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Skiing & Snowboarding
Squaw Valley USA's 4,000 acres of incredible terrain is spread across six magnificent Sierra Peaks. With a resort so spacious many skiers and snowboarders that have never been here before often wonder where to begin.
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Squaw Valley is unique among American ski resorts as it offers thousands of acres of open bowl skiing rather than traditional ski trails. Guests are encouraged to use the chairlifts as a reference. Lifts are rated beginner, intermediate and advanced based on the type of terrain that they access.
Squaw Valley offers 25% beginner, 45% intermediate, and 30% expert terrain which includes 16 open bowls and 100+ runs. With 33 lifts to choose from, there is enough variety to keep every skier and snowboarder happy.
Beginner Skiing
Squaw Valley has two main beginner areas. The largest area of gentle slopes is located on the resort's upper mountain, adjacent to High Camp and is accessed by the scenic aerial Cable Car.
This beginner area features five beginner chairlifts in a wide open, gently sloping bowl overlooking Lake Tahoe.
Squaw Valley USA's newest beginner terrain, The Papoose Learning Area, is located on the lower mountain adjacent to the Far East Center (complete with a rental shop, retail store, lockers, ticket sales and rest rooms) and is serviced by two new surface lifts.
Intermediate Skiing
Approximately 45% of Squaw Valley's terrain is suitable for intermediates, and on a mountain with 4,000 acres this means there is unlimited variety for intermediate skiers and riders.
From the Base Area, ride Red Dog and Squaw Creek for some warm up cruisers. Then begin working your way up the mountain via the Funitel or Squaw One Express to el. 8200'. From there intermediate guests can access the wide-open bowls of Gold Coast and move on to Shirley Lake's popular groomed boulevards. The Mountain Run offers a 3.2-mile cruiser from the upper mountain all the way down to the Base Village.
Advanced Skiing
Squaw Valley has been considered the birthplace of the American Extreme Skiing Movement and has been the playground of incredible athletes since Squaw's modest beginning. From Sandy Poulsen's 22 kick turns in the 1940s (inspiring the name KT-22) and the Olympians who descended on the valley for the VIII Winter Olympic Games in 1960, to Joe Auckenthaller's first decent of Chute 75, the infamous Chinese Downhill races of the 70s, Greg Beck's rock launch for the film Daydreams, thrill seekers like Scot Schmidt and Steve McKinney in the 80s, and the dozens of freeskiers, riders and racers of today like Marco Sullivan, Jonny Moseley, Shane McConkey, Brad Holmes, Jeremy Jones, CR Johnson, Jenn Berg and Jessica Sobolowski, Squaw has always attracted the best of the best.
Skiers that are looking for steep terrain, tight chutes and an excellent variety of off-piste skiing will find their dream at Squaw Valley USA as many of the legends that have come before you. If you want the numbers...30% of the resort's slopes will tickle your adventure bone.
Experts will delight on the world famous pitches of the KT-22 peak. This peak is often referred to as Squaw Valley's crown jewel, and virtually every inch of KT-22's terrain will thrill and challenge even the most seasoned skier and snowboarder. Other advanced terrain includes the wide open bowls of Headwall, the wide open tree skiing on Granite Chief, the rocky outcroppings of Broken Arrow and the glorious glades in Silverado Bowl.
