Inbound Outbound: Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows

Inbounds

You can't go wrong with a day here in the Sierra. For local snowboarder Blake Hunter, the variety of terrain keeps him here year after year. He explained:

After a quick ride up the iconic KT-22, you're situated in an expert's playground with no shortage of drops to explore. "For not being in the backcountry, the terrain offered in Squaw and Alpine is very comparable to everything you'd find in the Tahoe backcountry," Hunter said. Squaw isn't all gnar—even though it's got plenty to choose from. For the families and those looking to catch a little less air, the Hot Wheels & Sherwood lifts have a nice selection of less rowdy options to choose from.

But the real trick to maximizing your time at both resorts is to hit Squaw for its lifts and then finish things out by searching for fresh snow hidden away at Alpine.

The views out here aren't half bad either

Alpine has some zones that if you feel like putting the legwork in, can be incredible. If you're not deterred by a little bit of hiking, there are four bowls accessible right from the lift. Estelle Bowl is a sidecountry haven nestled within the confines of the resorts. The Castle, which is the highest point on the ridge, is chock full of spines, cliffs, and snow. But don't get ahead of yourself out there; it's important to scope out the terrain preemptively rather than trying to send blindly. Couple these zones with Alpine Meadow's relaxed, homey atmosphere and you'll never want to leave.

Out of Bounds

As far as out-of-bounds terrain, Squaw doesn't have much access straight from the resort. You'll need a guide from an outfitter like Alpenglow Expeditions to really tap into the surrounding terrain. Alpine Meadows has better accessibility with a number of zones worth exploring, one of which even has access to the road. The nice thing is all you need is a quick hitchhike to bring you back to the parking lot. The Sierra Avalanche Center is a great tool for staying up to date about avalanche conditions.

As with any kind of terrain beyond the resort boundaries, it's important for guests to recognize that this terrain is not maintained by resort staff, nor monitored by Ski Patrol. If you are not familiar with the areas outside resort boundaries, it's recommended you stay inbounds—which is plenty on its own.