Reno-Tahoe: Sierra's Summer Squaw

by Doug Saunders

The Winds of Mountain Fun Swing Steady at the Resort at Squaw Creek

Through the long winter months the granite peaks that surround Lake Tahoe are inviting playgrounds for ski enthusiasts worldwide. But as summer finally warms the soil and wildflowers splash the forests and meadows, the natural setting of the mountains becomes the perfect setting for high-altitude golf. And there is no better place to “get high” on the good life than the Resort at Squaw Creek.

The venerable resort opened 16 years ago with the explicit goal of offering a four-star experience within an alpine setting. Tucked against the base of Squaw Valley USA, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, the Resort at Squaw Creek was designed to make a strong connection to the natural surroundings by blending massive granite blocks with heavy timbers, natural stones and reflective glass walls that invite guests to become an integral part of the rugged environment.

It’s stirring architecture, and it’s graphically evident from the moment you enter the expansive lobby with a 16-foot-high glass wall that seems to draw the mountain landscape right into the room. The granite fireplace and oversized chairs and couches whisper one request: To linger awhile and gaze in awe at an amphitheater of sheer wonder. The feeling of “solid elegance” continues through all aspects of this sprawling complex — an eight-story tower with 405 rooms, three swimming pools, four restaurants, luxury spa and fitness center and a full-service salon.

When the resort opened, some questioned the idea of a four-star experience in a mountain setting. Weren’t most Sierra visitors going for something more rustic as they went hiking, fishing and camping?
Time has proved the naysayers very wrong. Being pampered after a day in the sun or on the slopes is a very popular alternative to the top-drawer accommodations found above the clanging slot machines at casino resorts on the south and north shores of Lake Tahoe. The relaxed, refreshing lifestyle attracts thousands of vacationers to the Resort at Squaw Creek — and many other resorts up and down the Sierra crest — every year.

But for golfers, Squaw Creek goes where most year-round mountain destinations fear to tread. Opened in 1989, Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s ingenious mountains-meets-wetlands layout was the first course built in the Lake Tahoe-Truckee region in 15 years. It was also the forerunner for the various environmentally sensitive design, construction, and maintenance techniques that are now commonplace practices at golf facilities worldwide. Since then, many more courses have opened in the region and the area is recognized as a top-drawer purveyor of mountain golf, but The Resort at Squaw Creek remains at the center of it all — ground zero (at 7,000 feet) to sample all Tahoe offers.

Still, the new owners of the Resort at Squaw Creek, Destinations Hotels & Resorts, decided two years ago to not rest on their laurels. They embarked on a 14-month, $53 million renovation program to solidify its reputation as the premier luxury resort and conference center in the High Sierra. It began with upgrading the convention room facilities and lobby and culminated with a full overhaul of the guest suites with new gas fireplaces, new appliances, glass wall showers, tile flooring, granite counter tops, luxurious furniture, flat-screen TVs, and wireless Internet access. Some rooms became multi-room suites as part of an ownership program with 225 condominium style suites. Sales have been brisk, though there was a downside: Some thought a Squaw Creek stay was no longer in the public’s reach. This is far from the truth.

According to the Director of Sales and Marketing Doug Phillips, “Nothing about the resort’s facilities or amenities has changed, it’s just dramatically improved. We still offer 405 resort rooms and suites, we still offer the best meeting facilities in the Sierra and we still offer all the services and amenities one would expect from California’s premier all season mountain resort.” What has changed, according to Phillips, is that “every detail of the resort is brand new.”

While the rooms indeed have a new feel to them, the concept of the Resort at Squaw Creek still remains. The entire resort spreads out from the guest tower to the swimming pools in an effort to draw visitors outdoors to the promenade, which features several shops plus the Sweet Potatoes Deli where coffee and snacks augment an invigorating stroll.

The Resort offers every possible way for guests to get active — miles of mountain bike trails and hiking trails that connect to the nearby ski resort, two tennis courts and the popular mountain buddies program for children 4 through 14 that provides a full array of supervised activities for the younger set. And Lake Tahoe, the jewel of the Sierra, is just five miles away.

Then there’s the golf. Jones’ minimalist masterpiece flows through Squaw Meadow, beckoning players from their suites on a balmy summer day as the morning sun spreads golden light across the golf course against a soaring mountain backdrop. Making it to the tee on time is not an issue — the first tee is just steps away from the tower.

The course is a stern test of accuracy and patience, but also rewards with incomparable views of snow-capped granite peaks as golfers work their way across a true alpine meadow. There are fans and detractors and few opinions in between. Distance isn’t critical here, but challenging carries off of several tees (and on more than one approach) over ball-hungry wetlands give Squaw Creek a killer reputation from the day it opens each spring.

“We try to get the course open by the end of May, but that all depends on how heavy of a winter we have,” says PGA Head Professional Eric Veraguth. “We average over 500 inches of snow each season, so runoff can affect us for some time. The course was constructed to drain so that we can get open in the spring. Finding the fairway is critical.”

Actually, the course’s first few holes hug a mountain ridge, rising through stands of pine and fir and around the private chair lift that hooks the resort to the Squaw Valley’s ski runs. Then, after the tumbling par-5 No. 4, it spills out in to Squaw Meadow and changes personality; suddenly you’re staring at a series of fairway islands surrounded by a seas of meadow grasses and wetlands. Swirling afternoon westerly winds make each iron shot the golf equivalent of a black diamond run. This is a golf course that provides instant gratification for each properly played shot — and more than a few moments of consternation for those off the mark.

Still, this is a resort course, and the good folks at Destination are determined to take a bit of the edge off Trent Jones’ tester. “Over the past few seasons we have made some changes to the mowing patterns around the greens in order to make the course a bit more player friendly,” Veraguth says. “We also rebuilt several of the tee complexes last summer and will continue this work later this fall.”

Survive the round and après-golf options abound. Relax by one of three swimming pools or soak in one of the numerous hot tubs nestled below the waterfall that out of the main lodge. Enjoy a light meal on the patio next to Montagne Restaurant, which features fresh breads and pasta dishes and the freshest of ingredients. Or you may want to pamper yourself at the Spa.

The Spa at the Resort at Squaw Creek is recognized as one of the best in the West and offers everything from Swedish and deep-tissue sports massages to hot rock therapy sessions and herbal facial treatments. A massage will help ease the kinks out of your back after a taxing round on the mountain monster next door and help keep you flexible for the next assault on par. Follow it up with dinner at the Six Peaks Restaurant — excellent steaks and chops, a great panoramic view, refined and rarefied service — and call it a delightful day, with the promise of another to follow.

And that day doesn’t have to mean staying in bounds at the resort itself. Down Highway 89 a piece, adventurous golfers can give the new courses in Truckee, Old Greenwood and Coyote Moon a spin — and another 50 minutes north is the Graeagle area with Whitehawk Ranch, Gold Mountain, Plumas Pines and Greaeagle Meadows, all courses that helped the Sierra to set a new standard for mountain venues.
 Or if you’ve got kids in tow, stay put and save an afternoon on the links for them. “We really strive to make the resort a family friendly affair,” Veraguth says. “To that end we initiated a special family program at the golf course. We set out a special set of tees for the juniors and beginners. An adult can play for $40 and the kids can play for free after 5 o’clock. It’s a great way for families to spend some time together.”
The Tahoe basin and Squaw Valley have been winter winners for decades, but summer is when they really shine. The high Sierra’s crisp evenings and brilliant days are perfect for a relaxing getaway and great mountain golf, and at the Resort At Squaw Creek, perfection is taken very, very seriously — one guest at a time. FG

The Resort at Squaw Creek

Olympic Valley, Calif.  |  800.327.3353  |  www.squawcreek.com

Driver Down
If we can offer one tip for playing the Resort at Squaw Creek’s sinister course with any semblance of success, it’s this: Leave the big dog in the bag and nibble away at Robert Trent Jones’ artfully rendered wetlands-ringed fairways with a series of irons and hybrids off the tee. Only on a couple of 5-pars is driver even in the cards; figure in the altitude and you might deal them out altogether.

Resort at Squaw Creek Golf Course
Par: 71 Yardage: 6,931 tips
Rates: $50-$100 resort guests, $50-$125 visitors
Pub, Please — Sandy’s pub, named after Sandy Poulsen, is a tribute to the Poulsen family who was the driving force in the development of Squaw Valley. Featuring a full bar, pool table, flat screen TVs and 8’ x 6’ big screen TV, this traditional sports bar features pub style appetizers and casual meals, a great selection of microbrews, wine and specialty drinks.

Stuff 2 Do Around North Lake Tahoe

Rafting on the Truckee River
The Truckee River is Lake Tahoe’s only outlet, flowing northeast nearly 100 miles to Pyramid Lake in Nevada. Rafting is big business down in Reno, but the five-mile float from the dam in Tahoe City to the River Ranch near Squaw Valley’s entrance from Highway 89 has become a requirement for visitors during the summer months. Don’t expect a secluded trip down an isolated river as this trip features slow-moving water and big crowds of water-lovers during the warm summer days. Still, the water on the river is more bearable than the cold depths of the lake from which it flows and offers a nice respite on a hot day.

Tahoe City
This typical mountain resort town is anchored on the northwest shore of the largest alpine lake in North America. Shopping options vary from T-shirts and sunglasses to fine art galleries and jewelry stores. The Boatworks Mall offers a variety of stores and restaurants with Jake’s on the Lake offering deck dining on the shore of the lake. There’s even a charming nine-hole golf course, opened in 1917.

Twilight Excursion on the Tahoe Gal
This paddlewheel-style boat cruises along the West Shore of Lake Tahoe and is a great way to get out on the water and experience the clarity and magnitude of this unforgettable natural setting, which Mark Twain called “the fairest view the whole Earth affords.” Bring a jacket, as temperatures tend to drop quickly after sunset even in July or August — remember, the lake does sit at 6,200 feet above sea level.