# Moving to sacremento, where to snowboard?



## Hoons (Dec 21, 2009)

I am moving to sacramento and looking for good resorts to snowboard. Coming from the east coast, this will be a big change for me and very excited  Also please let me know if I should purchase a season pass early


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## say chi sin lo (Oct 15, 2009)

Welcome to the west! 

Lake Tahoe is the spot for you. If you're in Sacromento, then all of Lake Tahoe's resorts are well within the range for day trips. 

Northstar - Close by, but because of that reason, it gets crowded. It's got a cool village. Their blues are like mini blacks on other resorts, and their blacks are like difficult blues on other resorts. Having said that, great place to learn because it's really a giant intermediate mountain.

Heavenly - GREAT SCENERIES, you can actually keep your eyes on the lake as you go down the mountain. BUT, this is a skiier's mountain, this is one of the flattest mountain you'll ever come across. 

Sierra - I honestly wouldn't want to go back there. Sure it's not a bad place for snowboarding. But it's nothing Northstar can't offer. Not to mention South Lake Tahoe is a little out of the way. All of the above is forgivable in my book if the facilities there are better. Food, "village", base camp, are all not up to par. Then there are the lifts. There are always two choices, super slow or crazy fast. Worse of all, some of the most disgusting bathrooms I've been to. I've seen gas stations with better facilities.

Kirkwood - Furtherest away, but it's well worth the time! The slopes there are epic, best snow in all of Lake Tahoe. The facility/food is nice, doesn't beat Northstar/Heavenly, but it's still up there. Definitely won't turn you away. All South Lake Tahoe resorts are kind of out of the way, this one especially, but WELL WORTH IT!


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Kirkwood is more out of the way than Heavenly? Now it's been a long time since the 'hoe was where I went to ride, but I seem to remember passing Kirkwood off of 50 (or is it 88?) on the way to South Lake Tahoe. Driving distance wise, it's definitely closer than Heavenly. 

Stupid points aside. 

Kirkwood is one of the best spots. Great mix of hardcore terrain and the most snowfall in the area. The base there is often 100-200" deeper than any other resort in Tahoe. It's in South Lake so you'd be taking a lot of two lane highway to get there. 

Sugar Bowl is great, off of Donner pass and is one of the closer drives to Sacto. Especially if you are living on the east side. Boreal=boring hill, unless you are a complete park rat. Squaw is rad, has the gnarliest terrain of any of the hills. If you aspire to be a big mountain rider, this is the spot. Alpine, well I don't know much about that hill, besides for the fact that my friends cabin is just down the road from there. They didn't allow snowboarding while I was in Cali and I haven't been back since they started allowing it. The terrain is supposed to be great and they do have an open boundary policy. It's a smaller area, but if you have the back country savvy you'll have access to a huge amount of terrain.

Homewood is a great mom and pop operation. Fun terrain, nothing too gnarly, and great views of the Lake like Heavenly, but not so flat. It would also be one of the longest drives from Sacto, but not by much. 

I don't have much experience with Sierra, but a lot of people like it well enough. I'd ski Northstar unless once again you are into park. So many other areas with much better terrain. 

These are the places I'd say to first check out. There are other spots around, Donner, Diamond-Inlcine, whatever it's called, Mt Rose (outside of Reno). They are all worth checking out at some point. If at the very least to just let you know you don't care for them.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

My vote goes to Kirkwood. Mellow atmosphere, mellower crowds then the rest of tahoe, really good terrain.


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## Hoons (Dec 21, 2009)

Thanks for the suggestions. Now will I need a awd/4wd to get to some of these places? I currently drive a rwd.


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## burritosandsnow (Nov 22, 2008)

Kirk is for sure awesome and out of the main hustle and bustle of many of the tahoe spots ..

Im surprised no ones mentioned boreal .. its the closest hill to Sacto and has an awesome park and cheap passes.. coming from the east coast you would probably really feel at home there .. a good place to get your feet wet in the west not too steep but more than what youre used too

also squaw is always on my must hit list on tahoe trips..

the thing to remember is that tahoe gets slammed on all sides from sacto, reno, and the bay area PLUS tourists every weekend during the season .. if you can find some sort of job that gets you on the hill during the week it will be much more enjoyable


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Hoons said:


> Thanks for the suggestions. Now will I need a awd/4wd to get to some of these places? I currently drive a rwd.


At least a FWD, RWD is not going to cut it when it's storming up there. They heavier wet cali snow packs down to ice quickly. I'd also recommend getting snow tires (with studs if they don't bother you) and you'll need to carry cables/chains regardless of what mode of transportation you use. 

B&S I did mention Boring hill, as you can tell, I'm not a fan...


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

I remember driving to kirkwood one day and it must have snowed over a foot just while we were driving on the pass. Tahoe deffinetly gets a shitload of snow.


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## Rufus (Nov 7, 2008)

Welcome to California, you will have so many places to ride. Just get out and try them all. Sugar Bowl, Donner Ski Ranch and Boreal are the closest and easiest to get to from Sac.

Boreal is small but on the positive side it usually opens early, is close to Sac and the Bay Area and season passes are cheap if you buy them early. Last year I got in several early season days at Boreal before other resorts opened. Boreal is also right on Interstate 80 and has night riding, many times I've stopped for a couple of runs on the way home from other Tahoe resorts.

This year I got a combo season pass for Northstar and Sierra at Tahoe plus a Boreal pass. Northstar gets very busy on the weekends but once you get away from the lifts near the lodge it's not too bad. It's a fun place with a lot of variety. My daughter is on the snowboard team at Northstar this year so I'll be spending a lot of time there. I rode about ten days at Sierra last year and had a blast. It's a little more laid back and has some fun terrain, not too crowded even on the weekends.

Donner Ski Ranch is one to keep in mind, especially late in the season. They stay open until the snow is gone, I rode there four days in May this year and had a great time on Memorial Day weekend. It's an older, small place but it's cheap and I've never seen it crowded.

Since you are new to the area you should check out the Snowbomb Ski and Snowboard show in San Francisco, Nov. 6-7. Many of the resorts have booths there and you can score discounted or free lift tickets, there's also a lot of discounted gear for sale. I think there's a similar show in Sac but I haven't been.

I have two vehicles, one AWD and one RWD, and I take both of them to Tahoe in the winter. If the weather is looking nasty I take the AWD but there are plenty of days that you'll be fine with RWD, just remember to take chains or cables and you'll be fine.


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## say chi sin lo (Oct 15, 2009)

If you're going to Northstar on weekends, especially on a saturday. I would recommend you to get there early, like at 8:30am. Because there's always the 9-10am morning rush at base camp. And you can be line for up to one hour.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

3rd year season pass for Kirkwood...and my WRX gets me up there EVERY time, ulnless the road is closed. 
Get good all season tires at the beginning of the seaason and leave early..instead of speeding up  Be careful that especially on 88cops are HUNTING for speeding drivers to fill their local budget. Kirkwood during the week after or during a snowstorm is epic andusually with no more than 100 people in the whole resort.
...most of the times


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## say chi sin lo (Oct 15, 2009)

pawlo said:


> 3rd year season pass for Kirkwood...and my WRX gets me up there EVERY time, ulnless the road is closed.
> Get good all season tires at the beginning of the seaason and leave early..instead of speeding up  Be careful that especially on 88cops are HUNTING for speeding drivers to fill their local budget. Kirkwood during the week after or during a snowstorm is epic andusually with no more than 100 people in the whole resort.
> ...most of the times


Oh I'd be extra careful on the road. If I knew a system of any kind is heading there, I'm staying home, with or without snow tires.

BUT THEN AGAIN, if it's a clear day and there aren't cars in your way, that road is so much fun! My Mazdaspeed 3 just carves... but then I'd shit bricks if I see white stuff on that road.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

It's When there's a big storm that you want to go out there and play, possibly leaving the night before..and find few grinning iced faces on the lifts...hmmmm snowstorms...





say chi sin lo said:


> Oh I'd be extra careful on the road. If I knew a system of any kind is heading there, I'm staying home, with or without snow tires.
> 
> BUT THEN AGAIN, if it's a clear day and there aren't cars in your way, that road is so much fun! My Mazdaspeed 3 just carves... but then I'd shit bricks if I see white stuff on that road.


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## say chi sin lo (Oct 15, 2009)

pawlo said:


> It's When there's a big storm that you want to go out there and play, possibly leaving the night before..and find few grinning iced faces on the lifts...hmmmm snowstorms...


Of course I do, but I don't want to risk mine and my buddies' life over it. I'm happy with the day after.


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## SnowDotCom (Mar 18, 2010)

*It's hard to go wrong in Tahoe*

It's hard to go wrong in Tahoe. Whether it's Heavenly which has the best views, Northstar which has a killer park or legendary Squaw: They're all good.


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## oneshot (Oct 8, 2010)

north lake all the way brah!

from Sacremento you are @ a prime location for hitting north or south lake.. i'd go north. better, more advanced terrain. IMO. and you can drop down into Reno for a night to pull off a fun weekend trip..


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## ElChupocabra (Nov 11, 2008)

say chi sin lo said:


> Of course I do, but I don't want to risk mine and my buddies' life over it. I'm happy with the day after.


Wow. That's a tad conservative. I think you'd be safe on the roads as long as they're open but if you want to twiddle your thumbs at home waiting for the storm to clear, then that just means less lines at the lifts for me. 
but seriously, Snow and ice aren't dangerous if you know they are there cause you can precaution and prepare yourself for the reduced traction. They are only dangerous when they are unexpected and you aren't prepared for them. Damn Black Ice!


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## Powder Hungry (Sep 19, 2010)

ElChupocabra said:


> Wow. That's a tad conservative. I think you'd be safe on the roads as long as they're open but if you want to twiddle your thumbs at home waiting for the storm to clear, then that just means less lines at the lifts for me.
> but seriously, Snow and ice aren't dangerous if you know they are there cause you can precaution and prepare yourself for the reduced traction. They are only dangerous when they are unexpected and you aren't prepared for them. Damn Black Ice!


Agreed, Just like El Chup said, just take your time and go slow enough to maintain control and you will be fine. But just to be safe, you should wait a few days till after it clears. This is my first year with a season pass to the kwood so I don't mind less traffic and smaller lift lines!


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## Alt_Reality (Oct 5, 2010)

I flew into Sacramento once where it was 80+ degrees and in 2 hrs, I was up at Squaw, making turns on an 90 inch base. Tahoe is your backyard, enjoy!


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