In January 2026, we took our Ikon Pass to explore and ski around Lake Tahoe. Really we only hit up Palisades, but since it is combined with Alpine Meadows under one ticket, there is a lot of terrain to explore.
Good to Know
In the winter 25/26, Palisades Tahoe required parking reservations at both Palisades and Alpine Meadows on weekends and peak days. We had a reservation but mixed up the days and got a parking ticket, which was $100. Luckily, we were able to wiggle out of that one and got the ticket withdrawn.
Palisades Lake Tahoe
Arriving at the base you have multiple options to get to the top: a gondola, a tram, and multiple chair lifts that take you to various terrain on the lower parts of the mountain. There is also a base-to-base gondola that takes you over to Alpine Meadows base area with a stop along the way.
We decided to take the Funitel to the Gold Coast hut from where a number of lifts lead to terrain with varying difficulty. We explored terrain under Sibiria Express, where Abby took a rather long tumble down Sibiria Bowl ◆ which left her a little shaken, Gold Coast Express and Shirley Lake Express.
Matt went off to ski ◆ terrain under the Granite Chief Chair, which was all a little icy, thin and bumpy, the theme of the 25/26 ski season in the western US.
There is also a large amount of beginner friendly terrain in the area as well.
Ultimately, we stayed away from most of the ◆ and ◆◆ terrain, due to poor conditions.
Our Rating
- Terrain: ★★★☆☆
The conditions are probably tainting that score a little bit. There is a large amount of expert terrain if the conditions are right, a good amount of beginner terrain, however, not much intermediate terrain. - Lift access: ★★★★★
Lifts going everywhere from the base even to Alpine Meadows. - Lodges: ★★★★☆
We did not check them out sufficiently, but there seems to be plenty of opportunities. - Parking: ★★★★☆
We skied mostly on weekdays while we were there and parking was free. A bit of a walk to the base area though. However, parking is less straightforward on weekends and holidays, requiring reservations, not all of which are free.
Alpine Meadows
We spent the majority of the time here and loved the terrain, even though it still felt early season at the time.
Some favorite areas were runs off of the Summit Express, Scott Chair and Lakeview Chair.
It warmed significantly when we skied at Alpine Meadows, however, the grooming stayed fresh on the front side, especially under the Summit Express where we even found some dry powder in-between bumps on the The Face ◆ run.
When the sun was out, we had some fun spring conditions under the Lakeview Chair for example on Mountain View 🟦 and Twilight Zone 🟦 which we repeatedly lapped.
Matt explored under the Sherwood Express for a bit, however, the conditions just weren’t that great when we were there. Too thin with rocks poking out. It makes sense as that is a largely south facing aspect.
In the afternoon we enjoyed taking a break by the Chalet next to Scotts Chair as it had some great sunshine there.
Overall, we preferred Alpine Meadows over Palisades for it’s varying terrain that has more to offer for the intermediate to advanced skier. Sunshine and spring conditions were a plus too.
Our Rating
- Terrain: ★★★★★
We loved the varied terrain that stayed fresh on thin and hot days as well as south and west facing terrain for afternoon spring skiing. - Lift access: ★★★★☆
The lifts were a bit awkward to get to, but once there, few lines and lots of options. - Lodges: ★★★★☆
The Chalet by Scott’s Chair was great. Comfy seats and face into the sun. - Parking: ★★★★☆
It seemed to fill up quickly, so we had to walk about 10 minutes to get to the base. Not the worst but also not great. Alpine Meadows has the same restrictions as Palisades for weekend and holiday parking.
Overnight parking around Lake Tahoe
Driving towards Lake Tahoe, we were very nervous with regards to this aspect. Lake Tahoe is a very popular place with few to none free overnight parking options, made worse in winter due to the snow.
After doing some research, we checked out the rail lot in Truckee, just 20 minutes away from Palisades, and were surprised that a town would build a dedicated overnight lot for vans and others.
The only rule was that you had to move once per day to stay in the designated north or south side depending on the day of the week.
Other than that, it was dark, quit, minus 1 or 2 trains driving past per night, with a public restroom a short walk away at the bus stop/park and ride across a grass field.
Restaurants and shops are 10 minute walk away, which makes this ideal for a night out after skiing.
Respect the space & leave no trace
As always, if you decide to stay here, follow local laws and regulations. Leave the place better than you found and be respectful of rare gems like this so they can be preserved for many more to come.
Amenities around town
The town has everything one would need. Laundry, Safeway and a large amount of coffee shops and restaurants.
We particulalry loved the Dark Horse Coffee Roasters, which made delicious coffee and affordable bagels with cream cheese.
To get rid of gray water, we used the public restroom at the bus stop which has a flushable toilet that connects to the municipal sewage.
We love Truckee!
HeyFromAway 
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