ok – we’re off for a few weeks in February – What do we need to know – thanks in advance 🙂

forgot – we’re staying in Heavenly, Harveys Resort and will have a 4×4 🙂

Don’t just ride Heavenley – the other hills around the lake are great too (Especially liked Kirkwood and Alpine Meadows)

You can get a book of vouchers in the UK that you can exchange for tickets at any of the “resorts” in the style of a multi-area lift pass, works out much cheaper than day ticketing everywhere.
If you arrive late into Reno and it’s snowing, consider getting a motel, in Reno or Carson the drive isn’t long but after a day’s travelling I didn’t think it was much fun.

The hardware/outdoor store in South Lake Tahoe has a variety of weird an wonderful things at great prices.

San Francicsco is definitely worth seeing for a day.

IHOP breakfasts set you up great for a day on the hill.

Oliver is correct, either see San francisco on the way in or home.

Take a day off and ride the steam boat on the Lake, if it’s a clear day the views will be excellent.

Set off early each morning to get to the different ski resorts (there are so many to choose from). They close the trails early in America. Also look out for wildlife, we saw coyote at the side of the road, friends saw a bear ( it may be too early in February as they’ll be hibernating).

It could be quite cold at this time of year.

Also cross the border into Lake Tahoe itself, the casinos are amazing (not my cup of tea) and the food is reasonable (big steaks for very little money).

I met my husband in Heavenly (true) so it holds special memories for me.

thanks folks – anything else we’ll need to see / do ???

i like steeps and drops, mrs TLR loves boulevard groomers………where’s best ?

Use the slopes during the week and do something else on the weekend, I was amazed at how busy they got Friday afternoon through to Sunday then were almost dead for the rest of the week.

I got married just down the road from heavenly. 😛

The backside of squaw valley has some nice stuff, as does back of the mountain in Northstar.
Second the recommendation for alpine meadows too.

Never ridden at Kirkwood, but the boarders mostly go there…… Depends if you’re planking’ or riding?

You should of course get over to Downiville to rent a bike whilst you’re there… The place should be snow free as it’s alot lower than Tahoe peaks. Can rent a great bike there too! Youw won’t regret it…. Fantastic riding.

Have fun

Lecht…

Squaw for you, and alpine for the missus.

Kirkwood is great for loads of snow and powder. My fav.
Heavenly is expense, but pretty large
Sierra has lots of tree runs and drop offs
We got a cheap Sunday ticket to Sugar bowl, but snow wasnt great and its quite a drive – as is Squaw.

You used to be able to get cheap tickets from petrol stations or Sunday tickets.

Get some boots out there – I think Tahoe Boot ‘n’ Bike Works in Heavenly was one that was pretty good (master boot fitters…) and there was a guy named Brent (another master boot fitter) at a shop on the way out of town (can’t remember its name but it was in a pull in off the main road and opposite a coffee shop.

I made the mistake of paying loads for some boots at ProFeet in London before we went to Heavenly – had real problems with the foot bed cuts too short at the heel so not sitting in the boot in the correct place and also with ridges in the boot crippling me. Profeet were rubbish at sorting this out.

Got them sorted in Heavenly but all my mates paid about half what I did for perfectly fitting boots from this Brent character.

Brent was also at the time fitting some boots for a USAF pilot who had lost half of one foot in a plane crash. Brent had cut the front off a boot, had sculpted 3/4 of a foot from wood and hollowed it out so the pilots foot ‘stump’ would fit in it perfecty, put it in the front of the boot, and then fixed the boot back together. Being a local the pilot would then be able to resume his offpiste skiing.

At Boot ‘n’ Bike Works the were fitting boots for someone else who had virtually lost her foot in a car crash but had it sown back on for partial return of functionality.

So I think it is safe to say they knew what they were doing.

And…

if you get boots get some ZipFit liners which are excellent.

There is also a Helly Hansen shop in the little shopping bit near the main lift out of Heavenly.

I got some 3/4 length Life base layer pants, like these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Helly-Hansen-Lifa-Dry-3-4-Pant-Thermal-Ski-Base-Layer-/300547557014?var=#vi-content

which are great as they don’t go into your boots.

And Smart Wools socks were a good price, so stock up on those.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx2UagBZaQY[/video]

Worth listening to this…

HOMEWOOD, one of the smaller resorts on the west shore, but One of my favourites. Great tree runs and views of the lake as good, if not better than heavenly!!

superb – keep it coming 🙂

If it is dumping go for the tree lined resorts…

Have spent some of my happiest februarys in heavenly and tahoe. Never seen so much snow. If ure lucky it will be fresh powder for u each day and fresh groomers for the missus! If ure after deep and steep stuff, drops etc, go to mott and killebrew canyons in heavenly or get a guide and go back country. Head to squaw. AND def head to kirkwood. Boarders? Thought they were banned there?! Its got chutes, steep, deep stuff off most higher trails. Amazing powder bowls. Sierra and bits of heavenly for trees. I am one jealous man! Have a good one!

When they say “Tree Runs” and “Off piste” this can very well mean huge glades of powder puctuated with giant redwoods 10-15 m apart providing a nice bit of shade as opposed to something akin to brashing though a FC coniferous forest like you might in Europe.

Heavenley is very expensive for food an drinks (even beats some notoriously pricey european resorts)

While you’re in the States I think Rei outdoor will accept a UK card and ship to your hotel if you need stuff that doesn’t have to be tried on.

Depends if you’re planking’ or riding

Doesn’t seem to matter as much there as in some other places, one or two runs at Heavenley with bad flat spots for us boarders, but no real attitude problems in evidence. (Americans like to whoop and holler though!)

Lecht – e-mail in profile if you want details on lift tickets.

brilliant – thanks folks 🙂