From this ski area's pistes high in the Sierra Nevada mountains, you're rewarded with a vista of Lake Tahoe shining a spectacular sapphire blue. The scene -- reminiscent of the mountain/water combo of Switzerland's Lake Geneva -- is framed by jagged white peaks. Beyond, the desolate brown of the High Desert is in sharp yet stunning contrast.
Heavenly straddles the California-Nevada border. Its northeast slopes snake into Nevada, home of blackjack and roulette inside its casinos. Its southwest slopes trickle into a quieter California. Somehow the disparity works, offering skiers both serene and lively experiences in the same vacation.
The serenity starts with an early morning gondola ride up from South Lake Tahoe, Heavenly's central base. Skiers sitting backward in the gondola cars spot early views of Lake Tahoe's unmatched beauty. With 300-plus days of sunshine at Heavenly per year, skiers' chances for catching some brilliant views are good.
The sights are enhanced by trees, which cover the resort. Located inside the El Dorado National Forest, Heavenly's giant pines are protected. Developers can't cut the trees and the runs are full of them.
The huge fields of widely spaced trees offer shelter from the wind, collect powder snow and give riders some fun stuff to ski in and out of.
Heavenly's ski terrain -- 1,943 hectares, the largest in California, is a mix of easy, intermediate and advanced, with some expert. There are 24 lifts, including nine high-speed express chairs, an aerial tram and a gondola.
Forty-five per cent of Heavenly's runs are graded intermediate. Blue-square trails like Big Dipper, Galaxy and the popular California Trail -- which starts in Nevada and ends in California -- are all gentle-rolling and moderate.
The spice for experts kicks in at 3,071 metres atop the Milkyway Bowl. Accessed via a moderate hike over snow and boulders, Milkyway is wide-open, powder-filled and fun. It leads to more double-black terrain at Heavenly's eastern boundary and steep runs with fun names -- Stateline Chute, Snake Eyes and The Fingers.
With 35% expert terrain and big snow dumps, Heavenly is a good choice for hard-driving skiers. Plus, its proximity to 13 other Sierra ski resorts, including Squaw Valley and Northstar-at-Tahoe, make it attractive for road-trippers.
Heavenly is accessed easily from Nevada's Reno airport; flights connect from major U.S. hubs, including San Francisco, L. A. and Denver. From Reno it's an easy 1.5-hour drive by shuttle bus or rental car to South Lake Tahoe, the main hotel base of Heavenly Mountain Resort. There's a slew of lodging -- from lakeside motels and casino digs, to mountain-side condos.
Heavenly Village on the California side of South Lake Tahoe is home to the Marriott's new Timber Lodge condo-hotel. The lodge is self-contained, with several pools and hot tubs, a gym, a restaurant-bar and shopping. Heavenly's gondola comes right to the hotel's front door.
Also out the front door: Nevada. A few steps along the busy street leads you to the casinos, which is where the "lively" part starts.
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