ALPINE MEADOWS
Ski & Snowboard Resort Review
Alpine Meadows located on the California side of North Lake Tahoe in the Tahoe National Forest has stunning views across Lake Tahoe and some of America’s finest inbounds powder terrain.
Advanced Skiing and Snowboarding
The advanced Sherwood Bowl area offers the feeling of ‘out of bounds’ skiing and snowboarding whilst still being within the resort boundary and is some of the best open powder terrain in the entire Lake Tahoe region.
The Sherwood Express high-speed detachable chairlift in the Sherwood Bowl area opened for the 2006/07 winter season. The quad lift transports skiers and snowboarders two times faster than the previous Sherwood triple chairlift did providing access to 400 acres of groomed and off trail terrain.
From the top of Ward Peak a short hike to Sun and Big Bend Bowls opens up multiple descent options, steep faces and cornice drops ensuring high speed turns leading into open terrain and treed areas leading back to the Sherwood Express chairlift.
On powder days there will be a rush for the bowls area but for more advanced technical turns with drop offs and tight turns the Front side offers plenty of interesting challenges right of the Wolverine Saddle and through the Sherwood Cliffs and Hidden Knolls area.
If high speed cruising is more your speed then head for the runs on the Backside that surround Lakeview Chair.
Intermediate Skiing and Snowboarding
There are many options for intermediate skiers and snowboarders at Alpine Meadows. Groomed linked trails cover the Front side, a long fast run is from the top of the Scott Chairlift down Scott Ridge linking up with East Creek and cruising all the way down back to the base of Hot Wheels Chair.
On the Backside all the terrain around the Lakeview Chair is intermediate. Outer Limits and Shooting Star perfect for long wide carving turns.
Beginner Skiing and Snowboarding
The beginner terrain is directly in front of the main day lodge. The Alpine Meadows Snow sports School has VIP First Timers Lessons in small groups with very experienced instructors.
Alpine Meadows Terrain Park and Halfpipe
Freestylers are not forgotten at Alpine Meadows with 3 terrain parks and a well maintained halfpipe. The smallest of the parks is the beginner park designed for children to learn in before moving onto the very popular intermediate Kangaroo Ridge Park which has expertly designed jumps, boxes and rails. The advanced park, The Shreadows, is the place to head for big air boasting huge jumps, hips, boxes and rails.
Alpine Meadows Day Lodge
The Alpine Meadows Day Lodge is located at the base of the ski and snowboard area. The lodge has multiple cafes, a bar, a huge sundeck overlooking the terrain parks and day lockers, a ski and snowboard rental and repair shop, a souvenir shop and an indoor kids play area.
More about Alpine Meadows
Get directions to Alpine Meadows
Alpine Meadows resort review VIDEO
Your Alpine Meadows Ski & Snowboard Resort Reviews
Sam Abbott, CA, Jan 2006 It's my kind of mountain, it's not expensive, it's easy to access, mid-week it's not busy and it's home to some of the most awesome trails! I ride at Alpine whenever I can, after a big fall anything to the left of the Alpine Bowl Chair is mind blowing....with an open boundary policy I just don't know why anyone would ride anywhere else...but don't tell anyone, it's not that good...no really....
Dave O'Conner, UK, March 2006 Alpine Meadows is fabulous, it is just a ski resort, a small day lodge and a car park! You cannot stay there, the nearest hotels are located at Tahoe City, just down the road, about 15 minutes drive, we stayed at the luxury River Ranch Lodge where we rested our weary bones each evening! Alpine Meadows has a relaxed boundary policy, meaning that you can really ski anywhere you like! There are groomed trails as well as steep snow filled double black diamond chutes and bowls. You seem to be able to make fresh tracks all day and for what looks like a smallish mountain it is surprisingly bigger once you try to ski it.
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Statistics |
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Elevation |
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Snowfall |
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495
inches |
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Lifts |
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14 |
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Trails
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map |
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Terrain
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Halfpipe |
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1 |
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Terrain
Park |
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3 |
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Resort
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