Having had just looked through past photos for Grandpa’s memorial, I stumbled on an amazing trip 6 years ago.  Our family trip to Sierra-at-Tahoe was a wonderful way to experience Lake Tahoe in winter.

We rented an Airbnb close to the mountain, which made early starts pretty painless. My two kids did the ski school—something I’d definitely recommend if you have little ones.

Grandpa

So many great memories of being with Dean.  He lived 10 lifetimes in one, always on the go and looking forward to the next adventure. Hopefully we can live from his example.

My 70-year-old Father-in-Law was even able to get out there and ski alongside us! While he watched the kids one day, my wife and I enjoyed some runs together on Sierra’s 2,000-plus acres of terrain.  Our little girl was ready for a chair lift, so my wife and I took her up.  She did great! And, yes, she lost a tooth. Meanwhile, our little man was over it, so Grandpa sacrificed a day of skiing to hang out in the lodge with him and drink hot cocoa on our last day.

This was a great trip to be with Grandpa.  He got their early and cleaned up our AirBnB (yes, they left it a mess!)  This AirBnB was filthy with crap on the ground and on counters. beds were unmade and dirty.  We managed to get 1 night free and that’s it. Next time we’ll look at these South Lake Tahoe Cabins.  That said, other than the filth, the place was great.

We even got to see our good friend Julie!

Then we enjoyed less than a week sledding, barbequing, eating out, taking walks by the lake, and even making a snow man and igloo! It was an awesome trip!

Homemade Igloo

The highlight, at least for me, was crossing off a big one from my bucketlist: build an igloo!  And we did!  It was dumping so hard that year that the backyard behind our house had 4-5 feet of snow.  We just dug out an igloo!  It had been really cold and dumped awhile ago, so we didn’t feel too worried about collaplse.  Regardless, we still made sure at least 2 people were there at all times.

From the side and top of the igloo we created a slide for the kids.  We also added 2 cup holders for Mexican beers.  The creme de la resistance was the ice window! I took a baking sheet from the kitchen, filled it with water, and froze it outside. I had to do it a few times, cause the first time when popping it out of the pan, it broke. The 2nd or 3rd was perfect and made for a nice way to bring in more light and hold in the warmth.  We could get 4 people inside!  If we had been there another week, we could have made it much bigger.

Tubing and Sledding in Tahoe

During our visit to Sierra-at-Tahoe, we spent an afternoon at Blizzard Mountain, which offers two lift-accessible snow tubing lanes and an expanded snow play area. The tubing lanes feature a start deck for easy take-off and a gentle run-out for a comfortable stop. A rope tow conveniently pulls the tubes back to the start deck, allowing for effortless repeat runs.

Blizzard Mountain operates Thursday through Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with the last tickets sold at 3:00 p.m. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can be purchased only at Blizzard Mountain. Children under 42 inches can tube for free with a paying adult. We found it helpful to complete the Release of Liability form online beforehand to save time upon arrival.

Sierra at Tahoe Ski School

Since we snowboard, initially we had the kids start the same way.  But after day one, they opted for skis and really enjoyed it. Sierra-at-Tahoe’s ski school was a highlight of our trip, mainly because of how beginner-friendly and well-organized it felt. The staff put everyone at ease by walking through the basics—how to get comfortable with boots, skis, and even just standing on the snow. They use a terrain-based learning approach, where gentle slopes and small features are designed to build confidence step by step.

My eldest child, who had never been on skis before, was carving down the bunny hill by the end of the third day. Their instructors also emphasized safety and awareness on the mountain, which I really appreciated. Overall, the ski school made learning to ski enjoyable for my children (and allowed us the freedom to get our own runs in!)

The resort averages over 400 inches of snow annually, so the conditions were great, even for mid-level skiers like us. Plus it was a record year where it DUMPED! It’s also super convenient that there are 14 lifts, which helps keep wait times reasonable. Outside of the resort, Lake Tahoe itself becomes a true winter wonderland—perfect for scenic drives, great restaurants, and exploring other cozy mountain towns. If you’re planning a trip, be prepared for changing weather and bring layers.

Grandpa, you will be missed beyond imagination. Thank you for encouraging us to truly live life.