Alpine Meadows

Pros: Free package! Nice People!
Cons: That's one crowded cafeteria!

Ski for free? Not a Winter fable at Alpine Meadows!
A few weeks ago, some friends and I spent a weekend at Alpine Meadows. We went there expecting some skiing fun, yet mingled with typical logistical headaches such as slow rental lines and...

Pros: central to all the ski resorts;beautiful Lake Tahoe
Cons: By March, it was icy until 1:00pm then softened up. cost of lift ticket $54.

Lake Tahoe is a wonderful place to ski in winter, although in the month of March the snow was starting to get less powdery and more icy. Alpine Meadows was recommended to me as one of the premier ski resorts in that area. So I booked a weekend skiing...

Pros: long, wide runs; amazing scenery
Cons: somewhat crowded, lack of "beginner" slopes

When I sat down to write this epinion, I realized that the opinion of a ski resort is highly subjective to the person writing. Know this when reading any resort epinion. To add a little insight to this particular piece, I will start out by saying...

Pros: Interesting Expert Runs. Warm atmosphere.
Cons: Old fashioned resort. No long even pitched runs.

Every resort has a certain character and history that affects peoples opinions of a resort. Alpine was one of the original big resorts of Tahoe. If your were an expert skier your choices were Squaw or Alpine and if you wanted funky and cheaper you went...

Pros: Just about anything a real skier looks for in a resort
Cons: Occasional crowds at certain places during certain times of the day

Goldilocks would have loved Alpine Meadows Ski Resort. Not too big, not too small. Not too grand, not too homey. Locally known simply as "Alpine", it has managed to control itself well. Adding a little here, paring a little there, it has...

Pros: varied terrain, tons of steeps, great hiking, good snow, decent food
Cons: can be crowded sometimes, some slow chairs

OVERALL

Alpine is my favorite resort overall in the Tahoe Area. I've been there many times over the past 4 or 5 years. Varied advanced and expert terrain, LOTS of hikes and relatively "secret" spots, and a great atmosphere make up...

Pros: Terrain, Size, Sherwood Bowl, No-frills skiing.
Cons: Old Equipment, Lodge can get crowded.

26 years. Wow. I'm 32 years old, and I just realized that I've only spent 6 years of my life not having the experience of skiing. I guess that's one advantage of growing up in an area like Lake Tahoe. Skiing is such a part of life there that I actually...

Pros: Everything that Squaw isn't --- and I mean that in a good way.
Cons: Not a place for beginners.

If you want big, go to Squaw. If you want easy, go to Northstar. If you want a fun day of quality skiing, go to Alpine.

First, I should say that Alpine is best for intermediate and advanced skiers -- beginners should go to Northstar (see...

Pros: Great terrain, no nightlife crowds
Cons: not for beginners, minimal parks and halfpipe, no nightlife crowds

Alpine, like all the Tahoe resorts, has its own character and will appeal to many, but not to all.

Skiers and boarders who come to Tahoe for the skiing will love it. There is a huge variety of terrain, ranging from open bowls to trees to...

Pros: Great Steeps!
Cons: Closes Often in Storms

Alpine Meadows : No Meadows Here!

Alpine Meadows offers some of the steepest / challenging runs in Tahoe. What I enjoy most about it is that you can hit Double Blacks from virtually any chair (not that they have that many, though). The...

Pros: price, no lines, great snow
Cons: few greens, some higher blue trails are ungroomed

My new hubby and I went to Tahoe for our honeymoon last Spring. He's an advanced skier, it was my first trip. After a few hours of him determined to "teach" me how to ski, I signed up for a lesson at Alpine for the half day. Wow! The instructor was ...

Pros: Great for intermediate and above level skiers/boarders
Cons: can be more crowded than other resorts

Alpine offers a good selection of challenging lifts for beginners and intermediates, and some double black diamonds that are as much as you can handle. It also is very family friendly, offering a kids' ski area, nature trail, and interchangeable lift...

Pros: Skipping the Lines. Knowledgeable Instructor
Cons: No Helmet included in package. Over-sized class, despite advertising.

This is a review only about the lesson package that I took. I'm not a skier nor a snowboarder, and this was my first foray into the world of snowboarding. I signed up for a "VIP First-Timer" snowboarding package. This program is advertised as "only ...

Pros: Lots of snow, great terrain, less people
Cons: Tickets are still expensive

I was warned before I ever went to Alpine Meadows, that it gets lots more snow than it's more famous and glamorous neighbor Squaw Valley. Sure enough, driving up the Alpine Meadows access road I realized the snow banks were getting bigger and Bigger and...

Pros: cute town, nice little town, goos skiing
Cons: nothing

Alpine Meadows is one of my top two favorite ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe area. Rumors are that it may be combined with Squaw Valley to make it the mega-resort in the Tahoe area. But I like Alpine the way it is. I think it is really one of the best kept...