Winter Sports & Activities in the Most Mountainous State in the Lower 48

Mother Nature drops about 30 feet of snow on Lake Tahoe’s mountainous rim each year, more than enough for an elite lineup of winter sports, ranging from world-class skiing and snowboarding to fat biking, tubing, snowmobiling, and beyond. Hit the slopes along Tahoe’s eastern shoreline, known for the Lake Tahoe Basin’s highest base elevations and longest vertical drops, as well as divine wide-angle, blue-water vistas and smooth corduroy runs that seem to plummet right to the lake, including at one of the largest ski resorts in the United States.

Altogether, Silver State ski resorts in the Tahoe region boast more than 200 runs for beginners, black-diamond seekers, and every skill level in between—plus thousands of acres of backcountry. However, you don’t have to earn any turns to reward yourself with a piece of Lake Tahoe’s classic winter resort lifestyle, with luxury lodging in North Lake Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe, both brimming with family-fun-filled winter activities, including cross country skiing, ice skating, snow tubing, and plenty of cozy lakeside fire pits to unwind at after.

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Whether it’s the newest item on your bucket list or the best wrong turn you ever took, whichever corner of this state you venture to, you’re bound to uncover the kind of unexpected encounters, memorable characters, and only-in-Nevada experiences that make this place so damn special. Get your hands on stunning images, surprising stories, colorful characters, do-before-you-die events, and beyond. And just to sweeten the deal, in addition to sending you our official Nevada Magazine & Visitor Guide, we’ll throw in our swanky state map, too.

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Powder Your Face

But Tahoe ain’t the only place where you can “snow” your own way. The nightlife and entertainment capital of the planet buzzes just 40 minutes from true alpine skiing delight at Lee Canyon—a fact that virtually redefines the apres-skiing game for good. Nestled in one of the highest-elevation mountain ranges in the Silver State, cruising from the low-lying Las Vegas Valley floor to Mt. Charleston means traveling through seven climate zones in less than 20 miles. Get your powder fix on 24 runs by day, then head back to Sin City for the party of your life, all within the space of a single afternoon.

If it’s a backcountry winter wonderland you’re after, there is no better place than northeastern Nevada’s Ruby Mountains. As one of the best kept secrets in the Silver State (and entire West), this range promises some of Nevada’s best recreation year-round, but really stops the show during winter months. Climb to Lamoille Canyon’s jagged peaks and frozen lakes by snowshoe or snowmobile; then, if you prefer the express lane down, just pick an untouched line and let ‘er rip through some of the driest and fluffiest powder in North America. If you’re looking for a lift, the only chairs you’ll find out here are in helicopters. Book a weekend at Ruby Mountain Heli Skiing—the oldest family-operated heli-ski outfit in the U.S.—and treat yourself to a seriously elevated, only-in-Nevada winter adventure.

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