower's Tower, Schmidiot, or Extra Chute.

 

Overall, Squaw is a good mountain if you want to just ski. Crowds do not seem to be a problem, but are there. The nightlife is limited but there, and it is somewhat family friendly with lift tickets of $16 for children! Yet, the adult tickets are very expensive such as a season pass is $1600! The beginner, intermediate, and advanced skier or snowboarder has too much terrain to deal with at the Squaw!

 

Recommended.

Squaw is one of the best areas on the west coast of the United States. The cost of an Adult single day lift ticket however has been a deterrent when my bros when I could ski at Alpine Meadows or Sugar Bowl for $20 less. Having said that, it is hard to beat Squaw and Heavanly. They are both world class areas. With the season pass deals Squaw ran in the Spring, we could not pass up the opportunity to ski Squaw for a season. I bought the Silver Pass. My only fear is the 10,000 flatlanders bought passes and Squaw will be an ant farm EVERYWHERE! Also, I would love to find inexpensive lodging in or near the Village (good luck on that one).

After 25+ years of skiing and working (part-time in college)at Kirkwood, I gave up on Kirkwood. I didn't give up on the mountain or the snow, I have up on the ownership. From 2000 on, they stinted on mountain/lift improvements (their "new" chairs are a joke). Ownership focused on condo development, not preserving and enhancing the mountain. Parking lots covered with condos, resulting in TRAFFIC JAMS on Highway 88 on multiple powder days. For any of you Kirkwood fans, don't blame CalTrans for those missed freshies, blame Kirkwood onwership.
Kirkwood, circa 2000-2009: fail.
Squaw might be a scene, it might have its share of posuers etc., but it's got variety, it's got steep and the powder is just fine. Most important, though, they know how to handle crowds