By Kevin Schultz, San Francisco Chronicle

About 2 million years ago, humankind’s ancient ancestors developed a shoulder structure that allowed them to throw spears and rocks to hunt prey, scientists say.

That adaption moved modern humans away from shoulders built for climbing and swinging from branches and today gives them the ability to throw, say, a football, UCSF experts said.

“The same physical and mental abilities that evolved to allow us to thrive as a species allowed us to play football,” said Nathan Young, a UCSF evolutionary biologist and orthopedic surgeon who has studied the human shoulder and its evolutionary past for years.

Read the whole story

By Benjamin Spillman, Reno Gazette-Journal

If you ever wanted to own a ski resort overlooking Lake Tahoe now is your chance.

At least if you have some way to get your hands on tens of millions of dollars to pay for it.

That’s likely the kind of cash it’s going to take acquire Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe from the longtime owner Fritz Buser, 95, who last month announced plans to sell the resort of which he’s been majority owner since 1971.

Conversations with ski industry experts and a look at previous resort sales in the Lake Tahoe-area and elsewhere give some insight as how potential buyers might view Mt. Rose.

Read the whole story

By USSA

EONGSEON, South Korea  – Steven Nyman (Sundance, Utah) nailed the podium in the first test event for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, taking third at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup downhill in Jeongseon.

On a beautiful sunny day in South Korea, the men got a chance to race the manicured PyeongChang downhill course. While there wasn’t much natural snow, the manmade surface held up for the 54 racers. Nyman stomped a fast run on the short track that heralded his gliding specialty, but Attacking Viking Kjetil Jansrud of Norway snuck ahead of him to take first with Dominik Paris of Italy on Jansrud’s heels in second.

“The snow was very responsive. It’s very similar to Beaver Creek and Lake Louise – dry, grippy,” said Nyman after his podium finish. “It’s a joy to ski.”

Rounding out the Americans in the points, new father Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, N.Y.) finished 16th, with Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley) 18th and Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley) 22nd. Ganong, a pre-race favorite, landed hard off of the second jump and his left knee, which has a bone bruise, did not react well. Just out of the top 30, Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley) was 32nd, Jared Goldberg (Holladay, Utah) 34th and Wiley Maple (Aspen, Colo.) 42nd. Tommy Biesemeyer (Keene, N.Y.) fell, but got up and finished the Olympic downhill course to take 52nd.

By Chris Kamrani, Salt Lake Tribune

Maddie Bowman saved her best for last.

The American freeskiing halfpipe star and Westminster College student nailed her third and final run in Friday’s Visa U.S. Grand Prix ski halfpipe final at Park City, earning a 89.80 to top Japan’s Ayana Onozuka.

Bowman watched as Onozuka’s first run of 88.80 set the pace for the rest of the afternoon, but as the final competitor the 22-year-old from Meyers, again utilized her newly learned switch-900 trick to lead her to victory.

Just a week ago in Aspen, Colo., the trick helped Bowman win her fourth-straight X Games gold medal in women’s halfpipe. The reigning Olympic gold medalist in halfpipe, Bowman underwent knee surgery last February and only recently returned to competition.

Read the whole story

Tahoe Mountain Milers Running Club is hosting the Fresh Tracks 5K Snowshoe Walk and Race on Feb. 28.

The event starts at 10am at Camp Richardson Resort.

The beneficiaries are Girls On The Run-Sierra and Metastatic Breast Cancer in honor of club member Renee Gorevin.

Preregister by Feb. 13 for $20, which includes a winter beanie, snowshoe rental, post-race refreshments, and continued day use of groomed Camp Richardson trails. Cost on the day of race is $30.

The U.S Forest Service may continue prescribed fire operations beginning Feb. 8.

Operations may take place near the Logan Shoals Vista Point and Camp Galilee on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe.  To view a map with project locations and details, go online.

Residual smoke may be seen in locations where operations have taken place over the last several weeks.

Before conducting prescribed fire operations, agencies post road signs around areas affected by prescribed fire, send email notifications and update the local fire information line at 530.543.2816.

Sierra-at-Tahoe is offering reduced lift tickets during Snowsports Week, Feb. 8-11.

Tickets are $50. All proceeds go to Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation, Barton Foundation, Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, and Sierra-at-Tahoe Educational Foundation.

Tickets must be purchased prior to arriving at the resort. Tickets are available by calling 530.543.5614.

By Case Keefer, Las Vegas Sun

The thing that makes the Super Bowl so entertaining for sports bettors is also what makes it so profitable for sports books.

Gamblers love proposition wagers because they provide hundreds, if not thousands, of different ways to bet on the biggest game of the year. Bookmakers love proposition wagers because many of them have a high hold percentage to increase the house’s advantage.

That’s not to say it’s a hopeless endeavor to try to profit on the props. You just have to know where to look.

Read the whole story

By Matt Youmans, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Politicians frequently inspire intense feelings of love and hate from the American public, and sometimes NFL quarterbacks do, too. Opinions are divided on Cam Newton. Some despise his dancing and showboating. Others respect his immense talent.

Five months ago, few people were thinking about him at all. And, certainly, no one truly thought he would be a superstar headed for the Super Bowl so soon.

On Aug. 31, with the season about to kick off, the Westgate Las Vegas futures board showed the Carolina Panthers at 60-1 odds to win the championship. Bettors were not exactly lining up to get a piece of the action.

Read the whole story

By Las Vegas Sun

Modern-day mining in Nevada is a high-tech business, not a get-rich-quick dream.

Operators use drones to survey, monstrous trucks to haul and T-Rex-sized power shovels to chomp into the ground. Permits and environmental applications take years to approve.

Technology has transformed the business. But the first step remains the same: Stake a claim.

Read the whole story