Trip Report
There’s no question that Lake Tahoe is home to some of the most beautiful ski resorts in the country. But what’s truly special is access to three unique resorts offering world-class terrain and amenities, all on the Epic Pass. Within the Tahoe region, Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood Ski Resorts provide everything that you could want, need, and possibly be looking for during your time on and off the slopes. Whether that’s big mountain technical skiing, breathtaking views, and unbeatable vibes, or a more family-oriented feel, each of these incredible resorts provides unmatched experiences. Here’s a first-hand look at what makes the Epic Lake Tahoe resorts stand out, no matter the timing or weather.
Heavenly Mountain
Report from Thursday, March 19, 2026
Day two of our Epic Lake Tahoe road trip brought us back to our home mountain, right in the heart of town, Heavenly Mountain. I’ve had the privilege of skiing here close to 500 times in my eight years of living in South Lake, and one thing is always true: the views are truly spectacular. We started our day on the California side of the mountain and worked our way to Sky Express, the highest lift around Lake Tahoe, sitting just over 10,000 feet. From the top of Sky, we traversed and were met with constant and stunning views of the entire Lake Tahoe region before skiing into Nevada. Heavenly is one of only four ski resorts in the U.S. that you can ride between two states, with lake views in California and views of the Carson Valley in Nevada.
Over the last couple of years, Heavenly has really ramped up the on-mountain and après-ski vibes with DJs and events throughout the season. One of the coolest additions in recent years is the Heavenly DJ Cat, a fully converted SnowCat that moves from location to location around the mountain, bringing the tunes along. Also, events like the Toyota Air and Après bring together the community, professional skiers and snowboarders, and live DJ performances for a weekend full of music and full send. With a jam-packed event schedule all season long, there’s never a shortage of good times on the slopes at Heavenly.
After we got a few laps on the Nevada side of the resort, we made our way back to California for lunch at Sky Deck. Unbeknownst to us, the DJ Cat was stationed there for the afternoon. The laid-back beats and sunny, warm weather went hand in hand, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the spring vibes. We devoured our quesabirria grilled cheese, then got back out for some fast and fun slush laps on Ridge Run and High Five. In my many years of skiing here, I don’t recall ever seeing a “wiggle” or “snake run”, but there was a decent 12-turn wiggle on the right side of Canyonland that was begging to be skied. Thankfully, the extra elevation that Heavenly has over other resorts in the region has helped maintain some snow above 8,500 feet. As our day drew to a close, I ran into a couple of buddies who were heading to the Groove Terrain Park, so we tagged along to check it out.
Since the beginning of the season, the Heavenly Terrain Parks crew has come out swinging for the fences. What started with three different hike-parks with a few features in the early season, when the snow was scarce, grew to be Groove Park with two 25+ foot jumps and an abundance of ever-changing features, Lakeview Park with its awe-inspiring backdrop, and a smaller, progression-style setup in Mombo Park. With all of this, the energy in the Heavenly Terrain Parks has drastically shifted over the last couple of seasons. On top of that, add community rail jams, DJ Cat, and events, and the result is nothing but excitement and stellar vibes.
We wrapped up another awesome day full of great views and even better vibes on the slopes with what ended up being our last lap down Round-a-Bout and World Cup for the season. Although it feels like it’s slowly winding down, there are still a few more events, like the Pond Skim, and weekend DJ sets to come out and send off the season in style. We checked in at the Marriott Grand Residence Club, located at the base of the Heavenly Gondola directly in the Heavenly Village, and went straight to decompress in the pool and hot tub. For dinner, a short walk to get some tacos and chicken wings at Azul Latin Kitchen before calling it a night. The plan for day three of our Epic Lake Tahoe road trip: wake up and drive about 45 minutes to Kirkwood and get the adrenaline pumping.
