TRUCKEE, Calif. — Winter has officially clocked in around Tahoe. The region’s first significant storm has delivered snow down to lake level and a fresh coat of white across the ski resorts. And if one storm wasn’t enough to get the season started, there’s plenty more in the forecast.
The Sierra will get a brief break from winter weather this weekend before another round of snow arrives Sunday night, followed by a potentially larger and colder storm that could bring feet of snow and difficult travel conditions by midweek.
The first storm is clearing the region Saturday, with conditions expected to improve throughout the day. Open Snow and National Weather Forecasters agree that roads should gradually clear, making Sunday morning the best window for travel across the Sierra before the next system moves in.
According to OpenSnow forecaster Bryan Allegretto, a fast-moving storm is expected to arrive late Sunday into Monday, bringing another round of snowfall to the Sierra.
Snow levels will initially hover between 7,000- and 8,000-feet Sunday night before dropping to around 5,000 to 7,000 feet by Monday, with lower levels across the northern Sierra, according to the National Weather Service. By Monday night, snow levels could fall to 5,000 to 5,500 feet.
The Tahoe Basin could see 1 to 2 inches of new snow, while Donner and Echo passes may receive 2 to 4 inches or less. Carson Pass has a 75% to 95% chance of receiving up to 6 inches, according to the NWS.
Drivers should prepare for winter driving conditions Monday morning, particularly over mountain passes, with another round of chain controls and slower travel expected. The system should move out by Monday night.
But the brief break may not last long.
Allegretto expects a larger, colder storm to move into the region Wednesday and continue through Thursday, potentially bringing significantly more snow and lower snow levels.
According to Allegretto, snow levels could drop as low as 3,000 feet by Thursday, with 1 to 3 feet of snow possible across the Sierra. The storm could bring widespread chain controls and slow, difficult travel across mountain passes, with conditions potentially beginning to improve later Thursday.
Lake Tahoe is famous for its outdoor adventures, but some of the South Shore’s best experiences happen indoors. Whether you’re looking to mix things up between hikes and lake days, find something fun to do with the family, or explore a different side of Tahoe, there’s plenty to keep you entertained year-round. From retro arcades and local art galleries to indoor climbing, escape rooms and live entertainment, here’s your guide to some of the best indoor activities in South Lake Tahoe.
One tip before heading out: Business hours and availability can vary seasonally, so check directly with individual businesses before visiting.
Let the Games Begin!
Sometimes the best vacation memories come from a little friendly competition. Whether you’re challenging your travel companions to a game, testing your aim or chasing a new high score, the South Shore has plenty of ways to play.
I’ll admit to having a soft spot for Retroactive Arcade. This throwback gaming destination brings the best of the ’80s and ’90s back to life with classic arcade games, pinball and plenty of nostalgic details. It’s an easy place to lose track of time, whether you’re introducing a new generation to the games you grew up with or trying to beat your friends’ high scores. With an all-ages atmosphere, it’s a fun stop for families, couples and groups of friends.
Casino Arcades & Gaming
The South Shore’s casino resorts offer more than gaming tables and slot machines. All-ages arcades at properties like Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe give younger visitors a chance to play while adults explore the resorts’ restaurants, lounges and entertainment offerings.
Mini golf gets a grown-up twist at Tipsy Putt, where a nine-hole indoor course meets a lively bar and restaurant. Add in golf-inspired games, food and drinks, and you’ve got an easygoing spot for a little friendly competition. It’s family-friendly earlier in the day, with a 21-and-over atmosphere after 7 p.m.
Yosemite Axe Throwing brings a mountain-inspired setting indoors, with handcrafted wooden lanes and targets. It’s a memorable option for date nights, groups of friends, birthday celebrations and anyone looking to try a new skill.
Put your problem-solving skills to the test at Trapped in Tahoe. Its themed escape rooms challenge teams to work together, follow clues and solve puzzles before time runs out. It’s a particularly good choice for families with older kids, couples and groups looking for an interactive experience.
A classic bowling night never goes out of style. Tahoe Bowl features 16 lanes, along with arcade games, air hockey, pool and a sports bar. Grab a pizza, pick your teams and see who comes out on top.
Indoor Golf Simulators
You don’t need a tee time or a sunny forecast to work on your swing. Several South Shore businesses offer indoor golf simulators, making it easy to play a few holes or challenge friends to a virtual round.
Stingers Golf Lounge: Watch the game, enjoy indoor golf and friendly competition. This location is the closest to downtown.
You don’t have to head outside to stay active in Tahoe. If you’re looking to keep moving, try a new sport or burn off some energy, the South Shore has several indoor options.
Reach new heights at Blue Granite Climbing Gym, a full-service indoor climbing facility offering rope climbing and bouldering for a range of experience levels. The gym also features fitness equipment, yoga, group classes and youth programming. Whether you’re a seasoned climber or trying it for the first time, it’s a great way to stay active indoors.
Lace up your skates at the South Tahoe Ice Arena, an NHL-sized indoor rink that’s open year-round. Public skating sessions, lessons, hockey programs and other activities make it a fun option for beginners and experienced skaters alike. You can even try curling through local programming for a different kind of on-ice experience.
Live Entertainment, Shows & Hometown Hockey
Sometimes the best indoor activity is simply sitting back and enjoying the show. The South Shore has a lively entertainment scene, from intimate performances and magic shows to major concerts, sporting events and casino showrooms.
For an evening of surprises, head to The Loft in Heavenly Village for Magic Fusion. Featuring talented magicians and interactive performances, the show offers an entertaining night out for couples and families alike.
The Tahoe Blue Event Center brings a rotating lineup of concerts, comedy, family entertainment and sporting events to the South Shore. The event center is home to the Tahoe Knight Monsters ECHL hockey team, and this is one of the best activities for all ages. I’m not even a big sports fan but the games I’ve been to have been a blast. The energy in the arena is fantastic, and the fast-paced action makes for a genuinely fun night out for all ages. Check the event calendar to see what’s happening during your stay.
The South Shore’s casino resorts also host live music, comedy, touring performers and other entertainment throughout the year. Whether you’re looking for a big night out or a spontaneous addition to your itinerary, there’s often something happening on the entertainment calendar.
Art, Creativity & Local Culture
One of my favorite ways to spend time in Tahoe is exploring its creative side. Beyond the scenery, the South Shore has a wonderful community of artists, makers and small businesses that offer a different perspective on the place we call home. If you have an afternoon to wander, these are a few places worth visiting.
Wildwood is one of my favorite local stops. This thoughtfully curated marketplace brings together work from independent artists and makers, with everything from jewelry and ceramics to home décor, gifts and locally inspired finds. It’s a lovely place to browse, discover something unexpected and support the creative community. Wildwood also hosts indoor classes and creative workshops throughout the year, offering another way to get involved.
Right across the street from Wildwood, you can dive into Tahoe’s local arts community at the Tahoe Art League Gallery. This nonprofit organization has supported fine art and arts education on the South Shore since 1964. Its rotating exhibitions feature work by local artists across a variety of mediums, including painting, photography, ceramics, jewelry, and fiber art. Admission is free, making it an easy addition to an afternoon of exploring.
Explore South Shore Art Galleries
Several other galleries are worth adding to your itinerary, particularly around Heavenly Village and the Stateline corridor. Explore contemporary works, fine art, glass, sculpture and pieces inspired by the natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada. A few favorites include Marcus Ashley Gallery (if you love Dr. Seuss this is a MUST), Pacific Crest Gallery, Wyland Galleries and De Rubeis Collective Fine Art Gallery.
Get a little creative and make something to take home. The Hot Spot Studio offers paint-your-own pottery, custom candles and other hands-on projects. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends, enjoy a family activity or plan a unique date.
For younger visitors and anyone who enjoys a hands-on sensory experience, Slime Kitchen offers the opportunity to create custom slime in a colorful, interactive setting. I brought my niece and nephew here, ages 3 and 10, and we all had so much fun together making slime. Choose your colors, textures and add-ins, then take home your own creation. It’s a playful option for families, birthday celebrations and creative afternoons.
Take a break from the games and galleries to learn more about the place you’re visiting. The Lake Tahoe History Museum’s expert staff can answer any questions and the museum offers a glimpse into the region’s past, with exhibits and historical materials that explore the people, places and stories that have shaped the Tahoe Basin. It’s a worthwhile stop for anyone curious about the area’s cultural heritage and how this mountain community has evolved.
For something a little different, Woods Apothecary offers a welcoming space to explore the healing arts, botanical medicine and the connection between nature and wellness. Its calendar of indoor classes and experiences can include herbal medicine-making, botanical studies, tea gatherings, movement, dance and meditation. It’s a lovely opportunity to learn something new and experience another side of Tahoe’s creative and wellness community.
Make Time to Relax & Recharge
Not every indoor experience needs to involve a scorecard, a competition or a packed itinerary. As someone who loves a good spa day, I would be remiss not to mention the South Shore’s opportunities to slow down and reset. From restorative massages and full-service spas to yoga, movement classes, and sound baths, Tahoe offers plenty of ways to replenish the spirit. Explore our guide to South Lake Tahoe spas and wellness experiences for more inspiration.
Whether you’re discovering local art, trying your hand at axe throwing, catching a hockey game or simply finding a quiet place to recharge, indoor activities in Lake Tahoe offer another way to experience the South Shore. And while the mountains and lake will always be the main attraction, there’s plenty to explore beyond the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions About Indoor Activities in Lake Tahoe
Families can enjoy a wide range of indoor activities, including Retroactive Arcade, Tahoe Bowl, Tipsy Putt, Trapped in Tahoe, Blue Granite Climbing Gym, the South Tahoe Ice Arena and Magic Fusion at The Loft. All-ages casino arcades and creative experiences at Wildwood Makers Market and The Hot Spot Studio offer even more options.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy the South Shore when outdoor conditions aren’t ideal. Visit a local art gallery, try an escape room, go bowling, explore an arcade, catch a hockey game or enjoy a live performance. Indoor golf simulators, climbing and creative workshops are also great alternatives to outdoor activities.
Absolutely. Adults can enjoy axe throwing, indoor golf, escape rooms, art galleries, live entertainment, casino showrooms, craft and botanical classes, bowling and spa experiences. Tipsy Putt and the South Shore’s many dining and entertainment venues also make for fun evenings out.
Most South Shore businesses and attractions operate throughout the year, although hours, programming, and availability can change with the seasons. Check directly with individual businesses before visiting, particularly during shoulder seasons.
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Hazel Green Ranch is an 83-acre undeveloped property that lies just outside the western boundary of Yosemite National Park. In the early days of Yosemite tourism, it was a key stop along the historic Coulterville Road, the first wagon route completed into Yosemite Valley in the 1870s.
Now, it’s at the center of a national controversy with ties to Tahoe.
The owner of the ranch, who purchased the property in 2024, wants to build a private road on National Park Service land from his proposed development into the park. This would require a land exchange, which is normally only granted when there is a clear public or conservation benefit. Despite the absence of either, and even after bipartisan uproar erupted over giving a slice of one of the country’s most treasured national parks to corporate interests, the Trump administration and developer have been pursuing the land exchange.
The developer name might sound familiar to those following projects on the North Shore — it’s Kingsbarn Realty Capital. Its subsidiary Kingsbarn Capital & Development, the real estate development arm of KRC, has been working on the 39° North project in Kings Beach since 2022. Although KRC is not involved in the Tahoe project, critics say the company is doing in Yosemite what it’s been attempting to do in Tahoe for four years — getting an exception to the rules. Kingsbarn argues that redevelopment will reenergize Kings Beach.
CROWDED: Yosemite National Park has become known for large crowds during peak seasons. The Sanctuary at Yosemite, if approved, would be one of the largest developments in the area. “You [would be] giving hundreds if not thousands of people every day a direct driveway where they get to skip the entrance line and go straight into the park. You’re just exacerbating this overcrowding crisis,” said Mark Rose of the National Parks Conservation Association. Photos courtesy Alicia Acevedo 2025
Yosemite
Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a real estate private equity firm based in Las Vegas led by CEO Jeff Pori, is proposing a luxury development called The Sanctuary at Yosemite that would include a 150-room upscale hotel, 80 private cabins, as well as a 5,000-square-foot spa, restaurant, and a gourmet market on the edge of Yosemite National Park.
If approved, The Sanctuary would be one of the largest developments in the area, according to Mark Rose, senior Sierra Nevada program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, and it all hinges on the land exchange. Currently, the only road that exists from and to Hazel Green Ranch is the old wagon-wheel road that is impassable most of the year and requires four-wheel drive. To access the park entrance now requires a circuitous 45-minute drive. That’s why Pori wants to build a more direct route via a 700-foot road from his property into the park, which would all be built on park land and would connect to Big Oak Flat Road, also known as Route 120.
“[The National Park Service has] to give away a portion of Yosemite to make this viable for [Kingsbarn],” Rose said. “The road is really critical for this to make any sense for them. If they do get this road, it gives them a private driveway right into Yosemite where they can basically be in Yosemite Valley before anyone else staying outside of the park.”
YOUR LAND IS MY LAND: A view from Highway 120 shows where the requested Kingsbarn road could be built on a piece of Yosemite National Park land. Photo courtesy Mark Rose
The previous owner of Hazel Green Ranch, Lewis Geyser, had a similar development proposal and also sought to build such a road. He sued both the National Park Service and Mariposa County for an easement but a court rejected his request in 2010, a decision upheld on appeal in 2012. Neither the Obama nor Biden administrations supported the plan.
But Pori has found a more amenable federal government under Trump, which has signaled its willingness to give away or sell public lands (such as the administration’s proposal to end the Roadless Rule and its boundary reduction of Utah’s Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, among many other examples). Pori is also a Trump supporter, albeit monetarily small; he gave $4,000 to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.
ON THE EDGE: A National Parks Conservation Association map shows where The Sanctuary at Yosemite and private road would be built in relation to the Yosemite National Park boundary. Image courtesy NPCA
Lanny Davis, the attorney representing Kingsbarn Realty Capital and spokesperson, said that the company is actively looking for land it could exchange with Yosemite National Park, which spans nearly 750,000 acres. The requirements for a land exchange are that the two parcels are of equal value and that the land be in the same state.
“This has taken us all this time, almost a year, to look at an inventory of land that Yosemite officials told us they were interested in that would be valuable to them,” he said. “And if we’re willing to buy one of those parcels and it’s of equal value to the 700 feet we’re asking for, we could do a land exchange if and only if appraisers came in and appraised the value of both parcels.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, the National Park Service has signed a preliminary agreement for a land swap with Kingsbarn whereby the federal government would give about an acre on the western boundary of Yosemite National Park in exchange for land of equal value.
The National Park Service would only comment that the proposed land exchange is in the inception phase and not a done deal:
“Preliminary, nonbinding documents are sometimes used at the beginning of the process to identify a proposal and establish responsibilities for items such as appraisals, surveys, and environmental review,” wrote the Yosemite National Park Public Affairs in an email to Moonshine Ink. “They do not approve an exchange, commit either party to completing it or predetermine the outcome. The Yosemite proposal remains at a very early stage, and NPS and DOI have not approved or agreed to complete an exchange.”
Rose said it does not reflect well on Kingsbarn that it’s continuing to pursue the Yosemite land exchange despite widespread opposition across the political spectrum. Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley, who currently represents Tahoe/Truckee, presented a bipartisan letter to Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum urging him to oppose the deal. The letter was signed by 157 federal lawmakers; another letter was signed by 61 California state legislators. A petition initiated by the Yosemite Rivers Alliance at the beginning of September called Yosemite Is Not for Sale received over 26,000 signatures in less than two months.
TRAFFIC JAMS: The traffic entering Yosemite National Park has become worse over the years, especially since the park canceled the reservation system last winter after pressure from large hotels outside the park, according to Rose. “It was because of local developers who own and operate large lodges in the area being unhappy and putting political pressure on the administration to get rid of it,” Rose said. If The Sanctuary at Yosemite is granted its request to build a road on park land, it would essentially secure a private road into the park.
“You’ve seen the public outrage and the level of concern that the general public has over this development and this campaign to give away a piece of one of the most beloved places in the entire world,” Rose said. “The company’s willingness to continue after this public outrage shows a lack of respect for our public lands. And I think it shows a lack of respect for our laws. This exchange would be unlawful. You’re not allowed to give away a piece of the national park purely to benefit a private equity firm. Where these exchanges have occurred in the past, it’s always been to help conserve parks, to help manage parks. It’s not to help benefit a private interest.”
Tahoe
Kingsbarn Capital & Development is based in Menlo Park and headed by president Phil Mader. Despite the fact that it has no role in The Sanctuary at Yosemite, members of Strong North Tahoe, a grassroots organization founded in 2024 to advocate for small-scale redevelopment, have found parallels between both Kingsbarn projects. Namely, they say, that the company attempts to bend the rules. In Yosemite, it’s about trying to get a piece of national parkland to make a development feasible, while in Tahoe it’s about asking for exceptions to the rules about building scale.
The proposed 39° North project is a mixed-use development that covers 9 acres split across three different sites in Kings Beach. It includes a 132-room hotel and 27,262-square-feet of commercial space, 51 deed-restricted workforce housing units, and 38 market-rate townhomes.
DEED-RESTRICTED: The Kings Beach development features 51 affordable housing units.
“In Yosemite, Kingsbarn is seeking a land exchange for a private access road, while here in Kings Beach, Kingsbarn is seeking a variance from the Tahoe Basin Area Plan’s building-length standard for a hotel,” Patricia Orr wrote in an email to Moonshine Ink. Orr is part of Strong North Tahoe, which has been critical of the project. “The circumstances are different, but both raise an interesting question: when should exceptions to established public planning standards be granted, and how do we weigh private benefits against the public interest?”
The TBAP permits building lengths of up to 250 feet in town centers. However, Kingsbarn is asking for 445 feet for the mixed-use hotel building, almost twice the allowable amount. The developer says it is necessary because of the unique nature of the parcel.
“The hotel building length variance is needed to accommodate the hotel on the constrained triangular parcel, which is harder to develop than a traditional rectangular parcel,” Mader wrote. “The hotel has been substantially reduced in height, bulk, and massing from 179 hotel rooms and six stories to 132 rooms and four stories. This represents a 26% reduction in hotel rooms and a 25% reduction in height. The commercial space will include restaurants and retail for visitors and the community, and the community has requested commercial space.”
The project went before the Tahoe Basin Design Review Committee on Sept. 22.
“Kingsbarn recognizes the concerns raised regarding the proposed hotel’s length and is actively evaluating design refinements in response to feedback from the design review committee,” Mader stated in an email to Moonshine Ink. “This includes exploring ways to further enhance its architectural design and incorporate the committee’s requested visual break in the building’s length.”
Currently, the development proposal is in the environmental questionnaire phase of the planning process, and the request for a variance, which is part of the project’s entitlements, won’t be decided until it goes to the planning commission, which at the earliest will be sometime next summer, according to county officials.
Placer County Senior Planner Heather Beckman, who is working on the 39° North project, said that it’s not unusual for developers to ask for variances, but there need to be special circumstances that necessitate them.
“It’s not out of the ordinary. I mean, it’s not a daily occurrence, but it’s not uncommon,” she said. “Again, just to contextualize, we get variances for garages all the time on a residence. It’s just sometimes the circumstances of the property warrant it.”
FOR SALE: 39° North includes 38 market-rate townhomes.
Orr’s concern is that if the variance is granted, it best serves the developer, but not necessarily the community, a critique similar to that of Kingsbarn’s request for the Yosemite road.
“What this tells me is that Kingsbarn has no thought about public land and public return, they’re focused on their developer piece and have yet to date not been able to quantify public return and value beyond what their program is delivering,” she said. “When exceptions or public resources are involved, there should be more than just what helps the development move forward, but also what those decisions mean for the place and the public over time. And that’s really what it comes down to: How are they [Placer County] going to make that decision and at what point is someone going to look out for us here in Kings Beach?”
Kingsbarn has made changes to the project in the past in response to community feedback. It shortened the deed-restricted apartment building length from 247 feet to 192 feet, scaled down the hotel and commercial building from six to four floors, and relocated vehicle access to the hotel from North Lake Boulevard to Salmon Avenue to reduce traffic impacts.
In addition to workforce housing, the project includes community benefits such as a dog park, tot lot, community gathering spaces, and new public parking spaces on Salmon Avenue.
Mader said 39° North is intended to breathe new life into Kings Beach.
“39° North is envisioned as an opportunity to revitalize the Kings Beach town center while delivering meaningful benefits for residents, local businesses, and visitors,” he wrote. “The development will introduce much-needed lodging, new restaurants and retail offerings, and a rooftop bar, along with 51 deed-restricted workforce housing apartments to help address the area’s housing challenges. Kingsbarn’s goal is to create a sustainable, welcoming destination that supports the local economy, enhances the community, and contributes to the long-term vitality of Kings Beach and North Lake Tahoe.”
Increasingly the answer appears to be yes, and it seems they are winning at the expense of the American public and our media landscape.
I have been writing about this topic in the pages of Moonshine Ink since February, and things have only gotten worse. I won’t rehash all the ways billionaires are buying up the country’s most esteemed publications and TV news companies (see When Billionaires Buy Up Media, America Loses and A Dark Day for Journalism), but last month a mega-merger I was hoping wouldn’t happen, happened.
I am talking about the Paramount takeover of Warner Bros Discovery. The $111 billion merger was approved last month after California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who was leading the charge to stop the deal with 11 other state attorneys general, folded. Observers speculate that Bonta came under intense political pressure from Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and gubernatorial nominee Xavier Becerra to settle the lawsuit after Paramount CEO David Ellison, son of the world’s sixth-richest man, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, threatened to move the company out of California if he didn’t get his way. Whether Ellison’s threat was real or a bluff, no one knows, but other billionaires have made good on their promise to leave the Golden State. The world’s wealthiest person, Elon Musk, relocated all three of his corporate headquarters — Tesla, SpaceX, and X — to Texas starting in 2021.
Bonta has come under criticism for failing to secure assurances from Ellison regarding the journalistic integrity of CNN, which was part of the Warner Bros buyout. The only compromise from the billionaire was to create a five-member board overseeing editorial standards at CNN and CBS News; laughable since its members are to be selected by Skydance itself, the new name of the Paramount/Warner Bros company.
Other attorneys general, such as Connecticut’s, were pushing for a divesture of CNN and CBS News after witnessing what happened to the news channel and 60 Minutes, the country’s most watched news program, after Ellison hired far-right journalist Bari Weiss to lead those outlets. Three correspondents and two producers have either left the show or been fired. One of those, Scott Pelley, accused Weiss of “murdering 60 Minutes.” A fourth correspondent, Anderson Cooper, left voluntarily, ostensibly to “spend more time with his family.”
Larry Ellison — who invested $17 billion into the Paramount/Warner Bros deal and provided a personal guarantee of $40 billion — is a Trump supporter and donated around $45 million to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. It’s no surprise that Trump, who is a vociferous critic of CNN and in September tried to ban the network from the White House, is supportive of the merger.
In August, David Ellison wrote an op-ed for the New York Times in which he stated: “I believe that anyone who oversees a news organization shouldn’t put a finger on the scale, especially on matters involving his own company … I do not aspire to lead these companies to bend their newsrooms to my views.”
Billionaire media owners might say they don’t want to sway the media, but facts prove otherwise.
During the latest nationwide No Kings protests on Oct. 17, Meta — owned by another billionaire, Mark Zuckerberg — suspended the No Kings Instagram account for a few hours, just as protests were getting underway across the country. Meta later apologized and said it was due to an “automated action.”
Similarly, TikTok, 15% of which is owned by Larry Ellison, blocked the account for a documentary critical of Musk for three days, blaming it on an “error.” And in a new development, Musk — the man who turned Twitter, now X, into a cesspool of hate and conspiracy theories — recently invested $1 billion into Skydance to help offset the company’s $80 billion debt. What will he demand in exchange for that investment — that CNN only broadcast news favorable to his far-right views?
The real question for the American public is — are you willing to put your trust in billionaires to not put their fingers on the scale of our news and democracy? As Maya Angelou once said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
With fall underway and the holidays quickly approaching, many families are thinking about their finances for the months ahead. Between holiday spending, winter expenses, and planning for the new year, there’s plenty to consider.
Fall is a good time to take stock of your finances and revisit your goals. But financial planning isn’t just about managing your own money. It’s also about making sure the people you care about are prepared for what lies ahead, from helping young adults build good habits to planning for aging parents.
Here in Tahoe, where families balance the opportunities and challenges of mountain living, planning ahead can be especially important. Below are a few steps worth taking this fall.
Start With a Financial Checkup
From fluctuating seasonal incomes to the costs of housing and everyday expenses, having open conversations about money can help families navigate life’s transitions with greater confidence. Set aside 30 minutes to review your savings balances, credit card debt, upcoming expenses, and progress toward financial goals. Compare your actual spending against your budget from earlier in the year and identify subscriptions or recurring expenses you may no longer need.
Redirect any savings toward an emergency fund or paying down high-interest debt. Automatic transfers to savings, even in small amounts, can help build a financial cushion.
As you review your budget for the months ahead, factor in gifts, travel, and entertaining. Setting limits and putting aside a fixed amount from each paycheck can help you manage seasonal expenses and stay within your budget. For families who rely on seasonal employment or tourism-related income, consider setting aside extra income during busier periods to help cover expenses during slower months.
A financial checkup is also an opportunity to organize your important information. Imagine a family member suddenly needed to step in and help manage your finances. Would they know where to find important documents, account information, or insurance policies?
Create an inventory of financial accounts, insurance coverage, recurring bills, and important legal documents, such as wills and powers of attorney. Make sure the information is current and stored securely.
You don’t need to share every financial detail or password with family members. Instead, identify a trusted person who knows where essential records are located and ensure appropriate legal authorizations are in place if they ever need to help.
SAVING: Now is the time to learn good financial habits. File photo
Help Young Adults Build Financial Confidence
Getting your own finances in order can also be an opportunity to help younger family members develop good habits.
According to U.S. Bank’s 2026 Wealth Report, Gen Z began intentionally building wealth at age 19 on average, earlier than any other generation surveyed.
For parents, this is a reminder of the importance of introducing good financial habits early. Whether a teenager is earning their first paycheck from a seasonal job at a local ski resort or saving for their first car, these milestones offer opportunities to build good financial habits.
Parents can start with everyday topics like budgeting, saving, and understanding the difference between needs and wants. Walk them through how to budget their first paycheck, set aside a portion of their earnings, and save toward a goal. Automatic transfers to savings, even in small amounts, can help them build consistent habits.
It’s also important to normalize financial mistakes as learning opportunities. Building confidence with money takes practice.
Plan Ahead for Aging Parents
Just as younger family members may need guidance as they become financially independent, aging parents may need support as their circumstances change.
Conversations about aging and finances can be particularly sensitive. Many parents value their independence, and adult children may hesitate to ask questions that feel too personal.
Rather than beginning with account balances, start by asking about their wishes. Do they hope to remain in their home as they age? Have they considered what kind of support they might want if their health or mobility changes?
Once you understand their preferences, talk about what it might take to support those plans. Caregiving costs can extend well beyond medical bills to include transportation, home modifications, in-home assistance, and time away from work. For Tahoe families, where specialized care providers may live farther away, transportation and travel can add another layer of expense.
If responsibilities are likely to be shared among siblings or other relatives, discuss how the financial and time commitments might be divided.
The goal isn’t to take control of a parent’s finances. It’s to understand their preferences and help ensure their wishes can be respected.
Start Small, but Start Now
As you look toward the new year, think about which areas of your finances could use more attention. Whether that’s revisiting your budget, building emergency savings, or preparing for an upcoming expense, identify what you want to accomplish and what you can start doing now to work toward it.
Living in Tahoe reminds us of the importance of preparing for what’s ahead, even when we don’t know exactly what the next season will bring. The same is true for our financial lives. We can’t predict every challenge or opportunity, but taking time to plan and have these conversations can help us feel more prepared.
~ Brian Hogan is U.S. Bank’s branch market leader for Northern and Central California and a longtime Lake Tahoe resident. He is passionate about community involvement and has served on multiple boards throughout his career.
I have attended quite a few public meetings during my time with Moonshine Ink. Many I’ve gone to in person, but even more — especially during the Covid-19 years — I’ve viewed via streaming methods.
Similar to the broadcasts on local TV channels, the livestreaming of various board, council, and commission meetings across the Truckee/North Tahoe region allows those who might not have the time, money, or energy to attend in person to still participate in local decision-making.
Tahoe Truckee Media (TTM) is a local educational and government media center that provides broadcasting and streaming options. For broadcasts, there are both standard and high-definition cable options: educational programming is on channels 6/106, while government and public affairs show on channels 8/118.
TTM provides livestream and broadcast options for Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Town of Truckee, Truckee Tahoe Airport District, and Tahoe Forest Health System. Other districts and agencies in our coverage area utilize different methods for putting their meetings out there, while others only allow in-person, day-of opportunities (see the list to the right for who offers what and when — including who does and doesn’t provide a livestream).
I was curious to hear TTM General Manager Rory O’Farrell’s take on airing public meetings in this day and age, and in this region.
~ AH
What are the benefits of districts choosing to stream or broadcast their meetings through TTM rather than directly through Zoom, YouTube, etc.?
We also post all our public meetings to YouTube. However, YouTube occasionally “strikes” our account, usually due to copyright issues involving use of music. Some other public media centers have had their channels removed from YouTube and Vimeo with no warning or reason given. So, for instance, you can see the fall concert of the Truckee High School band at our native website, but YouTube has rejected it.
Another benefit is the lack of commercial clutter on our native website. It’s not in the best interest of TTUSD, or TFHS, to have ads appearing next to their board meetings, when the ads may deliver a message in poor taste or otherwise antithetical to good governance.
Then, also, we have been captioning all meetings in English and Spanish, with local control over editing of the captions. This helps these elected bodies comply with Brown Act [Americans with Disabilities] and [Web Content Accessibility Guidelines] 2.2 mandates.
Why don’t all special districts livestream their board meetings through Tahoe Truckee Media?
TTM was an early adopter of livestreaming; it was introduced here by our founder John Echols prior to my arrival in 2009. There is no requirement to livestream meetings of the elected boards of special districts, but several in the area have chosen to, in the interests of transparency and public participation.
What reasons do you hear from those who don’t livestream their meetings?
Expense certainly is one. To cover a meeting adequately requires a microphone and camera setup, and a method of getting visual presentation slides into the telecast stream. Now new ADA requirements mandate features like captioning and audio-descriptors need to be included. An operator to control the telecasts is also necessary, and this turns into a high-stress position, once the inevitable technical difficulties occur.
The hard costs of the installed equipment fall on the client agencies.
Our contract with the Town of Truckee starts with a fixed service fee every month ($1,050), which covers indexing the meetings (matching video to the agenda items) and archiving and captioning.
In addition, the town pays $200 per meeting hour, plus setup and post-production as necessary. An average month has two council meetings plus a planning commission meeting. So, the expense to the town each month runs $3,000 to $4,000.
The airport board and hospital board only meet once a month, so their expense is about half of what it costs the town.
For a one-time livestream with an operator and one camera, one mic, charges start at $200 per hour.
There are discounts available for nonprofits. For instance, we recently livestreamed a fundraiser for Sierra Avalanche Center.
Have you seen any interesting trends develop as virtual meetings took a steep jump during the Covid-19 pandemic?
The pandemic presented some immediate hurdles, mostly in incorporating programs like Zoom and Google Meets into live meetings. Now that those services have shown their value, and interactive public comment capability is being required, by law, for certain public meetings, the public has also come to expect livestream access to public meetings, and the convenience of being able to view meetings on demand, with agenda topics indexed to accurate points within lengthy meetings.
Do you see a lot of traffic through the broadcast channels versus the livestream option?
We have never been able to obtain viewership stats on the cable TV channels. This is a small market with no ratings services available, and the cable companies have never been willing to share any data with operators of public media channels, not even subscriber volume.
Internet viewing on the other hand is full of analytic audience data, and yes, we know the local audience has been viewing our streams more and more. Audiences are driven to watch local meetings online when controversial topics are considered, or when the weather prohibits attendance in person. Our coverage of TTUSD sports, especially when teams travel as far as Winnemucca or Elko, provides a real service for local families who want to see the contests. Often our Wolverine Football coverage draws more viewers than the larger Reno schools, when weather or distance makes it hard for local fans to see the away games.
How, Where, and When to Attend North Tahoe/Truckee Special District Meetings
Alpine Springs County Water District: Second Friday of the month, 9 a.m.
In person: 270 Alpine Meadows Rd., Olympic Valley
Livestream: Yes, Zoom (no public participation or comment is provided through Zoom)
Donner Summit Public Utility District: Third Tuesdays, 6 p.m.
In person: 53823 Sherritt Ln., Soda Springs
Livestream: Yes, Zoom
Incline Village General Improvement District: Second and fourth Tuesdays, 4 p.m.
In person: 893 Southwood Blvd., Incline Village
Livestream: Yes, Vimeo
North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District: Third Wednesdays, 12 p.m.
In person: 863 Tanager St., Incline Village
Livestream: Can be accommodated with notice ahead of time. Meetings are recorded and recordings are available for the public with a public records request.
North Tahoe Fire Protection District: Fourth Tuesdays, 3 p.m.
In person: 222 Fairway Drive, Tahoe City
Livestream: None
North Tahoe Public Utility District: Second Tuesdays, 2 p.m.
In person: North Tahoe Event Center, 8318 North Lake Blvd., Kings Beach
Livestream: None
Northstar Community Services District: Third Wednesdays, 9 a.m.
In person: 900 Northstar Dr., Truckee
Livestream: Yes, Zoom
Olympic Valley Public Service District: Last Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.
In person: 305 Olympic Valley Rd.
Livestream: None, with no plans to implement at this time
Sierra Joint Community College District: Second Tuesdays, 4 p.m.
In person: Primarily the Rocklin Campus, 5100 Sierra College Blvd., Rocklin
Livestream: Yes, Zoom
Tahoe City Public Utility District: Third Fridays, 8:30 a.m.
WELCOME ALL to your holiday table with wishes for gratitude, unity, and healing. File photo
As Thanksgiving arrives, then gives way to the December holidays and the close of another year, many of us find ourselves gathering with family and friends, sharing traditions, exchanging gifts and reflecting on what matters most. However we celebrate — or whether we celebrate at all — this season offers an opportunity to pause, recognize our blessings, and consider how we might extend kindness and generosity to others.
For Thanksgiving, families and friends plan gatherings to share good food, memories and gratitude. I am grateful for the meal that will fill our table and all the people who make it possible: the cooks who prepare our feast; the farmers who grow the vegetables, sweet potatoes and turkeys; the people who process and transport the food; grocery store workers; those who decorate the table; and the family and friends who gather to share it.
Thanksgiving began in America during the 17th century as an occasional fall celebration for European colonists to give thanks for a good harvest, safe journeys, overcoming hardships, and military victories. Although the 1621 celebration between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Tribe built on a friendly alliance, later relationships with Indigenous people became more complicated and conflicted. In 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November a day for unity and healing the nation’s wounds during the Civil War. Surely, 2026 is another time when our nation is called to heal its wounds and remember the blessings that unite us.
As I write this message, it is election day, Nov. 3, 2026. By the time you read this, the election itself is behind us, but its full implications will still be unfolding. Some may be deeply disappointed by the results, while others celebrate. There may be disagreement, legal challenges and uncertainty ahead. It is easy to fear what may happen. It is also possible that we come together peacefully and work cooperatively for the good of our country.
In my morning meditation on election day, I sensed the divine power and presence throughout our nation. Peace and love filled my being. I remembered that Thanksgiving is a time to gather with friends and family in peace and harmony, giving thanks for our many blessings. Some families invite someone who might otherwise be alone; others volunteer at a community holiday dinner. Beyond breaking bread together, we can listen to neighbors with curiosity instead of judgment and seek understanding, especially with those who don’t share our beliefs. We may find common ground!
I grew up in Maryland. The 1860 census, held shortly before the Civil War began, showed that 49% of the state’s African Americans were free. Although Maryland remained a Union state and abolished slavery before the war ended, local militias fought on both sides. Animosity tore apart families, pitting brother against brother. The bloodshed and grief touched generations. After the war, families came home to face one another and, eventually, remember the love that had once united them. At Thanksgiving, they gathered again to share gratitude for an abundant harvest, and a fresh start rooted in love and unity.
This year we can celebrate Thanksgiving and this holiday season as a time to heal our wounds and be grateful for our blessings. Some are rewards for work completed, others are gifts from family and friends, and some are simply there because nature has created beauty everywhere! Just feast your eyes on Lake Tahoe’s crystal-blue waters, towering evergreens, squirrels gathering nuts for winter, and snow on the highest peaks promising future skiing. During this time of reflection, we offer a sincere “Thank you!”
The best moments, however, are when we give or receive love, joy, and acceptance. All of us are children of the same sacred source or guide, whatever we call that: God, Jehovah, Allah, Buddha, Universal Intelligence, Spirit, or Father-Mother God.
To heal, our nation might choose to follow the Arapaho tribe proverb, “When we show respect for other living things, they respond in kind.” We can welcome everyone to our Thanksgiving tables. We can give gratitude for our many blessings and share them with the world.
Happy feasting and happy holidays!
~ Rev. Pam Cosby Brandman is an ordained minister with the Centers for Spiritual Living (CSL).Her mission is to inspire, love and empower. She serves as co-chair of the CSL Visioning Team, an international group that supports organizations to envision and manifest divine possibilities for wholeness, unity, love, and growth.
To many native cultures of our continent, the Roundhouse was the symbol of community, serving as a gathering place for social and ceremonial events. On Dec. 12, the Truckee Roundhouse Community Makerspace will take on a similar role as it hosts its annual Holiday Block Party alongside the Sierra Community House and Tahoe Food Hub.
The free, family-friendly event will be put on from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. by the three standout entities that make up Nonprofit Row and share the roof at 12116 Chandelle Way near the airport. Centered around the holiday makers market (creatives galore, gifts galore), the party will also feature live music and food trucks, folks dressed in festive costumes, freshly farmed food, an appearance by Santa, beer and libations, super good hot cocoa, smiles, hugs, warmth, and a partridge in a pear tree.
ALL SMILES: The Holiday Block Party is a family-friendly event where smiles, creativity, and holiday cheer take center stage. All photos courtesy Truckee Roundhouse.
The Holiday Block Party is an evening to get off the couch, to be out among the people, and to absorb some seasonal spirit.
“It’s just a great time to connect with each other,” said Alissa Aiton, community manager of the Truckee Roundhouse. “To spend the holiday with the community, supporting our makers, our farmers, and our community-support efforts. Not only can you shop locally and support our local economy, but you can try something new, try out a making activity … maybe make an ornament on the laser.”
LOCAL EATS: : The Tahoe Food Hub will bring local and regional farmers to the party, showcasing their fresh selections.
Connection. Community. Lasers. Yeah, at the makerspace you can design something digitally and cut or
engrave it via (insert Dr. Evil air quotes here) a laser. 3D printers and other gizmos too. And the awesome, old-school opportunities of woodworking, metal working, ceramics, textiles, and generally using one’s hands to make something cool are widely available and celebrated as well.
But the Holiday Block Party is a fully ripe event that encompasses all of Nonprofit Row.
Over at the Sierra Community House, indulge in hot cocoa and see if you made Santa’s naughty or nice list (that’s where the big guy in the red suite will be), while also learning of all the local good the organization does on multiple humanistic fronts. Like some supergroup rock band of altruism and good deeds, back in 2019 four area stalwarts — Tahoe SAFE Alliance, Family Resource Center of Truckee, North Tahoe Family Resource Center, and Project MANA — combined forces to become Sierra Community House. The group combats domestic violence, hunger, offers legal assistance and family support, and engages community across a range of other superpower initiatives.
At Tahoe Food Hub, meander through the nosh-rich space and get to know your local farmers as they vend what they’ve grown. Learn how best to infuse your diet with fresh, local, delicious, and regeneratively grown food that originates within a close radius of the basin.
“It’s a community-centric event,” said Maddie Rohner, general manager of the Tahoe Food Hub. “There’s lots of opportunities for family participation and to purchase directly from our farmers. It’s a great experience.”
VISIT FROM THE NORTH POLE: Santa and Mrs. Claus, seen here with a brightly lit and rather emotive tree, will be at the Sierra Community House, courtesy of the Truckee Chamber of Commerce.
The food hub’s block party experience will feature everything from satsuma mandarins to olive oils, farmed flowers to value-added products such as jams and honeys. Fresh evergreen holiday wreaths and wellness products like teas, tinctures, and candles can also be found, along with heaps more.
Two bars will be serving up the social lubrication, local band Nate & His Roommates will be unleashing their rhythmic inspiration, and Mountain Lotus’ Provisions and Mogrog Rotisserie food trucks will be cooking up their culinary satiation.
All vendor sales are retained by the artists and farmers, and proceeds from the party go right back into the nonprofits themselves. It’s events like these that keep everyone’s needle moving, that allow the individuals and the organizations to keep providing their benefits to our community.
With help from previous block parties and fundraising efforts, the Makerspace, celebrating its tenth anniversary, is in the midst of an expansion that will allow it to provide more classes and school programs, and to welcome more members.
“All our classes have wait lists now,” Aiton explained. “We’ve had a lot of demand and are excited to fulfill that for the community.”
And who knows to what heights a successful block party will allow all of Nonprofit Row to soar.
Santana Row in San Jose is known as the Rodeo Drive of Silicon Valley, Savil Row in London is where The Beatles gave their final, rooftop performance, and Murders’ Row was the nickname of the imposing batting lineup of the 1927 New York Yankees. Yeah, well, Truckee has its own all-time row, too. The Tahoe Food Hub, the Sierra Community House, and the Roundhouse Makers Space of Nonprofit Row add to our community in countless ways. The Holiday Block Party is one of them.
LOTSA LITTLE MAKERS: Sewing felt ornaments has been a favorite maker activity at past Holiday Block Parties. Raffle tickets, held here by the head elf, hint at another activity available for event attendees.
I went to the party last year and was floored by how many smiling people were there. I saw friends I hadn’t seen in far too long. I met people it’d taken me far too long to meet. I ate good food and found a couple cool Christmas presents. I learned a lot and lived a great evening.
Maybe this year I’ll see what I can do with a “laser.” And maybe I’ll see you out there too.
While it might be that mountain adventurers, cliff jumpers, and ski racers capture our attention when we think of the people who make up the fabric of Tahoe mountain resorts, behind the scenes are a whole lot of folks who quietly spend their lives working to create the winter experiences we love. One of those people is Karen Roske, who in 1991 started a ski school for kids at what is now known as Palisades Tahoe. For 30 years she ran the program and helped it grow to a true powerhouse that requires 150 employees to serve 15,000 students a year.
Roske came to Tahoe in 1984 for an internship at Olympic Valley School teaching skiing. She was in her senior year at the University of Maine in Farmington, located near Sugarloaf ski resort, and working toward her degree in a new field: ski area management. When the internship ended, she graduated and came to work at Palisades Tahoe.
Roske, one of eight children, grew up near Boston and regularly skied at small Massachusetts ski areas.
“Dad took us on Friday nights to Blue Hills in Canton, Mass. As we got older, he put us in the VW Bus and we went up to King Pine, New Hampshire, to ski,” Roske said.
DOWNHILL SKIER: A Palisades Tahoe employee since 1991, Karen is now the vice president of base operations and facilities at Palisades.
While in college she worked at Sugarloaf. “I coached their Bubblecuffer program, which was similar to our Mighty Mites,” as well as obtaining her PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) Level One and Two certificates.
Roske began her career at Palisades Tahoe teaching in the ski school for several years and worked with the Women’s Way program, as well as providing private children’s lessons. Then in 1991, Ski Corp Chairman Alex Cushing asked her to build a ski school specifically designed for kids. “I created Children’s World, which then became Squaw Kids. We started with a very small staff,” Roske said. It became a raging success.
“All those years, creating and formulating the kids program were great and I met so many people from all over the world,” she shared.
As the program grew, the challenge was hiring seasonal employees, and she found them in South America. “I did a lot of the international hiring. I processed all the H2B and J1 visas,” Roske said. “The J1s are students from the Southern Hemisphere on summer break and the H2Bs are skilled ski patrollers and instructors. I taught myself how to do it.”
For 14 summers, she traveled to South America to recruit employees while also trying to get a bit of skiing in.
Karen met Pete Roske in 1990; he worked at Palisades Tahoe as a lift mechanic. They married in 1993 and have two children: Ingrid, who lives in Boston, and Max, who is about to leave the Marines as a helicopter mechanic.
There is an old saying: if you want to get something done, find somebody who is really busy. And often in Tahoe that means an active mom. Karen fits the bill. As her own kids grew, she became involved with many of the programs that serve our community’s children. While managing a large kids ski program was more than a full-time job, she still somehow found the time to start a cross-country ski program at Tahoe Lake Elementary, volunteered for Excellence in Education and the parent teacher organization, and donated a lot of her time to help put on the Tahoe Community Nursery School ski swap.
TRAVELER: Karen and Pete Roske skiing at Cerro Catedral in Bariloche, Argentina, in 2022. Karen said, “Yes, Pete is wearing jeans and rental gear, but it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to ski in Argentina as we were there for a wedding.”
BACKPACKER: Karen Roske at the top of Donohue Pass in the Eastern Sierra. Courtesy photos
SURFER: Boogie boarding at San Elijo Beach near San Diego.
In addition, for 20 years she worked as a coach for the Strider Gliders program at Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Area. As her director during that time, I always found her to be a dependable, hardworking volunteer who for many years took on the hardest class to teach: beginning skate skiing.
NORDIC SKIER: Karen Roske with her children, Ingrid and Max, at Tahoe Cross-Country.
“There was so much to do. I volunteered for all the programs. I was being really involved as well as running the business. You don’t have forever when the kids are young,” she said.
“Karen is a doer,” Sydney Earley agreed. “I met her at Tahoe Lake when we had kids in kindergarten. We both started volunteering at the school. She has been a lifelong advocate for education, both formal and skiing.”
In the fall of 2020, Roske transitioned from her position running the kids ski school to vice president of base operations and facilities at Palisades, which has more regular hours, enabling her to spend a lot more time backpacking.
“She is remarkable and inspirational, and also an incredible outdoorsman,” Earley said. “She turned women our age into backpackers. We wouldn’t have done it without her. She will often call you and say, ‘we are going backpacking, here is the route and the trip.’ She was the push you need to actually do it.”
Earley says that Roske has lots of energy and stamina. “I look at her and say, ‘I need to do more.’ Hers is a life well lived.”
The Latest Renovations and Venues at Lake Tahoe’s South Shore
From fresh dishes to new accommodations, from extra activities to advanced meeting spaces, South Lake Tahoe is constantly innovating. The only elements we strive to leave unchanged are the natural ones. In fact, you can marvel at the stunning peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the strikingly blue waters of our eponymous lake right from your room, game, meeting, table, trail, or entertainment venue. That’s because everything you need is within walking distance on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. Add 365 days of outdoor recreation and 24/7 entertainment to the mix, and you have an equation that can’t miss.
Activities
Go ahead; play like it’s your job. Our fresh mountain air can stir up inspiration like nothing else. And you can easily incorporate this new batch of activities into any event itinerary, or try our ever-popular horseback rides, guided nature walks, hot air balloon excursions, and lakeside yoga sessions.
Get a front row seat to colorful granite stones and pristine waters beneath your kayak while taking in picturesque mountains that frame the shoreline all around you. The Summit Shores tour from Clearly Tahoe is a 1.5 to 2-hour guided paddle that’s designed for all skill levels. Expert local guides provide a smooth journey and share about the geology that formed the Tahoe Basin as well as the local flora and fauna.
Heavenly Mountain Resort aims to keep you connected. In addition to offering skiing and snowboarding lessons, restaurant options, lodging properties, and event space, this local resort now provides a bike haul program. Mountain bikers and Class 1 e-bike riders can upload their bikes to the mid-station for access to our community network of trail systems. So your group can keep calm and roll on.
The latest offering from Lagree South Lake, this low-impact yet high-intensity strength workout is intense on muscles but gentle on bones and joints. With plenty of group options, these trained teachers redefine team-building exercises.
Accommodations
If you like options, upgrades, and renovations, you’ve come to the right place. South Shore hotels, resorts, cabins, bed and breakfasts, and campsites are updating their amenities left and right.
With its cozy fires and bubbling hot tubs, The Iceberg Tahoe is anything but cold. Fully renovated in 2025, this hotel is the ideal combination of a remote, tucked-away feel with close proximity to shops, trails, restaurants, and ski slopes.
Sure, your group could cluster inside a conference room, but wouldn’t you rather be sipping cocktails poolside in a cabana? Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe now features The High Dive Pool + Lounge, a venue that claims to be Lake Tahoe’s second greatest body of water. It looks promising, but we’ll let you be the judge.
With in-room gas fireplaces, private terraces or balconies, and separate walk-in showers and soaking tubs, Edgewood Resort just completed a comprehensive redesign of its lodge rooms and suites. Edgewood also added a 5,600-square-foot lakefront ballroom that can host up to 250 guests for receptions and corporate events, a 2,100-square-foot heated deck for outdoor ceremonies and gatherings, and a lakefront private dining space for up to 40 guests.
After a $45 million comprehensive renovation, Gurney’s Lake Tahoe Resort & Spa plans to open its doors in 2027. The 7.6-acre lakefront resort also includes a cafe, pizzeria, restaurant, and dessert shop alongside a health and wellness spa, meeting spaces, and private beach access.
Restaurants & Bars
The following establishments have just joined our lineup of delectable South Shore provisions. Hot tip: JWB Prime Steak and Seafood released an updated menu. Even hotter tip: We developed a group dining guide for planners so you can spend less time organizing and more time tasting.
Japanese A5 Wagyu. Bread with Black Truffle Butter. White Cheddar Lobster Mac & Cheese. Those are just some of the dishes you can order at the latest restaurant within Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe. Might as well pair it with one of their award-winning wines. Cheers.
This is not your grandmother’s afternoon tea. Edgewood Tahoe recently launched a modern tea experience with thoughtfully curated sips and small plates. Hosted inside the resort’s fine dining restaurant, your tea and cakes come with sweeping panoramic views. Who knows, you might just brew up your next big idea.
Building on the momentum of the resort’s rebrand and summer 2025 debut, Caesars Entertainment has launched pool enhancements, meeting and convention spaces, and a bar and lounge area with live music seven nights a week—right at the center of the casino floor.
Find your untapped potential at the newest taproom and cafe. Select from indoor and outdoor spaces with firepits, a stage—even a whimsical garden tucked beneath the pines where winding brick pathways, soft market lighting, and atmospheric landscaping create a charming, almost secret-garden feel. Paddle House specializes in private events, and the food is just as good as the brews. Their blueberry mascarpone cake is a local delicacy.
Try chef-led culinary experiences that pair tastings at handpicked local restaurants with the history, hidden stories, and neighborhoods that make the South Shore unique. From progressive dinners to private sightseeing and food tours, it’s a memorable way to bring a team or client group together over great food and a deeper taste of Tahoe’s local character.
Transcend Your Agenda
All of these exciting transformations happening in South Lake Tahoe combined with our existing offerings means that the only thing missing is you. Browse venues for events, meetings, and conventions of all sizes, or book your group accommodations to secure the choicest spot for your crew. Your guests will feel so invigorated, they might just push back their return flight (which is a great time to mention that we’re only a short drive away from Reno-Tahoe International Airport). Ready to make a move? We’d love to see your RFP.
Sure, we’re a little biased, but there’s never a bad time to visit Lake Tahoe. Pick a season, any season. Celebrate summer in the Sierra with a hike to Emerald Bay State Park or make a splash at Pope Beach. Discover why Tahoe winters are legendary for skiing and holiday fun at the Heavenly Village and Ski Resort. If you want to avoid the high season crowds, visit Lake Tahoe in the spring to hit the slopes in sunglasses and a t-shirt, or come in the fall when the mountains are painted in autumn colors and hiking is at its best. Regardless of when you visit, there’s plenty of Lake Tahoe things to do.
TL;DR: South Lake Tahoe has been named Expedia’s #1 Trending Destination for 2027, following a 195% surge in travel searches. Discover why this year-round mountain destination is capturing travelers’ attention worldwide.
The secret is out! South Lake Tahoe is capturing the attention of travelers worldwide, and Expedia’s latest travel trends report confirms it.
According to Expedia’s Unpack ’27 travel trends report, South Lake Tahoe saw a remarkable 195% year-over-year increase in travel searches, earning the top spot among trending destinations worldwide.
And it’s easy to see why. From sparkling blue waters and sandy beaches to breathtaking alpine scenery, South Lake Tahoe offers something unforgettable in every season. Visitors can hit the slopes at world-class ski resorts, explore scenic hiking and biking trails, cruise across the lake, or simply relax and take in the mountain views. Add exciting entertainment, delicious dining, and a wide variety of places to stay, and you’ve got a destination worth discovering again and again.
Whether you’re seeking outdoor adventure, a romantic mountain escape, or a memorable family vacation, South Lake Tahoe delivers an experience unlike anywhere else.
See What’s New for the 2026/27 Lake Tahoe Ski Season
Family Skiing Heavenly Mountain Resort Lake Tahoe
Winter is never far away when you’re high up in the Sierra Nevada, and our resorts are bringing the fun back with expanded services and shorter wait times.
If you’ve been dreaming about snagging first-chair on a powder day or plan to head out with the family for a vacation that makes you wonder if you are in a real-life Hallmark movie, there’s no destination quite like South Lake Tahoe. Find out what’s new and what to expect at Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts this upcoming 2026/2027 season.
Upcoming events include the Toyota Air and Après event, tentatively scheduled for March 5 – 7, which promises an action-packed experience. The resort will construct an impressive 45-foot jump at the base of a World Cup trail. Expect professional athletes to astound with their gravity-defying tricks under the mountain’s illuminated night sky.
Heavenly Resort will continue with a reservation-based parking system for winter 2026/2027. Click this link for more details.
If you are new to Heavenly, it can seem daunting to navigate the four base lodges, with two in California and two in Nevada. Click here for the basics, including where to park, shuttle bus services, and how to access the mountain.
Skiers and Boarders at Kirkwood Mountain Resort Lake Tahoe
Kirkwood Mountain Resort is scheduled to open on Friday, December 4th, marking the beginning of the 2026-2027 Lake Tahoe ski and ride season!
Events and freeride competitions return this season, including the Winter Solstice Kickoff Party, New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade, Women’s Weekend, Proud to Be Me Week, Banked Slalom, Slush Cup, IFSA competitions, and the Freeride World Qualifier.
Kirkwood is continuing their reservations-based parking program to improve guest arrival and reduce congestion on weekends and peak days. This initiative will feature free, paid, and complimentary carpool parking options until noon.
Sustainability remains a priority, with plans to enhance food waste digesters, improve waste sorting, and implement automated dumpster sensors to minimize landfill contributions.
Kirkwood is known for deep powder and runs for even the most avid enthusiast to test their mettle.
Sierra-at-Tahoe marks its 80th anniversary this winter with a season of nostalgic events and special celebrations. Projected opening day in late November or early December, weather permitting.
The resort is also rolling out a new mobile app featuring an interactive trail map, activity-based badges and rewards, and on-mountain leaderboards.
For weekends and holiday periods, Sierra-at-Tahoe will use a parking reservation system designed to improve access and support carpooling. Reservations will be complimentary for passholders and for vehicles carrying four or more people.
Tahoe’s snow tubing parks are almost ready to roll for the season, offering fun for all ages and skill levels. From groomed lanes to laughter-filled runs, tubing is one of the easiest ways to dive into winter play. Check operating dates below, and get ready to slide into the snowy season.
If you’ve been following OpenSnow’s Bryan Allegretto for his Lake Tahoe forecasts, you know he’s passionate about accurately predicting what the surrounding mountains will get. He’s the voice of reason when other news outlets and weather services hype up FEET of snow, only for the reality to fall far short. But even for “BA”—as he’s known—the storms in the first week of February 2025 were way off, and by a huge margin. In fact, it was his worst prediction in his nineteen-plus-year career. I had the chance to chat with him to get the inside scoop on what went wrong.
BA’s Soul Crushed
Bryan Allegretto enjoying one of Tahoe’s famous storm cycles when the forecast was spot on.
BA takes his forecasting seriously—so seriously that he’s been keeping a scorecard to track just how spot-on (or not) he’s been. Over the past nine seasons, his predictions for every storm across the Tahoe Basin have been off by just 1.5 inches on average. But during the first week of February, things went way off course. He was off by anywhere from 5.5 to 12.9 inches, with some mountains missing the mark by as much as 2 feet! Normally, when he’s that far off, it’s because the storms delivered more (think: colder, fluffier powder). This time? As far as he can remember, it was the first instance they delivered way less.
Atmospheric Rivers are Tough
One of the many warm storms during the wet n’ wild Jan 2017 season
Lake Tahoe’s weather is infamous for its feast-or-famine cycles, and a big reason is that up to 50% of California’s precipitation comes in the form of an atmospheric river. These intense bands of moisture originate from the tropics and slam into the Sierra. If Lake Tahoe is lucky enough to be on the cold side of it, we get huge snowfall. But if not, it means rain—LOTS of rain. And that’s exactly what happened during the first week of February.
Alarm Bells Ding
As the storms began to arrive in the 5-day window, BA was already mentioning how concerned he was about the forecast. First, the band of moisture was narrow at only 50 miles wide which is tiny in the scope of the globe. If the storm moved even a few miles north or south, the amount of liquid we get would be drastically cut. Then there was the problem of temperatures. It set up a battle royale of two giants – cold air to the north and the warm subtropical air flowing into the northern Sierra. Depending on who wins and when, this “could make a BIG difference in snowfall totals.”
Worst Case Scenario Happened
And that’s exactly what happened. Instead of the storm staying focused on Tahoe, it quickly moved north. While the National Weather Service predicted 30 inches of liquid and BA estimated 22 inches as a conservative forecast for the week, the greater Lake Tahoe area only received a meager 6-12+ inches. The moisture tap shut off before the cold air could move in, and the snow ratios—usually around 10:1—were closer to 7:1. The result? A rude awakening after the storm passed.
“Biggest Temperature Gradients as Far as I Can Remember”
A lot of this came down to how cold it was to the north—a real tease for weather forecasters. It was snowing all the way to the beach in Oregon and even in Susanville. With that much cold air up north, it seemed like it would force its way south, but it didn’t. Instead, the warm air took over. Not just in Tahoe, but across the entire West, where everyone got hit with rain. Jackson Hole was in the 50s, and even Utah saw rain!
Models Aren’t Gospel but a Tool
The GFS model… Snow porn at its finest. For the 1st storm in the larger cycle it predicted nearly 12 inches of liquid! The ENTIRE week only got 6!
The best tool for weather forecasters today is still the weather models. But as BA pointed out, “These are global models. Each micro-climate has its own set of errors. You need to understand these nuances and apply them to your forecast.” Take the GFS, for example. The U.S. model, affectionately known as “snow porn,” always assumes snow ratios are way too high, predicting crazy amounts of snow—and it’s nearly always wrong. Then there’s the Canadian model, which tends to underforecast how much snow places like Mt. Rose will get. The real voice of reason? The European model. Statistically, it’s proven to be the most accurate, and now with A.I. to help fix its errors, it’s getting even better.
OpenSnow Will Learn and Get Better
In the end, BA summed it up best: “It’s hard to forecast storms in the mountains.” But that’s exactly what drew Bryan to this field in the first place—the challenge of forecasting and getting it right. Sometimes, like the week of February 1st, 2025, you get it wrong. But that’s an outlier, and the team at OpenSnow is using it as a learning tool. Instead of taking a back seat, they’re constantly working to improve their product. They’ve even hired a full-time A.I. developer to create their own OpenSnow A.I., which is processing 40+ years of data to correct model errors and improve predictions.
And it’s not all about enjoying the summer for pickleball. The folks at OpenSnow use the “off season” as a chance to reflect and improve. That’s when they discovered the Canadian model’s issue with the Mt. Rose snow forecast. They’re always striving to get better.
We get how tough forecasting can be, and we hope this behind-the-scenes look helps explain the challenges involved. Big kudos to him—and to all of the OpenSnow team—for the hard work they put in!
When looking for a skiing destination, one of the factors that typically comes into everyone’s mind: “Is there more than one ski area to visit?” The answer when talking about the cozy town on the shore of Payette Lake is a wholehearted YES! In fact, McCall Idaho skiing has the perfect amount of resorts big and small to fit everyone’s budget, plans, or vision of what they think a ski town is all about.
McCall Idaho Skiing – Covers All Needs
Photo by: Local Freshies®
Within half and hour from the center of McCall, you have access to three vastly different ski areas. The closest is the Little Ski Hill which is only a few minutes away, offering affordable skiing and schussing under the lights. Less than nine miles away, you have the flagship resort: Brundage Mountain. Not just a ski area but rather a basecamp to outdoor fun such as snowmobile excursions to Burgdorf Hot Springs. The furthest away, but a MUST for all visitors, is Tamarack. This resort is now coming into a renaissance due to a new owner. Both Tamarack AND Brundage are a powder hound’s dream especially during mid-week. You’ll pretty much have each place to yourself. The best part is both of these offer lift-accessed backcountry skiing if you have the gear, knowledge, and fortitude to step outside into the wilderness.
The Little Ski Hill – For 1st Timers & Ski Addicts
Image appears courtesy: Payette Lakes Ski Club
As T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia said, “Big things have small beginnings” and the Little Ski Hill in McCall, Idaho is the greatest example of this. Founded in 1937 for local forest workers to recreate during the winter, this quaint area doesn’t have one or two Olympians but SIX who got their start here. Although it may only have a 405-foot vertical drop, it makes sure that every inch of it is maximized. They do this by offering night skiing, a legit terrain park, AND a kid-first attitude that families love. How do you know it’s good? By hearing the laughter and whoops on the slopes. If you’re looking for a fountain of youth or just affordable skiing, this place is it. How affordable? Well, an adult day pass goes for only $30 or hand out $140 and get a SEASON PASS!!!! College students can pick up a season pass for $80 and kids 5-17 can get one for $50.
Compared to other ski resorts throughout the country, the road to Tamarack isn’t treacherous. Heading due south from McCall on Highway 55, follow the massive ridgeline until you pass through Donnelly. We HIGHLY recommend making a pit stop here for breakfast at the Flight of Fancy Bakery. Besides serving tasty pastries and other scrumptious options, their baked oatmeal is the BEST oatmeal you’ll have anywhere.
If you pull into Tamarack’s parking lot mid-week, it will feel as though it’s your own private resort. Although it might have less in-bounds acreage than its cousin Brundage, the 2,800’ of vertical skiing will make sure your legs are screaming especially that you can lap the mountain without stopping. For those that have knowledge about the backcountry, the lift-accessed terrain is MASSIVE since the resort sits on a ridgeline making for easy pickings. That’s just a few of the many reasons you should visit Tamarack Resort.
Brundage Mountain – McCall’s Classic Resort
Photo by: Local Freshies®
Last, but not in any way the least, Brundage Mountain Resort will always be near and dear to our hearts. Looking at the trail map and statistics, you’ll think that it isn’t very big or that it’s pretty mellow. Well, you’d be wrong. Just like all Idaho skiing, you have to look in-between the lines or rather in the glades to find the challenging stuff. For example, from looker’s left, the trails or rather “zones” of the Hidden Valley area holds some amazing steeps you’d find in places like Kirkwood. And if you have a few extra dineros in your pocket, we HIGHLY recommend booking a backcountry guided tour via a snowcat. At over 18,000 acres to explore, the snowcat tours will make sure you find some untracked pow to shred.
Photo by: Local Freshies®
Nordic Skiing
Although we’re focused on the gravity fed version, we have to give a nod to the McCall Idaho skiing version known as nordic skiing. Instead of an afterthought, cross-country skiing here is big. So much so that there are multiple nordic centers that maintain and manage trail networks. The jewel on the crown is Ponderosa Park. It’s located on a 1,000 acre peninsula that splits Payette Lake. Featuring heavily forested trails with rolling topography to ridge tops offering up spectacular views of the lake. The newest edition, opened in 2005, is Bear Basin which contains 30 km of trails to explore. You’ll also find trail networks at Tamarack Resort and the summer activities hot spot for mountain biking at Jug Mountain.
As the throngs of skiers and snowboarders head to busy destinations like Vail, Park City, or Whistler, you may want to consider McCall, Idaho for your next ski vacation. From consistent snowfall, thousands of acres of skiing, and fun winter activities like the McCall Winter Carnival, you’ll understand why we consider not just McCall but ALL of Northern Idaho – the last frontier of skiing. If you want to learn more about McCall like what’s there to do, what places to eat, and even insider tips on how to get there be sure to read our insider’s guide:
Japan. Its snow is so legendary that it has coined its own term: ‘JaPow.’ It has become a part of every skier’s and snowboarder’s lexicon. Ranking up there with Steamboat’s “Champagne Powder” and Bozeman’s “Cold Smoke.” We understand if you want to experience where this term originated at Niseko’s ski resorts. But if you’re like us and want to go where no one else is going, we’ve learned that it might be time to go skiing in Hokkaido and experience its ‘Bonchi.’
A map of Japan might make you think that the northern island of Hokkaido is small compared to the rest of Japan, but you’d be surprised to find out it’s nearly one-quarter of the country’s landmass (~22% to be exact) and roughly the size of the state of New York! And there’s more to skiing in Hokkaido than the well-known resorts of Niseko or Rusutsu. There are over 100 resorts to explore in the Hokkaido region alone! On our trip this winter, we learned about a magical place called the “Hokkaido Powder Belt.”
Hokkaido Powder Belt
On Hokkaido, most of the resorts that people visit are on the western side, surrounding the city of Niseko. The Hokkaido Powder Belt, however, is in the center of Japan’s northern island. Using Asahikawa or Furano as base camps, you can access a variety of different-sized ski areas, each offering something unique.
Bonchi – Another Kind of JaPow
As we mentioned in “10 Things I Wish I Knew Ahead of Skiing in Japan,” the sea effect is what makes Japan’s snow so consistently great. While Niseko, being closer to the ocean, benefits from this effect and stays warmer, Hokkaido’s Powder Belt lies further inland. This means it receives slightly less snowfall than Niseko, but the quality of the snow more than makes up for it.
To set it apart from the rest of “JaPow,” central Hokkaido is now calling its snow “Bonchi Snow.” “Bonchi” means “bowl” in Japanese, referring to Furano’s basin-like topography. It also plays on the word “bon,” which means “good” in French, giving it a playful twist—suggesting that this is the land of the best snow, the kind of powder you crave.
Authentic Japan in Hokkaido
Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
From every person I’ve spoken to, the Niseko ski resorts feel as if you could be at a Colorado resort just as much as you’re in Japan. On the other side of the spectrum, you have the Tohoku ski areas, which are located in the northern part of the main island. There’s a high likelihood you’ll be the ONLY Westerner at these resorts, and without someone who speaks Japanese, it can be difficult to get around. The Hokkaido Powder Belt is the perfect medium between the two. It still feels authentically Japanese, yet you’ll probably run into people who speak English, especially at resorts, hotels, and restaurants.
Experience Over Pow
On our trip this winter, what started as one of the coldest and snowiest seasons in Japan turned into something unexpected. When we arrived in Hokkaido, a high-pressure system sat over almost the entire country, providing sunny, warm-ish (still below freezing) conditions for skiing throughout our entire trip. The locals told us that a week without snow is unheard of. Even without fresh snowfall, the rich Japanese culture we experienced and the stunning scenery made the trip worth it.
Tomamu
Overlooking Tomamu Resort – Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
Photos and videos can leave quite an impression before you even set foot on the slopes. But I’ll admit, the pictures of those two massive towers surrounded by nature felt so foreign to me. I imagined that with two giant skyscrapers, there’d be a sprawling village beneath them just as big. Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Rather than creating a massive village that stretched across the entire valley, the resort chose to build up, preserving as much of the natural surroundings as possible.
The Skiing
Like many Japanese ski areas, this mountain spans two peaks. From the base, it looks like you’d need to shuttle between them, but in reality, the trails connect the two effortlessly. Tower Mountain, located next to the Towers, is the more mellow of the two. It’s home to night skiing on certain days and “Hotalu Street.” But no matter what the snow’s like, you’ve got to make sure you at least bomb down “Hotalu Street” once. The snow-covered avenue feels like you’re in the video game Skate or Die, weaving through a charming Japanese village.
But the real skiing is on Tomamu Mountain. Right off the Unkai Gondola, head skier’s left, and you’ll find wide-spaced birch trees on a steep pitch just begging to be shredded.
The Ice Village
John LaConte enjoying ice ramen at Tomamu’s Ice Village – Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
I’ve seen countless photos of ice villages in places like Iceland and Norway, but I never had the chance to experience one in person—until Tomamu. It was truly magical and something you need to take in if you visit here. Inside, you’ll find an Ice Post Office where you can send a postcard. An Ice Bar serving Japanese whiskey cocktails in glasses made of ice. And if that’s not enough, there’s even an Ice Chapel where, according to the resort staff, there’s at least one wedding everyday throughout the season!
Oh, and there’s an Ice Ramen Restaurant… and let me tell you, that was an experience. The frozen egg in the ramen was like a ramen-flavored gobstopper—definitely something you’ve got to bite into to understand.
Local Freshies® tip: I can tell you right now, whatever you wear normally snowboarding or skiing, be sure to add a layer if you visit the ice village. After a day of skiing, the ice from the village felt as if cold was emanating from the structures.
Furano
Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
Even from a distance, its hulking face is impressive. Out of all the dozen or so ski areas we visited in Japan, Furano stands out with the rowdiest terrain—probably why it’s the most popular in the region. The steep slopes are made for expert shredders. The resort itself feels like a mix of different resorts rolled into one. The Ropeway’s cable car reminded me of Jackson Hole’s tram, while the fall-line skiing following the mountain’s natural topography brought to mind Taos’ classic trail system. A shining example of this is the A-3 trail: a fun, steep, twisty, tight run that bounces down the fall line as if it were trying to reenact how a waterfall would flow if it were made of snow.
Through it all, Furano still maintains its authentic Japanese vibe.
On sunny days, the views are stunning. Across the long valley, you can see the massive, treeless peaks looming over the snow-covered farmland below.
Danger Lurks
With each new angle, the mountain reveals more big lines you didn’t catch from the last perspective—and, at the same time, more danger. From the top of Kitanomine, looking toward the backside of the Furano zone, we saw huge fractures that looked like glide avalanches just outside the resort’s boundaries.
Kamui Ski Links
Our guide to Kamui Ski Links Akihiko Wakamatsu smiling after our 1st dawn patrol lap – Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
Some mountains stand tall, practically yelling at you, “You got what it takes?” while others are more comfortable in their own skin. Kamui Ski Links is definitely one of the latter. It wasn’t the first impression that blew me away—it was what we discovered once we got to know the place.
Mom & Pop Feel
Out of all the mountains we visited, Kamui Ski Links was our favorite. Why? It has that “Mom & Pop” ski area vibe we all crave. There are almost no “Gaijin” around, just a true community spirit, with race clinics on the mountain and locals enjoying cheap meals of soba and chicken curry with rice in the lodge.
And then there’s the terrain. From the base, it looks like the slopes are short, but that’s not the case. Turns out, their gondola accesses nearly 2,000 vertical feet of skiing. While the terrain might not be as steep as Tomamu or Furano, what it lacks in steep shots, it more than makes up for with a laid-back vibe (aka fewer crowds), accessible glade skiing, and a relaxed boundary policy.
Other Ski Areas
While we didn’t get to explore every ski area, the region is packed with some seriously unique spots. Asahidake is a one-hit gondola that opens up access to Mt. Asahidake’s epic backcountry terrain. Then there’s Kurodake, another one-lift wonder, featuring cliff bands to huck off, chutes to tackle, and steep fall-line skiing that’ll make experts feel right at home. And let’s not forget about Sahoro, which offers an all-inclusive resort experience along with its tree-lined slopes—perfect for some solid tree skiing. Then there’s Pipu, Canmore (not the Canadian one), and Santa Present Park to round out the list.
Where to Stay
The lobby at Asahikawa – Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
Resort Living or City Experiences
Depending on the kind of experience you’re after, that will dictate where to stay. If you’re looking for the all-inclusive resort vibe, you’ve got that option. Staying close to the slopes means you’ll be spending most of your time at the hotel, where nightlife is pretty much nonexistent. But if you’re the type who wants to expand your horizons, staying in one of the nearby cities is a great choice. It’ll give you the chance to sample local cuisine, check out shops, and soak in the local scene. In that case, staying in a city might be more your style.
Asahikawa – City Experiences
The town’s architecture feels like if Milwaukee went full-on Japanese and then got dropped next to a bunch of massive mountains. Staying in a real city means you’re in for an authentic experience—straight-up local vibes. For a general rundown of things to try and do along with some tips, check out our Japan Guide. For Asahikawa, here’s what to expect:
Local Cuisine
The city’s known for its ramen, and you’ll find spots serving it all over. But if you want to do a side-by-side ramen showdown, check out the Asahikawa Ramen Village, where eight of the city’s most famous ramen joints are all in one place. Another regional delicacy? Soba noodles. Made from buckwheat, Hokkaido produces nearly 40% of Japan’s supply. These brownish noodles are a staple in Japanese meals, with a nutty flavor and chewy texture. You’ll find them served both hot and cold—perfect for whatever vibe you’re feeling.
Sanroku gai – Nightlife
The Japanese live that New York lifestyle—work hard, play hard, and trust us, they work HARD. As the sun sets, Asahikawa’s entertainment district, Sanroku Gai, really comes to life. This area is packed with over 1,000 restaurants lining the tiny winding walkways, serving up fresh seafood caught right off the local waters. Plus, you’ll find plenty of drinking spots to keep the vibe rolling into the night.
OMO7 Hoshino Resort
For part of our trip, we stayed at the OMO7 Hoshino Resort in Asahikawa. As the name suggests, it’s a resort right in the heart of the city. The lobby features a “wax bar” stocked with high-end waxes and tools, so you can tune up your skis on the spot. Downstairs, there’s a beautiful onsen with soaking tubs, a cold plunge, sauna, and a giant whirlpool—perfect for easing those post-ski aches and pains. We didn’t get a chance to try breakfast, but friends who’ve stayed rave about it. The iconic dish? Waffles topped with salmon. It might sound odd, but apparently, it totally works.
The resort’s central location made it the perfect spot to dive into the local culture after a day on the slopes. Plus, it’s a great basecamp with Kamui Ski Links, Asahidake, and Kurodake all under 90 minutes by car, and even Tomamu just over two hours away.
Tomamu Hoshino Resort- Resort Living
As part of our trip to hit up Tomamu, we stayed at the towers. If you’re coming with a family and don’t feel like resort hopping, Tomamu Hoshino Resort would be the ideal basecamp. Besides the incredible skiing, the resort offers an insane amount of other activities, such as horseback riding in the snow (Jaime sooo wanted to experience this), snowmobile tours, ice fishing, and even curling, to name a few. Inside the towers, you’ll find rooms that are absolutely massive—even by American standards, let alone Japanese. A standard room includes a separate family area alongside a huge bedroom.
Join Local Freshies® in January 2026!
Photo by: Josh Laskin – Alex riding the JaPow from his trip a few years ago
This trip definitely sparked the itch for some more JaPow, especially after seeing what these mountains have to offer. After our last visit in 2023, where we got to experience Japan’s legendary snow (and got totally skunked on our Hokkaido visit), we’re ready to go back to Hokkaido for round two!
If you’ve ever wanted to experience Japan, come join us for the 10-day Hokkaido Indy Trip. More details will be dropping in April 2025.
Ever since Caldor ravaged Sierra a few years ago, the resort has become a powder hound’s dream. Storms would dump feet of snow, and only a few hundred locals would be out shredding it. The question on everyone’s mind was, ‘Will Sierra-at-Tahoe survive?’ If the crowd on Saturday, February 8th, is any indication, it’s returning to its former glory.
Back to the Good ‘Ole Days?
In town, the roads were eerily empty. But as we turned left at 8 a.m. onto the access road this Saturday morning, the drive up to Sierra became a slow crawl, with hundreds of cars winding their way up the mountain. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen so many people heading up to ski. By 10 a.m., all parking was at capacity, with cars waiting at the entrance for spots to open up. Talking to friends in town who have been skiing here for years—long before Caldor and the pandemic, during the busy 2015-2017 seasons—they said days like this used to be the norm. In fact, things would get so crowded that they’d call all the ski shops and hotels to let them know the resort was full, sending out text alerts and the whole nine yards.
The Perfect Storm
Photo by: Local Freshies
Without access to data, we can’t be absolutely sure why it was so crowded but can make some educated guesses. Here’s a list of potential factors that may have contributed to the crowds on Saturday, February 8th.
Drought Winter
For the 2024-25 season, January saw little to no snowfall, leading to a build-up of demand for some fresh, soft turns.
Hype Train For The Storms
The Sierra Nevada mountain range is notorious for the hype generated by media outlets. Social media, news stations, and various other platforms were predicting that Tahoe would receive 6 to 9 feet of snow. While this didn’t exactly happen, it certainly fueled the excitement to get up here.
Super Bowl Weekend
Despite not being an official holiday, Super Bowl weekend is one of the most popular times to visit Tahoe, especially with the opportunity to head to the casinos and bet on the big game.
Multiple Events
In addition to everything else, Sierra hosted several events, including a USASA Boardercross competition and a local snow camp aimed at getting young kids on the slopes.
Sierra-at-Tahoe Joins Ikon
The biggest news of the season is that Sierra has joined the Ikon Pass. But is this something locals wanted? Every local we’ve spoken to has shared a similar sentiment: “It sucks, but if it keeps the lifts running, it’s the lesser of two evils. I just hope it doesn’t ruin Sierra and turn it into another crowded South Shore ski area.”
Unlike Epic, which is owned by a publicly traded company, the Ikon Pass is backed by a privately held fund, so any insights about its impact are largely anecdotal. Was the Ikon Pass a factor in the crowds returning? Everyone we spoke to on the lifts had a Sierra-at-Tahoe season pass or another product, like a three-pack. While this may be true, it’s also like a surf break—people might not always tell the full story.
Is this the New Normal?
While it’s refreshing to see Sierra returning to its glory days, every local is thinking the same thing: Will powder days become as crowded as those at other Tahoe ski resorts? Only time will tell. At the end of the day, here’s hoping Sierra continues its comeback after the Caldor fire.
You’ve packed perfectly for your ski vacation by following a ski trip packing list. The alarm rings and you jump out of bed pushing the shades open. It’s blue bird, and there’s over two FEET of fresh snow. Today’s going to be epic! Quickly scarfing down breakfast, you rush out of the cabin for first chair. Music’s blaring. You and your friends are beyond stoked. Today’s the day! Pulling up to the slopes, you jump out and open the tailgate. Your stomach drops. This is when you realize you’ve forgotten something. If this is your first ski day or one of many, learn from our mistakes and use this quick day of checklist to make sure you have all your skiing essentials BEFORE you rush out the door.
Printable Checklist
Once was enough when I forgot a pair of goggles and had to drop another thirty bucks for a pair because it was storm day. Instead of letting this happen again, we created a checklist to make sure we have everything we need before we step out the door. Learn from our mistakes and download our FREE skiing essentials checklist:
The first and quite possibly most important piece of gear is what you’re going to wear. If you wear the right stuff, you’ll be warm on cold days. Cool on sunny spring adventures. Dry when Mother Nature throws a curve ball, and it’s raining/sleeting. To learn about what features to look for in each type of garment, how to identify waterproofness, and a rundown of what to wear in any weather condition, head over to our comprehensive clothing guide:
There’s nothing worse than having cold feet. NEVER ride with cotton. Instead, pick up a pair of merino wool blend or ones specifically designed to keep you warm and wick away sweat like Primaloft or Thermolite. Whatever you do, don’t double up on them either. Just get a pair of ski socks that are a bit beefier like a mid-weight variation.
Base Layers
Think of this as your second skin. Base layers are designed to be snug so that it keeps you warm, but at the same time easily wicks perspiration from your skin. If you grew up in a colder climate, you’ll know these as “Longjohns.” They’ve advanced quite a bit in their technology over the years and feel less like a piece of chainmail and more like a soft satin covering.
Mid Layer
Image appears courtesy: REI
Being based out of Tahoe, this is the layer we don’t always wear but have in the car just in case. Mid layers are things like a fleece or a puffy. It’s that extra bit of warmth on those cold days. This doesn’t have to be for your upper body only. For some reason, my lower body (i.e. feet) gets colder quicker so I typically wear a mid-layer on the bottom and not on my upper body.
Ski Pants
The barrier between you and the elements. Nearly every pair comes with gaiters on the bottom to make sure snow doesn’t go up your leg but from there things begin to vary. If you’re looking for a touch more protection from the wind and snow on the back but with the freedom of no waistband, then you may enjoy going the bib route.
Ski Jacket
Photo by: Local Freshies®
Instead of a heavy insulated jacket, we prefer to go with a shell and then layer underneath. If the sun does come out or the temps suddenly begin to rise, you can quickly shed layers and stay comfy. For a deeper dive on what features to look for in a jacket and some recommendations, be sure to check out our article: Unzip On What To Look For In The Best Women’s Snowboard Jacket.
Gloves
Like most other pieces of ski equipment, gloves or mittens can get pricey rather quickly. It’s not unheard of to spend upwards of $200. If you’re only going out for a handful of days, you don’t need to spend that much. Invest those $$$ on more critical items like the jacket or pants. A great budget friendly glove is the Gordini Gore-Tex Storm Glove or for a few more bucks the Black Diamond. Gordini’s entire mitten and glove offerings are Snow Joke If It’s Freezing Outside. Founded in 1956 and fiercely independent to this day, their focus is less on marketing spend and more about pushing the envelope on technology, offering them to you at an affordable price.
Neck Gaiter / Face Mask
Normally, we carry two neck gaiters. A warmer one that’s a bit heavier in weight for those cold storm days like the Smartwool Merino 150 Neck Gaiter. And then another that’s incredibly breathable that we could use even on a warm spring day like the Buff CoolNet UV+ line. Note: The Buff CoolNet is so breathable you could even use it in a warm climate like Costa Rica if you wanted to protect your skin.
Skull Cap / Balaclava
Although a helmet has insulation to keep you warm, you’ll be grateful to have that bit of extra wind protection when you have a skull cap. Another option is to skip the neck gaiter and go full balaclava.
Equipment
Out of all the skiing essentials, your equipment has A LOT to do with personal preference and skill level. We have MULTIPLE articles going into how to identify the best equipment for you such as Rocker Vs Camber – Which Is Best For You. We suggest starting on our ski & snowboarding equipment homepage and go from there:
Do a quick once over to make sure each bolt is tight and nothing’s broken. I’ve had a few times where my high back somehow lost a screw. I’ve seen and heard countless times where friends don’t feel comfortable on their snowboard — here’s how to Get Yo Stance Dialed – Snowboard Binding Setup so that you can rip with the best of them.
Snowboard / Ski Boots
Check the laces and latches to make sure nothing’s out of order. Frustrated with your current boots? Here’s 7 Things To Look For In The Best Womens Snowboard Boot based on our findings that will help both men AND women.
Ski Poles
If you’re renting or buying a pair of poles, the easiest way to find the right size is to flip them over and hold them underneath the basket. Your forearm should be at a 90 degree angle to the floor with the upper arms comfortably on your sides.
Helmet
Image appears courtesy: REI
The most expensive item in your entire kit is your brain so it’s a good idea to rock a helmet. I learned this the hard way by getting a few concussions in my youth. At a minimum, a helmet protects you from scratches and bruises from a random tree branch sticking out. At its best, the helmet will make sure that if a stray skier, snowboarder, or boulder hits you or you hit it, your noggin has some extra protection. Jaime LOVES her new Drift Wildhorn Helmet. It fits her googles, stylish, and a fraction of the price compared to some of the others on the market.
Goggles
Photo by: Local Freshies®
While ski goggles are one of the skiing essentials to have, this is yet another example of something you don’t need to drop big coin on if you aren’t spending thirty days on the slopes. Focus on the basics. Do they fit your face and helmet appropriately? At a minimum, you want them to reduce glare and block the wind from making your eyes water. We delve into how to find the best pair for you and review all the brands on the market in Get Your “Eye” On The Best Ski / Snowboard Goggles Out There.
Accessories
While some of these are truly skiing essentials like your season pass, others are not as much. But, you’ll be glad you have them such as sun block on those sunny spring days.
Lift Pass
Regardless if you’re a season pass vet or a day pass junkie, there’s a good chance you have to print out something to bring with you when you get to the resort.
Snacks
When the snow is good, you don’t want to waste your time having to stop for food. Just like the Snickers commercial croons “Hungry? Why wait”, stuff your pockets with jerky and granola bars.
Backpack
Image appears courtesy: REI
We don’t normally ride one with one if we’re only going to be out for a few hours. But on those epic storm days where it just keep snowing and snowing, we can’t bare to pull ourselves from the slopes. You can of course ski with a regular backpack, but there’s a good chance you’ll feel like you have a cat attached to your back attempting to toss you over the handlebars. If you’re going to ride with one, we recommend picking up one that’s light and designed to carry a water reservoir like the Osprey Kamber 20 L Snowpack for men or the Kresta for women. It isn’t bulky, and you won’t even notice that you’re riding with it.
Wax
Image appears courtesy: REI
Not as critical mid-winter, but on those warm spring days we typically carry a bit of warm weather paste wax such as Maxiglide or MountainFLOW quick wax and a tiny bit of citrus base cleaner to fend off any stickiness.
Tool
It is true ski resorts typically have a wrench at the bottom of each lift but normally they’re really a pain to use. Instead, have something like a Dakine Torque Driver Tool in your pocket. It has all the different sized bits and will work WAY better than what’s available on the slopes.
Lip Balm
Don’t let the wind and sun leave you with pain. Protect those speakers from the elements with some lip balm.
Sun Block
You’re most likely going to be up higher in elevation which means closer to the sun. Even if it’s cloudy, make sure to dab on some sun screen. Sure, goggle tans are cool but you don’t want to look like a red panda when you get home.
GoPro
If a snowboarder or skier lands a backside 360 in the park and it wasn’t caught on film, did it happen?
Headphones
Mother Nature is all we need on the slopes, but I know for some music is what makes skiing & snowboarding fun.
Ski Trip Packing List
If you’re planning to go on a ski vacation, you need a lot more gear than what we highlight above. Besides the skiing essentials, you’ll also need other items like beanies, flip flops, toiletries, and even a swimsuit. To make sure you don’t forget all those items, use this ski trip packing list to save a week of misery on the slopes.
In outdoor gear, Gore-Tex membranes are the gold standard for protection against the elements. We’ve hailed this material in many of our articles including our backcountry ski jacket guide. And to this day, there are very few proprietary brands from companies like Patagonia or North Face that can provide that kind of protection. A fabric that has started to bubble up as a competitive alternative to Gore-Tex is Dermizax by Toray. We take a deep dive into Dermizax Vs Gore Tex to see how they stack up.
Verdict
When comparing Dermizax vs Gore-Tex it comes down to what you’re looking for in your outerwear. Personally, for 95% of the time I like the Dermizax material. It offers more flexibility and a soft feel, similar to a softshell. It also provides excellent breathability when I’m sweating on the skin track and performs exceptionally well in most snowstorms. On the other hand, Gore-Tex is what I want on a wet Sierra Cement or Cascade Concrete day when the flakes are instantly turning to liquid as they touch me. Jaime, the Local Freshies® Gal, wants superior protection at all times and so she would never part with her Gore Tex Pro regardless of the conditions.
How We Compared Dermizax vs Gore Tex
Jaime wearing the Norrøna Lofoten with the Gore Tex Pro membrane – Photo by: Local Freshies
We’ve done a side-by-side full season test with Jaime using a Norrøna Lofoten Jacket which comes with Gore-Tex Pro and while I used the Ortovox Ortler 3L with Dermizax NX in the exact same elements. Although it wasn’t a perfect comparison since they both use different fabrics on the exterior, it did give us an idea of how they stack up.
Waterproofing
On paper, Gore-Tex Pro has a whopping 28,000+ mm waterproof rating versus Dermizax NX which is rated at 20,000 mm. In simplest terms that means the Dermizax NX material can withstand 20,000 mm of water pressure before it starts to leak versus the Gore-Tex Pro can withstand up to 28,000+ mm. Just to give you an idea how impressive that is — most ski resort jackets come with a 10-15,000 mm waterproof rating.
The Monsoon Test
They say a 20,000 mm jacket can protect you from rain in a hurricane, and that’s exactly what we did. We had the fortunate (or unfortunate) opportunity to test it during a three-hour monsoon at a New York Giants game. Jaime’s Norrøna Lofoten Jacket with Gore-Tex Pro kept her dry, while my Ortler 3L with Dermizax NX performed well for most of it — though I still ended up a bit damp. In “normal” winter conditions, the Dermizax NX performed just as well as Jaime’s jacket.
Winner: Gore-Tex Pro
Breathability
The next important factor is breathability. When you begin to get soaked with sweat in a cold environment, it can lead to a dangerous situation. One of the easiest ways to solve for this is to wear moisture-wicking breathable materials including your jacket. Gore-Tex Pro has a breathability rating of 25,000 g/m2. This means that 25,000 grams of water vapor (I.e. sweat) can pass through a square meter of Gore-Tex Pro in a 24-hour period. Although Toray the manufacturer of Dermizax NX doesn’t provide a breathability rating, we’ve read that it provides anywhere between 30,000 – 50,000 g/m2.
Testing on the Skintrack
Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
Within a ski resort, sweating might not be a big deal but it’s a different story on the skin track. Climbing up a mountain can you get warm pretty quickly. On a spring day with temperatures starting well below freezing and hitting highs in the upper 40s, I was blown away with the Dermizax NX membrane. I believe the breathability rating is spot on. Even though I’m the sweaty type, it kept me comfortably cozy in the full range of activities without having to keep taking it on and off. While Jaime, on the other hand with her Gore-Tex Pro, was constantly going on and off with her shell.
Winner: Dermizax
Feel
The final feature that most don’t talk about is “feel.” We’re not talking about Fernando’s Hideaway “dahling” on how you look but how the material feels when you’re moving on the mountain. Do you feel inhibited? Does the fabric make it sound as if you’re crumpling up a piece of paper? For many it isn’t a big deal, but it’s something to at least consider.
Marketing Hulabaloo or Legit?
Gore-Tex fabrics combined with bullet proof denier are notorious for how stiff they feel hence the name “hardshell.” One of the Dermizax NX fabric’s chief competitive advantages that they market is its multi-directional stretch capabilities. Is it REALLY that big of a deal? Before I tried it, I could really care less about feel. I was chasing the “protection against the elements” bug. I can tell you that Dermizax’s multi-stretch abilities aren’t malarkey but legit. Instead of buying a size up, I’m able to rock a more form fitting jacket and still get the protection I need. Jaime, while she cares about the feel, doesn’t care enough to EVER part with her jacket. In fact, she uses it all year long on EVERY adventure from mountain biking to backcountry skiing.
Winner: Depends
Just a few years ago, I would’ve said that there isn’t any waterproofing material that could compete against Gore-tex. It may still be the #1 brand but as you can see from Toray’s Dermizax offering, it might not be the best tool for all situations. It comes down to what you’re looking for.
One of the things we love about skiing and snowboarding in Idaho is that it’s home to some of the few truly independent ski areas left in the West. Resorts like Magic Mountain and Lookout Pass have a special charm that keeps us coming back year after year. However, a tragic incident at Sun Valley has brought the issue of ski area liability to the forefront. After a skier died, his widow filed a lawsuit against the resort. The Idaho Supreme Court’s ruling in this case is setting a new legal precedent, which could lead to significant changes in the future.
What Happened?
In November 2019, a 65-year-old doctor named Stewart Milus from Boise was skiing at Sun Valley. The resort has two main ski areas: Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain. Bald Mountain itself is divided into two sections: River Run and Warm Springs. According to court documents, Stewart was skiing down the lower River Run.
Lay of the Land
An example of the snowguns that Steve Milus hit.
We’ve skied this run before—it’s a wide, groomed trail that leads to the River Run Lodge. As the primary route to the base, it can get crowded. On this particular day, it was moderately busy. The court noted that Stewart was skiing “with poor control.” He crossed into the path of another skier, skied across the backs of their skis, yelled, then fell and crashed head-first into a tall, yellow-padded snowmaking tower in the middle of the run. He was taken to Wood River Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
Lawsuit Puts Law into Question
Afterwards Stewart’s widow filed a lawsuit against Sun Valley. While the lower courts upheld a 1979 statute, as has been the case for decades, the Idaho Supreme Court took a different stance. The court ruled that a jury should decide whether the ski resort could be partially at fault, regardless of the skier’s actions.
What’s Next
Even though Idaho’s Supreme Court has already made a decision, they are set to hear arguments in February about possibly reconsidering their unanimous ruling. This could return the interpretation of Idaho’s law to how it was before the court’s December 2023 ruling.
Eerily Similar to Mt Hood Ski Bowl’s Mtn Biking Case
Alternatively, the ruling could stand. And if it does, it feels similar to what happened with mountain biking at Mt. Hood Ski Bowl a few years ago. In Oregon, businesses don’t have the same legal protections as those in Idaho. As a result of a lawsuit, Mt. Hood Ski Bowl was forced to shut down its bike park permanently. While larger resorts like Sun Valley and Schweitzer are likely safe, it’s the smaller ones we love—like Pomerelle—that are most at risk. In the worst case, this could lead to closures similar to what happened in Vermont when a lawsuit hit their industry in 1978.
There is a Silver Lining
Jaime’s happy place – Magic Mountain Photo by: Local Freshies®
We like to hold a glass half full perspective. So even if the Supreme Court stands, it may not mean the end for Mom & Pops. There are various outcomes from this ruling that could happen. For example, a new bill could be introduced, similar to the one last February that was proposed by Rep. Barbara Ehardt at the urging of the ski industry. Although the bill didn’t receive a hearing, it aimed to clarify the existing law by adding a clear statement that ‘no standard of care’ applies to the duties of ski areas. In summary, stay tuned as this story develops over the course of the month.
Calling a jacket perfect is pretty subjective and hard to defend. And yet it’s the first thing I put in the title. I have a lot of outdoor gear that I like but very few items make it on the love list. But the Mammut Taiss HS Hooded Womens Jacket is one of them covered in crayon hearts and googly eyes.
Jack(ie) of all Trades
Most would argue that being decent or even good at lots of things isn’t a desirable quality. You’d want to be great at something and leave the mediocre part behind. But what if you could be great at lots of things? I know. It sounds like a load of fairy dust. But I say dump it on my head and call me a princess because this coat exceeded any expectations I had about it.
My first thought was I might use it for spring skiing or just throw it over my puffy to stay dry in a rainstorm. And I will wear it for both of those, but it also lines up with hiking, trail running, biking, resort snowboarding, and especially backcountry splitboarding. What I’m saying is, the Mammut Taiss HS Womens Jacket will be a top go-to choice for all the outdoor activities I do. That’s my bold statement… and here’s why.
Final Verdict
If you’re looking for a moderately priced jacket that can cross many seasons and sports, this is a solid choice. When a piece of gear is versatile, that can help with the cost as you’ll get more use and potentially need less gear overall. I put this Mammut Taiss HS Hooded Womens Jacket in the same functional category as my previously mentioned Norrøna Lofoten backcountry jacket. And while they aren’t a 1:1 comparison, the Mammut is half the price of the Norrøna but will get just as much, if not more use across the year.
Preferences on a hardshell span wide when it comes to jackets. This jacket might be named HS and hold the durability, waterproof, and breathability of a hardshell but it is as soft-feeling as you can get. It actually feels silky smooth. No crunchy sounds. No weird creases against your arms when you bend. Just plain enjoyable to wear.
Two is the Right Number… of Pockets
More pockets doesn’t make a jacket better. It just means more zippers. More random places to stuff things, like a junk drawer that’s out of control. For me, where the pockets are and their size are MUCH more important than how many pockets it has as a whole. This jacket’s pocket game is simple. Two pockets on the chest, deep in extending to mid waist and a small interior pocket. That’s it. And that’s all it needs.
In action sports, pockets that sit low on the waist can hamper your stride when loaded, making hinging at the hips uncomfortable and conflicting with backpack waist straps. These two chest pockets sit at a height that won’t constrict breathing if filled or impede a backpack chest strap or chestie mount. For me personally, I need deep pockets to stash cameras. If I’m forced to put my cameras or video equipment in my backpack, I have a higher likelihood of not capturing a moment because I don’t want the hassle of taking off my bag. These chest pockets are deep enough to hold GoPros with sticks, small DSLR cameras and even cell phones with gimbals or handheld grips.
Rolls Up to Travel Size
When outdoor galavanting whether it be on feet, wheels, or snow, you might not want to wear the jacket all the time. That means you need to be able to take it off and stash it somewhere small, either in a pocket or your backpack. The Mammut Taiss HS Hooded Womens Jacket squishes down to a handful that can easily be stuffed anywhere. You never have to choose whether to bring it or not because taking it off won’t be a hassle to carry.
A Hood for a Big Head
Well not a big head, per se. But when you have a helmet on but want to pull your hood over it comfortably so your neck still bends, swivels, and you aren’t choking or feel like you have blinders on, this jacket does it. I tried pulling it over both a snowboard helmet and mountain biking helmet and both were still comfortable to see and wear. That’s a nice bonus if you get caught in a rain storm and want to keep water out of your neck and eyes. One word of caution though. If you have an underneath layer that also has a hood, be aware that it may make the outer Mammut hood too tight or not fit as comfortably as it would with no additional hood fabric wadding up behind your neck. Too many hoods can be a bad combo.
No Throat Zipper Choking
A great jacket can be ruined when you zip it up all the way to the top and the material is so rigid and abundant under your chin that it feels like you’re choking. The ultra soft texture of this jacket helps alleviate that feeling completely. There is enough material under your chin that you could pull it over your lower face to block weather or it can curl under your chin out of the way as if it wasn’t even there.
Two-way Underarm Zipper for Flexibility
Underarm ventilation is mandatory on any outdoor coat, regardless of what you’re doing. Sometimes you just need to let in some air. It’s a nicety to have dual zippers, letting you choose if you want to directly let your armpit breathe or open from the bottom for more side venting. But when it comes to backpacks, you must have the dual option to easily let you vent without having to remove your pack to find a zipper. When my backcountry pack is on, it blocks the lower section of the vent so having the upper zipper as an option makes venting very easy without touching my backpack at all.
A True Year-Rounder with Credentials
Mammut markets this jacket as a hardshell for year-round use. And I fully agree with that description. The flexibility to move allows you to use it for many sports throughout the year. And with performance, it rates the highest at 6/6 by Mammut standards for water impermeability, breathability, and windproof. That’s hard to beat. The Mammut Taiss HS Hooded Womens Jacket also rates high at 4/6 for durability, packability, and lightweight. Since I don’t do rough sports like climbing, I can’t argue durability as I won’t be scraping it across sharp surfaces. But I do think they are being a little hard on themselves for packability and lightweight features when I can roll it up in my hand and it feels like I’m wearing nothing when it’s on. But I know if you count grams and mm for size, they do have jackets that are smaller and lighter.
Layerability
This jacket is stated as Mammut’s Regular Fit. They describe it as “comfortable to wear with plenty of movement… perfect for layering.” They also offer different jackets in another fit called Ski Regular. The difference in description is that the Ski Regular is better for underneath warm layers, helmets, and transceivers. So naturally, I would say I want the Ski Regular instead of just Regular. But that’s not the case. The Mammut Taiss HS Hooded Womens Jacket, with its Regular Fit rating, allows me to do everything the Ski Regular calls out and with comfort. This jacket is comfortable over a helmet, has plenty of space for an underneath transceiver, and I always wear a base layer AND a Patagonia puffy under my shells. I can fit all of this underneath this Regular Fit coat with no complaints.
Sizing
I think it’s a female thing, but I always worry about what size to get. Two-dimensional drawings of measurements never pan out in the real world for me. I always take my measurements as they recommend and then I still worry I bought the wrong size. And many times I do.
For this jacket, I sit right at the upper range of Medium but could technically sit in the Large (on paper more comfortably.) My first thought was to size up and get the Large so I could be more roomy and comfortable. But there’s always that nice feeling when you get the actual right size and it fits just how you want, without feeling like you’re wearing a garbage bag just in case you put on four more coats underneath. I have another backcountry coat, the Norrøna Lofoten, which is very similar in style and function. I went with my real-life example and picked the Medium for the Mammut because the Norrøna is a Medium as well and fits spot on with all my layers and cameras.
The final verdict on size: the Medium was the right choice. I can put all the layers I want underneath as well as my camera equipment and still move freely outdoors. And if I just want to wear it out to the store or on a winter’s day, it looks like it fits and isn’t ridiculously oversized.
Even Perfect isn’t Perfect
As you can tell, I am stoked on this jacket and plan to use it a lot across the seasons. My vote is it’s in the WIN column and a recommended buy. But this review wouldn’t be balanced if I didn’t have something I wish was improved. Nothing is ever perfect-perfect.
More Color Please
When it comes to creating visuals, there’s nothing worse than dark colors, especially black. Nothing black looks good outdoors in photos or videos. There’s no pop. No pizazz. Just blah. Sadly, this coat is Marine Black which is the darkest blue possible before actually being black. Most companies today don’t make bright, electric colorways anymore and that sucks. Nothing like the 80’s. Everything was neon! I will wear this coat a lot, but I will have to think twice when on photo/video shoots because of its dark, un-photogenic color. I can only dream of a bright green, orange, blue, or yellow even!
A Bit Extra Length
With constant movement whether it’s by biking, running, or snowboarding, a little extra length is nice just to keep things from creeping up. If I could just get an inch extra on the back of this coat, I would be beaming with joy. So far in wearing it, it has stayed put with my backpack and when running around in it, but a girl can wish for just one more inch in the caboose to keep things covered 100% of the time.
Not everything is price driven when you buy gear, as warranty, durability, special use, etc. all matter tremendously. But, many times it really does come down to cost. Will it last as long as a jacket twice the price and with a longer warranty period? That’s to be seen, but for now, I will enjoy wearing it as much as I can.
Regardless of whether you’re a skier or a snowboarder, camber and rocker are two terms that have likely been introduced into your vocabulary. We’re taking a close look to define what they are, how they differ, and to help you determine whether rocker or camber is better for you. But first things first: let’s start with what they actually mean.
What Is Camber
Image appears courtesy: REI
Merriam-Webster’s definition of camber is “a slight convexity, arching, or curvature, as of a beam, deck, or road.” In this case, it refers to the curve on a pair of skis or a snowboard. If you lay a board or skis flat on their base and look at them from the side, you’ll see what appears to be a reverse arc.
Why Do They Have Camber?
The reason for this arc is that it provides increased contact against the snow and springiness between your feet. The result is it allows you to make the perfect arc when carving. Another advantage is that it gives the rider or skier a natural “pop” when ollieing.
How Traditional Camber Came To Be
Image appears courtesy: Pixabay
Snowboard technology over the years hasn’t lived in its own bubble but rather looked around at other board sports like surfing and skateboarding. One of the ideas that was influenced by skateboarding was camber. Longboards with camber were designed so that when weight was applied, it created a reverse arc making it easier to carve a continuous “S” path by just leaning left and right.
Skis Adopted Camber
Skier Darin Haworth enjoying the fresh powder at Kirkwood – Photo by: Local Freshies®
Snowboarding may have drawn inspiration from other sports, but skiing’s use of camber dates back much further, all the way to the 1840s. Camber made it possible to create thinner, lighter skis. What skiing did borrow from snowboarding, however, was the concept of camber combined with a more aggressive sidecut, which led to the creation of what were known as “parabolic skis.” This innovation was such a significant leap forward in technology that many at the time claimed it “revived” the sport. Whether or not that’s true, it undeniably impacted skiing, introducing a whole new way of sliding down the mountain that the two-plank crowd hadn’t experienced before.
Rocker – The New Style
Image appears courtesy: REI
For decades, camber was the only shape that dominated the market, and there was no debate over rocker vs camber. That all changed when Lib Tech sparked the “rocker revolution” by introducing the Skate Banana. This was when the flip side of camber—rocker, or reverse camber—was introduced. From the side, a ski or board with rocker will appear to “smile” at you.
McConkey – The Man Who Brought Rocker To Skiing
The rocker shape was introduced by Shane McConkey on the skier side with his Volant Spatula Skis. When they came out, reviewers used terms like “fun”, “easy”, and saviors to the sports of skiing/snowboarding. This “banana” shape made it extremely easy to ride fresh powder when it was deep due to the natural arc already formed.
The Waterboy Argument
These two vastly different ski and snowboard designs had created a passionate debate between rocker vs camber. It’s like the scene from the movie Waterboy where Bobby Boucher has the argument on water versus Gatorade. I’ve heard friends on both sides make statements like:
“You can’t land on the bolts when it’s a rocker. I feel like I’m fighting a wet pig in the park. Camber all the way.”
“Deep pow on a camber? No way! All the board wants to do is dive like a submarine and make me tomahawk.”
What’s Better Rocker Or Camber?
So, which shape is better in the eternal rocker vs camber argument? Unfortunately, it isn’t an easy answer. For those with the money, a “quiver” might be your best option. A quiver is a set of decks or skis that you can pick and choose from depending on the conditions and skill level.
Rocker In Your Arsenal
Image appears courtesy: Diamond Peak – Photo by: Ryan Salm
If you’re going heli-skiing, cat-boarding, or wake up to 3 feet of deep powder, floating in the bottomless snow is VERY critical. A good choice for this is the Rocker. The natural “U” shape allows you to float easily through the snow without having to lean far back to get through it. It will provide effortless float. This includes Lib-Tech’s original banana profile and Arbor’s Rocker Profiles.
The Cons To The Rocker
Personally, a full rocker board feels a little squirrelly at high speeds. Locking into a turn, the board feels “soft” and loose more like a skid instead of a carve.
Locked n’ Loaded For A Camber
On the other hand, if your focus is on carving groomers or shredding through resort powder that’s only a few inches deep, at best a camber deck might be the funnest shape for you. As a purist, the ability to make a perfect carve and explode out of your turn allows you to exit faster than you went in.
World Of Camber Hurt
For friends who’ve started snowboarding for the first time, a bigger camber and/or sidecut could cause you to get frustrated. Think of it like tight suspension on a sports car. The design provides a more responsive ride, which means you could easily catch an edge. In addition, a true camber’s flex will make it a bit more difficult to keep the nose afloat in deep snow.
The Rocker Revolution Brings Hybrid Designs
Luckily, the answer doesn’t have to be one or the other. After the dust had settled with rocker vs camber shapes, there has been an explosion of all kinds of different ways of thinking. Both skiing and snowboarding manufacturers have begun to push the envelope on what’s possible with the arc. Shapes from a “flat” board to all sorts of hybrid combinations coming together into one deck.
Goldilocks Would Like Hybrid
If you’re looking for one board to rule them all, a hybrid is what you want. Is it the best in all conditions? We’ll be honest… when Lib Tech released the “banana” boards, we loved the different surfy feeling to it. Over the years though, we’ve gone the hybrid route for any days with soft snow and a true camber board for groomer days or spring.
Most Popular Hybrid Styles
Image appears courtesy: REI
Despite having an infinite amount of combinations, there are certain styles that are more prevalent than others. Here’s a few of them:
Hybrid Camber
This is when the design is primarily a camber between the feet but rocker at the nose and tail. Snowboarders or skiers that love a camber design but want a little help keeping the board afloat in deep snow will love it. For beginners, this will also help keep you from catching an edge.
Hybrid Rocker
The gold standard in pow slashing – the T.Rice Orca
The opposite of the Hybrid Camber is the Hybrid Rocker profile. Instead, it has rocker in the center and camber on the tips. In addition, both the nose and tail are still off the ground unless the board is weighted (i.e. someone standing on it). Hybrid Rockers still help with float but also ride better than a traditional rocker at higher speeds.
As the name states, these are designed to primarily ride in one direction. The natural binding location is usually setback a bit. The focus is on camber from the tail of the board/skis to the front bindings. The nose is longer with a pronounced rocker uplift. This style provides stability like a classic camber, but the tip allows you to float easier in powder.
Within this category, there are a few different profiles. Overall, the base it flat from tip to tail. At the nose and tail is where the unique flavors come in. Some have minor camber. Others have a few millimeters of rocker on each end. Others are flat for most of it and only have rocker from the front bindings through the nose to help with float. This is an awesome option for those who like to hit park, rails, or tinker around on kickers.
An example of a flat profile is the Capita Ultrafear or for those who want a boost in technology, we recommend checking out the BataleonTBT profiles. Not quite flat. Not a true rocker. They’re their own design that’s been patented.
What To Look For In A Hybrid
As you can tell, picking the type of snowboard you ride is a purely personal preference. For example, Jaime LOVES a board that has WAY more camber than I do but with a bit softer flex. Me, on other hand, for years looked for a camber-rocker-camber design such as the Orca. This allows the board to carve well but at the same time helps keep the nose afloat. Is it perfect? Nope, but it’s a great go-to option on most days.
Consider ALL Snowboard Shapes
A unique snowboard shape is the Weston Revel – Photo by: Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
As I personally came to realize when picking your snowboard or skis, the rocker vs camber debate is just one factor to consider. You also need to think about all the other shape and technology features, such as “magna-traction,” sidecut, and whether the board is “volume-shifted.” Our detailed article, Shape Up or Ship Out on Snowboard Shapes: Types, Terms, & More, covers all of these factors in depth. Ultimately, there are many choices when it comes to brands. Now that you have a better understanding, get out there, demo some new boards, and let us know what you think!
For more tips about gear from finding the right jacket to a pair of goggles and more, be sure to visit our Skiing & Snowboarding Gear homepage.
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With fall underway and the holidays quickly approaching, many families are thinking about their finances for the months ahead. Between holiday spending, winter expenses, and planning for the new year, there’s plenty to consider. 
