Winter 2009-2010 North Tahoe's Smaller Ski Areas
The Five Smaller Resorts Offer Accessibility, Challenge and Charm
Oct 13, 2009
The following five resorts are smaller than the "Big Three" north of Lake Tahoe. All of them are close to U. S. Highway I-80.
Donner Ski Ranch
The first rope tow at Donner Ski Ranch was built in 1937, making it one of the oldest ski areas in the northern Sierra Nevadas. It’s also the last of the family-owned ski resorts in the Tahoe Basin. It’s the sort of place families return to year after year. Base facilities include a lodge, cafeteria, cocktail lounge, ski and rental shops and ski patrol.
The Ranch, which covers 435 acres at Norden, California on U. S. I- 80, has a base elevation of 7,031 feet and receives an average of 33 feet each season. Terrain is rated at 25 percent for both beginners and advanced skiers, with the remaining half suitable for intermediates. Skiers who are members of the Professional Ski Instructors of America offer both class and private lessons.
Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area
The 120-acre Tahoe Donner's main focus has always been to “provide memorable downhill and snowboarding experiences for first-time and beginner skiers and snowboarders in a fun, friendly environment.” With wide-open bowls and great beginner terrain, the longest of its 14 trails is one mile with a vertical drop of 600 feet. Lifts operate 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Located at the top of Northwoods Boulevard in the town of Truckee, the resort is operated by the Tahoe Donner Association, a group of more than 6,000 property owners. At lunchtime, outdoor patio tables accommodate both people who have brought their food from home and those who buy hamburgers, hotdogs, pasta and the like from the ski area’s cafeteria. Projected opening date: 12/18/09
Boreal Mountain Resort
On October 9, Boreal, which has snowmaking equipment for 75 to 80 percent of its runs, was the first ski area to open for the 2009-10 season.With a parking lot adjacent to U. S. Highway 80 in the Donner Pass area, Boreal is usually the most accessible of the Tahoe Basin ski resorts. That’s because I-80 is usually plowed before other roads in the lake area. Average snowfall is 400 inches (1,016 cm), with a base elevation of 7,200 feet (2,195 m) and a vertical rise of 500 feet (152 m). Longest of the 41 tracks is a 1 mile (1.6 km) run. Boreal also offers lanes for sledding. Thirty percent of the terrain is suitable for beginners, 55 % for intermediate and 15% for advanced skiers.
Sugar Bowl Ski Resort
A medium sized ski resort in the Donner Pass area, Sugar Bowl is one of the oldest ski resorts in the Sierra. 40 percent of the resort’s 1,500 acres are classified as advance/expert. With the base at 6,883 feet and summit at 8,383 feet, the vertical drop of 1,500 feet and run of three miles are among Soda Springs challenges. The resort’s terrain park, expanded this year, includes a skier/boarder cross training course plus numerous new trails and jumps. A skier/boarder event will debut at the 2010 Winter Olympics, so this facility will be used by top winter sport athletes. However, it will be open to the public when not in use for training. The big bonus at Sugar Bowl is an annual average 42 feet of snow – more than at any other California, Colorado, Nevada or Utah resort. Opening scheduled for November 25, 2009.
Soda Springs Winter Resort
Another old-timer that’s been modernized, Soda Springs was established in 1931. Ten miles west of Truckee at the Norden exit, the resort has two lifts (open 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.), 16 runs and two tubing tows. The area’s summit elevation is 7,325 feet with a 625-foot vertical drop that makes it less intimidating for beginning skiers. Kids get free sleigh rides when they attend Planet Snow program, geared for youngsters eight years and under. At Tube Town, a brand new 320-foot Magic Carpet (moving sidewalk) escalates tube-bearing adults and kids 42 inches and taller up the mountain. Opening date pending.
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