Diamond Peak, Nevada

Diamond Peak is the smallest of the 10 Tahoe resorts that made our list.  This review is based on multiple visits over 22 years under generally good conditions, including a re-visit in 2024 with a light dusting of new snow.

Stats and Rating

Real Vertical ?	1,840′, Rank: 80
Size	655 Acres, Rank: 88
Annual Snowfall ?	300″ claimed / 300″ actual, Rank: 47
Lift Pods ?	3, Rank: 91
Distinct Trails ?	29, Rank: 99
Review Date	March 2024 (multiple visits from 2001-2024)
Number of visits	5
Our Rating (1-5)	★★
Resort website	https://www.diamondpeak.com

Diamond Peak Review: Overall

Diamond Peak resort is only 33 miles from our house in South Lake Tahoe. Although it is close to us, we really only went there because it was inexpensive for our guests who didn’t have season passes to our local resorts.  In recent years the lift ticket prices have become way too high for a resort of this size so we stopped going around 2010.  Diamond Peak and Homewood were both great small resorts with an excellent value proposition up until about then and it’s unfortunate that didn’t last.  The Tahoe region really needs more options for people who are just starting out and aren’t invested enough to spend big bucks.

 

The Mountain

Diamond Peak is basically one ridge with short-ish north facing steeper aspects and a couple of longer west-facing runs on the ridge top and main gully.  The ski resort is small and caters mostly to families and Incline Village locals.  Still there is some pretty great terrain on the upper part of the mountain to keep Mom or Dad interested while the other parent watches the kids.  Crystal Ridge and the Great Flume are the 2 best blue runs on the mountain, but what was surprising to me on the most recent visit in 2024 was the groomed black runs.  Lightning and Diamond Back are quite steep and appear to be regularly groomed, in addition to most of the blacks on the lower mountain.

 

The Lifts

The only high-speed lift is the Crystal Express on the upper part of the ridge.  This is honestly one of the better lifts in all of Tahoe, with almost 1,500′ of vertical and a very interesting variety of terrain.  It also has some of the best views of the lake available at any Tahoe resort.  When I re-visited the resort by myself in 2024, I skied every marked run indicated on the trail map off Crystal Express and they were all good.  Besides the numerous groomed runs, there are lots of great short treed zones and Solitude Canyon.

Solitude canyon is interesting, but a little awkward because you need to do a lot of traversing to get enough steepness to ski powder.  Otherwise it’s going to be one long traverse.  I traversed and dropped about 4 times on the way down.  You don’t want to drop all the way down to the gully where it gets overgrown and narrow.

The only other non-beginner lift that runs every day is the Lakeview Quad.  It’s a short lift with only 672′ of vertical. However, that area is actually north-facing and fairly shady which retains the snow quality a little better than anywhere else, and it’s plenty steep.  My favorite was Corkscrew which is a nice narrow steep groomer.

Red Fox and Ridge don’t appear to ever run.  I’m not sure what the purpose of Ridge would be if it was running.  It will probably be removed and sold eventually.

For Beginners

This resort is popular with families because it has a good progression for kids who start out on Schoolyard and then step up to the Lodgepole quad when ready.  The next step is Lakeview which still has an easy way down.  Our kids and some other family members have taken lessons here and it worked well for everyone.

 

The good

• The most notable thing about Diamond Peak is the lake view.  The lake is visible from most of the runs.
• Almost all the marked runs are groomed regularly when there is enough snow.
• The Crystal Express is one of the best lifts in Tahoe with a nice variety of terrain and a significant vertical drop.
• The lack of crowds distinguishes it from most of the other Tahoe resorts.
• Great tree skiing on the short steeper pitches on the upper ridge.
• If you arrive early, it’s very likely that you can park right next to the Schoolyard run and ski right back to your car.
• Decent terrain and lifts for Beginners/Novices

The bad

• The biggest problem is that Diamond Peak is in the least snowy area of Tahoe, and along with the low elevation (8540′ at the peak), the snow is either very thin or icy a lot of the time.
• It is the smallest of the Tahoe resorts so there just isn’t that much variety available.  It boils down to 1 great lift and 1 short but sweet lift good for a few quick runs after.
• Lift ticket prices are way too high for a resort of this size and there aren’t any discounts available.  It used to be a great value but now it is just like most other resorts in that it only makes financial sense if you get a season pass and ski there regularly.

 

Don’t Miss

Take a run down Crystal Ridge and marvel at the lake view.

 

The bottom line

Diamond Peak is a small family style resort that is still independently owned and well-run.  It’s not a great value if you don’t have a season pass, but it’s a great resource for Incline Village locals who just want to get out for a few quick runs on a regular basis.  We won’t likely be visiting again any time soon but have had some fun days there in the past with family and friends.