The main resorts group into three areas. North Lake and Truckee have Palisades Tahoe, Northstar, Sugar Bowl and Boreal off I-80 and SR-89. The Nevada side has Mt. Rose on the Mt. Rose Highway and Diamond Peak in Incline Village. South Lake has Heavenly, Kirkwood and Sierra-at-Tahoe off US-50 and SR-88.
From Reno and Reno-Tahoe International, Mt. Rose is about 35 minutes, Northstar and Palisades about 45 to 60 minutes, and Heavenly about 75 minutes in good conditions. Bay Area groups ride three to four hours each way on I-80 or US-50, which usually makes an overnight trip the better plan.
Winter roads set the schedule. Caltrans and Nevada DOT impose chain controls on I-80 over Donner Summit, US-50 over Echo Summit, SR-89, SR-28 and the Mt. Rose Highway during storms. Operators run equipped vehicles, carry chains and adjust departure times, and a storm can add hours or close a pass.
Size the vehicle to the gear. A coach carries skis, boards and boot bags for a full group in the under-floor bays. Minibuses have much less space, so large ski groups usually take a coach.
Pricing is all-in with driver, fuel, standard mileage and tolls. Ski days book as full days. Holiday weeks and school breaks fill first, so book four to six weeks out. Trips between California and Nevada use carriers with FMCSA interstate authority.
