What is fastest/best route from Reno to Heavenly?

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Am staying in Reno March 25-April 1 for s ski week. Have compact rental car and have 2 days planned @ Heavenly and 3 @ Squaw and 1 @ Northstar.

For Heavenly I was planning on using Nevada's Stagecoach Lodge for access both days.

(1) 395 to 50, or 395 further south to 207 and then across to 50?
(2) Any chance I'd need chains for these area @ that time of year?
(3) Would ski Nevada side day 1 and California side day 2 via Stagecaoch. OK strategy?

Have never been to Tahoe before (obviously). Thanks!
 
1) Stagecoach base is reached from the top of 207, so 395 south to 207 is the right way to go.
2) Yes, storm probability is down some from midwinter peak, but only 20% or so. The Alpine Meadows avalanche of 1982 occurred after 15 feet of snow fell exactly in your time frame.
3) Crossing back and forth within one day is not THAT tedious. Where you ski is more likely to be dictated by conditions. Chances are you will be mostly on the top layers of both CA and NV sides. I prefer to base out of Nevada whenever I ski Heavenly.

I would do Kirkwood instead of Northstar. An easy drive up 88 (the road you're on a short time before branching off 207 to Heavenly). In the fairly likely spring conditions Kirkwood will have the best snow at Tahoe by a considerable margin. And I'd make that day fairly early in the week, as you may want to go back. Mt. Rose, closest area to Reno, is also high though they seem low on snow relative to other places this year.

Do a day at Squaw early too, as that will give you the possible contrast between North (mostly lower altitude) vs. South Shore conditions. Some would also suggest you do 1 day Alpine vs. all 3 at Squaw.
 
Thanks Tony.
1) using Stagecoach access for both days but will spend 1 day each on NV and CA sides most likely in the upper mountain of both sides

2) on a vacation package and neither Alpine nor Kirkwood were options for us re: lift tickets. My travel partner is a strong snowboarder who loves to carve so we thought we'd spend our first day @ Northstar to get our legs and rack up lots of groomed vertical on the backside + Martis express lifts

3) maybe I should upgrade to a 4x4 or rent chains in case
 
Many car rental contracts prohibit chains, so they may not be an option.
 
Pretty sure they all prohibit chains, but just don't mention it to them. When I rent something here in LA to get up to Waterman/Baldy I buy chains at Pepboys for like $50 or so and then just return them if I don't use them (never have yet).
 
Just understand that if the contract prohibits chains and something happens while using chains, you'll be suffering any ramifications that violating the rental agreement entails.
 
My thoughts on a Reno based ski vacation are based on the sun (or lack of it). If it's clear, I'd be thinking Squaw, Alpine and Sugar Bowl. I like Alpine the most of those three, as I find Squaw overrated, but you can to go to both to decide for yourself. Sugar Bowl is retro and funky, but I dig it's Donner Pass vibe. They're all pretty close to Reno and the subsequent free cocktails available in the casinos. It helps to be a stronger skier as these areas are for real.
I would skip Heavenly and Northstar on this trip. Both would be marginalized the time you're there except if it's dumping and super windy. And unless you are a lifer intermediate, I think you'll find these areas boring.The dark horse here is Mt. Rose/Slide Mountain, a fun place to check out for the day and it usually enjoys superior surface conditions due to it's higher altitude. A wise choice if you get a powder day because of it's close proximity and lack of crowd pressure.
I have to agree to put Kirkwood on your short list. Not a fun place to drive to from Reno in a whiteout, so save it for a clearing day (hopefully!) after a Sierran dump, or just a nice spring corn day. This is the most "alpine" of the Tahoe areas and is almost a must do the time you're visiting.
Now, if you're really crazy/adventureous, and Tahoe is beat up from weeks of no snow, drive three hours directly south and go to Mammoth.
 
Schubwa's advice is very good. We agree that Kirkwood is a strong favorite to have the best conditions during your time frame.

For future reference, one of the virtues of a destination like Utah or Tahoe is flexibility. Do not lock yourself in advance to skiing specific areas.
 
Your planned itinerary is ambitious and subject to the unprdictable weather that can hit the Sierras. I believe it was the middle of Dec 2002 when my wife and I went to So. Lake Tahoe for a few days to ski Heavenly. Conditions were marginal (low snow) but skiable. After three nights we drove up to Reno to meet a friend. The plan was to run west to go to Squaw from Reno while visiting with the friend. On our way to Reno a storm hit that dropped 5 feet of snow on the mountains. Donner Pass was closed. The very next night another storm dropped an additional 3 feet of snow. Needless to say, we spent the next few days marooned, and gambling in Reno.
 
thanks to all for the feedback/advice, but my trip is already booked and is limited to N-Star, Squaw and Heavenly due to package constraints. Not that I have any problem with these because I've not been to Tahoe before - it's all good to me.

pep boys idea re: chains is 100% genius - THANKS!
 
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