heavy snowfall and a long weekend
Frozen treats
A heavy snowfall and a long weekend have people heading for the hills
Sacramento Bee Staff
Published 2:15 am PST Thursday, January 13, 2005

Photo Caption: Proof you don't need a lift ticket to have fun in the snow: Tyler Bullock, 12, stays with his disc in Reno. - Sacramento Bee/Anne Chadwick Williams

http://www.sacbee.com/content/travel/outdoors/story/12022405p-12892671c.html

We haven't seen snow like this in years.

So, head out to the garage and untangle that sled, silver saucer or tour de tundra toboggan. Tune up those twin tips and wax that snowboard. Mate up those skinny skis and grab the gaiters for those snowshoes.

Wave goodbye to the valley and head up the hill. There's no stopping you now.

A spectacular winter wonderland awaits on the three-day weekend. But before you leave town, take a minute to consult our Outbound guide to the great outdoors.

We've done some research on the snow parks, ski resorts and Nordic centers. We've discovered some deals, provided some directions and even gotten a go-ahead wink from the weather service.

Now, all you have to do is get out and go.

Skiing, snowboarding
Record snowfall has left Tahoe ski resorts with almost too much of a good thing - as in 15 feet to 20 feet of fresh pow-pow and a weekend weather forecast sure to bring out the crowds.

The series of storms the past two weeks forced many resorts to temporarily close lifts and terrain due to high winds and whiteout conditions. Both Interstate 80 and Highway 50 were closed intermittently and under chain restrictions for days.

Now comes the payoff.

"Even if you don't ski or snowboard, there are lots of ways to get up here and enjoy Tahoe, which is the whole point," said Rachel Woods, spokeswoman for three North Shore resorts.

A few things to keep in mind if you're headed that way on the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend:

* Check road conditions by calling Cal-Trans at (800) 427-7623. Pack chains, shovel, water and emergency rations. Road conditions can change in a flash - a single highway spinout can cause traffic to back up for hours. Be prepared.

* All that new snow means a higher risk of avalanche. Stay in bounds at resorts and use only groomed, marked trails for other activities.

* Get an early start. Arrive later than 9:30 a.m. or so and you may be directed to an overflow parking lot served by shuttles instead of being able to park and walk to the lifts. For smooth sailing on the way home, leave by 3 p.m.

* If Sierra-at-Tahoe is your destination, consider taking the West Slope Shuttle. The bus runs Saturdays and Sundays starting this weekend, with pickups at Clark's Snow Sports, 3515 Sunrise Blvd., Rancho Cordova (6:30 a.m.), the Hilton Garden Inn, 221 Iron Point Road, Folsom (7 a.m.) and PLA Snowboards, 103 Main St., Placerville (7:30 a.m.). Arrival at Sierra is scheduled for 9 a.m., with afternoon departure at 4:15 p.m. Cost of a round trip with lift ticket is $59 general, $51 for young adults and $39 for children. A shuttle ride with a learn-to-ski or ride package is $79, while transportation only is $29. Passengers under 18 must have a parent fill out a liability-release form. Reservations are recommended at (877) 274-7366 or www.sierraattahoe.com/info/winter/west-slope-shuttle.asp.

* Stay the night; skip the traffic. For this weekend, the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association is offering packages beginning at $166 per person (plus tax, based on double occupancy) for three nights lodging and a two-day interchangeable lift ticket good at North Shore resorts. For more information: (530) 581-6900 or www.mytahoevacation.com.

* Check event listings. If you want to see some of the world's top extreme athletes in action, this is a good weekend to head to Sugar Bowl or Alpine Meadows.

Sugar Bowl is hosting the Jabra X-Jam, Friday through Sunday, with athletes from around the world competing for the last remaining spots in skiercross and boardercross for the X Games finals Jan. 29-Feb. 1 in Aspen, Colo. Boardercross is a newly sanctioned event for the 2006 Olympics. In both disciplines, competitors race in heats of six racers on winding, downhill courses groomed with iced S-curves, hits, tables and bumps. Spectators with lift tickets watch from the side of the course, while anyone can join the deck party at the Mount Judah Lodge. For more information: (530) 426-6724 or www.sugarbowl.com.

Just over Donner Pass at Alpine Meadows, the Snowbomb Sick & Twisted Big Air Competition, originally scheduled for last weekend, has been reset for this Saturday. Open to pro and amateur skiers and snowboarders, the event takes place on a specially built jump in the Kangaroo Terrain Park, just steps from the main base lodge. You don't need a lift ticket to enjoy the slope-side action, which starts at noon. For more information: (530) 581-0553, www.skialpine.com or www.snowbomb.com.

* Here's a roundup of Tahoe resort Web sites and phone numbers, along with notations on activities available to those who don't ski or snowboard.

Interstate 80 resorts
Boreal Mountain Resort: (530) 426-3666 or www.rideboreal.com. Playland sledding area has groomed runs, while the new indoor Skate Bowl caters to skateboarders.

Soda Springs: (530) 426-3901 or www.skisodasprings.com. Beginner area with snow-tube flumes, mini-snowmobile track and a tubing carousel for kids under 42 inches in height.

Sugar Bowl: (530) 426-9000 or www.sugarbowl.com. Airboarding (an airboard is an inflatable sled) and dog sled rides available.

Donner Ski Ranch: (530) 426-3635 or www.donnerskiranch.com.

Tahoe Donner: (530) 587-9444 or www.tahoedonner.com.

Squaw Valley USA: (530) 583-6985 or www.squaw.com. Tubing, ice skating.

Alpine Meadows: (530) 583-4232 or www.skialpine.com. Family Fun Zone indoor play area.

Northstar-at-Tahoe: (530) 562-1010 or www.skinorthstar.com. Tubing and snow toys available; bungee trampoline coming soon.

Homewood Mountain Resort: (530) 525-2992 or www.skihomewood.com.

Granlibakken: (530) 583-4242 or www.granlibakken.com. Groomed snow play/saucer area.

Mt. Rose: (800) 754-7673 or www.skirose.com.

Diamond Peak: (775) 832-1177 or www.diamondpeak.com.

Highway 50 resorts
Heavenly Lake Tahoe: (775) 586-7000 or www.skiheavenly.com. Snow tubing, ice skating, gondola rides.

Sierra-at-Tahoe: (530) 659-7453 or www.sierratahoe.com. Snow tubing.

Highway 88 resorts
Kirkwood Mountain Resort: (209) 258-6000 or www.kirkwood.com. Ice skating, tubing park, dog sled rides, snowmobiling.

Sno-Parks
Wouldn't it be nice if you could just drive into the mountains, pull safely off the highway, park the car and get right into playing in the snow?

Well yes, it is nice. Snow parks, officially called Sno-Parks, where you can do just that, are located all over the central Sierra, and 15 are clustered in our area (see map on this page) for the convenience of visitors who want to park and play.

After the recent spate of storms, there will be plenty of "sno" to go with the "park," says Joe Rosato, a spokesman for the state park system.

"We expect all 15 area Sno-Parks to be open by the weekend," he said Tuesday.

Here are a few tips for using Sno-Parks:

* Sno-Parks off Interstate 80 are located at Yuba Gap, Donner Summit and Donner Lake, and permits are available at those locations. Sno-Parks along Highway 50 are at Echo Lake and Echo Summit (permits are also available at the latter location). Sno-Parks along Highway 88 are at Iron Mountain, Meiss Meadow and Carson Pass.

* If you're a snowmobiler or cross-country skier, check the Sno-Parks Web site (address below) to see which location welcomes your sport. Some don't.

* Buy a permit. They cost $5 for a single visit or $25 for the season, which is cheap compared with the $75 fine you'll have to pay if you're cited for not having one. They are available at some convenience stores near the Sno-Parks, but you'd be wise to buy them ahead or on the road to the mountains.

Note: AAA and REI no longer sell Sno-Park passes. Places to buy permits include:

In the Sacramento area, Anytime Power Sports, 4837 Auburn Blvd. at Madison Avenue (916-349-2100; open Mondays-Fridays 9-6, Saturdays 9-4, closed Sundays).

On I-80, at the California Welcome Center, 13411 Lincoln Way, just off the Foresthill exit in Auburn (530-887-2111, open Mondays-Fridays 9:30-4:30, Saturdays 9-3, Sundays 11-3).

On Highway 50, at the Placerville Ranger District, off the Cedar Grove exit eight miles east of Placerville (weekdays only, 8-4:30). Beyond that, at the Silver Fork Store, the Kyburz Mini-mart and the Strawberry Market.

* Arrive early. With all the deferred visits during the recent storms, Rosato expects large crowds this weekend at the Sno-Parks, where parking is limited.

* Information on current conditions at the Sno-Parks is available at (916) 324-1222 or www.ohv.parks.ca.gov (click on the blue "Sno-Parks" box on the right-hand column of the page).

Cross-country/snowshoe
If you like your snow adventures on a relatively level playing field, think in terms of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Consider this sampler; call for directions, prices, hours and other details.

Events
Saturday

* "The Forlorn Hope: Snowshoe History Tour," 10 a.m.-noon, Donner Memorial State Park; (530) 582-7892.

* Introduction to Cross-Country Skiing, 1-3 p.m., Donner Memorial State Park. Bring your own gear; (530) 582-7892.

* "Kids' Cookie Race," Royal Gorge Center at Soda Springs, noon, free, for ages 4-12; (800) 500-3871 or (530) 426-3871.

Jan. 20

* Free introduction to cross-country skiing at the Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area in Tahoe City, 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; (530) 583-5475 or www.tahoexc.org.

Jan. 22

* The Fisher Ski de Femme is a cross-country ski clinic for women at Royal Gorge, 10 a.m., registration required; (800) 500-3871 or (530) 426-3871.

Jan. 23

* Guided snowshoe tour at Royal Gorge; 10 a.m., registration required; (800) 500-3871 or (530) 426-3871.

Jan. 25 and 26

* Hope Valley Full Moon Tour on snowshoes or cross-country skis at Hope Valley Outdoor Center, 6 p.m., rentals available; (530) 694-2266 or www.hopevalleyoutdoors.com.

Where the action is
It's easy to find snowshoeing and cross-country ski areas: Pull off the side of the road, strap on your gear and head out. However, given the amount of snow in the mountains right now and the danger of avalanches, the wisest course is to stick to groomed trails at resorts and centers. Try these, listed alphabetically:

* Heavenly Lake Tahoe: (775) 586-7000 (choose the "Ski School option") or www.skiheavenly.com. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on Adventure Peak; full rentals.

* Northstar-at-Tahoe: (530) 562-2475 or www.skinorthstar.com. Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing; full rentals.

* Royal Gorge Center at Soda Springs: (800) 500-3871, (530) 426-3871 or www.royalgorge.com. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing; full rentals.

* Sierra-at-Tahoe: (530) 659-7453 or www.sierratahoe.com. Snowshoeing; full rentals.

* Spooner Lake Cross-Country: (775) 749-5349 or www.spoonerlake.com. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing; full rentals.

* Squaw Creek Cross-Country Ski Center: (530) 583-5507 or www.squawcreek.com. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing; full rentals.

* Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Area: (530) 583-5475 or www.tahoex.org. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing; full rentals.

* Tahoe Donner Cross-Country Area: (530) 587-9484 or www.tahoedonner.com. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing; full rentals.

Rentals
Snowshoe and cross-country gear can be rented at resorts and centers, per the details above. Locally, the three REI stores rent snowshoes: Sacramento store, (916) 924-8900; Roseville, (916) 724-6750; Folsom, (916) 817-8944.

The rules of the slopes
Whether or not you decide to get a helmet, here are some rules from the National Ski Areas Association called Your Responsibility Code that will help you and others stay safe on the slopes:

* Stay in control and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.

* People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.

* You must not stop where you obstruct a trail or where you are not visible from above.

* Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.

* Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.

* Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.

* Before using any lift, you must have the ability to load, ride and unload safely.

About the writer:

* This report was compiled by Allen Pierleoni, Janet Fullwood and David Barton.



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