SNOW
TIME
Want to try a new winter sport? Here’s where to go. by Kris Vagner krisv@newsreview.com
T
he mountains are already snow-capped, and that means it’s winter sport season. A lot of Reno and Tahoe dwellers
are already geared up and ready to hit the slopes and trails, but if you’ve never tried skiing or snowboarding, and you’re wondering where to start, we found some expert recommendations to point you in the right direction.
FiRsT ResoRT Making sense of the options Reno is within day-tripping distance of a mother lode of ski resorts, so where would a new skier or boarder begin? It depends what you’re looking for. Mount Rose, just a 30-minute drive from south Reno, is a locals’ mainstay. For beginners, it has pros and cons. Some decry the lack of gentle terrain. Once you’ve conquered the bunny slope, called the Flying Jenny, you’ll have to graduate fast to slopes a few levels up in steepness. Mount Rose does offer ski and snowboard lessons and beginner packages to help you scale that learning curve though, and if you plan to start the season by binge-skiing, the $99 Dip Your Toe in the Snow Pass, which is 16
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good from opening day through Dec. 18, could pay off big-time. Jessica Fisk from the University of Nevada, Reno’s Winter Sports Club recommends Boreal Mountain Resort for its beginner-friendly terrain and its lift ticket deals, which are among the best around. For college students and active duty military, day passes can be as low as $15 on Fridays. The disadvantage here is that the slopes can be packed with people. Dylan Silver, a freelance journalist who covers Tahoe outdoors, advised, “Heavenly, Sierra and Northstar have long, flat runs. You almost can’t go wrong on them as a beginner.” All of the region’s resorts offer lessons. The Ski & Ride School at Heavenly ranks as a favorite, with instruction at every level, turning greenhorns into skiers and experts into badass experts.
Families with kids enjoy the non-profit Sky Tavern. Over 100,000 people have learned to ski and board there since it opened in 1948. Snow forecaster Bryan Allegretto from the Open Snow weather blog pointed out, “It’s affordable. … The mountain isn’t intimidating, and most people there will be beginners.” To help get everyone psyched for the season, Sky Tavern hosts a Pray for Snow party Dec. 2. Mount Rose Ski Tahoe 22222 Mount Rose Highway (775) 849-0704 skirose.com Boreal Mountain Resort 19749 Boreal Ridge Road, Soda Springs, California (530) 426-3663 www.rideboreal.com Heavenly Lake Tahoe 4080 Lake Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, California (800) 432-8365 www.skiheavenly.com Sierra at Tahoe 1111 Sierra-At-Tahoe Road, Twin Bridges, California (530) 659-7453 www.sierraattahoe.com
Northstar California 5001 Northstar Drive, Truckee, California, (530) 562-2267 www.northstarcalifornia.com Sky Tavern 21130 Mount Rose Highway (775) 323-5125 skytavern.com
oFF The beATen pATh Backcountry, baby! Going backcountry means skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing outside a patrolled or marked area. That can involve taking a lift up a mountain and skiing or boarding down a resort’s backcountry territory—or it can mean you wander out into the wilderness, hike up a mountain and descend in relative solitude. That’s relative solitude because going backcountry alone is a bad idea, so bring some friends. Other bad ideas include getting killed in an avalanche. According to the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, “Over the last 10 winters an average of 27 people died in avalanches each winter in the United States.” So, first things first, get thee
to an avalanche safety session and learn the basics. Your next opportunity is on Nov. 16, when Sierra Avalanche Center hosts a backcountry and avalanche awareness class at REI, 2225 Harvard Way. The class is free, but you need to register in advance at www.rei.com/stores/reno. Popular backcountry stomping grounds include the Castle Peak area north of Donner Summit, which is patrolled by Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol, a volunteer group that provides information and assistance for backcountry travelers in the Tahoe and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests. To learn more about the patrol, visit tbsp.org.
Less speed, gReAT views Where to cross-country ski There are two schools of thought on learning to cross-country ski. Some prefer the teach-yourself method, which is not too hard and has the advantage of being free once you have the gear. To take up the sport on your own, simply spend a few minutes gathering tips on YouTube, then head to Tahoe Meadows, an easily accessible snow-sport spot that’s part of the Humboldt-Toiyabe
