Heavenly, that uber-expanse of bi-state acreage, keeps tipping the scale towards an entire skiing and riding experience. With the now three-year old gondola and the Heavenly Village firmly in place, Heavenly has evolved into a true destination resort.

Large enough to warrant four base areas, the resort bears the stamp – and the dollar infusion - of its parent company, Vail Resorts. California Lodge was the original resort base, the California Gondola is just two blocks from the casinos, and there are two Nevada Lodges - Boulder and Stagecoach.

On the hill:

• The skiing:
With 4,800 snowy acres of terrain, Heavenly has something for everyone with runs ranging from the gentlest of learning terrain to the granite-enveloped expert’s paradise Mott Canyon. Across the entire resort, jaw-dropping views of Lake Tahoe are always on the horizon.

Tree skiing in lightly forested areas beckon intermediates and better whenever it snows. But Heavenly is popular, so crowds can be an issue. Savvy guests should aim for early starts, since the night-life loving crowd usually lands about 11 a.m. each morning. On weekends and holidays, the lifts open at 8:30 a.m., rather than 9 a.m., so work that into your schedule for first tracks.

• The Lift Time:
Boasting 30 lifts, including an aerial tram, eight-person gondola and 10 high-speed chairs, the lift system rarely has long waits. After months finessing between locals and the Forest Service, the old Olympic Chair was finally taken off life support and replaced by Olympic Express, cutting the undependable ride from 11 minutes to 3.5 for this winter.

North Bowl and Galaxy Chairs are notoriously slow, but the little-used Galaxy run is a long blue square expanse, worth the ride on a busy weekend. Visitors should know that the Nevada side is always calmer crowd-wise, and Boulder Lodge has much more parking than Stagecoach. Warning: the Gondola lift line can be brutal at opening bell, especially on weekends and powder days. You’ll get more hill time using the free shuttle service to Stagecoach or Cal-Lodge.

• Gotta try runs:
With the addition of the centrally-located Gondola, sight-seeing rides are a must for even the non-sporty in your group. On a nice day, the 14,000 square foot observation deck, located mid-way, is a stunning lunch site.

Beginner: Beginners will appreciate the relative calm at the Boulder Lodge learning center, since Patsy’s Run at Cal-Lodge can feel like morning rush hour. A few laps on the gentle terrain under Boulder Chair are also a great warm-up, if your skills are rusty.

Intermediate: Intermediates will find an expanded area to play in from the Olympic chair, since the resort has added three new runs for this season. Now, instead of one run and the trees, spend additional time exploring Cloud Nine, The Pines and Bohemian Grove.

Advanced/Expert: Better skiers and riders can find plenty of challenge in Mott Canyon, but on storm days, this part of the resort usually has a delayed opening. Although not a long pitch, the Milky Way Bowl area keeps quality snow long after the latest storm.

• Runs to steer clear of:
Snowboarders especially should watch out for the long cross-mountain traverses. In Nevada, the Crossover travels from Comet chair towards Olympic. Another is at the top of Sky Chair; the Skyline trail into Nevada can be brutal if you don’t keep your tuck.

Off the hill:

• The food and drinks:
Heavenly has nine dining options spread across the resort. Combine this with choices in the gondola village, like Wolfgang Puck Express, and no one should go hungry. At the mid-way station of the gondola, Café Blue offers sandwiches, cocktails and other beverages, allowing guests to drink both lattes and lake views.

The daily barbecue on East Peak Lodge’s deck is always a tasty treat, and you’ll find the end of day vibe is still at Cal-Bar, in the California base lodge. Here, live music and windows facing the famed Gunbarrel moguls offer endless entertainment. Can lively locals and a stuffed bear be wrong?

And new this season, Heavenly is using only natural meat and poultry, along with organic dairy products in all its on-mountain restaurants.

• The staff:
Heavenly employs over 1,500 workers to run the massive resort, with many seasonal workers coming from South American countries. While the occasional language barrier may be encountered, everyone seems cheery at their job.

• Retail and rental shops: Besides the nine (yes, nine) Heavenly Sports locations, their long arm of retail includes such brand name stores as Burton, Quicksilver, Patagonia and The North Face. Each Heavenly Sports locale also does ski and snowboard rentals, so try to rent the afternoon before, so your hill time isn’t taken up with queues.

Demo gear is also available, and with such accessibility to the slopes, many models can get checked off the wish list. At the California Lodge only is the Burton Demo Center, with all the latest decks from this top snowboard brand.

Also available at only the Cal-Lodge is a certified day care center for ages 6 weeks to 6 years. Next to the children’s learning center, this marvelous amenity is on a reservation-only basis, and the resort advises booking two months in advance for holiday times.

Heavenly is a true giant in the winter resort world. With snowmaking on over 70% of the slopes, it’s also a sure bet in early or lean seasons. Add 95 official runs, five terrain parks, a 3,500’ vertical drop surrounded by Lake Tahoe, a day at Heavenly lives up to its name.

See it in our guide.

See today's snow conditions.