We stayed at Harveys and walked over to the gondola at Heavenly, but we did rent our equipment there. If you're taking your own equipment it might be a little bit tougher with all the gear. You might check with the hotel and see if they have a shuttle (if you are taking your own equipment).
I went quite a few years ago and it was an awesome day, sunny, with beautiful views of the lake. The snow was great in the morning, but of course got a bit slushy in the afternoon.