After a massive 18 metres of snow last season, the resorts of Lake Tahoe are embarking on multi-million dollar upgrade in time for what we are all hoping will be another epic season.
Possibly renowned as Lake Tahoe's most freestyle-friendly resort, thanks to local rider Shaun White and the Burton Stash terrain park, Northstar will be investing heavily thanks to a $30 million dollar injection from parent company, Vail Resorts. The double Olympic gold medallist will be based in the resort this coming winter and Northstar have announced that they will be working with White to produce a new 22 foot half pipe for himself and other aspiring snowboarders to enjoy.
There will be a new high-speed chairlift accessing the backside of the mountain, that's already been dubbed the Promised Land Express by locals — the new four-man chair will offer tree-lined skiing and two new intermediate runs. The resort will also benefit from a new 500 seater mountain restaurant, the Zephyr Lodge, with 200 outdoor deck seats, to enjoy the California sunshine on. The restaurant will be accessible from four high-speed chairlifts and will boast panoramic views of the Pacific crest. There are also plans for a new in-resort restaurant.
Heavenly will be benefitting from several mountain improvements this winter. The resort sits on the California and Nevada border, with the California side working on widening their pistes, while the Nevada side will be adding three new runs, all accessed via the Galaxy chairlift.
Families will be pleased to hear about the new 2,200 square foot ski school facility and its kids' adventure zone being built at the top of the gondola. The specially-designed area, Black Bear Hollow is an entry-level progression park featuring mini rails, boxes and gentle jumps for kids to enjoy and build their confidence on.
One of the region's largest resorts, Squaw Valley, has just announced plans to unite with the nearby resort of Alpine Meadows, creating 6,000 acres of skiing on one lift pass. The resort has also recently invested $15 million into the base area and on-mountain improvements for this winter.
Ski runs with established names and the addition of 200 new signs designating trails and difficulty ratings will feature alongside grooming flipper signs, which will advise riders which runs were groomed overnight as well as adding signs marking the easiest way down. The ski school will also be benefitting from major investment with the addition of three new magic carpet lifts, new rental equipment and a more streamlined reservation and registration process. The Squaw Kids facility will also be unveiling a refurbished and remodelled 17,000 square foot interior.
With Lake Tahoe boasting some of the highest snowfall in North America, including last year's 800+ inches, great resorts and the laid-back Cali attitude and all this investment a twin-stay holiday to a couple of these resorts may just be on the cards this winter...
Written by Stephen Adam
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