Squaw Valley ski holidays
Established in 1949 the American ski resort Squaw Valley lies at 1890 metres altitude in the California region of the American Sierra Nevada. With the highest lifts and ski slopes at 2743.2m the area is snow sure. Over 290 snow cannons ensure artificial snow making covers ?km of trails, which equates to around 10 of the slopes. The nearest airport transfer to Squaw Valley is Reno Tahoe Internatonal Airport at a distance of 80km or approximately 60 minutes driving time. Their season runs from November to May.
SNO-man says
The site of the 1960 Winter Olympics and internationally recognised world-class ski resort. Squaw Valley has a huge number of chair lifts serving one of North america's largest ski areas. There's a ski-in resort at Squaw Creek opened in the early 1990s followed by a new pedestrian village.
Alpine Downhill Runs
Beginner Trails
 ? runs ?km |
?% |
Intermediate Trails
 ? runs ?km |
?% |
Advanced Trails
 ? runs ?km |
?% |
Expert Trails
 ? runs ?km |
?% |
Resort and Holiday Stats
| Beginners |  |
| Intermediate | |
| Advanced/Expert | |
| Snowboarders | |
| Apres Ski | |
| Family/child Friendly | |
| Snow-Sure | |
| Ambience | |
| Value for money | |
| Lift Pass Prices (adult 6 day) | $365 - $389 |
Traditional Ski Village / Purpose Built Ski Resort |
| Resort Opens | Nov 2013 |
| Resort Closes | May 2014 |
| (snow conditions often influence opening/closing) |
Mountain and Slopes
| Downhill Runs | ?km |
| total length of Squaw Valley trails |
| Longest Lift-Served Run | 5km |
| longest piste or trail reachable by lift |
| Slope Orientation | N S E W |
| direction Squaw Valley area faces |
| Top Altitude | 2743.2m |
| top station of highest lift |
| Bottom Altitude | 1890m |
| bottom of lowest run |
| Resort Altitude | 1890m |
| centre of Squaw Valley ski resort |
| Vertical Drop | 868.5m |
| total descent from top lift to bottom piste |
| Skiable Vertical | ^v 868.5m |
| can include extra hike up above top lift |
Skiing in Squaw Valley
? pistes and trails means approximately ?km of runs. 34 Squaw Valley lifts have capacity to transport 49000 per hour. The longest run in the American ski resort is over 5km.
The mountain has ?% beginner runs or nursery slopes, ?% intermediate, ?% advanced slopes and ?% for experts - the most difficult piste is the 0.609km West Face - vertical run, with a steepness/slope angle of ?%. You can ski Squaw Valley after dark as there is night skiing on ?km of illuminated piste.
Rating for skiing gets 4 stars out of 5 overall
Squaw Valley Apres Ski
Off-Slope activities include:
10 apres ski bars 30 restaurants 0 bowling 5 night club 0 cinema 0 billiards / pool 0 games room 0 concert 0 indoor swimming 1 outdoor heated pools 0 saunas 1 hot tubs 0 solariums 0 masseurs 0 indoor ice skating 2 outdoor ice skating 1 indoor sports centre 0 indoor tennis 0 squash racquetball 1 sleigh rides 0 ballooning 0 horse riding 0 prepare winter walks 1 climbing 1 golf 0 fishing 1 museum 0 library Plus these additional apres ski facilities Adventure Center, Rope Course, Indoor Climbing Wall, Sky Jump, Swimming Lagoon and Spa, Amusement Arcade, Volleyball, .
SNO-man says
Squaw's Olympic Ice Pavilion is a unique experience. Located at High Camp at the top of the Cable Car the rink overlooks Lake Tahoe and operates daily from 11am until 9pm, with skates included.
High Camp has a snow tubing operation, weather permitting, which has its own dedicated tubing lift.
Down at the base of the resort you can take a sleigh ride around the Olympic Valley in a big sleigh pulled by an even bigger horse. There's even a climbing wall, found in the cable car lobby, and from mid-March the Swimming Lagoon and Spa operates at High Camp.
The Resort at Squaw Creek's Health and Fitness Spa offers a relaxing retreat for sore muscles, and snowshoeing and cross country skiing are available in the meadow.
Rating for apres ski gets 4 stars out of 5 overall
"Squaw Valley" by any other name
The American resort is also known as Squaw Valley USA Broken Arrow, Emigrant, Granite Chief , KT-22, Snow King, Squaw Peak and has common misspellings:
The direction which the various Squaw Valley slopes face can make or break your ski holiday. To guarantee good snow conditions, choose a resort with piste which face the right way for the time of year you're travelling.
- In the coldest winter months of January and February pick a resort with sunny south facing slopes, so your days on the snow doesn't feel like a polar expedition. Conversely, in the warmest spring skiing months of March and especially April, a resort with cool and shady north facing trails will ensure you're not riding on slush, but benefitting from best late season snow. The best destinations have areas which face in all directions so that you're guaranteed greating conditions whatever the weather. Squaw Valley has slopes facing N S E W.
Rating for snow gets 4 stars out of 5 overall
Squaw Valley reviews, 4.3 star rating and information is collated by SNO man from staff experience and customer feedback.