Boreal

Donner Summit park-rat headquarters: Tahoe's freestyle proving grounds with night skiing and easy I-80 access.

Key Stats

Vertical Drop
152m (499ft)
The height difference between the top and bottom of the mountain
Summit Elevation
2,354m (7,723ft)
How high the highest lift or peak reaches
Base Elevation
2,202m (7,224ft)
Height of the main base village — higher means cooler, drier snow
Annual Snowfall
990cm (390in)
Average annual natural snowfall — higher is better for powder days
Trails
41
Total number of marked runs on the trail map
Lifts
8
Total number of lifts including chairlifts, gondolas, and t-bars
Resort Size
376 acres
Total groomed and patrolled terrain

Terrain Breakdown

The percentage of marked trails in each difficulty level. A higher beginner percentage means more terrain suitable for novices and families; a higher advanced percentage means more challenge for experts.

Beginner
30%
Intermediate
55%
Advanced
15%

Best For

SnowboardersBudgetTerrain Parks

When to go

Average monthly snowfall and snowpack depth, with the typical operating window shaded.

Boreal's heaviest snowfall lands in December; the snowpack peaks in February.

snowiestdeepestJulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
Snowfall
peaks Dec
Snowpack
peaks Feb
Typical season
Nov – Apr

Snowfall: NOAA, 30-year normals (1991–2020).

Snow depth: NOAA, daily station data (1994–2023).

Location

Boreal sits high on Donner Summit in the northern Sierra Nevada of California, near the crest above Lake Tahoe. This is high-alpine terrain in a maritime mountain range, where Pacific storms feed deep, heavy snow.

Getting there

Easy to reach

Fly into Reno/Tahoe (RNO), about an hour from the resort by road.

Compare Boreal to

These are the resorts most similar to Boreal. Pick one to see a side-by-side.

vs Donner Ski Ranchvs Soda Springs Mountain Resortvs Echo Mountainvs Howelsen Hillvs Sipapuvs Hoodoovs Pomerellevs Granby Ranch

Explore Further

More ski resorts in United States →Official website →