South Lake Tahoe resorts?

[RAGS]

I am a recent transplant to California and was hoping I could get some opinions on resorts in SLT. I skied Heavenly a couple years back but snow conditions were awful so I don't feel I could make a fair judgement. What about Kirkwood?

I know both have good season pass deals, so any help to make my decision easier would be appreciated!

[Emerson Biggin's]

I spent 9 seasons in SLT...Kirkwood is for sure the shit. S.A.T. has some nice steep trees, and the Heave has a lot of decent terrain...but far and away, the best bang-for-yer-buck in South Shore...lift accessed anyways, has to be Kirkwood. Super cool resort. If I didn't know how the PNW was so far superior, I'd still be there

[powski3]

Heavenly sucks. Kirkwood.

[BLOOD SWEAT STEEL]

Heavenly sucks. Kirkwood.

[RAGS]

Any good BC access at Kirkwood? The opinion of Heavenly seems not good...but for $379 is it worth getting the season pass? It would pay for itself in 5 days!

[Ottime]

The Heave is plenty good. Not a bunch of steeps inbounds, but trees galore. The OB is long and steep but needs low snow levels.
S.A.T. has plenty of trees, a few good steeps. Don't know the OB.
KW is the goods with some good OB. huge power issues that stop the lifts, and access can be a bitch. But I am a sucker and keep going back.

[Mr. Toad]

You're not cool unless you bad-mouth heave. Yeah, go to KW.

[powdork]

at least one of the "Heavenly sucks. Kirkwood." is lying, maybe both.
get both passes.
both resorts have excellent side country.

[3snowboards]

heavenly is teh suck

[Vets]

I have passes at all three South Lake resorts.
Competition leading to relatively inexpensive passes is a good thing. When passes pay for themselves in single digit days and it is easy to exceed that into double digit days at each.
They all have their good points and bad points.
Sierra at Tahoe is the best place to be on a storm day. Their lifts are still running when Kirkwood and Heavenly are on wind hold. Good trees if you know where to go. Fun sidecountry in Huckleberry Canyon (if you know how to get out.)
Heavenly absolutely is awful if you ski using the trail map. It is wonderful off-piste with some of the best tree skiing anywhere. Great sidecountry options if you know where to go (and how to get back.)
Kirkwood has the most snow and some of the best terrain around Tahoe. Great sidecounty options when they are open. Many maggots frequent Kirkwood. Also, lots of BC options close by. Send me a PM if you are interested in a hookup on an unrestricted/no black-outs Network pass for Kirkwood ($459 until 11/15.)

Good luck making your choice. I hope you get a chance to sample all three often.

[RAGS]

Vets I appreciate all the good info and the offer on the pass. I only work on the weekends, usually just Fri and Sat, so the 6Wood looks like the best deal for me. Saw some pics from the PM crew up at K.W. last week, looks like they got a good amount of snow!

Thanks again for the info!

[thefrush]

Heavenly has some really good traverses, I'm a big fan.

Kirkwood all the way.

[G]

Kirkwood sucks. Granlibakken.

[Adamantium]

I agree with Vets' summary. They each have something different going for them.

[deciblast]

Heavenly has some really good traverses, I'm a big fan.

Kirkwood all the way.

Not for 2009.. Heavenly regraded the Sky Chair to Nevada traverse and widened it. No more traverses.

[thefrush]

^^ Good to hear, still won't find me there. Plenty of other stuff to keep me much happier in Tahoe. But that was my biggest gripe with Heavenly and it's good to hear they addressed the issue.

[Vets]

Not for 2009.. Heavenly regraded the Sky Chair to Nevada traverse and widened it. No more traverses.

No more traverses?
This one, Sky to Nevada, is a good start.
How about Crossdresser, I mean Crossover?
How about Walk Home, or Way Home, oh yeah, they renamed it Nevada Trail?
Also, don't forget Walkabout, I mean Roundabout, not the Yes song either.
Heavenly still has more traverses than most resorts and I haven't even mentioned all of them.

[Spats]

No more traverses?
This one, Sky to Nevada, is a good start.
How about Crossdresser, I mean Crossover?
How about Walk Home, or Way Home, oh yeah, they renamed it Nevada Trail?
Also, don't forget Walkabout, I mean Roundabout, not the Yes song either.
Heavenly still has more traverses than most resorts and I haven't even mentioned all of them.

Dipper to Milky Way/Killebrew
Bottom of Milky Way Bowl
Mott Chair to anything in Mott
Top of Gunbarrel to...anywhere
Top of Gondola to...anywhere
Top of Powderbowl to...anywhere
Bottom of Sky/Canyon
Bottom of Tamarack to the Gondola, California Trail, or anywhere at all. Classic sign: "Gondola Return: Go Back 200 Yards"

Have I missed any?

[BSS]

Have I missed any?

Stagecoach to North Bowl/Comet
Dipper Knob

[Vets]

...

Have I missed any?

Yes. More than those BSS added.
Bottom of World Cup to Gunbarrel Chair.
Pioneer to Patsy's.
Mombo.
Maggie's.
Cat Track.
Portions of Ridge Run.
Von Schmidt.
Pepi's.
Lower 075/North Bowl (now called lower Boulder Chute.)
Olympic Downhill to the Pines.
Sand Dunes.
Perimeter.
Galaxy.
Upper Dipper Return.
Lower Dipper Return.
Killebrew to Mott.
I could go on and on with more, but some of them would reveal a path to the goods so I won't mention them here.

[Ottime]

Does this mean Kirkwood doesn't have any traverses????

I actually like KW for its ridge line traverses. It is part of what keeps the snow so good.

OTOH, the traverses at the Heave are legendary.

[deciblast]

Ok ok.. there's traverses... haha. The Sky one is the most annoying and dangerous. My friend's dad who is a well experienced skier got clipped by a beginner and hurt his back last year.

Sure you have to traverse pretty far off Gunbarrel, Killebrew depending on where you start hiking in from... out of Mott's... Perimeter.. Firebreak... etc.

I need to find more of the secret stuff this year. The hunt begins Nov 21st.. :0

[Ottime]

Traverses are the best part of the Heav BTW did anyone else notice those new ski runs they cut though Ski Ways this summer

I heard they cut wide enough to groom sections through the glade. That will make for some sick intermediate skiing. Have yet to see them.

[SDW]

Kirkwood

[rotorhead]

Kirkwood is much better, but Heavenly has its moments and stashes. People might even show you them if you don't show up in town, act like your along time local, (15yrs is the general rule that was agreed upon by a bunch of drunks at steamers one night) and start talking shit about the place. Get Both passes. Heavenly is great for hangover days and when company comes up.