| It is incredible that within a one to two hour drive of | | | | 20% are beginner. |
| a full-feature city like Reno, Nevada, there are more | | | | Heavenly has a veritable cornucopia of additional |
| than a dozen world-class ski resorts. Add the | | | | amenities and close access to all the lodging, |
| attraction of gambling casinos, fabulous restaurants | | | | shopping, dining, recreational, entertainment and |
| and showrooms and you have a winter vacation | | | | fitness facilities that you could possibly imagine. It is |
| destination at Lake Tahoe that is second-to-none. | | | | truly a fantastic resort. |
| If you are in Reno for a visit to a casino or on a | | | | At the north end of the lake we find Squaw Valley |
| business trip, it is a very simple to just rent a car or | | | | USA, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. It was |
| hop on a shuttle bus down to Lake Tahoe and enjoy | | | | founded in 1949 amidst 8,000 acres of wilderness |
| a day of awesome skiing with absolutely breathtaking | | | | preserve in the California High Sierra. Today it boasts |
| views of the lake from the snow covered slopes. | | | | over 4,000 acres over six Sierra peaks. |
| In the South Lake Tahoe area you will find a little | | | | Squaw Valley offers skiers a unique experience since |
| piece of skiing heaven called, appropriately, Heavenly. | | | | there are literally thousands of acres of open bowl |
| This beautiful and massive ski resorts' lower slopes | | | | skiing as opposed to the trails that most people |
| can be seen from the Stateline/South Lake Tahoe | | | | (especially Easterners) are accustomed to. Skiing in |
| highways and from most of the lake itself. Many | | | | wide-open bowls in consistently deep snow allows |
| people consider Heavenly to be one of the most | | | | skiers of all levels to kick their skill sets up a notch. |
| spectacular ski areas on the planet. | | | | There are 16 open bowls to choose from and over |
| Heavenly opened in 1955 with only one chair lift and a | | | | 100 runs that are serviced by 33 lifts. The terrain is |
| small hut on U.S. Forest Service land. Today it covers | | | | rated at 25% beginner, 45% intermediate and 30% |
| over 4,800 acres and is literally a massive operation. | | | | expert. |
| The resort was purchased in the spring of 2002 by | | | | The area receives over 450 inches of snowfall |
| Vail Resorts Inc. who has pumped over $36 million in | | | | annually and boasts one of the most advanced and |
| on-mountain capital to improve and upgrade the site. | | | | sophisticated grooming operations around. Three |
| Enhanced snowmaking on 70% of all mountain trails, | | | | terrain parks and two half pipes round out the |
| expanded grooming, outstanding terrain parks, new | | | | operation to include something for everyone. The |
| signage and access to tree skiing are just a few of | | | | summit is 9,050 feet with a base of 6,200 feet, |
| the improvements that have been made. | | | | making the vertical an impressive 2,850 feet. |
| The ski season at Heavenly runs roughly from | | | | Squaw Valley, like Heavenly, offers close proximity to |
| mid-November to late April. The vertical drop is 3,500 | | | | the Lake Tahoe area with all the added attractions |
| feet and the top elevation is 10,067 feet. The | | | | and amenities. An absolutely world-class resort, you |
| mountain spans California where the base elevation is | | | | also have the additional perk of skiing down slopes |
| at 6,540 feet and Nevada where the base elevation | | | | once graced by Olympic athletes. |
| is at 7,200 feet. Annual snowfall is 360 inches on | | | | These are only two of the many world-class ski |
| average but they had 480 inches during the | | | | resorts in the Lake Tahoe region but they clearly |
| 2004-2005 season. | | | | give an indication of the fine facilities that are |
| The resort has 30 lifts, 15 in California and 15 in | | | | available. For winter sports enthusiasts who enjoy a |
| Nevada, highlighted by an eight-person gondola and | | | | nice meal, a relaxing spa and terrific shopping after a |
| an aerial tram. As far as skiing goes, the mountain | | | | day spent on some of the most awesome runs |
| offers something for everyone. 35% of trails are | | | | anywhere in the world, Lake Tahoe is a must visit. |
| rated expert/advanced; 45%are intermediate; and | | | | |