Palisades Tahoe Webcam – Alpine Meadows Base Area Views

The Palisades Tahoe Webcam looks out over the Alpine Lodge base area at Alpine Meadows, the quieter half of California’s largest ski resort. The camera faces the lower mountain from the lodge plaza, with a chairlift terminal in the middle of the frame and forested slopes climbing behind it. In winter the scene fills with skiers clicking in a few steps from the lifts; in summer and fall the snow gives way to dry grass and hikers heading for the trailheads. The resort runs the stream itself, so it doubles as an honest conditions check before a drive up from Tahoe City or Truckee. Light changes fast at this elevation, and an overcast morning here can turn into a blue afternoon on the same feed.

About Palisades Tahoe

Palisades Tahoe sits in Placer County near the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe, in California’s Sierra Nevada. The resort is really two mountains under one name. The Olympic Valley side hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics, held from February 18 to 28 that year, when the area was still called Squaw Valley. The Alpine Meadows side, where this camera stands, opened in 1961 in the next valley south. In September 2021 the combined resort dropped the old Squaw Valley name, which carried a derogatory term, and became Palisades Tahoe.

Together the two sides cover about 6,000 skiable acres across eight peaks, which makes this the biggest ski area in California. The Alpine Meadows side alone spans 9.7 square kilometers (2,400 acres) served by 13 lifts, rising from a base at 2,083 meters (6,835 feet) to Ward Peak at 2,633 meters (8,637 feet). The two base areas are linked by the Base to Base Gondola, a 3.9 kilometer (2.4 mile) ride that takes about 16 minutes between the Alpine Lodge and The Village at Palisades Tahoe, with a mid-station below the famous KT-22 peak for expert skiers.

The Alpine Lodge itself is the building the camera shoots from. Alpine Meadows is the quieter of the two bases, and the plaza in frame is where most of its day visitors start and end their laps, a few steps from the chairlift terminal at the center of the view.

Weather and Climate in Palisades Tahoe

Winters here are cold and heavily snowed. The Alpine Meadows side averages about 12.6 meters (495 inches) of snowfall a year, among the deepest totals in the Sierra Nevada. At the Tahoe City weather station down by the lake, January days average around 4 C (39 F) with nights near minus 7 C (19 F), and the camera sits higher up the valley, so the base area usually runs a few degrees colder. December and January are the wettest months, and most of that moisture arrives as Pacific storms that can bury the plaza in frame overnight.

Spring comes slowly at this elevation, with April days near 10 C (50 F) and snow often lingering on the upper mountain well into the season. Summer is dry and mild, with July highs around 25 C (78 F), cool nights near 7 C (44 F) and almost no rain, which is when the Palisades Tahoe Webcam shows bare slopes and long golden evenings. October brings days around 15 C (59 F), the first dustings on Ward Peak and the reddish autumn grass visible on the feed before the lifts start turning again.

Things to Do Near Palisades Tahoe

In winter the obvious draw is the skiing itself, from the mellow lower runs in front of this camera to the steeps that made the resort’s reputation. The Base to Base Gondola is worth a ride in its own right, crossing high above the ridge between the two valleys with views toward Lake Tahoe. Over on the Olympic Valley side, The Village at Palisades Tahoe has restaurants, shops and most of the resort’s lodging within walking distance of the lifts.

In summer the Alpine Meadows valley turns into a hiking base. The Five Lakes Trail starts from Alpine Meadows Road just below the resort and climbs to a cluster of alpine lakes, passing under the gondola line on the way. The lake shore at Tahoe City is close enough for an afternoon swim after a morning on the trails, and the town of Truckee, with its historic downtown, makes an easy half-day trip in the other direction.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

If this view has you planning a Sierra trip, these nearby and mountain cameras are worth a look.

• South Lake Tahoe Webcam
• Truckee Webcam
• Killington Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Palisades Tahoe located?

Palisades Tahoe is in Placer County, California, near the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe. This camera is at the Alpine Meadows base area, a short drive from Tahoe City on the road toward Truckee.

What can you see on the Palisades Tahoe Webcam?

The frame takes in the Alpine Lodge plaza, a chairlift terminal and the forested lower slopes of the Alpine Meadows side. In winter that means snow, lift lines and skiers; in summer it is bare mountainside and hikers. A second tab on this page shows the Palisades base area in Olympic Valley.

Is Palisades Tahoe the same as Squaw Valley?

Yes. The resort was called Squaw Valley, and later Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, until September 2021, when it was renamed Palisades Tahoe because the old name contains a derogatory term. It is the same mountain that hosted the 1960 Winter Olympics.

How much snow does Palisades Tahoe get?

The Alpine Meadows side averages about 12.6 meters (495 inches) of snowfall a year, and the Olympic Valley side records around 10.2 meters (402 inches). The deepest months are December through March.

How do you get between Alpine Meadows and the Palisades side?

The Base to Base Gondola links the Alpine Lodge with The Village at Palisades Tahoe. The ride covers 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) in about 16 minutes, with a mid-station at KT-22 where expert skiers can unload.

What is the elevation of Alpine Meadows?

The base area in frame sits at 2,083 meters (6,835 feet). The lifts top out on Ward Peak at 2,633 meters (8,637 feet), giving the Alpine side a vertical drop of about 550 meters (1,800 feet).

Can you hike near Alpine Meadows in summer?

Yes. The Five Lakes Trail leaves from Alpine Meadows Road just below the base area and is one of the most popular short hikes on the north shore, and the gondola line is visible from parts of the route.

Source: Palisades Tahoe