The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit’s Ski with a Ranger at Heavenly Mountain Resort begins Jan. 16.

Tours begin at the top of the gondola at 10am and 1pm every Monday and Friday. Spanish Ski with a Ranger returns Feb. 20, 2015, with tours offered every Friday at 10:30am. Both programs last approximately one-hour and continue through April 10, weather permitting.

Participants must be intermediate level skiers/boarders or above and provide their own lift ticket. No reservations are required; attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis.

These free conservation education programs are offered to educate the public about the mission and role of the Forest Service in ski area management, to improve public understanding of natural resource processes and issues, and to promote environmental literacy and stewardship. Programs are led by U.S. Forest Service conservation education staff and volunteers, and operate through a cooperative effort between Heavenly Mountain Resort and South Lake Tahoe.

For more information, go online.