Finally, it’s official! Squaw Valley USA (owned by KSL) announced that it will buy Alpine Meadows and the two resorts will combine their operations. The result will be a massive ski resort offering skiing and riding along the Pacific Crest from the West Shore of Lake Tahoe (Ward Canyon) to Granite Chief Peak, nearly halfway to Truckee from the Lake. The two ski areas combined will offer over 6,000 acres of skiing and riding.

Though it’s all just rumor now, the two resorts may eventually be connected through Troy Caldwell’s White Wolf property, adding additional dynamic terrain off the backside of KT. This would make Squaw-Alpine the second largest ski resort in North America, after Whistler-Blackcomb. For this season, at least, the two resorts will only be connected via shuttle.

This is the biggest news that we’ve heard in North American Skiing since Jackson Hole opened it’s boundaries a decade ago. Bring it on!