Alpine Meadows & Squaw Valley

Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley have joined forces to offer you access to two mountains with one pass!

Tahoe Super Pass

Adult (23-64)                         $799
Young Adult (13-22)             $529

Boreal

Unlimited

Adult (13-59):                        $279

Child (5-12):                          $99

Diamond Peak Lake Tahoe

Unlimited

Adult (18-64)                         $454

College (with ID)                   $209

Donner Ski Ranch

Adult (18-69)                         $249

Youth (13-17)                        $199

Heavenly Lake Tahoe & Northstar-at-Tahoe

Ride two premier Tahoe resorts, Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe, for one price with the Epic Pass:

Epic Pass

Adult (13+)                            $649

Child (5-12)                           $329

Homewood

Adult (19-61)                         $399 (reg)               $299 (locals)

Teen (13-18)                         $259 (reg)                $159 (locals)

Kirkwood

Premium + Alpine

Adult                                       $799

Junior (13-18)                       $459

Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe

Unlimited

Adult                                       $377

U-22 (13-22)                          $199

Royal Gorge

Adult (18+)                            $425

Junior (13-17)                       $198

Sierra-at-Tahoe

Unlimited

Adult (23-69)                         $379

Young Adult (13-22)             $279

Soda Springs

Adult (18+)                            $199

Youth (13-17)                        $249

Sugar Bowl

CORE Unrestricted

Adult (23-59)                         $799

Young Adult (13-22)             $479

All pass-holders 4 and up can participate in General Admission. Get a FREE 2 hour group lesson at any level and standard gear rental on General Admission Days.

Tahoe Donner

Unlimited

Adult (13-59)                         $279

Child (7-12)                           $139

*Each resort offers a variety of passes to accommodate all needs. Please visit individual websites for a full listing. For more information on the upcoming ski season, check out our website.

New projects to be completed for this season include the installation of a new high-speed chairlift and two new intermediate ski trails on The Backside of the mountain, construction of a new 500-seat on-mountain restaurant, and the construction of a new 22’ halfpipe that will be designed by Shaun White, who now calls Northstar® Resort his home mountain and primary training resort.

Promised Land Express

With a vertical rise of 1,440’, the new detachable express quad chairlift, dubbed “Promised Land Express,” will be installed this summer on “The Backside” of the mountain, providing access to expanded gladed terrain and new ski trails. The new lift will double the resort’s lift capacity on The Backside, a very popular area of the mountain known for its long, uninterrupted advanced trails and gladed tree skiing.

Two new intermediate trails will be served by the lift, and new snowmaking is being installed on both Drifter, an existing ski trail that also provides access to The Backside, and one of the new trails, allowing the resort to continue to offer some of the best early season skiing and riding conditions around the lake.

Zephyr Lodge

In addition to the lift, a new on-mountain restaurant is under construction that will offer 500 indoor seats as well as 200 outdoor deck seats. Centrally located on the mountain near the top of the Tahoe Zephyr Express lift, the new restaurant, the “Zephyr Lodge,” is being built in Tahoe great lodge style with an open floor plan, large timbers and a huge window wall offering spectacular views of the Pacific Crest. Guests will be able to enjoy a variety of menu options including a Napa salad bar, gourmet pizza and specialty soups and sandwiches. The restaurant can be accessed by skiing or riding off of the Tahoe Zephyr Express, Backside Express, Promised Land Express or Comstock Express lifts.

New 22 Foot Halfpipe to be Designed by Shaun White

As a result of the recent partnership with two time Olympic gold medalist, Shaun White, Northstar Resort will work closely with White to design a new 22 foot halfpipe that will be open during the 2011-2012 winter season for skiers and riders to enjoy. Northstar Resort will also serve as White’s primary training resort.

Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort’s 2011-2012 winter season is scheduled to run from November 18, 2011 to April 15, 2012, weather and conditions permitting. Season passes are now on sale, starting at just $379 for the Tahoe Value Pass, which provides seven day per week access to Heavenly Mountain Resort and six day per week access to Northstar Resort. Some restrictions apply. Other pass options are available, including the Epic Pass, priced at just $649. The Epic Pass offers unrestricted access all season long to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin in Colorado, and both Heavenly and Northstar Resort in Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada. For more information, visit www.epicpass.com.

For the most up-to-date photos of the capital projects underway at Northstar Resort, visit www.northstarattahoe.com

Besides a few small heliskiing enterprises in the early 1970’s, this will be the first full-fledged helicopter skiing operation launched in the Lake Tahoe region or in the entirety of the Sierra Nevada for that matter. The ambitious undertaking will include a number of year-round recreational options accessed by helicopter such as sight-seeing, mountain biking, fishing and hiking.

“To say this is a dream come true is an understatement. More accurately it is a culmination of my lifelong passion for skiing powder, my extensive experience within the ski industry and good timing,” said Dave Rintala, owner/operator of Pacific Crest Heli-Guides. “I can’t wait for the season to start given the prospect of skiing first descents on a daily basis, naming new runs and exploring fresh terrain with clients.”

The operation will be limited to a maximum of 16 guests per day with a ratio of one guide per four guests. The cost structure will be based upon flight time rather than vertical feet allowing like-minded guests to customize their experience based on their budget, their desire to ski/ride as much vertical as possible and/or their desire to explore a variety of different zones. Full day trips will start at $899 per person.

The biggest variable typically affecting the success of a helicopter skiing operation is weather. Pacific Crest Heli-Guides, however, plans to dovetail its daily operations with its existing snowcat operation to ensure clients who book in advance are guaranteed a day of backcountry skiing or snowboarding even during storm cycles. Pacific Crest Snowcats has been in business for nine seasons and operates on 3,000 acres of reserved terrain located between Squaw Valley USA and Sugar Bowl Resort. California’s only backcountry-based snowcat operation, Pacific Crest Snowcats boasts some of the best expert terrain accessible via snowcat in North America.

The terrain accessed via helicopter will be no different with an endless variety of open bowls, perfectly spaced trees, steep chutes and technical couloirs geared towards the advanced to expert skier or snowboarder. The north-facing aspects will hold their snow days after a storm while the south-facing aspects will provide for ideal corn conditions in the spring. The maritime snowpack found in the Sierra Nevada typically provides for stable conditions, not to mention the side benefit that the typical Sierra snowstorm is measured in feet rather than inches.

In fact, last season Lake Tahoe reported more than 600 inches of total snowfall which resulted in the region reporting its second busiest season on record. Additionally, backcountry skiing and snowboarding continues to be one of the fastest growing segments of the ski industry which has resulted in a return to the roots of the sport with skiers and snowboarders now placing a premium on untracked powder and the solace of being in the mountains.

“The timing couldn’t be better to open a business rooted in outdoor adventure with its main goal focused on sharing the beauty of the Sierra Nevada one powder turn at a time,” said Rintala. “Our approach is simple: we found incredible terrain, added a crew consisting of the most qualified guides in the industry and created an affordable, flexible price structure.”

In addition to founding Pacific Crest Heli-Guides, Dave “Happy” Rintala has been operating Pacific Crest Snowcats for close to a decade and is also one of the owner/operators of Alaska Backcountry Adventures, the original heliskiing operation located atop Thompson Pass near Valdez, AK. Rintala serves as the lead guide and primary avalanche forecaster for both of these operations. The guide staff for Pacific Crest Heli-Guides will draw heavily upon current guides at both Pacific Crest Snowcats and Alaska Backcountry Adventures bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and local field experience to ensure seamless operations. Guests can relax and enjoy their powder turns knowing that the individual guiding their group is an experienced avalanche forecaster with EMT certifications that has helped to set the industry standards for both client safety and customer satisfaction.

Rather than position the operation as a competitor to the existing Lake Tahoe ski resorts, both Pacific Crest Snowcats and Pacific Crest Heli-Guides view their unique offerings as products that complement the variety of world-class skiing and snowboarding options already available in Lake Tahoe.

“The addition of a helicopter skiing operation to the region allows Lake Tahoe to position itself as a complete winter destination on par with locations such as Whistler, Jackson Hole, Utah and Colorado,” said Rintala. “Pacific Crest Heli-Guides looks forward to being part of the ultimate Lake Tahoe skiing or snowboarding experience.”

Pacific Crest Heli-Guides
930 Tahoe Blvd #802-305  Incline Village NV 89451
Email: info@pacificcrestheliguides.com
Phone: 1-888-792-9222 or 530-581-1767
http://www.pacificcrestheliguides.com/

HeliTahoe
1901 Airport Rd Ste 106  South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Email: claudio@helitahoe.com
Phone: (530) 544-2211
http://www.helitahoe.com/

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.

Earlier this month, the Reno-Tahoe gang got the chance to go Backcountry skiing on Mt. Tallac.

One of Lake Tahoe’s premier backcountry destinations, Tallac offers a strenuous 3,200-foot ascent, epic views of the Lake Tahoe basin and a thrilling descent.

Check out the Reno-Tahoe YouTube channel for other Reno-Tahoe videos.Thanks to photographer Justin Cash (who was on the hill with the editorial team from Backcountry Magazine) for throwing a couple photos our way.

-Jim Scripps

With temperatures in the 60s, spring skiing and boarding is in the air in Reno-Tahoe, a good time for the hardier ski-hikers to make a backcountry trek up Mt. Tallac, one the Sierra’s most accessible routes and home to unrivaled views of Lake Tahoe and the eastern Sierra below.

Although Tallac’s approach may be tough for the “fitness-challenged” – it registers 9,735 feet, a 3,255-foot gain to the summit – it’s high vantage point and open, skiable terrain make it well worth the hike. MiketheBike and I escorted a three-man editorial team from Backcountry Magazine up Mt. Tallac on March 6 to give them a taste of spring corn and clear blue skies.

Chilly morning air gave way to warm temperatures as we started up the trailhead around 10 a.m. Mikethebike, Justin and Justin (keeping names straight was also a little tough) sported randonee skis, Mike skinned a split snowboard, and I snowshoed, carrying my snowboard on my back. While the snow started out bulletproof, by the time we reached about 7,500 feet it started to loosen up, a good time for soft turns. I was the first to bail – tired of lugging my board, I strapped it on and ripped a good long run down the canyon. The others would continue toward the summit.

The snow started to harden up by the time my fellow travelers headed down, give them a bone-jarring ride. It turns out the best time to descend was between 2-3 p.m. And regardless of the snow condition, Tallac on a clear sunny day offers one of the best views available for the backcountry enthusiast.

To get to the (winter) Tallac trailhead (map): From Lake Tahoe’s South Shore take Highway 89 toward Emerald Bay. Turn west on Spring Creek Road, the first road after the Baldwin Beach turnoff. The end of the road is the start of the trail. From the trailhead, the summit is approximately 2.2 miles. Climb time varies based on snow conditions … and be prepared for avalanche danger before attempting any backcountry ski trip.

(Check back for a video of backcountry on Tallac…)

- Jim Scripps

Since we got back, we’ve been out a couple of times and it’s been awesome! First we went to Thomas Creek with our 18 month old girl and had a blast.

But last Sat got even better. My friend asked if we wanted to go out on a date she would watch Cielo, so I said “how about Sat morning so we can go skiing?!” and she agreed. So we went up to the Tahoe Meadows and hiked up and teled down while snowing the entire time. It was like heaven! Even though I am pretty pregnant (due in 4 weeks) I love to get out and earn some curves!

Here are some photos of a little pre-work backcountry ski session called, in the local vernacular, Dawn Patrol. Little is known about these secretive and elusive backcountry creatures. These photos were obtained by a confidential source who refuses to say where they were taken.

Info on backcountry skiing in and around Tahoe can be found @:

• The Backcountry: Shops with rental gear in Truckee and Tahoe City.
• Summitpost.com: a good mountaineering guide and a very active forum.
• Alpine Skills International: Classes and trips on all winter backcountry sports. This is a world renowned guide service with certified instructors.
• Wilderness Press: This publisher has some great books and maps written by Reno Tahoe locals. See the Tahoe Backcountry map, Snowsnow Trails Tahoe, and Afoot and Afield in Reno-Tahoe.
• Sierra Avalanche Center: The gentlemen in these photos reported seeing several avalanches that could have potentially been dangerous to skiers. NEVER go into the backcountry W/O checking this daily report usually posted by 6:00 AM. Don’t ski alone, and always cary, and know how to use, a shovel, avalanche beacon, and a probe. Cell reception is good in most areas of Tahoe, and could potentially save a life.

Have a HAPPY holiday!!! If you’re visiting Tahoe this week, we’d love to see your photos and hear your stories! Drop us a line and join our Flickr Photo Community.

Cheers!

-MTB