Tahoe’s spring skiing ripe as resorts prep to close for season
dsilver@tahoedailytribune.com
Upcoming spring skiing events
Alpine Meadows
Check out skialpine.com for more information
Spring Music Series
Unwind and soak up some sun with Alpine’s spring concerts. April 6-28 (weekends only)
Red Bull Schlittentag
Sledders take over the slopes and propel themselves into the air via homemade sleds. April 6
Snow Golf 30th Anniversary
Swing for par on the course that meanders from the top of Summit Express Chair to the bottom of Alpine Bowl Chair. April 13
Boreal Mountain Resort
Visit rideboreal.com for more information
Heckler Rattlesnake Rampage
An offbeat snowboarding competition featuring a switch stance boarder X race combined with a switch method contest. April 3
Diamond Peak Ski Resort
Visit diamondpeak.com for more information
Dummy Downhill
Build a dummy on skis or a snowboard and watch it launch off a jump on the mountain’s Showoff run. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 7
Heavenly Mountain Resort
For more information on events, visit skiheavenly.com
Spring Loaded
Heavenly’s spring festival includes two weeks of sun and fun, rail jams, concerts and springtime mischief. March 27 through April 14
High Roller Hold ‘Em
A big-air competition with the strategy of Texas Hold ‘Em poker, held through the evening on a massive jump on Heavenly’s World Cup run and hosted by Shaun White. April 6
Gunbarrel 25
Join Glen Plake and friends for this knee-wobbling ski marathon down the mountain’s most famous mogul run. April 7
Homewood Mountain Resort
Visit skihomewood.com for more information
Closing Day Party
Celebrate a great season in Homewood’s North Lodge
April 7
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Visit kirkwood.com for more information
Legendary Banked Slalom
Winding through Snowsnake Gully, the famous race is a spring favorite for skiers and riders of all ages. April 13-14
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe
Visit skirose.com for more information
Heart to Hand School Fundraiser
Proceeds from lift ticket deals and packages go to support Waldorf Education and development of the Grades Program. April 6-7
Northstar California
Visit northstarattahoe.com for more information
Spring it on!
A weekend of fun including live music, face painting and the famous pond skim on Sunday. April 6-7
Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort
Visit sierraattahoe.com for more information
Flaunt It Finals
The national women’s snowboarding series comes to a head, hosted by Sierra’s own, Jamie Anderson. April 6
Telegrass Festival
The annual event features all things telemark, including clinics, races and demos, accompanied by bluegrass music. April 7
Squaw Valley
Visit squaw.com for more information
Retro Ski Day
Throw on that one-piece and celebrate skiing’s long, unfashionable history. April 6
Sugar Bowl Resort
Visit sugarbowl.com For more information
Live music
Live music at Apres. April 6
TAHOE/TRUCKEE — You know it’s spring when a pale, hairy man in an American flag Speedo, an afro wig and bright green ski boots stumbles by on his way to Squaw Valley’s KT-22.
Glorious spring. When the slopes turn to slush under sunny skies. When shorts and snowboard boots are decently appropriate. When the smell of hamburgers grilling on the lodge deck wafts into the lift line.
Oh yes, it’s pond-skimming season once again.
“The sun’s out. It’s warm. People are excited to be out,” Heavenly Mountain Resort spokeswoman Sally Gunter said. “And there’s still plenty of good skiing and riding to be had.”
Resorts around the lake are packing their last few weeks with finely groomed corduroy, fresh terrain park setups and a bevy of wild events meant to put an exclamation point on the end of the season.
At Squaw Valley, professional and amateur skiers and riders kicked off the spring season with the Pain McShlonkey Classic, where mullet wigs, snow blades and, well, American flag Speedos were par for the course. Coming up, Squaw has scheduled its Retro Ski Day, numerous competitions and its end-of-the-month music bash, Mountain of Strings.
Across the lake, Heavenly Mountain Resort launched into spring with the flips and twists of the U.S. Freestyle Championships. The mountain will present the High Roller Hold ‘Em, an intricate evening snowboard competition, featuring some of the world’s top riders, hosted by Shaun White on April 6, as well as daily spring events and its annual Ski Patrol fundraiser on April 14.
“We’re looking forward to a busy spring,” mountain spokesman Russ Pecoraro said.
Other distinctly spring events include Diamond Peak’s Dummy Downhill, in which contestants send homemade dummies mounted on skis or a snowboard off a jump; Alpine Meadows’ Red Bull Schlittentag, in which participants ride creatively devised sleds off a jump; and pond skims at Northstar California and Squaw Valley
“Spring skiing encapsulates all the best things about skiing in California,” Squaw Valley spokeswoman Amelia Richmond said. “You’ve got really fun snow conditions, but you also have warm temperatures, sunny skies and all kinds of fun activities.”
Though the season is on its tail end, events and activities aren’t the only thing going off up at the resorts. Conditions are still ripe for making turns and terrain parks are groomed to a T.
“Essentially, we’ve got excellent spring conditions,” said Mike Pierce, a spokesman for Mt. Rose Ski Resort. “We’ve got great coverage top to bottom. It’s perfect up here.”
Sierra-at-Tahoe held its first Tanner Hall Invitational on a monster truck of a jump with top skiers from around the world. With another big event coming up, the Billabong Flaunt It Finals hosted by Jamie Anderson, the resort has been fine tuning their terrain park for the end of the season.
“We’re excited to host these world-class events,” Sierra-at-Tahoe spokesman Steve Hemphill said. “It’s allowed us to give our guests a great terrain park product.”
Closing Days
Alpine Meadows — April 14, move to Fri, Sat, Sun until conditions permit
Heavenly Mountain Resort — April 14
Homewood Mountain Resort — April 7
Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort — April 15
Kirkwood Mountain Resort — April 21
Squaw Valley — April 28
Northstar California — April 14
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe — April 21
Diamond Peak Ski Resort —To be announced
Boreal Mountain Resort — April 14
Sugar Bowl Resort — To be announced
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