Squaw is the American birthplace of extreme skiing. About 25 ago, Squaw locals began skiing impossible lines from the Palisades, essentially a cliff with snow stuck to it. In the early 1980s, Scot Schmidt, arguably the father of extreme skiing, arrived in Squaw to pull 100-foot cliff jumps. Thus the resort's reputation was born, and it still lives today. To earn your spurs as an extreme skier or snowboarder—or "freerider" in the current nomenclature of mountain sports—all roads lead through Squaw.

But extreme reputation aside, Squaw is actually a reasonably well-rounded ski area. There's a good amount of skiing for all ability levels, and the Resort at Squaw Creek is an exercise in extreme pampering. Squaw skiing can be ridiculously intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. An on-mountain demo center opened in 2005.

Squaw's extreme rep may overshadow the mellower side of the mountain, which is more substantial than you might think. From High Camp, about halfway up the mountain, there is plenty of novice and lower-intermediate terrain. What I like about this cluster of runs is that beginners can experience the thrill of being high on the mountain, rather than being stuck around the base area. At the end of the day, simply ride the tram or the Funitel Lift back to the bottom.

Intermediates tend to congregate around High Camp, too, although there are longer intermediate runs from the Squaw Creek Chair. As for expert skiing, the number of intriguing lines is impossible to calculate. KT-22 and the Headwall Express are particularly popular, and justly so. But I happen to like Granite Chief, which sees far less skier traffic. The runs

Squaw is the American birthplace of extreme skiing. About 25 ago, Squaw locals began skiing impossible lines from the Palisades, essentially a cliff with snow stuck to it. In the early 1980s, Scot Schmidt, arguably the father of extreme skiing, arrived in Squaw to pull 100-foot cliff jumps. Thus the resort's reputation was born, and it still lives today. To earn your spurs as an extreme skier or snowboarder—or "freerider" in the current nomenclature of mountain sports—all roads lead through Squaw.

But extreme reputation aside, Squaw is actually a reasonably well-rounded ski area. There's a good amount of skiing for all ability levels, and the Resort at Squaw Creek is an exercise in extreme pampering. Squaw skiing can be ridiculously intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. An on-mountain demo center opened in 2005.

Squaw's extreme rep may overshadow the mellower side of the mountain, which is more substantial than you might think. From High Camp, about halfway up the mountain, there is plenty of novice and lower-intermediate terrain. What I like about this cluster of runs is that beginners can experience the thrill of being high on the mountain, rather than being stuck around the base area. At the end of the day, simply ride the tram or the Funitel Lift back to the bottom.

Intermediates tend to congregate around High Camp, too, although there are longer intermediate runs from the Squaw Creek Chair. As for expert skiing, the number of intriguing lines is impossible to calculate. KT-22 and the Headwall Express are particularly popular, and justly so. But I happen to like Granite Chief, which sees far less skier traffic. The runs are shorter, but the fresh snow stays untracked longer.

What's There: Learn to brush up on your skills under the guidance of the Squaw Valley Ski and Snowboard School, which runs courses for beginners to those ready to tread into the backcountry for the first time.

What's New: Nearly $24 million in capital improvements is bringing big upgrades in the 2012-13 season, including Big Blue Express, a new six-passenger lift; improved snow-making capabilities; a new sports shop; and a renovated Olympic Plaza bar.

Where: Squaw Valley is 42 miles from Reno, 96 miles from Sacramento, and 196 miles from San Francisco—all via Interstate 80.