Skied Heavenly Feb 20 thru 23. Dry conditions in So Cal have negatively effected the experience. But I must say that the ownership (Vail Assoc) really do an incredibly good job with the limited snow they have. They make snow when they can, and expertly groom the runs nightly. Lifts are top of the line and staff ample and well trained. But if you have a choice, the Colorado Rockies are getting dumped with snow all season.
They shut the lifts down for wind! Heavenly got 8" of new snow overnight and they did not even groom the runs!! It was like skiing on crusty ice. We paid $115 for a lift ticket and ended up leaving after 3 runs.
Just spent a week in South Lake Tahoe predominantly for the skiing at Heavenly but also for a nice rest. Heavenly is a great ski area, unfortunately most of the area was closed due to poor snow conditions but what was left was excellently maintained and managed, Due to the very warm weather conditions were better in the morning, by mid afternoon water skis would heave been more appropriate but next morning back to good conditions. The only real downside about Heavenly is the $125 dollars a day lift pass. I have skied throughout Europe, America, Whistler and even New Zealand but haven't found anywhere this expensive.Just a mention for South Lake Tahoe, obviously a beautiful place but what surprised me the most was the friendliness of the local people and Americans in general during my trip (no offence to Americans but that hasn't always been my experience).
Snow conditions were "challenging". We decided to ski the half day to allow the sun and temperatures to warm up the snow. A half day is $95 vs 115$ and was the perfect trade-off for us. The half day starts at 12:30 so you start skiing from the top by 1:00. We skied till they closed 4:00. Most moguls were hard. Sunny and warm though so the day was pleasant.Everyone who works on the ski hill are very friendly. Happy hour starts at 3:30 otherwise expect to pay $10 for a tall can of beer. Variety of beer is good(Guiness, Local IPA, and the Buds). When we come back we would try another ski hill like Kirkwood if the conditions were better.
Good varied skiing, good food at the many lodges on the mountain, helpful staff. One disappointment is that they do not groom their slopes so skiing is a little difficult since you are always skiing thru piles of snow or slush if the temps are higher.
Limited snow and unusually warm temperatures made for less than enjoyable skiing in February, 2015. A dump of 16 inches the weekend before we came allowed for more runs and lifts to be opened, but by the end of our week much had been closed down again due to 60+ degree temps and cloudless skies. While the warm weather was a nice respite from our Midwestern deep freeze, and the area is strikingly beautiful, the up-charge for a ski-in/ski-out condo (that wasn’t due to little snow) and full-price tickets made this an overly expensive trip given the very poor ski/snow conditions. I did call Heavenly and ask about ticket prices before buying my epic pass, but while conditions were equivalent to late spring (or worse), these weren't spring skiing ticket prices. Slushy/thin snow, eleven dollar beers, and too many people on too few runs left us a bit disappointed in Heavenly. If you can still change your plans, I suggest looking elsewhere for your ski vacation. Other mountains are cheaper, and I know that some with poor snow have offered discounts. If you do go to Heavenly yet this year, watch for rocks, boulders, trees/branches, and slush piles. And, do watch the hype. If you want to ski all 3500 feet be prepared to pull through many crossovers and flat areas; the mountain is really several separate areas and long runs aren't as long as you might think. I’m sure Heavenly is an excellent area in a good snow year, so maybe we’ll return in a few years.
Good morning, We're very sorry for this experience. We pride ourselves on providing great customer service and would like to follow up with you regarding your day at Heavenly. Please email us at skiheavenly@gmail.com with your contact info, full name, and date of birth so that we can look up your lift ticket purchase from the day you were here.
My 9th trip to Heavenly and never had poor snow. Well this year the snow was the worst I've ever seen here - but even then, skiing at nearly 10,000 feet there are still plenty of runs open. The views are still "knock your ski socks off" - there is nowhere else like it.
Other than the weather not cooperating for the winter this place is as beautiful as it gets. We got very lucky with a few storms coming through that made for very good skiing despite the drought. Only downside is a fellow at the stagecoach lodge lift ticket office that wears a badge that says providing excellent service since 2005. Not so much. Took about 15 min to purchase 2 lift tickets. Seemed to take that long for the couple in front if me. May need some re-training on the computer system of another job. Nice guy, but not so proficient.
We had a chance to visit South Lake Tahoe for a day trip and decided to trek up the mountian via gondola to the Heavenly Mountain Lodge. The gondola ride ($48 RT) was fantastic as we accended the heights the view of the ski village, lake and mountain were wonderful. We had no trouble getting a gondola to ourselves and decided to stop off at the overlook half way up the mountain since it is only available on the accending trip. Once we did reach the summit, we made our way to the lodge to a warm bowl of steakhouse chili and a cold beverage, it hit the spot! The lodge was full of skiers as was the slopes outside. I recomend taking this trek in even if you don't plan to ski, the views are worth the trip!