Heavenly Mountain Resort
Scenic gondola rides: $30 general, $26 teens 13-18, $20 children 5-12, $26 seniors 65 and older, free for kids 4 and younger. Operates 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Labor Day.
Heavenly Flyer: Single rides $30 general, $20 for season passholders, $125 for book of five vouchers. Operates 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with 10 people scheduled per half hour. Advance reservations strongly recommended.
Climbing wall: $10 for 10 minutes.
Hiking: Free, on a network of trails signed in green, blue and black according to level of difficulty.
Food service: Multiple outlets open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Dog friendly: No
Insider tip: The mid-mountain observation platform can be accessed only on the trip up; no stops are made on the way down.
Location: Gondola entrance is on Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe, a half-block west of Stateline casinos.
Parking: The most convenient place to ditch your car is in a city-owned garage behind the gondola terminal. To reach it, turn east off Highway 50 onto Heavenly Village Way (before the gondola station), then left on Bellamy Court. Charge is $1.75 per half-hour up to a maximum of $23 per day.
More information: www.skiheavenly.com or (775) 586-7000. Ask about lodging packages that include gondola and activity tickets.
Squaw Valley USA
Scenic cable-car rides: Offered daily 9:40 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Labor Day, 9:40 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Sept. 14.
Rates: $22 general, $17 youth 13-17, $6 children 4-12, $17 ages 65 and older. Ride/skate/swim package $32, $28, $20, $28; other combinations available. Swim ticket includes towels, showers, changing facilities.
Sunset dinner package $51 before 5 p.m., $41 after 5 p.m.; includes cable-car ride and three-course dinner at Poolside Cafe.
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Dog friendly: Yes
Food and beverage service: Poolside Cafe open for lunch and dinner. Umbrella bar open noon to dusk.
Insider tip: Pick up a trail map at the cable-car station or at High Camp, but supplement it by asking lots of questions of Squaw staff. Signing is sparse, and some trails - especially on the Shirley Canyon route - are easy to lose.
More information: www.squaw.com; (800) 403-0206 for lodging packages.
Northstar-at-Tahoe
Scenic lift rides: Free on Village Express (enclosed gondola cars) Zephyr Express (open chairs and closed cars) and Vista Express (open chairs). Go to the Season Pass office or Plaza Bikes in the village to pick up a complimentary hiking lift ticket. Frequent visitors can register for a free season hiking pass.
Biking: A variety of pricing options are available, from daily lift tickets, $39 general, to a season pass for $229.
A beginner package, $49 general, $29 for ages 9-12, includes a rental bike and afternoon lift ticket valid on the Gondola Express. All-mountain afternoon ticket-and-bike packages start at $79. Helmets and gloves are included in rental packages.
Rentals: At Plaza Bikes in the Village.
Season: Daily through Sept. 1 and Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 5.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends.
Food and beverage service: Multiple outlets in base village open daily; service at mid-mountain on weekends.
Wheelchair accessible: Yes, on Gondola and Zephyr lifts.
Dog friendly: Leashed pets welcome on trails and in enclosed cabins of Gondola and Zephyr lifts.
Insider tip: Stay & Bike package includes two biking or hiking lift tickets and two $15 food coupons for $69.50 per person per night based on two-night stay in an older condominium unit. Bike rental not included.
Instruction: Ask at the bike shop. Upcoming events include an Aug. 22-24 Giant for Women Ride and Retreat featuring instruction from mountain biking champion Tara Llanes and road-bike Olympian Mari Holden. Open to beginner and intermediate riders, it's priced at $400.
More information: www.northstarattahoe.com or (800) 466-6784.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Lift operations: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, through Sept. 7.
Mountain biking: lift tickets $32 full day/$22 half day for adults, $22/$17 ages 13-18; $17/$12 ages 6-12; kids 5 and under and their bikes ride free.
Bike rentals: $55 full day/$40 half day; available at Summer HQ in the Red Cliffs Day Lodge on weekends and at the General Store Monday-Friday.
Cycling clinics: Last seminar of the season is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 30; $50 cost includes instruction and lift ticket, but not bike rental.
Hiking: Lift access $10 per ride.
Food and beverage: Available in the base village but not on the mountain.
Wheelchair accessible: Buildings yes; chairlift no.
Dog friendly: No dogs on lifts.
Insider tip: Stop by the General Store and pick up a copy of Laird Blackwell's "Flowers of Kirkwood," which offers trail-by-trail descriptions of what you'll see. (This year's wildflowers are on the decline, but some blooms should remain through August.)
More information: www.kirkwood.com or (209) 258-7360.
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