Our family's favorite Always fun , great atmosphere and the food is great too Definitely will be back soon read more

Sugar Bowl Resort is one of the last true independent gems in Lake Tahoe, and you can feel it the moment you arrive. Easy access off Donner Summit makes it a go-to without the chaos, and the recent improvements really show in the lodge and base areas. It's the perfect medium-sized mountain: big enough to explore all day, but dialed enough to avoid the sprawl and commuting lift-to-lift. The terrain mix is legit too, from mellow groomers to steep lines and playful powder zones. A place that still feels like skiing should. If anything, I'd love to see how they continue building on the upgrades. read more

Had a fantastic day of skiing on a Thursday. Parking lot can be a walk unless you pay to park closer. You can also drop off and then park. Runs were groomed but due to the weather, it got slushy by the afternoon. Staff working the lifts did not greet ppl but were helpful in slowing lifts or making sure people loaded and unloaded properly. Restaurant staff were very friendly and food options were good in the cafe. Drinks were all refillable. read more

See all

Lots of seats to wait for the kids while snowboarding. Quick and fast customer service. Clean dining area. Less line for the lift. Kids enjoyed the mountain adventures read more

See all

I would like to specifically mention 3 employees. Adam, operating the Jerome Hill lift on January 20th, patiently took out his copy of the resort map, to explain to me what trails were green and blue, and how to get there. I asked him to repeat the instructions more than once and he did so without me feeling rushed to understand and remember. He was kind and smiling which is refreshing since often times, resort employees can appear like they don't want to be working that day or are utterly bored. But, this was my first time at Sugar Bowl resort and I had a positive impression from the get-go and a great experience since the moment I parked my car with two Latina twin females who guided me to the right spot. They greeted me with a friendly hello. Secondly, I want to mention Daniela and Rael. They helped me in the retail store and gave me good feedback on balaclavas and which one would serve me best under my new MIIPS helmet because what I already owned was too thick, which made the helmet fit too tightly. Daniela took her time and patiently let me discuss what I was looking for, and how much I wanted to spend. In the end, I walked away happy with my purchase of a corduroy Sugar Bowl hat, and a patch to add to the denim jacket I was making! Thank you Sugar Bowl. Your staff was the most helpful across other resorts I'd been to in the past. And all appeared friendly, and happy working. Keep doing what you're doing! read more

Sugar bowl is greedy and only care about raising their ticket prices. Want to ski on the weekends ? $250 plus a lift ticket Want to ski on a Monday but it's a holiday? $250 plus a lift ticket Want to ski in the next couple days because it's snowing? $250 plus a lift ticket I bought a multi day ticket pass for Monday - Friday but the Monday I want to go is a holiday, you should not blackout holidays that are on a Monday. Sugarbowl is so dang greedy I'm tired of them, there's a million other ski resorts in Tahoe, I'll take my business elsewhere. read more

I came here yesterday 11.25.2024 which was my 3rd day of the season hitting the slopes. It snowed steadily all day. Which made for some fantastic fresh powder conditions. The staff that helped me with my ticket purchase were very friendly and helpful. Considering there wasn't much terrain opened, there still seemed to be quite a bit of runs to go down and some off piste stuff thru the trees etc. I had a great time! read more

See all

Over a couple days after a long snowless stretch SB still has something to offer. The three jump progression ramp set off nob hill - is the learning tool this reviewer has been looking for and found pretty delightful... The negatives - navigating to the farther flung lifts requires traversing some long flat spots. Prices - high enough to keep the place feeling relatively uncrowded read more

Sugar Bowl Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

Don't come here, it's not great! *wink* If you're a show off and rides like a D, go elsewhere. You can go to Palisades. If you are chill and will tolerate families with kids who simply like to ride /ski around and enjoy this mountain, then by all means enjoy the sugar bowl vibe with us. read more

Of all the Tahoe area ski resorts, this is one of my favorites. I should mention that I go skiing for the mountain, the terrain, the sunshine, the crisp invigorating winter air, the views, and the endorphins. I am not interested in celebrity restaurants, bougie shops, spas, waffle carts, 5-star accommodations, lift line socials, Gnar-lore, and slope-side aprés-ski options. read more

Sugar Bowl Resort - View south from Judah lodge. - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

The resort has been transforming over the last three years with the addition of the new CEO. Overall, I feel like things are improving dramatically and hope she can find a balance between keeping the "feel" of the "sugar bowl" legacy while improving the relevancy of the resort. It is worth noting that Sugar Bowl regularly receives more snow than any other resort in the Tahoe area (on average) and over the seven years I have skied here, the care of the mountain continues to improve. Grooming is more reliable and includes more of the mountain, so skiing on what appears to be fresh powder that really is iced over snow has been minimized. Next, the major change for this year has been the move of the terrain park to the competitive ski training area and most importantly, uses a portion of the ski area that wasn't used much. Now, it is a vibrant addition of a terrain park in an area that wasn't used much. This opened up the Jerome area completely and is a different experience. Things I would consider. I have been skiing on days when the resort is packed. I didn't wait much time for lifts but it is getting more crowded. Mostly, this is a parking issue, and they could benefit from making more parking closer to the resort. The bus service is good, but it makes for some issues if you take lunch or have a group of kids. I typically rent a locker and never had issues. However, they are selling out in the lodge area (Jerome side). Adding more lockers would be beneficial. Also, the price has gone up to $20 from $15. At the top of Lincoln, there is a great ride to the left that runs along the ridge and then turns down towards the lodge. This area gets significant use and by the end of the day, it's nothing but moguls and I was surprised to find exposed ground. If there were a way to install snow makers at the top and perhaps at mid way, the area would be much better with grooming and packing so it isn't as easy to make it into moguls. Just a thought as I have seen this a few times. Next, while I expected prices to increase, the cost is now as much as palisades and heavenly. That is not optimal. Additionally, sugar bowl had a real advantage because it was never crowded. Now it is getting more crowded. My suggestion is to not increase the season pass cost, and to have a max price for family/buddy vouchers that does not change while the price of the daily pass fluctuates. I took a kid with me and paid around $90 for his pass meaning the retail was $180. I have never paid that amount in the past. I have heard that some day passes are $240. Yes, sugar bowl needs to be profitable and should command a price point commensurate with the product. I feel it is becoming a smaller version of Heavenly or one of the other main areas in Tahoe. It should be a balance between keeping the place where you do not wait in lift lines while having a price point for season holders that is attractive, otherwise the other choices will become a better advantage. Finally, on all the days that I have been this year, lunch is crazy- the lines for food are out the door and there isn't enough seating inside and out. Now that the ski tuning area has been removed from the Jerome side, there could be some decks installed there as well as to the side of the lodge that faces the left side of the hill towards the ski school. And, I have to say, I do miss the bands- I don't know that bands are needed (live music) but perhaps just having music playing would be great. Overall, I have watched the hill grow mostly in great ways, and in manner of the actual ski experience meaning the conditions of the hill first and then the other things. As far as the other things, parking closer to the area of Jerome and ski school particularly reserved for season users would be fantastic. Additional lockers would also be welcome, and some of the charm of sugar bowl like live music or some music would be welcome. Having said that, the move of the terrain park and expansion is a great improvement, and I would say the overall prep of the hill by the groomers is fantastic! read more

See all

They have not been grooming many runs at all. Especially off the Jerome Hill chair. Less than 40% of the runs are groomed. Since there really isn't a hotel nearby, I will go to other resorts that groom more of the mountain. I had been skiing here on and off for 20 years. This year was by far the worst. Less than 50% of the resort is groomed! Why? Sinking mid thigh into "Sierra Cement" is not my idea of a fun time skiing. For the money, I will be going elsewhere. read more

I took classes with Gabe and Evie! They were great. I would not recommend going up Jerome (lift) if you are a beginner. I accidentally ended up going down a black diamond my second day of skiing ever. Other than that great experience and rental process was super easy read more

Reality Check! There is no actual breakfast food served at any venue in the Village or at the Lodge facilities. Think about that Hotel guests! You have to saddle-up and ski over to the Judah Lodge for anything breakfast-like before 10AM. That will be especially fun when the lifts are not yet operating, or they are on hold, or it's snowing/raining so much you don't want to even try. Just remind your kids that the resort thought this was the BEST idea, go out and ski on the first runs of the day just to get to a breakfast, maybe. What were they thinking! Oh, they weren't; it's all about the gourmet lunch, dinner and slopeside afternoons. read more

Mid-Mountain Lodge | Sugarbowl I liked: Brisket Sandwich Corn bread w/ hot honey Let's be honest, most things are gonna be #goodeats after hitting the slopes. This was definitely not bad but you can't expect much when resort food is your only option on this side of the mountain The actual resort is awesome. Long runs and not a lot of people on the slopes. Really enjoyed my time here and will definitely be back. It's my new favorite place to snowboard. read more

See all

So, free gondola ride today. Not sure if it's free all the time, but a friend of mine told me that the gondola was free, I'm over to the resort and have a nice cocktail hour on the deck. Haven't skied here, but definitely got the free ride. So then easy. read more

See all

Much smaller than Vail resorts. Not as dinky as Soda Springs, but still... Did not realize it was as close as it was. Snow quality was good in the morning! Towards the end of the day it approached 37F and the mashed potatoes started getting thicker. Slightly longer cruiser runs, came across a "black diamond" sign but was confused as the only thing that made it more difficult is that it hadn't been groomed. If it had been, it'd easily have been a blue square. Spent very little time in line. Unfortunately, Crow's Peak did not open. Smaller resort, less time spent in lines. Might be back, but not a part of any big multi-resort pass (Ikon, Epic) system so maybe not. Is part of Mountain Collective...still a smaller resort group pass. read more

See all

Sugar Bowl is a magnificently scenic and relaxing ski area. There are so many things to love about this place. First of all, there is a slope for everyone, any level of skiing and many long, beautiful runs. Ski instructors are great and there is an excellent ski school program for children. The chair lifts are state-of-the-art and carefully managed at both ends. Lines, if there are any, move swiftly. I like to park in the gondola parking area and enter on the gondola...very unique and special. The parking and entry on Jerome Hill is, of course, much more traditional. Both areas have lockers and gear stores. The old main lodge is my favorite place to stay overnight. It is also my favorite place to hang out for lunch on the deck or in the dining room, après ski in the Belt Room, and always an excellent dinner watching the sun set on the mountains and enjoying the alpenglow. Getting there from the Bay Area is a breeze. The exit from Interstate 80 to the Sugar Bowl entrance comes before reaching Donner Summit. So there is no need to go over the pass. Traffic is often slow at the pass, so this exit is super convenient. Avoiding the pass also makes Sugar Bowl a viable place for a day trip. Sugar Bowl is an ideal resort... Uncluttered, pristine, scenic, peaceful, accommodating and historically interesting. Enjoy! read more

We absolutely love sugar bowl! Much easier for families with kids... Simpler parking and good beginner lifts and runs. Also super fun for the adults! read more

Got to visit after the storm of 2023. So much snow And such a beautiful day to ski/snowboard. My husband rented a board and they literally size you to how tall you are which is super cool. I think the cafeteria is a little over priced but I ended up Getting the chili cheese fries and it was so good after a full day of skiing Such a nice resort. Will come back again! read more

Sugar Bowl Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

Fun for the whole family. We got there early and snagged one of the first parking spot - was able to take around with no problems. The rental shop was quick and easy and the lift lines weren't too bad. We had fun all week and can't wait to go back. read more

It's been well over a year since we went snowboarding. Couldn't go at all during this 2020/2021 season and it's a bummer! But every time we do go up to Tahoe, Sugar Bowl is one of the resorts we end up going to. It's perfect for those who are just starting out or just like long green and blue runs. The pricing for lift tickets could be better but every resort seems to have dramatically increased their prices especially those that are associated with a few other resorts. Definitely look at lift tickets on their website as well as REI or Sports Basement to get a little discount and I do mean little, but it's something. Other than that, I hope to go back up to the slopes next season. I'm aching to use my new gear! read more

Sugar Bowl is a great place to learn for beginners and the location is within reach of Sacramento and the Bay Area. Booking a hotel isn't needed since leaving in the morning and coming back in the evening is very doable. Finding Sugar Bowl off highway 80 was easy and there was plenty of signs and parking close to the school and lifts. We enjoyed the carpet ride, it's not as long as others nor as short but it's good enough to allow beginners like myself and my family to practice stopping and turning several times before reaching downhill. The instructors were patient, friendly, and took their time teaching. None of us felt rush and we learned a lot for our day trip. I would come back to learn from here. Renting was the worst. Even though we prefilled our forms online ahead of time, we had to fill out another form on-site and there was only one working computer which delayed us by 15 minutes. Once we passed that, we were delayed another 30 minutes because the workers had no clue how to fit us for boots and snowboards. One of my kids even had a binding fall out because it was missing screws on their snowboard because of the renter's incompetence. Bring your own gear if possible. Tickets were steep but was acceptable because of the reduced crowds as compared to the other less expensive but very populated ski resorts. Lastly, the food was plain and overpriced. Bring your own food. I'm total it's around 3 to 3.5 stars. read more

Not a bad spot considering this isn't our home mountain! Went on opening day and one of the lifts was closed, carpet eventually went down for a little while too. Big resort, wished we got to see more of it. It definitely gets packed here and it is a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the lifts. read more

Perfect tubing place especially for young kids and have ample parking space. There are several tube lanes but still you'll have to wait for your turn which is a little frustrating. Loved the magic carpet but again the organizers could do better to manage the crowd going up. read more

We wanted a family ski day, with lessons for the kids. The lessons went well; the skiing for the grownups did not. We had purchased lift tickets and rented gear several weeks in advance. We couldn't start skiing early because the lessons didn't start until 10:15, so after dropping the kids off we went to get our rentals. We waited in line for an hour and half, walk-ins and people who had reservations were in the same line. Right before we got to the front of the line they announced that they were out of skis; at this time the line behind us was longer than when we got in line. Even if they had skis for us we would only have gotten a half day of skiing. A few people in front of us were offered the option of renting their performance skis for $35 extra (not comped) but they didn't have very many of those. Despite the fact that we had given them our shoe size, height, and weight; they had not held any stock for us. They did refund our rentals and lift tickets, but we had to spend the rest of the day sitting in the lodge buying overpriced mediocre food, while waiting for our kids to finish their lessons. read more

My wife got me ski lessons for my birthday, which was amazing in itself. I never skied before and after 4 hours of lessons, I was able to ride the chair lift no problem alone and was able to also solo downhill 4 times, would have done one or two more but the sun was going down. I am terrible with names at times. It's either Ethan or Nathan, get lessons from him for sure :) read more

Fun day on the slopes, first time here and loved it. Lunch was good. I came late and found parking easily. Next time I will spend the whole day skiing here. read more

Hands down the best place for 4-5 year old ski lessons. They have stuck to the 3-1 ratio 3 out of 4 lessons. On one weekend they combined groups to 6-2, so each kid waited in line for five other kids to do a certain task. Twice we have been lucky enough to be the only kid in that age bracket and got an unexpected private lesson. This age group is ideal for a half day lesson. Little legs don't always have the stamina for a full day lesson. My caveat is the rental is a disaster! On Christmas we waited 65 minutes and we were the third in line. We missed 30 minutes of our lesson, which was not extended due to sugar bowl understaffing. Do not rely on the rental on a weekend or holiday. read more

Sugar Bowl Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

Came a 2nd time. What a great day. This time the resort was not too crowded and it snowed the night before and the powder was nice and fresh! The weather was perfect as well. They are having a December $99 lift ticket special at the moment. From the Bay Area, it took us about 4 hours ~6am to 10am. There was some traffic and we had to stop for chain control. A couple of spin outs from other cars too...drive safe everyone. The parking lot was not too crowded during our visit and the walk to the resort is not far. One of the runs you can ski right up to the parking lot from the White Pine lift. This is a smaller medium sized resort. One cafe and bar area that I saw. Enjoyed this visit quite a bit! read more

Sugar Bowl Resort - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

See all

Nick's Bar is the best. Nick makes the best margaritas in Tahoe!!!!!!!! Fresh'mmm and potent!!!!!'n

Having skied at other Tahoe ski resorts located on Highway 89, I've come to really appreciate Sugar Bowl even more. Sugar Bowl is easy to get to and park. It's a much shorter drive from the Bay Area. That eliminates the stress of getting to the hill and finding a parking space. At Sugar Bowl, you can spend more time skiing and less time waiting in lines. The resort offers runs of various difficulties so there's something for everyone. It's more relaxing and less stressful than most Tahoe resorts. read more

We just felt so welcomed and had a great time skiing this past April. Staff was very warm and welcoming, and the lodge was always a great place to unwind. This will be our new favorite place to go for skiing. read more

Sugar Bowl Resort - Teen approves trails - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

Powder for days! I haven't been to sugar bowl since 2004. Boy was I impressed. Like future season pass impressed. Maybe shop for a nearby cabin impressed!! I'm getting old. There was a time I couldn't think of going snowboarding by myself. Well, those days have passed. It was glorious! Pandemic rules aren't exactly the worst thing for people visiting ski resorts--in my eyes, I'm sure the person who pays the bills thinks differently. Limited lift passes means less riders, less lift lines, more parking, less traffic, less likely of a mountain collision--less everything somehow equal more. The staff at Sugar Bowl are fantastic. Friendly, helpful, able to answer questions--maintained the off ramps well, too. Parking lot guy was on his game too. I loved my solo day at sugar bowl. And, yes, I'll be happy to see the crowds, and take my family, and wait in lines b/c then the pandemic will be curbed and we will be heading towards normal. read more

Sugar Bowl is a great ski resort for beginners and avid skiers alike. On the Saturday that we went up, most of the lifts and runs were opened. However, because of rain the previous night and very little 7-day snow, some of the runs were a little icy and hard. Picking up our lift tickets was a breeze as long as you've purchased them online at least a day in advance. Food options are pretty slim these days, as they're mostly doing grab-and-go from their "grill", which includes burgers, hot dogs, fries, and soups. I'm not a huge fan of overpriced, mediocre fast food, so I'll probably pack a lunch next time. The picnic tables fill up fast during lunchtime, so I'd recommend opting for the Adirondack chairs just down the stairs. It's easy to find empty chairs for your party size, and you can situate them however you'd like. COVID Safety Precautions: - While most people were not really staying 6 feet away from each other on the lifts, it is mandatory to be wearing your mask while in line at the lifts and inside the lodge. - While we were eating lunch in the area with the Adirondack chairs, I overhead an employee going around asking folks to put their masks on if they were not actively eating or drinking. read more

They wouldn't replenish our tickets with a 5/31/18 expiry date for next year even though they closed in April. "That is correct.  Sugar Bowl as with most other resorts in the region closed in Mid-April due to conditions.  These vouchers were printed and provided to xxx well before we knew when our closing date would be.  I'm sorry, but the season has ended, with the snowpack we have on the ground, operating later this season was not an option. Take care, Jon JON SLAUGHTER Director of Marketing & Sales Sugar Bowl Resort | Royal Gorge Cross Country" read more

Sugar Bowl Resort - Tickets not honored or replaced. - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

Was very excited to get back on the slopes after a few years, and took the kiddos for lessons. Big shout to Henry & Nichole at lessons, Phoenix & Mika at rentals, and David, Sicily, & Dr Lee at Medical :-). Staff was amazing and the resort was beautiful! Absolutely will return again as resort of choice. Everybody had a great time, all thanks to the amazing people that work here. read more

Sugar Bowl Resort - First stop after the tent! - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California

Season Ski Pass Holder - We have been season ski pass holders for over 13 years. The ski passes are expensive compared to other resorts where the passes are less expensive and include many more resorts. You would think with the premium spent on season passes, we would at least receive good customer service - nope! Customer Service is non-existent, and COVID is blamed for all the resort's shortcomings. Day Tickets - We did not buy a pass for our oldest since he is off at college. The plan was to purchase day passes using the Friends and Family Discount while he is here for Winter Break. So you have to consult your crystal ball and determine when the weather will be satisfactory and hope the resort opens enough of the mountain to make a day of skiing fun. If you ski at Palisades Tahoe (they will refund your ticket - no problem) Friends and Family Discount and Trip Flex - Here is where I really feel let down by Sugar Bowl. You have to buy a ski ticket 24 hours in advance, and tickets are not refundable (unless you buy $20 Trip Flex). If you buy the ticket using Friends and Family and pay extra $20 Trip Flex and ask for a refund, you get the ticket price back minus the $20, but you lose your Friends and Family Ticket Credit forever. Sugar Bowl is convenient for us to get to, but the management style is pushing this family to reconsider skiing at the resort. :-( next season. read more

Many year ski pass holder and this will be our last. Poor customer service! Called yesterday if they were open due to storm - website was not updated. A kind lady said they were CLOSED and took our contact information and said that someone would call with a refund for the Friends and Family vouchers that we purchased. We didn't receive a phone call so we called today. We were told by one manager that it was incorrect information they were open 9-12. Then stated they were open 9-2. Spoke to two "managers". Both stated they don't know who answered the phone. And who would give that information. This would have been our third time skiing there since Christmas and clearly we were ready to go. But we didn't based on information given. The "manager" would not refund any or all of the vouchers. Said she could put three friends/family vouchers back into our account but we would have to repurchase. So we pay double - wonderful for SugarBowl! Whatever the issue with their miscommunication, it should not be put on the customer to figure out!!! The sad thing is our family was here from out of town and we were ready for another day of skiing/snowboarding. We wasted our tickets and money based on their employees information. read more

Not surf about Sugar looks more like Snow! "Snow Bowl" maybe a better name! But it's Monday and I haven had my Friday yet. (have no idea what that means) sometimes I think I type with my eyes closed with know knowledge of what I'm saying. I was once asked, well more like many times asked if I was on medication I said no but did they have any to share! Next time your at the store and they tell you the total price stare them in the eyes and ask "Why" sometimes you get the strangest response. Or hand them the correct change and see if they can figure out the correct amount to give back! It's so funny how we have learned to rely on our electronics. Fire example phone numbers I usually just remover speed dial what ever! But some numbers we rennet like how much our paycheck should be! LOL! Ok going to see what I was supposed to be doing while writing this. Good thing I don't start till 8:30 am pst earth today! Later alligators! read more

Sugar Bowl Resort - The ski slope from the westbound rest stop. - Ski Resorts Near Me - Norden, California