Squaw Valley

With one of the most advanced lift networks in North America, the layout of Squaw Valley is carefully designed so that there are always two ways to access every area of terrain, cutting down the time that you might wait in line. Squaw has 34 lifts, including a recently modernized 110-passenger cable car and a powerful 28-passenger Funitel—only the fourth of its kind in the world and the only one in North America, replacing the Super Gondola.

Squaw also has one Pulse Gondola, three new high-speed six-pacs (six-passenger detachable lifts), four high-speed quads, one fixed quad, eight triples, ten doubles, three surface and two magic carpets. Put another way, that’s a capacity of 49,000 people per hour. Start time is 8:30 am on weekends and holidays, and 9:00 am all other days. Lifts shut at 4:00 pm for regular lifts and 9:00 pm for night operations.

Squaw Valley lift passes
Lift pass prices include all-day tickets with free night skiing at US$58, afternoon from 1:00 pm at US$42, and night skiing (from 4:00–9:00 pm) at $20. If you’re over 76 then you go free; 65–75 and 13–15 year-olds pay US$29 (photo ID is generally required for proof of age). Children aged 12 and under ski and ride for only US$5 a day. There's a beginners' lift ticket only available in conjunction with the First Time Beginner Package (available for both skiers and snowboarders), which includes rental equipment, a beginner (limited) lift ticket, and a two-hour beginner lesson for $69. For deal-seekers there is the “Frequent Skier Club Plus,” which gives you every fifth day free—you can join the club for US$5.

There are several ticket booths conveniently located at the base of the resort and in the cable car lobby. Tickets are also available for purchase in all Ski Corp rental shops (Ski Rental, Alternative Edge Snowboard Rental and the Far East Rental Center.) Day tickets can be purchased online at www.squawshop.com and they may also be purchased in conjunction with lodgings packages through Squaw Valley Central Reservations.

Maximizing time spent on Squaw Valley's slopes
Busy holidays and some popular weekends are the only times noticeable lines can appear at ticket booths. To alleviate the waiting time for ticket purchasing, Ski Corp will often have a cash-only line that moves significantly faster than lines where credit cards are being used.

In order to maximize your time on the slopes, Squaw Valley has cleverly designed the lift network so that there is often a variety of alternative ways to access each area of terrain. So, when a line begins to form at one lift, you should look around: there is likely to be another lift close by that does not have a wait.