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Sugar Bowl Ski Resort
Categories: Hotels & Travel Ski Resorts Restaurants American (Traditional) Ski Resorts, American (Traditional) [Edit]
629 Sugarbowl RdNorden, CA 95724
(530) 426-9000
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 5 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 5 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
148 reviews for Sugar Bowl Ski Resort
Review Highlights
"The lifts are fast, and they have a nice terrain park."
(in 11 reviews)
"That means lift lines are short and it's easy to find a..."
(in 11 reviews)
"Great place to begin snowboarding."
(in 28 reviews)
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148 reviews in English
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Review from Susan R.
The last time I went skiing I started on the bunny hill in the morning with a beginners lesson and was on the intermediate hill in the afternoon. It's been awhile.
Today, well....wasn't even close to that experience. I had new ski boots on and they kicked my butt. For high quality boots, it takes about 7 days worth of wearing them to break them in. Until they are broken in you'll be cursing the Gods that such a torture device exists.
Upon arrival I had to hit the store as I needed ski pants. Thank goodness they were on sale! The sizes run from XS - XL in woman's sizes. Although it was a tiny store they had it arranged well with lots of merchandise. I wanted pink pants but my two choices were teal or black. In other words they'll probably have what you need but detailed choices are limited.
To begin I purchased my ski lift ticket and a two hour lesson (I always get lessons). Of special note, this is one of the driest winters in California history, and one source stated it is the driest in California's recorded history. There is no snow to be found in Northern California, natural snow anyway. Sugar Bowl was unable to manufacturer snow the previous night because the weather didn't reach its desired 28 degrees. Therefore, a lot of the snow was packed down like ice.
So far I am wearing torture devices (new boots) and there is packed ice everywhere. The directions were, now walk over there. Over there? Way over there? It really wasn't an insanely large distance but when you combine the above mentioned two obstacles and consider that most of the walk was upwards on a mountain while carrying skis...well, I have one word to describe the experience EXCRUCIATING!
Sugar Bowl was VERY accommodating and worked to place carpets on the mountain over the ice. Honestly, there must be something in the water as the Sugar Bowl employees were second to none. People think that Disney has the best customer service on the planet but they have nothing on Sugar Bowl. I constantly had employees running over offering to carry my skis, offering to carry things for me, offering to watch our bag complimentary, offering tons of advice, etc. I lost count of how many employees greeted us and offered us those extra little bits plus they loved to strike up conversations with everyone. They really went out of their way to help everyone and were extremely polite. This is the type of place that when you are greeted they shake your hand and smile.
They stand out above the rest of the resorts. Since my boots were hurting (which I expected) they offered one of their boots, completely complimentary, for the day as they wanted me to be comfortable. They worked extremely hard to fix every snafu possible.
When I would reach ice spots I would have an employee run up behind me to guide me through the area and other skiers received the same curiosities. Even a janitor carrying trash ran up and offered to carry my skis up the stairs for me.
I would especially like to give a shout-out to Robert, who has worked there for nine years, who is the nicest ski instructor I have ever run across. Extremely helpful and really went above and beyond. I promised him that I would return next year just to see him as he made my experience so personalized. I would also like to give a shout-out to Henry, the 3 year ski instructor for being so helpful, friendly and intuitive toward everyone. Also another guy whose name I didn't catch, he was a manager and had the most beautiful smile and personality. He ran over to assist as I was putting my boots on without being asked.
Basically, if they see you have any need, or even just to be friendly, they'll run up and offer you everything they can. Even with all of that today wasn't my day to shine on the slopes. Yet, in its own way one of my best experiences yet.
This is my ski resort of choice in California.
I have a down hill ski machine at home and will use it for practice this summer!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/22/2011
My parents met while skiing which might explain some natural ability I have for the sport.
Day 1 -… Read more »
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Review from Amy W.
Livermore, CA
2/6/2012
Sugarbowl is a great place to ski & snow board! The scenery is beautiful w/ lots of deep tree runs! Now as crowded as the Squaw Valley & heavenly resorts (thank god) and usually not overly-groomed or hard-packed! I'm a powder fan & like going off the path to ski between the trees & make tracks where no one has yet been that day!! Sugarbowl has this!
Lift tickets less than the major resorts, but even this place is increasing every year :(
Drawbacks- lots of teens & some families (so kids in the way & easy to get cut-off or run into if you stay in groomed areas); no villages for food or shopping like the larger resorts offer; a bit of a drive from the city/restaurants/casinos.
Overall, I love this place * would recommend trying it :) -
Review from Denise C.
San Francisco, CA
1/19/2012
This is a less popular ski resort in the Lake Tahoe area, but I liked it and found it charming. I thought it had a decent layout and run variety. It's still much better than the worst ski resorts in states like Maryland and New Hampshire!
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Review from Jeff H.
Gustine, CA
12/11/2011
Not rating the skiing! But one of my biggest turnoffs is price gouging! And the food service here is robbery! I bought a large (yeah right!) soda and a vitamin water. Price (cover your eyes if you are scared of theives) $8.40! Now I do understand that out of the way places need to make up for the difficulty of obtaining their product, but this way beyond the pale. There is only one other resort I have been to that charges like this. It is disrespectful of a business to so obscenely overcharge! Try other resorts first. I never recommend another competitor on a businesses page so I wont. But they are all nicer in price with their guests. Shameful. Please go elsewhere, let yhem know gouging wont be tolerated.
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Review from Eric B.
5/10/2011
Sugar Bowl is a Donner Pass ski areas and one of the closest to the Bay Area. It opened back in 1939 and is well known for its long history, significant advanced terrain, high annual snowfall, and superb instruction and terrain. It was founded by Hannès Schroll and a group of individual investors and is one of the few remaining privately owned resorts in the Lake Tahoe area. Sugar Bowl was the first ski area in California to install a chairlift and the first on the west coast to install a gondola lift.
I have 2 favourite Sugar Bowl experiences (besides the skiing). One is the the chair lift ride over to the slopes from the Village parking lot (off old US 40) and watching the California Zephyr train pass by underneath. The other is actually being on that train and watching the ski area as we travel through the Donner Pass. I'd also like to see what's here in the summer. -
Review from Terry K.
4/15/2011
The condiions for skiers (and boarders) are absolutely fantastic. With snow fall like they have now, it becomes a skier's paradise. The slopes are challenging enough for the black diamond skiers and comfortable enough for the green runners.
The locals refer to Sugar Bowl as a "local" resort. Lift tickets priced extremely reasonable and not as crowded compared to the big mountains (NorthStar, Squaw).
Don't expect much from "Sugar Day" passes which offer the all day lift pass, equipment and a 2 hour lesson. Some of my friends who were first time skiers left on the mountains.... ski instructors have to be taught themselves I guess.
So the bottom line is
1) looking for good snow
2) want good prices for lift tickets
3) wait lines are not in their vocabulary
4) friendly staffers
You will want to go to Sugar BowlListed in: On The Road Again
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Review from Bharat g.
Santa Clara, CA
12/12/2011
loved the deal for beginners over this weekend(12/10/2011). Due to pre-season, it wasn't very crowded and the instructor was able to concentrate personally even though it was a group lesson.
The reason I am writing the review is because the help they provided after the ski session. I was using my rental car and the battery got drained, so we asked the resort people if they have jumper cables.. they called few folks who came to jump start our car and due to some technical issue we weren't able to jump start and it was getting freaking cold (even though it was just 5pm) !!! so one of the guy from resort (Jim) told us that we can stay in resort area (heated) till we get our road-site assistance. He also offered us free hot cocoa to make us feel better !!! When the road site assistance arrived(an hour later) he offered me a ride from resort to parking lot even though we didn't ask. That I think was pretty cool, because I was literally shivering on my way from parking lot to resort and that was an hour earlier !!!
Luckily the road site assistance was able to jump start our car and we were able to get out in time, but without the help from resort folks it would have been a nightmare to say the least... -
Review from judy n.
6/11/2011
Came up here on a snowbus.... 79 dollars and it got us the bus ride up and back, lift tickets, gear rental, and classes... Score! :)
So.. living in Florida for 5 years, I have been missing out on my snowboarding fun... so now that i"m back to bein' a Cali Girl... I finally got to come up for some boarding! So.. i obviously needed some brushing up...
get into my boots and binding with minimal help from the friends. check.
going up on the ski lift and not crashing when getting off. check.
Carving on my heel side. check
Carving on toe side?! um... Help!
I decided to take a class, so i don't kill myself trying to board with my experienced friends...
To my surprise, they have 5 levels of classes for the skiier or snowboarder! What?! Awesome.
Beginners: Never put on boots or gear before... good for anyone trying to board for the first time.
level 2: know how to carve on your heel side, but not toe side... Score! This is me!
Level 3: know how to carve on heel side and toe side, but don't know how to connect the 2.
Level 4 and 5 : now they are getting fancy... wanna learn to do jumps? do pipes? do tricks?! then these guys are for you!
So... we did the basic learn to fall, get up, etc... and in each class there is about 10 students to 2 teachers. so you get some individual attention...
I learned how to connect my toe and heel side by the end of the 2 hours. :) Awesome! Now... I gotta wait for the next snow season to come back so i can keep practicing! -
Review from Geoff D.
3/14/2011
In my mind, Sugar Bowl defines the skiing day trip. It's not a destination resort, but it's 30+ minutes closer to the Bay Area than the Tahoe resorts... and it's got much more varied/interesting terrain than the other spots on this side of the summit.
Even fairly hardcore skiers can create a full day of fun here hopping the rocks under the Mt Lincoln lift or making your own trails off Mt Disney.
After a decade away, I came back to Sugar Bowl last weekend with my 8 year old son. Perfect day trip for the two of us with the shorter drive, easy in-and-out, lack of crowds and plentiful intermediate terrain.
Glad to have re-made your acquaintance, Sugar Bowl. Let's keep in better touch. -
Review from Daniel G.
3/31/2011
Being as this was only my second time going out to snowboard, and only the second resort that i've been to, I'm really not too sure how to rate a place like this.
I'll start by saying that they had plenty of runs for beginners as opposed to only one at the last resort that I went to.
It was not overly crowded and we went on a Saturday on one of the first weekends of the season where it just dumped snow.
We had to rent some equipment, and though the process was somewhat confusing--we weren't sure which line to be in at which point, and there was no one there to explain--we were able to get our gear relatively quickly and at a good price.
Parking was great, we only had to walk about 500 yards from where we parked to get to the main lodge, which was a nice bonus.
I'm not huge on snowboarding, but i could see myself coming back here the next time that my friends decide to go out. -
Review from Navi T.
Hercules, CA
3/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
A nice, laid back place to ski or board. It doesn't get that much traffic since it's kinda off the beaten path, well let's just say it doesn't get as many people as Boreal up the street. A nice plus here is that rentals and lessons are also included later on in the season, while I won't use it, it's a nice little touch.
And a friend of mine had a run-in here with a Olympian snowboarder who did a somersault over her while she was down - and she(the Olympian) replicated that same move in Vancouver! Crazy... -
Review from wilma g.
San Diego, CA
1/18/2011
My cousin and I came here with her 2 sons on accident. We were supposed to go to another resort, but ended up going the wrong way and decided to go here instead of back tracking to our original plan. Let's just say it was a great accident coming here!
We came on MLK day and were thinking it might be crowded, but it wasn't at all! We were able to go on the lifts right away and didn't have to wait in line. The kids really enjoyed themselves. I loved the long runs they offered and can't wait to bring my boyfriend here next time around. He'll definitely love the long runs and after reading about the terrain park they have, he'll be hitting that up, too. -
Review from Adam D.
1/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
The good: being right off of I-80, it's one of the shortest snowboarding commutes from the Bay Area. They have enough parking that you can walk to Judah lodge from where you park instead of having to take a shuttle and it's not terrible. Terrain park. Terrain park. Terrain Park. Sugar Bowl has one of the best terrain parks I've come across, with small, medium, and holy-crap sized features. I mostly stuck to the medium features, and they were lined up in such a way that you could just keep a sweet run going all the way down.
The not-so-good: first off, I'm a bit of a mountain elitist. I've been spoiled by Colorado, Mammoth, and South Lake Tahoe. Sugarbowl just doesn't have long enough runs to keep my happy. Taking the Lincoln lift and bombing all the way down is about as long of a run as you can get, but it's not long enough in my opinion. Tree sections weren't that great either, and there weren't a whole lot of natural features to play on.
Verdict: if you want to practice jumps and tricks or you can get a good discounted lift pass, check it out. If you have to pay full price, just continue on down to Northstar for a few bucks more. -
Review from Jean K.
4/1/2011
I recently skiied Sugar Bowl for the first time. Yes, it's small but for a day, there's plenty to do if you are an advanced skier/boarder. There were lots of steep narrow chutes that I could traverse too pretty easily from the top of the lifts. It reminded me a lot of Kirkwood in that way. It was pretty fun to explore for the day and I would definitely be back when there's enough snow to make those chutes passable (yeah, I'm not that keen on rocks - yet).
The resort is very low key and doesn't draw the crowds that flock to Squaw and Northstar. That means lift lines are short and it's easy to find a seat at lunch.
Lift tickets are also cheaper but still in the $70 range. -
Review from reyz a.
1/10/2011
This is a bit dated, but I'll write this anyways because I like this place. Sugar Bowl is one of my top ski resort for the Bay Area for driving. I also call it the "mini-Squaw" because the topology is kind of the same without having to spend another 40 minutes driving east. It's right off of I-80, so you can get there early, and you can beat the "red-river" of tail lights when it's time to go home (for 1 day trippers). If you get there late (say after 9am), you will not find parking at the Gondola side, but continue on until you find parking near the Judah day lodge side. If you're really late, then put your cat-walk-rubber-tracks on and take a shuttle I'm a skier, but if you're a snow-boarder, there's plenty to do at the Terrain Park.
If you're a ski elitist, then this resort may not rank up there in terms of terrain choice or difficulty, but hey, you can kill yourself just as well by jumping off your roof into your backyard if you want high degree of difficulty, right? Why not do that and save yourself the lift ticket and gas money and stay home? I'll just mention a few places. The Lincoln lift is long, but if you're used to Whistler, then it's not that long--tough luck, you can't everything. There are aspects that's great here. Just remember that many ski magazines have used the Crow's Face side to take their dramatic photos. This resort has lots of hidden areas to do tree runs, steep runs, shreading runs, mogul runs or easy runs. They're all worth exploring. I like going up to Mt. Lincoln's quad and skiing the terrain underneath.
Have fun!! -
Review from Jack G.
Roseville, CA
5/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Sugarbowl is very hard to beat for a number of reasons. Regardless of your level they have great terrain and decent facilities. We have been Core members for a few years now and love the program. The lessons that are part of the program have really helped my 10 year old daughter go from never ridden a snowboard to riding diamonds with confidence in a year. For our family the mid-week Core program provides the best deal of the resorts in Tahoe that offer challenging terrain.
My only complaint is the web site could be better at telling you the status of lifts and season dates. This is common to other resorts as well. -
Review from Aaron M.
2/4/2011
I'm not totally sure why, but our crew just adored sugar bowl. It's not as cheap as Homewood (though to be fair, nothing is) but it's a great value compared with Alpine, especially for learners - it's $95 for a two hour group lesson, rental and a limited lift ticket that gets you onto the "White Pine, Flume, Jerome Hill, Meadow, Nob Hill and Christmas Tree lifts" or you can upgrade to all mountains for $30. Note that the hard copy brochure on the mountain tells you this but website doesn't.
They also have a "general admission" package if you go on an off-peak day (before Dec 24, Mon-Fri 1/3-3/11 except MLK and 2/21-2/225, 3/14 and later every day) that scores you both free rentals and group lessons with a regular lift ticket - for $71. That's so money. -
Review from Annie N.
3/14/2011
Finally!! I learned how to do heels and stop so I'm not just tumbling blindly down the slopes and hurt somebody in the process. And I have this place to thank (beside my wonderful teacher)! There are not a lot of people here so it's perfect for a dangerous beginner like me to learn how to snowboard. Plus there are a few different paths on the bunny slopes so you can pick the right one for you. The fellow snowboarders and skiers here are quite friendly and supportive. One gentleman commented I had "the most graceful fall" he has ever seen. =)
I got the beginner package without the lessons as I have my friend to teach me. It came out to $68, which is a bit pricey but worth it. I tried the beginner's package at Sierra before and they don't do a very good job at customizing the equipments for you. The people working here are quite friendly and pleasant to deal with. Plus there's an area for me to put my shoes without having to pay for a rental locker. I'm not worried someone's going to steal for size 5 shoes...unless it's a kid with overgrown feet.
Overall, I love this place. Maybe next time I will venture to the blue categories to avoid the icy slopes of the bunny hills. -
Review from Andre C.
Soda Springs, CA
4/16/2011
Excellent. Good amount of lifts, Snow on the summit is plentiful.
The employees are always helpful and I have never heard a bad thing from anyone about this place. -
Review from Tom I.
Fair Oaks, CA
1/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really like this place! Not only is it really easy to get to, but there is just so much area to ski or snowboard on. Ya it gets kind of crowded, but I mean which resort doesn't? It's a little pricy, but i think the price is definitely worth it. I'm not even that good of a snowboarder but I still enjoy the times I come up here. Probably not quite the place to learn to snowboard for your first day, but it's definitely a place to get better.
They have tons of trails for the more experienced and the super experienced too. Food is expensive though :( -
Review from Jasmyn M.
12/4/2010
I am a beginner snowboarder so I can't speak to the summit lifts or the black diamond runs.
This place is fantastic for those new to snow-sports or really for anyone who is interested in a little instruction. Pre-holiday season they offer FREE lessons and FREE rentals with your lift ticket! And once peak season starts this deal still continues M-F. Very awesome. They also have park instructors for those interested in learning some tricks.
My husband has a season pass so my lift ticket was only $59 (companion rate). Rentals were a breeze and everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful. The morning lesson (2 hrs) started at 10:30am. I was lucky in that my group consisted of just me and one other student so we got plenty of 1-on-1 guidance. There were larger groups in the more advanced lessons but they appeared to maintain a good teacher:student ratio. It was also a Friday, so I'm not sure how busy lessons get on the weekends.
Short lift lines, friendly staff, $5 "basket" to check your personal items with unlimited in-and-outs (bigger and better than a locker).
Pretty close to the Bay Area making for an easy day trip. -
Review from Aim B.
San Francisco, CA
3/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I like this place a lot! Cute, decent amount of intermediate terrain for me, and reasonable prices on food.
Only downside to me is that there are a lot of flat areas that make it hard for snowboarders to get to the lifts at the bottom. I suppose that's fine, though, since that's an area I really need to work on, but don't like! haha -
Review from Richard T.
San Jose, CA
2/11/2011
One of the best resorts I've been to. We took a bus here a couple weekends ago (my first time taking the bus to Tahoe). The bathrooms are pretty clean, there are plenty of places to eat, the service is nice, and there was a live band around 3:30 pm.
Now to the slopes. The lifts are fast, and they have a nice terrain park. One of the people working the lifts remembered me from earlier in the day and didn't make me scan in every time.
It's one of the more expensive resorts, but I got a discounted lift ticket through the bus, so it turned out being just as cheap as Bear Valley or Dodge Ridge. -
Review from Kenson K.
2/21/2011
So it took me a while but I've finally gotten over the "hump" in learning the basics of snowboarding. This place is pretty decent but I'm in that stage where the green runs are too easy and some of the blue runs can prove challenging. I wish this place had more of a blue-green run. One thing I don't like is the lifts for all 3 mountains are spread so far apart . You have to catch a lift, then ski down and make a turn to get to the other lifts on the other mountains. Then to get back to your parking lot you have to repeat again.
I don't know about the facilities at the Village -
Review from dan k.
Oakland, CA
1/19/2011
After having skiied at most five times over ten years ago on hills comparable to that of large anthills, I took a trip to Sugar Bowl with coworkers as a midweek retreat. Not that the place was deserted, but it definitely wasn't crowded which is one of the pros of going on a weekday. Additionally, having no skiing supplies, I was pleased to find out that on weekdays, lessons, skis, boots, poles, etc. are all included in the price of a lift ticket.
Once I got skiing, however, I was somewhat disappointed with the trail selection. There were ~5 super easy, beginner "bunny" slopes which were unexciting. But there were only a couple larger, green slopes to run which got boring quick after a couple runs on each. There were a couple blue runs that I could conquer, but mostly a large selection of hard blues and black diamonds. Perhaps this is a primitive viewpoint, but skiing, being a recreational activity, should be fun and enjoyable, I shouldn't feel terrified like I'm being thrown down the side of a cliff which is why I wished there were some easier, green-rated slopes from the top to the bottom of the mountain.
Regardless, the lodges were nice although food was a bit over priced as is to be expected. People working at the rental desk as well as on the lifts were both friendly and helpful. -
Review from Courtney R.
Santa Clara, CA
2/15/2011
This is my favorite place to go snowboarding so far! I am a beginner and really appreciate the express lifts, because they slow down at the end to let me off.
They have free lessons days, which as a newbie I appreciate because I need all I can get, and the sport is expensive anyways. I found most of the runs do-able for me, even if I am new to the sport. The area was nicely groomed, and the staff was friendly.
Food..I don't expect amazing when I go to a food court anywhere, but sugar bowl isn't terrible. I was able to get a salad at a decent price. They have fries and pizza and things like that.
I love to come back here :) -
Review from Keilin H.
12/18/2010
LOVE SUGARBOWL!!!
Great runs, cozy lodges, fantastic customer service!!!!!!!!!
It's pretty awesome that to get to the lodge, you have to take a gondola across. It's like going on a ride at Disneyland! There are staff to help you load luggage onto the gondola, unload it, and help you get settled into your room. It's not that fake "Hi, how are you?!" rather they seem genuinely happy to help out.
There are a bunch of cabins around the area, so if you want to take a break from skiing or snowboarding, it's quite enjoyable just walking around.
The resort offers the Core package too, which is a great deal because you get a discount on rentals and lift ticket for yourself, plus a friend!
It's absolutely beautiful up here too! Granted, the first day I arrived, there was a crazy snow storm going on, but the next few days were clear blue skies and sunshine! :) -
Review from Jenny C.
2/7/2011
Sugarbowl is nice :) though it was super icy when I went there. But they got nice long green circle slopes and their lifts slows down at unload zone which is awesome for someone (moi) who slides down the drop off slope on her ass instead of of her board...
Nice lodges. also walked through some cabins...they got some bbq grills out by the lodges, i wonder what they got on the menus coz it smelled amazing... -
Review from Hayden P.
San Jose, CA
3/19/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This resort has more challenging runs than Boreal. I think if you want a quick fix, Boreal isn't bad but the summit isn't very high. You pay a bit more and you get Sugar Bowl.
If you really want cheap and poor quality, you go to Dodge Ridge.
I would rate Dodge Ridge as the lowest quality, Boreal, then Sugar Bowl for the best bang for your buck. NorthStar and Squaw is great but it's much further up north and a lot more expensive.
Food at the resort is decent as well. I'm definitely a fan here and I recently signed up with their core pass.Listed in: Activities
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Review from T L.
Walnut Creek, CA
2/11/2011
From the perspective of a beginner/intermediate boarder:
Pros: Easy access from 80, lots of snow, free lessons, more skiers who are usually less reckless, safe wide runs, not as crowded as Northstar or Sierra, relatively inexpensive, people come here to ski or board and not for the scene
Cons: food mediocre, short runs, road leading to and from the resort can be treacherous during and after storms(we had a scary near miss right outside the resort)
Great place to begin snowboardingListed in: Tahoe
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Review from Deirdre P.
San Jose, CA
3/18/2011
The slopes are nice for boarders and the resort is easily accessible from I-80. When I went in March, they had free progression lessons and free weekday board rentals (later, weekends were included). Stacy, the instructor was awesome in March! She helped me a lot on my turns and improved my confidence. Everyone is friendly and helpful. The hotel lodge could use some mini-fridges and the rental shop ppl need to SLOW down. Not everyone is an expert so try to take some time and make sure the equipment fits the person!
April update: Kyle, the instructor I had in April was awesome! He really challenged me to go beyond what I was doing and once again my confidence and skills were improved.
My friend that I started snowboarding with, years back, would be proud of my improved skills which I owe a lot to the Sugar Bowl instructors! -
Review from Dustin R.
Berkeley, CA
6/16/2010
I am an advanced snowboarder and rode here 50 days last season. I have a lot to say about this mountain, but lemme lay it out objectively:
pros:
+receives the most snow of any mountain resort in tahoe. I got some of the most epic pow of my life pretty frequently up here (i also rode with people from colorado who said this snow was AMAZING).
+SUPER friendly staff. I got to know all the liftys by name and partied with a few after they got off work (probably cuz i went so much).
+ Has terrain for all levels of riding. Numerous cliff drops to huck and The palisades run are basically a snow covered cliff which some parts may not even open if there isnt enough snowfall in the year. My euro friends climbed to the top this season and said it was the scarriest terrain theyve ever ridden.
+Gives access to an AWESOME backcountry run. Its called ASI, and im not gonna tell you where it is, because its so good me and my friends named it "the seven minute orgasm"
+Has a terrain park that is so-so. While nothing will compare to Northstar, this park has some smaller stuff set up which is great to learn on. Nothing super crazy, but they cover all the basis, which, even as an advanced rider, you can still have a lot of fun on, even if there stuff is not that big. (jibs include c-boxes, double kink rails, crescent boxes, battleship/gateway rails, sidehop boxes/rails, rainbow boxes. Jumps are too close together, but consist of about five 20-25 foot kickers or a smaller line of about five 5-15 foot mini kickers).
+added a lift to the top of mt. judah, giving access to even more terrain
+NEVER that crowded. even on holidays.
+Good instructors
+good deals on passes, rentals, rewards (with core pass), etc
CONS:
-doesnt have much vert. while there are some crazy steep runs (like the palisades), these are fairly short. The mountain only has about 1500 feet of vert, so runs can sometimes be short.
-some flat spots. these are NOT that bad like other reviews have said. I never got stuck once, all you have to do is be good enuff to tuck a little before hand. If your not an intermediate rider tho, i could see those spots being a problem, but then again, almost every mountain ive been to will have at least a few places like that.
-you have to hike/traverse to get to the REALLY gnarly spots. these include the backcountry runs, the crows nest, and the palisades. Some other spots on the mountain like Strawberry fields you wont have to hike to, and still offer some really nice powder runs.
-not close to south lake. (life in truckee probably isnt as exciting as life in south lake).
Still, this mountain is great! I RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE. ESPECIALLY on a powder day. its pros more than outwiegh its cons, and, after riding nearly all of the tahoe resorts, this remains one of my all time favorites. -
Review from Kara V.
3/31/2011
I don't really Alpine downhill ski much anymore due to the whole crowd scene and all, but with this massive snowfall we just had, I got the bright idea to take one of my better clients skiing for the day. I knew he was a skiier and probably never had a sales rep of any sort ever take him skiing before. The crowds were not at all that bad being mid week. I haven't skied downhill in awhile, but I can ski well down most runs, just not off in the trees and chutes. The snow was fantastic and we skied the whole area. I didn't really ski my own speed since I was the host, so I let him go first and made sure I kept an eye on where he was. We had a great time and basically expensed the whole day. I still don't think I would downhill ski on my own, but today was great and Sugar Bowl is a well run resort for mid week skiing.
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Review from Tyler L.
San Jose, CA
2/16/2011
YES! This place rules. It's easy to get to from the 80, it's not as "bank" as Heavenly, Kirkwood, Squaw --- yet it still offers some good clean fun.
The board park is generally well maintained, and the fellow riders are mostly cool locals from Truckee.
Also, they have the Core pass, which I HIGHLY recommend getting if you're not there more than 5-10 times a year. It's an easy way to get right on the lift, it also gets your friend a discount...and not too mention, you pay it off on day one if you bring a friend!
Only downsides to this place is the bitter winds blowing at the top of Lincoln, and generally speaking, this mountain is not high enough to get the kind of snow that say Kirkwood would get. All in all, you MUST ride here at least once -- but with any resort, make sure your first day is at least a "decent" snow day! -
Review from Jenny L.
Updated - 3/11/2010
Sugar Bowl is the ish. It's got something for everyone. I LOVE the massive choices of blues to choose from on every lift.
Never once did I feel that the resort was crowded, even though you see many people on the lifts. Once you get off, it's like everyone disperses and the mountain is yours, all yours.Listed in: Mountain, Slopes, Resorts…
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1/6/2010
12.29.09
We woke up late. We relied on the GPS. We were nervous that we were lost. We arrived at… Read more »
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Review from david h.
Oakland, CA
1/31/2011
Sugar Bowl has two separate vibes. The Mt. Judah side has a snowboarder vibe (think Shaun White), whereas the Village Lodge side (accessible by Gondola only) has a European alps vibe (think Franz Klammer).
Sugar Bowl shines on a powder day. They get about as much snow as anyone and are very good at opening up terrain. On a stormy day, Disney is the advanced lift most likely to be open in North Lake Tahoe. A few years ago (before Squaw started with the cheap passes) many of the Truckee powder hounds would ski out the mountain on a powder day, but now they tend to head to Squaw and wait in line for KT22. Fresh tracks at Sugar Bowl last for several hours now.
Sugar bowl has some great steeps in the bowl between the two main lifts (Disney and Lincoln). The only knock on Sugar Bowl, terrain wise, is the lack of vertical (only 1500 feet). -
Review from Lux K.
Oakland, CA
2/24/2010
So ive been out to the slopes 14 times already this season and i finally got to hit up Sugar bowl last thursday. I must say this place is one of my favorite resorts, i really like the whole setup from the parking lots to the lodges. Had a blast hitting up the terrian park for the first time here, i like how they added more features then last year. I usually stay on the Mt Judah side but i also love hitting up the christmas tree and Lincoln run. Tried out the new double diamond run and im not a fan of that, too many trees. After a bottle of cognac and a few beers im smashing faster then a nascar down the slopes.
Overall Sugar Bowl is a must check out spot, great for both beginners and advance riders.
5 Stars for Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in Norden -
Review from CT L.
San Francisco, CA
2/22/2009
* Does size matter? No. It is all about having FUN, especially when there is a time constraint.
Sugar Bowl Ski Resort may not be as BIG as Heavenly, Kirkwood or Squaw Valley, but I love going here simply because when I come here during the weekday, the lift lines are SHORT and that translates to more snowboarding time and more runs.
* Is it close to the Bay Area? Yes. As the first ski resort from Interstate 80 to Tahoe, the drive is about 3.5 hours to 4 hours, depending how fast I drive and how light the traffic is.
* Does the resort offer something for everyone? Yes. The overall experience is more enjoyable without the craziness of some hard-core snowboarders/skiers, which is perfect for beginner and intermediate levels AND for a great family experience. A few days ago I noticed more children are learning how to ski down the slopes than ever. Try the Crows Nest and Lincoln if you are at the advanced level.
* Is it affordable? Yes. Half-day ski pass is only $54 for an adult.
* Is the resort itself cool? Yes. Sugar Bowl also upgraded some new rental equipment. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, while the facilities are clean and well managed.
Sugar Bowl is indeed a SWEET place to snowboard or ski with FRESH powder. I count 5 stars *****.
o
/|\ TG, I didn't hit any trees!
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Review from Bart F.
Mountain View, CA
2/21/2009
"...there's a BLUEBIRD on my shoulder, can I kill it..."
Not this BLUEBIRD - not this BLUEBIRD day!
Arrived at the resort a half hour before first chair. Group was already dressed to athletically impress, so we head into the lodge for some coffee, coco, and cocktails - no lines. 10 minutes till lift(off), we step out into a picture perfect day - Mother Nature was kind, very-very kind. Blue sky stretching as far as the eye could see. Fresh pow-pow lightly sprinkled over every inch of the mountain range. Birds were chirping, kids were laughing, skis and boards were shredding, snow was spraying, and laughter and jubilation was abound. Great moods are contagious and Sugar Bowl, this day, was radiating with glee. Epic.
It was a Friday during the President's Day week. Expecting long lines and bottle necks getting onto the lifts, I was shocked at the end of day realizing that I must of gotten 15-20 runs in; and only a handful were riddled with human obstructions. After speaking to some of the locals, they informed me that the resort never really gets to packed - that Sugar Bowl is the best bang for your buck when you factor in logistics, location, and variety of runs. I have to agree. My entire day was spent mainly on blue runs, but looking at the mountain map showed runs that can be enjoyed by all.
Sugar Bowl is a beautiful resort and mountain. In fact, it is the very first functioning ski resort in Tahoe dating back to the 1950's. If you are truly a connoisseur of the mountain, get your butt to the bowl, it will not disappoint.
*watches bluebird gracefully glide away* -
Review from Jessica L.
San Mateo, CA
1/2/2008
I have been to Sugar Bowl oodles of times - in snow storms, in icy warm weather, in massive crowds, in deserted days, as a novice snowboarder and as my current "intermediate" self.
I love it here - There are 2 parking lots and entrances, 2 lodges, LOTS of intermediate runs and very few easy ones ** for that reason I do not recommend this place for beginners** but rather for those really wanting to get better and challenge themselves.
Just off 80 before Boreal, exit #174, Norden - go 3 miles and you will hit the first lot - which requires a gondola to the mini lodge. Keep driving and turn right after Donner and you will get to the main lodge and closer lot.
Sugar Bowl is a sister resort to Kirkwood and personally I think SB has an equal amount of skiers and snowboarders whom, for the most part, get along. Also, SB gives lots of discounts out there so LOOK FOR THEM. Many snow shops offer discount tickets, some days there are discounts if you use a Visa card, The Tahoe Card (SnowBomb) gives you a free lift ticket.
Staff are very friendly (but aren't most resorts? I mean seriously, they are all stoned anyway). If you have not tried Sugar Bowl go check it out!!
