Alta vs Squaw Valley

to the palisades with you

sounds like you might want to base your decision partly on which location will offer a bus system that works well for your trip

SofaKingSicksounds like you might want to base your decision partly on which location will offer a bus system that works well for your trip

cause both locations are badass skiing

Dont go to squaw. The skiing is horrible. Be a waste of your time. Nah. Im a bit biased because I try and make it to squaw/alpine a couple times a year. The mountain is amazing and some of the best skiing in the country. Cant speak for snowbird because I have never been but It looks pretty awesome. Depending on where your buddy lives in tahoe if you can catch a bus id hit squaw up.

Whats great about Squaw is that you can wake up at 8:30, get first chair, and ski untracked pow all day. There is never any lines there

The lines are dreadful at squaw. what are you talking about?

Go ski Alpine. It's a smaller resort than squaw and right next to Squaw. The runs there a lot of fun. Squaw has long lines and tons of people from the Bay Area on the weekend. The park is better at Squaw, but Alpine has a little one.

YeetusMcYeetusGo ski Alpine. It's a smaller resort than squaw and right next to Squaw. The runs there a lot of fun. Squaw has long lines and tons of people from the Bay Area on the weekend. The park is better at Squaw, but Alpine has a little one.

agreed, alpine meadows has some of the most overlooked/underappreciated gnar in the country. it's literally right next to squaw but somehow doesn't have the same crowds

just as an example, google image "estelle bowl" at alpine meadows and see


it also has a more traditional setup than squaw, with generally longer runs and fall lines

My pick would be Alta/Snowbird.

Shuttle to the mountain is prime and fast and crowds are a lot smaller than at Squaw.

With that said - pitching a tent could be trouble if they are doing any avy mitigation. If they arent - then LCC could offer some prime camping spots. Just beware - there is a possibility the resorts will go into interlodge and you would not be allowed outside of the buildings - in which case find a bench or couch and crash for the night.

Just realized Ill be in LCC/BCC from 3/1 - 3/5... go to Squaw... haha.

InfamouslyJonesMy pick would be Alta/Snowbird.

Shuttle to the mountain is prime and fast and crowds are a lot smaller than at Squaw.

With that said - pitching a tent could be trouble if they are doing any avy mitigation. If they arent - then LCC could offer some prime camping spots. Just beware - there is a possibility the resorts will go into interlodge and you would not be allowed outside of the buildings - in which case find a bench or couch and crash for the night.

I think you need to base your decision on this type of information. Do as much research as you can.

I lived in Tahoe for half a decade and skied Squaw everyday. The terrain is nuts, super steep with lots of features. Put it this way, I now ski Mammoth 40 days a year as a weekender, and I love Mammoth, but I REALLY miss Squaw. Snowbird and Alta are sick too, great terrain, although I would say not QUITE as crazy as Squaw, and lots of snow. You are probably more likely to get deep light pow at Snowbird or Alta, but you never know. Even if you don't get pow at Squaw you might get some nice slush in March, and Squaw is a great slush mountain. Squalpine and Alta/Bird are two of the best spots in the country, so skiing wise you really can't go wrong. You might choose Utah and have it be dumping at Squaw, or vice versa, planning this far ahead you really don't know. If you like steep terrain and deep snow either location blows the doors off of Vail/Breck/basin, although I love Abasin.

When I lived in Tahoe the bus system was not all that great, but I left in 2004 so things might well have changed. I don't know what the situation is with camping, so I would do some research. I can't speak about the bus system in Utah, whenever I have gone to Alta/Bird I have stayed in Little Cottonwood near the resort.

Skiing wise you are choosing between two of the best locations in the U.S. Going to Mammoth 2-3 weekends a month means I have to spend about 500 a month on a ski lease, which ends up being 3000 a year since our groups rents a condo from Nov 20 to May 20. Because of that, I don't have a large travel budget. I should get to Squaw this year as one of my old buddies has a place there now and I can stay for free. I would like to go back to LCC, I have skied tons of pow on every trip there.

Seriously though, look into those details. Mammoth has had a pretty good season so far, not epic but pretty good. I think some of the snow at Mammoth has been rain at Squaw, but this storm might have set up the base. I don't know what kind of season Utah is having. But the most important thing is to look up the details of camping, that can make or break the trip. I know people who camp at Mammoth, but they don't tend to do so until May. Skiing wise both places are awesome, but you really need to pick the destination that is most feasible for what you are doing.

InfamouslyJonesJust realized Ill be in LCC/BCC from 3/1 - 3/5... go to Squaw... haha.

Haha, I will keep you posted if I end up going to squaw, would be great to link up with some fellow shredders!

dan4060I don't know what kind of season Utah is having.

75" in 7 days. We're doing alright.

The best part about Squaw is their finely groomed runs. I personally start my day off by uploading at 8:30am to find freshly groomed corduroy tracks down to the base. I prioritize doing large wide turns down the lift line on my rossignol soul 7 (not to brag, but I tend to do pretty well for myself). After a few runs of impressing the chairlift crowd with my perfectly shaped long radius turns, I set my sights onto larger challenges like the blue square or black diamond. This involve shorter radius turns on steep runs and sometimes I even encounter unevenly shaped terrain, a sign that inexperienced skiers has been ruining the run. After the hills I like to head down to the lodge for apres with a pint of Goose Lake Oyster IPA as light beer can no longer satisfy my thriving tastebuds.

TRVP_ANGELI prioritize doing large wide turns down the lift line on my rossignol soul 7 (not to brag, but I tend to do pretty well for myself).

Odd flex but okay 😂😂

good username though