the great race

By ccrossen | March 9, 2010

This past Sunday, Tahoe City and Truckee hosted The Great Ski Race, a cross country ski from TC to Truckee via the Fibreboard Freeway and the 06 Road, with the finish at the Cottonwood. This year’s event was the 34th annual race, a benefit for Tahoe Search and Rescue. All told, more than 1,100 participants finished, covering the 30k course in anywhere from 1:11:30 to 5:30:00.

This year was my first go at it, , and I will strive to make it every year as long as I am able; it’s a fantastic event, route, and small-town celebration. You can race it, tour it, walk it … doesn’t matter, a good time for everyone, especially with excellent refreshment stops along the way.

Conditions were excellent, clear and sunny, if not a little warm during the second half of the race. The route begins at Tahoe XC Center, and gradually works its way up the long climb to Starratt Pass and the Fibreboard Freeway, then heads down a really long and fun downhill to the 06 Road, which then works its way North through the forest down to Truckee.

The first hill is the cruncher, a 2,200′ vertical climb, which isn’t that steep, but works you over the long haul. If you’re racing, the key is to power up and through this climb and then recover on the long downhill that follows, then skate like crazy on the flats to the finish and the ensuing chili/beer/music party. The final steep winding turns and culminating drop to the finish line make for some excellent spectating. You don’t have to race it though and can simply have a nice long ski through a great stretch of landscape.

Tahoe is unique, in that, we have a so many different ski resorts, towns, and social scenes embedded in a relatively small locale. It’s nice when everyone actually comes together to ski and celebrate winter and our mountains in such a great race. Makes you feel like you actually live in a small ski town.

2010 Results

If you’re looking for photos, my friend Kenny Blum has shots of most everyone crossing the finishing line. Get in touch if you’re interested: www.kennyblum.com

Topics: Skiing | No Comments »

return to cold

By ccrossen | March 8, 2010

After a beautiful couple of days, we return to more wintery weather. Two fast moving systems will affect us over the next day or so, but with little accumulation expected, perhaps a few inches way up high along the Crest.
Temps will remain cold through mid-week, with highs in the mid-30s at Lake level. Another system with a little more potential is due to come in Friday/Saturday, but, once again, nothing major. On Sunday, high pressure and warm temps return.

Nothing definite on the longer term right now.

Per TWD:

This week will feature more of a La Nina type of pattern with storms hitting the Pacific NW and brushing us on the Southern end. Another cold front with drop high temps on the mountains into the 20â€™s Monday & Tuesday with a chance of light snowfall Monday night as it moves through. Another storm for Wednesday will stay to our North as a ridge builds in over CA Wed-Fri. Next shot at measurable snow will be a storm moving in next Saturday and then another for the following Tuesday. These will be cold storms coming in from the North.

Going into the 3rd week of March it still looks as if the Southern jetstream is going to try to slam into CA with a prolonged period of storms. This looks to begin around the 20th. This may end up being a winter that tries to hold on right through the end of the ski season.

For those of you who love summer, this pattern is one that will flip right into a warmer than average temps as soon as the storms end.

Topics: Tahoe Snow Report | No Comments »

deep deep deep

By ccrossen | March 4, 2010

Andy and I ventured out early for what promised to be a really deep day. It was. We received up to 24 inches + of super light snow the last couple of days, and this morning was clear and cold. After a big day at the hill yesterday, we decided to forego the crowds and frenzy for a favorite local spot. Banner day in the Tahoe backcountry - pretty much as good as it gets right now, best conditions in awhile, maybe this year. Temps are forecast to stay relatively cold all week. Go get some pow.

Topics: Skiing, Tahoe Snow Report | 5 Comments »

Real deep

By ccrossen | March 4, 2010

14-24 inches out there - lightest snow in a long time - go make some pow turns today if you can get out there. Weekend storm looks like it will dive south of us unfortunately.

Topics: Tahoe Snow Report | No Comments »

snow: incoming

By ccrossen | March 2, 2010

Surprisingly good little storm session this afternoon, nice and light up high, cold, three to four inches, and buffed out - really nice skiing and a great base for the incoming storms - conditions are shaping up for a good run over the next few days. This first wave of the system will end later this evening, then things ramp back up tomorrow and into Wds night. Total precip. is forecast to be 10-14 inches above 7,000 feet, 4-8 inches at lake level. Nothing major, but we’ll take it. Skiing will be very different from last week’s storms with much lower water content powder. Storm coming into California over the weekend looks like it will track far to our south.

Topics: Tahoe Snow Report | No Comments »

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the great race

return to cold

deep deep deep

Real deep

snow: incoming