North Lake Tahoe has been my “happy place” ever since I moved to San Francisco 20 years ago. I call it my happy place because I quite literally feel a sense of calm, peace, and happiness every time I reach the edge of the Tahoe National Forest. Not even my children, on their most mischievous of days, can dampen my mood when I’m in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Initially my visits to North Lake Tahoe revolved around the winter and ski season. You could find me every weekend, December through March, in a Truckee ski share with 10 other twenty-somethings; bombing around all the ski slopes in the area. For a girl who hailed from England, I was in heaven to have such easy access to skiing.
Over the last two decades, my appreciation for North Lake Tahoe has only grown. Through my boys, I have received an even greater exposure to all the wonders that the area has to offer. Now you will find my family in Tahoe at various times throughout the year. And each season offers its own slice of nirvana.
But, for this post, I want to go back to the start of my love affair with the region, by focusing on all the family fun you can have in North Lake Tahoe during the winter.
Family Skiing in North Lake Tahoe
While North Lake Tahoe is relatively small (Tahoe City has a population of just over 2,000 and the Town of Truckee has about 16,000), the area boasts some incredible ski resorts. Each has something different to offer, depending on your family’s needs and ski ability. Here is a rundown of ski resorts, based on my own family’s personal experiences.
Planet Kids, Soda Springs
Both of my kids learned to ski at Planet Kids and Soda Springs. They were 3 years old at the time. The main advantage of Planet Kids is that it is specifically geared toward children under the age of seven. With a Mountain Adventure day pass, kids get to enjoy a fun sleigh ride over from Soda Springs, receive complimentary rental equipment, have access to a bunny slope with moving carpet, get turns on an inner tube carousel, and participate in snow play. The pass also includes entry to Tube Town, which is suitable for all ages, as well as the Woodward Start Park, which introduces kids to terrain park features. At $44-$59 per ticket, depending when you visit, the cost can’t be beat.
It took both of my boys just two visits, back in the day, before they graduated to actual ski runs at Soda Springs. The Soda Springs mountain itself has two chair lifts and 15 trails, with terrain that is more or less equally split between novice, intermediate and advanced.
Tahoe Donner
Located in the Tahoe Donner community, just off the I-80, the Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort is a great option for families looking for a small laid-back hill that is easy for beginners. It has just two chair lifts, and its 17 runs are predominantly novice and intermediate. It also has beginner areas, with 3 conveyors, perfect for those new to skiing. Lift passes for kids under 12 cost $44, and two-hour group lessons (that include both a pass and rental equipment) cost $160.
Boreal
Boreal, like Soda Springs and Tahoe Donner, is another family-friendly mountain. However, it is bigger in size and offers much more diverse terrain. This makes it the perfect destination for when your child is ready to step things up. In particular, because it is home to Woodward Tahoe, it has various Woodward Mountain Parks scattered throughout the ski area that allow your kid to experiment with jumps and terrain park features.
With COVID, Boreal has set up a unique way to buy tickets in advance. Called “Go Time Tickets,” prices vary based upon your chosen date and start time. By purchasing your tickets this way, mountain access is completely contactless. Plus, you can time your visit for when prices are the lowest. (Prices seem to be $99 at the highest).
New this season, Boreal is offering private family/cohort lessons. Prices vary depending on the number of people in your group.
Squaw Valley
Squaw Valley has been our go-to ski destination ever since we put our kids in the Squaw Kids Mountain Camp program, when my eldest was seven, and my youngest was four. Now both boys are members of SquawFree’s competitive freestyle team.
Squaw offers the type of big mountain skiing that I grew up with in Europe. With 3,600 skiable acres, there are virtually endless possibilities for terrain, both on and off piste. You can easily spend an entire day hitting up just the groomers on the lower and upper mountain. Or, you can seek out mogul fields, chutes, obstacles, and terrain parks. For the more adventurous, you can even hike for deep powder off Eagle’s Nest, the Palisades, or Granite Peak.
That’s not to say that there aren’t great opportunities for young beginners as well. There is not only a magic carpet area for littles behind Squaw Kids, but also plenty of green runs to keep your child busy. In fact, 25% of Squaw’s terrain is suitable for beginners, and the mid-mountain area by High Camp is especially great for those just starting out. Squaw also offers a wide variety of private and group lessons for all kinds of ski abilities, including kid group lessons for ages 8-13.
Alpine Meadows
The benefit of a Squaw Alpine pass is that you get access to two mountains: Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. The latter, while 1,200 acres smaller, has over 100 trails, including beginner-friendly slopes. It also boasts some of the best views of Lake Tahoe. But Alpine’s sweet spot is really what it offers intermediate skiers. If your child is already skiing, this is a fun mountain to visit.
Homewood
Speaking of Lake Tahoe views, Homewood has always been the best. It is also the mountain with the biggest local vibe. It is a real family hill that is perfect for beginner and intermediate skiers. And it has some terrain parks to boot.
Best of all is the price. Depending on when you visit, a child’s pass costs as little as $39, and a half-day child lesson (that includes equipment and lift ticket) costs $159. Oh, and did I mention the view?
Sugar Bowl
Rounding out my list of North Lake Tahoe ski resort recommendations is Sugar Bowl. This resort has 12 lifts, 1,650 skiable acres and 100 trails. If you are looking for a true Alpine experience, arrive early for parking and take the gondola into the village, instead of parking on the Judah side.
Like Squaw, the powder can be particularly good at Sugar Bowl; as is off piste tree skiing. That said, while Sugar Bowl does have a Judah Kids Teaching Area, complete with extra small park features, as well as some easy green runs, I still think of this mountain as one that is great for intermediate skiers.
If you are interested in lessons, kids aged 8 and up can enjoy half day group lessons for $199, including lift pass and rental equipment.
Like with all the other resorts I mentioned, lift tickets must be purchased in advance for the 2021 season. However, if you are able to ski mid-week, you can score a ticket at Sugar Bowl for as low as $90.
Other Winter Sports in North Lake Tahoe
Cross Country Skiing
Cross country skiing is different to downhill skiing in that you move around the mountain on your own steam. There is no chair lift to get you to the top of your trail. Instead, you glide your skis across the terrain using a diagonal stride, where you coordinate each pole plant so that it is opposite to the foot being brought forward. Needless to say, it is quite the workout. It requires both strength and stamina and, as such, I feel is more suited to children ages 8 and up (although some parents start their kids as early as 3). The older the child, the further you’ll be able to explore.
Tahoe Donner has a great cross country ski area with plenty of beginner and intermediate terrain to get your family started. A child trail pass costs just $15, and you can also rent equipment and arrange for a private lesson. Similarly, Tahoe City has a cross country ski area where you can purchase day passes, rentals and lessons. And Granlibakken and Tahoe City Winter Sports Park offer plenty of terrain, as well as rental equipment. An alternative, if you have your own equipment, is North Tahoe Regional Park where you can ski for free!
Snow Shoeing
Unlike cross country skiing, snow shoeing is a winter activity suited to any child that can walk, and there are so many places where you can do it in North Lake Tahoe. In fact, you can find child snow shoes for ages 2 and up. If you have your own snow shoes the possibilities for hiking are limitless. However, if your child is over the age of 8, you can also arrange for a tour with outfits like Tahoe Adventure Company.
Ice Skating
There are several ice skating options in North Lake Tahoe. The Resort at Squaw Creek has a lovely little rink just outside Sandy’s Pub. Because of its size, and seal assists for those unsteady on their feet, it is a great place to introduce your kids to skating. There is also a much bigger rink at the top of the cable car at Squaw Valley. Although, this appears to be closed for the 2021 season due to COVID. Unfortunately, the same is true of Northstar’s massive ice rink in the center of its village. However, the rink at Tahoe City Winter Sports Park is very much open and costs only $18 per session for kids under 14 (including skates).
Fat Tire biking
Fat tire biking is a relatively new winter sport that started trending in North Lake Tahoe a few years ago. If you have kids, like mine, who are into mountain biking, fat tire biking could be for them. Essentially fat tire bikes are off-road bicycles with oversized tires designed for riding in snow. Right now, the best place to try out fat tire biking is Northstar because they can hook you up with a bike and trails. A half day rental will set you back $58.
Adventurous Winter Rides in North Lake Tahoe
Snowmobile
This is one to file away for when we are not in a pandemic. While not available this season, Soda Springs has an awesome mini snowmobile circuit for kids, and it only costs $10. North Tahoe Winter Adventures also runs a snowmobile concession out of the North Tahoe Regional Park.
Dog Sledding
Back in the day, Wilderness Adventures Dog Tour ran an awesome dog sledding business right out of the Resort at Squaw Creek. These days you have to go further afield to find dog sledding. While I haven’t personally used their services, Sierra Husky Tours operates dog sledding out of Lake Davis (about an hour’s drive from Truckee), and Sierra Adventures, in Reno, also organizes tours. What I can tell you is that dog sledding is something my kids have never forgotten.
Snow Tubing
There are a bunch of places around North Lake Tahoe where you can go snow tubing. (Think inner tubes). Most snow tubing facilities are linked to ski resorts in the area. Some of our personal favorites include Boreal, Soda Springs, and Squaw. For littles, your best bet is Tahoe Donner.
Regular Sledding
Just about every convenience store in North Lake Tahoe sells sleds in the winter months; from hardware shops, to pharmacies, to gas stations. This means there is no excuse to not go sledding – whether it is in your rental home’s back yard, at your hotel, or on public land like the trail at Glacier Way in Truckee. However, if you don’t want to purchase a sled, you can always go to Granlibakken, where sleds are provided, and attendants are on hand to keep things safe. At the weekend, a sledding session costs $35 and kids under 3 are free.
Snow Play Activities in North Lake Tahoe
It is true that winter sports and activities often come with a price tag. However, there is still plenty of North Lake Tahoe fun that can be enjoyed free of charge during the winter. In addition to sledding, let your child enjoy the white fluffy stuff via snowman and igloo building. Consider instigating a snowball fight. Or encourage them to make snow angels. Just be sure to keep your kids away from roads, as well as rooflines (where heavy snow loads can suddenly fall and bury unsuspecting visitors). You should also closely watch your child if they choose to dig snow tunnels.
Happy Travels!
Wow so informative!