For, and just after, New Year's. Staying off I80.

Wanted:

Smaller Hill Recommendations (she's NOT, repeat NOT, ready for Squallywood).

Smaller Eats & Dives recommendations

Smaller Tunes & Bars recommendations

Never been to north side, can only offer common observations about resorts that suggest they might constitute a nice alt-ski safari:
-Mt. Rose, a place on the rise, particularly since opening of The Chutes, has high base and low-moderate crowds.
-Diamond Peak, low crowds, best views of the lake
-Alpine Meadows has always had a strong fan club comprised of all skill levels, low-moderate crowds
-Homewood is supposed to be a low cost/crowd overlooked little gem with lake views.
I guess overnight accommodations around Tahoe City would be central to all of the above?
Hopefully, you'll get some good first hand replies.

It's been 10 years since I've been to Tahoe.

Homewood is a rockin' little area with a nice variety of terrain (no super steeps.) Uncrowded, right on the lake, IMHO best views of the lake. Northstar also has a nice variety of terrain (again no super steeps.) Never been to Alpine Meadows, but everyone I've talked to recommends it.

Can't remember the eats/drinks specifics. IIRC, just south of Tahoe city (lakeside) is a good bar hangout - it's on the way to/back from Homewood. It's pretty obvious. Been to several places in Tahoe City and Truckee, but it was too long ago to remember the details. All were on the main strips. The Tahoe City place had a nice view of the water.

Other than Sqaw valley there are:
Alpine Meadows | North Lake Tahoe
Boreal | North Lake Tahoe
Diamond Peak | North Lake Tahoe
Homewood Mountain Resort | West Shore
Mt. Rose | North Lake Tahoe

I recall there are some places to eat and sleep around the north lake shore on both CA and NV side.

I know I drove few friends of mine to the hospital in Truckee so I have been there, done that.

Comprex,

Here's some recommendations for you in N.Tahoe.

Ski Areas:

Alpine Meadows - Love this place. Lots of terrain for everyone.

Homewood - Cheap lift tickets. Lots of terrain for intermediates and lots of tree skiing. Best place to go if it's windy or snowing.

Eats:

Sunnyside Resort & Marina - Great food lakeside. They also have lodging.

Lodging:

CalNeva - Frank Sinatra's place is on the Cali-Nevada border. Resturant, hot tub, & casino. Great views of the lake.

Granlibakken Resort - Full service resort. X-cross skiing. http://www.granlibakken.com

Homewood Marina Lodge - Motel rooms with kitchenettes.

House/condo rentals - In lieu of a hotelmotel room, I'd check out the the houses or condos for rent. Winter is the off-season in Tahoe. Last summer, I rented a house for $3,000/week. The same house was $1,500/month in the winter. Go figure.

I second Alpine. Great atmosphere, great runs, friendly folks, extremely family friendly.

You may want to try Sugar Bowl too. It's got some very nice terrain, and is generally uncrowded even though it sits near the interstate. If you want something smaller, Donner Pass is directly across the road and a real local's hill.

Thanks, folks, thus far Sugar Bowl is definitely on the list, looks like Mt. Rose, Diamond Peak, Alpine Meadows and Homewood are as well.

Donner, huh.

Now for some snow out there...

Pack a lunch (for three months) just in case.

Heh. Almost needed it, too. Got caught in the storm driving out. Nothing quite like Sierra storms for
- obscuring every road sign with cling-on sheaths of snow
- making ordinary 4wd pretty useless
- catching Californians driving 5mph in Dodge Neons
- sending 80-90 mph wind gusts to break rear wheels free
- icing up the next day so chains useless
- giving one enough stress that gristly roast beef sandwiches in nameless casinos in the middle of the high desert taste like the food of the gods.

Homewood was exceptionally crunchy, mostly because of the sun exposure.

Donner Ski Ranch was very well received in spite of some hilarious wind even before the storms hit.

Diamond Peak had enough manmade snow to set up some nice bumpies, decent terrain open, views excellent.

Sierra At Tahoe was -packed- to the gills, oddly most of the blue and single-black terrain had like one person (me) on it.

Alpine Meadows: wind. Wind. WIND. And this is before the storm hit; I have some pics somewhere of giant whitecaps at King's Beach.

Best food experience: Cortina in the strip mall next to the intersection of SR395 and NV431 (Mt. Rose access road).