Weather could pose a problem for the lifts up top.

Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

Disabled Sports USA Far West, located at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, will host its weeklong Ability Celebration March 22-26.

Participants from around the country will gather at Alpine Meadows for a week of rehabilitation camps and ski race competition; culminating in an evening of fine dining, entertainment, and silent auction to benefit the Disabled Sports center and its ongoing programs.

Each winter, Disabled Sports offers ski and snowboard instruction to students living with paraplegia, quadriplegia, amputation, autism, multiple sclerosis, visual impairment, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, head injuries, and muscular dystrophy.

As part of a week of skiing and celebration, 25 active-duty U.S. soldiers and marines will ski Alpine’s slopes March 23, March 25 and March 26 for the Wounded Warrior Ability Ski & Snowboard Camp. The camp is the result of a partnership between the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project and Disabled Sports USA Far West.

Call (530) 583.4232 for more information.

Powder and wind on the upper slopes.

Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

By Kathryn Reed

If Ty Polastri were to have his way, Heavenly Village would be a ski village in the winter and bike village in summer.

He laid out a plan recently to people who regulate the South Lake Tahoe retail area for future cycling events.

“I see this area as the epicenter. I see this as an active lifestyle model,” Polastri told the board of the Park Avenue Development Maintenance Association. He runs the nonprofit Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition. “I envision a weeklong event staged here.”

Ty Polastri

Although the board members were not opposed to Polastri’s ideas, it was stated the organization has no marketing budget.

Polastri is looking toward having all this come together in 2012 – with June 4-10 that year being Tahoe Bike Week at Heavenly Village.

He for years has been instrumental in putting on a bike challenge for employers and last year helped launch a bike festival. The week of events in 2012 would tie in the annual America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride put on by Curtis Fong on the front end, with the tail end involving a bike event Polastri is still developing.

Although the PADMA board in conjunction with the city wants to put on more events at the village, it is limited in its resources. Polastri said he would be back with a more formal plan.

The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a winter weather for the Lake Tahoe Basin from 8 this evening to 8am Monday above 7,000 feet.

All this gray sky will eventually unleash snow starting Sunday afternoon. The heaviest snow will occur between 10pm and 5am.

Storm clouds Saturday brought flurries to Heavenly's tubing hill. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Expect 4 to 8 inches above 7,000 feet. The heaviest amounts will be near the Sierra crest. Minor accumulations are possible at lake level by Monday morning.

The commute over the summits Monday morning are likely to be less than pleasant.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Lindsey Sine, U.S. Snowboarding

STRATTON MOUNTAIN, Vt. – Kelly Clark of Mt. Snow, Vt., remained unstoppable Saturday, leading a U.S. podium sweep to win her eighth halfpipe snowboarding competition in a row during the Burton U.S. Open in her home state of Vermont. Japan’s Kazuhiro Kokubo finished first for the men, and Louie Vito of Sandy, Utah, led for the U.S., finishing just off the podium in fourth.

The win marked Clark’s fifth U.S. Open halfpipe title. The two-time Olympic medalist was followed on the podium by U.S. riders Hannah Teter of South Lake Tahoe in second and Gretchen Bleiler of Aspen in third.

“It’s been an incredible season,” Clark said. “Not only am I happy with the level of my riding, I’ve also had more fun than ever, and my results speak for that.”

Clark threw her patented 10 to win the competition, and was the only woman to do so in the finals. She also took the Burton Global Series overall title, and is happy to have made her stamp on U.S. Open history.

Vito, who just took home the Grand Prix and Dew Tour titles, is looking ahead to European X Games after his fourth-place finish.

The European X Games are schedules for March 15-18 in Tignes, France.

Official results, Burton U.S. Open, Stratton Mountain, Vt., Halfpipe Snowboarding

Men

1. Kazuhiro Kokubo, Japan, 90.10

2. Iouri Podladtchikov, Switzerland, 88.60

3. Kohei Kudo, Japan, 87.90

–

4. Louie Vito, Sandy, UT, 84.45

Women

1. Kelly Clark, Mt. Snow, VT, 94.95

2. Hannah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 88.10

3. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 86.30

By Freddy Perryman, U.S. Ski Team

BRANAS, Sweden -– John Teller of Mammoth Lakes led three U.S. men into the finals of Sunday’s World Cup skicross race in Branas, Sweden, finishing 24th. Current men’s World Cup overall leader Andreas Matt of Switzerland was the men’s winner while Anna Holmlund of Sweden topped the women’s podium.

Canada’s Chris Del Bosco was second behind Matt with Conradign Netzer of Switzerland in third. In the women’s field, Kelsey Serwa of Canada was second and Norway’s Marte Hoeie Gjefsen third.

Joining Teller was Jean Christophe Rudigoz of Ketchum, Idaho, in 30th. A new face in Sunday’s final was Brant Crossan of Steamboat Springs, Colo., who was competing in his third World Cup race. This was Crossan’s first finals appearance, finishing 27th.

World Cup skicross racing heads to the 2013 World Championship venue of Myrkdalen-Voss, Norway March 19 for the final race of the season.

Official results, FIS World Cup, Branas, Sweden, Skicross

Men

1. Andreas Matt, Switzerland

2. Chris Del Bosco, Canada

3. Conradign Netzer, Switzerland

–

24. John Teller, Mammoth Lakes, CA

27. Brant Crossan, Steamboat Springs, CO

30. Jean Christophe Rudigoz, Ketchum, ID

Women

1. Anna Holmlund. Sweden

2. Kelsey Serwa, Canada

3. Marte Hoeie Gjefsen, Norway

Wind may be a problem on the upper lifts.

Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

By Kathryn Reed

TWIN BRIDGES — Yahoo was incorporated that year. Bill Clinton was president of the United States. A gallon of gas cost $1.09.

1995 was also the last time Pam Valentine was on skis.

At 51, she decided to trade in her snowboard for a day for two planks. It’s not like this was her first time on skis. She had skied from about age 15 to 35.

Pam Valentine returns to skiing after a 16-year hiatus. Photos/Kathryn Reed

“I couldn’t remember what to do with the poles,” Valentine said. “They were more of a nuisance.”

This was a bit obvious with her upper body swivel.

But as her younger sister, I limited my advice. It had been suggested she take a lesson to figure out what do again. No, she said. She preferred if there were to be any embarrassing moments, I would be the only one to see them.

What amazed me is the ease at which she took to the sport. Of course it helps to be fit and athletic. But, still, skiing and snowboarding are two distinct sports even though plenty of people do both.

I’m not one of those people. I tried snowboarding years ago and failed miserably. Skin changed colors that I didn’t know it could change. But I digress.

As much as skiing takes balance, my sister said skis were easier than her board because of not having to be on the front or rear edge.

Plus, this was her first time on the wide skis.

“It was easier to turn,” Valentine said of the new type of equipment. “With them being shorter, it didn’t feel like I was crossing the tips like I used to.”

In fact, she tried to snowplow but found that more difficult than paralleling.

She stopped skiing years ago when she lived in Sacramento and her friends were getting into boarding. They often made the trek up to Sierra-at-Tahoe for the day. Now when she comes to Tahoe from Redding we still end up at Sierra.

The guys in the rental shop were friendly. Mike reminded her her toes should not wriggle too much. Tyler explained why she might want a certain length of ski over another. And Bryan the pole dude said, “I think the blue ones will be the key to your happiness.”

Basic rentals at Sierra are $41 for the day or $35 for a half day.

Although we started on Easy Rider, we only lasted one run. My sis was ready for West Bowl. Then we headed up Grand View. Other than the fast skier nearly taking her out on Lower Main, she ended the day with a smile and ready to start demoing skis to possibly buy some in the near future.

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is accepting comments for its Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation grant application. his annual grant funds Off-Highway Vehicle programs in the Lake Tahoe Basin including trail and trailhead maintenance and restoration and education and law enforcement of OHV and over the snow vehicle areas.

The grant proposal is available for public review and comment is April 4 on the state website.

Written comments and suggestions may be sent to Don Lane, U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 or by email to dlane@fs.fed.us.