There’s powder on those ski hills. Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

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

By Paul Tolme, SKI

My pulse quickens as I exit Gate 5 and traverse the ridge above Huckleberry Canyon, 320 acres of steep and deep terrain just beyond the ropes at Sierra-at-Tahoe. Until recently, only a few ski patrollers and brave locals ventured into this former out-of-bounds area. There was always avalanche danger –”not to mention the overhanging cornices and narrow rock chutes. Now, following years of planning, Huckleberry is going public. The U.S. Forest Service has incorporated it into Sierra-at-Tahoe’s boundaries, allowing the resort to do avalanche control and make the new terrain a whole lot safer. Huckleberry is a headlining addition — it’s Sierra’s first expansion ever for a low-key area that gets overshadowed by South Shore behemoth Heavenly and extreme-skiing capital Kirkwood. “Huckleberry is an amazing area, a locals’ secret if you will,” says general manager John Rice. “Opening it up adds a whole new dimension to skiing here.”

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Slide show and photo tour with Mark Vollmer, an award-winning outdoor photographer, instructor and freelance writer based in Reno.

March 19 meet at the Starlight Lodge, Woodfords.

(530) 694.9691

6pm Artist’s Reception

7pm Slide show and photo display.

March 20 at 9:30am is the Snowshoe Photo Tour. Meet at the Yurt in Hope Valley, the junction of highway 88 and 89.

(530) 694.2266

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

The Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee (LTFAC) is accepting public comment on capital projects and science themes that have been recommended for funding to help restore the Lake Tahoe Basin ecosystem, using Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) Round 11 funds.

Twenty-one project proposals were received, addressing four federal vision focus areas: watershed and habitat improvement, forest health, air quality and transportation, and recreation and scenic.

Proposed Round 11 science themes are: forest health; watershed, water quality and habitat restoration; air quality; and integrating science.

The Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee is made up of representatives of a broad array of constituencies concerned with the environmental andeconomic health of the Lake Tahoe region.

A list of projects can be viewed here.

The public is asked to comment on the Preliminary Recommendation Package no later than April 5. Comments may be submitted by email to: comments-pacificsouthwest-ltbmu@fs.fed.us, or by regular mail to Linda Lind, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.

LTFAC will review and discuss comments at its meeting on April 5 from 1-4pm at the US Forest Service LTBMU Office at 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe.

Alpine Meadows congratulates Errol Kerr of the Jamaica Ski Team for his 9th place finish at the 2010 Winter Olympic Ski Cross competition. To welcome him home, Alpine Meadows has officially deemed Kerr the guest of honor and star judge for the Red Bull Schlittentag competition March 13.

Although Schlittentag has yet to be named an Olympic competition by the I.O.C., Kerr will incorporate Olympic standards to score contenders on each craft’s artistic merit, innovation, team spirit, and race results.

German for “sledding day”, Schlittentag is a day of fun, friends and competitive spirit where students zoom down a ski hill in homemade crafts. Wood working skills are a plus, not a must.

Schlittentag will bring together university students from all over Northern California to participate in a competitive day of fun and originality as each team brings their homemade craft in hopes of winning it all and walking away with some great prizes.

Red Bull Schlittentag turns a simple day of sledding into a creative masterpiece.

After the competition, join Kerr and his entourage of Shlittentaggers at the Alpine Meadows Last Chair Bar & Grill for Red Bull drink specials, a disc jockey, and special blend of Jamaican homecoming cheer and après-Schlittentag revelry.

When: March 13 1:03pm

Entry participants: College Students only – with a valid student ID. Pilots must be at least 18 years old. Register here.

After party with Errol Kerr: Last Chair Bar & Grill in the Alpine Meadows base lodge from starting at 4pm.

Squaw Valley and Jonny Moseley are set to host the nation’s top mogul, aerial and halfpipe skiers for the 2010 Sprint US Freestyle Championships on March 26-28.

In addition to world-class competitions, US Freestyle Championships brings on and off-hill entertainment for all to enjoy. A Friday night party on the KT-22 Sundeck, a live hip hop pool party on top of the mountain, and a Saturday night concert at the Olympic Village Lodge are all part of the fun.

The March 26 event will kick off with the Men’s and Women’s Mogul Competitions on Red Dog Face. Because Squaw Valley’s mogul course is located at the base of the mountain, spectators do not need lift tickets to watch.

Ladies’ and Men’s qualification and finals takes place all day, beginning with Ladies’ Qualifications at 9:30am and Ladies’ and Men’s Mogul Finals from 1:15 to 2:15pm. The Mogul Awards will commence in the village at 4pm, followed by US Freestyle Championships Opening Ceremony in the village at 5pm.

The celebration heats up Friday evening at the village at 22 Bistro & Bar. Everyone is invited to mingle with competitors and freestyle skiing greats. 22 Bistro’s bartenders will step aside as freestyle skiing legends, like Brad Holmes, Moseley and JT Holmes take over as guest bartenders for the evening.

On March 27, the US Freestyle Championships move up the mountain for the Men’s and Ladies’ Aerials and Skier Halfpipe Competitions in the Monster Park at Riviera. Ladies’ and Men’s Aerial Finals run from 11:45am to 1pm, with awards immediately following. Next up, Ladies’ and Men’s Halfpipe kicks off with Qualifications from 1:15pm to 2:30pm and Finals from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. The Halfpipe awards will take place in the Riviera Park immediately following the competition.

The party continues Saturday afternoon at the High Camp Lagoon and Spa where Monster Energy’s DJ Pool Party will go off from 3-6pm. US Ski Team athletes will be signing posters poolside from 4-5pm. In addition, Monster Energy’s Rail Jam will run from 5-6pm at High Camp next to the pool.

Registration for the Monster Rail Jam is $10 per rider and will start at 3pm at the Halfpipe Finals.

The final day of competition, March 28 is Ladies’ and Men’s Dual Moguls on Red Dog Face. Qualifications begin at 10:15am and Finals for both Ladies and Men are from 1:30-3pm. The Dual Moguls Awards are from 4-4:30pm.

By USSA

CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland — Olympic Champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Olympic silver medalist Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) left their mark on Switzerland, going 2-3 in an Audi FIS World Cup super G on Sunday. Switzerland’s Dominique Gisin won the race, marking the third World Cup win of her career.

The women racing in Switzerland had to face off against random gusts of strong wind that plagued the race in the Swiss Alps. According to Women’s Alpine Head Coach Jim Tracy, had it not been for the conditions Vonn could have shaved even more time off her run.

With the finish, Vonn now has a 245 point lead over Austria’s Maria Riesch in the race for the World Cup overall title with only the four events of World Cup Finals left.

Vonn had already clinched the Audi FIS World Cup super G title before the Olympics.

The day marked the first time Mancuso has appeared on the podium of a World Cup in two years. According to her, it’s good to have the momentum from the Olympics to carry her through the season.

“It was nice. I’ve been skiing well since the Olympics, so it’s nice to go and do it in the World Cup, especially in super G. I’m just psyched to be able to put everything together in one run,” Mancuso said.

Tracy couldn’t have been happier to see Mancuso finish so strongly.

“This was great. I think it was a great result for her. It was so great to see her podium. It’s a great way to end the regular World Cup season,” Tracy said.

Now, with the team heading to Garmisch for World Cup finals March 9-14, Mancuso is hoping to seal up a few more podiums before the season’s end.

“Skiing is going well and I think the snow conditions in Garmisch will be good for me too, it’s a little more spring-like. I’m looking to finish the season with podiums,” Mancuso said. “I just want to go out there and ski, and I’m feeling really good about my skiing so it makes a big difference just standing in the start gate and enjoying the whole process of it.”

The women qualifying for the U.S. at World Cup Finals will be Vonn, Mancuso, Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO), Stacy Cook (Mammoth Mountain. CO) and Sarah Schleper (Vail, CO). Vonn and Mancuso can race all disciplines, Cook and McKennis will race downhill and Schleper will compete in the giant slalom and slalom.

Crans Montana, Switzerland Women’s Super G

1. Dominique Gisin, Switzerland, 1:24.14

2. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:24.29

3. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, CA, 1:24.52

4. Nadia Styger, Switzerland, 1:24.56

5. Ingrid Jacquemod, France, 1:24.74

–

31. Stacey Cook, Mammoth Mountain, CA, 1:26.12

32. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 1:26.20

33. Laurenne Ross, Klamath Falls, OR, 1:26.24

37. Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT, 1:26.61

# # #

By USSA

INAWASHIRO, Japan — Olympic bronze medalist Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) took to the podium again Sunday, notching a third place in Japan during a World Cup dual moguls competition riddled with heavy fog and delays. The men’s event was canceled.

“It’s been crazy all week. We haven’t been able to see while we’re training. Today we got up there at 9:45 and weren’t able to ski until 2:30,” Bahrke said. “But I just put down the best podium I could and I got third.”

For Bahrke, who plans to retire following this season, to be able to succeed on such a challenging course on her last competition in Japan was a reward.

“This course, I have always had so much respect for it because it is the hardest course on tour. I think I podiumed here once,” Bahrke said. “To be here for the last time in my career here in Japan and to have a podium is cool. I brought a little bit of that Olympic spirit here.”

Bahrke was third on the course in Japan during a moguls competition in 2001.

The World Cup was won by Japan’s Aiko Uemura, who had the fastest run of the day. Canada’s silver medalist in the sport, Jennifer Heil, took second place while Bahrke went head-to-head with teammate Heather McPhie (Bozeman, MT), who landed in fourth.

According to U.S. Moguls Coach Garth Hagar, Bahrke and McPhie were forced to sit in the start gate for over an hour, awaiting the fog to clear the course. Given the warmer temperature, fog and the technicality of the course itself, Hagar said it was an accomplishment for Bahrke to ace her run – her first completion of the course since landing in Japan.

“This is the mot challenging course due to the steepness and changing conditions,” Hagar said. “Shannon said she was happy to ski her first top to bottom for her contest run.”

Other U.S. women skied notably well with Eliza Outtrim (Steamboat Springs, CO) landing 11th and Laurel Shanley (Squaw Valley, CA) finishing 14th.

The men’s competition was looking strong for the U.S. with Olympic bronze medalist Bryon Wilson (Butte, MT) sitting in second when, with only 15 skiers left to complete the competition, officials were forced to cancel the competition due to foggy conditions.

The men, along with the women, will have another shot at competing on the World Cup when freestyle moguls heads to Are, Sweden on March 12. The series wraps up the following weekend in Spain.

Freestyle World Cup Inawashiro, Japan, March 7, Dual Moguls

Women

1. Aiko Uemura, Japan, 23.00

2. Jennifer Heil, Canada, 22.73

3. Shannon Bahrke, Tahoe City, CA, 22.20

4. Heather McPhie, Bozeman, MT, 21.45

5. Margarita Marbler, Austria, 20.84

–

11. Eliza Outtrim, Steamboat Springs, CO, 18.33

14. Laurel Shanley, Squaw Valley, CA, 17.00