I am booked to go out to Claire Tappaan Lodge at Donner Pass, Lake Tahoe:

http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/lodges/ctl/

http://www.hostelz.com/hostel/29694-Clair-Tappaan-Lodge

btn Christmas and New Year’s to go cross country skiing.

Tried to go Thanksgiving but they didnt have snow yet, so I cancelled/postponed. It all worked out very well:

Claire Tappan did not charge a cancellation fee as there was no snow and they were slow, its not like I had kept someone else that wanted to go from doing so. Normally, since I waited, pending weather, till a few days before my arrival date, there would have been a 25% cancellation fee.

I am making the trip using frequent flier miles, when I cancelled, since I rescheduled and the rescheduled departure daye is more than 15 days beyond the original reservation, United Airlines did not charge a rebooking fee. Sweet!

Claire Tappan is an exceptional value anyway, since I am only staying three nights, I made my reservation to stay in the bunkhouse at the lodge, nightly rate INCLUDING 3 MEALS A DAY is $60. Try and beat that!

The most expensive part of the trip will be the 4wd I will rent at SFO for the drive up into the Sierras from San Francisco. The roads get closed often to all but 4wd so in order to keep from potentially having wait out road reopenings it seems well worth the expense.

There is a shuttle van based at Claire Tappaan that stops at 4 world class cross country ski facilities in the area that includes Royal Gorge and Sugar Bowl.

I’ll give report of my trip upon my return.

RH