Tahoe's backcountry skiing options for those who don't like crowds

The Sierra has been slammed. Last week’s Pineapple Express (or, more prosaically, atmospheric river) dumped feet of snow on the shores of Lake Tahoe, and tens of feet on the region’s mountaintops and resorts, creating ski conditions the likes of which haven’t been seen in a decade.

Which means the Sierra - and Lake Tahoe - are getting slammed by skiers, with thousands expected to flock to major ski areas to savor the rare and optimal conditions for weeks to come.

For those turned off by the crowds - or who just want a break from them - keep in mind that there are options. You don’t have to drop a paycheck on lift tickets, stand in long lift lines and jockey for parking places in a packed ski area lot to enjoy a great powder day.

Instead, break out the skinny skis or snowshoes and go for a long walk in the woods.

For the most part, the backcountry ski options described below are easy, perfect for families and those just breaking into the world of cross-country and backcountry winter travel. The trails are also free, or can be accessed for a nominal fee. Wandering off into Tahoe’s less visited winter wonderland, and returning with a pocketbook primed for after-ski libations, might be the start of a new obsession.

But these backcountry options are also gateways: More advanced skiers - if traveling in a pack and properly equipped, of course - can start here, or train here, before venturing farther into the woods and/or onto steeper terrain, where a telemark turn may be had.

Note: These trails are also suitable for those on snowshoes, but keep in mind that snowshoers should never walk in ski tracks.

Sugar Pine Point State Park: It makes perfect sense that the cross-country ski venue for the 1960 Olympic Games would offer prime backcountry options right on the lake’s West Shore. Groomed trails reach back up into the General Creek drainage for a couple of miles, leading through woodland and across meadows where, back in the day, cross-country races and the biathlon were staged. Toward the top of the more challenging Red Loop (a bit more than 3 miles round-trip from the parking area), look for a sign that describes the biathlon event that married cross-country ski racing with marksmanship. Provided, of course, that sign hasn’t been buried in a drift.

Easier groomed trails are available along the lakeshore, around the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion and grounds. For more information and a trail map, visit parks.ca.gov.

Tahoe Meadows: In a good snow year like this one, backcountry skiers will be able to explore the flats and woodlands around Tahoe Meadows well into springtime, given its location above 8,500 feet, near the Mount Rose on the North Shore.

No formal trails are set here, and skiers will share the area with snowshoers, sledders and other snow play enthusiasts - sometimes a lot of them. But there is plenty of room for all.

Those familiar with summertime hiking options can approximate those routes on skis, turning loops that range from a mile in length to 3 miles or more.

The rolling woodlands bordering the meadows offer more challenging terrain for those tempted to try a tele turn or two. Chickadee Ridge, rising south of the meadows and highway, is a popular destination for skiers and snowshoers, and is a bit removed from the crowds that can gather closer to the road. The meadows are located about 7 miles up State Route 431/Mount Rose Highway, where roadside parking is available. For more information, visit rootsrated.com/lake-tahoe-ca.

Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park: Located on the lake’s East Shore, this state park is a backcountry gem year-round. But in winter, it requires skiers with some experience, in terms of backcountry ski skills and wayfinding.

That’s changing, as last winter the nonprofit Nevada Nordic began maintaining groomed trails at Spooner Lake and, snow and weather permitting, this year intends to continue to groom trails at the lake and hopefully beyond.

More advanced skiers can venture up toward Marlette Lake, following the North Canyon road, with more extreme backcountry options available for those equipped to handle the conditions and the terrain. For more information, visit parks.nv.gov/parks/lake-tahoe-nevada-state-park-1.

Burton Creek State Park: This West Shore hideaway is used by mountain bikers and hikers in summer, and in winter becomes a cross-country ski mecca, with long and short options to accommodate skiers of any level.

The Tahoe XC Ski Area grooms and maintains trails in the park, and charges a small fee to use its facilities. Access to the tracks is best from the lodge and parking area, and you can warm up after a long wander in the woods with refreshments in the clubhouse. It also is helpful to have access to a map and advice; even in summertime, trails are a maze in the park, so getting off-track is a possibility. For more information, visit parks.ca.gov or tahoexc.org/home.

Taylor Creek: On the South Shore, the U.S. Forest Service lands around Taylor Creek and the Tallac Historic Site offer easy, though ungroomed, cross-country skiing options. On the Tallac Historic Site side, the terrain is flat and wooded, but if snow depth allows, you can ski right along the lakeshore, with views opening northward across the water.

The Taylor Creek Sno-Park is located farther north (west) along Highway 89, on the road’s south side, with options reaching back through the woods toward Fallen Leaf Lake.

Just keep in mind that since nothing is groomed in this area, you’ll be required to employ trail-breaking and wayfinding skills.

Avalanche conditions permitting, more advanced skiers can venture onto the forested slopes of Mount Tallac, the highest peak on the South Shore. For more information, visit ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23064 and www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ltbmu/recarea/?recid=11784

Several more formal ski areas also offer great cross-country skiing options, including Granlibakken on the West Shore, with Nordic trails circling the resort area and leading up into the woods toward Page Meadows (granlibakken.com); Royal Gorge, a huge cross-country resort located outside the Tahoe basin near the Sugarbowl ski resort that features miles of groomed tracks for exploration (royalgorge.com/home); and the Hope Valley Outdoors facility, also located outside the basin on the south side (toward the Kirkwood ski resort), and also boasting miles of spectacular touring options (hopevalleycrosscountry.com).

Tracy Salcedo is a Glen Ellen-based writer and editor who has written more than 25 guidebooks to California and Colorado, including “Hiking Through History San Francisco.” Her most recent book is “Historic Yosemite National Park.” She can be reached at laughingwaterink@gmail.com.