Jackson Hole just keeps getting better! Last winter accumulated 723 inches of snowfall, 475 of those inches were during the ski season. Looking to next season, meteorologists predict a return of La Nina! Statistically, winters during which the ‘la Nina’ phenomenon provide 52% more snow than non-la Nina years at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.  We should expect another year with ample powder days. 

            

All new this season, the Marmot double chair lift! This lift will carry skiers and snowboarders 1200 vertical feet from the South Pass Traverse, below the Thunder Lift, to the top of the Gondola, helping to move along the morning madness. Beginning a day at the top of the Gondola Summit will provide guests with the opportunity to get ready for the day by grabbing something to eat at the Dog House Café or enjoying a relaxing morning and sitting back at the award winning Couloir Restaurant.

            

Off the mountain, lodging has been expanding there ranges from not only luxury but also convenient and affordable ski in-ski out properties. Jackson Hole Resort Lodging has developed it all. The Luxury Collection has full access to the 5 star clubhouse and spa. The Lift, Lodging and Lunch, continues to be one a terrific values, providing everything you need for a day for $99.

            

With tons of snow in the forecast, new lifts, and great lodging, what else can you ask for from Jackson Hole? We can’t wait to see you on the slopes!

Lake Tahoe, gem of the Sierra, with its endless outdoor activities, magnificent blue waters, and majestic mountains, how could one ever want to leave?  South Lake Tahoe is busier than ever this season, big bands, like Rascal Flatts, Elton John, Stevie Nicks, and Bob Dylan are all scheduled to be dropping by the Harvey's Summer Stage within the next couple of weeks.  The South Lake Tahoe celebrity golf tournament just ended, and as usual, was a huge success.  Celebrities like Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Oscar De la Hoya, John Elway, Jason Kidd, & Bode Miller, all showed up to pledge their support to a great cause and have a little fun on the lake.  I'm sure they didn't bring their ski and snowboard rentals this time, but they'll be back for some fresh powder turns on Heavenly Ski Resort soon enough.  Lake Tahoe itself is seeing alot of action.  I was out on the water a few days ago and there was tons of traffic, all rentals too.  It's great to see all the families and revelers cutting loose on Lake Tahoe and enjoying it for its purest nature. South Lake Tahoe's hiking and biking trails have been extraordinarily congested due to the resurgent popularity mountain-biking has incurred in the past couple of years.   To say the lease, Lake Tahoe is the place to be.  So much to do, and so much to share with family and friends, Lake Tahoe could be the best place on Earth.

Once again, it's that time of year.  The sun is shining and the slopes are covered.  Skiers and riders in South Lake Tahoe are gearing up for another beautiful day at Heavenly Ski Resort.  After some fresh snow earlier this week, we are looking at another perfect day in Tahoe.  March is the time to buy some sunscreen, strip off the layers, and enjoy the amazing weather and scenary we have to offer here in Northern California.  Tourists and locals alike are blessed with unmatchable conditions and terrain in the Tahoe Basin.  Earlier this week, I had the chance to check out the slopes at Alpine Meadows with two good friends.  After a nice 4 to 6 inch dusting, the mountains were prime for magnificent sugar turns.  Unfortunately, underneath the fresh snow were some pretty crusty conditions, but at those moments, if you use your brain, you can really find great snow.  We managed to search for all of the North facing slopes and tree wells, which generally keep the best conditions, and low and behold the snow there was amazing.  So for the rest of the day we lapped the resort, hitting as many North slopes as we could find. Lesson learened, if you come across a day where the snow isn't perfect, look for the northern slopes and you will be satisfied.  Tahoe has officially entered Spring skiing time, which is one of the best times of the year.  Our "freeze/thaw" cycle elicits unbelievable afternoon spring conditions, where a t-shirt is really all you need.  There is nothing like having a day off of work, visiting a fresh resort, and skiing with your buddies in the Spring time.  Personally, it helps to keep me centered and remember why I live here and why I do what I do.  I always think about something my Dad once told me, "Find something you love and figure out how to make a living doing it," and that's exactly what I did = Thanks Dad.   

Lake Tahoe mountain ski resorts continue to open this week.  After a nice snowfall last week, Heavenly began operations and opening ski runs.  Heavenly Ski resort now has 4 of 29 lifts running with 6 of 94 ski runs open.  This Friday two more mountains will open for business, and with the predicted snow storm on the horizon, they might just have perfect timing.  Sierra-At-Tahoe will start running lift chairs this weekend and are very anxious for guests to arrive.  The great folks at "Sierra" are going to be offering free backcountry tours all year long and are pumped to provide the free service.  "Sierra" also just got word that they were voted the #9 Best Park / #9 Best Pipe / #6 Overall Resort in Transworld Snowboarding Magazine's, "2010 Resort Guide."  Kirkwood Mountain Resort's long anticipated opening gets underway this weekend.  Minimal lifts will be running but they are optimistic that much of the terrain will be available very soon to ski.  So get your ski and snowboard rentals ready because it's time to hit the slopes.

After a summer and fall of getting ready for the winter it is very good to see that the weather report is looking positive at just about all our 25 North American resorts with snow on the way and places like Whistler getting dumped on.

When owning a ski shop you can do everything in your power to work hard, advertise, and gear up for the season, but the one thing you can not do is predict the weather and unfortunately our best marketer is Mother Nature. Early Snow = Good Year. At last weeks Park City Lodging Association's luncheon the guest speaker was Brian Mclnerny who works for NOAA and he had some encouraging news; El Nino in the Pacific means a greater chance of a good snow year and we are in an El Nino. Now no one can predict the weather past 7 days but they can make good assumptions based on historical data.

In today's day and age of high tech snow making and groomers, ski resorts have been able to offer a very good product even when mother nature doesn't cooperate. With cold temperatures the past few weeks, places like Park City Mountain Resort, which is right out my back door, have been blowing snow at night when the temperature drops to make sure they are ready there ski season opener November 21st. So no matter what mother nature does, we are going to have good skiing and riding this year, mother nature will just a be a great bonus!

By: Bryn Carey, Park City, UT

It seems that every year about this time I begin to dream about the snow falling and all the great lines I intend to carve when Heavenly Ski Resort opens in the Fall.  This season, I am interested in all the new ski and snowboard rentals that will be available to experience on the hill.  Most people are beach-side burning themselves to a crisp this time of year, but my brain is thinking of cloudy skies, pounding snow, and thundering avalanche cannons.  In South Lake Tahoe, the Heavenly Ski Basin receives some of the heaviest snow fall that I have witnessed in North America.  This is just one of the many reasons we are blessed to ski in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains.  With so many major cities around the area, Heavenly Ski Resort is very accessible for families to make a quick trip up and enjoy all of the winter festivities.  Families can be assured that they will have an amazing trip and make memories that will last a lifetime.  There really is nothing like experiencing the snow and all its glory with your loved ones.  One of these days, I might be content with sunny afternoons and bathing suits, but, at this time in my life, all I want is to be on the Heavenly Gondola with some brand new ski rentals, fresh wax, and feet of snow.  So for now, I'll just have to deal with my Fall Fever and keep dreaming of snow falling and pray for an early winter season in Lake Tahoe.     

Every year about this time in the Sierras, fire becomes a major concern for the community.  This summer we have been experiencing an awful lot of moisture for our area.  In my five years of living in South Lake Tahoe, I have never witnessed so much precipitation in the month of July.  Unfortunately, this has created a false sense of safety among the great folks here in Tahoe.  These storms can actually be more of a nightmare than a dream for the people living up here in the Sierra-Nevada Mountains.  One would think that we are receiving ample moisture, therefore fire danger should be relatively low.  Resultantly, it allows for multiple lightning strikes to rock the Tahoe Basin and leave us vulnerable for environmental hardships.  We also have a lot of dry sage and brush which is indigenous to the region and is extremely flammable. For example, just last week, a lightning strike sparked a small fire right outside the Lake Tahoe Community College and a second strike hit Heavenly Mountain Ski Resort.  Luckily, our local South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, Lake Valley Fire Protection District and the U.S. Forest Service were extremely alert and quick to respond to the emergency.  They were able to quench the flames and save us from dealing with a huge disaster. Sometimes we don't realize how close we come to devastation, and that there are people out there behind the scenes who are constantly saving the day.  These folks don't ask for a pat on the back or any celebration, they just go to work everyday, serve the people of Tahoe, and are the true heroes of our community.  On the other hand, a lot of us winter enthusiasts only view the crazy weather as a sign for great things to come this upcoming ski and snowboarding season in Tahoe.  We have all heard that this is a "La Nina" year and the precipitation we are experiencing this summer only supports that notion. Hopefully, this will allow us an early opening for Heavenly Mountain and brings us an unlimited amount of snow-pack this season.  Still the threat of fire looms while we wait for our ski and snowboard rentals to come out of the garage and onto the hill.  Just remember, the next time you bump into your local firefighters, don't forget to tell them, "Thanks for protecting our community and keeping us safe at home."