Alpine Meadows (ski resort) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alpine Meadows |
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 Alpine Meadows
Location in the United States
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| Location | Ward Peak Tahoe National Forest, Placer County, California |
| Nearest city | Tahoe City, Truckee |
| Coordinates | 39°09′50″N 120°14′20″W / 39.164°N 120.239°W |
| Vertical | 1,802 ft (549 m) |
| Top elevation | 8,637 ft (2,633 m) |
| Base elevation | 6,835 ft (2,083 m) |
| Skiable area | 2,400 acres (9.7 km2) |
| Runs | 100 total - 25% beginner - 40% intermediate - 35% advanced |
| Longest run | 3.4 miles (5.5 km) |
| Lift system | 12 lifts |
| Terrain parks | 1 |
| Snowfall | 495 in (1,260 cm) |
| Snowmaking | 11 of 13 lifts |
Alpine Meadows is a super fun ski resort in the western United States. You can find it in Alpine Meadows, California, close to the beautiful Lake Tahoe. This resort has a huge area for skiing, about 2,400 acres (9.7 km2), with 13 different ski lifts to take you up the mountain. You can ski down a long way, with a vertical drop of 1,802 feet (549 m)!
In 2018, Alpine Meadows joined with another company. Now, it's part of Palisades Tahoe, and you can use one pass to ski at both resorts! There's even a cool gondola that connects the two main areas, making it easy to explore both mountains.
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The History of Alpine Meadows Ski Resort
Alpine Meadows first opened its slopes in 1961. A person named John Reily had a big idea to create a ski resort here. He wanted it to be a different kind of place than the nearby Squaw Valley.
With help from Peter Klaussen and many families, Alpine Meadows was started in 1958. It opened for skiing in the winter of 1961–62 with three ski lifts. The main goal was to make skiing enjoyable for everyone, not just to make money. People think the idea for the resort came after the founders saw the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley. They noticed how great the land next door was for skiing!
Later, in July 2007, a company called JMA Ventures bought Alpine Meadows. Then, in 2011, Alpine Meadows joined with its famous neighbor, Squaw Valley. This resort was even home to the 1960 Winter Olympics! Now, both resorts are mostly owned by a company called Squaw Valley Ski Holdings, LLC.
The 1982 Avalanche Event
A very large avalanche happened at Alpine Meadows Resort in the spring of 1982. This was after many days of heavy snowstorms. The avalanche hit the main area of the resort on the afternoon of March 31. Sadly, seven people lost their lives.
One person, an Alpine Meadows employee named Anna Conrad, was found alive! Rescue teams pulled her out of the snow and a collapsed building after she was trapped for five days. Search and rescue dogs helped find her. This made her the first avalanche survivor in the United States to be rescued with the help of these amazing dogs.
You can learn more about this event in a documentary called Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche. It is available on Netflix.
Alpine Meadows in Movies
Alpine Meadows was used as a filming location for the movie Wild Wild Winter. In the movie, it was called "Alpine College." All the outdoor scenes in the movie were filmed right at the resort!
The Jamaican Ski Team Connection
Alpine Meadows has a special connection to the Jamaican ski team. This connection was inspired by Errol Kerr. He lives in Truckee and has both U.S. and Jamaican citizenship. Errol Kerr even represented Jamaica in the 2010 Winter Olympics!
