Palisades Tahoe, in Olympic Valley in the Sierra Nevada near Tahoe City, is the largest skiing complex in the Lake Tahoe region and one of the most prominent ski areas in the American West. Founded in 1949 as Squaw Valley, it was developed after Wayne Poulsen acquired the first acreage and Alexander Cushing took control of the project, later winning the bid for the 1960 Winter Olympics and giving the resort national prominence. Renamed in 2021 after its former name was retired as offensive, it remains defined by its Olympic legacy, later World Cup events, major expansion with Alpine Meadows, and ongoing cultural and environmental debates.