Shoot, I missed the Mt. Rose Chutes opening

Doggone it, missed the celebration at Mt. Rose last Saturday when it officially opened The Chutes. Mt. Rose Highway was closed.

But those awesome Chutes at Mt. Rose are there waiting for you, all 16 gates, seven double black diamond, nine single blacks. The steepest is 55 degrees with 1,500 feet of vertical. That puts it right up with Heavenly's Gunbarrel and Squaw's KT-22.

Toughest challengers are El Cap, Jackpot, Fuse, Cardiac Ridge. Less threatening is Nightmare, but it's still a blind start with trees on both sides. No question, these runs are for advanced and expert skiers.

Adventurous types have been trying out the new territory since December snows. While this is Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, it seems a good time to give them a go. Slowly, of course.

The Chutes got two full pages in the Los Angeles Times, written by a reporter who knows his skiing. You can bet the ski and snowbound magazine will jump on this story, which may turn the nice, old-timey locals' resort into a yuppie destination resort. Just as Kirkwood has moved from local's favorite to flatlanders' fun, so may good ol' Mt. Rose.

Anyhow, that's a ways off and in the meantime we can enjoy The Chutes at nearby Mt. Rose.

• The storms that swept through the Sierra Nevada have left up to 10 feet of fresh snow at North Tahoe ski resorts.

Current conditions throughout the Tahoe Basin are open powder and machine groomed, packed powder. Barring avalanche control and wind holds, all resorts are fully open. Summit snow depth bases are: Alpine Meadows 13 feet, Diamond Peak 10 feet, Homewood 14 feet, Mt. Rose 15 feet, Northstar 10 feet, Squaw 14 feet and Sugar Bowl 13 feet.

• Sugar Bowl hosts the Winter X Games Qualifier this weekend, with top athletes from around the world competing for the last slots in skiercross and boardercross. Alpine Meadows is home to the Snowbomb Big Air Competition this Saturday. The event is open to all skiers and riders and a $2,000 cash purse is up for grabs. First-time skiers and snowboarders can hit the slopes at Diamond Peak's Learn to Ski and Ride Weekend Jan. 22-23, when a lift, lesson and rental package will be available for $20.

• Northstar-at-Tahoe and Sierra-at-Tahoe will host a Tsunami Relief Day Monday and donate $2 from every adult, young adult and child lift ticket to the American Red Cross International Response Fund. Salesforce, a Web hosted customer relationship manager used by both Sierra and Northstar, has offered to match contributions up to $250,000 from customers and partners. With this said, Salesforce will match both resort's donations.

• Got out of town guests? The Carson Valley Inn hotel/casino in Minden is offering five Winter Packages this season, including two Ski Getaways.

The Ski Inn-Vite provides two nights hotel accommodations and one Kirkwood lift ticket per person for $88 per person, double occupancy, for Sunday through Thursday arrivals and $98 per person for Friday and Saturday arrivals. For more skiing and a longer visit, the Inn's Ski Vacation offers three nights accommodations, two Kirkwood lift tickets per person and two $15 dinner certificates per person for just $185 per person, double occupancy, for Sunday through Wednesday arrivals and $195 per person for Friday through Saturday arrivals. Heavenly lift tickets may be substituted on all ski packages at extra cost.

For reservations on these winter packages, call (800) 321-6983 or 783-6629.

• Following a near sellout last year of the phase I real estate offerings for the new Village at Northstar, the phase II sales launch will take place on March 19 at Northstar-at-Tahoe. Priority reservations holders will have the first opportunity to select and purchase their Village residences. More than 230 reservations have already been received for phase II, which is more than the company had at this time last year for phase I. Phase II real estate reservations are being taken now through early March.

The 92 condominiums to be built in the second phase of the Village will be available for purchase at the sales event on March 19. The one-to four-bedroom condominiums available in phase II will range in price from the mid-$500,000's to $3 million plus.

• Sierra-at-Tahoe will again participate in the sixth annual National Ski Area Association's (NSAA) National Safety Week from Jan. 15-21. Throughout the week, ski areas nationwide will advocate slope safety by promoting the NSAA's Responsibility Code and Smart Style campaigns to guests and resort staff. Throughout the week, Captain Safety will cruise the slopes awarding prizes to guests who can recite the NSAA Responsibility Code.

The Responsibility Code includes the following:

• Always 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 are not visible from above.

• Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to oncoming skiers and riders.

• Always use ski brake devices to help prevent runaway equipment.

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

• Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.

The majority of accidents on the slopes are people running into people. Staying in control means not exceeding your ability to stop or avoid people or obstacles.

• The Squaw Valley Lodge is offering a unique vacation package for skiers and snowboarders looking to mix a little romance with skiing and snowboarding this Valentine's Day.

Romance packages start at $444 when midweek (Sunday through Thursday) and $668 over a weekend (Friday and Saturday night stay). Package prices are based on a two- night minimum stay, double occupancy and are valid from Feb. 1 through Valentines Day weekend. Call (800) 922-9970 for reservations or log onto www.squawvalleylodge.com.

• At Sugar Bowl check out the skiercross and boardercross action Friday and Saturday on the specially designed X-course in the Terrain Park. Top finishers receive an invitation to the X-Games Finals in Aspen. This spectator event is open for viewing from the Judah chair, slopeside or the Judah Deck. Entries are still being accepted.

The ultimate college party is at Sugar Bowl on Friday Jan. 28. Nine colleges will converge for a day of skiing and riding, on-hill games and entertainment. It's a chance to ride and play "capture the flag" with Santa Cruz snowriding pros.

Treat yourself to a true alpine slopeside getaway. The Sugar Bowl Lodge is offering mid-week bed & breakfast specials. Just $229 will get you a beautiful slopeside hotel room, breakfast and 2 lift tickets the next day. This offer is for double occupancy and good Sunday through Thursday, non-holiday. Call (530) 426-6742 for reservations.

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