Description: Alpine Meadows is a must-do if you're in the Truckee area, as it was only a half-hour away. Conditions are great right now--one chair goes all the way to top, so you can really get in a lot of runs. There are limited trees, but the groomed trails up top, to the right of the six-seater chair, are real blasters. With full sun, the back bowl area warms up nicely, and runs are great. Bring your own food, as the cafeteria is expensive. Sit out on deck and soak it in!
Homewood was smaller, but the lake views are beautiful. Some runs make you feel like you're going to ski right into the lake. It's not a good place for kids to learn, as base area is small. Chairs are slow, but it was uncrowded mid-week and only $25 for lift tickets. Use it as a warm-up mountain.
The same is true of Sugar Bowl, but the ride there takes you through Donner Pass, which, if open, has great views. I only did three hours pre-Super Bowl that Sunday and found it broken up lift-wise but still with some good cruisers. NorthStar is all trees/glades--don't miss it at $61 mid-week. It's the most popular, so crowds mid-week are even busy, but there are tons of great runs. Clearly, it's the best overall for my intermediate/advanced level.
I visited Squaw on a cloudy day, so the flat light kept things on edge, but it has lots to offer. Take the tram for the view. Squaw was $62 mid-week. Park over by the second chair from the left--at the Learning Center building--and you can walk to the chair with full mountain access.
For housing options, we stayed in the Tahoe/Donner area just outside Truckee. A house was $1200 for a week and slept eight. See the website at www.vrbo.com for places. The older part of Truckee was nice, but it's no Park City. Still, a couple of gallery/artisans and lots of eateries are around. The Bar of America and the Mexican joint around the corner on the side street were good. There's tourist info at the train station. The Truckee Diner was okay for breakfast (the diner is originally from West Chester, PA, and moved cross-country).
Truckee is only 40 minutes from Reno, if you gamble, but otherwise I thought it was a dump. From the airport to Truckee is only 45 minutes on Rt 80--rent a 4-wheel-drive to avoid chains issue. You will need it, as roads, even on nice days, start out slippery. Spend the money to avoid the weather-related problems. There are lots of websites for Tahoe travel info.
The best part of staying in the Truckee area is access to six to eight resorts, easy access off Rt 80 from Reno, and a view that will last a lifetime. You have never seen the color blue until you have been to Tahoe on a bluebird day. Be safe--ski hard and enjoy.
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