How to get there
Where is Squaw Valley Ski Resort? Squaw Valley ski resort is located in Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe. It is easily accessed from Reno / Tahoe International Airport which is only 72km (42 miles) away via daily shuttle buses. It’s 154km (96 miles) from Sacramento, 315km (196 miles) from San Francisco, and only 10kms from Tahoe City.
Other ski resorts nearby
Squaw Valley is close to several other Lake Tahoe ski resorts.
Alpine Meadows is 15 minutes away in the next valley to the south.
Homewood, the place to go when the storms are at their most ferocious, is 30 minutes away along the western shore of Lake Tahoe. Homewood shares a lift pass with Alpine Meadows so it is a great option. It has cracking tree skiing when the snow is puking down.
Northstar is another top spot for tree skiing when it’s stormy. It is about 40 minutes drive away.
Heavenly, the place to ski and party, is just over an hour away at the southern end of Lake Tahoe.
Getting To Squaw Valley
Two main airports are convenient for powderhounds to access Squaw Valley, and indeed the entire Lake Tahoe area – San Francisco in California and Reno in Nevada.
North Lake Tahoe Express runs shuttles directly to Squaw Valley from the Reno airport. If staying at the
Resort at Squaw Creek, a complimentary shuttle is available direct to the resort.
Squaw Valley runs free daily bus shuttles from Reno casinos and hotels, the nearby town of Truckee, towns on the north shore of Lake Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe (Heavenly). Reservations are highly advisable, see
www.squaw.com for details.
By rental car, Squaw Valley is an easy one hour drive from Reno down the I80 interstate and Highway 89. From San Francisco it is about a 3.5 hour drive, again along the I80, but from the opposite direction. If the weather is snowy, check road conditions as the I80 is often closed.
Some companies run daily and overnight bus trips from San Francisco to the Tahoe area including Squaw Valley. There are good all inclusive deals with the
Bay Area Ski Bus.
Getting Around
Local transport in the Valley and surrounding areas includes the wide range of free bus shuttles to and from the resorts, the TART (Tahoe Area Regional Transit) and a vast number of private transport operators (see
www.laketahoetransit.com for full details).
If you have a car and intend travelling to other ski hills or attractions, we recommend driving a 4WD given the heavy snowfalls that can occur in the Lake Tahoe area. Be aware that standard vehicles rented in San Francisco may not be winterised and skierised.