"A thick layer of morning mist is burning off Lake Tahoe, and the water looks like it's steaming. It's a beautiful bluebird day, as is common for the legendary ski area, which sees about 300 days of sunshine annually, but in mid-February it feels like a gift. My heart thuds in my chest as the lift begins its final steep push up the mountain."
"To ride up KT-22 is to ride through the history of modern skiing in America. To my left is Women's Downhill-not the snazziest trail name but a tribute to the run created for the 1960 Winter Olympic Games, which were hosted at Palisades Tahoe, then known as Squaw Valley. (The offensive name was changed in 2021.)"
"Off to my right is Moseley's, named for homegrown Olympic gold medalist Johnny Moseley. Only the bravest souls hike up to McConkey's at the top, an expert run that honors another Palisades great, the late X Games champ and extreme athlete Shane McConkey. Both skiers defined what freeskiing looks like today: big aerial tricks and lots of flair. For anyone like me who grew up watching ski movies directed by Warren Miller, the father of the "stoke" film, the landscape around"
A thick morning mist burns off Lake Tahoe, producing steaming blue water under clear bluebird skies that the region sees roughly 300 days yearly. Ski lifts climb steep mountains to access legendary expert lines like KT-22, nicknamed The Mothership, which opens some of the most storied expert terrain. Runs include Women's Downhill, created for the 1960 Winter Olympics when Palisades Tahoe (then Squaw Valley) was a fledgling resort. Olympic investment spurred infrastructure and a national skiing boom. Named runs honor local champions like Johnny Moseley and Shane McConkey, whose aerial, flashy style helped define modern freeskiing.
Read at Conde Nast Traveler
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