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Heavenly Resort Reviews


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Visitor reviews for Heavenly Ski Resort

Heavenly Ratings

Overall: 4.3. Based on 18 votes and 15 reviews.

Rate this resort

Snowsure: 4.2

  • Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing
  • Is often closed due to a lack of snow
  • Occasionally suffers from a lack of snow
  • Rarely suffers from a lack of snow
  • Heavenly is snowsure even in the poorest seasons

Variety of pistes: 4.8

  • The ski runs are featureless and unvaried
  • The ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week
  • Heavenly has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain

Off-piste: 4.2

  • No off-piste worth mentioning
  • Off piste is out-of-bounds
  • Some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days
  • A vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days

Scenery: 4.9

  • An ugly resort in a bland setting
  • Average mountain views and resort
  • A spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town

Access: 4.2

  • At least one overnight stop
  • Requires a whole day
  • Requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns
  • Arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon
  • There is a main airport within an hour of Heavenly

Public Transport: 3.7

  • There are no buses or taxis to Heavenly
  • There are slow or infrequent buses / trains available
  • Getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections

Accommodation: 4.9

  • No places to stay in/near Heavenly
  • A few places to stay in the resort
  • A wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets

Cheap Rooms: 4.3

  • No budget accommodation available
  • Just one or two hostels so book ahead
  • Several cheap hostels and pensions available

Luxury Hotels: 4.9

  • No luxury accommodation available
  • Just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead
  • Several up-market hotels in Heavenly

Ski in/Ski out: 3.6

  • The ski area is located far from any accommodation
  • A free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip
  • Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available

Childcare: 4.8

  • There are no child care facilities at Heavenly
  • The resort has limited child-care facilities
  • the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche

Snowmaking: 4.7

  • Heavenly relies entirely on natural snow
  • There are just a few snow cannons
  • There are snowmaking facilities on all pistes

Snow Grooming: 4.6

  • There are no snow groomers at Heavenly
  • Occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state
  • All the runs at Heavenly are groomed daily

Shelter: 3.5

  • There is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut
  • There are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close
  • Heavenly is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close

Nearby options: 4.0

  • If snow conditions are poor at Heavenly, it will be poor everywhere nearby
  • There are good alternatives within an hours drive
  • Other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions

Regional rating: 4.6

  • Heavenly usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region
  • Has average conditions for the region
  • Usually has the best snow conditions in the region

Lift Staff: 4.9

  • The staff at Heavenly are rude or unhelpful
  • Lift staff at Heavenly are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help

Crowds/Queues: 3.6

  • The resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues
  • It is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays
  • It is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare

Ski Schools: 4.7

  • No ski schools available
  • One or two ski schools but local language only
  • A few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors
  • Plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available
  • Excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors

Hire and Repairs: 4.3

  • Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex
  • There are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance
  • Good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible

Beginners: 4.5

  • Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard
  • A few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week
  • Vast areas of gentle terrain

Intermediates: 4.6

  • No intermediate terrain at Heavenly
  • Intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days
  • Vast areas of cruising runs

Advanced: 4.8

  • Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders
  • Enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste
  • Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week

Snow Park: 4.6

  • Not even a kicker at Heavenly
  • Average sized park quite well looked after
  • Huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails

Cross-country: 3.0

  • There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Heavenly
  • There are some cross country trails available
  • The area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails

Luge/Toboggan: 2.6

  • No designated luge or toboggan runs
  • There are toboggan runs that open quite often
  • Heavenly has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages

Mountain Dining: 4.3

  • Nowhere to buy food by the pistes
  • Some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive
  • There is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets

Eating: 4.2

  • Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop
  • There are a few places to eat in the resort but nothing special
  • A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants

Apres-Ski: 4.2

  • Nothing to do, not even a bar
  • There are a few bars in the resort but nothing special
  • Clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere

Other Sports: 3.3

  • No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts
  • Resort has just a small public swimming pool
  • Resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool

Entertainment: 4.5

  • Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here
  • The non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week
  • The resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports

Winter Walks: 4.5

  • Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails
  • A couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails
  • Extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities

Ski Pass Value: 4.4

  • A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available
  • The ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts
  • Ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area

Value (National): 4.2

  • Overall, Heavenly is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money
  • Overall represents average value for money
  • Overall offers the best value resort in the country

Value (Global): 4.2

  • Overall, Heavenly is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world
  • Overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries
  • Internationally the resort offers excellent value for money

Show all 35 ratings

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January 05, 2024
Paul Sanford from Ski USA - California USA - California
The crowding at Heavenly can be bad, really bad! Yesterday's experience for example (1/4/2024). The Gunbarrel run is closed and so is the Goldola. A sea of thousands were huddled waiting for the tram or the single lift that could get them down to the Cal lodge. It was a complete disaster. We reached the parking lot after dark at 6:00, our kids shivering and miserable. This was a completely foreseeable situation that Heavenly management did nothing to avoid. Even on a good day, the runs are crowded! Don't go.
January 05, 2024
Chase Kelley from Ski USA - California USA - California
Heavenly has been getting worse and worse over the years in my opinion and just when I thought the money hungry Vail Resorts couldn’t get worse after charging $209 for a day pass for a mountain that is maybe 10% open they charge $131 for a so called discounted “Buddy Pass” for the day. Then we stand with thousands of oversold ticket holders at the top of Gunbarrel for over two hours after hiking with hundreds of other paying customers, cause lift lines were so long, just to get down the mountain and exit the God for sakes “Heavenly Ski Resort”. Kids freezing, people passing out in line, no Heavenly employees directing the herd of shoulder to shoulder customers suffering due to oversold crowded conditions. I have been skiing Heavenly for 35 years and this was the last experience I will have there. I can tell you that I’ve never seen people so disappointed with an operation in my life. So sad.
January 08, 2023
Rob from Ski USA - California USA - California
Great place for beginners, heavy mogul skiers and racers (on the lower course). Otherwise, stay away as crappy trail system, short runs. Ironic, given the size of the place. It's crowded, often lousy snow. Never understood the allure of this place except for the views.
January 10, 2022
R Thompson from Ski USA - California USA - California
I live in South Lake and ski Heavenly regularly. It's a huge mountain when the snow is soft and you can ski all 4,800 acres in the trees. Great terrain is available on Mott and Killebrew canyons for advanced/expert skiers. The groomed terrain is usually only a very tiny portion of the 4,800: about 200 acres, so if you are a piste skier there isn't that much for you. Crowds have been epic this year due to Vail selling so many more season passes after dropping the price. Not a good trend. Get to the California parking lot by 8:30 on a weekend or you are not going to be skiing that day. Someone in a previous review mentioned the mountain safety "Nazis". They are gone, probably a victim of COVID staffing issues. The resort has fared better than other VAIL resorts this year with most of the lifts and terrain open. They are definitely short-staffed but it's not that noticeable. Out of the normal lifts that run every year, only the useless Galaxy chair is not running. Bottom line is: don't ski there on a Saturday. Soft snow will open up the whole mountain for you. If it's a freeze/thaw cycle you will be limited to a few groomed and crowded runs with everyone else. Ski the trees for the most fun.
April 08, 2021
Rex from Ski USA - California USA - California
Been skiing Heavenly since they first opened and still skiing the best of the best in my old age. Heavenly has the best snow-making for sure because of the endless Tahoe crystal clear fresh water and the massive equipment inventory around the mountain. Never had a bad day at Heavenly and I give it a 10+ on all counts. Nowadays, I ski mostly Mott and Killebrew and the Nevada Side Trees and Calif. side Powderbowl Line and Trees. When my knees cooperate I still enjoy Fullstone Canyon Gate and the Fire Gate. There is never a shortage of great food, great brew and great people everywhere on the mountain. Heavenly Village for the after ski enjoyment is second to none. Love the ice skating, parking garage, elevators and fantastic restaurants with many shopping opportunities for anything needed. Great prices on everything as well. Outdoor Firepits are warming and fun everywhere in the Heavenly Village. Coffee is strong, brew is cold, sandwiches are creative. Food Bars have massive selection of only the best things. The casinos and hotels are endless with everything you can ask for. Curbside service, valets, crossover walkways keep you warm and out of the weather no matter where you want to go. Specialty Shops abound and will make the best breakfast bagel ever. The gondola was perfectly placed for easy Heavenly Village access from the top. Overall, Heavenly is definitely number one for the best skiing experience. The best time I had was when it snowed 8 feet in one morning. Everyone was snowed in and the mountain opened up. It doesn't get any better than that. That was Heavenly.
February 03, 2017
Tahoe Local from Ski USA - California USA - California
Heavenly has some great aspects of the mountain. The views are amazing and it has some really great hidden gems if you know where your going. However, over the years I feel like Heavenly has lost sight of what people want and only cares about what people will pay for. Their terrain parks are horrible compared to other mountains in the area. Plus they have a very Nazi like mountain safety staff that acts as fascist mountain cops that take your pass for a month. A good friend of mine just got his taken for a month and I've been close to getting mine taken before too. I would love to see some creativity and effort put back into the terrain parks and to see the mountain safety staff back off of people a bit. Some people work all year to come out here and ski or snowboard and they are taking peoples passes for a month with no warning. Ease up and let people have some fun.
December 14, 2016
Sean from Ski USA - California USA - California
Nice resort. Not sure why these reviews are so dated. They get decent snow with a slight lake effect. Nothing like Salt Lake and it's a little wetter but they get dumped on plenty. The ride up the tram on a bluebird day is breathtaking. The big trees offer scenery not always seen in other US or European resorts.
November 19, 2013
Hal from Ski USA - California USA - California
We are season pass subscribers for five years. I love this mountain. I love the varied terrain, trees, backside, views and warm sunny days with fresh snow. I typically need nothing more than shell garments and a sweater, not your typical cold ski mountain. The staff are very customer friendly and know how to make things special. I am an older expert skier, spend time with my wife on the blue groomers which are usually in great shape, but love getting to the bumps and trees. I also like that there are challenging trails available whether on the lower, mid, or upper elevations, unlike many ski areas where the challenging terrain is only at upper elevations. There is always something new and challenging and it is easy to get away from the crowds, particularly when the entire mountain is in full swing. Ski shop prices are reasonable and service excellent. On the negative side, the mountain could use a better transport lift from CA to Nevada and more direct ski opportunity from NV to CA, avoiding cat trails and such. While the lodges are nice, I believe that the food service has stumbled over the past years, and the once great offerings of lamb, elk, buffalo, ahi burgers etc. has disappeared and the replacements are not uniformly excellent. Hopefully, service will be restored for the 13-14 season.
March 29, 2011
Smitty from Ski Germany Germany
Just returned from a week long visit ending Friday 25 Mar 2011. I can't remember nicer snow conditions than what I encountered early in the week. By mid-day Wednesday, though, a bad weather system made the skiing all but impossible. The early week snow was fantastic, and I did enjoy myself. Now for the criticism: I've been skiing in the Austrian Alps for the past few years, and I think Heavenly leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, there are some great views of the Lake, and the High Desert in Nevada, but I don't go skiing for the view. I'm a fairly advanced skier, and found no truly challenging runs other than perhaps one or two of the bigger bowls, only then because my slim-ish Fischer Progressor skis weren't designed for the knee high powder I encountered there. The real problem with Heavenly is that it is too small, though. A competent skier could, assuming no lift lines, ski every run before lunch. Getting to Heavenly is basically a whole days travel from almost anywhere further than Sacramento or Reno. So, spending a long weekend is a minimum to make the trip worthwhile. Heavenly's small size is an issue for sure. Compare Heavenly piste map with a few of the available resorts in Europe and you'll see what I mean. These maps are on a much larger scale than the Heavenly map. try snow-forecast dot com: /resorts/St-Anton/pistemap_full /pistemaps/Avoriaz/pistemap.jpg /resorts/Scheffau/pistemap_full to see some big ski arenas. Heavenly's management should be ashamed at the archaic lifts, half of which can only carry three or fewer people. This makes the lines significantly longer than they should be. Also, what's the deal with the staff at the gondola ? They seem incapable of putting more than four skiers in a single car, and also seem to think we're too stupid to put our own skis in the ski rack. This makes the morning queue a painful experience. All in all, I'm surprised at how poor value Heavenly is: $75 per day (unless you have a long term season ticket) is almost twice the price of a typical French, Austrian or Italian resort. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Heavenly, it's a nice place, but it ain't that great.
February 14, 2010
andy from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
I have been to Heavenly on 4 occasions and can agree that the tree riding is amazing, but only when there has been a good dump of snow. We were lucky enough on our last visit to have snow every night for the 8 days we were riding! Awesome. The lift lines are non-exsistent during the week but it gets a little busier at the weekend. It is fair to say that the town isn't very atmospheric but it can still be fun. Overall, a great mountain with enough to keep you busy and entertained in the evening as well. If you do get bored Vegas is an hour flight away!! Enjoy.