TRUCKEE CALIFORNIA SKI RESORTS
The Truckee area has a plethora of ski resorts, with six main ski areas nearby. Even the city of Truckee averages over 200 inches of snow annually, which makes it one of the snowiest cities in the US. The quaint town, with it’s happening restaurant and entertainment scene, makes a great base camp for visiting these superb Northern California ski resorts.
Northstar California Resort – 7 miles
Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area – 7 miles
Sugar Bowl Resort – 10 miles
Boreal Mountain Resort – 10 miles
Soda Springs Mountain Resort – 13 miles
Donner Ski Ranch – 16 miles
SKI RESORTS IN TRUCKEE & NORTH TAHOE
BOREAL MOUNTAIN
Just a 3 hour drive from San Francisco and 45 minutes from Reno, Boreal Mountain Resort is located along Interstate 80 with easy access from both Northern California and Nevada. Boreal is one of the first Lake Tahoe resorts to open each winter due to it’s snowmaking abilities. Though it is a smaller resort by major ski resort standards, with 34 trails across it’s 480 acres, it offers a variety of family friendly terrain and spectacular views of the Tahoe area. The resort averages 400 inches of snowfall per season.
Click here for the interactive Boreal Mountain trail map.
BOREAL MOUNTAIN STATS
| Vertical Drop: | 500 ft / 152 m |
| Base Elevation: | 7200 ft / 2195 m |
| Summit Elevation: | 7700 ft / 2347 m |
| Skiable Area: | 480 acres |
| Average Snowfall: | 400 in / 1016 cm |
| Total Trails: | 34 |
| Beginner: | 8 (24%) |
| Intermediate: | 11 (32%) |
| Advanced: | 15 (44%) |
| Expert: | 0 (0%) |
| Terrain Parks & Pipes: | 8 |
| Snow Cross: | No |
| Super Pipe: | Yes |
| Half Pipe: | Yes |
| Jib Park: | Yes |
NORTHSTAR RESORT
Located just 15 minutes from Truckee, Northstar Resort is one of the most popular resorts in North Tahoe. The resort was recommended by Travel + Leisure as the “premier family destination,” and Northstar is continuously regarded as the mountain that makes guests from both near and far feel right at home. With 60% of Northstar’s 97 trails dedicated to intermediates, this resort is a great place for intermediate skiers to play and practice. For the advanced skiers and riders, the ski area also features 347 acres of gate-accessible advanced terrain.
Click here for the interactive Northstar trail map.
NORTHSTAR STATS
| Base Elevation: | 6,330 ft |
| Summit Elevation: | 8,610 ft |
| Total Acres of Skiable Terrain: | 3,170 |
| Vertical Rise: | 2,280 ft |
| Number of Trails: | 100 |
| Annual Snowfall: | 350 inches |
| Longest Run: | 1.4 miles |
| Terrain Parks: | 9 |
| Lifts: | 20 |
| Easiest: | 13% |
| Intermediate: | 60% |
| Advanced: | 27% |
SUGAR BOWL RESORT
Sugar Bowl is one of the oldest ski resorts in California, and has ties to Austrian ski culture and Hollywood. The resort was the first in California to have a chairlift, and also built the West’s first gondola.
Although it is smaller than some of the larger Tahoe area ski resorts, it offers terrain for those new to the sport as well as experts. Runs are spread across four peaks and 1500 acres, and served by 12 lifts. The incredible 500 inches of annual snowfall, and the fact that it is the closest ski resort to the Bay area, make it a popular choice in Northern California.
Click here for the interactive Sugar Bowl trail map.
SUGAR BOWL STATS
| Base Elevation: | 6,883 ft |
| Summit Elevation: | 8,383 ft |
| Total Acres of Skiable Terrain: | 1,650 |
| Vertical Rise: | 1,500 ft |
| Number of Trails: | 105 |
| Annual Snowfall: | 500 inches |
| Longest Run: | 3 miles |
| Lifts: | 12 |
| Easiest: | 15% |
| Intermediate: | 45% |
| Advanced: | 28% |
| Expert: | 12% |
