Mt. Rose set to open

Almost everybody is getting into winter. Latest resort to announce opening is nearby Mt. Rose, which picked up five feet of snow in recent weather.

It'll be the 40th season when Rose opens Thursday Nov. 11. Hours are pretty much standard, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the Northest Magnum six-pack and Ponderosa chairs running.

Lessons and rental gear will be available and food and drinks on hand at the Lodgepole Cafe. Other faciities will open Nov.19.

This season will bring significant changes in the resort's history. The opening of The Chutes, one of the largest terrain additions to a Lake Tahoe ski resort in many years and the addition of the new Chuter chair and a new high-speed six-passenger chair in the East Bowl dubbed Blazing Zephyr 6 expand things considerably.

For man years The Chutes area has been a lure for expert skiers, but it was out of bounds until this season. The new Chuter chair will open much advanced skiing, including black and double black runs. This should be a steller year for Mt. Rose, with ace instructor Rusty Crook back in action after getting two titanium knees.

Call the snowphone at (775) 849-0704 or (800) SKI-ROSE.

Other open resorts include Sierra-at-Tahoe, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Sugar Bowl, Borel, Soda Springs and Mammoth Mountain. Stand by, Heavenly maybe coming on line soon. All are open weekends only at this point, but you can figure on having Fridays open soon. And the snow just keeps on coming!

Alpine Meadows will open its famed Summit Six high-speed six-passenger chair lift Saturday. Alpine Meadows will be among the first resorts in the Tahoe Basin this season to offer top-to-bottom skiing and snowboarding.

Combined with more new snow Alpine Meadows has sustained a snow pack of up to four feet at its mid- and upper-mountain level. Because of overnight temperatures consistently reaching the low 20s, snowmaking efforts have also been in full force on Alpine's trails.

Summit Six six-passenger chair and Kangaroo double chair will operate this Saturday and Sunday, offering top-to-bottom groomed runs, off-piste terrain, and access to the Kangaroo Terrain Park for intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders. Call Alpine Meadows at (530) 581-8321.

Tahoe XC's 5th annual Cross Country Ski Swap is Saturday, Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area in Tahoe City. Plenty of deals on skate skis, striding skis, backcountry, snowshoes, clothing accessories and more. Register sale items Friday, Nov. 12 from noon to 8 p.m.

Sierra-at-Tahoe invites all to gather at the Rockwater Bar and Grill on Thursday, Nov. 11, to perform their best snowcall, in the hopes that Mother Nature will grant them with a bounty of snowfall to add to Sierra's current three to five-foot base.

Snowsporters will have a chance to win a 2004/05 Double Whammy season pass in the Snowcalling contest - the flagship event of the evening. Participants are encouraged to perform their best snow ritual by dancing and singing for the snow and calling for an outstanding winter solstice.

Guests will have other chances to win loads of fabulous prizes in the Show Us Your Ink, Beer Chugging, and Clothing Swap contests. Prizes include lift tickets, a snowboard, ski/snowboard gear, T-shirts, and dining gift certificates.

To help get Mother Nature's attention, San Francisco band Thriving Ivory will sound off the evening's festivities at 9 p.m.

From 6 to 7:30 p.m., doors will open for Sierra-at-Tahoe season passholders only. Rockwater Tavern and Sierra-at-Tahoe will sponsor free appetizers and drinks. At 7:30 p.m., doors open to the general public. All contests are scheduled to take place between 8 and 9:30 p.m. Call (530) 543-3132 or the Rockwater Bar & Grill at (530) 544-3360.

Northstar and Sierra-at-Tahoe have been recognized by the California Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) for both resorts' environmentally conscious efforts to reduce waste and send less garbage to landfills. Additionally, Northstar, which received its eighth consecutive WRAP award this year, was also honored as one of 10 California businesses to win the 2004 WRAP of the Year award.

Sam Bauman is a Nevada Appeal Staff Writer. Contact him at sbauman@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1236.