royal gorge usa cross country ski resort

My friend and I took an introductory cross country lesson. We had taken one other lesson on this trip. It was my second time on skis of any kind and I felt so much improved with another lesson. The instructor was knowledgeable, patient and friendly. The lesson was well worth the extra money. Once you pay for the rental and day pass it's only about another $10 to join in on the daily lessons at posted times on their website, which was about 1 1/2 hours. We then took off on the green marked trails for about an hour. My friend also traded in her skis for snow shoes since she wanted to try those out as well and they didn't charge her for the trade. Being around the more experienced skiers felt intimidating at first, but they were friendly and made you feel at ease. There are options for eating and accommodations nearby. We stayed in South Lake Tahoe, but the drive was not bad and pretty.

great vibe, HUGE netowork of trails, chill people. We rented a puka sled, which broke, and they were really cool about dealing with that.

It is great to see that Royal Gorge is now being managed well and that it still exists. I have been cross country skiing here for over 20 years and love the huge area to ski. Yesterday I skied on trails that I had never yet traversed. After a great three hour ski it is enjoyable to hang out in the Summit Station lodge for some tasty soup. Staff are helpful and friendly. When I was there many of the trails were not yet open due to not enough snow, but staff were ready to help me map out a route for my day. I do wish that the Wilderness Lodge would reopen since the fire and that the cafe would serve food again on the deck as there is nothing like skiing and having a sunny lunch down at the Wilderness Lodge.

No water in warming hut we visited but glad to see snow in the Sierras so who is complaining Not all the trails open yet.

World class trails and so much to ski and see. It will take you days to cover all the trails. Food in the lodge is great. The ski area is actually owned by the Truckee Donner Land Trust after raising more than $10M to buy it out of bankruptcy. Previous 2 owners ran it into the ground. Sugar Bowl is managing it for them and you can buy a combo pass. You can even ski over to Sugar Bowl and have lunch in their dining room at the old lodge.

We used to ski at Royal Gorge frequently when we lived in California and this is the first time we have been back in over 10 years. During this time, natural disasters (fire) and financial difficulties took their toll. The resort, boasting the largest groomed cross country track system in North America, was recently purchased by a neighboring downhill ski resort. The people working there were all very friendly and accommodating. The trails were about as we'll maintained as you might expect for spring ski conditions and the lodge itself seemed to be in reasonable condition. We were saddened to learn that Wilderness Lodge was destroyed in a fire as we had spent many weekends there with our daughters - hopefully they will rebuild. We rated value lower because we have become used to paying a very nominal fee for trail passes where we live now and it was just a bit of a sticker shock to us! Enjoyed returning to a favorite place.

The mountains, the trees, the canyons... All make for amazing views while enjoying cross country skiing. The area is gorgeous; it makes it feel like no workout at all - just an enjoyable trip through the forest. Staff is always great. The rentals are top quality. The lessons are a great value and really help.

This was my first trip to Royal Gorge. It is huge -- the trails go on forever. You could come back many times and not cover all the trails. It's a bad year for snow, but the skiing was still great! The trails were well-maintained, and the trail signs and maps make sense. The workers were cheerful and helpful.

First of all, a huge resort with a wide variety of terrain. the largest in North America, they say.I've been going to Royal Gorge for 15 years and seen its ups and downs. The latest seems to me a big up from the past few years. It's open 7 days, and they groom a lot of trails (150km or so right now). It's a real pleasure to go out for a few hours on the incredible variety of trails. It's great to be able to go there in the middle of the week now (the past few years it was closed then).

i use to work here and love to ski. the place has new people that a running it. At one time it was open all the time and good grooming, over the past 6 years lots has change. This here a new Manager has taken the place over, I'm sure that she will do a good job and with some luck will restore it.

Now that Sugar Bowl has taken up the grooming, trails are wide, well groomed and great. We skiied the Van Norden Lake area, which is the first time we have seen it groomed in years. There are several warming huts along the trails, but no stove to boil water for hot cocoa or tea. Warming huts had big orange jugs of water, but we could not get spigot to work. My only criticism is that the trails are not well marked, so we found it difficult to locate which trail to take. Otherwise, it was a wonderful place to ski and I highly recommend it. Over 70 skis for free.

My family just spent a week at Serene Lake, where we rented a house and enjoyed the Royal Gorge area. There are two win lakes which are great for kayaking and canoeing (only one is a swimming lake, as the other is for drinking water). There is a home owner's beach for kids to play on the sand, which people who rent houses also have acces too. And, there are tons of hiking trails through Royal Gorge as well as a safe neighborhood with streets for kids to ride their bikes. It was a great place to be "unplugged" for our family - just wake up each morning and decide what to do. For the adventuresome, Truckee and Lak Donner are just a short drive away. Our only disappointment was that Ice Lakes Lodge was closed - but we are keeping fingers crossed it will reopen once the details of the recent sale have been worked out. Highly recommend as both a summer and winter destination.

Royal Gorge is doing the very best it can with virtually no snow. The staff is super friendly.

On a whim we did a day of cross country skiing in the midst of a week where we stayed at Squaw (and did a lot of downhill skiing). One of the smartest things I've done recently I think. Really great people at the main Royal Gorge lodge (Summit lodge?), nice rental gear, and an excellent instructor got us refreshed after some years of not doing this. It's amazing how cheap a day of playing at the xc ski area is compared to any of the downhill areas. Was not crowded, with miles and miles of nicely groomed trails.

I stayed in the Ice Lakes Lodge over new years 2009/2010. It had the feel of a cruise ship, the person serving you dinner was the same one renting you equipment in the morning. It made for a friendly atmosphere. The trails are amazing and not at all crowded, even at peak times. It was my first time XC skiing, but the mix of trails was enough to learn, then challenge. The food has improved immensely since the Donners: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donner_PartyIt is a bit pricey but it is good.I want to go back.