I had a great experience snowshoeing at the Northstar Cross Country Center!…read more I purchased a pass for $71 (steep, but cheaper than skiing so whatever!) and road the gondola up to the center. It was easy to get there from the village and there is clear signage directing guests to the center. Plus, the gondola is scenic and fun! The staff were super friendly and helpful. They reviewed the trail map with me and gave me route recommendations based on the trail conditions following a week of heavy snow. The center is equipped with hot water and clean restrooms. I especially appreciated the Caboose Warming Hut along my route - it was such a treat enjoying a warm beverage in a snowy meadow as I took a break from snowshoeing. There were plenty of scenic trails to explore and I enjoyed the views of the lake about 3.5 miles from the center. I brought my own snowshoes and trekking poles, but they have rental gear if needed. This was a fun way to spend the day while my friends went skiing. Definitely beats waiting in the village. ;)

I have held a season pass to Northstar Ski Resort for six consecutive years; however, an experience…read moreat the resort left me feeling utterly frustrated. The conditions here seem to deteriorate with each passing year. First, the resort's mobile app is extremely unreliable. The app often indicates that certain trails have just been groomed by snowcats, yet when I actually go to ski them, I discover that several runs clearly haven't seen a groomer in days. This dissemination of false information is not only misleading but also jeopardizes skier safety and severely detracts from the overall guest experience. Furthermore, last month, the Comstock lift experienced frequent operational failures,attributable to staff handling,which clearly demonstrates an urgent need for professional staff training. Second, the management here appears to be extremely lax. During the early morning hours a time when operational efficiency should be at its absolute peak,staff members were observed sitting around chatting in plain sight, completely neglecting their duties. This lackadaisical attitude projects an image of extreme unprofessionalism to the public. Worse still, a male employee working at the ski lifts displayed a rude and highly aggressive attitude. This abysmal level of customer service is absolutely unacceptable, particularly at a ski resort that is supposed to prioritize the "guest experience" above all else. In summary, this was a deeply disappointing experience. Management must take full responsibility for the current situation and immediately implement measures to effectively enhance staff training and supervision. I hope the next ski season brings with it a completely renewed experience.

I spent a week at Powder Creek Lodge with Backcountry Babes, and it was AWESOME. The ski guides…read morewere amazing - I felt totally safe with them, and they found super fun terrain despite the high avalanche danger while we were there. They were also willing to explain their decision making and teach us more about snow science, which I really liked. The ski terrain was incredible. I could spend years there and not get bored. The food was amazing - way exceeded my expectations, and the lodge itself is really nice. Every detail is so well thought out, and the wood-fired sauna was a perfect way to end every day. I had never really been one to seek out women's only experiences, but really enjoyed it. It was a laid back, supportive and non-competitive atmosphere. I signed up for the trip on my own, and met such an amazing group of people. As one of the younger women on the trip, it was inspiring for me to see that I can still be shredding the backcountry 25 or 30 years from now. I'm planning on going on more trips with Backcountry Babes, for sure.

From the owner: We create backcountry skiing adventures for women. Fun, well-organized trips in an encouraging…read morelearning environment. Our guides and clients inspire an atmosphere of laughter, comfort, camaraderie and good friends. Oh, and great powder turns and avalanche education, too :)

Beautiful day skiing with epic Tahoe views. It felt like a private mountain compared to the busy…read morebig corporate resorts nearby. Fun runs even in a challenging snow year. Solid burritos in the mid mountain food hit with great outdoor chairs and a killer lake view.

In all the years that I've been coming to Tahoe regularly (10-11 years now), I can't believe I had…read morenever hit the slopes at Homewood until a couple of weeks ago! Sure it's a smaller resort than the mega resorts of Heavenly and Palisades, but what it may lack in size and fancy amenities for a lot of people, it sure makes up for with its views! If you love incredible views of Lake Tahoe (I mean who doesn't?!), then you will love Homewood. On some of the runs, it feels like you can ski or ride all the way down the mountain and right into the lake! I would purchase a season pass here in a heartbeat if it weren't for the fact that our family's cabin is in South Lake Tahoe, and in snowier winter months Hwy 89 is often closed by Emerald Bay, which means that you have to drive the long way (counter-clockwise) to get from south shore to Homewood. This can take up to 1.5 hours (each way) depending on road conditions versus the roughly 35 minutes it would take to get there if you could take the route around Emerald Bay. In any case, my husband and I loved the 2 days of snowboarding we got in a couple of weeks ago with our friends visiting from Hawaii. One day was bluebird and the next was white out conditions and snowing. Both days were EPIC! Friendly employees, less crowds than the bigger resorts, and just an all around great local vibe! We can't wait to go back...thank you Homewood!

This is for the techs in the ski shop. Great people and great service. They were so helpful with my…read moredaughter's skis today, going above and beyond. I would say in general the people that work here make the whole vibe a great place to spend the day. From the people in the parking lot, to the ticket window, to the restaurant, and the lifts, all of them made for a great experience today. Kudos.

We wern't there for skiing or tubing, we were there for food…read more We saw the sign for pies, ice cream, and cocktails as we parked for an epic bike ride through the Donner Tunnels We rode the donner tunnels bike trail, and were starving, so we stopped in. Not sure if there was a handicap entrance, but I would have appreciated that. I stiffen up pretty quickly after a ride, so the climb up the two sets of stairs was excruciating. The pain was worth it. I had a great Western Burger, and my friend enjoyed the Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad Dogs are not allowed inside. Not even well behaved service dogs?! We sat on the deck. Multiple untrained dogs on the deck. Yes your dogs are cute, but watch them! And your kids! They should be AT YOUR TABLE. One adorable frenchie kept running inside every time the door opened. Are there no leash laws in California? Our well trained service dog was rolling her eyes, at all the crazy behavior. Pretty sure the cocktails made the climb down to the parking lot much more enjoyable. Thank you!

Top notch. Not only…read moreare these guys the friendliest, man oh man are they efficient, well-stocked, knowledgeable and all around awesome. In and out with awesome gear in less than 30 min (two kids being fitted), and ready to hit the slopes. You guys rock!

We only use Black Tie rentals. Gear delivery is incredibly convenient, and accommodating. We love…read morehaving the ability to make gear changes at anytime, fitment process, and ease of return. Much better experience than renting from the resort.

I recently took an AIARE level 2 Avalanche course. The instruction was good but about halfway…read morethrough the day I fell early on a ski descent on a moderate slope with variable terrain and fractured/ dislocated my ankle. There was minimal to no assessment of my injury and I wound up sidestepping/ sliding/ skinning back to the car a few miles away with essentially minimal help/support. When I mentioned that I couldn't bear weight on my injured ankle I was instead given advice to "keep your weight forward and lean into the fall line". I was in a mild to moderate degree of shock by the time I reached my car. No one outreached me afterward. When I reached out to Tahoe Mountain School after the event with some constructive feedback the response that I received was " Sorry, we heard that the issue was due to lack of skier ability". I'll be the first to admit that my skiing ability was indeed severely compromised by a fractured ankle that required surgery but somehow they seemed to miss the point about doing a basic assessment. As a physician and SAR volunteer (unknown to those in the class) I'd grade the response to real life backcountry injury an "F" and the company's response to feedback as tone deaf.

Took the intro to Backcountry skiing class. Instructor was very knowledgeable and a good teacher…read more He took us to a location down the road to get to the backcountry, helped us learn how to use our gear, we hiked in with our backcountry skis, he taught us how to ascend, do switchback turns, and again, set our gear for downhill. Also taught us how to use our beacons, and the procedure for skiing with a buddy. Excellent course far exceeding my expectations, and I am excited to have this new wonderful hobby.

We love the ski school and child care at the California lodge. It's only available to the 3 and 4…read moreyear olds and they have a wrap around child care where kids also go out for the lessons. We did multiple days each time and they always remembered our kid. For a slow to warm kid, they also tried to get the same teacher for him each lesson and that made a huge difference in his success. By the time he was a bit older than 4, he was turning on the easiest green all on his own! We'll be sad that he's graduating to the big kid ski school next winter but he was well prepared.

Can't believe the people they let work around kids here…read more I was nearly attacked by an instructor named Brian on the Nevada side @ Boulder Lodge because he thought I was going too fast. This guy followed me all the way to my car, pushing up on my side the entire time, to the point where security had to come and shoo him away. Heavenly has not done anything about this even after I have gone to HR about it and filed an official report/complaint on this employee. Terrible all around from the resort management in handling the issue / proper customer service training for the ski instructor.

My family and I visited in late-February and this was my first time ever skiing and my first visit…read moreto Lake Tahoe, and overall I had a great experience at Sierra at Tahoe. Full disclaimer: as a complete beginner, I stayed on the Easy Rider lift and learning hill both days, so I can't speak to the more advanced runs. But as a place to learn, it felt like a great starting point. The scenery is beautiful, the mountain has a relaxed vibe, and most of the staff I interacted with were friendly and helpful. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is an incident at the lift. While I was waiting at the red line to load the chair, a skier sat down in the chair when he wasn't supposed to. The lift attendants didn't catch it in time, and when the chair came around I ended up sitting directly on top of him while trying to load. My skis got stuck and it created a pretty awkward situation. The lift was eventually stopped, but it felt like it took longer than it should have for the operators to notice. Thankfully no one was hurt, but it did seem like the lift attendants could have been paying closer attention during loading. Aside from that, it was a really fun first skiing experience and the resort itself is beautiful. I'd definitely come back next season and hopefully try more of the mountain beyond the beginner area.

Staff was friendly everywhere we went, from the shop to the ticket booth and even at the lifts…read more Everyone was helpful and welcoming, which really sets the tone for the day. Our family had a blast. The kids took snowboard lessons and had a great experience. I spent time teaching my wife on the bunny slopes and Sugar & Spice, which were perfect for learning and building confidence. Snow conditions were packed powder in the morning and got a bit icy toward late afternoon, which is pretty typical. Overall, a fun, well-run mountain with a great family vibe. We'll definitely be back.