Epic Discovery at Heavenly Mountain Resort

Nestled high in the Eastern Sierra in beautiful South Lake Tahoe, there’s no better way to get outside with the whole family than a visit to Heavenly Mountain Resort. While this state-straddling Lake Tahoe ski resort beckons powder hounds from all corners of the country during the winter months, Heavenly Mountain offers some of the best South Lake Tahoe family activities come summertime, with mild to wild activities ready to accommodate all adventure levels.

While the Heavenly Gondola brings skiers and snowboarders up on the mountain to ski lifts during the winter months, it transitions into one of the best ways to take in Big Blue’s grandeur as an unbeatable sightseeing ride during the summer. The Heavenly Scenic Gondola typically opens mid June, and a ticket is required to participate in the rest of Heavenly’s Epic Discovery activities, located away from Heavenly Village and up the mountain. Once you’re at the top, get yourself and the whole crew signed up for a day of immersive activities, like access to some of South Lake Tahoe’s best hiking trails, summer tubing, an outdoor climbing wall, gold and gemstone panning and more. 

Inspired by the incredible rock climbing in the Eastern Sierra, bring the whole family to Granite Peak Climbing Wall. This man-made wall is a permanent Epic Discovery attraction, featuring a 25-foot-tall wall with 15 defined climbing routes varying in difficulty, and a quick-jump, 35-foot rapid descent that simulates free-falling. Something equally, if not more adventurous is the Ridge Rider Mountain Coaster—a gravity-powered alpine coaster that carves through Lake Tahoe National Forest and natural granite boulders Lake Tahoe is known for. Or, soar through the skies at Epic Discovery’s Blue Streak Zipline, or Red Tail Zipline for kids.

For some gentler thrills, sign up for Summer Tubing down a 500 foot-long hill along a specially designed tubing surface that doesn’t require snow or water. Once you’re at the bottom, jump on a carpet lift that brings you back to the top, and if you’ve got smaller kids in tow, glide down the smaller 250-foot-long course. Or, pan for gold and gemstones, just as some of the first explorers in the area did more than 150 years ago at the Gemstone Panning activity. Best yet, grab a bite to eat with grab-and-go food and drink options on the mountain at Café Blue and Tamarack Lodge.