HEAVENLY SKI AREA

Heavenly is the largest ski area in Lake Tahoe, around 800 acres larger than the popular Squaw Valley Resort. The amount of terrain is a fantastic pull for skiers and snowboarders to Heavenly, especially given how it serves all abilities of skiers and snowboarders.

There are dedicated beginner areas at both the California Lodge and the Tamarack Lodge which are both meeting places for the ski school. The slopes at Heavenly are particularly suited to intermediates who will make the most of the groomed terrain on both California and Heavenly side. The groomers at Heavenly are exceptional with High Five being a particular favorite.

If you want to avoid the crowds then the Nevada side certainly sees less traffic. Looking for more challenging terrain? You will not be disappointed! Heavenly has an expanse of exciting tree runs across the resort with Mott Canyon offering steep skiing in bounds. At Heavenly you will also find a lot of moguls and it seems that Heavenly skiers like their bumps big.

An iconic run down Gunbarrel at the end of the day will ensure the best views as well as sore legs! Heavenly ski resort offers the most vertical drop as well as the largest ski area in Lake Tahoe. Heavenly also has two terrain parks, both on the California side of the resort. You will find that the Groove and Remix Parks cater to different abilities but both are excellent. Groove Park has entry-level through to medium size features and is served by its own chairlift. Remix Park is home to the large jumps and rails.

LIFTS AT HEAVENLY

Heavenly Ski Resort, located on the border of California and Nevada, boasts a comprehensive lift system designed to provide skiers and snowboarders with efficient access to its vast terrain. The resort features a variety of chairlifts and gondolas, accommodating all skill levels while maximizing mountain coverage and minimizing wait times.

Heavenly ski resort has a modern system of 24 lifts across the resort, but they are not without fault. Let’s start with the positives, you have a choice of where you would like to access the mountain with three main uplift sites. California Lodge offers two options for uplifting, a tram and the Gunbarrel chairlift both take you to the top of Patsy’s run so you can start your day. Alternatively, you can take the gondola from Heavenly village which rises over 1000m to the Tamarack Lodge. If you are looking for a quieter start to your day consider heading to Nevada and Stagecoach lodge where you can uplift on the Stagecoach Express chair. Nevada side in general sees fewer crowds.

Once on the mountain, the modern lift system mainly consists of fast quad or six-seater chairs, although beware of the bottleneck at Sky Deck, with Sky and Canyon chairs having serious crowding on weekends.

At the heart of Heavenly is the iconic Heavenly Gondola, which transports guests from the base to the mid-mountain area with breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe. This gondola is a favorite among visitors not only for its convenience but also for the scenic experience it offers.

One major negative about the lift system at Heavenly is that key chairs are prone to wind closures. This is common across many ski resorts but sadly it can really affect your day at Heavenly. If you park on the California side and ski over to Nevada before Dipper and Comet chairs close, you can then find yourself stranded across the state line. Luckily most weeks a shuttle service operates between the California and Nevada sides. However on my latest visit, this service was not operational. So proceed with caution.