Alpine Meadows, CA

Spa treatments and dining at The Ritz? Not at Alpine Meadows. There's no village here. But there is this: "You will get a fresh run at 3:30 in the afternoon on a powder day-and it'll be the best run of the day," says local pro skier Jeremy Benson.

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alpine-meadows-stevenson_1photo: William StevensonAcres: 2,400 | Vertical: 1,802 | Snowfall: 495 | Web: skialpine.com

 

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Lift lines are rare at this North Lake Tahoe resort, and ridges primed for hiking encircle the base area. "The mountain is set up so that you have to hike for your turns a lot of the time," says Benson. "It opens your eyes up to a different way of skiing." Notable: This winter Alpine Meadows has joined forces with Squaw Valley (they share the same massif). The combined skiing will be the biggest in the U.S.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the Early Winter 2012 issue

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Swami won't take offense if you mount tele/touring skis with AT bindings, but the easy flex makes tele-turning most joyful.
Time for Swami to trade in his String Cheese Incident rucksack and acquire a modern pack with adjustable straps, back vents, and such.
When seeking frontside skis, look for damp skis with ungodly edge penetration.
For all-mountain skis you seeketh a balance of powder flotation and hard-snow guts.
Big Mountain ski buyers: Meditate on tip rocker if you crave the pow. Ex racers go traditional.
Using AT boots? Swami sees 90 to 100 millimeter crossover skis in your future Facebook postings.
Swami sayeth: Choose a mountain bike with a blend of climbing and descending performance for the exigencies of the mountain trail near you.
What's with all the skiers passing us in the powder, you snowboarders ask? Rocker lets you float without effort. It's pay-to-play Zen.