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:

Lake Tahoe Venues Set to Take Center Stage in Upcoming Winter Sports Competitions

Reno Tahoe continues to outpace the rest of the nation in terms of snowfall with more than two feet of fresh snow falling on the slopes of the region’s seven world-class resorts making for mid-thigh turns and incredible mid-winter conditions. This season’s perfectly timed storms are a byproduct of an El Niño weather pattern that has already resulted in more than 300 inches of snowfall to date along with the deepest base depths in the entire country. Forecasters are calling for continued accumulations to wrap up the month of February followed by sunny skies, meaning the chance for a legendary Lake Tahoe bluebird powder day is quite literally on the horizon.

The month of December was the snowiest on record in the last decade with January recording a number of 24-hour snowfall totals measured in feet rather than inches.

“Lake Tahoe’s superior snow conditions should make it an easy choice for destination travelers deciding where to spend their March and April ski vacations,” said John Wagnon, president of Ski Lake Tahoe. “And with Lake Tahoe also offering the most affordable stay-and-ski packages in the country, there truly isn’t a better option for families looking to stay within a budget while still enjoying a world-class winter destination.”

With the Winter Games slated to wrap up this weekend, the focus for US Olympic activity will shift to Lake Tahoe as Squaw Valley USA hosts the Olympic Homecoming Celebration taking place March 26th-28th, welcoming all members of the 2010 US Olympic Ski & Snowboard Teams to celebrate their success and provide an opportunity for the athletes to mingle with the general public. Additionally, a number of the resorts have planned public events to welcome home the close to a dozen Lake Tahoe athletes that competed in the Winter Games and celebrate their impressive performances, including four medals to date putting Lake Tahoe ahead of more than 13 countries in terms of medal counts.

The Ski Lake Tahoe resorts are also set to host a number of world-class competitions beginning this weekend. On the south side of the lake, Kirkwood Mountain Resort will be opening the permanently closed slopes of the Cirque as it welcomes athletes competing in the North Face Masters, February 25th-28th. This is the second season Kirkwood will play host to this event, which is the snowboarding version of the long-running North American Freeskiing Championships also slated to take place at the resort March 3rd-7th.

Squaw Valley USA will be opening the permanently closed runs of the Tram Face as the resort hosts the only North American stop on the Freeride World Tour this Saturday, February 27th with a field of top international athletes on hand to compete along with the unique opportunity for spectators to take in all the action from the main base area.

Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort will be the site of a USASA sanctioned Superpipe competition this weekend on Saturday, February 27th followed by a USASA Slopestyle event the weekend of March 6th.

In recognition of the Olympics being back on the West Coast, Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe is holding slalom races open to the public February 26th-28th followed by the Chutes Challenge taking place Saturday, March 6th with judges awarding the inaugural crown to the best line laid down on the 50 degree slopes of El Cap.

Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort will welcome professional and amateur competitors in the Ultimate Boarder Championship, March 18th-19th. The triathlon of board sports, this event will require participants to compete in snowboard, skate and surf elements.

Alpine Meadows will be hosting 25 active-duty U.S. soldiers and marines on its slopes March 17th-20th for the Wounded Warrior Ability Camp led by Disabled Sports USA Far West. On March 19th, the Phil Bocks Memorial Ability Challenge ski race will team donors, sponsors and disabled skiers for a fun day of racing and on-hill activities followed by an après ski party and awards presentation at the resort’s base lodge.

Heavenly Mountain Resort will once again attract expert skiers hoping to tackle the dauntingly steep slopes of its signature run during the Gunbarrel 25 marathon mogul event scheduled for April 3rd. This annual event is hosted by Glen Plake and challenges participants to complete 25 consecutive laps down the face of the mountain.

Mt. Rose – 8th Annual Slide Back 80’s Retro Ski Party

If you still think that “New School” equates to stretch pants that leave nothing to the imagination, rear-entry boots, feathered hairstyles and old skinny skis, then you’ll fit right in on Saturday, Feb. 20, Mt. Rose invites skiers and boarders to leave the new millennium behind and travel back in time to the decade that gave us everything from Pac Man to Prozac.

Breaking all of the ski fashion laws may even earn skiers and boarders new gear in the “Most Fashionable” contest at the Winters Creek Lodge, located at the base of the Slide Bowl, starting at 10 AM, free drink coupons will be handed out at the Zephyr for those in the best costumes, music will start at 10:30 and the BBQ and bars will open at 11.  All the real action takes place at high noon with the Fashion or Fad contest, as the brave will attempt to win up to $500 in modern gear from Village Ski Loft. Special to this years’ event is the fact that 2010 will mark the first season at the new Winters Creek facility and a celebration of the revitalization of the entire Slide Bowl.

posted by the Orbitz Blog

Whether you want to try a black-diamond run or just soak up the apres-ski scene, there’s a ski vacation for everyone, and the season is definitely here. If you need help deciding where to go, read on: Orbitz has identified the top 10 ski vacation destinations for 2010.

For the third year in a row, Lake Tahoe tops the list as the most popular ski vacation spot (based on Orbitz bookings from Oct. 1, to Dec. 31, 2009, for travel in 2010). Not surprisingly, Colorado reigns supreme as the most popular ski vacation state, with five cities on the list. And don’t worry, East Coasters, there’s a top pick in your neck of the woods, too.

Top 10 ski vacation destinations for 2010

1. Lake Tahoe, CA/NV
2. Breckenridge, CO
3. Park City, UT
4. Vail, CO
5. Winter Park, CO
6. Aspen/Snowmass, CO
7. Jackson Hole, WY
8. Mammoth, CA
9. Killington, VT
10. Durango, CO

Each ski vacation destination has its own personality and plenty of outdoor and indoor activities. So when you’re done on the slopes — or if you want to avoid them altogether — local shops, restaurants and spas can keep you busy.

After weeks of isolation caused by early winter storms, The Travelocity Roaming Gnome is breaking his seclusion, determined to find a cure for cabin fever. Encouraging other travelers to do the same, the Roaming Gnome™ is also asking all skiing or boarding gnomes and all gnome lovers to help point him to the best of the best major ski resorts across the U.S. to escape the winter slump.

Beginning Jan. 27 and ending Feb. 3 Travelocity is asking Roaming Gnome fans to friend him on Facebook and vote for the best Winter ski destination … Lake Tahoe (with 18 resorts and pristine snow) vs. Utah. Lake Tahoe fans can also follow the roaming gnome three Twitter pages: Travelocity (@Travelocity), Travelocity.ca (@TravelocityCA) and Roaming Gnome (@RoamingGnome).

“The Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority is asking all Lake Tahoe lovers near and far to friend the Roaming Gnome on Facebook or follow him on Twitter and vote to get him to Lake Tahoe for a winter ski getaway,” said Michael Thomas, executive director of marketing, RSCVA. “Lake Tahoe lovers know there’s no better place to ski and have fun.”

Voting on the Travelocity Facebook fan page will last nine days, and the winning resort will be revealed on the Thurs., Feb. 4.

Immediately following the results of each contest, the Roaming Gnome will travel to the winning destination to visit friends and locals, pose for pictures and participate in some of the most popular activities that resort has to offer, including skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling, flying down the luge, and snow tubing.

As with all celebrities, the Roaming Gnome will have a “personal assistant” who accompanies him along the way.

Throughout each visit, the Roaming Gnome will post photos and comments about his experiences, allowing fans to follow his journey every step of the way. Each day, fans have the opportunity to cure their own cabin fever by entering for a chance to win a trip for two to Vail, including airfare, a four-night hotel stay and three-day lift tickets. Additionally, the Roaming Gnome will pick a “Fan of the Week” photo to be Travelocity’s Facebook profile picture.

More information on the Roaming Gnome’s “Cabin Fever: Finding a Cure” campaign can be found on Travelocity’s Facebook fan page

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The National Weather Service has once again issued an advisory about a weather pattern we have eagerly been watching for a few days. They’re saying that snowfall amounts of 10 feet or more at the higher elevations and 5-10 inches at the lower elevations of the Sierra Nevada next week. 10 feet will rival any storm we have seen come through all winter, but this is actually 4 storms all backed up on one another. Keep an eye out on our extended forecast, and watch daily for the snow reports.

Here is the National Weather Service notice:

A very strong jet stream is making its way across the Pacific and will transition interior northern California into a wetter weather pattern next week. As a result… an extended period of much needed significant precipitation is expected.

A relatively weak storm moves through Saturday… then much stronger and wetter systems will begin Sunday and continue into next week. Although timing of individual storms is difficult at this point… it looks like every 24 to 36 hours a system will move through. Rainfall totals by the end of next week could exceed 5 to 10 inches in the lower elevations with snow amounts of 10 feet or more possible over the higher Sierra Nevada. Snow levels will generally be around 4000 to 5500 feet but at times could drop into the foothills. There is also likely to be periods of breezy to windy conditions and travel into the mountains is likely to be impacted.

Besides making fun of your friends for your other friends’ amusement, Twitter has other great uses. For those of us who ski or snowboard, getting real-time snow conditions, as well as on-the-hill and event updates at our favorite ski resorts connects us using micro-blogging technology.

We have a few twitter accounts — @renotahoe, @renoevents, @renotahoeski and @renotraveldeals are a few of them – and we follow a bunch more in the Reno Tahoe area.

Here are some great Sierra Nevada ski and board resort accounts:

• Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe: @MtRoseSkiTahoe
• Diamond Peak: @DiamondPeak
• Alpine Meadows: @SkiAlpine
• Northstar-at-Tahoe: @NorthstarTahoe
• Squaw Valley USA: @SquawValley1960
• Homewood Mountain Resort: @SkiHomewood
• Sugar Bowl: @SugarBowl1939
• Boreal Mountain: @BorealMtn
• Heavenly: @SkiHeavenly
• Tahoe Donner: @SkiTahoeDonner
• Kirkwood Mountain: @KirkwoodMtn
• Sierra-at-Tahoe: @sierra_at_tahoe
• Royal Gorge: @RoyalGorgexc
• Camp Richardson Resort: @CampRichardson
• Granlibakken Resort: @Granlibakken_CA

Of course there are a ton of excellent ski-related Twitter accounts representing resorts, shops, visitor services organizations and individuals. Add your favorites to the comments section.

More evidence is mounting that Santa is a snowboarder, as indicated by this photo taken Saturday at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. It’s not definitive, but we don’t see any poles:

(Photo Courtesy Kayla Anderson, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe)

As part of the Reindeer Games weekend, which includes the Reno Santa Pub Crawl, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe will host the Santa Ski Crawl on Dec. 12. Ski in a Santa suit and pay only $39 for a lift ticket. (Elves, Mrs. Clauses and Reindeer are welcome too).

Mt. Rose is part of the Learn More on the North Shore – learn to ski or snowboard for only $25. The First-Timer package includes rental equipment, a 90-minute lesson, and a beginner lift ticket (with access to the Ponderosa and Galena lifts). Purchase the First-Timer package online here!

For current weather conditions at Mt. Rose – Ski Tahoe, please visit www.skirose.com or call (775) 849-0704.