Squaw Valley Snowboarding Zone
Riders Guide - It comes as little surprise that Squaw Valley was the site of the 1960 Olympics as the stats speak for themselves. There are six peaks to enjoy and more than 4,000 acres of terrain more than a dozen bowls and over 170 named runs. The amount of terrain is staggering and the diversity of the terrain is impressive. The backcountry has everything from gentle cruiser runs to shocking narrows and steeps that stimulate the most seasoned rider. The runs are also fairly evenly divided to suit all ability levels, 25% beginner, 45% intermediate, and 30% advanced/expert terrain.
Parks and Pipes - There are three great terrain parks and a massive superpipe at Squaw. The Riviera Park has mid to advanced level riding with two major jump lines of step-ups, step-downs and table tops. It also houses big features like log rides, wall rides and even old petroleum tanks. The superpipe is nearby, it’s in-ground, more than 400 feel long and has 18 foot walls. Squaw uses a top of the line pipe cutter to maintain the pipe. The Riviera Park and Pipe are open for night riding during the weekends. The High Camp Yard is another freestyle park and the crew is constantly updating the features so the park is ever-evolving and always sports new additions.
Out of Bounds - Squaw Valley has an incredible amount of activities to enjoy. There’s dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice skating, a climbing wall, a swimming lagoon and spa, a scenic cable car, snowtubing, a ski jump as well as snowshoeing and cross country skiing. For admirers of the great indoors, Squaw Valley is the home of the informative Olympic Museum, A plethora of quaint cafes, great shopping, art galleries, and a wide array of fantastic restaurants and casual eateries.
Hangout & Hookup - There are a ton of places to sit back, relax and enjoy a drink after a full day of freestyling or shredding down the mountain. One of the biggest novelties and most popular spots is the ice bar located at the top of the mountain, constructed entirely of ice it’s an arctic paradise. For a more warming atmosphere check out Le Chamois which serves delicious pizza and ice cold beverages, this spot provides endless entertainment outdoors on the deck bar or upstairs in the loft bar. There are several places on and around the mountain to grab a drink.
The Deal - Getting to Squaw is very easy, located just off of I-80, an all weather highway, its less than an hour from the Reno Tahoe Area and only a few hours from Sacramento and The Bay Area. The resort has a terrific rideshare program on their website. There are also several shuttle bus services operating throughout the winter to take visitors from the major metropolitan areas to the North Lake Tahoe region daily.
