Powder Report
Photo: X Games

Locals compete in X Games
Local competitors are among 15 professional athletes from California that are competing in the ESPN Winter X Games from Jan. 26 to 29 in Aspen, Colo. Local competitors include Jamie Anderson of South Lake Tahoe in Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle, Jayson Hale of Sierraville in Men’s Snowboarder X, Elena Hight and Hannah Teter of South Lake Tahoe in Women’s Snowboard Superpipe, South Lake Tahoe’s Shaun Palmer in Men’s Snowboarder X, and Truckee’s Nick Visconti in Snowboard Street. For details and a list of more competitors, visit xgames.com. Live coverage will be available on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC.

Backcountry Babes avalanche course
Backcountry Babes, formerly Babes in the Backcountry, is hosting an avalanche course and hut trip from Feb. 5 to 7. The course includes avalanche safety and back-country travel techniques in a full-filled, all-female environment, along with healthy meals, and relaxation at the Lost Trail Lodge. The trip is $575 for the course and lodging. For details or to register, visit backcountrybabes.net.

Snowmobile clinics
Tahoe Sierra Snowmobile Club is hosting an introductory clinic with Alpine Assassin riders on Jan. 28 and 29, with an advanced clinic offered Feb. 4 and 5 or Feb. 11 and 12. The clinics will cover everything riders need to know to snowmobile better. From what back-country gear to pack, basics of loading and unloading the sled, checklist of sled prep before going on a ride to various riding techniques.
The clinics will help riders learn the skills needed to become comfortable and safe in riding back country and how to control and maneuver the snowmobile. Avalanche skills and preparedness practices also will be offered. All abilities are welcome.
There is limited space for the clinics. The cost is $325 per person per clinic or $400 per person for both clinics; club members receive a discount. Register at tahoesierrasnowmobiling.org.

Tahoe Donner night races
Tahoe Donner Cross Country night races continue Feb. 8 with a 5 km race at 6 p.m. for the first in a four-race series. Entry fees are $14 for adults and $7 for juniors. The series continues with races on Feb. 16. Visit tahoedonner.com.

Caboose Kickers series
Sugar Bowl Resort and KidZone Museum are hosting children’s terrain park competitions in the Caboose Terrain Park on Feb. 12, March 18 and April 15. The competitions teach kids terrain park safety, and introduce them to a safe but competitive skiing/riding atmosphere, ultimately having fun while competing for great prizes.
Competition entry fee is $15 and participants receive half-priced lift tickets and a free barbecue voucher. Registration for all competitions begins at 9 a.m. in the Judah Lodge. All kids 12 and under are welcome to compete and must wear a helmet. For details, visit sugarbowl.com/park-competitions.

Rahlves’ Banzai Tour set
Registration is open for the 2012 Rahlves’ Banzai Tour at rahlvesbanzai.com. The Rahlves' Banzai Tour is the world's premier big mountain freeskiing meets skier/boarder-cross event taking place at four area resorts – the Beaver Bowl Banzai on Feb. 4 and 5 at Alpine Meadows, the Eagle Bowl Banzai at Kirkwood on Feb. 11 and 12, the KT-22 Banzai at Squaw Valley on March 3 and 4, and the finals at Sugar Bowl with the Silver Belt Banzai on March 10 and 11.
Head-to-head action four at a time, top to bottom, down an open course over natural terrain and snow conditions. This is the ultimate test of ski and riding skills. Open to everyone 18 years old and up. A solo qualifying run on Saturday competitions ranks the Top 32 men from ski/board and Top 16 women from ski/board for Sunday finals and a shot at the title. Top two in each round advance through the brackets until the remaining four battle it out for the podium and title of Banzai Champ at Sugar Bowl.
Daron Rahlves, former U.S. World Cup and Olympic ski racer, is the organizer of the event and is responsible for its growth and success. In 2009 and 2010, one race was held each year at Sugar Bowl. In 2011, The Rahlves' Banzai tour was created. Rahlves does not compete in any of the individual events, but is at each event to ski, open up the qualifying runs, assist competitors with tactics and enjoy the vibe. At Sugar Bowl's tour final, Rahlves will compete in the Super Final taking on the Men Ski winners from each stop.
The Silver Belt Banzai Race first took place in the 1940s at Sugar Bowl Resort and was re-born in 2009 with one event in its current form. The race was a success in 2009 with the resort and competitors. The Rahlves' Banzai Tour builds on the past success of that race.
For more information, visit the Web site, the Facebook page for The Rahlves Banzai Tour or on Twitter at RahlvesBanzai.

Diamond Peak Jiblet
Diamond Peak hosts its annual Jiblet competition on Feb. 11 for intermediate to advanced skiers and snowboarders ages 16 years and younger with a jam-style format on special terrain park features in front of the Base Lodge deck. Divisions are open for male and female with open division, as well as 11 and under and 12 to 16. Entry fee is $10 and goes toward the cash pot for the first place winner in each division. Register the day of the event from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Base Lodge, with competition starting at 11. For details, call (775) 832-1177.

Paco’s Valentine’s race
Tahoe Donner Cross-Country hosts the annual Paco’s Valentine’s Race 15 km freestyle at 10 a.m. Feb. 12. Registration is $30 for adults in advance and $18 for juniors; prices increase $5 for day of the event registration. For details or to register, call (530) 587-9484.

Snow Camping 101
Tahoe Rim Trail Association hosts a Snow Camping 101 workshop to learn the fundamentals of camping in the snow and participate in a guided overnight experience on Feb. 25 and 26. Learn what to pack, basic outdoor navigation skills, winter survival techniques, cooking in the back country, winter Leave No Trace skills and more. The cost is $35 per person. For details or to register, visit tahoerimtrail.org.

Sign up for Ability Challenge
Disabled Sports USA Far West hosts its annual Ability Challenge on March 30 and 31 at Alpine Meadows. This year’s Ability Challenge is an all-mountain challenge designed to accommodate and challenge skiers and snowboarders of all levels. Utilizing GPS technology, the Challenge will take skiers all over the mountain through a series of checkpoints with a few bonus challenges mixed in.
All participants must agree to raise a minimum amount of pledges to benefit Disabled Sports USA Far West. Registration fees are $50 per person or $25 for youth, or $200 for teams of four to eight and $100 for youth teams. The minimum pledge is $200 per person. Registration closes on March 22. To register, visit abilitychallenge.net. For details, call (530) 581-4161, ext. 208, or visit disabledsports.net.

Great Ski Race registration open
On March 4, cross-country ski racers will gather to embark on the 36th annual Great Ski Race. The Great Ski Race covers 30 km beginning at the Tahoe Cross Country Center in Tahoe City to the Cottonwood Restaurant in Truckee. Race registration is available at thegreatskirace.com, and discounted fees are offered until Feb. 15.
The Great Ski Race is the main fundraising event for the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team, a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization. Team members, along with community supporters, organize The Great Ski Race, which continues to be one of the largest Nordic ski races west of the Mississippi. Race proceeds are used primarily to purchase equipment for the team, and to support winter survival and avalanche education programs sponsored and conducted by the team. The Great Ski Race has gone from 60 racers being manually timed in 1977, to more than 600 racers with electronic timing in 1985, to more than 800 racers in 2001. In 2005 all records were broken, with 1,109 registered racers, 1,029 finishers, and the fastest men’s and women’s times yet. Registration fees are $55 before Feb. 15 and $65 afterward until March 3. The fees are $100 if registering on race day. Fees are $25 for ages 18 and younger. To register, visit thegreatskirace.com.

Tahoe Rim Tour rescheduled
The Tahoe Rim Tour scheduled for Jan. 22 was moved to April 7 due to weather conditions. The tour is part of Northstar’s Snowshoe Social & Race Series. Another race is scheduled for March 10.
The March 10 race features a 5K and 10K, as well as a Kids’ Race. The Tahoe Rim Tour on April 7 features a point-to-point 21 km from North Tahoe High School in Tahoe City to Northstar Cross-Country Center to benefit Far West Junior Nordic program. There will be a pre-ski on the course on April 4.
Atlas Snowshoes, including performance snowshoes, will be available for purchase or rent at the Cross-Country Ski, Telemark & Snowshoe Center.
Register for the March 10 race from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. on the day of the race, with the race starting at 11:30 a.m. Entry fees for these races are $30 adults and $15 12 and under in advance. Fees to register the day of the race are $40 adults and $20 12 and under. Fees include a cross-country trail pass for the day. Register at northstarcalifornia.com or call (530) 562-3270.
For the Tahoe Rim Tour on April 7, register from 7 to 8:15 a.m. at the high school. The Classic Division starts at 9 a.m., with the Skate Division at 9:30 a.m. Entry fees are $45 for adults and $10 for juniors in advance at farwestnordic.org. Register the day of the event for $60 for adults and $15 for juniors. Fees include a cross-country trail pass. For details, visit tahoerimtour.com.

Rock climbing classes
The Truckee Community Recreation Center is offering climbing classes for all ages. Learn the techniques in climbing and how to improve mental and physical skills in a positive and fun environment. Two climbing walls are available: One 29-foot wall with four ropes, four auto belays and routes from 5.5 to 5.12, and a second bouldering wall that’s 12 feet by 18 feet.
Private lessons for ages 5 to adult, beginner classes, women’s classes, kids classes and rentals are available. Call (530) 582-7720 for more info or visit tdrpd.com.

Back country vertical challenge
The 2011 Lake Tahoe Backcountry Vertical Challenge represents the region’s first free, community–wide fundraising initiative to benefit the Sierra Avalanche Center. In a quest to attain operational dollars for Lake Tahoe’s local avalanche forecasting agency, Alpenglow Sports has challenged the Tahoe back-country community to a cumulative goal of 15 million vertical feet of human-powered uphill travel.
While 15 million vertical feet is a lofty cumulative goal, the ultimate payoff is a $3,000 donation to the Sierra Avalanche Center, given by Alpenglow Sports. To sweeten the deal, Alpenglow Sports also will pay participants for their progress.
The event will run through April 30, and data will be recorded at tahoevertical.com. For competitive types, podium prizes will be awarded for the top three men and women, as well as for best camera edit pertaining to the event. Any skier or rider that registers data also is eligible for a free bi-monthly raffle. For more information, call (530) 583-6917.

TRT thru-hike dates released
There's no better way to experience the Tahoe Rim Trail than by participating in one of the annual guided Thru Hikes. Over the course of two weeks, participants will be challenged, inspired and empowered by taking on 165 miles of sub-alpine terrain. The hikes will be held Aug. 4 to 18 and Sept. 8 to 22. Registration is available online, and there are a limited number of slots. For details, call (775) 298-0231.