January 2010 will enter the record books at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort as the ninth best January in 40 years for snow accumulation.
At the 6,835-foot base area, 118 inches of snow fell; at the resort’s mid-mountain snow stake (elevation 7,500 feet) topped out at 165 inches.
Winter to date, Alpine Meadows has received a total of 20 feet of snow at its base area; and 28 feet of snow at the mid-mountain level.
Funding from the latest round of Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act money has been allocated. For a spreadsheet with details, click funding.
Here are most of the highlights:
* City of South Lake is final with the amounts shown on spreadsheet
* El Dorado County may receive $50,000 more for the Meyers Planning project, all the rest of the amounts are final
* Placer County may receive $50-$100K more for Kings Beach project, all the rest of the amounts are final.
* STPUD is still being reviewed for the three restoration projects
* Douglas County is final with the amounts shown on the spreadsheet
* Washoe County is final with amount shown on spreadsheet
* LTIMP and RSWMP are final as shown.
Harveys Outdoor Concert Series at Stateline expects to have 10 acts this summer.
No one is confirmed yet, but the country artists tend to sign first. Sources say it’s likely there will be some returnees to the stage and not all newcomers to Lake Tahoe.
A balance of genres is what the casino folks look for.
Expect some definitive news in February about who will playing at Harveys in summer 2010.
What is the Emergency Preparedness Guide and why is it important? Find out Saturday at 10am on KTHO 96.1-FM and 590-AM when Darcie Carpenter of the Emergency Management Community Council is on the radio. Or listen at www.kthoradio.com.
The U.S. Postal Service is commemorating the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games with the issuance of a stamp featuring an illustration of a snowboarder.
The stamp went on sale this month.
Illustrator Steve McCracken captures the thrill of Olympic sports in his portrayal of an airborne snowboarder against the backdrop of a snow-capped mountain.
Stamps featuring Olympic themes have been popular since the first modern Olympiad in 1896, when Greece issued 12 Olympic-themed commemorative stamps. Beginning in 1932, when the Olympic Games were in Los Angeles, numerous U.S. stamps have honored the Games.
The Lake Tahoe Unified School District board on Tuesday appointed Casey Blann to the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee as the business representative and Kelly Lancellotti as the at-large member of the committee. Both are two-year terms.
Publisher’s note: Below are snippets gathered while LTN has been on assignment in Whistler.
By Kathryn Reed
WHISTLER, British Columbia — Guys on one of the lifts talked about businesses in the Whistler-Vancouver region having 25cm (9.84 inches) days – meaning if it snows that much, it’s a ski day, not a workday.
Most Whistler employees live 20 miles away in Pemberton because many houses in the ski town cost seven figures.
Buses are free, comfortable and easy to use in Whistler. Photo/Kathryn Reed
The ski map, aka the atlas, for Whistler-Blackcomb gives tidbits about dining options at the base of the resort, not just on-mountain choices. And it dispenses information like Skiing magazine ranked Garibaldi Lift Company the best mountain bar and Forbes Traveler ranked it in the top 10 for après ski.
Locals say Whistler will be closed to traffic during the Olympics unless you can prove you have lodging accommodations. People are going to be bused from venue to venue, but some worry they won’t make it to events in time.
Roads are already closing in Vancouver. One skier said it’s no big deal – it means having to ride his bike to work.
Bring lots of money – one U.S. dollar equals one Canadian dollar. Many places take both currencies.
The report from riders and employees is that Whistler-Blackcomb set a record for single-day passes sold during the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, which is celebrated in the States – not Canada. It was even busier than Christmas.
BC Transit, the bus system through the area, is free. It takes skiers to the base lodge of Whistler and Blackcomb. A bus symbol is on the sign, the routes are posted and the shelter is covered – probably why it’s called a shelter.
Vancouver is the most expensive housing market, according to a report published Jan. 25. The Demographia International report looked at 272 metropolitan markets in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. The conclusion was based on comparing median housing sale values to median household incomes.
KRLT/KOWL radio stations are hosting a fundraiser to benefit Clean Tahoe at the Coyote Grill at the Round Hill Shopping Center on Jan. 28 from 5-10pm.
Folks can enjoy “All you can eat chili for $1” with Clean Tahoe getting all of the proceeds.
For any vegetarians and those who just don’t want to eat chili, you can order from the menu and Clean Tahoe will receive a portion of that as well.
Where are you going to be during the Vancouver Olympics?
Lake Tahoe is likely to have the most athletes of any region going to Games and Sierra-at-Tahoe should be well represented. Why not live like an Olympian for two weeks?
Inn by the Lake in South Lake Tahoe and Sierra are offering a Go for the Gold package Feb. 12-28 — standard queen room, two adult lift tickets to Sierra, a welcome basket with an autographed photo of Sierra Resort and U.S. Snowboarding team member Hannah Teter, a bottle of Hannah’s maple syrup, and a bottle of Champagne to celebrate the success of the U.S. Olympic athletes.
To book the Go for the Gold package, log onto www.innbythelake.com or call (530) 542.0330.
Publisher’s note: First full day in Whistler is about to begin for Lake Tahoe News writers.
It’s morning and we’re about to get some breakfast delivered before finding the Wizard — he’s the lift we see from our slopeside room at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.
Skiing, hot tubing, drinking by fire pits -- Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Photo/Kathryn Reed
If this is what all things named “Chateau” can be, bring it on.
Yesterday’s massage by Robert hopefully has me loose enough to tackle that seven-mile run I keep hearing about. Sue is saying the same about her massage from Fanny.
The mountains are calling. We’ll start with Blackcomb today. The map for the resorts is so big they call it an atlas. We’ll see if we take the monster gondola between Blackcomb and Whistler today. There’s always tomorrow.