The Ultimate Guide to a Women's Ski Retreat at Lake Tahoe

Getting to Know Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe straddles the California-Nevada border and splits into two distinct halves, each with its own personality.

North Lake Tahoe has a quieter, more residential feel. Think tucked-away lakefront homes, small mountain towns, and a slower pace. South Lake Tahoe is the livelier side, known for its casino and hotel strip that runs right along the state line.

For a retreat, North Lake Tahoe tends to be the better fit: it's calmer, closer to the mountain, and centered around towns built for lingering rather than passing through.

A few lakeside bases worth knowing:

• Truckee: about 20 minutes from most North Shore resorts, with a western, historic downtown full of restaurants, boutiques, and coffee shops. It's an easy, worthwhile detour even if you're not staying there.

• Tahoe City: walkable, lake-adjacent, and the unofficial hub of the North Shore.

• Incline Village: a quiet, upscale enclave on the Nevada side.

• Tahoma: smaller and more residential, tucked along the lake's west shore.

The Mountain: What to expect on Skis 

We’ll be spending our ski days at Palisades Tahoe on the North Shore, the largest ski resort in the region. With more than 6,000 combined acres across two connected mountains (Palisades and Alpine), it’s a standout for women who ski at different levels.

Both mountains feature gentle slopes near the base areas with terrain becoming progressively more difficult, and snowfall is never an issue—with averages of 400 inches per year until late spring, Palisades is a blast for beginners and experts alike.

After a long day on the mountain, visiting the Village at Palisades is also a rite of passage for Tahoe skiers. It’s stacked with restaurants and shops within steps of the lifts—keep reading for more information about local businesses!

Finally, here are some standout features at Palisades you’ll want to know:

• The Base to Base Gondola connects the Palisades and Alpine sides in one scenic ride, so your group can split up by ability and reconvene easily.

• KT-22 is Palisades' legendary lift, known for feeding some of the most demanding terrain in North America—a rite of passage for advanced skiers and riders.

• Palisades Tahoe is part of the Ikon Pass network

The Town: Where to Eat, Stay, and Soak It In

Tahoe City and Truckee are where the retreat experience really comes alive after the lifts close.

Restaurants:

Sierra Surf Club at evo Hotel in Tahoe City is a standout. Co-founded by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones, 100% of profits go to Protect our Winters, a nonprofit focused on climate advocacy. It has a hip, energizing vibe that's helped bring new life to downtown Tahoe City (and is also the kind of place that's perfect for kicking off a ski season—we hosted our Snowdown events there in previous years!).

Cottonwood Restaurant and Bar in Truckee has some of the best views in town. Its outdoor patio overlooks downtown Truckee, and indoor seating has an inimitable cozy and historic charm. Their weekend brunch cocktails are to die for, but the burgers and truffle fries are where it’s really at.

Community:

There are some amazing female owned businesses in the area. Sharing a few to check out:

• Bespoke - Gift shop featuring one-of-a-kind items from local artisans, such as jewelry, stationery, and home goods.

• Lagree Tahoe - for those who like a bum busting, shaky leg workout

• Tahoe Fit for your pre ski workout

• The Slime Kitchen

Ski Resorts

Primary resort for retreats: Palisades Tahoe (North Lake)

1. Largest in region — 4,000+ acres across two mountains (Palisades side + Alpine side)

2. Base-to-Base gondola connects both base areas (built a few years ago)

3. Famous lift: KT-22 — draws elite skiers and snowboarders

4. Terrain for all levels

5. Yoga at the base of the mountain (retreat activity)

6. Village has restaurants, shops, easy ski rentals

Other resorts worth a mention: Palisades is the anchor, but Tahoe has plenty of other terrain if you have a mutli-resort itinerary or are looking for something new.

• Heavenly (South Lake Tahoe) — straddles the CA-NV border with some of the best lake views in the basin; on the Epic Pass.

• Northstar — family-oriented and polished, with a Ritz-Carlton on-site; also on the Epic Pass.

• Diamond Peak (Incline Village) — small, family-friendly, and low-key.

• Sugar Bowl — known for genuinely strong, varied terrain.

• Donner Ski Ranch — a laid-back, family-friendly option.

• Kirkwood — deep snow and steep terrain, also on the Epic Pass.

Snowfall: avg 400 inches/year; record season hit 800 inches

Local TAHOE Highlights:

Sierra Surf Club (Tahoe City) — restaurant co-founded with Jeremy Jones (pro snowboarder)

1. Built in partnership with snowboarding pro, Jeremy Jones

2. 100% of restaurant proceeds go to Protect Our Winters (climate nonprofit)

3. Hip vibe, brings vibrancy to downtown Tahoe City

4. The destination for our Snowdown ski season kickoff parties!

5. Has a hotel on-site

Base Camp Hotel (Tahoe City)

Walkable to everything in Tahoe City. We’ve stayed there for previous retreats and the staff and owners are fabulous!

Community profile

Entrepreneurs, strong outdoor culture (skiing, mountain biking, kayaking, wake surfing, paddleboarding)

Notable Locals:

Beyond the restaurant and retail scene, Tahoe's year-round community is worth knowing about, too. This is a basin full of entrepreneurs and outdoor athletes—people who ski all winter and then fill the rest of the year with mountain biking, kayaking, wake surfing, and paddleboarding. Jeremy Jones is one of the most recognizable names to come out of the area, but he's far from the only local worth celebrating.

Tahoe has produced an extraordinary number of elite female skiers and snowboarders, including:

• Jamie Anderson — South Lake Tahoe native and three-time Olympic medalist in snowboard slopestyle.

• Julia Mancuso — four-time Olympian and the most decorated female American alpine skier in Olympic history.

• Maddie Bowman — Olympic gold medalist in ski halfpipe, raised skiing at Sierra-at-Tahoe.

• Hannah Teter — Olympic gold and silver medalist in snowboard halfpipe.

• AJ Hurt — a current World Cup alpine racer from Carnelian Bay who trains out of Palisades Tahoe.

• Keely Cashman — an alpine racer who grew up skiing Tahoe's mountains.

It's a genuinely inspiring backdrop for a retreat built around women supporting women on the mountain.