Getting there

By air: Reno-Tahoe International Airport has more than 100 nonstop flights a day from various parts of the country. Allegiant Air has non-stop service between Bellingham, WA and Reno-Tahoe for introductory each-way fares of $59. Fares will increase to $79 after their intro bargains. The airport is 50 miles from Alpine Meadows.

The new North Lake Tahoe Express daily airport shuttle service is available to and from North Lake Tahoe and the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. The shuttle runs from 3:30 a.m. until 12 midnight. Fees are $35 per person, one-way, and $60 round trip. Discounts available for groups of two or more. Reservations are required and can be made four hours in advance.

By train: Amtrak (800-872-7245) serves Truckee and Reno on the California Zephyr line, running from Oakland to Chicago.

By bus: Shuttles run from almost every major hotel to each major ski resort. Check for schedules when you arrive.

Sierra Nevada Gray Lines (800-822-6009; 775-329-1147) operates a daily ski shuttle between Reno and Alpine Meadows as well as Northstar-at-Tahoe (except Saturdays). Squaw Valley USA (800-446-2928) operates a Reno/South Lake Tahoe Shuttle from mid-December through the end of March. Tahoe Casino Express (800-446-6128) runs between Reno airport and South Shore.

By car: Driving time from Reno is about an hour to any major North Shore resort. San Francisco is about four hours away via I-80 to the North Shore. During storms, the California Highway Patrol doesn't let drivers come up the mountains without chains or a four-wheel-drive vehicle, so be prepared.

Alpine Meadows is on Hwy. 89 (runs between I-80 and Hwy. 28, which hugs the North Shore). Tip: If you are driving a rental car from Reno on I-80, headed west toward Northstar, Squaw or Alpine, you may pass through a California agricultural checkpoint. If you do, get off the freeway at the next stop and turn around. That checkpoint means you just missed the turnoff for Hwy. 89, just like one of our staffers did. The signs are dimly lit at night and tough to see a couple of hours before sunset.

Getting around: As much as we hate to recommend adding more auto pollution to this pristine location, rent a car. Public transportation is getting better, but not yet to the point where we can honestly recommend using it exclusively. If you stay near one of the ski resorts, your dining and evening options would be limited. Alpine Meadows, Squaw Valley, Sugar Bowl, Diamond Peak, Northstar and Homewood all have shuttles from North Tahoe towns.

North Lake Tahoe has launched a free, evening bus service from Squaw Valley to Tahoe City to Crystal Bay, Truckee and Tahoma. The service is from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and runs through April 8. Truckee has also launched a new, free nighttime downtown shuttle service that will run through April 8. Hours of operation are 6 p.m. until midnight, seven days a week. The service provides guests ease and accessibility from local lodging to downtown Truckee.