Even Colorado snow junkies need to try something new every once in awhile, and United Airlines is making it easy with added direct flights between Denver and Reno-Tahoe International Airport.

Through March 27, United is running an extra non-stop flight between the two ski meccas on Fridays and Mondays, making getting here – and getting home – as easy as checking the skis and hopping a quick flight. With the addition, United operates four non-stop flights per day between Reno and Denver on a 146-seat Airbus 320.

And for weekend warriors looking to get the most out of their ski getaway, our 18 ski and board resorts won’t disappoint. With several feet of new snow over the last two weeks, base totals are huge. Also, check out online ski-and-stay packages to make your weekend economical and easy.

The world’s best snow sports athletes brought their high-flying antics to Northstar-at-Tahoe last weekend for the Toyota Championship, the final stop of the Winter Dew Tour. The event featured men’s and women’s slopestyle and half-pipe events in snowboarding and skiing disciplines, with local athletes making a strong showing … and we got some pictures. Check out the slideshow below and log on to the Alli Sports Web site to view results:

Returning for a second year after a successful inaugural race, Rock-n-River in Reno has expanded its format to include options for runners looking to enhance their skills, train, qualify or just have fun.

The famous Reno Arch provides the starting gate for the May 3 races that include a new marathon, a half marathon option, and a new 10K and kids fun run with the course traveling along the Truckee River and winding through downtown Reno. A large portion of the race proceeds will be given to a local non-profit foundation focused on bringing awareness, preventative education and support to people suffering from a variety of eating disorders in the Truckee Meadows.

In 2008, more than 800 runners participated and event producers are anticipating more than 1,500 registrants this year. A pre-race dinner with guest speaker Tim Twietmeyer, a Western States Endurance Run record holder from Auburn, Calif., is scheduled for Friday, May 1 at the Eldorado Hotel Casino.  Advance registration and a pre-race expo starts on Saturday, May 2 at Harrah’s Reno.

Registration is available online at Rock-n-RiverHalfMarathon.com with fees starting at $50 for the full marathon, $45 for half marathon and $30 for the 10K and a free kids fun run.  Each participant receives a t-shirt, finisher medal, race goodie bag and post-race massage.  Additional festivities include live entertainment, food and beverages. Top runners also have the chance to receive cash prizes, hotel packages compliments of Eldorado Hotel and Casino and more, as well as first-, second- and third-place awards for all age group categories.

Need a perfect way to cap off your second day at the Winter Dew Tour at Northstar-at-Tahoe this week? Common and Tweak Bird will be playing live at the Village at Northstar on Friday, Feb. 20 from 5-7 p.m.

COMMON

An easy trap to fall into when talking about rapper and producer Common is to get started with how impressively prolific this elder emcee is. Now, anybody who makes this point is certainly right, but it seems most anybody we talk about Common inevitably interrupts us, “So I had to did, what I had to did, Cause I had to get duh-ough….!” Yep, that’s a proper butchering of Common’s “The Food”, a Kanye West collaboration from his excellent 2005 Be, which earned the Southsider a ton of cross-over appeal — no small thanks to “Chapelle’s Show.” And while we’ll never get tired of the loping tale of good people doing not so great things for honorable reasons, Common has been quick to make new tracks. In 2007, he released Finding Forever, and at Northstar we’ll catch new material from his late-2008 album, Universal Mind Control.

TWEAK BIRD

Brothers Ashton and Caleb (last name Bird) are purveyors of a heavy, almost psychedelic brand of rock and roll. These two Carbondale, Illinois, natives moved to Los Angeles a couple years ago and have created a niche for themselves as turgid rockers. Late last year they released the Reservations EP [Volcom], after releasing a couple seven-inches to critical acclaim.

For more information on the Winter Dew Tour and the Toyota Championship at Northstar-at-Tahoe, visit their site online.

(Courtesy of Winter Dew Tour)

A week of intense storms over the Sierra Nevada has brought epic powder days to Reno-Tahoe area ski and board resorts, a gift from Mother Nature that has built a deep snowpack and the potential of a lengthy spring ski season.

Reno-Tahoe has some great package deals going for lodging and lift tickets. Shop online

Base totals as reported by Tahoe resorts Tuesday morning:

• Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe: 66 inches
• Diamond Peak: 61 inches
• Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort: 62 inches
• Alpine Meadows: 150 inches
• Homewood Mountain Resort: 58 inches
• Squaw Valley USA: 78 inches
• Sugar Bowl: 62 inches
• Boreal: 135 inches
• Heavenly Lake Tahoe: 64 inches
• Kirkwood: 146 inches

For updated snow conditions, check out our resorts page online.

Powder hounds were grinning from ear to ear today at Reno-Tahoe area resorts following a storm that brought up to two feet of fresh powder. Here are a few samples from Tuesday at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. (photos courtesy Mt. Rose)

The snow is continuing to fall in Reno-Tahoe as the heart of a good storm system passes over the Sierra crest. Good conditions on Saturday and Sunday (video) have turned to great conditions with cold temperatures keeping things light and fluffy.

According to the National Weather Service, the stormy weather is expected to continue through the week – with any luck the new layers will ensure a great couple weeks of powder and a long season well into spring.

Storm totals as reported by Tahoe resorts Monday morning:

• Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe: 6 inches
• Diamond Peak: 8 inches
• Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort: 13 inches
• Alpine Meadows: 22 inches
• Homewood Mountain Resort: 12 inches
• Squaw Valley USA: 16 inches
• Sugar Bowl: 16 inches
• Boreal: 18 inches
• Heavenly Lake Tahoe: 10 iches
• Kirkwood: 24 inches

For updated snow conditions, check out our resorts page online.

(Web cam view on Monday from the top of High Camp at Diamond Peak)

The Sierra Nevada is getting a fair dusting of storm as a cold front moves through. We hit Alpine Meadows on Lake Tahoe’s North Shore on Saturday and enjoyed some powder turns. Sunday should be great at ski and board resorts throughout Reno and Tahoe. If you are planning a trip to the area, be sure to check out our searchable resort finder to get up-to-the-minute snow and weather reports, as well as maps and pricing information.

After what seemed like an eternity for powder snow-seeking powder lovers, the Sierra Nevada dry spell may finally be coming to an end. A new weather system is predicted to bring snowfall to higher elevations — and as if the snow gods were looking down on us, it looks like it will start clearing out on Saturday, the perfect prescription for weekend warriors. (Photo is a screen grab of the weekend forecast for Truckee/North Lake Tahoe from Weather.com)

Check out updated snow and weather conitions at the searchable Reno-Tahoe resort finder and get ready to strap on those skis and boards.

Mike Henderson, a frequent contributor to this blog and an avid Sierra outdoors enthusiast takes viewers on a backcountry skiing adventure at Incline Peak, on the Nevada side of North Lake Tahoe. The region is located near Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe and is a 45-minute drive from downtown Reno. Check it out, and see more adventures at the Team Bacon Strip site.

Feral Snow #1 Incline Lake Peak from Mike Henderson on Vimeo.