It’s not called the “capital of spring skiing” for nothing. Palisades Tahoe sits at 6,200 feet at its base, and you can get as high as 9,050 feet in the Granite Chief area, should you be a double-black-diamond kind of person. Other visitors (like me) can sun themselves on a snow beach with a view and a beverage by a glowing fire pit.
The resort is hoping to stay open this year, weather permitting, through Memorial Day, which falls on May 26th. In 2023, the season was extended through July 4th, which is officially no longer spring skiing! (This gets into territory where summer mountain bikers might start to get testy.)
So wonderful is Palisades in spring that the resort has leveled up to own its revered place among skiers, snowboarders and other winter funseekers with a spring-themed lineup of events each year: concerts, races, fundraisers, themed weekends (April is retro month, while May is Hawai’i-themed), and crazy-original happenings you’ll find nowhere else, like a snow-golf tournament and a pond-skimming event called Cushing’s Crossing, where skiers and snowboarders will skim across Cushing’s Pond — in costumes!
Welcoming to Novice Skiers and Experts Alike
When you remember that the 1960 Winter Olympics was held here (when the resort was called Squaw Valley), novice skiers might be intimidated at first, but what you’ll find is that the mountain and its people are hospitable to beginners and experts alike. Palisades Tahoe is a year-round destination for laid-back adventure on and off the powder. Little kids can learn to ski here with a individual or group lesson, and the instructors are extraordinary both in terms of getting on the student’s individual wavelength and teaching foundational skills that will last a lifetime. There’s even a Learn to Ski and Ride Special on April 5 and 6 — $119 is a steal for a 2.5-hour beginner lesson, a limited beginner lift ticket, and rental equipment.
Upcoming Special Spring Events
The 39th annual Snow Golf Tournament will be held thon Saturday, April 19th, as teams compete across the one and only top-to-bottom snow golf course, complete with a Caddyshack-themed afterparty. Registration is free, groups of four are encouraged as space is limited, and prizes will be awarded. The date is subject to change based on weather and conditions.
Easter happenings include the annual Golden Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 20th, where skiers and snowboarders try to find the egg that contains a ‘25-’26 Palisades Tahoe season pass — while eating chocolates passed out by the Easter Bunny.
The 33rd annual Cushing’s Crossing happens on Saturday, May 3rd, and spectating is free — and highly recommended for belly laughs and general astonishment.
Palisades is Lake Tahoe’s largest ski resort, with 6,000 skiable acres connected by the Base to Base Gondola.For more information about Palisades Tahoe, spring skiing capital, visit the resort’s page dedicated to the subject. The Spring Ticket Trio is a great deal that gets you three single-day lift tickets that are shareable, if you like, and good for the remainder of the season.