California/Nevada Getting to Squaw

[davjr96]

A group of friends and I are trying to plan an Ikon pass trip over spring break from the east coast and Squaw/Alpine is one of our top choices, we're just struggling on the logistics of getting there. Ideally we can fly out of IAD (Dulles) or DCA (Reagan) into Reno, SFO, San Jose, or Sacramento. Obviously Reno is the closest but the flights into SFO are much cheaper and at better times. The other issue is we are all 21-22 so will have to pay a lot more if we end up renting a car. I've seen some shuttles online from the various airports and they all seem pretty decent but it is hard to tell. Does anyone have any experience with any of them? I have driven from the bay to Squaw many times but always in the summer and never in a rental car. I'm also pretty experienced with driving in North East snowstorms but I think driving to Squaw from the Bay in a rental car with the possibility of a blizzard or i-80 being closed (will be second week of march) could lead to a very hectic start of the trip. I also assume a rental car from the bay area will not be properly prepared for the mountains.
Any suggestions or experiences are welcome! Thanks!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

My ski club went to Tahoe last march and we flew into San Fran as we got a direct flight at a really good price. We had a huge coach bus for the club. I know the drive to Tahoe can be gnarly and my worst fear came true. Thankfully we stopped at a sandwich shop for food because that drive was looooooooooooooooooooooooooong. When we go back to Tahoe we're flying into Reno hands down.

 

[Eleeski]

We usually fly to Reno. The airport does surprisingly well staying open in weather. The road up is not bad and often chain controls start in Truckee so you don't need to chain up to get to Squaw. No guarantees of course but Reno is the safest access to Squaw. We hired a van once to shuttle a big crowd up (good experience but took planning). We used the casino buses (when we stayed in the casino). Public transportation is not great to Squaw. Rental cars can be random - plan ahead. College kids have successfully rented cars there.

SFO sucks. Weather delays are so common that Southwest quit flying there for a while. Traffic east is a mess. Then you have to get through Sacramento traffic. Donner pass always has storm chain controls - if it is open. It's 5 hours without problems. Party bus might be the way to go.

San Jose is close to my mom's - that's why we fly there. Traffic to match LA.

Sacramento is a decent option in good weather. Couple hour drive. Cheap rent a cars. Lots of flight options from Southwest. Ikedas crab sandwich in Auburn. Visiting my brother for a waterski ride isn't a factor for you - unless...

For a snow ski trip, Reno.

Eric

 

[Eric267]

Fly to Reno and take the North Tahoe express bus or get an uber (if you have enough people it will be about the same price). Flying into the bay can be a long slog and if it snows can take up to 10 hours with road closers. By the time you pay for a rental car and gas it will probably about even out with the higher price of flying into Reno

You can take the TART bus (or hitch hike) to Truckee or Tahoe city if you want to get out of the valley for dinners or whatever. It runs every hour in the winter right from the village.

 

[Andy Mink]

Living in Reno and reading the reports of Bay Area skiers trying to get to and from Squalpine, Reno would be my choice. It's way closer. About 30-45 minutes on a good day to Truckee, longer in the snow. IF you can get up I80 in the snow it can take 6 or 7 hours, maybe more, from the Bay. Will you be staying in Truckee? Reno would be cheaper and the short drive is easy unless there's a really big storm.

 

[davjr96]

Thanks for all the insight guys! Reno sounds like the way to go if we can find good flights.

Lodging is still up in the air. I figure if no rental car is involved than its easier to stay in the valley. But if we have some reliable form of transportation then definitely open to Truckee or Reno.

 

[Mendieta]

To add to the above, Oakland airport is easier to get in/out, less traffic on the way to Tahoe (no need to cross the Bay Bridge and SF).

But I think Reno is almost certainly the winner. Besides all the good reasons given above, Reno might give you an extra day or two of skiing (or one/two day(s) less of lodging, if your number of ski days are fixed).

 

[Talisman]

As others have said Reno is the easy choice, driving out of SFO to the east bay is time consuming. Should I-80 get closed it typically is on the CA side at Donner, which can mean empty ski North Tahoe resorts for those coming from NV. Should I-80 close on the NV side you still have Mt Rose as an option, which while note huge has some fun terrain.

 

[Mendieta]

As others have said Reno is the easy choice, driving out of SFO to the east bay is time consuming. Should I-80 get closed it typically is on the CA side at Donner, which can mean empty ski North Tahoe resorts for those coming from NV. Should I-80 close on the NV side you still have Mt Rose as an option, which while note huge has some fun terrain.

I wonder if Chez Ziggy is included in Ikon!

 

[Lex P]

I reside in Sacramento (have lived in Reno) and my Seattle ski crew comes down each year and we rally in Reno. My take is that Reno has lots more to offer in terms of better and cheaper restaurants, nightlife (I'm sure some will disagree here), and affordable lodging than Tahoe. The airport is super easy to use and it's a short drive to Tahoe. Costco has excellent car rental deals out of Reno.

Tip: Fly in early to Reno and you can make it to Squaw by mid-day. Show your plane ticket at the booth and you get a complimentary day of skiing.

Check out The Depot brewery/distillery and Brassiere St. James in Reno for great food and beers.

 

[Andy Mink]

Check out The Depot brewery/distillery and Brassiere St. James in Reno for great food and beers.

And Great Basin Brewery! Gimme an Icky!

 

[Philpug]

I wonder if Chez Ziggy is included in Ikon!

No, but we do offer museum tours.

 

[Near Nyquist]

March is usually a high snowfall month in Tahoe, flying into Reno and avoiding driving by taking the shuttle is a good call. This will limit you to lodging at the squaw village without a vehicle or taking the tart bus if your lodging is located on a bus route.

Flying into the Bay Area will probably not save you on overall cost if you factor in traffic hassles, rental car expenses and the variability on I-80. You effectively loose ski days with this approach.

Flying to Sacramento will eliminate the Bay Area traffic issues but not the I-80 variability plus you would still need the rental. You probably would not loose ski days with this approach depending on weather.

My vote is for Reno and the shuttle in your groups situation

 

[Tricia]

The other issue is we are all 21-22 so will have to pay a lot more if we end up renting a car.

Fly to Reno and take the North Tahoe express bus or get an uber (if you have enough people it will be about the same price). Flying into the bay can be a long slog and if it snows can take up to 10 hours with road closers. By the time you pay for a rental car and gas it will probably about even out with the higher price of flying into Reno

You can take the TART bus (or hitch hike) to Truckee or Tahoe city if you want to get out of the valley for dinners or whatever. It runs every hour in the winter right from the village.

QFT.
You have some good information here to ponder.

Thanks for all the insight guys! Reno sounds like the way to go if we can find good flights.

Lodging is still up in the air. I figure if no rental car is involved than its easier to stay in the valley. But if we have some reliable form of transportation then definitely open to Truckee or Reno.

The cost of a rental car for someone under 25 can be pricy. You may sink that $$ into lodging. Fly into Reno and either stay in Reno using shuttles to the resorts, or stay at Squaw Valley and soak up the experience.

 

[aubergine]

We're in SMF (now) but have flown in to SFO, SMF, Reno when we lived on the east coast and were going to Tahoe.

SFO will probably have the cheapest and most direct flight choices, although I do think there is now a Washington to SMF direct. However SFO will cost you more in rental cars, and more aggro getting up to the mountains. Reno is easier, but likely less choices in flights. Sacramento is a bit in the middle.

It feels like the last few seasons in Tahoe have been more of the style of a few big dumps, when chain controls go up, rather than constantly needing those. However when CalTrans put chain controls up, they really mean it. And unfortunately, even if you rent a car that is supposed to be 4WD, that doesn't mean you'll get that when you get to the agency. Many times a Tahoe or what not is just a 2WD, which really sucks since you'll have paid up for the SUV and not gotten the essential attribute - snowsurefootedness. CalTrans does have an excellent website with real time cameras you can look at. We use it a lot when being opportunistic down valley, and trying to catch a break in storms, or get an early start when snow has stopped falling.

If you do get a rental car, pick up appropriate chains before you get into the high country. The vast majority of the time chains cannot be returned (even if unused) but a few non automotive stores will let you take them back. I'm thinking WalMart might be one of them? Also take weather proof gloves, and those goofy rubber spider chain tighteners. Our hit rate for needing chains - we avoid bad weather - is still about 5% over the last few years.

 

[dbostedo]

Ideally we can fly out of IAD (Dulles) or DCA (Reagan) into Reno...

You might want to check on BWI too, if none of the group is too far away from it. I avoid BWI if possible, but I've wound up on quite a few flights out of there due to price, or occasionally due to flight times.

And I'd definitely recommend flying in and out of Reno. Personally, I'd pay quite a bit more to do that, than to have to drive from SFO.

 

[raytseng]

A group of friends and I are trying to plan an Ikon pass trip over spring break from the east coast and Squaw/Alpine is one of our top choices, we're just struggling on the logistics of getting there. Ideally we can fly out of IAD (Dulles) or DCA (Reagan) into Reno, SFO, San Jose, or Sacramento. Obviously Reno is the closest but the flights into SFO are much cheaper and at better times. The other issue is we are all 21-22 so will have to pay a lot more if we end up renting a car. I've seen some shuttles online from the various airports and they all seem pretty decent but it is hard to tell. Does anyone have any experience with any of them? I have driven from the bay to Squaw many times but always in the summer and never in a rental car. I'm also pretty experienced with driving in North East snowstorms but I think driving to Squaw from the Bay in a rental car with the possibility of a blizzard or i-80 being closed (will be second week of march) could lead to a very hectic start of the trip. I also assume a rental car from the bay area will not be properly prepared for the mountains.
Any suggestions or experiences are welcome! Thanks!

Where are you staying? Reno or Squaw or Truckee? You need to decide and lock that down and will guide rest of your logistics

Your decision is if you want to get some "nightlife" of Reno and slightly cheaper everything else; and trading off skiing convenience; or if you're optimizing solely for skiing and staying at the resort. If you're 21/22 I'd imagine fun of Reno nightlife has as much value to you as the skiing.
Travel is going be different if you need just 1 shuttle in and out and being slopeside; versus needing a ride every day you want to ski.

Definitely suggest reno as your airport. Any savings will be wiped out with lost days.

Maybe you stay in village, but save 1 or 2 days on the way out just to recover/party around in Reno. Those that still want to ski can do day trip

 

[Tricia]

You might want to check on BWI too, if none of the group is too far away from it. I avoid BWI if possible, but I've wound up on quite a few flights out of there due to price, or occasionally due to flight times.

And I'd definitely recommend flying in and out of Reno. Personally, I'd pay quite a bit more to do that, than to have to drive from SFO.

This X 100

 

[Pequenita]

I flew from the DC area to visit North Lake Tahoe a bunch before I left the area. Always flew out of DCA because by the time I considered the expense of getting to/parking at other airports, it evened out. I *always* flew into Reno. It’s just an easier drive - and if you need a last minute hotel, it’s easier to get one. That said, I’ve had chain control 2x coming up from Reno.

I’d recommend staying in/near the village because if it’s recently been snowing, the roads will be clear but the neighborhood streets still can require chains to get around. Also note that Squaw doesn’t have a shuttle in the Valley itself.