# Heavenly conditions?



## Guest (Apr 14, 2008)

I am heading to Tahoe next week and was hoping for some local knowledge on the conditions at Heavenly.

Thanx for the help.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2008)

Men I am jealous weren't you at Vail this past weekend and now tahoe. Well either way it's said that heavenly is not as good as other Tahoe resorts. I am not local knowledge but a lot of people complain about ice and over crowded slopes, conditions are probably much better at Kirkwood or even Sierra.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2008)

Thanks for that. I am visiting a friend who has a house near Heavenly and I have a deal on lift tix through my Colorado Pass, but I will check out K & S.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2008)

DBtv said:


> Thanks for that. I am visiting a friend who has a house near Heavenly and I have a deal on lift tix through my Colorado Pass, but I will check out K & S.


Oh if that is your situation screw it go for it men, trust me I rather any resort than no resort. Would give anything to be in heavenly right now. Specially if you get discounted tickets and free housing, you should have a blast, remember to bring some food with you I heard the lodges are $$$ with food.


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2008)

Next year, with the Epic Pass I am getting we get unlimited Heavenly riding, so I want to check it out, anyway. You are right, a day on a mountain is always worthy.


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## nos (Mar 13, 2008)

I went of to the Sierras last week, and I'm going again Saturday. I'm guessing itll be pretty nice in the morning hours. But as it heats up the snow actually turned into some water in the lift line. No fun. Don't let that stop you though!


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2008)

I was there last weekend.a
A little icy but pretty good.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2008)

*Heavenly tail strategy*

My thought on the mountain is to take the gangala up, slide over to Sky Express lift, take the Skyline Trail over to Milky Way Bowl and bomb that.

Thoughts/recommendations from locals?


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2008)

DBtv said:


> My thought on the mountain is to take the gangala up, slide over to Sky Express lift, take the Skyline Trail over to Milky Way Bowl and bomb that.
> 
> Thoughts/recommendations from locals?



That reminds me of my first time to Colorado and I was planning what lifts to use in Vail. After weeks of planning I ended up doing a completely different path.

Remeber conditions might affect your plans.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2008)

that's exactly what i wanted to do when i went there actually, but there wasn't enough snow on the milky way bowl. you could go down it if you wanted, but i didn't think it was gonna be worth the hike. the glades all over the place was what i liked, it was fun to go to the very top and just ride glades for longer than any of the trails are. elle's or ellie's or whatever it is, is a good trail tho.

also, the gondola is a painfully long ride, preferred going up gunbarrel express and powderbowl express. they have free parking at the california lodge, but not really at the gondola. at the gondola you have to park nearby and walk a couple hundred yards. gunbarrel and powderbowl lift lines are small usually, and if you do go up powderbowl to get to sky express, make sure you don't accidentally force yourself into going back down to the bottom of powderbowl.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2008)

Here's a stupid question. What is a 'bowl' as such? And do you have to hike it once you are down? I presume it is a bowl-shaped area on the mountain, but at Heavenly I didn't go near Milky Way Bowl because I believe it was rated black diamond. I did pass that way obviously on my way over from Sky Express to the Nevada side but didn't venture onto it. Sorry for the digression!


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2008)

Bobafett said:


> Here's a stupid question. What is a 'bowl' as such? And do you have to hike it once you are down? I presume it is a bowl-shaped area on the mountain, but at Heavenly I didn't go near Milky Way Bowl because I believe it was rated black diamond. I did pass that way obviously on my way over from Sky Express to the Nevada side but didn't venture onto it. Sorry for the digression!


yeah it's based on the shape. and it is a black diamond at heavenly. you hike to the top and then ride down to where other trails are, at least that's how it's set up there.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2008)

*Thanks for the local knowledge*

That will save me from wasting valuable riding time.

I'll keep checking conditions to modify my plans.


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2008)

DBtv said:


> That will save me from wasting valuable riding time.
> 
> I'll keep checking conditions to modify my plans.


Sadly I honestly don't think tahoe will be getting more snow this season. Fortunately they had plenty of big snow storms and their snow sticks to the ground much more than the rockies. 

Good luck in your trip, I bet you will have a blast


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2008)

*Heavenly 4/23-26*

I see now that Cali side is closed and the only way up the mountain is to take the gangala up. Tamarack, Comet, Dipper and Olympic are the only lifts still open. 

Can anybody near there give us some eye witness reports on conditions?

I am going to be on the mountain on Friday and Saturday.


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## zakk (Apr 21, 2008)

A friend of mine was supposed to go up there, but I think she bailed. I'll call her today. I was out there on 3/30 and it was fair conditions. HARD pack. Over at Squaw you're seeing some brown show through, so I'd imagine parts of Heavenly will be the same.


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## Guest (Apr 22, 2008)

I am hardcore so I will try anything that's open, but we will see. I'll report on the situation when I get up there.


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## Guest (Apr 23, 2008)

*South Lake Tahoe 4/23/08*

High winds caused Heavenly to be closed today. (High winds on the drive down 50 through the Washoe Vally caused that part of the road to be closed to trailers and RV's. The rental GMC Envoy was tested but survived the trip.)

Three inches of pow last 24 hrs.

The top of Heavenly mountain is enshrouded in clouds and there are random snow flurries down here in SLT. I pray it's dumping up top.

Predicted to be bluebird tomorrow.

This house we are in is totally sick lux.


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## Guest (Apr 24, 2008)

DBtv said:


> High winds caused Heavenly to be closed today. (High winds on the drive down 50 through the Washoe Vally caused that part of the road to be closed to trailers and RV's. The rental GMC Envoy was tested but survived the trip.)
> 
> Three inches of pow last 24 hrs.
> 
> ...


Were you planning on riding today? no right?

Well good luck men, maybe they get some more snow.


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## Guest (Apr 24, 2008)

Didn't plan to ride today, just a travel day. Got to SLT around 3P.


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## Guest (Apr 24, 2008)

DBtv said:


> Didn't plan to ride today, just a travel day. Got to SLT around 3P.


Well cool men, good luck tomorrow. At least they got a few inches to cover any rough spots. Hope you get some good pictures to share here. 

Be safe


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## Guest (Apr 24, 2008)

*We'll hit it early.*

My pards got their rentals, I've got my bindings remounted, we'll be in the gangala soon after opening.


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2008)

*Heavenly 4/24/08 was heavenly.*

An epic day was had on the limited available runs at Heavenly today. We were on the gangala by 9:30 and found lots of pow on Comet, Orion, Big Dipper and Big Dipper Bowl. The terrain park by Tamarak Lift was well populated by some of the SLTHC and I even made it out to Milky Way run, though I dropped in at the absolute worst spot at the top of the run, bouncing through iced over moguls and butt sliding ingloriously about a third of the way. There was great pow at the bottom of the first face, and we dropped in much further rider right the next run and found some kewl pow with just a little crust in those glades.

Some of the most beautiful views from a run you will ever find are on California Run. The view of the lake and surrounding mountains is breathtaking. (Pics to follow.)

The runs remaining open are relatively short but super fun and uncrowded today. 

The weather was spectacular with the most beautiful bluebird sky reflecting off of the most beautiful big blue pond. Temps in the high thirties kept the snow firm for the most part and not nearly the yellow patches we endured at Breck last weekend.

I can't wait to get my Epic Pass next year and haul Mrs. DBtv out here from the CO.

I am recharging the bat in my camera and will have pix up as soon as the light turns green..

Tomorrow will be even more epic.


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2008)

awesome, glad you had a blast, I know you were looking forward for this trip. Can't wait to see the pictures, good luck tomorrow.


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2008)

*Tahoe pics 4/24/08*

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg28/DBtv54/IMG_0644-1.jpg

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg28/DBtv54/IMG_0648.jpg


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2008)

Wow, takes me back to last month. Wish I was out there now. I loved California, Big Dipper, Ridge Run, Orion's belt, and Cascade trails. .... sigh, now feeling sentimental!!!


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2008)

That picture looks great, great shoot. But ill tel you something, sierra is looking a bit dry to my eyes. Its been a while since they get one of those huge dumps that they are know for. The will probably close early May the way things are looking. Well have a good time today in the slopes, try to get a few more pics if you can.

Later


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## Guest (Nov 27, 2008)

next time you're at heavenly, take sky chair, unload left and head down the skyline trail as if you're heading to dipper chair. the trail makes a big left turn just before you enter nevada. you can skip under the rope on your right (it's in bounds so your pass is safe) and hike up the back of monument peak. if you look on the trail map here: Heavenly Mountain Resort - Skiing & Snowboarding, Lake Tahoe - Interactive Trail Map

see the camera symbol on skyline trail at the top of the black diamond called 'pinnacles'? just to the left of it, there's a little kink in skyline trail - start hiking up at that kink and you're aiming for the bit that says "10,067'" 

after a short hike - 10-15 mins tops - you'll be at the very top of milky way bowl and you can get it all. surprisingly few people hike this peak and, on a big day, you feel like you own the mountain 

alasdair


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