Wind may be an issue higher up. Moisture is coming down, but it’s not all snow.

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

By U.S. Ski Team

TARVISIO, Italy -– The U.S. Ski Team finished 1-2-4 in the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup super G Sunday with Lindsey Vonn of Vail taking the win and her third consecutive World Cup super G title. Julia Mancuso of Squaw Valley was second with World Cup rookie Laurenne Ross of Klamath Falls, Ore., in fourth to earn a start at World Cup Finals.

Germany’s Maria Riesch was third, yet slipped to a 96 point lead in the overall standings over Vonn with six races remaining in the women’s season.

The win was the 41st of Vonn’s career and notched her third 2011 title in three days after locking super combined on Friday and her fourth straight downhill title Saturday.

Official results, Audi FIS Alpine World Cupk Tarvisio, Italy, Super G

1. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:21.75

2. Julia Mancuso, Squaw Valley, CA, 1:21.98

3. Maria Riesch, Germany, 1:22.25

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4. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 1:22.45

11. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 1:22.73

26. Stacey Cook, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 1:23.84

Current Super G Points Standings

1. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO – 560

2. Maria Riesch, Germany – 389

3. Julia Mancuso, Squaw Valley, CA – 315

By Kathryn Reed

Cascade Lake looks like it needs a Zamboni machine to clear off the snow to make it a perfect skating rink. Emerald Bay is eerily black, as though perhaps some creature of the lake lurks below.

Tahoe Tessie?

It’s one of those rare winter opportunities when Highway 89 is closed to vehicles and open to foot traffic.

Sun peaks through on a frozen Cascade Lake. Photos/Kathryn Reed

Parking at the gate near the entrance to Eagle Point Campground, we strap on snowshoes to make the trek to appropriately named Inspiration Point.

Fortunately, someone beat us there last weekend so we didn’t have to break trail. Only one path heads up the road – wide enough for snowshoes, but a definite single file approach.

Meandering up the hairpin turns, going slower than the 10mph limit, we come to one of the most scenic areas in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The private Cascade Lake is to our left, Emerald Bay on our right and behind us Lake Tahoe.

Cascade looks frozen – like a hockey game or figure skating competition should be under way.

As the M.S. Dixie II churns into Emerald Bay, the normal blue waters look foreboding. Ice lingers on the edge near Vikingsholm castle, signaling just how cold the water is. Fannette Island is dusted in snow from the recent storm, making the teahouse almost look like a gingerbread house sprinkled with powder sugar.

The snow is light, but the air is cool. Traipsing up we are warmed by the sun. But as soon as we pause at the lookout area, we are chilled in the shade. We don’t linger long – having many times before read the informative interpretive signs explaining what we are looking at and how glaciers formed these bodies of water.

We turn around.

Heading back it’s as though we are surrounded by water now that Lake Tahoe is in front of us. I smile.

Meeting people along the way from Seattle and Southern California it makes me pause to appreciate I get to see this oasis every day.

Highway 89 opens and closes throughout the winter, so it’s hit or miss when this snowshoe route is an option.

ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the Lake Tahoe Basin from 10pm Saturday to 10am Sunday above 6,500.

The brunt of the storm is expected between 4-10am.

More snow on its way to cover the pier at Tahoe Keys. Photo/Kathryn Reed

Snow will be as low as 6,000 feet Saturday night.

Poor visibility is expected over the mountain passes.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report

By Jeff Delong, Reno Gazette-Journal

Nevada’s waters urgently need protection from invading mollusks, fish and plants, but funding a program to do so could be politically touchy.

That fact became clear Thursday during a hearing before a panel of state lawmakers discussing proposed legislation to inspect boats statewide to prevent the spread of quagga and zebra mussels, voracious Northern pike and other aquatic invasive species.

“Our state is in a battle, and we need your help in protecting our waters,” Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams, D-Las Vegas, told the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining.

Bustamante Adams spoke in support of Assembly Bill 167, which would establish a boat inspection program similar to one already in place at Lake Tahoe and prohibit launching of boats contaminated with invasive species into any of Nevada’s lakes, streams and reservoirs. It also would make deliberate introduction of invasive species — such as what occurred at eastern Nevada’s Comins Lake, where northern pike have destroyed a trophy trout fishery — a felony with fines of up to $250,000.

Read the whole story

Lots of sunshine in Lake Tahoe today.

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

By Brenda Knox

PORTLAND – Nineteen degrees. I thought I was still in Lake Tahoe, but I was in Portland on one of the coldest days on record, standing in the unofficial line to audition for the “Amazing Race”.

My teammate Marc and I arrived a week ago Thursday to prepare for the Feb. 26 casting call.

It was 4:30pm Friday and the line had already started. We decided I would stand in line until Marc got back, and we’d wait until the kid we hired to spend the night got there. Well, best-laid plans are sometimes just that.

Being flexible is a good quality to have on the “Amazing Race”, but I didn’t know it was going to start before we auditioned.

Unprepared for the cold, I stood in line while Marc got our winter gloves, sleeping bags, blankets, and heavy coats. At least I had taken my earmuffs and a pair of gloves downtown with me, and Marc left me his coat. Unfortunately, I had on my thin socks and not so warm shoes. The cold began to set in. I started dancing and moving as much as possible. Another auditioner who had just stopped by to see what was happening was even less prepared because she was coming from work. We continued dancing. People were huddled in sleeping bags and putting up tents. Propane bottles attached to portable heaters started appearing. William, from The Dalles, put on his balaclava, then his thick beanie cap. Time: 5:30pm; one hour down, only 16.5 hours to go until auditions start.

Our overnight stand-in arrives with his mother. She tells me she really prefers her son not to stay out all night in this cold. No kidding. I did not want to stay out in it either, but when you are an “Amazing Race” candidate you just roll with it. I convinced him to stay for a couple of hours so we could get all our warm stuff and some food in our bellies before our overnight on the sidewalk in 10-degree temperatures. Sleeping on the street is obviously not for the faint of heart. I advised Marc of our situation and he indicated he’d be there in about 10 minutes.

The thought of a warm car minutes away made my fingers feel warmer. Twenty minutes later, I’m still dancing around in the cold and my phone rings. I say to my fellow freezing auditioners, “It’s Marc, he’s lost.” Sure enough, he was. I give him directions, and then begin surveying the crowd, maybe another partner to race around the world with, someone with a better sense of direction. But, I love Marc, and we will work this out. It’s 6:30pm; Marc finally arrives. I no longer have feeling in my feet, but the excitement of the experience and adventure propels me on.

Two hours later we return, ready to spend the night in the below freezing temperatures. Another quick side note, we were pulled over by Portland police across for all to see, for making an illegal U-turn when Marc went the wrong direction again. Thankfully, he just gave us a warning. I believe “obey all traffic laws” is more than likely a rule on the “Amazing Race”. Obviously, Marc and I have a few things to practice.

We relieved our paid stand-in and had just started to settle in when the organizers of the casting call decided it might not be such a good idea to have all these people spend the night in the cold. I estimate by about 8:30pm there were 300 people lined up. They handed out tickets and told us to get in line at 10am Saturday. We were ticket 22 and we would be in the first 25 teams to audition in the morning. Celebrating the warmth of being inside, we enjoyed margaritas at Stanford’s bar.

Brenda Knox and Marc Ockerman

We arrived at Stanford’s at 9:15am Saturday, temperature 18 degrees and rising slowly. Looking at the line of roughly 2,000 people snaking along the side streets to Stanford’s we are thankful for having lined up the night before and securing ticket 22. After sipping hot mochas at Starbucks, we settle in to the line. At 11am, the first 30 teams are ushered into the restaurant for auditions. We are freezing after standing in line for more than an hour.

Two by two we audition after handing in release waivers and providing our contact numbers. Two minutes was all the time we had to give it our all. Wearing black sweaters with red underneath, we introduced ourselves and talked. We don’t dance, we don’t sing, we don’t play instruments, but we stood close, arms entwined, attempting charm and a bit of conflict, and it was over as fast as it started.

Now, we wait and hope that this was only the first step in our quest for an adventure around the world.

Brenda Knox lives in Tahoe Paradise and Marc Ockerman is a former Stateline resident who lives in Palm Springs. The “Amazing Race” is a reality television show pitting teams of two against other contestants in an array of adventures throughout the world. The Tahoe duo should find out this month if they make it to the next stage in the selection process.

By Dan Hixman, Reno Gazette-Journal

Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers has committed to play in the annual American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe this summer, the tournament has announced.

Rodgers, who has been an annual participant in the tournament since 2005, led the Packers to a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this month in Dallas.

Rodgers joins such regulars as Michael Jordan, John Elway, Jerry Rice, Jack Wagner, Charles Barkley, Kevin Nealon and Ray Romano, as well as seven-time champion Rick Rhoden and defending champion Billy Joe Tolliver.

Read the whole story

By Lindsey Sine, U.S. Snowboarding

MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN — The sun was shining down as local favorite Chaz Guldemond of Reno and Jamie Anderson of South Lake Tahoe put together incredible slopestyle snowboarding runs to win the Paul Mitchell Progression Session during the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain.

The competition, which featured two rails, a “dance floor” and a series of jumps, awarded a $7,500 prize purse to the winner, not to mention ample rations of Paul Mitchell products to style their hair.

The men’s competition was anyone’s game thanks to some on course spills that opened the doors to the field. Spencer Shaw of Stratton Mountain, Vt., led following the first run and held the spot throughout run two until Guldemond swooped in for the win during the last run of the competition.

Shaw whipped out a backside 9 and front 10 to take second and Brett Esser of Silverthorne, Colo., had a cab 10 and a backside 10 in his run for third.

The women’s competition was slightly less suspenseful as Anderson led out of the gate, throwing a back 3 that set her apart from the group of women competitors. Her second run was a killer victory lap, putting together another backside 3 and some huge airs.

Anderson was followed in second by Danielle Adams of Evergreen, Colo., and Jamie Madrid of Fontana for third.

Official results, Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, Mammoth Mountain, Paul Mitchell Progression Session, Slopestyle

Men

1. Chaz Guldemond, Reno, NV, 28.00

2. Spencer Shaw, Stratton Mountain, VT, 26.10

3. Brett Esser, Silverthorne, CO, 24.40

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4. Ryan Hryckiewicz, Morgan, VT, 23.50

5. Christopher Tierney, Bondville, VT, 22.10

6. Wylie Adams, Carbondale, CO, 21.00

7. Ryan Stassel, Anchorage, 24.40

8. Caden Michnal, Kalispell, MT, 19.70

9. Ian Hart, Lexington, MA, 19.50

10. Ben Ferguson, Bend, OR, 19.40

11. Colin Spencer, Lakewood, CO, 18.40

12. Seth Hill, Breckenridge, CO, 18.00

13. Jd Dennis, Bend, OR, 17.00

14. Nicholas Sibayan, Wrightwood, CA, 14.30

15. Nick Julius, Sterling, MA, 13.30

16. Benji Farrow, Mt Holly, VT, 11.90

Women

1. Jamie Anderson, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 28.00

2. Danielle Adams, Evergreen, CO, 17.20

3. Jamie Madrid, Fontana, CA, 15.70

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4. Elin Tortorice, Franconia, NH, 14.60

5. Nirvana Ortanez, La Jolla, CA, 13.80

6. Caty O’Connor, Auburn, CA, 12.40

7. Ty Walker, Stowe, VT, 8.90

By U.S. Ski Team

Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn of Vail secured the 10th Audi FIS Alpine World Cup title of her career Friday by holding off a surging Tina Maze of Slovenia to defend her super combined title.

Maze won the race, yet missed the title by a narrow eight points as Riesch finished third on the day and in the season long super combined standings.

Julia Mancuso of Squaw Valley was sixth, Leanne Smith of Conway, N.H., ninth, Laurenne Ross of Klamath Falls, Ore., 19th and Stacey Cook 20th as all U.S. Ski Team starters finished inside the top 20.

Official results, Audi FIS Alpine World Cup,Tarvisio, Italy, Super Combined

1. Tina Maze, Slovenia, 2:13.54

2. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 2:13.72

3. Maria Riesch, Germany, 2:14.09

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6. Julia Mancuso, Squaw Valley, CA, 2:15.41

9. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 2:16.42

19. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 2:17.20

20. Stacey Cook, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 2:17.22