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Images courtesy of @Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows

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Olympic Valley Mountain Guide - Top Trails, Itineraries & Dining

Experience Olympic Valley like an insider. Find out where to ski with top trails and full day itineraries for intermediates, advanced and experts. We also show you where to eat on the mountain. Plus, check out the mountain stats.

Olympic Valley Terrain Guides

Terrain Guide
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Beginner

While not well known for its beginner terrain, Olympic does have dedicated learning areas. Unlike most resorts, most of the green terrain is at the top and comes with some of the best views on the mountain. Beware though, there is no easy way down. Newbies can take the tram or Funitel to access the upper mountain terrain and then take the lifts back down to avoid the connecting steep blue runs

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Intermediate

More than a third of Olympic's terrain is classified as intermediate and some of the trails marked black are "doable." Snow King, Shirley Lake and Solitude are all rife with Blues. Take the Siberia Express for access to peak to base cruisers. Intermediates must be careful when boarding lifts and choosing routes as the advanced terrain is very advanced and lifts like KT-22 load at the main base but have no easy way down.

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Advanced/Expert

Expert options here are seemingly endless. K-22, Granite Chief, Headwalll, and Silverado have some of the best extreme runs in the U.S. Olympians and X Games athletes flock here (Julia Mancuso and Johnny Moseley have trails named after them). It's rare to find this much extreme skiing at one resort. Expert terrain is not just steep but includes unmarked rocks, cliffs, trees. This mountain very much follows the "just send it" mantra!

  • Olympic's six peaks are mostly open bowls. Specific trails blend into one another and navigation is done by referring to the name of the peak or a lift serving an area.
     

  • Olympic does not differentiate between advanced, expert and extreme terrain. See our separate Advanced and Experts itineraries to maximize your time while staying safe. ​
     

  • Despite more than 70% of Olympic's 170+ trails, being rated blue or green and serviced from the same lifts, it can be challenging for groups of varying abilities to stay together

Top Trail Picks

Top Trails

On Mountain Dining Recommendations

Olympic has 4 on-mountain dining options that have been upgraded beyond Cliff bars and coffee. Head to the Gold Coast or High Camp for cafeteria style offerings along with spectacular views at 8,200'. For greater variety head, head to the Base Village. Ikon Pass Holders will receive 15% off. Our top picks are below:

High Camp

Conveniently accessible by Tram, take advantage of dining at 8,200 with breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe. For a more relaxing, sit down lunch, consider Granite Bar featuring the High Camp burger, fish tacos soup and salad. The Marketplace also has grab and go options, is convenient for re-fueling, and great for a coffee break or lunch, before conquering more of the upper mountain. 

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Olympic House

Located at the base of KT-22, Olympic House is the go to lunch spot for the lower mountain. There are convenient and casual service windows, each with a unique cuisine. Options include a burger bar, a smokehouse window and a Greek food station. They also recently added a vending machine for delicious Ramen Bowls (yes these actually exist!). There are also a few bars, including KT Base bar.

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Gold Coast Lodge

Located in the heart of the upper mountain, the Gold Coast Lodge offers traditional ski fare at the Arc and Mexican cuisine at Funi's. The Arc has burgers,  chilli, Asian cuisine, and a full salad bar. It also has two full service bars and a large outdoor/indoor seating area with great views of the Palisades. For burritos and nachos, head upstairs to Funi’s for quick and delicious food at reasonable prices.

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on mountain dining
Stats

Olympic Valley Mountain Stats

Terrain Mix
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Size / Elevation
  • Peak: 9,050 ft | 2,760m

  • Vertical Drop: 2,850 ft | 869m

  • Base: 6,200 ft | 1,890m

  • Total Area: 3,600 acres |14.6 sq km

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Terrain Overview

​Mountain Range: Sierra Nevada

  • 170+ Trails   

  • 16 Bowls

  • 5 Terrain Parks

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Peaks
  • 6 Peaks

Highest Peaks

  • Granite Chief (9,006 ft)

  • Olympic Peak (8,885 ft)

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Bases
  • Olympic Valley Base Area (Main)

  • Resort at Squaw Creek

On Mountain Dining

  • 4 on mountain & more options at the base (see our guide)

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Lift Stats

Uphill Capacity: 53,500 ppl / hr

29 Total Lifts

  • 1 Aerial Tram (110-person)

  • 1 Funitel (28-person gondola)

  • 4 High speed six packs

  • 3 High speed quads

  • 1 Quad

  • 9 Triples

  • 5 Doubles

  • 3 Surface Lifts

  • 2 Magic Carpets

  • 2 Minimum lifts to access peak from base

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