My husband Peter Bowers and I, ski Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley. We ski there every day unless we are traveling, to ski competitions elsewhere. It is sort of our office. Unlike the fly-away snow of Utah and Colorado, our snow only offers a few days of powder that could suffocate you. So when our powder turns heavier, experience means you hardly notice, and the pay off is that terrain so steep as to be unskiable elsewhere, is skiable for the few that can.
Squaw Valley offers challenging nooks and crannies that every year are totally different.
What were old friends the year before, require respect and courage to check out again. In fact riding the lifts on a powder day is like watching an airshow and vastly entertaining. However the runs are short, so a fast efficient lift system helps keep the heart rate up. Alpine Meadows is a dream for backcountry skiers at heart who lack the experience to go by themselves. They have one of the most effective and knowledgeable ski patrols around.