The Skiers' Guide to Palisades Tahoe

Palisades is a great overall resort with a little bit of everything! Great runs, lots of diversity, good powder, good tree runs, family friendly, and just beautiful in general.

I love Palisades Mountain. I went this past January. However, the snow pack was significantly diminished since its last big storm in December. When this resort is adequate snow pack, it is extremely fun and always has something where I can challenge myself to become a better skier.

I go here because it’s the closest mountain to San Francisco. The drive takes about 3.5/4 hours. I think that the snow is not as good as Colorado or Mammoth. The runs are difficult.

Overcrowded. Poor lift operations with many mechanical holds. Terrible grooming. Off piste was good over Christmas but still thin. January is back to groomers with no fresh snow since Christmas which was a miracle. Drought cycle in western US is painful.

If you’re looking for the steepest, most technical and exciting terrain in California, Palisades Tahoe is the spot. Especially on a powder day.

The lift lines get busy on the weekends because of its popularity but mid-week skiing is almost like having the mountain to yourself.

The iconic lines of Palisades are what draw people in. And the recognizable charm of the apres ski scene at bars like Le Chamois and The Slot are what keep people around for a drink. Or a few.

There is no better mountain in California.

I love coming to Palisades because they have a beautiful view while snowboarding. They have a good diversity between green blue and blacks. And they have great snow that holds throughout the season.

Very upscale and tons of different kinds of runs, the full blue mountain run was also really great.

Don’t bother coming, I already skied all the powder. Jokes aside, this is my home mountain and it slaps. Long live Squaw Valley.

Great snow views and slopes! Can get a bit crowded on weekends though, lift lines for Siberia can get quite long. Food options aren’t that great, very expensive. To take a break from the crowds visit the alpine valley side.

Best place for open terrain and powder days in the spring. Really family friendly and there’s always activities in the village

Palisades joined two great slopes the former Olympic ski area Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. Parking on the Alpine Meadows side is way easier than the Squaw side, and it still had that old school charm. The palisades side is all new with a nice village and solid dining / apres choices. The variable terrain offers runs for most levels, my favorite is the bowls on the alpine side. There was plenty of powder the day I was there and great places to find untracked powder. Plenty of challenging runs for those who like extreme skiing.

Pro: The village is active, social, and well‑developed, especially in Winter and Spring.

Con: Wind exposure. The mountain is notoriously windy, especially on beginner and low‑intermediate terrain, leading to frequent lift closures.

Ridiculous terrain options for virtually every skier level. Absolutely gnarly terrain of the KT. Very efficient lift system and the combination of Alpine and Pallisades puts this in a world of its own.

The Americans would wrap trash in plastic and try to sell it to you as food for $20. Their lift tickets are almost $400, or a week of skiing in Europe.

Rad powddrr steeps.

They have had a real problem opening terrain and lifts for a few years but that was greatly improved in 2025. Big thanks to the hard working ski patrol. Place still gets more and more bougie and corporate every year, it’s hard to see the soul of skiing getting slowly squeezed out of the valley.

I ski Palisades late in spring after my racing teaching season ends. I like it but I would like to see the dual racecourse kept open during late April through May instead of closing mid-April.

Palisades still holds the crown amongs resorts in Tahoe. It has lots of great off-slope/mogul terrain, keeping things interesting. The resort has slopes for everyone from beginner to expert and the recent connection to Alpine adds a wealth of slopes that provides enough skiing for multiple days.

As an expert skiier, particularly when a recent snow storm hits, Palisades is an amazing resorts. Just watch out for traffic & highway closures getting there.

Unfortunately, as with many resorts in the US, food options are mediocre, accomodation options are limited and pricey, and overall value for money is not great unless you have a season pass.

Good runs, unfortunately, the staff attitude (and the rider attitude) is very off-putting.
In addition, the atmosphere in the ski patrol is totally toxic, both in the professional section and the volunteer (national) section. This toxic atmosphere cause an exodus of good patrol people who couldn't stand the atmosphere. This exodus severely impairs the quality of first aid. Beware!

Palisades Tahoe is a top-tier ski resort with diverse terrain, excellent amenities, and stunning scenery. However, potential visitors should be prepared for possible crowding, heavy traffic driving to the mountain, and wind holds. Overall, it remains a must-visit destination for skiing enthusiasts and families alike.

We loved Palisades! Hit Heavenly and then Palisades on the trip with my 14 year old son. Awesome terrain and conditions. Took the tram from Heavenly- pretty cool option. Lake Tahoe is beautiful as well.