What is Tahoe Stash?

Ever want to avoid the tourists while on the slopes? Do you want to know where the locals ride? Heavenly Ski Resort (you know they’re one of my favorites based on how many times I blog about them) set up a website called Tahoe Stash that secretly tells you where you need to go on their mountain for the spots that only locals know.

It’s a pretty simple site. At the top you will see the Heavenly trail map with 6 red dots on it. Hover over a dot and it will reveal a secret stash. Each reveal has a description on how to get there, the difficulty level and a video of what to expect. You can also submit comments with other riders and skiers.

I think it’s a pretty cool site that could be expanded on with other mountains in Tahoe. But by posting some of the secret stashes, aren’t they opening them up to everyone – in the process not making them so secret? I wonder if they had thought about making the site accessible to members only, verifying viewers are in fact locals? Probably not. My guess is it was set up as an additional way to create buzz about Heavenly. They do a great job at this and are really active on Heavenly TV, their blog and Facebook.

The California Trail at Heavenly

Lake Tahoe has miles of amazing ski trails – but I think one of my favorites is the California Trail at Heavenly Ski Resort. The California Trail starts at just under 10,000 ft in elevation. It gives you amazing views of the lake, takes you through some trees and gets narrow at certain points. Trail maps list it as an intermediate run.

The video gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect on the California Trail. It is a little shaky because the guy is riding and trying to film at the same time.

The Lake Tahoe Backcountry

The backcountry is one of those places most tourists never go. Some areas are unexplored and rarely ever visited by humans. It’s the place to go to get away from it all… and Lake Tahoe has some of the best backcountry skiing and exploring this country has to offer.

Check out this video of the South Lake Tahoe Backcountry. I know the music is awful… I promise you won’t miss anything if you watch it on mute. Just take a look at the country side and the mountains. Absolutely stunning.

Have you ever explored in the Lake Tahoe backcountry? What are you experiences? Post a comment and let me know.

Lake Tahoe Web Cams

When you’re planning a winter trip to Lake Tahoe there is one thing you want to be sure of before you go. You want the know the conditions! The weather conditions can change in a minute at Lake Tahoe. Still photos of the lake, resort and ski slopes look amazing but what you really need is a live web cam.

Here is a list of some of the best live web cams in Lake Tahoe. They will give you a clear perspective of the lake from all different angles and locations. With these web cams you’ll be able to tell if it’s a white out, just snowing flurries or if there are crystal clear blue skies on the summit.

Sugarbowl Cam
Squaw Uber Cam
Northstar Cam
Mt. Rose Cam
Mammoth Cam
Kirkwood Cam
Heavenly Cam
Boreal Cam
Alpine Meadows Cam
Diamond Peak Cam

Do you have a web cam you want added to the list? Post a comment or contact me and I’ll add it.

Snow Storm Slams Lake Tahoe

Just when we were starting to think 2009 might end with a disappointment, as massive El Nino storm slammed Lake Tahoe with over 3 feet of snow in some areas. Skiers and snowboarders across the lake rejoiced!

Expect a lot of new lifts and trails to be open this week at all the resorts. There’s no need for snowmakers anymore. Heavenly’s blog has an amazing photo gallery of all the snow they had just two days ago. It’s up to the rescue worker’s waist. Here are a few shots I grabbed off Flickr.

If you’re headed to Tahoe for a winter vacation you better bring warm clothing! And those of you living on the Lake, please be careful out there. The roads are slick and visibility is low.

Lake Tahoe Ski Season Opens

The day you’ve all been waiting for is almost here. On Friday November 20th, weather permitting, Heavenly Ski Resort announced that they will open their slopes for skiing and snowboarding, this officially kicking off the 2009-2010 ski season. Heavenly has already been snowmaking for over 180 hours.

Heavenly offers some of the best views in all of Lake Tahoe. Check out what you will see as you ski down the slopes. Can’t beat it!

Heavenly will operate for skiing and snowboarding, weekends from 8:30 am to 4 pm, and weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm. You can shop season passes on their website for only $369.