Lake Tahoe Winter Sports
Activities
Ski, Snowboard, Snowmobile, Skate and Sleigh
in Tahoe’s Natural Beauty
Tahoe’s winter months provide outdoor recreation
for both the skier and non-skier alike. Travelgirl Magazine
named Lake Tahoe’s South Shore number ten in its top 13 “Favorite
Winter Wonderlands” and Orbitz.com recognized the South Shore as the
country’s “Best Destination for Non-Skiers Traveling with Skiers” in
November of 2005.
The winter months feature breathtaking snowmobile
rides and High Sierra helicopter tours as well as cruises. And
believe it or not, some of the better fly-fishing is in November,
February and March.
Mountain Resort and Backcountry Skiing and
Snowboarding
In the winter, South Shore Lake Tahoe is the
destination for loyal and avid mountain resort skiers and
snowboarders. Leading Lake Tahoe resorts with a top ranking in
SKI Magazine's Top 30 Western Resorts in North America (October
2005 issue) Heavenly Mountain Resort is a place to
experience. The mountain was also was recognized as one of the top
five most visited snow sports resorts in the U.S. last year.
Heavenly received SKI Magazine’s No. 1 vote for scenery and
received top rankings for both Après Ski and Off-Mountain
Activities. Heavenly’s year-round attraction, the high-speed
gondola, was rated by SKI Magazine as one of the most scenic
in the nation (Summer 2004).
SKI Magazine also recognized South Shore’s
Kirkwood Mountain Resort for the country’s best ‘corn’ or
granular snow (April 2006). Kirkwood is also in the nation’s top 10
in three categories according to SKI Magazine for Snow,
Terrain Variety and Challenge (October 2005). Freeskier Magazine
selects Kirkwood in the top Road Trips (November 2005). The resort
ranked No. 13 in Value and continues to offer high caliber programs
at affordable prices. And, ranked by USA Today as one of the
top 10 places in North America to Learn to Ski, Timber Creek at
Kirkwood features a variety of fall-line runs that create a natural
progression on which to learn.
Always known for offering innovative terrain
parks and impeccable pipes, Sierra-at-Tahoe was recently
ranked number seven for Best Pipe, number four for Best Park, number
seven in its Must Ride – Top Best Places to Ride for 2006, and
number seven for Best Overall Resort in a nationwide resort poll
conducted by Transworld Snowboarding.
Skiers and snowboarders with the appropriate
knowledge and experience can head into Tahoe’s endless backcountry
for some of the world’s best skiing and snowboarding terrain. For
the very hardy mountain visitors, multi-day winter excursions into
the backcountry can test strength and endurance as well as skill and
mental veracity. The three ski resorts at South Shore, Heavenly
Mountain Resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe, and Kirkwood Mountain Resort,
continue to offer untouched backcountry and steeps for adrenaline
seekers as well.
Snowmobiling
Guided wilderness tours on snowmobiles are an
exciting and thrilling quest to unexpected places. Lake Tahoe
Adventures, offers unguided snowmobile rentals for experienced
riders and guided off-the-trail rides for less-experienced adventure
seekers. Tours take riders into the heart of Tahoe’s forest lands
and all the way to the top of its mountain ridge. Tours depart daily
every hour on the hour from mid-November to May. Lake Tahoe
Adventures also features a snowmobile track and sledding hill.
Snowmobile Ride and Dine, offers tours until mid-April to the
top of Tahoe and features Lake views at 9,000 feet. The tours also
can be packaged to include dinner at the Historic Zephyr Cove Lodge.
Sleigh and Sled Rides
Visitors can also tour Tahoe’s winter scenery in
a horse-drawn sleigh. The Borges Sleigh Rides use an antique
European sleigh. The Borges family's famous Belgian Blondes and
Baskir Curleys from Russia are hitched to their sleighs and ready to
take couples for a one-hour tour over the meadow and through the
woods, past Friday's Station - an old Pony Express way station, to
one of the most spectacular views of Lake Tahoe. Reservations are
recommended.
Join 30-year veteran musher, Dotty Dennis, and
her husky dogs for an exciting and memorable winter adventure on
Husky Express. The sled rides last about an hour, set in the
wilderness of Hope Valley, 30 minutes south of South Lake Tahoe.
Running Creek Sled Dog Rides gives a 40 minute ride of pure bliss,
which circles around Kirkwood Meadows daily with full moon tours
available monthly.
Ice Skating
Heavenly Village opens its lighted,
outdoor ice-skating rink for families to enjoy the crisp Tahoe
evening while skating and soaking in the mountain village ambience.
Skate rentals are available. The City of South Lake Tahoe ice
rink, located in the Recreation Complex 1.5 miles from the Village,
is an indoor NHL standard-size rink that offers skate rentals and
the occasional pick-up hockey game.
Kite Boarding
Just like kite surfing – only now the lake is
frozen. Kite boarding is becoming more and more popular on the many
frozen lakes and snow-covered meadows around Lake Tahoe’s South
Shore. The sport is great on windy days when the ski lifts aren't
running.