By Scott Andrews
Staff columnist
Lake Tahoe—
Heavenly is the name of the biggest ski resort in the Lake Tahoe region. And the name is no exaggeration.
I recently spent 10 days in the Lake Tahoe region, which straddles the California-Nevada border and includes seven major ski resorts. During my visit I skied Heavenly twice, and was profoundly impressed by the quality -- and the quantity -- of the experience.
Statistics tell only part of the story, of course, but it’s worth noting that Heavenly’s impressive numbers take the top spot in several key categories. With two summits higher than 10,000 feet, it’s the loftiest ski resort in the entire Lake Tahoe district. Heavenly boasts 3,500 vertical feet and its longest top-to-bottom run is five miles -- both tops in the region.
Total skiable acreage is 4,800 acres that sprawl across California and Nevada. In terms of lifts, acres and lodges, the split is about 50-50.
Twenty-nine lifts serve this terrain. About half of these are high-speed, including a 50-person aerial tramway and an eight-person gondola. There are four base lodges, two in California and two in Nevada.
Terrain ranges from mild to wild, distinctly skewed mostly toward intermediate skiers. Fine groomed runs radiate from most of the upper chairlifts. Many of these offer sensational views of cobalt-blue Lake Tahoe, one of America’s natural wonders.
Especially notable are the many tree runs -- glades. These are entirely natural skiing through wide-open forests, deep gullies and interesting rock formations. The all-natural terrain can be pretty rough in spots, but it’s mostly offset by the region’s annual snowfall of about 500 inches.
Want to boast? The most challenging runs on the mountain, rated “super expert,” are found in two adjacent sub-areas served by a double chairlift. Killebrew Canyon and Mott Canyon feature white-knuckle steeps and chutes that will severely test the skills of the most experienced skiers and riders.
Once on the mountain, there’s no need to return to base until the day is done. Six high-elevation eateries, accessible only by ski or snowboard, provide ample opportunities to refuel. A couple of these eateries are outdoor barbecues, a style of eatery that’s typical of California’s comparatively mild climate.
From the gourmet point of view, tops is Lakeview Lodge, spectacularly perched at 8,250 feet, a few dozen yards from the top of two lifts. The lodge’s sit-down restaurant boasts inspired fare that perfectly matches the inspirational viewpoint.
My Chicken Champagne comprised slices of breast meat sautéed in a medley of vegetables, finished with a cream sauce and served over angel hair pasta. And yes, it was heavenly!
One my second day, I ate at the Lakeview Lodge’s cafeteria and enjoyed the biggest helping of chili-cheese-fries I’ve ever seen.
During my two days, I only had one major complaint. The vast and sprawling size of the mountain makes it slow and awkward to ski between the sub-areas. But that issue is, of course, a product of Heavenly’s immensity.
Heavenly Mountain Resort is located in the adjacent towns of Stateline, Nevada, and South Lake Tahoe, California, about 60 miles from the Reno-Tahoe airport. An array of resort amenities, including restaurants that run from fast food to four-star, can be found in both towns. Stateline also offers many gambling casinos.
Heavenly is scheduled to stay open through April 18. For more information and ski-and-stay reservations, visit www.skiheavenly.com or call 800-HEAVENLY.
Heavenly is owned by Vail Resorts, a publicly traded holding company that also owns four top-tier ski resorts in Colorado: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone.
Photo caption: A group of skiers takes a break with Lake Tahoe in the background. (Heavenly Mountain Resort photo)
Staff columnist
Lake Tahoe—
Heavenly is the name of the biggest ski resort in the Lake Tahoe region. And the name is no exaggeration.
I recently spent 10 days in the Lake Tahoe region, which straddles the California-Nevada border and includes seven major ski resorts. During my visit I skied Heavenly twice, and was profoundly impressed by the quality -- and the quantity -- of the experience.
Statistics tell only part of the story, of course, but it’s worth noting that Heavenly’s impressive numbers take the top spot in several key categories. With two summits higher than 10,000 feet, it’s the loftiest ski resort in the entire Lake Tahoe district. Heavenly boasts 3,500 vertical feet and its longest top-to-bottom run is five miles -- both tops in the region.
Total skiable acreage is 4,800 acres that sprawl across California and Nevada. In terms of lifts, acres and lodges, the split is about 50-50.
Twenty-nine lifts serve this terrain. About half of these are high-speed, including a 50-person aerial tramway and an eight-person gondola. There are four base lodges, two in California and two in Nevada.
Terrain ranges from mild to wild, distinctly skewed mostly toward intermediate skiers. Fine groomed runs radiate from most of the upper chairlifts. Many of these offer sensational views of cobalt-blue Lake Tahoe, one of America’s natural wonders.
Especially notable are the many tree runs -- glades. These are entirely natural skiing through wide-open forests, deep gullies and interesting rock formations. The all-natural terrain can be pretty rough in spots, but it’s mostly offset by the region’s annual snowfall of about 500 inches.
Want to boast? The most challenging runs on the mountain, rated “super expert,” are found in two adjacent sub-areas served by a double chairlift. Killebrew Canyon and Mott Canyon feature white-knuckle steeps and chutes that will severely test the skills of the most experienced skiers and riders.
Once on the mountain, there’s no need to return to base until the day is done. Six high-elevation eateries, accessible only by ski or snowboard, provide ample opportunities to refuel. A couple of these eateries are outdoor barbecues, a style of eatery that’s typical of California’s comparatively mild climate.
From the gourmet point of view, tops is Lakeview Lodge, spectacularly perched at 8,250 feet, a few dozen yards from the top of two lifts. The lodge’s sit-down restaurant boasts inspired fare that perfectly matches the inspirational viewpoint.
My Chicken Champagne comprised slices of breast meat sautéed in a medley of vegetables, finished with a cream sauce and served over angel hair pasta. And yes, it was heavenly!
One my second day, I ate at the Lakeview Lodge’s cafeteria and enjoyed the biggest helping of chili-cheese-fries I’ve ever seen.
During my two days, I only had one major complaint. The vast and sprawling size of the mountain makes it slow and awkward to ski between the sub-areas. But that issue is, of course, a product of Heavenly’s immensity.
Heavenly Mountain Resort is located in the adjacent towns of Stateline, Nevada, and South Lake Tahoe, California, about 60 miles from the Reno-Tahoe airport. An array of resort amenities, including restaurants that run from fast food to four-star, can be found in both towns. Stateline also offers many gambling casinos.
Heavenly is scheduled to stay open through April 18. For more information and ski-and-stay reservations, visit www.skiheavenly.com or call 800-HEAVENLY.
Heavenly is owned by Vail Resorts, a publicly traded holding company that also owns four top-tier ski resorts in Colorado: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone.
Photo caption: A group of skiers takes a break with Lake Tahoe in the background. (Heavenly Mountain Resort photo)
