Olympic Valley

Skiing

Resort at Squaw Creek. Cross-country skiers enjoy looping through the valley's giant alpine meadow. The resort rents equipment and provides trail maps. 400 Squaw Creek Rd., Olympic Valley, CA, 96146. 530/583-6300. www.squawcreek.com.

Squaw Valley USA. Known for some of the toughest skiing in the Tahoe area, this park was the centerpiece of the 1960 Winter Olympics. Today it's the definitive North Tahoe ski resort and among the top-three megaresorts in California (the other two are Heavenly and Mammoth). Although Squaw has changed significantly since the Olympics, the skiing is still world-class and extends across vast bowls stretched between six peaks. Experts often head directly to the untamed terrain of the infamous KT-22 face, which has bumps, cliffs, and gulp-and-go chutes, or to the nearly vertical Palisades, where many famous Warren Miller extreme-skiing films have been shot. Fret not, beginners and intermediates: you have plenty of wide-open, groomed trails at High Camp (which sits at the top of the mountain) and around the more challenging Snow King Peak. Snowboarders and show-off skiers can tear up the three fantastic terrain parks, which include a giant super-pipe. Lift prices include night skiing until 8 pm. 1960 Squaw Valley Rd., off Hwy. 89, 7 miles northwest of Tahoe City, Olympic Valley, CA, 96146. 530/583-6985; 800/545-4350 lodging reservations; 530/583-6955 snow phone. www.squaw.com. 170 trails on 4,000 acres, rated 25% beginner, 45% intermediate, 30% advanced. Longest run 3.2 miles, base 6,200 feet, summit 9,050 feet. Lifts: 33, including a gondola-style funitel, a tram, 7 high-speed chairs, and 18 fixed-grip chairs.

Tahoe Dave's Skis and Boards. If you don't want to pay resort prices, you can rent and tune downhill skis and snowboards at this shop. 3039 Hwy. 89, at Squaw Valley Rd., Olympic Valley, CA, 96146. 530/583-5665. www.tahoedaves.com.

More Sports and Outdoors

• Golf
• Hiking
• Rock Climbing

• Skiing
• Swimming
• Tennis