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Spring has Sprung! So What's Next?

The birds are singing, their new babies chirping loudly from the nest.The trees are filling out with bright green leaves and the air has warmed from the sharp biting cold of Winter to the gentle, caressing breezes of Summer. Achoo! The plants are pollinating and, Swat! the mosquitoes are out. I guess it must be Spring. 

I have a love/hate relationship with Spring. I love being able to get out in the warm air without having to dress like I'm leaving on an Arctic Expedition and, while I'll miss the snow, a whole new world of outdoor activities opens up again. On the other hand, the runny nose, the itchy eyes, the swarms of bugs! You just have to take the good with the bad. The best is Spring skiing because the bugs don't like the snow and ice crystals don't pollinate as far as I know. All that's about to end, but you can still get in a few more runs because Alpine Meadows is still open Fri-Sun thru May 13 with reduced ticket rates. Their hours of operation are 8am-1pm, but that's the sweet spot of the day for Spring skiing before the snow turns to the consistency of oatmeal, cold oatmeal.

That reminds me of a day at Squaw Valley many years ago when I was stretching the season as far as I could. The snow was icy in the morning but then got just right for a couple of hours. Slowly it started to drag on my skis and then all of a sudden catch like I'd hit a patch of Velcro. Those effortless turns became a major effort. Did I choose the wrong wax or was it because I hadn't waxed my skis all Winter? By the time I got down to the bottom of the hill the puddles were so big I felt like I was water skiing! Even under those conditions I had a great day because I had a few hours of wonderful skiing and then I lounged around on the sundeck basking in the early Spring sun surrounded by the majestic peaks of Squaw Valley. I know it was a great day because I still remember it years later.

If you're ready to get started with your Spring off-snow activities you may have to wait a little longer for all the Forest Service roads to open. Some may be open now but, despite the warm weather and lack of snow, May 10 through June 1 are the earliest dates the roads will open. Not all closed roads have a gate or a sign and you can get cited. For the most up-to-date information on which roads and trails are open, you can call the recreation line  (530) 543-2694 or go to USDA Rec Area Openings on the web.

Campgrounds and day-use areas in the Lake Tahoe basin will begin opening in mid-May, weather permitting, according to U.S Forest Service officials. Before they can open, the Forest Service must remove safety hazards, clean up from winter, and wait until the danger of a freeze is over before turning on water systems. The expected opening dates for Tahoe recreation sites are also available on the web at USDA Rec Area Openings.

Cyclists, runners, and hikers have already been taking advantage of the warm weather and quickly melting snow. Many of the trails and roads were open most of the Winter and just recently blocked by late season snow which has now mostly melted in many locations. Mountain biking and trail running are two great sports you can do to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise at the same time. You should be able to find many roads and trails already open a month or more earlier than normal.

Water sports? While Lake Tahoe is still pretty cold (isn't it always?) there are some sports that can warm you on the water through exercise. Why not try SUP? That stands for Stand Up Paddling. It's really catching on. I saw may first SUPs on Donner Lake last year and it looked pretty wild. SUP is one of the top core workouts you can do and develops your balance along with your muscles. Also, the icy cold water serves as a BIG incentive to stay upright on the board!

If you're into normal paddling, here's something to get you started on the season:

Annual Spring Paddle

May 19, 2012 (Sat) 9AM-1PM

Come join the Lake Tahoe Water Trail's Annual Spring Paddle. We will be launching from Commons Beach in Tahoe City for a morning paddle, followed by lunch at Sunnyside Restaurant and Lodge. Interpretive guides will navigate and educate about the Lake Tahoe environment. All ages and skill levels are welcome. For more information and registration log onto laketahoewatertrail.org.

Of course you can always take the easy route and just get out the boat, cruise to a nice protected cove and bask in the warm sun with a cold beer. I think that's what I'm going to do this weekend. I feel like the Polar Bear that's been hibernating all Winter who needs a little nap in the sun to warm up and get up to speed. But next weekend it's trail running for sure! (maybe)

Have a happy Mother's Day! Keep up to date with all that's happening at Olympic Village Inn and Olympic Valley on our Facebook page. Have a great week!

 

Could the Olympic Games be coming back to Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley in 2022?

First of all, happy Cinco de Mayo! Treat yourself to some good Mexican food and a margarita today.

Everyone knows the history of Squaw Valley and the VIII Winter Olympics in 1960. I wrote about it in a past blog, A Piece of Squaw Valley History Discovered, where I told of the role a close friend played in helping build the Olympic Rings. That’s my friend Bill on the right, with his boss standing next to him. The company was Victress Manufacturing Co. in North Hollywood, Ca. According to Bill, “A mock-up was originally made of a wood structure and casting plaster. A fiberglass mold was made off the mock-up consisting of both sides. A fiberglass, hand lay-up was made of both sides and joined together. The joints were ground smooth, sanded and the rings painted the appropriate colors and shipped to Squaw Valley.” There’s nothing more symbolic of the 1960 VIII Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley than the Olympic Rings and now you know, as Paul Harvey would say, ”the rest of the story” thanks to my friend and a chance conversation at the start of the Tour of California in 2011.

The Olympic Games returning to Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley in 2022, 52 years after the Olympic flame was first lit in the Lake Tahoe area in 1960, is an exciting thought and now much more than just a wistful dream. The first steps have been taken for Reno, Lake Tahoe and Sacramento to make a bid to host the 2022 Olympic Games. In a press release and article in the Sierra Sun, California, Nevada merge efforts for 2022 Olympics bid, plans were revealed of the formation of the Lake Tahoe Winter Games Exploratory Committee by California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki. This is a new joint California/Nevada enterprise, adding to efforts already underway to develop an Olympic bid for Reno/Tahoe/Sacramento for the 2022 Winter Games. The committee was created by the Reno Tahoe Winter Games Coalition and the California Winter Games Committee — who were recently joined by the Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee. That's a lot of committees but this takes a big effort as Denver, Salt Lake City, Lake Placid, N.Y., and Bozeman, Mont., have all shown interest in hosting the 2022 Olympic Games. Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki said in a statement “The timing is right for Californians and Nevadans to come together and seriously explore bringing the Winter Olympic Games to the Tahoe region. Our new committee is the evolution of years of work by many people, and if the United States Olympic Committee decides to bid on the 2022 Winter Games, we will be ready to showcase the Tahoe region's scenic majesty and winter games capabilities.”

This obviously has a long way to go to become reality, but unless we're ready, it will have no chance at all. We first have to weigh the benefits and impacts of hosting the Olympic Games in the Lake Tahoe Region, which is what the Lake Tahoe Winter Games Exploratory Committee will do by bringing together a group of business, civic and political leaders, including a strong environmental team. The bid alone for the Olympics could cost around $5 million.

The committee's interim chair is none other than Andy Wirth, president and CEO of Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski resorts. This really ties the history of our Olympic Valley area to the project. While this project is a long shot and benefits versus impacts on the area are yet unknown, we do know what the 1960 Winter Olympics did for Squaw Valley. It showed the world what a beautiful, unique and challenging ski area we have and it became the destination of choice for alpine sports enthusiasts from many countries. We're still enjoying the benefits and prestige gathered from hosting the Olympics. If the USOC makes the decision to bid for the 2022 Winter Games, it would do so in 2013 and the host city will be awarded in 2015. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this develops.

Here's something you can do for fun and a good cause too. 

Skiing for Schools Days at Squaw Valley & Alpine Meadows

Date: Apr 15, (Sun) - May 31, 2012 (Thu)

All Day Purchase $35 lift tickets valid any one day at either resort from April 15, 2012 to the end of the winter season (date TBA). The proceeds from your lift ticket purchase go directly to the Excellence in Education Foundation, which provides enhanced educational opportunities for our local students. Purchase tickets starting the week prior at Porters Sports.

Keep up to date with all that's happening at Olympic Village Inn and Olympic Valley on our Facebook page. Have a great week!

What do you do when the ski resorts close but you still want to play in the snow?

Squaw Valley and Apine Meadows are scheduled to end their daily winter operations Apr. 29 but at least Alpine will remain open Fri-Sunday through May 13. For the lastest information see their websites or this link-2012 Lake Tahoe Resort Closing Dates. What do you do when you're not ready to abandon winter sports and the water's too cold for water skiing? First, I'll tell you of a trip I made to Southern California last year.

I love the ocean but don't get there as often as I'd like. There's something about the salt air that makes me feel fresh and clean and invigorated. Walking or running along the beach is one of my favorite things to do, playing chicken with the water and foam as if I was the Wicked Witch of the North and the slightest touch would make me melt, "I'm melting, I'm melting!!" (cackle, cackle). We'll, I have fun with it. Of course, sooner or later I'm caught and drenched up to my ankles and don't seem any the worse for wear except I'm giggling as I feel the sand sucked from under my toes. The ocean can make you feel like a kid again. As I was running back and forth playing with the waves, two guys in wet suits carrying boards and something else walked onto the beach. These were not your typical Southern California surfers. They unfurled what looked like one of those oblong parachutes, only smaller, and waded into the surf with their boards. The parachute was actually a sail and as it filled with wind they took of like a fighter jet. Instead if crashing into the first wave, they used the lift of the sail to fly over it the same way a dolphin leaps out of the water over an invisible hurtle. Beautiful! It's called Kitesurfing. They sped across the water, leaping off the tops of waves as if guided by a grand puppet master with invisible strings. It looked like fun!

You may be wondering what this has to do with snow? Well, an article in the Sierra Sun caught my eye. It reminded me of what I had seen and loved in Southern California at the beach, only this was the same thing on snow. It's Snowkiting! The article, Push it to the limit: Snowkiting slowly gaining speed in Tahoe region, West Coast, talked about Truckee resident Tyler Brown, who's a part of the developing community of Snowkiters in the Tahoe-Truckee area pushing the limits of what can be done on the snow covered diverse terrain in our region. Unlike downhill skiing or cross-country skiing, there's another dimension added....up. You can do jumps, flips, and spins, just like Kitesurfing, as well as traveling at incredible speed, all you need is wind which luckily is plentiful in the Sierras. You can race up mountains at 500 vertical feet per minute, jump off cliffs or let the kite lift you off the ground and transport you to a safe landing. Because of the diverse terrain in the mountains, many more maneuvers are possible than on water. 

Snowkites use the same 4 line system that Kitesurfers use to control the kite, and the boards are designed much like snowboards. California has been lagging behind other states like Utah, Montana, Minnesota and Idaho with their large expanses of open terrain, but that's changing as Snowkliters learn new ways to negotiate and take advantage of the obstacles the Sierra landscape offers. California has been the inavator and leader in many sports such as mountain biking, surfing and skateboarding, but with Snowkiting we're paying catch-up. We may soon, though, be the destination of choice because of our extreme terrain, much like Squaw Valley is known for it's extreme downhill skiing terrain. Even if it's a little too extreme for you or me right now, it's a fun sport to watch, both exciting and graceful at the same time. While done mostly in the backcountry right now, keep your eyes out for those colorful kites on both the North and South shores of Lake Tahoe. If you get a chance to watch, like I did with the Kitesurfers in Southern California, you won't be disappointed. You may just be inspired to find out more about it and try it for yourself. 

Don't miss this great yearly event, the Cushing Crossing on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 12:00. It's one of the most fun events of the year.

The 22nd Annual Cushing Crossing is coming back on April 29! The best event of the spring season, the Cushing Crossing is the original pond skimming event. Every year we gather a celebrity judging panel and amazing emcee's for this spectacle. Filled with big spills and laughable thrills this is one spring event that you don't want to miss.

Keep up to date with all that's happening at Olympic Village Inn and Olympic Valley on our Facebook page. Have a great week!

Visit a Lake Tahoe ski resort virtually with a new update to Google "Street View"

I read about a new a new update to Google "Street View" in a recent article in the Sierra Sun, Going Live: Google's ‘Street View' offers virtual tours of Lake Tahoe ski resorts, and it's pretty cool! You've probably tried Google "Street View" before. It's a feature in Google Maps where you can see a street level virtual view of many places all over the world. It's even a little scary. You can not only visit famous places and landmarks like Disneyland, Stonehenge, Lego-land and various universities, but you can also see many ordinary streets you never would expect Google to know about. I recently looked up the address of a friend for directions and decided to click on Street View. This was a non-de-script dead end street in a small town in Nevada that you would expect to be pretty anonymous but there was her house, just like I was standing in front of it, with her car in the driveway. Of course it wasn't live, that would be really creepy, but it was fairly recent. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stick up and felt sort of Big Brother-ish. 

Google started Street View in 2007. You probably remember seeing pictures of them driving around in cars with big roof mounted cameras that took 360 degree views of the surroundings. You may also remember stories of them getting chased out of neighborhoods from concerned residents over privacy issues. It seems like everything Google does has two sides to it, it's both innovative and amazing along with feeling intrusive. I've always believed Google to be true to it's motto, "Do no evil", so maybe that's the trade-off we have to make to get truly amazing and useful things for free. That's an individual judgement we all have to make for ourselves. I'll have to admit I'm a Google junkie, using Gmail, IGoole, Google Voice, Google Reader, Google Docs and on and on daily, and I've never felt my privacy threatened. I've only been amazed that it's all free, but let's get back to the slopes!

Google has been busy mapping ski resorts all over the world and now has most of Lake Tahoe's ski areas mapped including Squaw Valley, Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Sierra-at-Tahoe and, just recently, Homewood Mountain Resort. This all started in 2010 when they wanted to do something special for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Google mapped the slopes of Whistler Blackcomb so people from around the world could experience the slopes housing the various events such as the downhill and the slalom. They mounted a camera that records a 360-degree view on a snowmobile. The Sierra Sun article went on to say "Once the filming is done, Google puts the photos into its mapping software and blurs the faces of skiers and snowboarders gaping at the cameras. A few months later, the new first-person maps are launched."

I decided to try it with Squaw Valley USA. All you have to do is type the name of the ski resort into Google Maps to find your resort, then put the little yellow Street View man into the blue lines on the slopes and navigate the ski resort using the arrows at the bottom of the image. Try it, it's amazing! It's not only great to check out ski areas you've never been to but you can also take a quick virtual run down your favorite slope right from your office.desk. Just don't get too excited and yell out as you jump off the cornice if you don't want your boss to know! 

With many resorts closing soon for the season, this could also be a great way to get your ski fix, maybe the only way short of traveling to Chile or somewhere else in the opposite hemisphere. I guess you could also go to the local arcade and play one of those skiing games or maybe they have one for the video game Wii. I'm going for Google.

Don't forget to celebrate Earth Day is right here in Olympic Valley at the Squaw Valley USA ski area. It's the North Tahoe Truckee Earth Day Celebration today, Saturday, April 21, 2012, starting at 11:00. Keep up to date with all that's happening at Olympic Village Inn and Olympic Valley on our Facebook page. Have a great week!

Earth Day 2012, Tahoe-Truckee style

Earth Day 2012 is coming up on April 22nd and there are lots of activities planned in the Tahoe-Truckee area to celebrate it. According to Wikipedia, "Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment." There's no better place to appreciate the Earth's natural environment than Olympic Valley, a high alpine setting with fresh, clean air surrounded my majestic snow covered mountain peaks. On April 22, more than one billion people around the globe with many backgrounds and nationalities will participate in Earth Day 2012.

It all started back in the 70s. Remember the 70's when the Beatles released their last album and Simon and Garfunkel sang "A Bridge Over Troubled Waters"? That was a long time ago but that's when the modern environmental movement got started. It was a time when Americans drove massive gas guzzling V8s and air pollution was common but accepted. Almost a decade earlier in 1962, Rachel Carson published a New York Times bestseller "Silent Spring" which sold over 500,000 copies in 24 countries. It served as a wake up call and raised public awareness and concern for living organisms, the environment and public health. The idea and name of Earth Day was supposedly created by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was in San Francisco, the City of Saint Francis, patron saint of ecology. How appropriate. Earth Day was first celebrated in San Francisco and other cities on March 21, 1970, the first day of Spring. While initially observed in just in the US, it went international in 1990 with organized events in 141 nations. Earth Day is now observed globally by the Earth Day Network in more than 175 countries every year. Many communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues.

One of the best places to celebrate Earth Day is right here in Olympic Valley at the Squaw Valley USA ski area. It's the North Tahoe Truckee Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 21, 2012 starting at 11:00. It's a community sponsored event for all ages giving participants an opportunity to learn about recycling/composting, alternative energy, sustainability, watershed and forest health, and reducing ecological footprints with a diverse array of agency representatives and earth-friendly vendors. There will be live music, a trashion show and environmental fun at the largest eco-event in the North Lake Tahoe/Truckee area. According to the website, "The goal of The Tahoe Truckee Earth Day Festival, a volunteer run, non-profit event is to recognize, celebrate and promote the region’s unique beauty and to educate the public regarding how to preserve and protect our local and global natural resources. The Tahoe Truckee Earth Day Foundation is also working to increase the effort around solid waste management and will continue to work towards its goal of hosting a Zero Waste and Carbon Neutral event." For more information go to www.tahoetruckeeearthday.org. Here's a list of events-

Earth Day Celebration Schedule-Squaw Valley

Main Event 11am-5pm The Village at Squaw Valley
Collection Event- Recycle waste, tires, and house hold batteries for free  9am-2pm Parking Lot
Drop Theory w/ Special Guests 11:30am-2pm Village Events Plaza
Asha Belly Dancers 2-2:15pm Village Events Plaza
Trashion Show 2:15-3pm Village Events Plaza (this is great-don't miss it)
Raffle winners announced 3:00pm 
Ten Mile Tide 3:30-5pm Village Events Plaza

It's all free to the public to attend.

There is also the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival 
Films start at 7pm at Olympic Village Lodge, Squaw Valley on Apr. 19th and 20th.

There are also 2 events this weekend not to miss. 

Retro Ski Day
Saturday, April 14, 2012 - 09:00

Break out the rear entry boots, that swanky sweater and all the neon you can find for the annual ode to our glorious roots. After shredding Headwall all day on your 201's stop on by the KT Base Bar to hear live music from The Nibblers from 2 to 5pm. See the webpage for the full schedule.

Billy Dutton Uphill
Sunday, April 15, 2012 - 07:00

The Billy Dutton Uphill is Squaw Valley's 'run what ya brung' uphill race. The course climbs 2000' and over 3.2 miles from the base of KT-22 to High Camp. This fun annual event is a memorial race for Billy Dutton, a longtime friend of North Lake tahoe, and Squaw Valley, and a former employee of Squaw Valley. Registration begins at 7 am outside of Dave's Deli. Event begins at 8am at the Funitel. See the webpage for all the details.

There you have it, some great things to do this weekend and then the film series and the Earth Day celebrations at the end of next week and the weekend. Keep up to date with all that's happening at Olympic Village Inn and Olympic Valley on our Facebook page. Have a great week!

Happy Easter!

The bunny's back! The Easter Bunny that is. Easter has to be one of my favorite holidays. No pressure to buy gifts for everyone you know, or have ever known, back to at least 3 degrees of separation. No hangover because you drank too much on Easter Eve. No hot and uncomfortable weather because it comes at the beginning of July. No scary 13 year-olds knocking on your door dressed as Dr. Kevorkian shouting "Trick or Treat". You DON'T want to know what the "trick" is. You don't stuff yourself with drumsticks laced with sleep inducing triptofan only to have to make it down to the mall by midnight to catch the Black Friday deals. No, Easter is easy. You might have to get up early to make it to a sunrise service, but then it's Easter egg hunts with the kids, a morning Easter brunch, and all the marshmallow chicks and chocolate eggs you can eat. Nice!

I have great memories of Easter as a kid. A few days before Easter, my Mom would boil eggs and then my sister and I would dip them in colored dye while still warm and place them in holders to dry. On Easter morning, we'd run around the house and the backyard looking for the multi-colored hidden treasures which seemed to be under every bush and behind every piece of furniture. You just knew the next one would magically appear if you just looked a little harder. Your once empty basket would quickly fill with the spoils of your search, eventually overflowing with the eggs you colored just days ago, along with those plastic "mystery eggs" that rattled when you shook them and contained unknown riches. There were giant chocolate bunny's and squishy yellow chicks that tasted every bit as good as Halloween candy. I don't like giving live chicks to kids, but back then this was common on Easter. One Easter we got 2 small, fluffy yellow chicks and my sister and I raised them. They both grew into large, loud and mean roosters. We lived in the suburbs, so roosters crowing at the break of dawn as a natural alarm clock wasn't fully appreciated by the neighbors. When we'd go into the backyard in our shorts, the roosters would attack, viciously pecking our legs and frantically chasing us around until we'd have to run back inside. We took to carrying weapons like broom sticks and baseball bats when we ventured out. How could those awful killing machines have come from those cute tiny peeping chicks? A trip to a local farm finally solved the problem. What are some of your Easter memories?

There's plenty to do for Easter within walking distance of Olympic Village Inn. Here are some ideas.

Squaw Valley Easter Sunday Mountaintop Services

Sunday, April 8, 2012 - 08:00

Celebrate Easter Sunday with Lake Tahoe as the backdrop while you give thanks and praise. Service starts at 8am and is nondenominational. Aerial Tram rides will be complimentary and will run at 7:30am and 7:45am. No equipment allowed. 

On-Mountain Easter Egg Hunt at Squaw Valley

April 8, at 10:00

This annual on-mountain Easter egg hunt begins the moment the lifts open on Sunday. Get your Easter basket ready and hunt for colored eggs all over the mountain. This year, one lucky winner will find a GOLDEN EGG. Within the golden egg lies a 2012-13 Bronze season pass. Clues will be provided throughout the day via twitter, the Squaw smartphone app and Facebook.

All-mountain Easter egg hunt and kid’s egg hunt at Alpine Meadows

April 8, at 9 am – 4 pm

Make room in that Easter basket to fit a season pass to Alpine Meadows Ski Resort! Guests will have the chance to comb the mountain for a golden egg containing a Bronze Season Pass in the free Adult Easter Egg Hunt. Hundreds of eggs will be hidden across all of Alpine’s 2400 acres, but only one will be gold. Arrive early, as this all-day hunt will commence when the lifts start moving at 9 a.m., and last until 4 p.m. Children’s Easter Egg Hunts – Children 7 and under are invited to join the Easter Egg Hunt taking place at 10:15am at the Kids Camp Magic Carpet. Children 8 – 13 are invited to join the Easter Egg Hunt taking place at 10:15am at the Magic Carpet located off of Subway Chair.

This next one is not for Easter, but it's a very interesting event this week from the Squaw Valley Institute.

Kenny Broad

Tuesday, April 10, 2012 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Resort at Squaw Creek

Kenny Broad doesn't shy away from tough physical conditions or tough issues. Through a unique combination of underwater cave exploration, photography and environmental anthropology, he tackles challenging expeditions to unexplored caves and probes controversial problems ranging from climate change to inequity in natural resource management, focusing on the potential use and misuse of scientific information.  In 2011, Broad was named “National Geographic's Explorer of the Year,” for his extraordinary achievements in documenting the Blue Holes of the Bahamas.  His presentation is exquisitely fun and fascinating, leading us to the unimagined world underwater.

There's still plenty of snow, and Squaw Valley isn't scheduled to close until 4-29, so mix some skiing in with your Easter Sunday. We still have some of the best ski conditions we've seen all year so get out and take advantage of it. Hide some eggs in the forest and take your kids on a snow shoe Easter egg hunt! Easter can be special in the Sierras with a little imagination and you won't be chased by any roosters. Keep up to date with all that's happening at Olympic Village Inn and Olympic Valley for Easter on our Facebook page. Have a great week!

Sunset Magazine's award confirms our dedication to preserving the areas natural beauty

Just look around. Take a deep breath of the cool, crisp mountain air. Watch the new fallen snow crystals sparkle in the morning sun. Follow the flight of the hawk overhead as he surveys his domain, his personal hunting ground away from the concrete maze of cars, electrical wires and rooftops of the city. We live, work and play in the middle of natural beauty unmatched by almost anywhere else on Earth. Sure, we've molded it to fit our needs, but we've managed to preserve it's natural beauty in the process, unlike some other recreational vacation destinations that have succumbed to the temptation to over build and destroy the very thing that attracted people there in the first place.

The Tahoe-Truckee area is unique. It's a natural playground with restaurants, ski areas, casinos and bars, and the infrastructure to support millions of visitors from all over the world every year. At the center is the blue jewel Lake Tahoe with it's crystal clear water surrounded by majestic snow covered mountain peaks. Somehow we've managed to provide lodging, recreation and entertainment for all these visitors without sacrificing the pristine high alpine environment that attracts the skiers, boaters and other outdoor enthusiasts. A recent example of this dedication to preserving our valuable and unique natural beauty is Sunset Magazine's 2012 Environmental Award to the Truckee Donner Land Trust.

A recent article in the Sierra Sun, Sunset Magazine names Truckee Donner Land Trust in 2012 Environmental Awards, announced the news that Independence Lake won in the category of best lake or lake shore preservation. This places the Land Trust at the top of the best environmental organizations in the West. Independence Lake is considered to be one of the best examples of the pure and pristine sub-alpine lakes in the West, and it's home to California's last wild and self-sustaining lake populations of threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout. It's also a great recreational lake that I've enjoyed for years boating and fishing. You can enjoy the lake's day use facilities, including picnicking, swimming, mountain biking, hiking, wildlife viewing and fishing. Boats and kayaks are available offered by the Land Trust and The Nature Conservancy free to visitors. It's a perfect example of how human use for recreation and natural preservation can co-exist.

It was nearly lost to over-development several times. In the 1970s, the Disney Corporation planned on building an ultra-modern ski resort and complex on the ridges and bowls around the lake. This included a 4 lane highway from Highway 89 and it's surrounding peaks were to be connected by gondolas and chair lifts. There were also plans for marinas, piers and docks along with vacation homes and estates, a golf course, equestrian center, hotel, condos, and hundreds of miles of roads with parking for 2,500 vehicles. There were also plans for all the commercial development needed for the visitors to the new resort. The lake was threatened again in 2002 when the property was nearly sold to a Silicon Valley icon. It has truly been resilient to over development and now should stay that way thanks to the efforts of the local citizens and the Truckee Donner Land Trust. Environmental protection versus development has always been a delicate balancing act, especially in a world re-noun recreation area and vacation destination like the Tahoe-Truckee area. Too much of either can keep the area from reaching it's full potential. It's important that we maintain that balance and the work of the Truckee Donner Land Trust is a big step in the right direction.  

Now it's time to recreate in this beautiful alpine environment so here are some things to do this weekend and in the upcoming week:

Spring Music Series featuring Afrolicious at Alpine Meadows, Tahoe City

Mar 31, 2012 (Sat)

1:00pm - 4:00pm Join us on the Sun Deck for another Spring Music Series performance by Afrolicious.
Tahoe Rim Tour & Race ~ Nordic Racehttp://www.farwestnordic.org/tahoerimtour.htmlApr 7, 2012 (Sat)
9 a.m. Classic ski, skate ski or snowshoe your way from the Tahoe XC ski trails to Northstar. Enjoy lunch at the finish line. This is a fundraiser for the Far West Nordic Junior Ski Program

Squaw's Spring Party Weekend

Kick off the spring season at Squaw's Spring Party Weekend! Soak up the California sunshine while enjoying a cold beverage in the expansive Hot Tub. A live DJ will be spinning from 12 to 3pm. 

U.S. Ski Team Day
Saturday, April 7, 2012 - 09:00

Join Julia Mancuso, Jonny Moseley, Tamara McKinney, Travis Ganong and your favorite Squaw Valley skiers and snowboarders at the 2012 Squaw Valley U.S. Ski Team Day.This event supports the athletes of the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding team and U.S. Freeskiing team.

It truly has been a Miracle March, so get out and enjoy all that nature has provided for us in this spectacular mountain environment knowing that it will be preserved for many generations to come. Keep up to date with all that's happening at Olympic Village Inn and Olympic Valley on our Facebook page. Have a great week!

World's first solar powered ski lift!

This is really green, I mean white, I mean green! A few weeks ago I wrote about a Squaw Valley first, the world's first ski-in/ski-out Starbucks. Now there's another first in the world of skiing. It's not Squaw Valley this time but the tiny town of Tenna, Switzerland, just a stone's throw from the famous resorts of St. Moritz and Davos. Tenna covers just 4.4 miles, has a population (as of 31 December 2010) of 110, has an unemployment rate of 0%, and is so small it has just one shop, one school and one T-bar ski lift. Remember those? I'm not even sure if they're still around but I remember when I was first leaning to ski how the biggest challenge was sticking that moving bar with the dish on the end between your legs and trying to stay upright while it dragged you up the hill. It was a big improvement over the rope tow, though. That was a cruel joke for anyone just trying to get to the top of the bunny hill.

A headline recently caught my eye, "Tiny Swiss town builds the world's first solar-powered ski lift" by Michael Frank. How could you not want to read about that? It seems the only ski lift in the whole valley was badly in need of repair. The town had a choice to make, let it go or spend the money to update it. Locals felt that it was important enough to the town that they not only raised enough money to update it but they took the project to a new level. They built the world's first solar-powered ski lift. That's one way to get your tiny town on the map! It turns out that this is more than just a gimmick, it's a smart investment. The lift generates 90,000 kw hours a year. That's 3 times the electricity needed to run the lift, and the extra power gets pumped back into the grid which generates income for the town and goes towards paying the residents back. The entire project cost $1.5 million, a considerable amount for a small town, but repairing the existing lift would have been expensive, too, and the sky is already naturally unobstructed above a ski lift allowing full exposure to the sun. The lift transports 800 skiers an hour up the hill, saving not only money in the process but adding less carbon to the atmosphere. The lift has 82 solar panels that rotate to follow the sun and they can be tilled up and down in a storm so the snow slides right off. While this is a modest project compared to the larger ski areas like Squaw Valley, with their huge Quad chairs, it's an idea who's time has come and could work just as well on a larger scale. My only question is who will have the second in the world solar powered ski lift?

There's a big weekend coming up at Squaw Valley, SnowBash! Here are the details, along with another event at Northstar.

SnowBash
Friday, March 30, 2012 to Sunday, April 1, 2012

Join us in the first ever SnowBash at Squaw! This 3 day party is jam packed with amazing conditions, live music and pure fun. Catch the live concert down to the KT Base Bar where we'll be having a pig roast accompanied with plenty of sun and cold beverages. L.A.vation- The World's Greatest Tribute to U2 will be playing for free from 1-3:45pm.

Friday
DJ Magic Matt from San Francisco's Wild 94.9 Morning Show
2:30-4:30pm KT Base Bar
7-10pm Plaza Bar

Saturday
L.A.vation- The World's Greatest Tribute to U2 | FREE
1-3:45pm KT Base Bar

Snowshoe Social & Race Series - Northstar
Apr 1, 2012 (Sun) 7:30 register; 11:30 race 

Join us for the 2011.12 Northstar California Snowshoe Social & Race Series taking place April 1 and April 7 (Tahoe Rim Tour & Race). The March and April races will feature a 5k, 10k and kid's races Check-In/Registration will take place from 7:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. and the race will begin at 11:30 a.m.

The weather for the weekend and upcoming week looks wet and unsettled. A cold storm moving down the coast will send some snow our way. More impulses are due next week with rising snow levels keeping our Marvelous Modified March Miracle going. It's been a strange winter! Keep up to date with all that's happening at Olympic Village Inn and Olympic Valley on our Facebook page. Have a great week!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Green beer, corn beef and cabbage, Leprechauns and their pot of gold, it's St. Patrick's Day!  I'm thinking green snow would be appropriate after the week we've had. This was the first big series of storms we've been waiting for all winter, it just took until almost spring to get here. Better late than never. The parade of moisture off the Pacific translated into feet of snow at the higher elevations and rain for a time at the lower elevations. As of Friday afternoon, Squaw Valley has reported a storm total of 38" so far at the 8200' level, with lots more to come, maybe 3-4 feet at the highest elevations. The sub tropical air has given way to an icy cold blast from the Gulf of Alaska, dropping snow levels into the foothills and covering the Sierra cement with a layer of fluffy powder. Put on your powder suit and get out there, conditions are perfect! Don't forget to wear something green and look for Lenny the Leprechaun on the slopes at Squaw Valley, as you'll read about below.

 

There are plenty of things to do in town for St Patrick's Day. Here's a list of some of the highlights along with 2 special events from the Squaw Valley Institute:

Lenny the Leprechaun on the slopes

Celebrate the holiday at Squaw Valley with all of your favorite Irish traditions! Ski the green slopes, hang out at the KT Base Bar for our pig roast and listen to L.A.vation, The World's Greatest Tribute to U2 while you enjoy festive beer from Guiness, Harp and Smithwick's. From 3-5pm in the Village Events Plaza, The Blarney Band will be performing traditional Irish music.  Catch Lenny the Leprechaun on the slopes for a special treat from his pot of gold!

St. Patricks Day Celebration - Alpine Meadows, Tahoe City

Mar 17, 2012 (Sat) 9:00am - 5:00pm 
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at Alpine! Ski the green slopes, dress in green, and search for the hidden pot of gold! We'll be hosting a St. Patrick's Day party to remember complete with Irish food and drink specials and live music by the Nibblers
www.skialpine.com/lake-tahoe-events/12-500-/st-patricks-day-celebration

The Village at Squaw Valley Apres Ski Music Series ~ The Blarney Band

Mar 17, 2012 (Sat) 3-5pm 
Finish your day off right with free live après ski music in The Village. Music will be centrally located in The Village Events Plaza from 3pm - 5pm.

St Patrick's Snowshoe Search for the Pot O' Gold

Mar 17, 2012 (Sat) 10am 
Website: www.tahoerimtrail.org
Tahoe Mountain Sports and the TRTA are teaming up for a St. Patrick's Day celebration. There is hidden treasure buried in the snow and it's up to you to locate each pot o'gold. This is a fun family event where everyone is a winner. Strap on your snowshoes this St. Patrick's Day and stretch your sleuth skills. Call 775-298-0231 for more information. The event is free but registration is required.

Discovery Channel's Frozen Planet

Saturday, March 17, 2012 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Resort at Squaw Creek

Frozen Planet is the epic new series on Discovery Channel from the makers of Planet Earth.  Frozen Planet takes you from the North Pole to Antarctica and shows you their incredible animals and amazing landscapes like never before. 

This event is free to the public and open to all ages.  Enjoy this special showing on the big screen! Guinness beer will be available on tap, with all drink proceeds going towards the Squaw Valley Institute.

Jeremy Bloom

Friday, March 23, 2012 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Jeremy Bloom is a three-time World Champion, two-time Olympian and eleven-time World Cup gold medalist in freestyle moguls skiing, and NFL player. Bloom is also the founder of the Wish of a Lifetime Charity, which grants lifelong wishes to 80, 90, & 100+ year old people.  In April 2010, Bloom co-founded the internet company Integrate.com, and he has just been recognized on the Forbes’ Magazine’ 30 under 30 list in Technology.  Described as, “Today’s disruptor's and tomorrow’s brightest stars from Silicon Valley and beyond”, this prestigious award shines a light on up and coming entrepreneurs, developers, innovators, and creators in the tech world.  At 29 years of age, Bloom is a rising star and worthy of a night out with the family.

There you have it, plenty of things to do for St. Patrick's Day with a couple of great events from the Squaw Valley Institute thrown in. Every once in a while I stop and think what a great place this is to be with all that's going on, in the middle of one of the most beautiful places on Earth, here at Olympic Village Inn in Olympic Valley. Be sure to "Like" our Olympic Village Inn Facebook page to keep up to date with the latest news and activities with Olympic Village Inn and the surrounding Tahoe-Truckee area. Have a great week!

 

Ice, the other frozen water

You've heard the slogan "Pork, the other white meat"? Well this is a story about Ice, the other frozen water. The frozen water we usually think of this time of year that makes the Tahoe/Truckee area tick in the winter is snow, the white stuff, frozen powder. It's what we've been hoping for more of this year and in other years cursing as we try to find our buried car under that white mound in the parking lot. Well, snow isn't the only frozen form of water that effects our lives. Ice is something we usually only think about when we round a turn and feel that sudden, momentary loss of control in our car as the tires meet it's glossy, slick surface. We think about it when we look out the window in the morning to see the sunlight sparkling through the long, dripping icicles hanging from the eaves. We definitely think about it when we're late for work and find the windshield of our car covered with a beautiful mosaic of ice crystals that are impossible to see through. We mumble about it to ourselves as we frantically try to scrape it away in shavings that fly in all directions. That's how most of us think of ice. But ice is more than a nuisance or a natural decoration for our house. It can also be used for recreation and winter fun just like we make use of snow. Where snow either needs to fall from the sky or be man made with powerful snow guns, all that's needed for ice is a pond full of standing water and cold temperatures. I was reminded of the recreational value of ice in an article I read in the Tahoe Weekly called "Tahoe on ice" By Alex West.

First, one word of caution. Ice can be dangerous if it hasn't been cold enough or you don't know what you're doing so never skate alone and use the knowledge and experience of the locals to stay safe. Ponds are everywhere in the Tahoe/Truckee area and you don't need a lift ticket or equipment to enjoy them, although a pair of skates would be nice. In his article, Alex relates how skating season starts in the high elevations and works it's way down to lake level to ice covered ponds like the one in Tahoe Vista where you'll see hockey players, casual skaters, kids and dogs enjoying the ice. You don't even need equipment to have fun. He also tells how a friend uses hand made tools to scrape and resurface the ice on a pond across the street from his house to make a smooth surface out of the sometimes jagged and cracked one Mother Nature provides. This is known as "Tim's Pond", reminding me of Walden's Pond in the Thoreau novel. A large puddle of water has turned into a place where friends gather to hone their hockey skills, have fun and socialize. 

Where are the best spots for pond skating? Boca Reservoir is the largest, usually full of hockey players, free skaters, four-wheelers, and dogs. It's quite a scene! Other popular spots are Prosser Reservoir, ponds in Coldstream Canyon, and the small pond in Tahoe Vista. Also check out Tamarack Pond on top of Mount Rose and Quail Lake up at Homewood. Another interesting spot is Cascade Lake south of Emerald Bay where one year the water was so clear you could see boulders 70 feet below the ice. If you're not into pond skating, try the ice skating rinks at the Truckee River Regional Park, High Camp at Squaw Valley, the Village at Northstar or the Resort at Squaw Creek. The ice skating rinks are good options now that snow is covering most of the pond ice. This year, the lack of heavy snow had kept some of these areas open for much of the winter and they may clear again if we get wind and little additional snow. While the skiing has been great recently, why not try something new? You just may find you have a new passion.

The pond ice may again be covered with a fresh layer of snow this coming week as a parade of storms are forecast to move through, dropping feet of snow at the higher elevations. The snow level is forecast to rise above 7000', though, by mid week before dropping again by week's end. This could be the wettest period we've had all winter! Enjoy the snow while you can but try the other frozen water for fun, too! Be sure to "Like" our Olympic Village Inn Facebook page to keep up to date with the latest news and activities with Olympic Village Inn and the surrounding Tahoe-Truckee area. Have a great week!