THERE are lots of ski resorts around Lake Tahoe in Nevada, the most prominent of which is Squaw Valley, site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. In fact, remnants of the Olympic equipment still exist and the whole stuff was turned into a museum. The Olympic Ice Pavilion at Squaw Valley has state of the art refrigeration system and heat exchanger. The energy generated from the heat exchanger is so enormous that it can also accommodate heating the Squaw Valley swimming lagoon and spa, its decks and hallways and the tennis club of the ski resort. From hereon up to September 2 this year, the Squaw Valley ice pavilion will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. but will close at 4:00 p.m. during the period September 3 to 16. From September 16 to November 17, both the cable car and the high camp are closed.

For skating packaged with a cable car ride, the rate is pegged at $26 per adult, $22 for youngsters and seniors and $14 for children aged 12 below. Squaw Valley has an impressive collection of 33 high-end high speed quads and high speed six-packs. This is to make sure that any skier who will be in Squaw Valley will really be safe. The cable car itself is impressive as it will carry you 2,000 feet up to Squaw Valley’s very beautiful high camp bath and tennis club. The cable car has a very modern cabin, ceiling to floor windows offering panoramic view of the whole resort and even to Lake Tahoe beyond. For a hitch on the cable car ride, it will be open from 9:40 a.m. to 8:40 p.m. until September 2 and the last ride up from September 3 to October 16 will be at 3:40 p.m. One cable car ride costs $20 for adults, $16 for the youth and seniors and only $5 for kids. If you avail of the cable car ride from 5 p.m. onwards, then you’re in for a promo as the regular rate will be down to $11 only for both ages across the board except for the kids which retain their privilege rate of only $5. For a cable car downhill ride, the cost across the board for all ages is only pegged at $10. For a packaged full season pass, Squaw Valley offers it at only $1,799 for adults, $1,389 for persons aged 13 to 18, $1,179 for seniors and only $349 for kids. Squaw Valley has an area of 4,000 acres and the elevation at its skiing peak is 9,050 feet above the lake level while the elevation at the base of the resort is 6,200 feet above the level of Lake Tahoe. It has a total of 177 runs.

If you wish to go cross country skiing at Squaw Valley, the runs are perfect even for amateurs and your safety is the utmost concern of the management of the resort. Most trails are catered towards the amateurs simply because most of the tourists there are first timers in skiing.