Heavenly Ski Holidays

Heavenly Ski Holidays

Heavenly is a fantastic ski destination with an intriguing split personality – the Nevada/ California state line runs through the resort giving it a unique flavour and character. On one side you get the charisma and sophistication of laid-back California, and on the other you get the high-energy vibe of 24 hour non-stop neon Nevada! It has one of the most unique views in the world from any ski resort - spectacular panoramic views out over Lake Tahoe on one side and the Nevada desert on the other. The town sits nestled between the mountain and beach on the south shore of pristine Lake Tahoe.

It doesn't just snow at Heavenly, it dumps and when the skies clear, the sun appears for another bluebird day. Heavenly has some incredible tree skiing plus lots of snow packed cruisers. For experts there's the open faces and tight chutes of Mott Canyon and next door Killebrew Canyon and then there’s the Gunbarrel - a Plake-centric unforgiving monster of a mogul run that will have you screaming for mercy. Heavenly just doesn't take itself too seriously - the views are to die for, the skiing is superb and there's après-ski like nowhere else on earth. We highly recommend it!

Skiing in Heavenly

Heavenly has three ski access points – from the Nevada base at Stagecoach and Boulder Lodges, the old California Lodge and the main access point from Heavenly Village. Our lodging is closest to the Heavenly Village Gondola. The terrain is all-encompassing at Heavenly with 97 trails ranging from wide-open tree-lined groomed cruisers to gnarly 1600ft chutes and intense gate-access back-country. This is a big mountain make no mistake, with 4,800 skiable acres and a huge 3,500ft vertical it surpasses most of the resorts on the west coast. It also boasts around 300 days of sunshine every year. It’s truly Heavenly!

Beginners will feel part of it all as they get to ride the gondola to an elevation of over 9,000ft. The beginners terrain is reasonably small, but once the basics are mastered then the majority of the mountain comes into scope. The mountain is beautifully connected together for intermediate skiers and riders with countless long groomed cruisers fanning out from the top of most lifts. Take time to stop and drink in the awe-inspiring view of Lake Tahoe shimmering in the distance – the photo opportunities here are endless. Most of the trails are tree-lined, but the trails closest to the summit at over 10,000ft feature smaller and naturally gladed trees and these really are a joy to explore, especially on a powder day.

Experts should head for Heavenly’s upper mountain for a shot down the chutes and gullies of Mott and Killebrew Canyons below the open powder face of Milky Way Bowl. Then there’s a tonne of expert gladed terrain off the Skyline Trail filled full of natural funky features to explore, plus lots of fast-running black diamond cruisers perfect for fine-tuning your technique. The terrain for experts is super-varied, and on a powder day Heavenly is definitely one of the very best ski destinations in the USA. Last but not least is a quad-burner down the brutal bumps of the mighty Gunbarrel – unashamedly double black diamond and steep, it commands respect and rewards tight technique like no other. Probably the best mogul run on the west coast.

There’s no ski out on Heavenly’s front face, so you download on the gondola whilst grinning at the view of Tahoe, before heading to the multitude of insane après venues dotted about the gondola base in Heavenly Village.

We offer discounted Heavenly lift tickets, ski & snowboard rentals and snow school lessons and we always recommend you book early for our very best prices.

Getting to Heavenly

Ski Independence offer a choice of airlines flying direct from London into San Francisco or indirect into Reno and we provide complete flexibility to choose the day of departure, holiday duration, choice of airline and cabin type. We have the freedom to build you the perfect holiday itinerary around the best flight options that suit you, and not around a product we’re committed to sell.

All of our holidays to Heavenly using flights into San Francisco include the flexibility of a self-drive car, SUV or minivan (depending on accommodation). We offer 'Gold' option car rental which includes all the mandatory taxes & fees, extra driver fees and fuel. We can also offer vehicles with SatNav. We can also offer a private transfer option from San Francisco and Reno.