As summer races by, my excitement for this coming season grows with each new day. Although life at Ski Butlers is unrelenting, I am constantly reminded of this by the massive amount of snowpack that remains in the high country. And the prediction of another La Nina winter has me chomping at the bit for ski season to arrive. The funny thing is I actually sold 2 pairs of skis on August 5. Apparently, I am not the only one.

Greetings from South Lake Tahoe

WOW! What a holiday season it has been. We’ve all made it through safely, opened the new year with some freshies, and we’re already at the big MLK weekend! There’s going to be a lot going on up here this weekend, and you don’t want to miss out, so here is what’s going at the Resorts found on the South Shore:

Heavenly:  Safety week is kicking off with a bang at Heavenly this week. There will be a ski/ride safety convention going on at the top of the gondola, run by Barton Memorial Hospital. Heavenly Sports is offering an added discount on all safety apparel, so if you need a helmet, now is the time to get one! Heavenly is also doing a safety scavenger hunt all week from the 15^th till the 21^st.  Scavenger  Hunt cards can be found at all on-mountain lodges, and any Heavenly employee wearing a bright orange cap will help you with your scavenger hunt as long as you can answer safety questions about the skier’s code. They will be giving out prizes, so study the code! And finally, there will be the Riperoo Parade starting on Friday at the Heavenly Village.

Kirkwood: The UC Band will be riding all weekend at the wood, so keep an eye, and an ear, open for them. Kirkwood is offering their avalanche class this weekend, the AIARE Level 1 course, which will teach one how to survive in avalanche situations, a must for any and all backcountry riders! The Kingtones will be playing at Bub’s all day, providing the perfect bar break atmosphere for a mid day stop. And to finish the day, Kirkwood is also offering their full moon snowshoe hike from 6p-10p. Snowshoes can be rented at Kirkwood, and reservations are required.

Sierra: Sierra has the Cal Big Band visiting, so there will be some encouraging tunes to psych you up for the slopes! Safety week is also beginning at Sierra this week, and the people of NSAA (the National Ski Area Assoc.) will be on site to help with all ski and ride safety tips. Blizzard Mountain, Sierra’s snow park has sack races, obstacle courses, and snowman building competitions set up for all those non-riders and little groms. Races will be offered on the slopes, The Bay Area Ski Buss Race will start with practice from 10a-11a, races from 11a-1p, and awards will be given out at 2p. The races are open to all and free,  so sign up and see what you got! And for those water breaks, the Cash Only Band will be rockin’ the Pub all day, grab a drink and enjoy!

That should be a good start to keeping you all entertained this weekend, just don’t forget to check out the playlists at the casinos. There are some big names in town, Snoop Dogg is playing at Mont Bleu, and for the more laid back crowd, Rebelution will be playing at Mont Bleu Sunday night. Have fun, be safe, and think Ski Butlers!

- Ben Marshall, Ski Butlers South Lake Tahoe

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.

Ski Butlers newest location in North Lake Tahoe adds premium top of the line skis to their Squaw Valley ski rental repertoire.  We are very excited to announce the arrival of the Volkl Grizzly to the menu of skis to choose from. Three different positions, reveal three different Grizzly personalities, encouraging the skier to apply different amounts of tip and tail pressure. Yes, the Volkl Grizzly feels heavy when picked up, but click in to the Marker Wideride bindings and get them up to speed. Suddenly the ski feels agile and very responsive. A wood core combined with Volkl’s double grip construction and a 17 meter radius deliver a masterful blend of stability and carving. This is not the ski for smaller ultra-groomed ski areas, so plan on taking your Grizzlies to Squaw Valley's KT-22 and letting them off the leash. They blast through everything with authority and love it fast. The dial just works and is an easy and effective way to change your skis personality and match it to your style. You will not be disappointed, but a helmet is almost mandatory. "Experts only" as they say, but if you want the big mountain agility and control of an amazing ski, you will have to test out our new secret weapon = The Grizzly! This is a Ski Butlers must!!

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.   

Each year the great folks of Sierra-At-Tahoe invite local businesses to participate in their "Bowling Nite."  It is a great time of year and is always a pleasant welcome to the start of the ski season.  We are no "Lebowski's" over here, but we do enjoy pizza and bowling as much as the next guy, (not to mention some free spirits too).  It is always nice to mingle with all the ski folks from around town and get pumped on what a fantastic season we have ahead of us.  I personally went onto Sierra-At-Tahoe ski resort this week and was amazed with the conditions.  The morning pretty much consisted of fresh turns from top to bottom for the first hour of the day then followed by fast groomers for the rest, which was just about all you could ask for so early in the season.  I look forward to some serious coverage in the Lake Tahoe Basin so we can carve some nice turns down the Grand View lift line and get that out-of-breath feeling that can only come about from aggressive skiing.  Until then, my fat powder ski rentals will have to remain in the closet but not for long.  So for now, I'm looking forward to crushing the bowling lanes tonite, gorging on pizza, and reminiscing about deep powder lines from years past.  Keep thinking snow because it's working!      

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.

As summer officially comes to a close after labor day, most ski towns will go into what we locals like to call "mud season". This is the time of year that buffers the two busy seasons: summer and winter. Locals, in particular, love this time of year because all the tourists are gone and town becomes quite normal for two months or so. They also call it "mud season" because it is usually accompanied by serious amounts of precipitation.
In the Spring, the wet conditions from melting snow and rain keep many locals from enjoying their skitown. However, the fall mud season is quite different. During this time, locals have access to the best mountain bike conditions of the season and can't still enjoy warm weather until daylight savings occurs.
As daylight savings approaches on Sept. 22, locals will scramble to enjoy their last bit of the outdoors before the clocks are set back. Personally, I love daylight savings. It signifies the approach of ski season in Lake Tahoe and other North American resort towns. Summer business will shut down and ski rental shops will start preparing for the busy El Nino winter ahead of us. As many area shops wrap up their labor day sales, many potential lcustomers will start booking their trips for next winter. Also, competition heats up as many area ski and snowboard shops will start selling their services to the local community.