Blogs

Even though it has been a pretty rough snow year here in California, there is still lots of skiing to be done! I went for a climb and ski of Mt. Tallac on Monday and was pleasantly surprised with conditions. Tallac might just be my favorite ski destination around Lake Tahoe because of its vertical, views, terrain, and options. You can often find a little something for everyone... Powder, corn, steeps, bowls, etc... On Monday I expected minimal snow coverage and lots of breakable crust. To my surprise the bottom third of the route was thin but manageable. The middle third of the route had lots of boot deep powder! The top third was a mix of firm snow and the expected breakable crust. All in all it was a worthwhile mission. I even went back and skied the middle third a second time.

Tahoe City, California – On February 4th Squaw Valley, USA, Dynafit, and Alpenglow Sports will host a Nacktspektakel ski touring event!

A Nachtspektakel is a traditional European-style ski event that bonds people through the sport of ski touring. A cultural norm in Europe, Night Spectaculars are new ways to combine skiing, beer and food that are sure to catch on in the States. There is no better way to spend a Saturday night than skinning, drinking, and meeting like-minded new friends!

This is an evening ascent to Squaw Valley’s High Camp, followed by food and drink.
Tickets are $40 per person, and can be picked up at Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City, CA.

What the heck is a Nachtspektakel??? Check out the short video clip!

You can still get Tickets for the Backcountry Film Fest in Berkeley and Tahoe! February 9th at Clif Bar HQ and Feb 10th in Tahoe City.

Winter Wildlands Alliance created the Backcountry Film Festival in 2005 to help grassroots and professional filmmakers to show audiences their love of the winter outdoors. Since then, the annual festival has been shown in many towns and cities around the world, and raised thousands of dollars to help efforts to preserve our winter environment.

Now over half a decade old, the festival highlights the fun and magic of our country’s winter backcountry. At the same time, it raises funds to help Winter Wildlands Alliance and our grassroots groups to continue to protect wild areas throughout the country.

The Backcountry Film Festival website details HERE

Check out the You Tube trailer:

Airbags, i-Probes, & Avalungs:
Believe it or not, we’re talking about backcountry ski gear. Specifically, avalanche safety gear. With 100’s of products on the market these days it’s hard to know what it all does, and just what it is that you really need when you’re skiing beyond the boundaries. A shovel, beacon, and probe are still the standard, but what about all this other innovative gear? I’d argue that a lot of the new gear is great, and could be just the ticket if you’re in a particular jam. (Although none of it compares with education, training, and years of backcountry experience). So the question still remains, what products do you buy?

Finally have a flyer for Winter 2012. Avalanche courses and Backcountry skiing dates listed!