If you’re lucky
LIFE IS GOING DOWNHILL!
By Mark Winkler
ALPINE SKIING/SNOWBOARDING: If you
want terrain parks and night skiing, pick the
secret powder paradise of Boreal, which
also caters to beginners. Big-elevation lovers
would do well to choose Sugarbowl, which
has three large mountains and runs of every
level. This historic park opened in 1939,
rarely ices up and offers great panoramas of
Donner Lake. Another great choice is
Northstar California, which has 79 trails
covering 2,480 acres of downhill variety and
a modern network of lifts. Why not try the
ALPINE SKIING/SNOWBOARDING
BOREA L MOUNTAIN RESORT: 1 express quad, 1
quad, 3 triples, 1 double, 2 moving carpet + 2 moving
carpets at tubing park. (530) 426-3663. rideboreal.com
DONNER SKI RANCH: 6 lifts. Tubing hill with moving carpet. (530) 426-3635. donnerskiranch.com
SODA SPRINGS: 1 double, 1 triple, 2 moving carpets + 1 moving carpet at tubing park. (530) 4263901. skisodasprings.com
SUGAR BOWL: 13 lifts, 3 terrain parks. (530) 4269000. sugarbowl.com
NORTHSTAR-AT-TAHOE: 20 lifts, 7 terrain parks,
tubing hill with tow lift. (530) 562-1010
northstarattahoe.com
TAHOE DONNER DOWNHILL: 1 quad chair, 1
double chair, 3 conveyor lifts, tubing. (530) 587-9444.
skitahoedonner.com
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
AUBURN SKI CLUB: 20km of trails groomed daily.
Membership. (530) 426-3313. auburnskiclub.org
NORTHSTAR NORDIC CENTER: 35km of trails.
Classic cross country, skate skiing, snowshoeing, telemark. (530) 526-2475. northstarattahoe.com
ROYAL GORGE: 200km trail system. America's
largest cross-country resort. (530) 426-3871.
royalgorge.com
TAHOE-DONNER CROSS COUNTRY: 100+ km
of trails. Snowshoeing. (530) 587-9484.
tahoedonner.com
view from 8,610 feet on Mount
Pluto? Soda Springs is a
favorite for families and beginner-to-intermediate skiers and boarders.
Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area has
uncrowded slopes, wide-open bowls and
great beginner terrain. Donner Ski Ranch is
the granddaddy of them all, since its first
rope tow was built in 1937! An average of
400 inches of snow, 6 chairlifts, 52 runs and
460 acres of terrain are a few of the statistics you’ll need to help you picture this budget-friendly mecca, high atop Donner
Summit. Here the atmosphere is carefree,
making beginners feel right at home.
Royal Gorge
CROSS COUNTRY/SNOWSHOEING/SNOPARKS: One fine choice is Royal Gorge, the
largest cross-country ski area in the country!
Royal Gorge is comprised of an extensive
network of trails making use of 6,000 acres
of High Sierra wilderness. Also visit Tahoe
Donner Cross Country, with 54 trails covering 100 kilometers and the Northstar
Nordic Center, with great accommodations
and more than 35 kilometers of groomed
trails. Another good call is the Donner
Summit Sno Park with snow play and
access to backcountry, along with plowed
parking and restrooms. Get your inexpensive
permit online or at sno-park vendors in
Truckee. They’re good at sno-parks all over
the west.
ANDREW WRIGHT/LIGHTHAWKPHOTO
S
AILING DOWN A BEAUTIFUL, snowcovered, High Sierra mountain can
make life feel pretty darn grand. And
whether you are a first-timer or a manytimer, Nevada County will keep you coming
back for more at our delightful resorts and
snow-play venues, so pick your pleasure!
GEORGE LAMSON
RECREATION
TUBING/SLEDDING/FAMILY FUN: For a blast
for the whole family, try Tube Town at
Soda Springs, Boreal’s Playland, the
Donner Ski Ranch Tubing Hill, Tubes-RUs at Kingvale Resort or Tahoe Donner
Snowplay. You can catch some fun right
off Highway 80 at Nyack or Yuba Gap. And
Soda Springs has set aside their Planet
Kids area just for those ages 8 and under to
keep the little ones out of harm’s way.
So for the snow-play days in your life, think
Nevada County if you want uncrowded
venues, reasonable prices and that sweet,
sweet High Sierra snow. We offer top-notch
destination resorts, as well as more rustic
access, all within our county or very nearby
Castle Peak
and easy to get to off Interstate 80, which is
the first highway to be plowed during and
after any snow storm. There may be ski
resorts more famous than some of ours but
with that much notoriety, high prices and
the crush of the crowds follow. Our area
features every kind of snow fun you can
imagine, complete with a less-hectic, more
family-friendly atmosphere.
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