Crowd calendar · 2026-27 season
Palisades Tahoe
Olympic Valley, CaliforniaIkon
Tap a day to see why, then plan a trip around it.
QuietModerateBusyPacked 3"+ snow forecast
November 2026
SMTWTFS
December 2026
SMTWTFS
January 2027
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February 2027
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March 2027
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April 2027
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Busy stretches to avoid
- Thanksgiving weekendNov 25 – Nov 29
- School holidaysDec 20 – Dec 25
- Christmas–New Year peakDec 26 – Jan 1
- Ikon Base and Ikon Session blackoutDec 26 – Dec 30
- Palisades Midweek Pass blackoutDec 28 – Jan 1
- School holidaysJan 2 – Jan 3
- MLK weekendJan 16 – Jan 18
- Ikon Base and Ikon Session blackoutJan 16 – Jan 17
- Presidents' Day weekendFeb 13 – Feb 15
- Ikon Base and Ikon Session blackoutFeb 13 – Feb 14
- Mid-February high-demand block (resort parking reservations required)Feb 13 – Feb 21
- Palisades Midweek Pass blackoutFeb 15
- Presidents' week school breakFeb 16 – Feb 19
- Easter weekendMar 26 – Mar 29
Beating the crowds
- Tuesday to Thursday is quietest almost everywhere, and often cheaper.
- Monday through Friday, non-holiday, parking at both bases is free and first come, first served with no reservation. Weekends and holiday periods before 1 pm need a reservation, and after 1 pm parking is free without one.
- Free weekend parking reservations are released every Tuesday at 12 pm (half) and 7 pm (half) Pacific for the coming weekend or holiday period. Paid $30 spots were released Sept 15. Cancellations open up until 9 am on the day, so checking then can turn up a spot.
- Reservation days required for the 2026-27 season include Dec 5-6, Dec 12-13, Dec 19-31, Jan 1-3, Jan 9-10, Jan 16-18, Jan 23-24, Jan 30-31, Feb 6-7, Feb 13-21, and Feb 27-28. Plan a Monday to Friday visit for lighter lots.
- On reservation days, carpooling with 4 or more in a vehicle and riding the free TART park-and-ride from Truckee or Tahoe City, or the free Mountaineer shuttle within Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows, avoids the lot queue. Check the resort parking status on the app before leaving the valley.
Ski Palisades Tahoe for less
Get every cost per person with sources, the cheapest place to stay, quiet dates and a day-by-day plan. Takes about a minute.
Plan a cheap trip herePlaces to stay nearby
The cheapest beds are usually a town or two down the road. Split a whole house with your group.
This is a forecast from patterns: weekdays, national holidays, school breaks, pass blackout dates and events. Resorts don't publish lift-line data, so treat it as a guide. Snow forecast from Open-Meteo.