As the Olympic Valley changes from fall foliage to winter snow, we’re all gearing up for an exciting ski & snowboard season this year. From a new Base-to-Base Gondola to ski events on the world stage to remembering our area’s Olympic past, read on to get ready for another exciting ski season at Palisades Tahoe. The snow is starting to fly so it’s time to wax those skis and snowboards before the chairlifts start to turn. Opening day is slated for November 18!
New Chairlifts at Palisades Tahoe
Let’s start with the biggest news of all, the Base-to-Base Gondola will be open for its first season linking our Olympic Valley with Alpine Meadows creating access to all 6,000 acres of terrain. The nearly 2.5-mile gondola ride will link Palisades Tahoe to Alpine Meadows for the first time ever. No need to hop in a car to ride both ski areas in the same day. You can choose to get off to ski and ride at 3 of the 4 terminal stops along the way or ride the full length from the Olympic Valley over to Alpine Meadows. The new Base-to-Base Gondola will make Palisades Tahoe the largest ski area in California and the third largest ski area in North America!
Also, new this season at Palisades Tahoe is the update and relocation of the Red Dog chair lift. One of our favorite areas to find some untracked turns on a powder day, got an upgrade for the 22/23 season. The Red Dog chair lift has been relocated to offer easier access from the parking lot and will now be a detachable six-person chair.
World Cup Skiing & Olympic Past
Get out your cowbells, the 2023 Audi FIS Ski World Cup is coming to Palisades Tahoe! Mark your calendars for the last weekend in February. The weekend kicks off with the Men’s Giant Slalom on Saturday followed by the Men’s Slalom on Sunday on Dog Leg and Red Dog Face. With seven Team Palisades Tahoe athletes currently on the US Alpine Ski Team, it’s going to be a hometown showdown. There will be fireworks, outdoor concerts and lots going on in the village so you don’t want to miss it.
This isn’t the first time that Palisades Tahoe has been on the world stage. The women’s Ski World Cup circuit came through in 2017 and, as most of us know, Palisades Tahoe hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics. Did you know that Walt Disney was the 1960 chairman of the pageantry committee? His contributions forever changed how the Olympics are presented. If you’re interested in learning more about our area’s Olympic past, just hop on the aerial tram. Once you get to High Camp, you can make your way to the Olympic Museum to see 1960 Team USA uniforms & equipment, photos of the games and other memorabilia.
