Heavenly Mountain Resort

4,800 acres straddling the California-Nevada border, with casino lights visible from the summit.

Our Take

Heavenly has the most interesting view in American skiing: ski down the California face and you're looking at Lake Tahoe, one of the clearest deep-blue alpine lakes in the world; ski down the Nevada side and there are casino towers in the flatlands 3,000 feet below. The 4,800-acre resort straddles the state line on the ridge above South Lake Tahoe, which means you can legally gamble 200 yards from the ski lodge and the ski patrol has jurisdiction questions. The terrain is massive and varied. The California side has long, sustained cruisers with Tahoe views; the Nevada side has steeper, more sustained vertical on terrain like Mott Canyon's double-black chutes. The snow is Tahoe -- variable, with the potential for both excellent Sierra Cement and legitimate powder depending on storm temperature -- and the elevation keeps the upper mountain in better shape than the base during warm stretches. Heavenly is a destination resort with all the infrastructure that implies: multiple base areas, a gondola from South Lake Tahoe, and Vail's usual operations polish. The après is South Lake Tahoe, which means casino buffets and live music until 2am.

Intermediate cruisersViews obsessivesTahoe multi-resort plannersAprès-ski enthusiastsEpic pass holders

Nerd Stats

Skiable Acres

4,800

Summit Elevation

10,067'

Avg Annual Snowfall

360"

Vertical Drop

3,500'

Fun Facts

Heavenly's terrain spans two states -- some runs literally cross the California-Nevada border mid-descent.
The Lake Tahoe view from the summit is one of the most photographed ski vistas in the US. The lake is 22 miles long and 1,645 feet deep.
Mott Canyon has the steepest terrain at Heavenly -- double-blacks with 35-degree pitches and rock-band exposure.
The Heavenly Gondola departs from the South Lake Tahoe shopping district -- you can ride it without buying a lift ticket.