Alpine Meadows

The other grand ski resort at Tahoe [1], Alpine Meadows (2600 Alpine Meadows Rd., Tahoe City, 530/583-4232, www.skialpine.com [2], mid-Nov.–mid-May, adults $44–63, youth $44–49, children 5–12 $10), sits just one ridge over from Squaw [3]. This sprawling resort encompasses both sides of its two Sierra peaks: Scott and Ward. While Alpine has a ski school and a token small handful of green runs, it is not a beginner’s resort.

In fact, Alpine devotes considerable area to what it refers to as “Adventure Ski Zones.” These are large clusters of black diamond and double-black bowls and runs intended for expert skiers only. A dozen lifts service the mountains, including three high-speed chairs.

An intermediate skier can have a great time at Alpine, especially coming off the Summit Six or the Roundhouse Chairs. Or try the south side—from Scott Peak off the Lakeview Chair, all runs are blues.

If you’re an expert, well, take just about any chair up the mountain and you’ll find hair-raising excitement. The Scott Chair leads to a bunch of single blacks on the front of the mountain, as does the Summit Six Chair at the back of Ward Peak. Summit Six also services the famed Granite Chief area double-black slopes. Get to Art’s Knob from Sherwood Express or possibly the Alpine Bowl Chair.

Terrain parks aren’t Alpine’s long suit, but you can find three—not too creatively named Small, Medium, and Large—towards the bottom of the front side of the mountain.