My alarm wakes me up at 5:30 a.m. I roll out of bed thinking how lucky I am that it’s snowing outside and I don’t have class until 2 pm. An hour and a half later, after a whiteout drive, my friends and I are parked at Palisades Tahoe, California. We look up to see the Tram Face through the clouds, glistening with fresh snow. We get dressed quickly and then walk to KT-22, getting in line over an hour before the resort opens. In position to get the tenth chair, we thank our stars it’s a weekday. The snow continues to fall and the temperature gauge reads nine degrees. Despite the below-freezing temperatures, the atmosphere is electric. Everyone has come for a classic KT pow day and the line is buzzing with anticipation. At 9 a.m. patrol continues to drop bombs and tells us it will be a bit longer to open. “No worries,” we say. Looking up at the face of KT-22, everyone in line knows the wait will be worth it. My friends and I smile at each other, realizing we never had any intention of making it back to Reno for class today. At last, the lifts start spinning and our reward for waiting is upon us. We hoot and holler down the mountain, enjoying fresh tracks and snow blowing into our faces.
Days like these are what keep skiers and riders coming back to Palisades Tahoe. World-class terrain right off KT-22, a base lift, is a true treat. Skiers have so many options on their first run that powder panic is a real dilemma. Some riders are called to Chute 75 for 1,800 vertical feet of bliss. Others flock down the nose, headed for the fingers to jump off cliffs such as Main Air. Other skiers turn the opposite way off the lift, down to Red Dog Ridge where they are certain to find a steep tree skiing paradise. No matter which way we ski, the meeting back in the lift line is filled with smiles and adrenaline from the good times that were had.
Venturing away from KT-22, Palisades Tahoe’s upper mountain is a jaw-dropping playground of its own. A ride up the Tram brings guests up above the valley and over the gorgeous Tram Face.
The Tram stops at High Camp. From here, a skier can ski exposed lines in any direction. Silverado, Broken Arrow, Granite Chief, and Siberia are all just a ski away with each their own big mountain feel. The resort is truly a freeride skier’s paradise with each of these lifts servicing extreme terrain. Palisades Tahoe boasts an impressive 1,080 acres of advanced skiing on the Olympic Valley side. In all, there are 29 lifts which give access to 3,600 total skiable acres.
Day after day, the energy at Palisades Tahoe is infectious and all who ski the mountain can feel it. From Resort Chair all the way up to Granite Chief Peak, amazing turns can be made anywhere. The community that skis Palisades Tahoe is just as special as the terrain, and there is no better mountain to ski at with your friends.
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