After a great day at Donner Ski Ranch, I drove toward South Lake Tahoe, making a quick stop in charming downtown Truckee to pick up a water bottle to use while skiing – I left my beloved Platypus water carrier in the Reno hotel fridge! I prefer these flexible water pouches because they fit easily in my ski jacket’s inner goggle pocket so I can take easily-accessed hydration with me on piste without having to wear a backpack.

On a Tuesday afternoon, the traffic in Truckee was noticeable, so I can’t imagine what it’s like on weekends. It is super cute, walk-able, and filled with hip shops and restaurants plus a train station.

It’s nearly impossible to drive around the Tahoe area without being able to describe the course taken as “scenic.” And on cue, I had a gorgeous drive just under an hour to Stateline, NV and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, where I was staying. As I’ve explained in a previous post, I had a great offer from them with my Caesar’s Rewards points, so despite not having access to laundry facilities and cooking facilities, I pulled into the valet parking* and the bellman took care of my luggage, rather than my usual schlepping bulky ski bag and suitcases; it was a pleasant change from my usual routine. (*valet parking and self park seemed to be about the same price and I didn’t plan to move my car for a few days. With my parking and resort fees/taxes, my daily total was under $50/day which I think is still a great deal. )
I was given a spacious room on the 13th floor with a lake and gondola view, plus a coffee bar area, large sofa, and TWO bathrooms. I ended up using one of the bathrooms for soaking athletic wear and allowing it to dry under a heat lamp. That came in handy.

The room also had a refrigerator and desk – both of which I used often during my stay. I work for a very small company and there is no one to “cover” for me while I am away so most late afternoons were spent answering emails, etc, on my laptop. Unfortunately there was no desk lamp, so I had to try to squeeze in my work while the sun was still out! the furnishings were comfortable but also visibly worn. I slept great in the bed, the room was clean, and location was excellent for my plans, so ultimately it worked very well for me.

After unpacking and settling in, I wasn’t hungry for a big dinner – I had that chili at lunch – so I made a little apres ski platter with things I brought in a cooler bag in my checked suitcase. For travel, I like to bring individual bottles/boxes of wine, pre-mixed margaritas, as well as coffee creamer. Yes, they are plastic but for travel, it’s just safer. I double-bag them within zip-top gallon bags that I reuse. Beer, however, (if I’m craving it) I buy onsite because I don’t want a carbonated item exploding in my luggage. Also, it’s fun to try local brews when visiting an area, right?

I actually had quite a bit of work to do, so a light bite in my room suited me just fine. Plus, I wanted to be up early to make breakfast and then walk over to the Heavenly Ski Resort gondola.