Skiing with a Tween at Sierra-at-Tahoe

December 29, 2014 By

This post was originally published as part of our Home (Away) for the Holidays series.

It’s easy to find kid-friendly skiing in Tahoe, but what about those hard to please tweens and teens? I spent an extra day at Sierra-at-Tahoe last week with Nate, during which we noted what worked for his age group (middle school) and ability level (advanced).

Terrain parks are located all over the mountain.

Sierra at Tahoe is not too big, and not too small…it’s just right! Because of its manageable size and centralized layout, it’s easy for older kids and teens to split off with friends or siblings and meet back up with parents. All runs end in a major lift, lodge, or restaurant, a design element that would give me the confidence to let him explore a bit without an adult.

huckleberry-gates

It’s challenging. I love that Sierra intermixes beginning runs with intermediate and advanced; it allows all members of a family to ride the lift and spend the majority of their day together. But the best part of this feature is the way terrain parks, trails, and tree skiing branch off from easy and intermediate runs. I don’t know how it is in your family, but my older kids love these features, and it’s nice that they’re so accessible. Each terrain park at Sierra is clearly marked as containing Small, Medium, or Large elements, and each place we cut off a run to powder ski through trees fed easily into a trail or run below. Nate and I especially loved exploring the Huckleberry Gates section of the mountain, a truly challenging series of back-country chutes that felt like an entirely different experience every time! This area is not open all day, so be sure to check signage or ask lift operators for updates.

Sierra at Tahoe powder skiing

It knows how to feed your tween. Ski resort food is expensive, and tweens and teens can eat their weight of it after hitting the slopes all morning. I loved that Sierra at Tahoe offers affordable options. We ate at the 360 Degree Smokehouse BBQ at the Grandview Lodge, which was great for several reasons. First off, due to its location at the top of the mountain, it was easy to access and uncrowded. Secondly, the food was fantastic, and generously portioned (my two younger kids could have easily shared an entree). Better yet, if you’re feeding the entire family, their Family Meal Deal is truly a deal for $45. Families pick three types of BBQ meat entrees, then get four huge sides and four drinks. (We ate at the tasty Aspen Cafe in the Main Lodge during our first ski day, and paid over $50 to feed the same amount of people.) Best of all, this top of the mountain lodge offers complimentary boot warming while you eat. Just hand the attendants your boots on the way in, grab a pair of cozy slippers to wear in the restaurant, and trade them back in when you’re ready to head back outside. Great, right? Yeah, we could hardly believe it, either!

Grab a pair of slippers…they have your size!

It’s clear to us why we kept hearing the same thing from Sierra guests while riding up the chair lifts and hanging out in the lodges…that Sierra at Tahoe truly is a local favorite: it has just enough of everything–at a decent price–to keep everyone in your group happy, including those notoriously hard to please teens. What’s more, during our time enjoying their slopes, we never came across a Sierra employee who wasn’t cheerful, helpful, and willing to go out of his or her way to make sure we were having a good time. I can see why locals and traveling guests alike feel they’re getting a lot of value for their vacation dollar here. And best of all, when paired with one of the HomeAway vacation properties right at the base of the mountain, you can forget the commute: you’re only five minutes away from Sierra at Tahoe!

As stated previously, Sierra at Tahoe generously hosted us during this portion of our Tahoe Holiday. This compensation came with no expectation of a positive review. Read all our articles in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series!

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Preparing for winter driving

December 10, 2013 By

During the holiday season, the Pit Stops family is often on the road, en route to Lake Tahoe, California or Central Oregon for a family ski vacation. If you’ll be traveling in winter weather as well, revisit our Home (Away) for the Holidays series, with tips on getting a holiday vacation rental, playing in the snow, and preparing for a winter vacation.

Our first challenge? Packing all the trappings of Christmas into our minivan. There’s really no good way to do this, especially if your kids are young enough that a visit from Santa is expected at your destination. We made it work with the  aid of our roof bag and my husband’s natural packing skills.

Which led us to our second challenge: preparing our car for winter driving conditions. Like many parts of the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year, our route from Oregon to Northern California has the potential to turn from dry roads sunny skies to snow, ice, and chain requirements. If you, too, plan to tackle winter roads this holiday season, consider doing the following:

1. Give your car a check-up. Get the oil changed, check the battery, brakes, and windshield wiper fluid levels before you depart. Make sure your spare tire is properly inflated and ready to go. Fill up on gas before tackling any summits or snowy highways where you may be delayed.

2. Find room for the essentials. I know your car’s already filled to the brim, but you absolutely want chains (made for your car’s model), a collapsible snow shovel, a flashlight, and winter gloves handy. I’m embarrassed to say we’ve been caught unprepared before, and there’s little worse than bumbling around in the dark without the right equipment. You’ll also want plenty of bottled water and snacks in the car in case of road closures or delays.

3. Stay updated on road conditions. Check road condition websites before departing (we’ve bookmarked CalTrans and ODOT), and receive updates on the AM dial of your radio. Be prepared for check-points for chain installation and removal.

4. Have a back-up plan. No one wants their travel day to end at a closed or hazardous highway or interstate, but it does happen. Have a few places in mind where you could spend the night if necessary. It’s always better to stop early and wait out a winter storm rather than get too far, just to turn around and head back.

Try to go with the flow, take your time, and take the opportunity to stop and play in the winter weather along the way!

Have a safe holiday, and be sure to follow our Tahoe adventures in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series.

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Home (Away) for the Holidays: Sierra at Tahoe’s Blizzard Mountain

December 27, 2010 By

Sierra at Tahoe is a wonderful place for families to ski or ride, but sometimes, you just want to take it easy with a day of snow play. Or maybe you have young children who aren’t up for a day on the slopes quite yet. Either way, if your idea of a fun family winter activity is a day in the snow, Sierra’s Blizzard Mountain might be just the thing!

Located conveniently away from the hustle and bustle of the main ski lodge and parking area, families will find Blizzard Mountain in Sierra’s E Lot. With parking directly in front, there’s no trudging through the ice or snow (and kids getting cold before they even get there). At the ticket booth, you’ll find helmet rentals (if desired) in addition to tubing tickets (good for a two hour window). Snow toys such a brick makers and snowball shapers are available free to use, and several play cabins provide shelter from snowfalls (or enemy snowball fire).

Blizzard Mountain recently moved location at Sierra, which meant that not everything was up and running at the time of our visit, such as the rope tow to spare kids from the uphill climb to the top of the tubing runs (the walk was no big deal) and the fire pit (operating when weather permits). There were picnic tables to use, however, and plenty of the white stuff!

The area is fully staffed, and the tubing runs (of which there are two) are fairly mild, making Blizzard Mountain perfect for families with young kids. Toby and his cousin, visiting for the day, especially loved sledding together in the double tube! (For older kids, we recommend nearby Adventure Mountain two miles further on Hwy 50). Sierra’s snowshoe trail also connects at Blizzard Mountain, providing more for families to do in the snow. (Snowshoes can be rented at the main lodge.)

Note: Blizzard Mountain opens weather permitting. Call Guest Services at 530.659.7453 ext. 0 before arrival to ensure hours of operation.

Date last visited: December 22, 2010

Distance from the interstate: Right off Hwy 50.

Ticket prices: $20 per person for two hours. For non-tubing visitors, snow play access is $10 per person.

Directions: From South Lake Tahoe, take Hwy 50 up Echo Summit to Sierra at Tahoe.

Get a sneak peak of Blizzard Mountain with the Pit Stops for Kids’ Kid Cam:

As I disclose with all compensated reviews, Sierra at Tahoe generously hosted us for this portion of our Tahoe Holiday review series. While we greatly appreciate their hospitality, this compensation came with no expectation of a positive review. Read all our articles in our Home (Away) for the Holidays series!

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Dreaming of a White Christmas

December 6, 2010 By

The winter fun awaits at our HomeAway rental!

As mentioned in past installments of our Home (Away) for the Holidays series, Pit Stops for Kids is excited to team up with #1 vacation home rental company HomeAway to learn just how easy and affordable the vacation rental process can be. To this end, we’ll be spending the week of Christmas enjoying a HomeAway rental near beautiful South Tahoe, CA. According to our rental’s homeowner, we’re in for a very white Christmas!

Family travelers can find HomeAway rentals in nearly every major city and holiday hot-spot the world over, which means you’ll never miss out on all the action your vacation destination provides (although you might miss out on the noise and crowds in a hotel…sorry about that). Within only a 30 minute drive of our Twin Bridges rental in Tahoe, we’re looking forward to trying the following:

Ski and snow play at Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort. Only four miles from our vacation home, Sierra-at-Tahoe is a family resort that puts its money where its mouth is…or rather your money where…oh, you get the idea: ticket prices are reasonable, allowing families to actually enjoy a day on the slopes together. Kid-friendly features abound, and their child programs include lessons the whole family can attend together. As a seasoned skiing family ourselves, we love their ‘Parent Predicament Ticket’, which allows two adults to share a pass if they’re ‘tag-teaming it’ with a little one.

Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at Adventure Mountain. Just park and play in the snow! Adventure Mountain is comprised of 40 acres of trails located on Echo Summit on Highway 50, and we can’t wait to use it as a base for some impromptu snow play!

Sierra-at-Tahoe, practically in our rental’s backyard!

Ice skating at Heavenly Village. Nothing quite says ‘winter wonderland’ like ice skating outdoors under twinkling snowflake-shaped lights, so count us in! And when we’re ready to warm up, there’s plenty of boutique shops to browse and eateries to enjoy.

A bird’s-eye view of Emerald Bay. HeliTahoe, based in South Tahoe, offers families the chance to gain a new perspective on Lake Tahoe…from a Robinson R44 Raven II helicopter. We think this is a fantastic way to celebrate the breathtaking natural wonders of this area, and an experience families won’t soon forget. (At least, we won’t!)

World-class dining in South Tahoe. To be honest, we’re more interested in the term ‘quick and easy’ than ‘culinary masterpiece’ when we’re dining on vacation with kids (which is reason enough to appreciate the full kitchen in our rental), but Tahoe restaurants boast both. The South Shore is only minutes from our rental, and it’s not truly a vacation if I don’t get to skip doing dishes at least a few nights of the week!

Look for real-parent reviews on the above locations in the coming weeks, and catch up on past Home (Away) for the Holidays installments:

Home (Away) for the Holidays: Introducing an Alternative to Hotels
Home (Away) for the Holidays: The rental process made easy