Best Ski Run

Heavenly may be the most crowded of Tahoe ski resorts, but fewer people bother to make the trek to the other side of the mountain -- the Nevada side -- where the views are more breathtaking and the powder more likely untouched. From here, you can take in the majestic blue Lake Tahoe and the snow-capped mountains that surround it. You can also see, in stark contrast, the flat, brown desert valley of Nevada in the distance. Buy your lift tickets and rent your skis the night before and arrive by 8:30 in the morning to avoid the lines. Take the main ski lift to the top, then take a ridge trail and follow the subsequent lifts to the Nevada side. You won't actually do any skiing for the 45 minutes it takes to get there, but you will be one of the first skiers down the eastern slope, and you'll pretty much have it to yourself the entire morning -- before the masses on the California side get tired of running into each other and venture over to Nevada after lunch. The morning after a fresh snowfall you'll be in virgin territory, swishing down the mountain as if you were skiing on marshmallow clouds. Sublime.