Senior clinics offered at Mt. Rose

The roads are clear and the snow is definitely up. Super instructor Rusty Crook has survived two knee operations (titanium knee joints now serve) and is again holding his senior clinics Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Mt. Rose, 9:30 a.m.

Rusty doesn't card participants so youths can sneak in, but those taking part have to be ready to listen to his sometimes rough comments. Never mind, the clinics are among the best around and they're free. Mt. Rose even tosses in a continental breakfast for those who get there early enough.

It's doubtful if Rusty will take the clinic to the new Chutes area - a little advanced for many of the participants, but the classes are always fun and run for about two hours. If you're lucky Rusty will even get into the gorilla technique, which makes one come out of a turn at full speed but looks pretty awful.

• The Sugar Bowl Jabra X-Jam was a great success for six men and four women, all of whom received invitations to the Winter X Games in Aspen. The event will appear on TV Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. on OLN.

The Sugar Bowl Ski Team and Academy was named one of the Top 10 ski clubs in the nation by Ski Racing Magazine. This distinction was earned from a weighted score based on top 100 juniors and program attributes.

Sugar Bowl's snow depths are now topping out at 15 feet, thanks to our early December-January storms. That puts us at almost 200 percent of our average year to date. Snowsporters can enjoy that snow with a Sugar Bowl Gift Card at Safeway and save $10 on weekends and holidays.

And then there's Sugar Bowl's Poaching Powder Days and Snow-a-go-go parties. They've got nine big buses headed up here on Friday, Jan. 28 bringing nine big universities' students, skiers and boarders. Parties should be nonstop on and off the slopes. The new Silverbelt quad will be busy.

• Northstar-at-Tahoe is to receive the state's Waste Reduction Awards Program "WRAP of the Year" honor Jan. 31 for outstanding achievement in waste reduction, recycling, and resource conservation. The award is one of only 10 being made statewide in California for 2004. Northstar's two restaurants - True North and Cippolini's - have diverted significant tons of food waste annually and saved $28,000 in disposal and operating costs. East West Partners and Sierra-at-Tahoe will also receive WRAP awards based on their environmentally conscious efforts to reduce waste and send less garbage to landfills.

• Although hundreds of visitors visit the Lake Tahoe Region to attend the North Tahoe Snow Festival, this 10-day winter carnival is also a local celebration that brings together long-time locals and new residents. This year's Snow Festival is scheduled for Friday March 4-13 at venues throughout the North Shore. You can host an event, write a check, be in the parade, as well as support a queen candidate. Sponsorship deadline to be in the program is Monday, Feb. 7 but contributions will be accepted any time.

If interested in volunteering to help run the events or in a sponsorship, call (530) 583-7167 or e-mail info@tahoesnowfestival.com.

• Seniors are invited to participate in the Tahoe Cross Country Ski Education's four-week Senior Cross Country Ski Program directed at all skiing ability levels. Those 50 and over are encouraged to come on out and try the sport of XC skiing in a supportive and friendly environment. Each session includes lunch/snack, half-hour ski lesson, equipment rental, trail pass and group tour. For dates, times and price contact Tahoe Cross Country at (530) 583-5475 or e-mail info@tahoexc.org. The five-kilometer tour costs $20 per person and cross country skis and snowshoes are available for an additional $5.

Tahoe Cross Country, with 62 kilometers of trails, also is offering free skate skiing lessons Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Trail pass is required. So is stamina.

• Northstar-at-Tahoe's first full moon snowshoe and Nordic tour is today at 5 p.m. The two-hour tour includes bonfire, hot chocolate and s'mores. The resort will also celebrate the Chinese New Year this Saturday with lion dancers, martial arts demonstrations, rice cake-eating contests and more from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

Racers can test their endurance in the Sawmill 15 kilometer Nordic Ski Race at Northstar on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The event is sponsored by the Far West Nordic Ski Education Foundation and is open to all ages and ability levels. Registration is $15 for adults and $5 for juniors, 19 and under prior to race day. Race-day registration is $18 for adults while juniors are $10. There is no charge for Far West junior members. The price includes an all-day trail pass, drawing ticket and refreshments. All competitors should register between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. at the Base Camp Pavilion in Northstar's Village Plaza.

• First-time skiers and snowboarders can hit the slopes at Diamond Peak's Learn to Ski and Ride Weekend Saturday and Sunday when a lift, lesson and rental package are available for $20. And $17 buys an all-day adult lift ticket on Sunday for residents of Carson City, Dayton, Minden and Gardnerville as a fund-raiser for the Carson City Junior Ski and Snowboard Program. Just bring a picture ID and proof of residency to Diamond Peak's Guest Services Window. Call 887-2290, extension100

• The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Carson Ranger District and Tahoe Rim Trail Association have announced a new lineup of free outdoor winter programs.

The public is invited to Tahoe Meadows, an area known by many as a outdoors folk' paradise for snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, and snowmobiling.

All scheduled programs meet along the Mt. Rose Highway 431 at the west end of Tahoe Meadows about 18 miles west of the junction with U.S. 395. Look for the Forest Service Ranger at the meeting place.

Graham Calciano, Patrol director of the Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol, is going to kick off the winter programs with a discussion about backcountry safety. He will also be informing visitors as to what a volunteer backcountry patroller position entails. This informative program will take place on Saturday Jan. 29 at 10:30 a.m.

Sunday, Jan. 30 at 9 a.m., Tim Hauserman of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association will host a guided family snowshoe hike through the meadow. This is a great opportunity to learn some helpful techniques and get introduced to a beautiful area. To register call Daniella at 298-0231.

For the whole family, keep the morning of Feb. 12 open. At 10:30 a.m. Nancy Prall of the Forest Service and her German Shepard Kali will demonstrate how search and rescue dogs play a vital role in locating victims. This session will examine the many dangers of using the backcountry and promote public awareness of various hazards.

Recreation Specialist Steve Hale of the Forest Service will be leading a snowshoe hike through the south side of Tahoe Meadows on Saturday Feb. 19 at 10:30 a.m. Steve will outline the uniqueness of Tahoe Meadows in the winter while exploring by snowshoe.

If you missed the first Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol session or saw it and enjoyed it so much you would like to learn more, join backcountry patroller Mark Galicia on Saturday, March 5 at 10:30 a.m. Mark will be providing great information on how to remain safe while adventuring into untracked winter bliss.

Trail Etiquette, Health and Hiking, What is seen on the Tahoe Rim Trail will also be offered; contact daniellah@tahoerimtrail.org or 298-0231 for dates.

For details on all of this, contact Kelly Wilkinson, Tahoe Meadows program coordinator, at (775) 884- 8103.

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