Diamond Peak

Praise goes to the view and the price. The Lake Tahoe panorama from the upper runs is called the best around, and a lift ticket costs about half what nearby Mount Rose or Northstar charge. Queues are minimal, parking easy, a shuttle runs every five minutes. The Crystal Express high-speed quad serves the upper mountain, and the Solitude Canyon glades offer steep, narrow lines between rocks. The terrain park has bigger jumps than most Tahoe rivals.

Size and lift layout draw the complaints. Reaching the high-speed quad means first riding a slow fixed-grip chair from the base, which riders find irritating. Challenging terrain is scarce: in variety and vertical it cannot match its larger neighbours, and Solitude Canyon opens only once enough snow has built up, so it sits closed for much of the winter. Over the holidays the beginner slopes fill with instructor groups.