Resort Overview
Walt Disney and some of Tahoe’s first ski industry entrepreneurs first descended upon this unique hotspot of beautiful peaks, steep chutes and open bowls in 1938. The resort receives more snow than most other Tahoe resorts on average per year, upwards of 500 inches. With 1,500 acres of skiable terrain and 1,500 feet of vertical drop, it is an average sized resort with a good range of trails for all skill levels and some excellent advanced chutes for the more adventurous. With its location being slightly farther away from the lake as some of the other resorts, this works in your advantage as fewer crowds will make the trip up the road. If you are looking for a place with great snow and a fun atmosphere, Sugar Bowl might just be the place.
Trail Details
Beginner Runs: 18%
Intermediate Runs: 42%
Advanced Runs: 22%
Expert Runs: 18%
Longest Run: 3.0 miles
Terrain Details
Elevation
Highest Point: 8383 ft
Vertical Drop: 1500 ft
Lowest Point: 6883 ft
Skiable Terrain: 1500 acres
Backcountry/Off-Piste: Yes
Tree Runs: Yes
Lift Info
Total Number of Lifts: 13
Gondolas & Trams: 1
High Speed Sixes: 0
High Speed Quads: 5
Quad Chairs: 3
Triple Chairs: 0
Double Chairs: 2
Surface Lifts: 2
Lift Hours of Operation
Monday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Tuesday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Wednesday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Thursday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Friday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Saturday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Sunday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Night Skiing: Not Available
Lift Tickets
Adult Single Day: $71+
Young Adult Single Day: $59+
Child Single Day: $23+
>View Tahoe Lift Ticket Discounts
Snowfall
Average Annual Snowfall: 500 inches
Snow Making Capability: 375 acres
Terrain Park
Halfpipe: Yes – 1
Terrain Park: Yes – 1
Ski/Snowboard School
Sugar Bowl has a large focus on children’s ski school programs, offering a variety of private and group lessons for those aged 4-12. These clinics can be found at two lodges. There are separate programs for age groups, the groups being ages 4-5 and 6-12. Various lengths of instruction sessions are available, so just ask at the office for details on what is offered. Package deals are available that include the lessons, equipment rentals and lift ticket.
Important Dates
Ski Season Dates: Typically November to April
On and Off-Mountain Services
On-mountain you can find a central lodge at the base of the mountain that houses many of the mountain’s core services such as the school, ticketing, rentals and more. There are some restaurants available on the mountain. Parking is available right at the base for 500 cars.
Off-mountain is the place to find services such as a hospital, tourist and shopping centers, a variety of restaurants and more. This can all be found in nearby Truckee or North Lake Tahoe cities.
Lodging Info
There is lodging on site with some hotel rooms slopeside. Otherwise, Truckee is 10 minutes away with many accommodation options and nearby North Lake Tahoe provides many rooms for the thousands of tourists who visit the Tahoe area during the winter.
Transportation Info
Driving Directions:
From San Francisco take Highway 80 East towards Truckee. Then take SR 89 North, and then left on Donnor Pass Rd to Old Highway 40.
From Reno take Highway 395 South to Highway 50 West.
Flying:
Reno airport is the closest large airport. Shuttles are available to Truckee and other North Lake Tahoe
cities. A smaller airport is located in Truckee.
Bus/Coach:
Busses from San Francisco have a travel time of about 5 hours or less to North Lake Tahoe. Busses from
Reno take about 1 hour or so.
Other Activities
Heliskiing: Not Available
Snowmobiles: Not Available
Tubing: Not Available
Snowboarding Access
Snowboarding is allowed.
History
Sugar Bowl was one of the first resorts to be setup in Tahoe, and so the owners had the ability to pick from the cream of the crop of the area. In 1938, Walt Disney along with others picked the location for its high quantity of snow, steep chutes, open bowls and peaks. Sugar Bowl opened the first chairlift in California as well as the first gondola nationwide. Ever since, they have continued to upgrade the mountain with better and more lifts while still maintaining the scenic quality of its peaks and the overall mountain experience.
Summer Activities
Sugar Bowl is quite active during the summer months, especially with kids. They offer kids day camps that include rock climbing, outdoor educational outings, and other hands-on activities. While the kids are off at camp, the adults can enjoy activities such as wellness yoga and wine tasting. Of course everything from hiking to fishing can be found around the area. Family fun doesn’t stop in the winter here, so check out the sugar bowl website for more information on summer fun.
Contact Info
P.O. Box 5
Norden, CA 95724
Phone: (530) 426-9000
www.sugarbowl.com
Other Information
Snowboard Leashes Required: No
Common misspellings: Sugarbowl, Sugar Bowll, Sugarr Bowl, Sugar Bow, Sugarbowll, Sugarbow, Sugarrbowl
Also see our guides to deals on: Alpine Meadows Lift Ticket Discounts and Sierra at Tahoe Lift Ticket Discounts