Sugar Bowl Resort

Decades After The 1960 Winter Olympics, Tahoe Remains One of the Most Exciting Places to Ski | Condé Nast Traveler

"Halfway up the Disney Lift, as fine snow dusts Douglas firs and sparkles in the sun, I feel the enduring charm of one of California’s oldest ski areas—opened in 1939, shaped by early investor Walt Disney, and still one of the few major Western resorts that’s independently owned. I spend the day on the surprisingly serious Donald Duck and steep Blitzen (via the Christmas Tree Chair), then mix it up across a compact mountain with a robust 103-trail range and lift-accessed side-country, knowing the resort also manages adjacent Royal Gorge, the largest cross-country area in North America. The original lodge leans Tyrolean chalet, with tiered balconies and a big wood deck where mornings mean coffee and late afternoons a glass of wine amid old-world style and upbeat California energy. Even as a $100 million upgrade expands that beloved après deck, updates the main restaurant, replaces the nearly century-old gondola, and regrades lower terrain to cut snowmaking, the spirit here remains delightfully throwback and seriously ski-focused." - Rebecca Misner