Guide to President’s Weekend at Palisades Tahoe

It’s a holiday weekend! While this is an exciting time to get away and enjoy some skiing, keep in mind that holidays can be busy at Palisades Tahoe. Here is what you need to know in order to have an enjoyable, seamless weekend.

WEATHER + CONDITIONS

It will be sunny throughout the weekend with highs in the upper 30s and lower 40s. This means that the skiing will feel very spring-like. However, it is still cold at night, so expect some runs to be firm in the morning. You should follow the sun throughout the day for the best results. To read more about current conditions, be sure to visit our Conditions Blog for the latest. We also post a mountain report on our Instagram story a few times a week with specific lift or trail recommendations.

TIPS FOR TRAFFIC

Leave for the resort before 7:30am. You don’t want to leave right around 8am, and you definitely don’t want to be trying to get into our parking lots right at 9am.

If you’re arriving early, you can get breakfast in The Village or in the Alpine Lodge. In The Village, try out SunBowl, Starbucks (open at 6:30am), or Coffeebar. Olympic House will also open at 7am with burritos, sandwiches, and pastries. In the Alpine Lodge, stop by Treats in the breezeway or Mogrog Cafe by the Subway chairlift. The Meadows Cafe also opens at 7am now as well.

Don’t leave right at 4pm. Stick around for apres ski Fireworks at 7pm on Saturday! If you aren’t skiing bell-to-bell, you’ll want to leave by 2:30pm to avoid exit traffic. Not sure where to head for apres? Check out our 2023 Winter Apres Guide.

Are you coming from Tahoe City or the West Shore? Use the Sherwood Shuttle. This is a free shuttle that will pick you up from the parking lot at Sunnyside and take you to the Sherwood chair at Alpine. You need your pass/ticket or proof of a pre-purchased ticket in order to use this shuttle. Park at Sunnyside and catch the shuttle: It starts at 8:30am and runs every 45 minutes until 2:30pm. The last ride back to Sunnyside is at 4pm.

TIPS FOR PARKING

Download the Palisades Tahoe app to see our live parking lot status. Make sure you enable push notifications and turn on location services so that you get an alert when we have a parking update.

Parking updates are also shared on our Mountain Operations Twitter Account.

Carpool with 3 or more people to get access to our first-come, first-serve carpooling lots.

You can take the Base to Base Gondola between our two mountains between 9am and 4pm.

If parking fills up, please do not attempt to come to the resort.

PARKING AT ALPINE

There are about 75 premier parking spots that can be reserved in advance online for $60 each if you would like to ensure you get a spot. Besides the 75 premier spots, all other parking at Alpine is first-come, first-serve.

Alpine has two overflow lots, Deer Park and Hidden Valley. If you have to park in these areas, a shuttle will take you from the parking lot up to the base lodge.

PARKING AT PALISADES

All parking on the Palisades side is first-come, first-serve. Signage and parking attendants will help direct you.

Electric car parking is available on the east side of The Village near the Far East chairlift. There are 4 charging stations. These are not free stations.

MAKE USE OF MOUNTAINEER, THE FREE SHUTTLE

Mountaineer is a free public transport option that can be summoned by an app. request your ride and get picked up in a 4WD, dog-friendly van that seats up to nine passengers. Mountaineer services anywhere at Palisades, Alpine, or in between. This includes the communities, so if you have an Airbnb in the valley, there’s no need to drive to the mountain. Simply summon Mountaineer for a free ride to and from the base area. Your start/end locations do not have to be somewhere within the resort. This is a community service that can be used for any purpose.

EVENTS

Fireworks on Saturday

Time: 7pm

Viewing Location: KT Deck

Live Music from Mark Sexton will be in the Plaza Bar up until 7pm

Live Music at Both Mountains

11am-2pm: DJ at Gold Coast (Sun)

11am-2pm: DJ at The Chalet (Sat + Sun)

2-5pm: Boot Juice at Alpine Bar (Sat + Sun)

3-7pm: DJ Mark Sexton at Plaza Bar (Sat)

2-5pm: DJ Zebuel at Plaza Bar (Sun)

ON-MOUNTAIN SAFETY

At the end of the day, Mountain Run at Palisades can get crowded. Consider downloading on the Funitel instead of skiing down, especially if you have young children with you. If you do ski or ride on Mountain Run, take it slow. Watch out for other skiers and riders, even if they aren’t directly in front of you.

Always wear your helmet. Even if you’re an expert skier or rider, remember that not everyone else around you is.

If you’re not sure where to go (or when!) ask one of our knowledgeable Mountain Hosts.

If you’re skiing with a group, make an official group on the Palisades Tahoe app. This allows you to see each other’s locations and keep track of each other on the hill.

Don’t stop in congested areas. If you have to stop, stop behind a slow sign or off to the side of the run.

Cell service has been spotty at Alpine. Make a plan with your group and have a designated meeting area.

HOW TO GET REAL-TIME LIFT + TRAIL STATUS

Visit our Lift + Grooming Status page. If you want to get the privilege of cutting the lift line, book a lesson with us, which is also a great way to improve your skills and discover the mountain.

Follow our Mountain Operations Twitter account. This is especially helpful on dynamic days.

Sign up for the Palisades Tahoe Ski & Ride Report (Weather Blogs + Conditions Blogs are included here)

Download the Palisades Tahoe App. Make sure you have push notifications enabled.

Bookmark our Operations Blog, or sign up for our Operations Blog email list.