Why Squaw Valley?
Every good word you have ever heard about Squaw Valley is true. Rated #2 in North America and located on Lake Tahoe’s beautiful North Shore, Squaw Valley is a modern, well-designed ski village. Fantastic for families thanks to its emphasis on convenience but with the biggest variety of terrain of any one resort in the area it also if a brilliant choice for groups and couples, particularly if you are looking for a higher standard of accommodation.
The Skiing
There really is skiing to suit everyone here from wide, cruisey blues, confidence building steeps and glade runs and some of the best chutes and bowls for experts in the area. The recent partnering with Alpine Meadows, just a 10 minute drive away, also means that you now have access to over 6,000 acres of incredible skiing and fantastic Californian powder all on the same lift pass. As if that wasn’t enough you then have the 6 other resorts around the Lake including Heavenly and Kirkwood, all of which can be combined on the same lift pass.
The snowfall here in the Sierra Nevada mountain range is just incredible with an average of over 450 inches. More often than not it dumps down overnight leaving you with bluebird skies and epic powder the next day. Tahoe also boasts 300 days of sunshine a year so the conditions are just perfect for those jealousy-inducing action/deckchair shots.
Off the Slopes
Squaw is one of the few resorts in North America where nearly all the accommodation is ski in/out and the base village is coming on in leaps and bounds with the choice of bars, shops and restaurants increasing all the time. High Camp is a really unique stop on the mountain with bars, a swimming pool and hot tubs and the resort also offers night skiing.
The Accommodation
Squaw Valley works fantastically well for families, couples and groups of all sizes as there is a good range of units. The amenities are all on your doorstep whether you choose accommodation in the base village or in the Resort at Squaw Creek which is probably the best value 5* property in North America and has its own chairlift and fantastic facilities. This is therefore the area of Lake Tahoe you want to be considering if you are looking for a higher standard of accommodation but still great value.
More Adventure?
As with all the resorts around Lake Tahoe, a holiday in Squaw Valley can be combined really easily with a city stay in San Francisco or Las Vegas or with the California Safari including Mammoth. This adds a really exciting dimension to your trip and is fantastic way of experiencing that the variety that North America has to offer. For more ideas please see our Ski Lake Tahoe Guide.