Is that whimper you hear? Many skiers and snowboarders are starting to shed tears as they say goodbye to the epic 2009-2010 ski season in Reno Tahoe USA.  The good news is you can turn that frown upside down when you see all of the screaming deals on 2010-2011 ski season passes; many of which will allow you to take advantage of great spring skiing conditions at for free or at a discounted rate.

As sad as it is to learn that many resorts will begin closing, Reno Tahoe USA is still picking up some serious snow from a massive spring snow storm. With that said, there is still time to shred some sun warmed Sierra corn snow, work on your goggle tan and perfect your turns. What are you waiting for?

Boreal Mountain Resort, Diamond Peak, Homewood Mountain Resort and Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area will close for the season on April 11.

Mt. Rose Ski Resort, Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort and Alpine Meadows will close for the season April 18. Alpine Meadows will remain open Friday through Sunday until May 16. If that doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will.

Heavenly Resort, Kirkwood Ski Resort and Sugar Bowl Ski Resort will close for the season on April 25.

Squaw Valley USA will close for the season May 9.

For details on spring passes and 2010-2011 season passes check out the deals from Reno Tahoe USA’s best resorts.

Boreal
Ride the rest of this season and all of 2010/2011.  Bag five ski/board days this spring and it’s like next season is FREE. The Season Pass Blow-Out Sale only lasts 10-days, March 26th – April 4, 2010, so mark it on your calendar and don’t miss out.
Season pass information

Diamond Peak
Season pass information

Homewood Mountain Resort
Season passes go on sale July 1.

Alpine Meadows
Two Amazing Resorts. One Amazing Price. Ski from Lake Tahoe to Estelle Bowl all in the same day! Alpine’s Unfiltered and Slightly Filtered season passes are valid at Homewood Mountain Resort and Alpine Meadows at Lake Tahoe*. Enjoy 3600 acres of terrain, 20 lifts, and the relaxing vibe of Lake Tahoe’s North and West shores for one amazing price.

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe
Unrestricted Spring Pass
Buy your 2010-2011 season pass now, ski the rest of this season for free

Northstar-at-Tahoe
The Double Whammy® season pass is the only dual mountain pass that gives you all season access to two of the finest resorts in Lake Tahoe, Northstar-at-Tahoe™ Resort and our sister resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe® Resort.  Access 5,000 acres of terrain, 136 trails, 31 lifts and 14 parks with 1 season pass!

Heavenly Lake Tahoe
Buy now and ski April free.
When you’re a season passholder at Heavenly, you get the best of everything: Tahoe’s biggest mountain, most high-speed lifts, longest runs, most vertical, highest elevation, coolest tree skiing, most extensive grooming, sweetest sweet spots, rockinest nightlife and the hottest deal.

Kirkwood Ski Resort
20 years after pioneering the affordable Tahoe pass, Kirkwood again sets industry standards with the NO BLACKOUT line of season passes. Starting in 2010/11, for the first time ever, your 6Wood, 7Wood, and Premium passes are completely free of holiday restrictions. Ironically, this comes during a season when our old generators (yes, we make our own power) are being replaced with a brand new, multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art power plant. Thus, eliminating still more pesky blackouts.

Sugar Bowl Ski Resort
Your 2010/11 Season Pass is valid from April 5 through the closing day of the 2009/2010 season!

Squaw Valley USA
Purchase your 2010 Spring Pass and ski the sun at Squaw Valley USA.

Spring Passes are valid for skiing and riding from April 1st through the end of this winter season. Plus, get access to the High Camp Lagoon & Spa starting in Mid-April.

Don’t miss Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe’s Dummy Downhill Sat. March 20 in front of the Mt. Rose Main Lodge. These high-flying, hand-made speed demons are larger-than-life and will be careening out-of-control down the slopes at top speeds on either skis or a snowboard. Don’t worry, it’s totally painless for all dummies involved, after all none of them have a pulse. Each dummy dare devil will compete for the title of best run. If skiing or boarding isn’t your thing you can easily live vicariously through these giant daredevils as they catch some major air while taking in the beautiful scenery from the Lodge’s outdoor deck.

This annual event is open to the public and is sure to be a guaranteed good time.

For more information Visit Mount Rose Ski Tahoe

Turning A Simple Day Of Sledding Into A Creative Masterpiece

So many college students these days spend their time looking for ways to make themselves change from ordinary become extraordinary.

Some try making the best school project using the least effort (but still aiming to get an A) or making a gourmet meal in their dorm microwave, the creativity and ingenuity of the average student is boundless.

Red Bull has decided to capture that very creativity of these students by giving them the opportunity to use their imagination to go sledding… but on something other than that neon plastic sled you may remember from your childhood.

Picture this, college students from across the region, amped up on Red Bull and sliding down the slopes on some of the craziest homemade sleds in existence…  that’s Red Bull Schlittentag – German for “sledding day”.

Sledding teams are judged on artistic merit, innovation, team spirit and race results.  Wood working skills are a plus…not a must.

Saturday, March 13th at 1:03 pm at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort

For more information on Red Bull Schlittentag visit www.redbullusa.com/schlittentag or contact Alastair Dickson at 650-245-9378 or alastair.dickson@us.redbull.com

Check out the “Corey Blade’s”  Red Bull Schlittentag Application Video:

Honoring wounded warriors returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

As part of a week of skiing and celebration, 25 active-duty U.S. soldiers and marines will hit the slopes March 17, March 19 and March 20 for the Wounded Warrior Ability Camp at Disabled Sports USA Far West, located at Lake Tahoe’s Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, for ski and snowboard lessons.

The Wounded Warrior Ability Ski/Snowboard Camp was established during spring, 2009 through a partnership between the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project and Disabled Sports USA Far West.  For a second year, soldiers disabled in Iraq and Afghanistan will visit Disabled Sports from the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System; the Naval Medical Center, San Diego; and the Naval Health Clinic, Hawaii at Pearl Harbor – three major rehabilitation centers for service members who have been injured or disabled.  Ski and snowboard instruction at Disabled Sports is part of their rehabilitation program.

“It’s important that we reach recently disabled service members early in the rehabilitation process,” said Haakon Lang-Ree, Program Director at Disabled Sports.  Disabled Sports specializes in ski/snowboard instruction for students with physical and mental disabilities; and the visiting military students have all incurred disabilities during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan ranging from limb loss to brain trauma.  “It’s important to expose them early to what they can do.  Last spring was the inaugural Wounded Warrior Camp at Alpine Meadows and the soldiers and marines who participated were skiing and snowboarding like pros by the last day.  We’re excited to host another camp this March,” Lang-Ree added.

A full week of Disabled Sports USA Events
In addition to the Wounded Warrior Ability Camp, Disabled Sports has scheduled a full week of skiing, snowboarding, racing, and parties – all open to the public – from March 16 through March 21.

Friday, March 19 – The Phil Bocks Memorial Ability Challenge ski race will team donors, sponsors, and disabled skiers for a fun day of ski racing and on-hill activities.  An après ski party and awards presentation follows in the Alpine Meadows Base Lodge.  A former resident of Truckee, California, Marine Corps Sergeant Bocks was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2007.  “The Phil Bocks Memorial Ability Challenge race is our way of recognizing the ultimate sacrifice made by Phil as well as all fallen warriors,” Lang-Ree stated.  Race registration is open to all.

Saturday, March 20 – The 17th Annual Ability Bash will offer guests an evening of gourmet cuisine, live music, and a silent auction starting at 7pm at the Alpine Meadows lodge.  Individual tickets are $100; and V.I.P. tables for 10 can also be purchased.

For more information about the Disabled Sports USA at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, visit DisabledSports.net or call 530.581.4161.  To learn more about the Wounded Warrior Project, visit WoundedWarriorProject.org.