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winter 2015 -16 saving winter kyle smaine made in tahoe freeskiers find a voice
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winter 2015-16
savingwinter
kyle smainemade in tahoe
freeskiers fi nd a voice
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4 lake tahoe mapwhere are you?
6 saving winterpro athletes take on climate change
10 calling the shotsfreeskiers fi nd a voice
12 back to schoolavalanche training will save your life
15 a place to playlearning skills at woodward tahoe
16 photo essaytahoe winter bliss
18 refl ecting on the changing ski industry
rob kautz
20 taking it to the next levellocal workshops
22 news from the lift lineresort round-up
24 royal gorgebreathtaking views await
on cross-country tour
26 famed cal neva to reopentahoe development
27 big blue brewslocal craft alehouses
28 dance the winter nights awaymusic & festivals
29 a tahoe skier’s horoscopewhat’s in store
30 riding fatsnow bike adventures
31 tipsfor tahoe ski trips
32 kyle smainemade in tahoe
and mountain biking Tahoe’s trails, enjoy-ing the waters on Big Blue and lavishing in the long, beautiful summer days, the Tahoe
o de a a a d a o d ea in a o the 2015-16 winter season and working on the next issue of Powder. OK, we did do all of those fun, summer things, too.
We’re all excited about the coming winter and about this year’s edition of Tahoe Powder. While we’re all dreaming of this winter season, Jeremy Jones and other pro athletes are work-ing to preserve the winters of the future through Protect Our Winters. Jones founded
e o ani a ion dedica ed o fi in c i a e change after seeing ski hills covered in grass in the middle of winter as he traveled the world as a professional snowboarder. Jones talked to Associate Editor Jenn Sheridan for our cover story on “Saving Winter” in this edition.
There are many sides to enjoying winter in Tahoe and we explore several of those in this issue from cross-sport skill sessions at Wood-ward Tahoe, to snow biking on local trails (yes, you can bike on the snow), a cross-country trek to The Gorge on Donner Summit or taking a craft brew tour of the Tahoe-Truckee region.
We hope you enjoy this edition of Tahoe Powder, and another amazing winter season in Tahoe. After all, there’ s no such thing as a bad day in Tahoe.
– Katherine E. Hill
After a day on the slopes...our lakefront resort is a luxurious treat. Whether your post-ski routine calls for a fireside cocktail at the lakefront Lone Eagle Grille, a deep tissue massage at Stillwater Spa and Salon, or trying new local beers as part of the C.U.L.T. beer club in Cutthroat’s Saloon, you’ll find the perfect end to a perfect day at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe.
775 832 1234 LAKETAHOE.HYATT.COM 111 COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE INCLINE VILLAGE, NV
/HyattLakeTahoe HyattLakeTahoe @HyattLakeTahoe
Tahoe-style
On the cover | Photographer Keoki Flagg captures Tahoe skier Jamie Burge enjoying some of Tahoe’s legendary powder at Alpine Meadows.
keoki fl agg
gallerykeoki.com
Who are we? a good day in tahoe
while otherswere out hiking
[email protected]/TheTahoeWeekly
P.O. Box 87 | Tahoe City, CA 96145(530) 546-5995
Publisher & Editor In Chief Katherine E. [email protected], ext. 102
Associate Editor Jenn [email protected], ext. 104
Account ExecutiveGreg [email protected], ext. 108
Art Director | ProductionAlyssa [email protected], ext. 106
Graphic Designer Mael [email protected], ext. 101
Adminstrative Manager Michelle Allen
Contributing Writers Tim HausermanPriya Hutner Michael O’Connor
Tahoe Powder is a publication of Range of Light Media Group, which also publishes The Tahoe Weekly magazine and Tahoe Summer magazine. Tahoe Powder is published annually each November. Reproduction in whole or part without the publisher’s express permission is prohibited. Tahoe Powder is not responsible for unsolicited submissions
a good day a good dayit’s always
Courtesy Mount Rose
SHARE TAHOE POWDER > Free, digital download at TahoePowder.ski or free issuu app on iTunes & GooglePlay
After a day on the slopes...our lakefront resort is a luxurious treat. Whether your post-ski routine calls for a fireside cocktail at the lakefront Lone Eagle Grille, a deep tissue massage at Stillwater Spa and Salon, or trying new local beers as part of the C.U.L.T. beer club in Cutthroat’s Saloon, you’ll find the perfect end to a perfect day at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe.
775 832 1234 LakeTahoe.hyaTT.com 111 counTry cLub Drive incLine viLLage, nv
/HyattLakeTahoe HyattLakeTahoe @HyattLakeTahoe
Tahoe-style
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e a a a oe o de a in i ed en a o
o ie o a o a en o e en inee a oac ed
a e no o i no oa d e iva in an anci co in o e a o ei inven ion o e a
o e a a e o ned on i o e and e a en ed ea i ec noo o ac and a e one da on e o e o
e co anion i one a e device ac eed
ve ica o a ion accee a ion and ca o ie i da a a ea in on a di a in ide e o e
o need o c a e ne e i en a o e a
a e o n ed o an ai o o e co e i a ec a ea e a e ac a a ei o e o e a o evie e
ona a and ac o e in oin one oca ion on a e o a oca e and ac iend and o e o ea i a i in e
o de in an a
| gogglepal.com
- KH
AR comes to the slopes
DID YOU KNOW?
The highest peak in the Tahoe Basin
is Freel Peak at 10,881’
DID YOU KNOW?
Lake Tahoe is22 miles long &12 miles wide
DID YOU KNOW?
The deepestpoint in
Lake Tahoe is 1,645’
DID YOU KNOW?
Tahoe receives an average of 409” of
fresh powder each year
Lake Tahoe
CA
NV
Photos courtesy GogglePal
DID YOU KNOW?
The deepestpoint in
Lake Tahoe is 1,645’
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we talk about winter over the past decade. No, it’s not selfi e sticks or rising tickets prices that has the ski community worried, but rising temperatures. While the drought is mostly responsible for the meager snow-
pack we’ve seen on West Coast mountain ranges in re-cent years, there is no denying that the storms we have seen are warmer, often resulting in rain at lower elevations includ-ing the base areas of local ski resorts.
“I’ve spent my life in the moun-tains and in doing so I’ve seen a change. By 2005, I became really concerned with the changes I was seeing,” said Jeremy Jones, profes-
sional big mountain snowboarder and founder of Protect Our Winters.
As a professional snowboarder and a business owner, Jones is aware of his personal impact on the environment. Jones calls Lake Tahoe home, but his career takes him to the
ea o o n ain a o nd e o e o fi
with his brothers’ action sports media com-pany, Teton Gravity Research. When he’s not c ai in fi de cen do n ee ine e operates Jones’ Snowboards in Truckee, Calif. But when he looked for an outlet to give back to something that focused on the changing world, he found that it didn’t exist.
“I didn’t like that answer, so basically I tried to ignore it, but I kept seeing more and more change happening,” said Jones.
He recounts a day spent visiting a small ski re-sort in Prince Rupert, Canada. It was mid-win-ter and there were no skiers in sight; the lifts weren’t turning, the hills were covered in grass.
“When I asked them why it isn’t open they said it just doesn’t snow at that elevation any-more. It was a real shock to see these guys who weren’t that old describe losing their resort to rising snow levels,” said Jones.
It was another year before Protect Our Winters began to take shape as an organi-zation that would give a voice to the chang-ing environment.
“I was really reluctant to start it. I’m not an environmentalist. I didn’t go to school for it. I have a carbon footprint, but I also knew I had connections in the industry with media
a disturbing trendhas defi ned the way
by jenn sheridan
saving winter
pro athletes take on climate change
We’re strength in numbers and we do have a voice at the White House because of the size of our group, but we need bigger numbers. We can’t operate with less than 1 percent of the industry on board. … We need to step up as an industry and become a unifi ed front on climate change.
- Jeremy Jones
TOP
Squaw Valley has joined Protect Our Winters
| Hank de Vre, Squaw Valley
RIGHT
Protect Our Winters has been lobbying Con-
gress to take steps to combat climate change.
Pictured, from left, on Capitol Hill are Auden
Schendler, vice president of sustainability for
Aspen Skiing Company eremy ones Olympic
silver medalist Gretchen Bleiler and Chris
avenport, a renowned big mountain skier and
mountaineer. | Courtesy Protect Our Winters
INSET
eremy ones Courtesy Teton
Gravity Research
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Homewood_Tahoe_Powder_725_49_4color_Outline.pdf 1 10/7/2015 1:57:09 PM
don’t force it“I think people place too much emphasis on how they turn and not enough on where they turn. Skiing is supposed to be fun and feel good. It should be done with a smile, not a grimace. People grimace when they try to turn the way someone instructed them too. “Rather than force unnatural technique, just try looking further down the hill to where the snow is ideal for a turn. Skip the icy patch and point ‘em for the softer snow below or traverse across the hill for a few moments until the mo-ment just feels right.”
- JT Holmes Professional Skier, Wing Suit Pilot, Stunt Man
companies and riders. I needed other people to rally around me and to get on board with the cause,” said Jones.
Protect Our Winters launched in 2007 with the mission of engaging the snowsports com-
ni o ead e fi a ain c i a e c an e through education, advocacy and communi-ty-based activism. The organization operates out o a a o e n a i o nia a ed o ce i a a o o e ide iance inc de more than 40 athletes who dedicate their time to POW’s initiatives and a newly formed Science
iance inc de a ea o ei o ovide the research behind every project.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is what Protect Our Winters has become. I’m just a cog in the wheel. There are so many amazing people involved that it’s taken on its own life form,” said Jones.
Creating the changeProtect Our Winters is focused on mobilizing
the snowsports community to speak up against policies and projects that have a negative im-pact on the climate and the environment.
“I was naïve getting into the climate change, as you know it’s a really long and tough battle,” says Jones. He continues that it is encouraging to see the small victories.
Protect Our Winters joined communi-ie ac o e acifi c o e o o o e
e o in coa o e o de ive a in o a a id e andin a e in ia o
deep-water ports in Washington and Oregon. e e ed od ce e fi o en a
which documents the negative impacts of
burning coal for energy and actively engaged the community to contact local representatives and lawmakers to ask for clean power alter-natives. While the battle is still ongoing, their e o ave een cce in oc in e ports that would be used to ship the coal.
Continued on pg 8...
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Tahoe Rim Tour
Jan. 24, 2016 | Tahoe Cross Country to Northstar
Alpenglow Mountain Festival
February 2016Area venues
Chutes Fest
February 2016 | Mt. Rose
Rahlves’ Banzai Tour
Feb. 27-28, 2016 | Kirkwood March 5-6 | Sugar Bowl
The Great Ski Race
March 6, 2016 | Tahoe Cross Country to Truckee
USANA International Cross Cup
March 10-13, 2016Squaw Valley
Pain McShlonkey Classic
March 2016Squaw Valley
High Roller Hold ‘Em
April 2016 | Heavenly
Cushing Crossing
April 16 | Squaw Valley
Billy Dutton Uphill
April 2016 | Squaw Valley
TAHOE’S BEST
ski events
Protect Our Winters is a rallying cry for the winter sports community to show the economic impact of dirty energy and ask for change. Most recently, POW’s executive director, Chris Steinkamp, attended the announcement of the Clean Power Plan in the East Room of the White House. Developed under the Clean Air Act, the Clean Power Plan is focused on reduc-ing air pollution emitted by power plants.
The organization’s work extends beyond the borders of the United States. Recently, they’ve created a plan for supporting Community Carbon Trees, a company that works to reforest clear-cut swaths of the Costa Rican forest with a variety of native, tropical plants.
Educating future generationsProtect Our Winters is also committed to
educating the next generation on how it can positively impact climate change. The Hot Planet Cool Athletes program brings profes-sional athletes to schools around the United States and Canada to share their experiences
i ne in c i a e c an e fi and i e educating students with the latest climate change science. Any school may request a free assem-bly at hotplanetscoolathletes.com. Since 2011, the program has reached more than 30,000
den a di e en c oo
ddi iona e o a o e a year in grants for schools to build green pro-grams on campus. Past grant recipients have used the money to create composting and recy-cling programs and eliminate the use of plastic bags and Styrofoam in schools. One student group built stationary bikes from used bicycles that could be used to charge cell phones and laptops on campus.
Strength in numbersThe outdoor community is uniquely suited
to drive a broad movement in climate action, i a e a co ec ive e o o eve e
than 1 percent of the snow sports community, including athletes and outdoor companies, are involved with Protect Our Winters.
“We’re strength in numbers and we do have a voice at the White House because of the size of our group, but we need bigger numbers. We can’t operate with less than 1 percent of the industry on board. I’m grateful for the membership we have and the companies we work with, but we need to step up as an in-d and eco e a nifi ed on on c i a e change,” said Jones.
I was really reluctant to start it. I’m not an environmentalist. I didn’t go to school for it. I have a carbon footprint, but I also knew I had connections in the industry with media companies and riders.”
- Jeremy Jones
TOP
Jeremy Jones spends time with school children
as part of POW’s Hot Planet Cool Athletes program.
RIGHT TOP
POW’s Hot Planet Cool Athletes program brings
professional athletes to elementary schools to
speak about climate change. Pictured here with
a group of children from a school in Oakland,
Calif., is Jeremy Jones (back right), pro snow-
boarder Forrest Shearer (seated) and pro skier
Caroline Gleich (middle). | Courtesy Protect
Our Winters
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Purchase a Tahoe license plate and get two free Alpine or Nordic tickets to the Tahoe resort of your choice.* Now you can play in some deep powder without having to dig deep to make a difference. Your modest commitment will help fund hiking and biking paths, and water quality and restoration projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin. For more informa-tion or to purchase your license plate online, visit TAHOEPLATES.COM.
JEREMY JONES, pro snowboarder & big mountain freerider
SKI OR RIDE FOR FREE
*restrictions apply
WHEN YOU PURCHASE A TAHOE LICENSE PLATE
on-the-go water
fi ltrationBuying water bottles is pass , expensive and harmful to the environment. o what Tahoe locals do and bring a refi llable cup.
Try out the eroWater Tumbler, which comes with a built-in fi ltration system that you can refi ll from your hotel sink or a water fountain for great-tast-ing water.
The eroWater Tumbler is a BPA-free, leak-resistant bottle and fi ts in most car cup hold-ers. The fi ve-stage fi lter has a built-in indicator that changes color when it’s time to change the fi lter. zerowater.com
- KH
One of the easiest ways to get involved is to become educated on ways to decrease personal impact on the environment, Jones a e o ec in e e i e o e
resources for those who want to get involved including how to contact local representatives and ways to reduce one’s personal impact on the environment.
“I feel like one of the problems in the envi-ronmental movement is that people have this belief that ‘I can’t care about the environment
because I drive the wrong car,’ or ‘I really like to snowmobile,’ or ‘I eat steak,’ but in general in i e ic ac and e can
all work to improve our impact on the environ-ment,” said Jones.
or more information on Protect Our Winters,
visit protectourwinters.org.
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of the ski world, freestyle skiing has come a long way from a group of adrenaline-fueled guys hucking backfl ips and breaking all the rules to growing into an organized sport that was most recently thrust into the spotlight of mainstream sports following the inclusion of halfpipe and slopestyle skiing in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. But the evolution didn’t happen without careful guidance from key players within the industry.
In the earliest stages of the sport, freestyle skiers were competing in various events around the world, but the discipline was largely frag-mented and judging competitions were entirely subjective. Capitalizing on a growing interest in action sports, ESPN launched the X Games in 1997. It was a multi-day competition show-casing the talents of the highest caliber athletes in sports such skateboarding, BMX, Rally Rac-ing, snowboarding and, later, freestyle skiing.
“The Association of Freeskiing Professionals was initially a means of creating a transparent path for people to get into the X Games. None of the athletes knew how that process worked, so we wanted to create something that athletes would understand,” said Chris Schuster, a founding member and president of the AFP. Born and raised in Tahoe, Schuster spent his childhood years ski racing and later was hired by U.S. Pro Ski Tour to travel around the coun-try and manage professional ski races.
once the renegade faction
calling the shotsfreeskiers fi nd a voiceby jenn sheridan
TOP
An athlete drops into the halfpipe
during the U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth
Mountain. | Jenn Sheridan
RIGHT
PK Hunder, Vincent Gagnier and
Jesper Tjader celebrate after
being named AFP Big Air World
Champions during the 2014 season.
| Courtesy AFP
“The AFP is helping to guide competition organizers. It’s cool to have the voice between the athletes and event organizers.”
- Kyle Smaine
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“One thing led to another and I ended up in the ski and snowsport event management business by default,” says Schuster. But his background made him the perfect candidate for the X Games athlete selection committee.
Along with Josh Lubeck, a former profes-sional freestyle skier and the head judge for freestyle events; Michael Spencer, an athlete agent who is well connected with the skiers vying for a spot in the X Games; and Chris Jerard, editor-at-large for Freeskier Magazine, Schuster set out to build an algorithm that would become a standardized way to rank not only athlete results but also the various events where they were competing. However, the four men soon realized that their work didn’t end at the X Games.
next time. The AFP is helping to guide com-petition organizers. It’s cool to have the voice between the athletes and event organizers,” said Kyle Smaine, professional halfpipe skier and AFP member.
The subjective nature of skiing makes it a di c o o d e and o e n ained eye, a trick that takes a lot of technical skill might not appear as impressive as a trick that is relatively easy in comparison. When it came to selecting athletes for the X Games, there need-ed to be clear criteria that judges and athletes could agree on.
“We’ve worked very hard in developing the best judging educational materials out there. Many of our judges are people that have come up through the ranks as competitive athletes who later chose to focus on the judging aspect of the sport. I call it the non-sexy part of the sport,” said Eric Zerrenner, executive director of the AFP.
The AFP’s judging program is built around the concept that someone with no freeskiing experience could start at the beginning with the AFP’s educational materials and get into the judging booth at entry-level events before working his or her way up to judging alongside any former athlete.
“Not to say that athletes don’t bring a level of knowledge that no one else can because they’ve been there and done those tricks, but not every athlete wants to be a judge,” said Zerrenner. As unsexy as it may be, judging is especially important at the Olympic level.
“Now it’s critical because the entire world is a c in o e fi i e and i i no d ed
properly we’ve immediately lost all credibility,” said Zerrenner.
Moving forward the team continues to rely on athletes to drive the direction of growth in the sport. They’re especially focused on growing events at the entry level and fostering relationships with athletes and event organizers that will continue to grow for years to come.
For more information on AFP and upcoming events
for the 2015-16 season, visit afpworldtour.com.
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Purchase pre-packaged pods complete with sever-al fl avors of coffee or pour your favorite roast into the included fi lter.
The Handpresso is easy to use. Just add coffee to the fi lter, fi ll the water chamber and secure the lid. Plug the Handpresso in and two minutes later, you’ll have a fresh cup of coffee.
My only complaint is that it only brews one shot at a time. I killed my car battery trying to satisfy the caffeine needs of my group of six friends on a camping trip.
handpresso.com
- JS
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o i an o ce a ed in a oe i and a couple of the founding members working re-motely, they set out to grow an organization that would best support the needs of the athletes and ive e a nifi ed voice i in e ind
a a ecifi c need a an ed e seed where we all realized there was a big void in e ind a needed o e fi ed said Schuster.
“With the X Games or Dew Tour, they’re basically building a television show. They can create something that looks good on TV, but from an athlete’s perspective it’s not that good, so maybe they won’t want to do it the
PRO TIP #2
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with 2 feet of fresh powder laying still on the mountains above Lake Tahoe. Your new back-country ski gear sits next to the front door and you can’t wait to en oy your fi rst day of skiing where the lifts don’t run.
TOP
Taking an avalanche education course
is essential for anyone heading into the
back country. | Courtesy Lel Tone
While getting an avalanche advisory every morning before going is key, skiers and snow-boarders also need to understand what the fore-cast means and how to apply it. The best place to get that knowledge is through an American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) Level One course. These three-day courses teach the dynamics of snow and what causes avalanches, but equally importantly, they focus on know how to make good decisions.
“It teaches you tools and checklists to help you avoid making critical mistakes out there that could end your life,” said Tone.
Avalanches are caused by a combination of the current condition of the snow pack, wind speed, steepness of the terrain, altitude and the compass orientation of the slope. One danger
Stop. Have you taken a Level One Ava-lanche Course and understand the dangers of avalanches? Have you checked the day’s fore-cast and advisories with the Sierra Avalanche Center? Do you have an avalanche beacon, shovel, probe and avalanche bag and under-stand how to use them?
Are you going with at least one other person and is he or she also avalanche trained so you can rescue each other in the event of a slide? Have you told someone where you are going and when you expect to be back? If you cannot answer yes to all these questions, you are not ready to ski in avalanche-prone terrain. In-stead, it’s time to go to school.
“If you are going to be out there, it is important to know avalanches,” said Lel Tone, a long-time Squaw Valley ski patroller, heli-ski guide and avalanche instructor. “Conditions change minute to minute based on the weather, snowpack and snow conditions. Base knowl-edge is pretty critical.”
“It teaches you tools
and checklists to help
you avoid making
critical mistakes out
there that could end
your life.” - Lel Tone
back school back to
by tim hauserman
avalanche training will save your life
you wake upto a blue bird day,
> Limit the group’s exposure
> Discuss the consequence of traveling on a slope before committing; avoid terrain traps
> Place only one person on a suspect slope at a time
> on’t help a buddy fi nd a lost ski or get unstuck in hazardous terrain
> Cross or ride suspect slopes one at a time
> Stay in contact with one another
> Be aware of groups above & below
> Don’t stop in an area ex- posed to avalanche hazard
> Don’t enter a closed area or any place undergoing control work
> Is anyone outside his or her comfort zone?
> Is the group discussing options & concerns?
> Identify safer & more hazardous terrain
> Minimize exposure
stay outof harm’s way
Get outside“Don’t sit inside. There are umpteen million hikes from Eagle Falls to Cascade Lake. You can be staying at the casinos and go across the street and up the Van Sickle Trail. Just get outside and disconnect.”
- Kyle Smaine Professional Skier, 2015 FIS World Half Pipe Champion
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Lel Tone teaches an avalanche
awareness class. | Tim Hauserman
for skiers is that the 35- to 45-degree slope that usually triggers avalanches is also a preferred steepness for skiing. Avalanches can be trig-gered by wind, a skier, a snowmobile or when the snowpack reaches its breaking point.
Avalanche classes teach back-country enthusiasts how to be prepared to help fellow adventurers should an avalanche occur. This means learning how to use beacons, probes, shovels and airbags. About one-third of an avi class is indoors, with two-thirds of the time spent outdoors learning about snowpack, how to use rescue tools and how to determine a slope’s avalanche danger.
“Snow can have dozens of individual layers. They change through time and that will make the snow stronger or weaker,” says Randall Osterhuber, who has been teaching avalanche courses through Donner Summit Avalanche Seminars for the past 15 years.
He says that every winter develops a unique snowpack, so it is critical to know how to inter-pret the changing conditions.
All back-country ski partners need to have the knowledge base to make smart decisions, and be willing to communicate that informa-tion to all the others in the group. Tone says one of the most common mistakes that leads to tragedy is when skiers let their personal agendas overcome reason. “They think, ‘It’s a powder day, so I gotta ski where the powder is. Other people are skiing it.’ Or, ‘It’s next to the ski area so it must be safe.’ ‘A stronger skier thinks it’s OK, so it must be.’ ”
The key is that every person in a party must feel comfortable making a decision to change the route or cancel the day.
Having good information and being skilled at understanding the terrain and the snow conditions is key, but even the most skilled avalanche forecasters sometimes get caught in avalanches.
Continued on pg 14...
> Take an avalanche class
> Get the forecast at sierra- avalanchecenter.org
> Identify expected avalanche problems
> Discuss tactics, avoid the problem
> Avoid areas where ava- lanche mitigation is planned
> Research your route: review terrain photos, maps & reports
> Create a riding plan before heading out
> Set objectives & restrictions based on forecast conditions, group desires & capability
> Agree to a plan within the group
> Determine where & how to make critical choices
> Let someone know where you plan to go & when you plan to return
B E F O R E you go
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Lel Tone demonstrates how to search for someone
buried by an avalanche. | Tim Hauserman
What’s in your pack? >
Carry these items at all times Avalanche transceiver - turned on
Avalanche probe
Avalanche shovel
Extra layers
Snacks & water
Consider carrying Avalanche airbag (or infl atable pack) to increase chances of staying on top of an avalanche
“Snow can have dozens
of individual layers. They
change through time and
that will make the snow
stronger or weaker.”
- Randall Osterhuber
women’sgear that doesn’t suckTired of the same-old shrink it and pink it model of design for women’s gear?
Tahoe-based Coalition Snow set out to design women’s skis and snow-boards that don’t suck. They started with asking women what they want-ed from their gear and launched its fi rst line in fall 2014 with the SOS all-mountain ski, the Abyss Powder ski and the Myth all-mountain snowboard.
The gear turned some heads earning positive reviews from Freeskier Magazine and Blister Gear Review and after a suc-cessful Kickstarter cam-paign in the spring of 2015, they’ve expanded the line for the upcoming season.
This season, Coalition Snow will offer the tried and true SOS all-mountain ski and Abyss powder ski in a wider variety of sizes. They’ve also added the Bliss ski for ladies looking to shred the park and Queen Bee Snowboard for the powder hounds.
coalitionsnow.com
- JS
Carry these items at all timesAvalanche transceiver - turned on
(or infl atable pack) to increase chances of staying on
Carry these items at all timesAvalanche transceiver - turned on
(or infl atable pack) to increase chances of staying on
Radios to communicate with the group
a e oo fi aid i o a e shelter & evacuation kit to help survive an injury in winter conditions
e one a one o e ona Locator Beacon
a e oo a c e in
Practice with the gear regularly
“A few years ago. I had to deploy my airbag and tomahawked for 500 to 600 feet. If you
a in e edi eno i can a en said Tone.
ne o one den oca ie and i ode ie n e e on en one i
e-mail last season: “I am not sure if you have ea d a ca and ied in an avi
in Utah Monday. It was a scary experience and a perfect example of how dangerous the human factors can be. I do want you to no a o e o en e ide a ed o e e in ead idin e o
I wish all the knowledge you have given me ad ic ed in ea ie a a e o
eve in o a e o e ed e o ea did
The goal of avalanche training is to have the knowledge to reduce the odds of avoiding an ava anc e in e fi ace and o e e a ed to rescue your friends if it does.
For more information on avalanche safety,
Tahoe area advisories and conditions, and for
resources on local education classes, visit
sierraavalanchecenter.org.
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Woodward Tahoe includes foam pits, an indoor skate
park, a wood pump track and more. | Nina Miller
by tim hauserman
a place to playlearning skills atwoodward tahoe
and a wood pump track with ramps and jumps for skiers, snowboarders and bikers to fl y into foam pits is a kid’s dream playground, and it’s all available at Woodward Tahoe.
The center located at the base of Boreal Mountain Resort is perfectly suited as a training center for athletes at all levels, but i i a o a ea ace o a fi i e o o e in ne
o o o a e iend ina i e and e ea o d on evi o ood a d o o e a a c i d
o d in o e ace on i fi vi i i coac andon no a ed i o e e c in and a e e ci e
i e e in evi a o e a e e i e evi a a i e icen a fi andon ic ade i ee a o e
n a e in e evi a nnin and in in o e oa i en andon in od ced i o e a o ine
o in e e o o do i and en o a o ine o a o ine o in o e i n o o de evi a on i and avin a a
ood a d i a ed on ea nin o o e ion ac e a on e a ead o e inne o advanced a ood a d a oe di ec o o o e a ion oe e i
en ood a d a oe o ened in e oc a on a e oa din and in ine a in o a e e o
on i and no oa d i and ove ac and o e een ein on e o n ain and in ood a d “We see a huge return on this process of using both the o n ain and ood a d o ainin i a e and eo e
ea n ic e aid i e a e in e a o ine evi c i ed o e o
o a i o e i i in c o and ea ed in o e i nd en e did i a ain and a ain ina i a i e o o e
o e ac and i in i e evi a e in i oo and e e on a c ed a o o e a ooda d vi i o in o e on ei i e e e e
a e in i i e en e enco a e en o a coac n e ecia ood eceived a o nd o a a e o e o e ide and an one e e o a a c in
evi ac iced i e o e i oin and ove n i i coac o e a ead o a e e ea in o e i fi evi a a e en ive i en e enco a een o i in c o and o e o ed do n e a
and oo a o i in o e oa e e e ed o e i a i e and ead o do i a ain
“Once you have gone through a safety training and intro-d c ion o can co e and a on o o n o a e e on
e e i a a a a o nd o e aid no e e o a e a ie o no oa de oo in o nai o
ne ic a i e ide o an o ea n o o eco e a e e ide o a id o an o a ood a d i a ood ace o e ood a d o e e ion o ad a e
| woodwardtahoe.com
Looking for more activities for the kids isit TahoePowder.ski for
the latest events and fun activities for kids in Tahoe.
trampolines,an indoor skate park
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photography by keoki fl agg
tahoe winter bliss
lake tahoe is defi nedby incredible beauty and seasonal change. Winter storms bundle Tahoe blue in fresh, white blankets, unifying and purifying everything with magic, sparkling light.
The sun illuminates snow crystals dancing in the air, beckoning everyone to come explore outside. There are so many different ways to play in the snow; timeless, ageless and bringing out the kid in us all.
No matter how tranquil or aggressive your winter pastime or sport, you only fully realize your joy by immersing yourself truly to feel it, to live it … Mountain.
Lake Tahoe winter is a gift.
- Keoki Flagg | gallerykeoki.com
TOP
Jonny Moseley, Errol Kerr and Jamie Burge off Summit Chair at Alpine Meadows.
BOTTOM
Taking a break from the runs at Heavenly to enjoy the brilliant blues of Lake Tahoe.
OPPOSITE
TOP
T olmes takes fl ight above Lake Tahoe skiing out of bounds off Heavenly Valley.
BOTTOM
Michelle Parker enjoys the deep powder in Poulsen’s Gully at Squaw Valley.
INSET
Spring skiing fun with Mighty Mites at Squaw Valley.
ABOVE INSET
Roscoe runs down the Mount Run at Squaw Valley. Roscoe was the lead dog for the Squaw Valley Avalanche Dogs until he passed three years ago. His human is avalanche forecaster Will Paden.
LEFT INSET
Julie Anderson enjoys back-country powder off Jake’s Peak over Emerald Bay.
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refl ecting changing ski industry
refl ecting changingon the
by priya hutner
at Sugar Bowl, with the last 27 years as its C O. ollowing his recent retirement, autz sat down with Tahoe Powder to discuss the future of skiing in Tahoe and particularly at Sugar Bowl, one of the region’s iconic ski areas that opened in 1939.
Rob autz was at Sugar Bowl for nearly 40 years, with 27 years as its C O, before retiring
recently. Courtesy Sugar Bowl
TOPSkiers en oy a powder day at Sugar Bowl on
terrain on Crow’s Peak. The resort opened the Crow’s Peak lift in 2014, adding an additional
1,000 feet of top-to-bottom skiing giving access to more back country that the resort is
renowned for. rant Barta, Sugar Bowl
in e edia e ie o e o i ea a i e c o a o c
ce and e o oade a ea and on evi o ie and oa de e e ind a ea a o e e co d o didn e i
e i o o a a o on no da en o eo e a e oo in o o de i a
e don oo a o ei n on o da e ovide oo ed n o eve one
on o da e a e o e n avai a e o o de da e a
Meeting the needs of the future
en a o o ened e da od e in and e anded i e vice o da ie
i o e ed o e in e edia e e ain and o ened e o n ain o a eve o ie
e i inve en ave aid o ince a o a inve ed o e an
i ion in ade and a eni ie e e o c en in even c ai i and o ened
o ea in addin an addi iona ee o o o o o iin ivin
access to more back country that the resort is eno ned o
a a o a e o e a a e o e iin a a e e e c o e a o eo co in o e e i fi ve e cen
of Sugar Bowl skiers are from the Sacramento and a ea
eed e o a e ecen d o a i ac ed and e ed an a oe e o
a e ieve i i c an e e died e eco d e e en a acifi c ai oad
ince and a a ove ea e e ave een o e e iod o d o e in
o i e a a a a ind o e ea e in a oe i c c ica
e e ave een n e o e iod e e droughts lasted four to six years and that is not
nco on o a i o nia e ve een ona e in e a ea no o ave ad o e d o aid a
a a a in i decade o e e ience he has seen the ski industry change from what
a i o nia ea i ionee fi envi ioned evo vin in o e ode n i e o
e a oe i a ea ave eco e o e co o a e con o ida ion and econo ie o ca e ave eco e o e i o an e aid
a a o ed e e ion ove and ove a ain an a edi i ed inde enden o ned i e o vive in e co o a e i
o d e a e “Sugar Bowl owners are all about skiing; e a e a iona e and oo in o a i e e
ience e a e i oo in o a e one and a a o ein a ve ood ine o e a ion aid a
n o de o co e e in e ind e need o o e a e ic a iance i e e o cce a e ained a o a
no on a ne ed i a a e o o e va e added enefi o a o de a a o oined i n a e and and a ee and an o con in e o e a ne i
e a e in a ne o d in e ind a o e ed
e e i a ea c an e in e i ine i ed i i o i ca aci i ic a e
ee i e a e en conven iona c ai increased and better snow surface has changed d a a ica i o d o e o i e o o
i ica ed oo in ac ine a can oo ee e e ain and e c an e in ec no o i i oved i e i en
eo e a e iin e in o ei and e e da iin o i e ed o e i o ie and no i ca e i i o i e o
rob kautz has spentnearly 40 years
“Can a
medium-sized,
independently
owned ski resort
survive in
the corporate
ski world?”
- Rob Kautz
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THE MOST SNOW IN TAHOE, WITH THE SHORTEST LIFT LINES & LEAST CROWDED SLOPES.
4 DISTINCT PEAKS CALIFORNIA OWNED & OPERATED 4 DISTINCT PEAKS CALIFORNIA OWNED & OPERATED
Explore Sugar Bowl Resort and North America’s largest XC across 7,500 acres of terrain atop scenic Donner Summit, all conveniently closest to Sacramento and the Bay Area. Save time and money, buy tickets at sugarbowl.com
Sugar Bowl is one of the region’s iconic ski resorts, opening in 1939. Pictured here is the resort’s fi rst chairlift, isney, so named for Walt
isney, one of the resort’s original investors. Courtesy Sugar Bowl
Back-country skiers growing market
Sugar Bowl is one of the only ski resorts in the Tahoe area with an open boundary policy o e in o e o e e ac co n acce
“Alpine Skills International is an incredible a ne and o e a eno ena ac co n i
e e ience e a e a a o iin and oa din a a o e ac co n ainin c inic and ided o o o e i e o
ne o e e e e en o e e o iin i ac co n iin a o n on on di ec o o a e in a a o e a e o ac co n i e i en a inc ea ed ove e a e ea i no o nd
ie e ica e o in a e cen o in e a e o ac co n iin acce o ie in e a ea a one e o a a e o
ac co n ea ave een eadi inc ea in ove e a fi ve ea eco ni in e oin e e en a o o e ed ca iona o a o e aci i a e e ac co n
i e e ienceac co n ea e e en e o
growth category in retail sales, and Sugar Bowl ovide e idea e o o i a o e ave
an a ic in o nd iin and idin co ed with an open boundary policy for unrivaled
ac co n acce a oe on in o nd i innin o a and a dedica ed
Backcountry Adventure Center focused on
ed ca ion and viva i on on aFor Sugar Bowl, Kautz says that the future
of skiing lies in its continued focus on the a ine e e ience
e oc on iin ed ca ion c o co n iin and ac co n iin o a e
a serious outdoor enthusiast, we have what you a e oo in o e a e no a o o in
e ave a id ic o n ain vi a e and oo o en ance a e e ience a aid
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and for those of us who love mountain life, it’s time to prepare for the slopes. Getting ready for ski season is exciting and with El Niño predictions, the promise of powder calls us to Tahoe.
There are numerous ways to get ski bod-ies in shape for the season. Activities and workouts that focus on a combination of cardio, strength, fl exibility and balance will help support skiers and boarders. There are also plenty of yoga studios in Tahoe and yoga improves fl exibility and helps increase strength and endurance, which are excel-lent to prepare the body for skiing.
It never hurts to sharpen one’s ski skills and there are numerous ski clinics and courses available in Tahoe. An early season workshop can e enefi cia o a a o in e o iin and idin
n addi ion o i e on o e ed a o i e o o o a oe e e a e o
co anie a o e o a d in e winter months to help improve downhill and back-country skills.
The North American Ski Training Center i a e o ance i c oo o e in i da i e ion and
adven e i ainin c inic o in e edia e o e e ie a ed in a oe
o e a o n ain ee iin c inic a ove e o d e odo o o a d i i
provement is based on a holistic approach that add e e fi ne e i en iin ec ni e
winter is upon us
Skiers Breakfast SmoothieEl Niño is knocking at the
door and you’ll want a
breakfast that’s quick,
easy to make, and will
power you through to
a late lunch. This is the
perfect type of breakfast,
so you don’t miss a single
turn. Ski on.
Energy Smoothie
T fl a or chia seeds (soaked for 15 minutes)
2 C water
1 kale leaf
lack erries
s all handful lue erries
straw erries
slices pineapple
A� er soaking the � ax or chia seed for 15 minutes, blend the kale and seeds in the wa-ter. Add the fruit and blend smooth. It is about 50-50 kale to fruit. Freezing the fruit helps it from going bad and also will help make the drink cool, as well as help it blend smoother.
- Chef David “Smitty” Smith
taking it
next level
next to theby priya hutner
and tactics. Courses help skiers improve their nc iona ove en fi ne ec ni e and
ac ic on e i o e eo e e a e o e co in in e i ea on
e in o o i ea e nde e a c e a e o o i ca i e a ea on in
e ea on en e o e e a o e o o o o iin i ea aid co o nde and di ec o enn e o
o a in e ic a i c inic a e skiers back on the hill and ready to ski the rest o e ea on | skinastc.co
Alpine Skills nternational (ASI) at a o i e o o e one o e eadin
ed ca iona ainin o a in a oe enoned o i ac co n ed ca iona co e and ava anc e a e o a end
e e ed ca iona va e i o e ive ec ni e in iin a a e ac iced e
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SUMMER SKIINGIN CHILENASTC offers two, weeklong courses each August in Chile at Corralco Ski Resort and Por-tillo Ski Resort. The ski camps address techni ue, fitness and equipment in a multi-day, ski- training program. NASTC also offers back-country tour op-tions and heli-skiing in Portillo.
“An early season workshop can
e eneficia for a fabulous
in e o iin and idin
o acco i ed a ini o o e o d a ici an ea n o e
i o ie and ide o ena e e o a e e
i e e ience o e ne eve ac co n co e eac i o an
i do n i ec ni e o en o a ine e ain
e o e en e in i ea on i i i o an o oc on ca dio and en fi ne a o an a o
ead ide eo e an o e e io and e e o o ei in e ea on o
ave o e oac ive i o od o aven een i in c i in o idin a e a
i e i e o deve o e i i i and o e
in o e a o also recommends ac ivi ie i e o a
a en ance a ance | alpineskills.com
e e a e a o a n e o i e o o o a oe a o e c inic de i ned o o en an in o i ove ei iin e e c inic o
o en in an envi on en o ain confidence and ea n ac ica i o a i i e ei i e e ience n e e c inic o en deve o
i and ec ni e o en ance ei iin a an eve ec oca e o o a c ed e o in e c inic
n e a a ion o e i ea on don o e o c ec o e ea a e
e o e i o no oa d ned and c ec a oo
and indin a e in ood a e o c ec o e
and o e acce o ie
For information on the latest ski
and snowboard clinics all sea-
son, visit TahoePowder.ski.
TOP LEFT
Alpine Skills International offers courses
for downhill and back-country skiing
and snowboarding, avalanche safety,
ice climbing and more. | Courtesy ASI
BOTTOM LEFT
Using an avalanche beacon; practice
makes perfect. | Courtesy ASI
Chris Fellows, pictured here, is a
co-founder and instructor at North
American Ski Training Center, offering
skill improvement courses around
Tahoe and Truckee. | Courtesy NASTC
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ski resorts worked hard all summer to improve and expand the already great experiences each mountain offers. From improved snowmaking technology to expanded terrain parks, stronger Wi-Fi and on-mountain apps, a day on the hill has never been easier. Here are a few of the headlines that caught our eyes.
Connecting the dots at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows //
Skiers and riders in the Tahoe Basin have long wondered whether Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows could be com-bined into one mega-resort. This past spring, Squaw Valley Ski Holdings announced plans for a gondola connecting the two resorts.
The proposal follows a successful partnership between Squaw Valley Ski Holdings and Troy Caldwell, the owner of a strip of private lane called White Wolf, which separates Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. The partnership is just
e fi e in e annin e o ec i need a ova from Placer County and the U.S. Forest Service.
newsRelive your day on the slopes with a drone that will
follow you all day and record your next adventure.
| Courtesy Homewood Mountain Resort
tahoe and truckeeThe current plan is for a gondola that will connect the two
resort base areas via the KT-22 ridgeline. A decision has not been made regarding whether skiing will be allowed in the White Wolf terrain. The proposal has been met with some backlash from community members who are concerned about the impact the gondola will have on the Granite Chief Wilderness area and the Five Lakes hiking trail, while Squaw Valley Ski Holdings and Caldwell say that they are working with a resort planning group to create a design that minimizes
e i ac on e o ndin e ain fi na an i e released in summer 2016.
Speaking of new lifts, Squaw Valley will debut its new Sibe-ria Express this season with a high-speed, six-passenger chair-i o ovide o e e cien acce o i e ia o ain ine and the Mainline Terrain Park. | squawalpine.com
Developing White Wolf //In related news, Caldwell has announced plans to build
a 38-lot mountain community on the White Wolf property between Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. His vision includes concrete-constructed homes that are capable of withstanding potential avalanche activity, hydroelectric and wind power generators and a private chair lift that will provide access to Estelle Bowl at Alpine Meadows. | facebook.com/whitewolfmountain
Get the shot at Homewood Mountain Resort //If you went on a ski vacation and didn’t post about it on
Instagram, did it really happen? Homewood Mountain Resort wants to help you capture those memories with more than a e ie o e fi e e ve a ne ed i a e od c ion o
o e a d one video e vice o ie and ide e d one are equipped with tracking equipment so all resort guests have to do is strap on an arm band and let the drone follow and do the work. Don’t settle for the same old Instagram shots this winter. | skihomewood.com
from the lift lineby jenn sheridan
Broke ski bums rejoice //o e e o e o ee i e a e o a o d a e e a
ac o a en i in e an o eve a oca e o anno ncin ai e in ini a e o e co in ea on
o n o e i a oe i a en eve ea ona e o ee a ini o an o
ean i e ai e o ic inc de o a a io nia eaven o n ain e o and i ood o n ain e o a anno nced a co an ide ini a e
o a a e and ine eado o o ed i ai in
ei en eve a o an o e ne o nd on o i ea on
Stomp the Landing on Donner Summit //a o a a ne ed i no a ec no o ie
o c ea e a ne e ain a oca ed e o e inco n e ai i e a i inc de ne ea e a
in a e id e a a and o in do n a e id e o e oca ion o e o d a i e e o e con in in o e i and ide o e o i n
o on ec ni e e o e a in i o e no a ooda d a oe an o e ne a o ood a d a oe
co o a | sugarbowl.com
Flexible pass options //ia ond ea o e o e o e o e i e a o ion
in e a oe a in e e a o e e e o ion o c a in o o even da o e an i e d in e ea on and e a i an e a e e een eo e
ea on a o de a ia ond ea eceive o i ic e o o ea o e ood ne o n ain ed od e o n ain
i efi and a e a i no oa d e o a in i a ea o ion o o e oo in o ave
e ea ed e a an ee a e nd on an n ed ea on a e e o e an | diamondpeak.com
Keep up with the latest happenings at Tahoe’s ski resorts all season
in the latest edition of Tahoe Weekly available for free on stands or
download it at TheTahoeWeekly.com.
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PRO TIP #3
Downhill Ski Area Wide-open, gentle slopes perfect for beginners and families, plus a brand new snowmaking system.
Cross country Ski AreAState-of-the-art new facility opening for 2015-2016, and over 100km of groomed terrain.
snowplayThe most a�ordable sledding and tubing options in the area.
The lodge restaurant & pubFireside dining plus spectacular views of the High Sierra. Full menus are posted online.
Pizza on the hillA casual atmosphere, full salad bar, and family-friendly menu.
Downhill Ski Area Downhill Ski Area
tahoedonner.com | 530-587-9400
o en on a i vaca ion and didn
o a o i on n a a did i ea
a en
i c ai e ac
“Line up at 8:40 a.m. at Disney for fi rst chair (at Sugar Bowl). This lift usually opens a little before offi cial opening at 9 a.m. t’s got awesome natural terrain and buffed groomers. With four peaks around Sugar Bowl, there is a lot of terrain with less pressure in lift lines and on the mountain.
f you fi nd me out there, ’ll take you to a few favorite spots, but one that ’ll reveal here is the powder-fi lled tree run called Tunnel on skiers’ right of Summit Chair. That always holds good snow. “
- Daron Rahlves Olympian, World Champion, - ames old medalist, Rahlves’ Banzai Tour
LEFT
Sugar Bowl is unveiling a new terrain
park in 2015-16. Cath oward,
Sugar Bowl
BOTTOM LEFT
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is
eyeing a gondola to connect the two
ski areas. | Courtesy Squaw Valley
Alpine Meadows
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is one of the Sierra’s natural wonders – a 4,417-foot deep gorge that is the name-sake for Royal Gorge, one of the largest cross-country ski areas in North America.
Royal Gorge’s deep, but narrow, canyon walls emerge from the mountain peaks of Don-ner Summit beyond Palisade and Devil’s Peaks. A winter trek to Point Mariah, overlooking the precipitous gorge, takes cross-country skiers and snowshoers to the wondrous views of deep mountains gorged by the snow-fed waters of the North Fork of the American River.
It was this spectacular site that was my goal on an overcast, spring day with my sister, Mi-chelle Allen, and friends Sara Carbonari and Alanna Misico. My sister and I were high-be-ginner cross-country skiers at the time of the trip, while Alanna and Sara, both skate skiers, are more advanced.
The tour to Point Mariah is for intermediate o advanced ie e e e confi den a
we were ready to tackle the challenging terrain. a a and anna e e ic o in ei
graceful, skate-skiing style. Michelle and I follow-ed on our classic skis, gliding into the groomed tracks on Reindeer. We crossed over a creek and headed uphill. Around a few turns uphill, we reached the junction for Sterling’s Canyon, but passed it by. This advanced route is a vertical, down-hill drop truly for the more experienced skier.
We continue to follow Reindeer down a few downhill descents to the junction for Halfhitch. This was, of course, after I made a few falls. It seems to be my pattern – I make a couple of a o e i e andin i on a eain e o e e oove fi nd a ance
adjust my position and remember I’m on skis.There isn’t a bad section on any part of this trip
as the trails move through dense forests to small meadows with glimpses of the high mountain peaks in the distance along the Castle Pass trail.
Hellman Way is the next segment with a series of up and down hills that never seem to end. Just as I reach the top of one hill, it’s time to go down. I do well through most of them, except one hill where a sharp, right corner emerges out of nowhere. I’m going too fast and my snowplow is failing me. I have a choice – hit the tree I can’t miss in the turn or take a nose
chair poseStand with feet together,
raise arms overhead, bend
the knees and squat down
as if to sit on a chair. Do
not bring the hips lower
than the level of the knees
and keep knees pointing
forward. Hold for 3 to 5
breaths.
- Priya Hutner
by katherine e. hill
mael passanesi
the royal gorge
Yoga ski season
for
oga enhances fl exibility
and helps increase
strength and endurance.
Yoga is great both before
and after skiing. Sun Sal-
utations are great before
hitting the slopes as the
poses help warm up and
open the body.
Try Chair Pose to
strengthen knees
and quadriceps, and
Warrior III and Dancer
Pose for balance and
strengthening core
muscles.
royal gorge breathtaking views awaiton cross-country tour
TOP
Royal Gorge offers more than 200km of groomed
trails across 6,000 acres of terrain making it North
America’s largest cross-country ski area.
| Courtesy Royal Gorge
BOTTOM
The author, from left, with friends Alanna Misico,
Sara Carbonari and Michelle Allen on the tour
to Point Mariah overlooking The Gorge.
e decide o a e a di e en o e ac on an in e edia e ai o e can en o o e o
e e ain e oo i didn con e cen a e o e eadin o o e o d ave no n a e in e edia e ai a c o ed
ac in o i e ead do n i ne o o a nice de cen o e in an on
e a e a o e in an on e e en a o o o en e ain oo
in o ac o e o n ain i ed d in o i o e ove ca ie and no a no i ead
o a a ood in e didn no in advance a e e e oin o ave o
a e an a cen a o e en a ee nea ve ica o e o o ad no n i ave o ice a o acac in in ead e eac e nc ion o e no c o ed ai and nned e
ve ica i a i o on o ion e a e a and o e ead o e e i
even i ave o c a a e a ed en econd a e i e av
in a o ad e a e eac ion o o i a ion o do n e o e in di and a c
in da n e a e i in e a in e e o o e i a e ea
and a e in e ee i oo ee don ee ad no a e o
i and a c i in i e en i o ee can a e c i i fi na a e i e ee e a o e i o can c ic ac
in o i ee e e o e i a e o and oc ai on o a i c a e a e i o a e e o e
i ed ea ea and n ove i a a an a ic da en o ed eve a o en
Visit royalgorge.com and plan your own trip to
Point Mariah or explore the more than 200km of
trails for all levels of skiers.
PRO TIP #4
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dive c o e e a e and a e a a on ide ide a o nd e co ne on and ind
on e ed e o e ai i i in e ai a a in in in o e ec ac e ade o e oo a o nd and e e a no
one o i ne i e a ade i a o nd e co ne oo ed no one ca i i a a ea c a
e c o d ave e in ic a ove and e a ned a e no i co in e ve ade ea i e and a e an io o
e a e o e o
“ A winter trek to Point Mariah, overlooking the precipitous gorge, takes cross-
country skiers and snowshoers to the wondrous views of deep mountains
gorged by the snow-fed waters of the North Fork of the American River.”
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“Whenever I’m home and skiing at Squaw, I make it a daily ritual to grab food or coffee and always a cookie at Wildfl our Caf . The cookies are the best in the world.
“… Side note, if you hope to get in a “Pro” sighting while you’re visiting S uaw, Wildfl our is the place where everyone takes their ski break from Cody Townsend to Michelle Parker to Travis anong to T olmes. The cookies are addictive and we’re all hooked.
“I love starting off the day waking up my muscles, getting my body aligned and ready for skiing by taking the 7:30 a.m. yoga class at the Wanderlust studio in the Village at Squaw Valley. If you need a kick-in-the-butt yoga class and not glorifi ed stretching, take one of Sherry McConkey’s classes. She really knows how to gear her classes for athletes.”
- Elyse Saugstad reeride World Tour Champion, Professional Big Mountain Skier, co-founder S.A. . .A.S Clinics
The Royal orge is a 4,417-foot deep gorge that
is the namesake for the cross-country ski area on
onner Summit. atherine . ill
i e o evi ea and no o n ain can e een in e di ance and e o e in a e c i o e a ea o oin a ia e e e e in o e o en e an e o e oin o an a a in vie o e o a o e nd i i a a in e ind i a o nd o eve di ec ion a e in e a e o a o
e ed e o e o e e o o o e e ican ive eande o e can on
ee e o a e no icea e o o van a e oin a ed o no
e e c o on e a ed oc a e i id ind o o e a a on
a e can n i e co d ai o ce ac o e ed e e na oc ace o evi ea
i o e no i e no o n ain oe a ove e can on o e e o e oin i a e in i in ec ac a ea i
FA
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cal nevacal nevacal nevafamed
to reopenby katherine e. hill
have seen many projects along Lake Tahoe’s famed waters come to a virtual standstill in recent years as redevelopment projects have been plagued by an econo-my still recovering from the recession, legal and fi nancial challenges and the agonizing challenges of bureaucratic red tape that is a fact of life in the Tahoe Basin.
However, the past year has seen movement on many of these long-anticipated projects. Perhaps no project completion has been more anxiously anticipated than the long-awaited reopening of the Cal Neva. The grand dame of Tahoe resorts is expected to open in winter 2016 after a more than two-year closure, ac-cording to Glodow Nead Communications.
The famed resort was built in 1926 and remain-ed a iconic location for infamous mobsters, politi-cians and celebrities to enjoy the resort’s popular gaming throughout the decades until falling into disrepair in the early part of the 21st Century.
Napa Valley-based real estate development company Criswell Radovan has undertaken a full interior and exterior renovation of the Cal Neva, which straddles the California-Nevada line.
The 10-story, 191-unit resort, which will include a non-smoking casino, will feature accommodations with panoramic vistas of Lake Tahoe and three restaurants. The Circle Bar will return as a focal point of the property and The Showroom is being restored to its former glory.
Reimagining Tahoe Biltmore The Tahoe Biltmore has been a North Shore
mainstay for gambling and entertainment since it opened in 1946. The aging property has gone through a series of stops and starts in ecen ea d e o e o o de a
to reinvigorate the casino with new energy.
The reimagined Tahoe Biltmore will down-a i a in c in e ca ino oo ace
by one-third), while focusing on a new image as a health and wellness retreat with an expansive fi ne cen e a ede ian vi a e i e ai shops and high-end boutique lodging.
HMR to break ground on base village Homewood Mountain Resort plans to break
ground on renovations to its North Base area in spring 2016. A base hotel lodge at the North Base is the centerpiece of the project, which will feature a small village with amenities for visitors and locals, underground parking and a boutique hotel. The project also will feature workforce housing, condos, retail space, an ice skating pond and expanded skier services with work slated for completion in 2021.
A mix of residential units is eyed for the South Base with condos, townhomes and ski-in, ski-out chalets. The South Base phase of con-struction is expected to start in 2021.
Moving ahead in South LakeSouth Lake Tahoe has seen a resurgence in
its economy, thanks in large part to the move-ment of large-scale projects, which peaked with the opening of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in January 2015.
Neighboring casino resorts have stepped up their games, with investments in room up-grades at Harrah’s Tahoe and Harveys, and an overhaul of the convention center at Harrah’s. MontBleu has upgraded its lodging, convention center and casino.
Meanwhile, long-stalled work on the Chateau project is moving forward with a 32-unit condo, as well as more than 19,000-square-feet of re-tail space. The lakeside Edgewood Tahoe golf course is renovating three of its holes to con-struct a new, 154-room lodge with meeting facili-ties, a spa and adding a third restaurant to the property, expected to be completed in 2017.
locals and visitors
“ The grand dame of Tahoe resorts is expected to open in winter 2016 after a more than two-year closure.”
TOP LEFT
Cal Neva renditions | Courtesy
Criswell Radovan
BOTTOM
Homewood Mountain Resort rendition
| Courtesy JMA Ventures, LLC
Stout aged in oak barrels and released only once a year in December.
Likewise, Tahoe Mountain Brewery in Tahoe City began introducing beers that border on culinary creations including a rotation of seasonal ai on a inco o a e e i avo and
a farmhouse ale that uses Szechuan peppercorns. i i e o i e fi e e in e
Tahoe Basin to turn its focus away from the restaurant angle all together.
“Tahoe has had a long history of brew-e e a an e e e fi e e focused on large-scale production and distribu-
tion in the Basin,” said Drake. The crew
an o o e i ee in cans soon, but they won’t be the only ones to do so. Lake Tahoe Brewing Company, which currently operates in Carson City and Fernley,
ev o e i ee in a 32-oz. can called the Crowler, as well as the familiar 12-oz.
can. They also plan to open two new locations in Truckee and Reno this winter.
o ne i e o fi nd o e eac in o a cold beer after a long day on the hill, don’t grab the usual domestic. In the words of The Brewery at Lake Tahoe, “Drink Tahoe Brew.”
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down a day on the slopes like a frosty, cold beer, but you’re not about to settle for a watered down glass of swill, you’re in luck. The craft beer movement has hit ski nation with the fury of a blizzard in January and, unlike the winter of 2014-15, it hasn’t skipped over Tahoe. With new brew pubs popping up across the lake, we put in long hours exploring the evolving microbrew offerings around Big Blue.
if you believethat nothing washes
“The craft beer scene in Reno-Tahoe has ea co e o i e in e a fi ve o o ea
Reno is frankly exploding with new breweries right now, and I think that has helped spur some new start-up breweries in the Tahoe a ea aid evin a e o nde o one o e newest breweries on the scene, Alibi Ale Works in Incline Village.
Après-microbrews aren’t new to the Lake Tahoe scene. The Brewery at Lake Tahoe has been pouring pints in South Lake Tahoe since 1992. While the original focus was on handcrafted ales, the Brewery at Lake Tahoe quickly became known for its pizzas made with dough featuring its signature Bad Ass Ale, and they continued to expand their menu.
As the area’s thirst for craft beer strengthened, breweries such as FiftyFifty Brewing in Truckee came on o e cene o e in ecial releases including the Eclipse Series, which begins with the Totality Imperial
“The craft beer ove en a
hit ski nation with the fury of a blizzard in January.”
big blue
Alibi Ale Works is focusing on large-scale
production. | Ryan Salm, Alibi Ale Works
TOP
Brewer Carl Spackler checks on a fresh
batch of beer at Tahoe Mountain Brewery’s
brewery and taproom in Truckee. | Courtesy
Tahoe Mountain Brewery
by jenn sheridan
brews
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Sometimes a little back-ground music is necessary for setting the mood, but it’s not always possible to connect to the grid. TyDe Music Beat Blocks are handcrafted amplifi ers that are made to enrich and deepen the sound from an iPhone speaker without a battery or elec-tric plug.
Beat Blocks are made from various types of salvaged wood that have been sanded and oiled by the expert craftsmen at TyDe Music based on Tahoe’s North Shore. These guys are also known for creating hand-crafted ukuleles and guitars and they have a unique talent for creating instruments that are not only function-al and sound fantastic but are also visual works of art.
tydemusic.com
- JS
off-the-grid amps dance
the winter nights awayby priya hutner
is all about snow, being outdoors, music and fun. And, two of the year’s biggest music festivals in Tahoe take place in beautiful, outdoor settings in the midst of winter’s snowfall.
The annual SnowGlobe Music Festival re-turns to South Lake Tahoe from Dec. 29 to 31 combining some of the world’s best musicians with the world’s best snow conditions including Chet Faker, Dillon Francis, Kaskade and Jack U. This one-of-a-kind festival features some of the best electronic music while skiers and snow-
oa de o o ei e i and di
Squaw Valley hosts the return of the Win-e onde a e iva o i o
with one of the hottest tickets in Tahoe. The festival venue hosts an outdoor main stage surrounded by two, heated beer halls and side stages with the best in bluegrass and Amer-icana music featuring headliners Railroad Earth, Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon and e an eviva
SnowGlobeMusic Festival
i
WinterWonderGrass
winter in tahoe
While you’re visiting Tahoe you’ll want to hit e o o o ive ic o e do n and a i in e e a i cene a e i e o
ic o e ni i e i ee end ic ive o e od e o e o e i on o n ain a
South Lake Tahoe hits the live music hard o a i a ie o a e ni c o oc
the night away at Hard Rock, MontBleu, Harrah’s and Harvey’s. And, the North Shore’s Crystal
a a ino e ain one o e o e o in a oe e a oca e e o i o e evein o n oc oc e a and
e ec onica i ee ic and a e o a ie
The Biggest Little City beckons with some of the best musical entertainment at Cargo at Whitney Peak Hotel in downtown Reno.Whether it’s DJ dancing or live music boogie-ing that calls you, check out Cargo this winter.
Reno
Casinos
plan your visit to tahoe
Visit TahoePowder.ski for the latest events, entertainment, live music & nightlife.
TOP
Nicki Bluhm plays at the Winter Wondergrass
Festival. The festival returns to Squaw Valley
in April 2015. | Dylan Langille
BOTTOM
The SnowGlobe Music Festival features
three days of live music. | Courtesy
SnowGlobe Music Festival
PRO TIP #5
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skier’s horoscopea tahoe
Don’t miss the view“There are countless amazing views of Tahoe. One of my favorite things to do is catch a sunrise or sunset from said view. In Squaw, the top of McConkey’s is a great place to hike. Bring some picnic es-sentials and rally some friends. I’ve never regretted getting up for sunrise.”
- Michelle Parker Professional Big Mountain Skier, X-Games competitor
aries (Mar 21-Apr 20)
You have entered a steep learning curve this season. Après-ski delights, or at least desires,
i a ive i e fi i d i o i i e i e o e a n onfi
dence in o i i e e ed o on and o e o e o o o
taurus (Apr 20-May 21)
A short while ago an ascent to high peaks i no a do n and ee nee dee e
a ic in i ide i eave o an o ed a ead o o i e o e o nnin a ine o o o c a doe no co e
i an c i o d a a e i n i o a e i i o
gemini (May 21-Jun 21)
ainin acce o e i ei i on your mind. What is it really like up there?
io i can i en a i fi ed i can c e e e no i o co i ead o are seeing the world as with new eyes. Dreams are raising your gaze to silver cloud skies.
cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)
o e i in o on a d o yearn to learn and to explore where you have no een e o e ic oad o d o a e which slope should you try? It’s early in the game and they seem all the same. Yet early in
e o vio i e o de
leo (Jul 22-Aug 23) e o e o an o c a en e i ea
i e i e inc ea e o co a e and dec ea e o ea e i c ve i i e and ca e calculation will show you are wise. Patient perseverance is also implied and especially pertains to mountains not yet tried.
virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22)
o a e o in o e o nded o ove co e ea o i a e e o e i ai i ea
e e and inc inc ee o in and i i e a cinc o a a fi en o
i e and i e oc on o a nc and learn to pull the trigger.
libra (Sep 22-Oct 22)
e i io o no e e a e o en en eve one a a i a in o o e o activating your inner dream weaver. Cancel that El Niño and let it snow, let it snow. You have a
i da e i de in and o d i e ea e permitting” just won’t do.
scorpio (Oct 22-Nov 21) o an o a o ave o a o a e ee in e e e a din o d e
Sourcing the people who can help you out is a o o a e a a o o o
can oin i iend o n e a din eac turn, only you can get it done.
sagittarius (Nov 21 -Dec 21)
o a e e a e io a o o a e an no Aligning with the cosmic weather patterns re-
i e a o ade o ea e and ne are important themes now and it’s not just the no o ea o ac iva e a ea o ace
and convince the world you can win this race.
capricorn (Dec 21 -Jan 19)
a in o a e o e o ie e e no ca ed ea ed i e e inde
o o n ain o c i e o e o de i e e i e e e ance o e o no in
i e a e one a e o d ee in and names now remain. Let it go like last year’s no c ea e a and ei e e da
aquarius (Jan 19 -Feb 19) n o n i e e a d i e n o e
i e i ee i e a o e e ee ned e en e n e n o eac e ce en
turn the results are right and our tracks are i o e o en o eceive a e ood o ave ea ned and e e e e e a d a e
n o n
pisces (Feb 19 -Mar 20)
Sometimes your line will take more spine espe-cia en o ai i o o e e co e e e ina ion i no a a i e eno o o a e di ci ined and ave e i i i e i e o i d c e and ood a i and o nd
do n e ai i e a ea oned no a i
Michael O’Connor is
a Life Coach Astrologer
and his columns appear
in each issue of Tahoe
Weekly magazine. Read
the latest edition at issuu.
com/TheTahoeWeekly.
Sign up for his newsletter
at sunstarastrology.com.
by michael o’connor
o a e o in o e o nded o ove co e ea o i a e e o e i ai i ea
e e and inc inc ee o in and i i e a cinc o a a fi en o
i e and i e oc on o a nc and
eve one a a i a in o o e o activating your inner dream weaver. Cancel that El Niño and let it snow, let it snow. You have a
i da e i de in and o d i e ea e
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ridingfat by tim hauserman
perhaps you’ve seen a fat bike“ It’s like back-
country skiing, you need to learn about snow conditions to understand the best places to ride.”
- Mike Miller The Gravity Shop
when regular mountain bikes are sitting in the garage gathering dust.
If you are a bike lover, however, don’t sell your skis yet. Fat bike or snow bike riding is
ea e and no de enden o need fi no ic no condi ion i i oo fi
it will turn icy and treacherous. If the snow is too soft, it will get sloppy, and you won’t be able to get traction, and you will end up pushing your bike instead of riding it.
Mike Miller at The Gravity Shop in Tahoe City specializes in fat bikes and spends a lot o i e in e co d on in o fi e o the best place for folks to ride.
“It is hard to tell you where to go unless I know the snow conditions on an exact day,” he says. “It’s like back-country skiing, you need to learn about snow conditions to under-stand the best places to ride.”
Miller says that fat biking in deep powder doesn’t work. You need snow that has been packed down by snowmobiles or a steady stream of cross-country skiers or snowshoers. You also need weather that is not exception-ally warm, because after a few days of above freezing temperatures; the snow will refreeze at night and become icy and dangerous.
WHERE TO RIDEColdstream Canyon | Coldstream near Donner Memorial State Park outside Truckee o e di oad a a e o en ed nomobiles and may be good to ride.
Jackson Meadows Reservoir | Take Forest Service Road 7, located 17 miles north of Truckee on Highway 89. The road, which is heavily used by snowmobiles, leads past Web-ber Lake to Jackson Meadows.
Tahoe Meadows | The south side of High-way 431 above Incline Village is a popular spot for cross-country skiers and snowshoers. If it has been used for an extended period of time since the last snowfall, the snow will pack down to the point where a ride on the Tahoe Rim Trail to Chickadee Ridge is a possibility.
Blackwood Canyon | Take Barker Pass Road, which begins 4.4 miles south of Tahoe City on Highway 89, and travels seven miles to Barker Pass. The road is a popular snow-mobile route.
Fiberboard Freeway | At the top of oc a i on i a fi nd e
Fiberboard Freeway, a major Forest Service road to Tahoe City. Snowmobiles often use this road.
roll through Tahoe City or South Lake Tahoe and marveled at those humongous tires, or been startled by the loud noise created when all that rubber meets the pavement, and you are curious: What are those things and why are people riding them?
Fat bikes or snow bikes, were designed to ride everything from the snows of Alaska to the desert sands. They were built by people who wanted to have a bike that would allow them to pedal anywhere, anytime and in any conditions.
Fat bikes are mountain bikes with a tire tread that is three times the size of a normal mountain bike, and with lower tire pressure. This helps them get better traction on snow than a mountain bike. Therefore, for those who love to ride, fat bikes provide the oppor-tunity to get out there and ride in the snow
kevin joell
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whether you’re planninga weekend getaway to Tahoe or looking to get in as many days on the mountain as you can, you’ll want to maximize your ski vacation to make the most of your trip. Here are some tips from a long-time local.
plan early | The best time to book your ski vacation is in the summer. Many resorts and od in o e ie o e dee di co n o ooing your winter trip in the summer. The same is
e o o e vaca ion oo no
Skip the holidays | Yes, the kids are on ea and o o ce i c o ed o e o ida
but it’s also the most expensive time to visit Tahoe. Enjoy great winter deals by booking on non ea i e in e ee a e an major holiday.
go big | o e d ea in o i in i o lodging, time indulging at the spa, amazing
ea i o die o ine e ec ion ac ivi ie o e id and io a eni ie en
you’ll want to look at luxury resorts on Tahoe’s o and o o e o can i fi nd dea oo in d in non ea i e
book a package | From slopeside od in o a e ide di a a e oca o eie a e e o o o vaca ion oo in
a i a ac a e oo o o e ie e a a o e e o o e e dea even in
eno a and a on i on o e to ask about local shuttle services, too.
ski lease | o a e o e an a couple ski trips to Tahoe each winter, then a ski ea e i e e ec o o an n o
ove e o i and o can co e eneve o can e ca e e o ce o a i i
on ide a in e ea e i ano e a i o a o o iend
buy a pass | You can run the numbers any way you want, but a season pass to a Tahoe
i e o i i e e a o end o one a e i a o e e ve in a e i and i o an o e o e o e i a ea o passes come with days at other resorts.
ski on the cheap | Nearly every local do n i and c o co n i a ea o e dicounted ski days throughout the season. Most
enefi oca non ofi and a e o e ed a dee di co n ed a e ec o iin o c oo with Excellence in Education Foundation, as well as the Sierra Avalanche Center and Tahoe SAFE Alliance. Check out deals throughout the season at TahoePowder.ski.
pitch a tent | Yes, you can camp in Tahoe in the winter at Sugar Pine Point State Park on the West Shore and save big. Book your
o ea and en o c o co n ai o ide o en i e o e o a e a oe a o a o e ca o nd
“You can run the numbers any way you want, but a season pass to a Tahoe ski resort is still the best way to spend your money.”
tips for tahoe ski tripsby katherine e. hill
Smaine’s resumeON THE PODIUM >
1st place FIS World Championships 2015
1st place Overall NorAm Cup 2015 (3 events)
1st place North Face Virtual Contest
1st place North Face Open Northstar 2012
2nd place SFR Freestyle Tignes, France 2013
2nd place Overall Daron Rahlves Banzai Tour 2012
ON FILM >
Warren Miller Entertainment’s “Like There’s No Tomorrow”
Warren Miller Entertainment “Flow State”
Tall Treez “The Lion’s Den”
Tall Treez “Paint it Gold”
KYLE SM
AIN
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smaine: made in tahoeas told to jenn sheridan
in South Lake Tahoe, Kyle Smaine has been ripping around Sierra-at-Tahoe since he was old enough to stand on his own two legs. A consis-tent player on the freestyle ski circuit, Smaine skied his way to the top of the podium in halfpipe during the 2015 FIS World Champion-ships. We sat down to catch up with Smaine as he prepares for the upcoming season.
On growing up in a skiing family: “Both my parents were ski and snowboard instructors when I was born so I guess it was pretty natural. They put me on skis when I was 2 years old and Dad was working at Sierra. My mom would bring my brother and I up and we’d just ski around.”
On breaking into freestyle: “I learned to ski at Sierra and then I raced with Heavenly Foun-dation for a long time. I was good at racing for a long time, but later I wasn’t that into it. I always loved catching air and even while I was racing I was always going through the park. For a long time, I competed in both through high school.
a n n i fi ni ed i c oo a i racing and focused on freeride. Every year I’ve improved and managed to stay healthy.”
On being a world champion: “Last season was killer. It started really well. I did well at
e o and did e a e fi and i didn e an invi e o a e o eaded
over to Austria. I made it over and landed the runs I wanted to and I was fortunate enough to come home a world champion.”
On skiing in Europe: “I love going to Europe. It’s so cool to roll into these tiny ski villages that are so much smaller than say, Tahoe City, but they’re older than the United States and it’s all about skiing. The mountains are so massive
e a e e e e oo i e e i o inne o a and no in i o i i
On preparing for a competition: “I don’t think I have that much of a routine. I realized when I put too much pressure on myself I don’t do well, so now I focus on having as much fun as I can. Whether it’s a training day or a contest day I’m trying to have as much fun as I can.”
On not skiing: “I wish I was a pro surfer. Every skier wants to be a pro surfer. It’s a fact. You travel the world all year round to chase waves, which is like chasing snow but it’s warm and all the girls are in bikinis and it just seems cooler.”
On the work/play balance: “I ski because it’s what I love to do. So far, it’s not a lucrative career, but if I wasn’t skiing I’d basically be doing the same thing. Working hard so I can play outside whether that meant buying a van or a nice tent to travel with. I’m not ready to settle down and get a real job.”
photos courtesy kyle smaine
born and raised
smaine:smaine:kyle
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