SOUTH LAKE TAHOE " The wind was howling, the temperature plunging and snow was coming down so fast that a four-minute ride on a high-speed chairlift at Lake Tahoe's Heavenly resort left me and a friend looking like abominable snowmen.
As we neared the top of the lift, I asked, "Trees?"
"Yeah," he replied.
On a day like that, trees are the best place to go. Giant pines can shield the skier from the wind and snow.
With about two feet of fresh powder, it was hard to go fast, but if we did fall, we'd have a soft landing. Plus, the open trails were whiteout conditions with visibility extending maybe 15 feet.
I wouldn't suggest that a beginner try skiing amid the trees, but if you're an intermediate, Heavenly resort offers great tree runs plus plenty of other challenges " from moguls to steeps and manageable off-piste runs. It's the kind of place where you can have something to brag about at the end of the day, no matter what level your skill.
At its heart, Heavenly is a great resort for the intermediate skier. Many mountains offer a bunch of easy slopes and a few intermediate ones to bridge the gap to the hair-raising advanced and expert runs. But mountains with a lot of intermediate terrain often drop the ball on providing varied terrain that will challenge you without pushing too far.
That's not to say Heavenly lacks trails that are the stuff of legend. It boasts a couple of canyons that are roped off and peppered with warning signs that took a team of lawyers to write.
But, if you crave a bit of adrenaline without risking life and limb, Heavenly is where it's at.
It's also the mountain where skiing changed from being hellish for me to, well, heavenly.
Learning to ski as an adult can be daunting: bumps and bruises compete on the pain scale with iron maiden-like ski boots pinching feet. Inadequate gear leaves the newbie wet and cold. And, the first time on the real mountain after leaving the bunny slopes can set the tummy aquiver.
Heavenly bridged that gap for me. One minute, white-knuckle terror and the next, bliss.
At 4,800 acres, Heavenly, straddling the Nevada-California border, is the Sierra's largest ski resort. The Nevada side is my favorite. Depending on conditions, you can cruise through giant snow-covered pines while the brown desert lies thousands of feet below.
On the California side, the deep blue of Lake Tahoe is surrounded by snow-capped peaks, extending into the distance. On a sunny day, the view is glorious.
Some quick stats: average of 360 inches of snow per year; 3,500-foot vertical rise; 10,067-foot summit elevation; more than 300 days of sunshine per year. The sheer size of the place makes boredom impossible. We skied four days without running out of places to explore.
We did find a few favorite spots " most notably, the tree run by the Olympic Express lift, which we worked all day during the blizzard. And, we really enjoyed the blue runs around the old two-man Galaxy lift. Most people avoid the runs leading to the slow Galaxy lift " so even on a crowded weekend, the trails are quiet.