SQUAW VALLEY 

Better Than Ever

Quality: * * * *

SUMMIT ELEVATION: 9,050 feet

VERTICAL RISE: 2,850 feet

BASE ELEVATION: 6,200 feet

ACREAGE: With 4000 acres of uncrowded slopes spread out over six separate Sierra peaks, Squaw Valley offers a vast expanse of terrain for skiers of all levels.

SKI TERRAIN: 25% beginner, 45% intermediate, & 30% advanced. For the more adventurous skier, vast areas have been left in their pristine state for a true wilderness experience and some of the best advanced skiing anywhere.

TRAILS: 100

LONGEST RUN: 16,000 feet

SNOWMAKING: 250 acres or 12%

LIFTS: 30, including: 1 Tram (115 people), 1 Funitel, 1 Pulse, 3 HiSpeed Six, 4 High Speed Quads, 1 Quad, 8 Triple Chairs, 7 Double Chairs, & 4 Surface. Squaw Valley USA features one of the most extensive lift networks in the world covering 6 major peaks and over 4,000 skiable acres.

UPHILL LIFT CAPACITY: 49,000 skiers per hour

NIGHT SKIING: 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Night skiiing is included in every lift ticket and season pass! 12 hours of skiing!

SNOWBOARDING:  Yes

TERRAIN PARK: Yes

RECREATIONAL RACING: Yes.

CROSS COUNTRY: Yes

ICE SKATING (rentals included): Yes

BUNGEE JUMPING: Yes

TENNIS CLUB: Yes

SWIMMING POOL: Yes

HEADWALL CLIMBING WALL: Yes

LICENSED DAY CARE: Yes

RENTAL SHOPS & FACILITIES: Yes

RESTAURANTS: Many restaurants for every tastes and at every price in the Squaw Valley and Lake Tahoe area, including some of the best in the world with renowned, world class chefs

HOURS OF OPERATION: Weekends & Holidays 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Midweek 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Afternoon 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Cable Car operates until 9:00pm, weather permitting.

LOCATION<Picture>LOCATIONL: Squaw Valley Road off Highway 89 between Tahoe City and Truckee, CA.

SKI INSTRUCTION: Squaw Valley offers professional programs and a great mountain to make your lesson one of the most rewarding ski experiences you have ever had. Classes daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students may join the on-going group on the hour and stay with the class as long as they want. Each level has a specific goal which is achieved through skill development and turn repetition. Also, novice to expert Snowboarding lessons are available.

TICKET PRICES: Please contact Squaw Valley for the latest prices

REVIEWERS: Dr. Ted Baehr & family

Squaw Valley is and has always been one of my favorite ski areas. Many, many years ago before the days of extreme skiing, during my Dartmouth Ski Team days, racing down one of the most challenging slopes in the world, KT22, run after run after run, was one of the great pleasures of skiing. As time passed and my abilities waned, KT22 became too strenuous, but other skiing pleasures always made Squaw more than memorable.

Thus, for several years, in the midst of THE MEDIA-WISE FAMILY  lectures and MOVIEGUIDE(r) reviews, I tried several times to get back to Squaw to introduce my children to the thrill of that great ski area. Each time, however, something prevented us from skiing the renowned area. Therefore,  it was an incredible joy at last to be able to spend time skiing the area with good snow and good weather.

What I found was that Squaw was better than ever, having matured from an expert ski area renowned among the aficionados for hosting the VIII  Olympic Winter Games in 1960 to a well rounded destination resort with an incredibly wide range of skiing and activities for the whole family. Even with some stiff competition from relatively new areas like Whistler and Big Sky, Squaw Valley remains one of the five great ski areas in North America because it has been so carefully maintained and expanded.  Thus, Squaw is still recognizable as the grand dame of Western ski areas with all the nostalgia that one would expect while bursting with new facilities, runs and amenities.

My four children, all avid skiers, found that Squaw Valley is still a skiers paradise. The ride up the main cable car is a thrill on its own, especially as you start to reach the top and find the expansive and elegant new facilities which seem to overlook the world. The thrill is magnified by the new bungee jumping tower which launches you out over the magnificent expanse of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The new restaurant and other facilities at the top of the cable car are magnificent.

This region of Squaw is known as High Camp. Located at an elevation of 8,200 feet, Squaw promotes High Camp as the eighth wonder of the world. While you enjoy spectacular, uninterrupted views of Lake Tahoe and the High Sierra, you can skate at the Olympic Ice Pavilion, travel back in time at the Olympic Museum, relax at the pool-side umbrella bar or soak up the Sierra sun in the swimming lagoon and spa (open in spring & summer), play  tennis on one of six championship tennis courts (two of which are playable during the winter months), Bungee jump, snow tube until 9 p.m., feast at one of the restaurants, or, for those still so inclined, ski.

Outside High Camp, are some of the fun beginner slopes. The ski and snowboard school offers beginners packages, private instruction and group lessons from High Camp every hour through the innovative "Ski Your Pro" program.

At night, High Camp comes alive with fun and attractions beneath the moon and stars. Enjoy night skiing down the 3 mile mountain run, or in Central Park, our all-terrain park and half-pipe for snowboarders. Other nighttime attractions include the Olympic Ice Pavilion, Snow tubing and spectacular dining.

Skiing the top offers great views and wide open bowls which can keep teenagers busy while allowing their elders to ski enjoyably down the slopes. If you just like to let your skis run and dislike lifts, though the Squaw lifts are fun in themselves, you can ski the long fun runs down to the bottom and then explore one or more of the other peaks, including the still formidable KT22. In fact, as the PR material points out, Squaw Valley is one of the largest ski areas in the U.S. which features one of the most extensive lift networks in the world covering 6 major peaks and over 4,000 skiable acres, all of which is very well maintained. The peaks that comprise Squaw are:

Snow King (7,550 ft)

KT-22 (8,200 ft)

Squaw Peak (8,900 ft)

Emigrant (8,700 ft)

Granite Chief (9050 ft)

and Broken Arrow (8020 ft) -- overlooking beautiful Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada.

70% of the terrain is geared for the beginner and intermediate skier, with wide open bowls and carefully groomed runs. Advanced skiers are treated to vast areas left in their pristine state for a true wilderness experience and some of the most challenging terrain in the world. Squaw boasts an annual snowpack of over 450 inches, and an abundance of warm California sunshine nearly 300 days of the year.

Squaw provides what skiers want: quick lifts and great terrain. The super gondola is a fun ride which quickly transports you past granite buttes and spires to drop you off at 8200 feet. The Siberia Express takes you to the top of the mountain where the view is awe inspiring.

Exploring all these trails with your children is great fun. With two of my four children away at different schools, it was wonderful to vary who rode with whom on the lifts and watch those who were paired together engaged in deep conversations that reconnected them with each other. The intensity of their conversations often lasted long into the next run down the hill. This was a superb opportunity to build great memories before each child went their own way.

For the serious skier, Squaw Valley offers excellent race programs. Squaw Valley's competitive heritage includes athletes who have gone on to success in national, World Cup, and Olympic events. Squaw Valley has a vast array of programs designed for skiers and snowboarders wishing to develop a broad range of skills and become competitors or more well-rounded athletes. The Squaw Valley Ski Team encompasses skiing, racing, and snowboard programs for children 4 and up. Graduates of the Squaw Valley Ski Teams continually move on as far as the World Cup and Olympic Events.    Squaw Valley's Freestyle Team is one of the top programs in the country, developing noted athletes that compete at all levels.

Furthermore, the ski area has every type of amenity that you would want (restaurants, shops, ice skating, swimming pool, a spa with tennis courts, and a child care center). Thus, Squaw Valley offers numerous places to eat, drink, and be merry. From a breakfast feast before the slopes, or a quick lunch grab, to fine dining with an unforgettable view, there's something for everyone. In the base village on the mountain, the Olympic House houses a Salsa Restaurant, Wildflour Baking Company, Sundeck Tavern, Coney Island. The Squaw Valley Mall features Le Chamois, Mother Barclay's Cafe, Hey Mon Thai Wraps, and for those who don't have the time to eat, but need to keep up with business there is the Online Business Center with fax, email, Internet, and word processing. The Olympic Plaza has Dave's Deli and The Dining Court as well as The Squaw Valley Arcade for restless children and others, featuring a huge room full of games, pinball, air hockey, and more.. The Cable Car Building has the Headwall Cafe as well as the Headwall Climbing Wall. The Opera House hosts the Red Dog Saloon which offers great views up the mountain and fine food. High Camp has Alexander's Restaurant, the Terrace Cafe, and the Poolside Cafe. The Gold Coast Complex has a huge selection including the Ground Floor BBQ, the Oasis level food court and the Crossroads Cafe.

In spite of its immense size, the staff go out of their way to make sure that your needs are met and that you are having a good time no matter how old or young you are.

There is no greater thrill than tackling the slopes of Squaw Valley. 

For more information, contact Squaw Valley USA:

Squaw Valley Ski Corporation

P.O. Box 2007

Olympic Valley, CA 96146

Offices: (530) 583-6985

Fax: (530) 581-7106

Snowphone: (530)583-6955

Lodging: 1-800-403-0206 or complete our online reservation request form.

Website www.squaw.com

Squaw Valley USA

California