Final decision on Camp Rich, p.22
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We didn’t plan it this way. A few months back, after doing some online exploring regarding overtourism and discovering there was an ugly undercurrent of racism, I asked our reporter Kae Reed to look into diversity in skiing and snowboarding. She discovered that the slopes are still mostly snow white, with some exceptions. Her piece on where things stand and where to go from here can be found on page 16. Then, Kae suggested a story on how green, i.e. environmentally friendly, various resorts are and I thought that would pair nicely. Again, we have a ways to go in that department as well. When our columnists came in, both Gary and Tahoe Dad wrote about skiing from their vantage points. Finally, a story on preparing for the snow season by Charlie Ferris came across our desk. So, by default, we ended up with a seasonally appropriate package. I have to admit, Paperboy and I were ski snobs when it came to our kids. We held out skiing as the best
and only option and snowboarding was for pipsqueaks. This year, we decided you shouldn’t fight progress and the children were offered the option of learning to snowboard, though it may be too late as they are now firmly entrenched. How was the holiday season? People-wise, mine went smoothly—no full-on fist fights or fleeing the table and slamming the door in anger. There were a few huffy moments, but nothing a little sugar or alcohol couldn’t smooth. Appliance-wise, though, my holidays were stressful for another reason—both my heater and my washing machine gave out! Thank God for laundromats and wood-burning stoves! Any New Year’s resolutions? Mine is to read War and Peace. My goal was to read it those months we were shut up during COVID, but that didn’t happen, so I’m giving it another go. I was supposed to read it in my Russian literature class in college, but failed to do so then, though I passed the course using my detailed class-
room discussion notes and the professor’s handy study guide to bluff my way through the final. I’ve felt guilty ever since and like I owe it to myself and my college to actually read the thing before I die. I even bought a brand-spanking-new copy with beautiful artwork on the cover to motivate me. I don’t do e-books and that is why the Mountain News is still available as a hard-copy. I like ink on paper. I have resolutions for the Mountain News as well— to bring additions and improvements that will serve our readers. I’ll give details as my plans materialize. Though I mentioned it a few months back, I would like to reiterate the Herculean and Sisyphean work of our graphic artist, Joann Eisenbrandt. Every month is like a new, giant jigsaw puzzle for her to put together with a changing mix of stories, columns, photos and ads. The Mountain News would not be where it is today without her expert hand. -Heather
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SINCE YOU ASKED.......................................................... 9 HEARD AROUND TOWN................................................12 MIKE’S MUTTERINGS...................................................14 COVER............................................................................16 GUEST COLUMN............................................................19 MOUNTAIN NEWS FEATURES..............................20 & 27 NEWS BRIEFS...............................................................22 TAHOE TRISH.................................................................24 TAHOE DAD....................................................................25 SPOKE JUNKIE..............................................................26 Heavenly's paid parking
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Time to 'think different' Ushering in a new year brings optimism for better days ahead, but how can there be better days ahead when we keep doing the same things over and over while expecting different results? Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity. For starters, the basin is plagued by a tangled web of agencies and boards led by the same incestuous group of players who have become ineffective and lack the vision to solve the basin’s broader problems. This good ol’ boys club has perfected the game of “go along to get along.” Where are the bold thinkers? Where are the people willing to challenge the status quo? There is too much power concentrated in the hands of the same few people. HOUSING In December, the TRPA board approved a plan (years in the making) to greatly expand high-rise residential development (criticized as vertical sprawl). Hundreds of letters and in-person comments (from conservation
groups and individuals around the lake) were received opposing this plan over its lack of environmental analysis that the TRPA has conveniently declared unnecessary. The plan incentivizes developers to build large-scale condo/apartment buildings by allowing 100 percent land coverage, minimal to no parking, high density and tall structures—up to 65 feet (five stories) in height. The TRPA is making approximately 1,000 building allocations (so called bonus units) available to developers. This, we’re told, will help solve the affordable housing crisis—the environment be damned. In the City of SLT, a citizens group has filed the “SLT Vacancy Tax Initiative.” This initiative imagines a solution to the housing crisis by taxing the estimated 7,000 vacant residential units $6,000 a year. They anticipate 20 percent will decide to rent or sell their vacant properties, making 1,400 units available. Signatures are being gathered now and if
it qualifies for the ballot, SLT voters will decide this proposal in November. THE VHR DEBATE Douglas County commissioners and the public endured another epic board meeting on December 21. There was passionate and thoughtful disagreement on both sides, with Commissioner Tarkanian positioned as point man for the proposal to ban VHRs north of Cave Rock. The opposition called the ban spot zoning, but DC has used a type of spot zoning for years by not allowing VHRs on the valley side of the county, while promoting them in Tahoe Township as an economic necessity. Ignoring that contradiction, Commissioner Hales proceeded with her interrogation of Tarkanian about
wealthy people who might have influenced his position. She stopped short of asking Tarkanian if he ever received any envelopes stuffed with cash from wealthy residents of Glenbrook. The ban on VHRs north of Cave Rock passed by a 3-2 vote. Other residents of DC are not waiting for the commissioners to decide the fate of their residential neighborhoods, but instead have gathered thousands of signatures to apply for a place on the November ballot where voters will decide to ban or not to ban VHRs in all of Douglas County’s residential neighborhoods. Stay tuned. And the City of SLT has put online VHR booking platforms like Airbnb and VRBO on notice that they will be fined $1,500 to $5,000 for advertising unpermitted VHRs operating illegally within the city. WHAT ELSE? The TRPA is circling the wagons trying to explain how in 2018 (during the Joanne Marchetta regime) they started charging (currently $45 to $113 per hour) for public records requests. This is another reason for the public to sound the alarm on this agency that has taken license with the fundamentals of transparency
in government. Putting up a “pay wall” to deter citizens from accessing public information is just wrong. At the December 12 city council meeting, the council moved quickly to amend the existing protocol that required a unanimous council vote to continue a meeting past 10pm. This amendment change was inspired by the unprofessional actions of then-mayor Cristi Creegan at the previous meeting. JUST DO IT You don’t have to be Sean Fannan, founder of the philanthropic Marcello Foundation or Olympic gold medalist and child advocate, Jamie Anderson, to have a positive impact on our community. Even City Manager Joe Irvin is challenging everyone to give back in 2024. Giving back is doable when “everyday people” make it their business to check in on their neighbors, perform random acts of kindness, volunteer or stand up and speak out when government oversteps. Living in Tahoe is not for everyone, but if you decide to live here, contribute.
Why has the Lake Tahoe Airport/city office's parking lot become a storage site? – A curious citizen who ate at the Flight Deck Money is the simple answer to the question. A multitude of boats, RVs and other vehicles are being stored on this slab of asphalt owned by the city of South Lake Tahoe that comes under the responsibility of the Lake Tahoe Airport. Semi-trucks are the one type of vehicle airport officials won’t allow on site because they are too big. The rectangular lot is so big because when the airport opened in 1959 it was intended for commercial flights. This worked until it didn’t. Commercial service ended for good in 2000. While private planes and corporate jets still use the airport, with the American Century Championship the busiest time, it’s not otherwise common for someone to park their vehicle overnight at this lot. That is until the last handful of years. When Airport Manager John Dickinson came on board in 2021, the fee was $25/month to store a vehicle at the airport.
Boats in storage at Lake Tahoe Airport.
Now it’s $100/month. “The money goes to the airport for non-aeronautical revenue that helps with projects at the airport,” Dickinson said. “It definitely helped with airport projects such as pavement maintenance.”
To be continued….
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This includes the runways, tarmac— anything that is paved. Striping the parking lot where the vehicles are stored is another use of the cash. Ultimately, the fees free up money for the city because the general fund (aka taxpayer dollars) do not subsidize the airport. “It helped to get us to a break-even standpoint,” Dickinson said. The city started subsidizing the airport in the early 1990s after airlines curtailed the number of flights, and lawsuits restricted noise and access. Income from renting out the asphalt varies from year-to-year. Year-round customers generate about $24,000 a year for the airport, according to Dickinson. About 40 spots are available. Another 75 spaces are open for city workers, other businesses at the airport, and the public frequenting those entities. It’s also necessary in winter to have room for snow storage, so it’s not possible to rent every spot that might be deemed vacant. This city lot is most popular in the summer because it’s cheaper to rent a spot
at the airport for a boat than to keep it moored on a buoy or tied up at a dock. It’s so popular that a waiting list exists, with about 15 people on it at the start of the year. To reserve a spot or for more info, call (530) 542-6182. (No information is on the airport’s website.) Our question asker this month also was curious about the defunct compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station that was in the northwest corner of the parking lot. Once upon a time, the city and Tahoe Transportation District had CNG vehicles in their respective fleets. The danger the vehicles posed when it came to working on them and the improved efficiencies of modern vehicles has led to CNG not being part of their motor pool today. While it’s been nearly a decade since the CNG fueling station operated, some have speculated the remaining CNG infrastructure in the parking lot could be used for electric vehicles. To this, Assistant City Manager Hilary Roverud says, “Although the city EV Charger Siting Plan that was presented to City Council in May 2022 includes the airport parking lot in the conceptual site assessment discussion, an analysis of the feasibility or cost has not been conducted at this time so we don’t have specific answers to your questions. We don’t know the extent that the infrastructure that supported the CNG station would or would not be compatible with EV charging infrastructure.”
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Catherine Mendez is the new executive director at Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care.
AARP Tax-Aide in South Lake Tahoe will be providing free tax preparation to the public for the upcoming tax season. Beginning the week of January 22, taxpayers can pick up information packets at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center (3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd) from 8:30am to 12:30pm, Monday-Friday. The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center is preparing to launch the “Wirewalker” in the spring. It is a wave-powered, water quality profiling system capable of taking measurements from lake bottom to lake surface every 20 minutes, 24/7/365. Rather than simply infer what happened between the current monthly measurements, TERC researchers will be able to study the evolution of water quality and ecosystem changes at a detail that exists at almost no other lake in the world. Grover Hot Springs State Park, which closed for two years because of damage from the 2021 Tamarack Fire, is now open. NDOT is paying for a trash container and two portable toilets at the Spooner Summit sledding hill. Clean Tahoe will pick up the trash. The annual basin-wide, mid-winter bald eagle count is Jan. 12. For more info, check out tinsweb.org. The Renaissance Faire, which took a three-year break from the South Shore, will be at the Tahoe Valley Campground August 24 & 25.
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El Dorado County awarded one time community grants to the Meyers Community Foundation ($2500), Tahoe PAWS and TLC 4 Furry Friends ($5000), American Legion Post 795 ($5000) and the Lake Tahoe Historical Society/Daughters of the American Revolution ($5000). TRPA and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office are working to resolve a disparity regarding boating speed limits within Emerald Bay. EDSO currently enforces a 15mph speed limit while TRPA mandates a 5mph speed limit within 600 feet of the shores, which is the majority of Emerald Bay. Tripadvisor ranked the Stardust Lodge as the fifth best hotel in the country for families. To assist bears in undergoing natural hibernation for the winter, continue to use bear resistant garbage cans, remove dog food and bird feeders from outside the home and block access to crawl spaces which bears may access. Bears that continue to access unnatural food sources may stay active throughout the winter and become problem animals. El Dorado County is transferring its 211 information and resource phone line to its community hubs, located at county library branches. Low call volumes, 30-minute wait times and a phone bank located in Southern California, rather than locally, were cited as reasons for the change. Community hubs can be contacted at https://www.eldoradocommunityhubs.com/
Patients can now schedule Barton urgent care appointments at its facilities at Stateline and the Y with the On My Way online tool. This user-friendly feature allows patients to virtually "get in line" before reaching the care clinic. The feature is available through the Barton Health website or an existing MyChart account. With On My Way, users can select their preferred urgent care location, check current walk-in wait times, and choose their preferred time slot. The Lake Tahoe Unified School District is launching a Hall of Distinction to recognize former students, former employees, and major contributors/ volunteers who have distinguished themselves by their individual contributions in scholarship, athletics, student activities, career, community service, and/or service to the school community as a whole. For more information, visit https:// www.ltusd.org/district/office_of_ the_superintendent/l_t_u_s_d_ hall_of_distinction. The Lake Tahoe Unified School District will be hosting a community forum on the topic of artificial intelligence on January 16 from 6pm to 7pm at the district office. The 2024 Point-in-Time to count the homeless population will take place Janaury 25 from 7pm to 9pm. Volunteers are being recruited to assist in the count which will help determine community and funding needs. Visit eldorado. pointintime.info/ to register.
Catherine Mendez has been named executive director of Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care. Mendez is the former executive director of Chintimini Wildlife Center in Corvallis, Oregon, the American Bear Association in Minnesota, and the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary, also in Minnesota. She will oversee day-to-day operations, events and fundraising for the 45-year-old organization. Climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe will speak on January 23 at the Lake Tahoe Community College Duke Theatre at 3pm, followed by a question and answer period. The author of Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World, Hayhoe has been called "one of the nation’s most effective communicators on the threat of climate change and the need for action” by the New York Times. Sierra State Parks is hosting a full-moon snowshoe hike exploring the natural and cultural history around the Hellman-Ehrman estate at Sugar Pine Point State Park on January 27. For those new to snowshoeing, there will be a beginner’s clinic at 6:30pm. The hike is from 7pm to 8:30pm and costs $45 per adult and $25 per child 12 and under. The cost includes snowshoe rentals, park entrance and a guided hike. Tickets are available at www.SierraStateParks. org/events. There is a 50-person limit per tour so early reservations are recommended. On Thursday, January 25, the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental
Research Center will be hosting a lecture about "How Tahoe's Future Climate Is Going to Change Its Many Watersheds" with Dr. Michael Dettinger. The in-person event will be held at Sunnyside Restaurant and Lodge in their Mountainside Bar. Admission is $10 and free for students with a student ID. Appetizers and a no-host bar will be available from 5pm to 6pm. The lecture will begin at 6pm. The South Lake Tahoe Library is holding an after-school program for middle school and high school students. A.T.L.A.S. (At the Library After School) will be held every Wednesday from 2:30pm to 4:30pm, and each week there is a different theme, such as crafternoon, games and test kitchen. Stew and Hillary Bittman have released A Trail of Breadcrumbs: A Year's Journey Back to the Heart of Your Relationship. It is available on Amazon as a paperback or e-book. The book shares the authors’ personal journey and the “blissipline” they’ve applied to their relationship that has allowed them to keep their love fresh and alive, even after working and living together side by side for almost 50 years. Have a community item for Heard Around Town? Email mountainnews2@gmail.com, subject line “Heard.”
Mountain News 13
VHRs from the other side Since a VHR provided us a great time this Christmas with the Dot and Chappie, I find myself in the inconvenient position of writing in appreciation of VHRs—though, admittedly, just from the renter side. Aside from the rat under the kitchen sink and the cold pool, it was a pretty great situation—and one we couldn’t have had in a hotel or the like. Besides, we could have just reframed the rat as a bonus pet and
the cold pool as a cold “plunge.” So, maybe my New Year’s resolution should be to exercise a little more understanding about annoying VHR renters around me. Maybe. The ECHL Tahoe . . . Knight Monsters . . . ? I waited a while on this because I had to just let it sit in the hope that it would make more sense as time went on. Except it hasn’t. What I’m talking about is
the long-awaited name of our local ECHL hockey franchise, which after much build-up and manufactured suspense, dropped Nov. 30—and boy, did it drop. Not unlike how a knight in armor would drop to the bottom of Lake Tahoe. Fair to say, most people no doubt reacted like I did—and like those on national hockey podcasts did as well—with confusion. We all tried hard to figure it out—the Tahoe Knight Monsters—and didn’t get very far. The one thing you don’t want with a franchise name is for people to have to puzzle over it . . . and especially to say, “Huh?” Immediately, your brain starts in with questions: How is a “knight” also a “monster?” Did they mean “night?” That would kind of work, though not really. Was Tahoe Tessie at some point a knight? . . . and so many more. Ok, so there’s the more than obvious pandering to the Vegas Golden Knights franchise, which is repugnant
to most Californians who root instead for the Sharks. But then you see the logo and you realize they’re also incorporating the Sharks’ teal so as to pander to San Jose as well? Or is it actually more the Seattle Kraken’s colors here—not to mention the idea of a creature from the depths? So, how many NHL teams are we going for here? You can sort of understand the “monster” with the Lake aspect and the legend of “Tessie,” but you struggle to wrap your head around the Knight, who is somehow part monster at least and also somehow in or involved with the lake, which just doesn’t compute in any way. I mean, a knight is wearing armor or chain mail or something heavy, right? And yet they’re in the lake or the snow and ice? And is there any monster that was ever aligned with knights? The classic tale of Beowulf definitely didn’t put them on the same team, and I can’t think of any other legend that has. It’s like the ownership group threw a bunch of words in some kind of online mashup name generator and went with the first abomination that popped out. And even locally, I know my reaction wasn’t unique. In a sampling from Facebook, Cara Noelle posted, “I suggest mak-
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ing a ton of merchandise with just the logo and not the name.” Ryan McHarg got a little more into it: “It’s like a 5 yo picked it . . . The motto of the design board was ‘all of the things.’ . . . ‘Let’s just take bits from absolutely anything that connects to the various local fan scenes regardless of relatability . . . so, do we want to lean into the Sharks, or the Knights?’ . . . ‘Yes.’” Kevin Sherwood asked, “Did a 2 year old pick the name?” Paul Hardy called it “confusing and illogical.” Lacey Torres wrote, “I was so stoked for this reveal and it’s just . . . Bleh. What a freaking bummer! . . . THIS is what’s they came up with?!” Mike Herman asked, “Who lost a bet with that name?” Teddy Day: “The who?” Caroline Lambert-Fallu added, “The name is absolutely ridiculous. Reminds me of this movie” and included a gif of the poster for the film Night Monster, starring Bella Lugosi, the Romanian actor best known for playing Dracula. Chad Campbell offered the concise, “The name is awful”; there were plenty who just said, “embarrassing”—and a host of others bemoaning the name choice in assorted ways. And remember how the organization invited name submissions from the public? Well, over 1,000 went in, and nobody believes the “Knight Monsters” was among them. I mean, how could it be? To be fair, there was also the occasional support lobbed in the mix, such as, “I’m ok with that.” Having said all that, am I looking forward to local pucks? Absolutely. Game on—and go . . . Monsters?
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M OUNTAIN N EWS C OVER S TORY
M OUNTAIN N EWS C OVER S TORY
ing with new renewable electricity developments.” When he was asked to comment on a report that says operating one ski lift for a month uses the same amount of energy as a household of four annually, Zimmerman said, “Vail Resorts produces or purchases enough renewable electricity to account
seek to blame the entire ski sector for environmental damage, or (use) it as a symbol of mankind’s excess,” the group’s website says. Like others, this group believes more attention should be focused on how people get to the ski resorts. If resorts had to factor in emissions from flights and pas-
ers to help the industry combat climate change. “I say every single person and industry can do better. I say industry and government more than individuals if we are going to make a drop in the climate bucket,” Isaac said. “Skiing is a minimal part of the emissions factor in climate change.”
“In California we lead the way even from a government standpoint,” Reitzell said. “My job would be way different if I were with the Wyoming Ski Areas Association. We have a way different government. No one in California’s government is saying let’s support the coal industry.” Singling out snowmaking
Heavenly's gondola, currently offline, which travels 2.4 miles in about 12 minutes, is one of the fastest ways to get on the mountain.
Is skiing damaging the environment? That depends on the specific questions and who answers them. For the sake of argument and because no one is going to undo what is here, let’s ignore what it took to build all the Tahoe area ski resorts—the tree removal, impact to streams and therefore Lake Tahoe proper, the destruction of the land from heavy equipment, and the emissions during the building process. Rules, laws and regulations as well as oversight agencies are in place today that did not exist when so much of the initial infrastructure was established. Plus, human awareness and understanding of environmental degradation have evolved through the decades. Today, what matters are greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, water consumption, trash accumulation, and other envi-
16 Mountain News
ronmental factors. These issues are no longer solely the rallying cry of environmentalists, but are topics in board rooms and at the ground level. They are also concerns of shareholders, what with ski resorts part of publicly traded companies such as Vail Resorts. Save Our Snow, which describes itself as “an impartial compiler and publisher of data on what the ski industry and ski resorts are doing to combat climate change,” on its website says, “… we believe the snowsports industry is one of the world’s most environmentally-friendly, trying harder than almost all others to reduce its ecological footprint. This is a rational position, given that the snow-reliant market will be one of the primary victims of global warming, caused predominantly by other human activities outside the mountains.” Vail Resorts, owner of Heavenly, Kirkwood and North-
star in the greater Lake Tahoe area, has been an industry leader in efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Even so, none of these resorts made Save Our Snow’s “green resort” list. Boreal, and Palisades-Alpine Meadows are the Tahoe area resorts on the list. Sierra-at-Tahoe refused to be a part of this story, with spokeswoman Shelby Dunlap emailing, “I spoke with the team and unfortunately won’t be able to participate. Given we are on a special use permit on U.S. Forest Service land we would need to go through them for approvals, which would take some time.” Heavenly Mountain Resort, like most ski resorts, also operates on USFS land and did answer questions for this story. Vail’s focus on Tahoe In 2017, Vail Resorts set a goal to have a zero net operating footprint by 2030 through “net zero emissions, zero waste to
landfill, and zero net operating impact on forests and habitats.” The company said in fiscal year 2022 it surpassed the 2025 goal of a 50 percent reduction. “Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood are all working to achieve these goals by investing in energy efficiency, ensuring effective waste diversion practices, and working with partners or creating on site systems to find solutions for waste streams that we cannot currently divert,” explained Cole Zimmerman, spokesman for Vail’s Tahoe resorts. “At Heavenly, we are supporting South Lake Tahoe’s plastic water bottle ban at Tamarack Lodge by replacing single-use plastic with aluminum.” Last season, the Supply Chain Sustainability Program was launched at the Tahoe resorts. It’s not just the typical stuff being recycled. Vail Resorts is trying to find solutions for hard-to-recycle items such as nitrile gloves and snack wrappers, and is working
on ways to upcycle ski and snowboard equipment, as well as divert pallets from landfills. Using an app on a phone instead of a plastic day or annual pass is one way to reduce plastic trash. Vail Resorts has invested $3.6 million into energy efficiency projects across all resorts to reduce energy use and emissions, according to Zimmerman. Projects include buildings, snowmaking and lifts. “As a company, in 2022, we achieved 100 percent renewable electricity in North America and 96 percent worldwide,” Zimmerman said. “To meet and maintain this goal, we are focused on a two-part strategy that includes investing in large-scale renewable energy projects that replace fossil fuels on the grid, as well as the direct development of local renewable projects on the grids where we operate, when possible. We have primarily focused our efforts on developing or contract-
Heavenly has the largest snowmaking system on the West Coast.
for the electricity used by our chairlifts.” Kirkwood Mountain Resort before Vail bought it in 2012 had a long history of unreliable power. Since 2014, the Kirkwood Meadows Public Utilities District has been connected to the grid via PG&E. This means the resort and community of Kirkwood no longer rely on diesel-powered generators. Industry insights Save Our Snow is aware the industry has issues. “… we are not blind to the fact that some snowsports developments are not in the best interests of our planet, and at times agree to a greater or lesser extent with environmental groups. Nevertheless, we disagree with those mainstream media reports that
When Heavenly's gondola started operations in 2000 it transformed how people got to the slopes.
senger vehicles of their guests, the reported carbon footprint would be much different. Vail Resorts are acknowledging this reality by incentivizing carpooling this year with the offer of free parking at its Tahoe resorts for vehicles with at least four passengers. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) website says, “The largest sources of GHG emissions in the United States are from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat, and transportation. This balance is shifting more significantly to transportation and heating as electricity supply is increasingly using more renewable energy and less fossil fuels.” In September, Mike Reitzell, president of Ski California, and Adrienne Saia Isaac, spokesperson for NSAA, were in Washington, D.C., lobbying lawmak-
She points out that many people don’t see the efficiencies that are put in place. They see a ski lift carrying people up a mountain, but they don’t know
Machine-made snow has been a concept since the 1960s. “(It) is actual snow composed of frozen water droplets. By contrast, artificial snow is a plastic substance you see on movie sets or in commercial displays,” according to the National Ski Area’s Association’s website. “Snow guns separate water into fine droplets and move them through cold air, causing them to freeze into small snow crystals on their way down to the ground.” According to the NSAA, about 88 percent of its members make snow, with an average of 17 percent of skiable acres in the U.S. covered by snow not produced by Mother Nature. NSAA reports: • Water use for snowmaking is largely non-consumptive and relatively small compared to other uses. It represents less than 1 percent of overall water use for states like California, Colorado and Vermont. • Investments in efficient snowmaking equipment and process automation have reduced the energy use of snowmaking. Based on case study data from 10 ski resorts across four of the six NSAA regions, snowmaking accounts for roughly one percent to
“I say every single person and industry can do better. I say industry and government more than individuals if we are going to make a drop in the climate bucket,” - Adrienne Saia Isaac
where the energy is coming from. Reitzell said the industry has moved beyond touting the change to LED light bulbs, but instead is implementing projects that are real and could not be labeled as “green washing.”
33 percent of total annual energy use across all resort operations. • Greenhouse gas emissions from snowmaking are low. Emissions will continue to decline as electricity providers add more renewable energy to their
supply mix and ski areas set 100 percent clean electricity goals. However, NSAA’s website also says, “There is no comprehensive data source available across the ski industry specific to snowmaking energy use and GHG emissions. Energy use for snowmaking also varies widely across the ski industry depending on the region, size of the area, and scale of the snowmaking system compared to other energy uses such as lifts and buildings.” Heavenly boasts of having the largest snowmaking operation on the West Coast. Some of its more than 200 guns are automated, meaning when conditions are perfect for snowmaking, no humans are needed to make them work. The resort makes about 120 inches of snow each season. Heavenly participated in Liberty Utility’s Commercial Incentive Program which allows businesses to save more money and energy after switching to energy-efficient equipment. Liberty announced early last year that the ski resort had upgraded eight snow guns which use less compressed air. It is estimated Heavenly will use 85 percent less energy compared to the old equipment, saving 297,216 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually. The energy savings are equal to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of what 45 gas-powered vehicles produce, according to the EPA. Zimmerman did not answer how much water is used for snowmaking each season at the three Vail-owned resorts. Nor did he directly answer the question asking if the report that one snow gun can use up to 100 gallons of water a minute is accurate for the guns used at the Tahoe resorts. Instead, he said, “Water use for snowmaking is largely non-consumptive, meaning that the majority of water used returns to the watershed in the spring via snowmelt. Further, water use for snowmaking is relatively small compared to other uses. Snowmaking systems at our resorts utilize 100 percent renewable electricity further supportive of zero net operating footprint.”
Mountain News 17
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Recently the Mountain News reported on the TRPA’s written policy of assigning a fee schedule for individuals and entities requesting public records. Such fees can range from $45 per hour all the way up to $113 per hour, with no cap in place, depending on exactly who (assistant, planner, paralegal, attorney or other) compiles your request. If you request TRPA documents involving a subject matter, for example, air pollution, and it takes days to compile, then you could be on the hook for hundreds or thousands of dollars, thanks to the TRPA’s inflated fee structure. The TRPA gave itself the authority to charge for such documents by creating Article 15 of the TRPA’s “Rules of Procedure” manual. The TRPA was attempting to follow the Federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. § 552), but got lost along the way. Unfortunately, the TRPA misplaced its dictionary and common sense as that section of the United States Government Code calls for “reasonable” fees to be recovered for standard charges for document search and duplication. The problem is that the TRPA has interpreted that one simple line to mean they can extort what they want to. I’m calling such fees for what they are—extortion charges—because while the law allows for reasonable fees, it doesn’t allow for excessive or outrageous fees. Here is a real-world example. I recently requested documents from the TRPA involving an issue for which they are the governing agency, tree safety. The TRPA stated that they had conducted their search and I now owe them $90.00 for the records search and recovery. The TRPA explained (via email) that it took their paralegal 1.5 hours at a fee of $60 per hour, to find the documents in question, review said documents for “responsiveness and Privilege,” convert the documents into a “readable format,” and to respond to my initial request and my response once I received the bill. I was also advised that per Article 15, they were allowed to charge the
fees because the fee schedule had been approved as reasonable by the TRPA’s executive director. Here is where the water not only gets murky, but downright turns to mud. The TRPA claims the fees are a result of said request and that 5 U.S.C. § 552 allows them to recover fees to offset their costs. However, nowhere in 5 U.S.C. § 552 does it call for things like reviewing documents “for responsiveness and Privilege,” “converting them to a readable format” or responding to such requests. The government code simply states that the TRPA is allowed to charge “reasonable” fees for the “search and the duplication” of said documents. The problem I have is this term “reasonable.” The TRPA sees it one way while the rest of America takes it to mean something else. Transparent California shows the paralegal’s yearly salary to be $52,060.12, which breaks down to $25.03 an hour. At $25.03 an hour, I should have been charged $37.55 plus any reasonable costs associated with “duplication.” The law clearly states, “document search” and not all of the other processes. If the TRPA wants to
do the “extras,” then those associated fees and times are on them as the law never entitled them to such windfalls. In essence, I was overcharged for my request by $52.45. If you look up the word “fraud” in the dictionary, it is described as the “wrongful or criminal deception to result in financial or personal gain.” Hey TRPA, please describe to me how your agency is not unlawfully gaining from this fee shell game you are playing? When you charge more than twice a person’s published salary to provide documents but are legally only entitled to collect “reasonable fees” to offset costs, then technically what you are committing as an agency is fraud, plain and simple. What upsets me even more than this fraud being committed on anyone who dares to obtain information from a taxpayer-funded government agency is that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was originally created to provide transparency in government and dispel fears of “evil” government. Creating such fee schedules not based in reality and then hiding behind them, hoping that it is cost prohibitive for the public to
have the audacity to make such requests, is akin to creating, not dispelling the fear of “evil” government that the (FOIA) was designed to dispel. The sad feature is that the TRPA is not the only government agency to ask for fees when it comes to FOIA requests. Fortunately, most government entities will fulfill FOIA requests for free, as long as you are not requesting the moon and the stars. Most government agencies want to be seen as open, transparent, and complying in a way that 5 U.S.C. § 552 (FOIA) was originally set up to create, to foster transparent government. On top of all that, what happens with the fees collected by the agency? Well, here is the kicker— no one knows. It could be going to pay for more (FOIA) requests, it could be funding additional TRPA personnel, or it could be paying for any one of a thousand things that the TRPA does. Finally, let’s mention equity. Where one party has to pay for
an item (reports), with all things being equal, then another party should have to do the same. Well, here we go again with the TRPA going off the rails. By the TRPA’s own admission in a December Tahoe Mountain News article, TRPA spokesperson Jeff Cowen stated that a lot of FOIA requests are being fulfilled for free— though he did not state where the dividing line was. So again, I will ask if there is no set policy of what is free and what is not, who decides? What searches or documents does the TRPA deem free? The problem again boils down to equity and fairness. In my case, a fee was waived by the TRPA for someone else requesting a permit, but just about equal to the amount of the cost of the permit, was my FOIA request documenting the permit and the larger concern. Again TRPA, where is your line in the sand? Currently it appears the TRPA either has none, or like lines in the sand, they constantly change and shift to fit whatever wind is blowing at the time.
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Mountain News 19
Sierra-at-Tahoe is seeing an influx of Asian snowboarders.
Diversity and skiing are two words that do not go well together. That’s because the industry is still dominated by white people. However, Sierra-at-Tahoe and California are doing much better attracting people of color than the country as a whole. Last ski season, Sierra reported a 30 percent diversity rate, while the state came in at 29 percent—the highest percentage of any state. Across the U.S., whites dominated skier visits at 88.1 percent. “Nationally, numbers-wise we don’t see a lot of change over the last decade,” Adrienne Saia Isaac with the National Ski Areas Association said. “With the most racially-diverse generation in our nation coming of age, it is critical that young people feel welcome playing and working in our mountain spaces. The Pacific Southwest sees slightly more racial diversity than other regions of the country, specifically from visits by people identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander.” Sierra is seeing an influx of Asians as well, sometimes with families coming who enroll their kids in school, with the adults hanging out in the plaza area. “We don’t do targeted marking by race or ethnicity. We do it by location with a lot of major marketing efforts,” explained Shelby Dunlap, spokesperson for
20 Mountain News
Sierra. “A lot of marketing efforts are in the South Bay. That typically has a high Asian population.” Sierra also focuses on the greater Sacramento area, with its diverse population being a key factor, as well as proximity to the resort. While Vail Resorts, which owns Heavenly, Kirkwood, and Northstar, would not reveal skier demographics, it acknowledges there is a problem. “Vail Resorts and the broader ski industry have incredibly low representation from people of color. We believe that to address this, we must make changes internally before we can lead externally with authenticity and value,” Cole Zimmerman, spokesman for Vail’s Tahoe resorts, said. “We’ve established a roadmap for a multi-year journey to address the lack of diversity on the slopes. We are focused on driving inclusion in three ways: 1) fostering a welcoming culture, 2) diversifying our talent, and 3) broadening access to our sport.” Sierra and the local Vail resorts believe a huge step to diversifying the slopes is to have employees of color. It’s been proven over and over that until people see others who look like them— be it gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or some other distin-
guishing factor—people see barriers and not opportunities. That is why hiring is a component local resorts are paying more attention to. “When you come to Sierra,
even from the staff perspective, there is diversity across different departments,” Dunlap said. The head of snowboarding is African American, as is the woman running the pub.
SKIERS BY ETHNICITY Ethnicity breakdown of skiers/snowboarders at U.S. resorts, with some people reporting more than one category
2021-2022 season White Asian/Pacific Islander Hispanic/Latino/a Black/African American Native American/Alaska Native Another race
88.7 percent 5.7 percent 5.5 percent 1.5 percent 0.6 percent 1.61 percent
2022-2023 season White Asian/Pacific Islander Hispanic/Latino/a Black/African American Native American/Alaska Native Another race
88.1 percent 6.5 percent 5.6 percent 1.5 percent 0.8 percent 1.5 percent
Source: National Ski Areas Association
Dunlap didn't provide the racial or ethnic breakdown of all employees. Zimmerman said, “In 2021, we started a career program introducing Colorado youth from SOS Outreach to career opportunities in our retail stores and at resort properties, with the objective of introducing youth to careers in the outdoor industry. That pilot program has expanded from Colorado to Park City and the Tahoe region this year and is informing the way we address building diverse talent and career pipelines for youth in our access programs.” While the goal to have a diverse payroll is applauded, it might not be easy. “I think we do face a unique challenge in trying to be more diverse in the workforce. We are limited by the communities where we exist,” Mike Reitzell, president of Ski California, said. “Where do the employees come from? We may need to wait for communities to catch up.” Eliminating barriers Those in the industry acknowledge the sport is not cheap, which is a huge obstacle for newbies of any color. Beyond the price of a lift ticket, there is the cost of clothing, gear, and having a vehicle
that is capable of handling winter conditions to even reach the slopes. Ski California, which has 35 member resorts in California and Nevada, recently hired a consultant to focus on diversity, equity and inclusion issues. Things like having goggles available that fit different faces, helmets for various hair types, clothes for all sizes—those are barriers not always thought of at first glance. The study also found there is a perceived ski culture that is neither welcoming nor inclusive. “As an industry we are trying to break down that perception so they can see skiing and riding for what it is,” Reitzell said. What it is, he said, is fun and inclusive once people make it to the mountains. “Part of what we do know is there is a large part of the population that is diverse that has not experienced snow,” Reitzell said. His organization’s goal is to the have the ski slopes be more representative of California’s diverse population. It doesn’t matter the race or ethnicity, getting kids interested is critical. Sierra and Vail Resorts both have for years focused on ski school. “We have the largest youth outreach program of all the mountain resort operators, and have invested more than $16 million in youth, adaptive, and continued access programs across our resorts to inspire the next generation of skiers and riders,” Zimmerman said of Vail Resorts. But it’s more than that. Resorts also know people want access to the snow, and may never ride. They might forever be content on the tubing hill, sledding, snowshoeing or having fun in the white stuff in some other manner.
While Heavenly would not provide skier demographics, mostly it's a sea of white faces on the slopes.
Having those entry points to snow, though, might be the first step to getting converts to skiing and snowboarding. Trend setters When Tere Tibbetts and Gary Bell started skiing, they didn’t think about breaking barriers, stereotypes or being part of any sort of movement. They were participating in a sport that was fun. That was the only statement they were making. The 80-year-old Tibbetts, who was born in Cuba, first skied at Heavenly in 1970. In 1971, she was hired as a ski patroller. “I was the diverse person on the ski slopes in those days and I think in all of Tahoe,” she said with a laugh. “I used to joke I was the only member of the Cuban ski team.” While she went on to teach in Lake Tahoe Unified School District and at Lake Tahoe Community College, Tibbetts contin-
ued to ski until three years ago when her eyesight made her hang up her gear. She said when she was teaching full time, hardly anyone in the Hispanic community was skiing or snowboarding. “The only barrier I see now is price. It is an elite sport for sure,” Tibbetts said. Economic roadblocks were cited by the California Tahoe Conservancy in recently awarding grants to increase participation in outdoor activities. “Although Lake Tahoe is a world-class outdoor recreation destination, many people face barriers to accessing and enjoying its opportunities. As in the rest of California and across the country, outdoor access and its benefits are not equitably dis-
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tributed to all communities. Race and income often determine access,” stated the agency in a press release. The 67-year-old Bell (who is the Mountain News’ outdoor columnist) has been skiing since he was three.
king a M
The only discrimination he felt on the slopes has been as a telemark skier, not because he is African and Native American. “Admittedly, I don’t remember way back as a young child when where was probably more discrimination,” Bell said. “I have pictures of my parents and their friends at Alpine and Homewood. I bet they had a tougher time because there was more discrimination at that time in the ’60s.” He doesn’t believe it’s the responsibility of the resorts to have initiatives to attract people of color, nor does he believe they are even trying to change the demographics. While he said it’s great to see new people skiing and snowboarding, he questions whether “we really need more people standing in line at any given time up there.” Bell said, “It is an expensive sport. There are a lot of people who are just not going to try to become part of it. If they want to diversify and invite more people into the sport, they need to make it more affordable.”
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Mountain News 21
Camp Rich under new management It’s done. Camp Richardson Resort is no longer being run by Tahoe locals, but instead is under the management of a company based in Kansas. The change occurred January 6.
The U.S. Forest Service, which owns the property on the outskirts of South Lake Tahoe, awarded the 20-year concession to Advenco, whose parent company is ExplorUs. The new operators continue to not return calls or emails from the Mountain News. While Bob and Tammy Hassett, who have operated Camp Rich for 23 years, wanted to continue to do so, the USFS said no. The Hassetts appealed last summer’s decision, with it ultimately being referred from the regional office in Vallejo to Washington, D.C. On Dec. 12, it was announced the Hassetts Bob Hassett and wife Tammy no longer operate should start packing. Camp Richardson Resort.
22 Mountain News
The Beacon restaurant closed three days later. “One reason we didn’t keep the Beacon open is we did lose a number of staff down there,” Bob Hassett said. He said the uncertainty of the outcome of the appeal and not knowing if they’d have a job after the first of the year led some people to find work elsewhere. The resort has about 75 year-round employees, with numbers swelling to more than 200 in the summer. Many of the full-timers have been hired by the new operators. The hotel and general store have remained open. Hassett previously told this publication he has the rights to the Rum Runner recipe, which has long been the signature cocktail at the lakefront eatery. “We have sold a lot of furniture and fixtures to the new company to allow them
to (maintain) some continuity of service,” Hassett said. The hope is the transition for employees and guests is rather seamless. The Forest Service has still not released the applications from the four bidders so it remains unknown what Advenco offered that the Hassetts didn’t. What might complicate things going forward for the Forest Service, the new resort operator, and the public is that the Hassetts own the marina, pier, fueling station and buoys. This is the first time in 40 years that the marina and Camp Richardson Resort have not operated jointly. The Hassetts must continue to work with the Forest Service because in 2013 they were awarded a 30-year permit to operate Round Hill Pines Resort in Nevada.
Mountain News 23
Ch-ch-ch-ch changes Here we are in 2024, and I can’t get this 1970s song out of my head. It’s the David Bowie song warning us about change. But did we listen? Hell no. Because in that decade, we were the ones making the changes, exulting in our youthful ignorance and empowered by an almost new, barely used brain. Music critics say that Bowie was describing “the human experience of change and the struggle that comes with it.” Like acne. Or post holiday weight gain. Or hot flashes, adult temper tantrums, the fact that male menopause is a real thing (just ask any Corvette dealer) or being trapped on vacation with women of varying hormonal plateaus. But I think one critic describes it best: “Bowie conveys a sense of both hope and despair, which perfectly encapsulates the complex emotions that people feel when going through a significant life change.” So you’ll forgive me when I throw an internal hissy every time I despair over “significant life changes” in Tahoe. Like watch-
ing another coffee cup strolling, not down a city street where it belongs, but through the woods. And it’s attached to a human hand habitually held aloft in a smug, “I’m sipping on fresh, hot coffee and all you have in your mouth is residue from your dog’s tongue.” Or the changing attitudes in our town. I believe with my entire weather-beaten heart that among Tahoe’s finest commodities are its friendly, good spirited locals. So when I’m sitting next to another recent city evacuee, so close we’re actually exchanging thigh sweat, and yet their eyeballs remain glued to their phone rather than introduce themselves to a live human being, I am tempted to spit polish their phone screen while it’s still in their hand. They need to be cognizant of the fact that, even if we intentionally ignore each other waiting for our turn on the pickle ball court, our thighs have already mated and are making sweat babies. Invariably, I will introduce myself, forcing them to cringe and reluctantly give up their name. Adults in
close proximity should acknowledge the existence of each other. After all, we share our town in general and, at this moment, our body fluids in particular. Our sweat babies deserve no less from their parents. Granted, occasionally my hissy becomes external when, once again, I see a city gnome-designed forest trail that is freshly swept of pine needles and raked down to mud, then outlined with sticks and colorful plastic bags of excrement from their dogs. Or themselves. I’m still not sure. I realize this may be a new concept, but many of us moved here for the freedom of following a more natural path through the forest. True, you may ignore our preferences as you create your Urban-Utopi-
an Predictability Path and Waste Management Plan. However, the Forest Service staff is going to hunt you down, grab your rake and excoriate you from head to toe. And I know this because I heard it from the source. While my Malin“Gnaw” puppy was threatening to debone his shins, the Forest Service employee thought it was a great time for us to introduce ourselves and share some stories. No sweat babies involved. Just old Tahoe style camaraderie before the ch-ch-chch-changes. Yes, you may call us old-fashioned because we don’t “work in tech from home,” but ya’ gotta give us some cred. We lived in a time when people were expected to travel outside their bedroom and physically appear at a workplace, sans pajamas. Though sure, mental attendance was not recommended, as we were required to slither into the most humiliating costume our employer could dream of after a night of tequila, tranquilizers and rejection from his wife and the cute new cocktail waitress he hired.
We worked for, well, I really don’t know how long—because casinos don’t allow clocks that might remind us of the precious hours of our life being flushed down the glittery, gamble-gutter. Nor water fountains that aid in the sobriety of their guests and staff. But if you consider the time we wasted giving bathroom directions to intoxicated customers and listening to bosses who kept tripping over their egos, it felt like eternal solitary confinement, without the joy of being solitary. So, as Bowie said, I despair at some of the ch-ch-ch-ch changes in Tahoe. While the new change-makers probably despair waiting for the old guard to move on to Heaven, Hell or worse, Palm Springs. True, like Palm Springs, we’re bleached, baked and suncracked. But taking time for each other and sharing the Tahoe bond of open hearts and friendly spirits is worth keeping alive. I’m hoping there’s still enough of us around to ch-ch-ch-ch change your mind.
A decade on, Michael drops in.
Holy crap, that's my kid! I don't mean to in any way belittle the significance of a child’s first steps, first words, first time he hugs you back or puts together a sophisticated question beyond the monosyllabic and incessant, “why?” All of these are amazing milestones in the shared life of father and child, but without a
doubt, beyond any comparison, the most mind-blowing paternal experience for me so far has been the simple act of skiing with my four-year old son, Michael. Skiing with Michael should not be confused with teaching him how to ski. This process involved lots of tears, some fantastic
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three-year-old face plants, hours spent with a tow rope on snowy streets, innumerable repetitions of “French fries” and “pizza” and infuriating cycles and experimentations in layering up and de-layering to accommodate trips to the bathroom. No, none of this was actually skiing. It was just the required price of admission to that other mythical land of fantasy. Skiing with my three-now-four-year-old son means he gets off the chair solo, points his sticks down the hill and does it. Watching Michael navigate the berms and various snowpacks, hesitantly shifting from the invincible snow wedge to parallel and back again, I finally had the quintessential father notion, “Holy crap, that’s my kid!” Almost as if up until that pristine moment framed by blue sky, white snow and green trees, I hadn’t realized that I was partly responsible for bringing this little person into the world. Before then, I was just buckling him in and out of his car seat, changing diapers, dressing, feeding, protecting, scolding, rewarding, and generally remaining in control of his little world. With two sharp metal projectiles snapped onto his feet, the wind in his face, and me 100 yards uphill, Michael was holding the steering
wheel, slamming on the gas, and we both were loving every second of it. Letting go is a big part of being a parent. Wifey and I constantly debate the merits and risks of allowing greater autonomy for our children. I’m more of the anarchy school and she’s much more logical when it comes to incremental independence. Letting go had hitherto never been presented in such a crystallized perfect form as it was when my son first really began skiing independently. Could I tuck down the hill and save him before he slams into a pole, a tree, a gaggle of retired Texas vacationers serpentining their way down Ridge Run? Sure, maybe I could make it in time to prevent the world’s largest oldpeople frozen yard sale, but right before I lower my upper torso in a desperate attempt to avert disaster, my son looks up, notices the impending collision, digs in his edges and adeptly navigates away from the startled seniors. Trust. Does this mean that I trust him now and have never really trusted him before? Not entirely. I trust him to play with other kids and not clobber them over the head with balls and bats and heavy objects . . . at least not too frequently. I think perhaps that it’s a different level of trust.
The consequences at 20-plus miles per hour, even with the helmet emblazed with masking tape reading “My Dad’s phone number is…” are just that much more severe. And it’s not that I know the consequences; it’s that he does. He understands and I trust his understanding. Skiing has done this for both of us in a way that no other activity could have. I wrote the words above for a column over 10 years ago and it’s only gotten better since. Three of our kiddos can actually go backcountry skiing with us now, especially in the spring when the avalanche danger diminishes. Our one kiddo with special needs is finally a solid beginner skier and all six of us got to ride Powderbowl chair together. As we wait for the snow to again cover our little world in white, it feels good to reminisce about one of the joys of parenting: the shared joy of skiing. M.C. Behm is a full-time resident of South Lake Tahoe and author of “Once Upon a Quarantine” and “The Elixir of Yosemite.” Available locally and online. To learn more or respond to columns visit www.behmbooks. com or email mcbehmbooks@ gmail.com.
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Major holiday period and nobody wants to pay to fill the upper lot?
Way to kill ski culture, Vail! WTF! Yeah, you know what I am talking about—do I need to say it? Where is my winter?! El Nino, the child, more like the baby, a little baby winter. I am not the type to be superstitious, but all those people who went out and bought a new snowblower because last winter was too much, I’m thinking you need to take that thing out to the middle of your street and burn it in a sacrificial bonfire so we can get this going. And to all those who were whining about how hard last winter was— now look at what you’ve got. Oh, maybe you are happy to have jinxed our current winter, but I’m not superstitious, maybe a little pissed off that some folks who live in the mountains but don’t want to shovel (or snowblow) their driveways got their wish so far this winter. Alright, that was hard last winter and my back will probably never be the same, but it was so fun and so beautiful. I could do that again. Yeah, I would probably just end up paralyzed from all the snow removal, but what a way to go! Oh well, I think I’ll just go up and get a few turns on the
upper mountain where it actually looks kinda like winter. Oh wait, they want me to pay 20 bucks just to park this morning? Well thanks, Vail, for wrecking that spontaneous—and for many skiers a ritualistic—morning cruise around the ski hill, then off to work or whatever. Oh no, wait, I’ll just get three other people together, make a reservation and head up for our day together. But the only locals this really works for are the families that ski together, which is an awesome thing; I love seeing the little kids up there rippin’ around. Yes, I will be the first to admit that the last couple of years have been tough. Lots of people trying to get up there to park and have fun, it’s been difficult and even frustrating at times (powder days), but we work it out, somehow. What they seem to want to do is get rid of the real skiers, locals, ski bums, folks who buy their pass to ski the mountain they like, frequently, spontaneously and
without having to give more of our hard-earned dollars to the corporate monster. Yeah, to be fair, that monster is the reason many of us are here, not just to work and make money but to ski and board and enjoy being in the mountains. Yeah right, way to kill ski culture, Vail! I really thought when they first announced this “more money for your ski day” thing, they would have to do something—a pass, a discount, something for the fulltime locals. Nope, it seems that is exactly who they intended to keep away to alleviate the parking problems. They apparently want to encourage carpooling and using public transportation, and
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I would jump on a bus if it came near my neighborhood and went directly to the hill. Nope, nothing like that exists. They will tell you it works in other ski areas—maybe true—but they have a functioning public transit system to use. This expensive pay for parking thing has pissed off a lot of people. It is causing many of us to drive further and more often to other places to ski and board. I have heard people talking about getting a pass at a different hill next year. However, we always buy the more expensive pass so we can ski during the holidays,
for $221 each for their annual ski trip. OK, I apologize for all the complaining; it’s a new year and last year was excellent. It was an incredible winter and a beautiful, smoke-free summer that never got too hot. I got to do a kooky thing and ski every month last year. And now we are sliding on snow again for the new year. It has been fun out there, including backcountry in limited areas (of course I won’t say where) and the ice skating was amazing for a short window, too. And hey, Heavenly / Vail has done an incredible job at snowmaking—thank you for that, and yeah, I’m sure that is some expensive
This expensive pay for parking thing has pissed off a lot of people. It is causing many of us to drive further and more often to other places to ski and board.” not next year! I know, we aren’t the crowd that makes Vail rich; I guess the 50 season passes I have purchased mean less than that family that buys five day-passes
When autumn gave way to winter, the snow sports crowd started getting a bit itchy. The hope is always that there will skiing of some kind by Thanksgiving, and certainly by Christmas. Each year is different. In an area that is world famous for the quality and quantity of snow, the vast and varied terrain to lay tracks in, this part of the Sierra has more than enough for any kind of ski, skier, or snowboarder. The greater Lake Tahoe area, in and out of the basin, has some of the best skiable territory anywhere on the planet. The resorts surrounding Tahoe are all different, not only in terms of amenities, but in the skiable slopes within their boundaries. The downhill crowd flocks to these resorts from the time the first flakes fall until the last day at the last open slope. That's a lot of ski days, and a lot of alpine skiers. The downhill resorts, all world class, spend summer and fall getting ready. All they need is for snow and skiers to show up. Whether or not you have all
your own gear doesn't matter. They have enough in their rental packages for everyone. Groomed trails, never groomed trails, terrain parks, mogul heavens, are all there, complete with great spots to stop and eat. Ski Patrollers look after everyone, helping with all kinds of minor and major mishaps. The Nordic skiers do much the same thing. As soon as it is possible, the skis come out and off they go. Where, though, do they go? Just about anywhere there is enough snow to glide on. The back country and cross-country skiers are in a bit of a different sled though. Back county skiers are, in a very real sense, on their own. There aren't any groomed runs out in the forest. There is an exception. The cross-country resorts, Royal Gorge, Kirkwood XC, and Tahoe Nordic, groom runs for the skinny skis, but they aren't back country. They are resorts. Out in the forest, the only first aid is what you carry. What you eat is in your backpack, along with the water you need. There aren't any posted hours ei-
ther. Daylight generally dictates when the XC enthusiasts are skiing. If you want a latte, you're out of luck. If you get lost, you may be completely out of luck. If you are one of the back country skiers, either on traditional xc skis, randonee, or Telemark units, a newbie or an experienced forest denizen, at this, the front end of the season, pay attention. It's been a few months since you last skied. You really are on your own out there. Planning is critical to a great day in the snowy woods. Here are some early season reminders: Check the weather forecast before you head out the door. Skiing in a light snow is pretty nice. Fighting your way through a blizzard you didn't know about is a bad thing. Check the avalanche conditions before you head out too. The Sierra Avalanche Center has daily updates, conditions, and forecasts during snow season. Wear layers. Throughout the day you may need to cool down a bit, or get warmer. Make sure your pack has whatever
snow up there on the mountain right now! The other thing this delay in winter has done is given many of us procrastinators a chance to finish some winterizing projects. It is supposed to snow tonight and I still need to do a little more prep in my yard. I am not paying 20 bucks to park and not parking out on the street; it looks like time to finish some late winter prep and go up this afternoon for some free parking. What a weird way to have to plan your spontaneous ski day. Let’s play! Got reservations? I can fit five in my car. Cross country skiing along the West Fork of the Carson River.
Getting ready to explore Taylor Creek.
you need to stay warm, dry, and comfortable. Leave your nice cotton clothing home. The old saying, "Cotton kills,” is true in the winter woods. Wonderful material that it is, it has no insulating properties, takes a long time to dry when wet, and holds moisture on your skin. Synthetics, smartwool, and wool are the only material you should be wearing, from your underoos to your balaclava and gloves. They dry quickly, move moisture away from your skin, and have insulating properties. Know where you are going, and let someone, who isn't with you of course, know where you're headed and when you expect to return. Take a map and compass with you. Know how to use them. Your cell phone and GPS unit may or may not work where you are headed. Depending on them is a mistake. Check your repair kit from last year. Bring it up to date if you need to. Do the same for you first aid kit. Take whatever meds you need, enough for a couple of days, with you, in a waterproof container. Take enough water and food for your day, plus ex-
tra, just in case you end up out there for a longer period of time than you planned for. Chocolate covered peanut M&M's are required. Matches and something to start a fire with (dryer lint really works well), in a waterproof container, need to be in your pack too. Wet weather gear: weather changes and snow can turn to rain at weird times. Wet and cold are not your friends in the winter woods. Ski with someone. Going out alone is, simply, a mistake. Common sense, in great quantities, needs to always be your companion. Seems like a long list. It isn't. It is a very good start. Adjust all of this to suit your particular style of backcountry skiing. Skiing the floor of Hope Valley is a tad different than telemarking Mt. Tallac. Above all, enjoy the beauty and wonder of the forest in winter. You and your skiing partner may be the only humans out in your part of the forest. It's truly a unique experience. Just be prepared for it.
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Margot Robbie starred in last year's Barbie blockbuster.
Looking back at 2023 Here we are again at the end of a year. This is when everyone is putting out their “best of the year” lists for film. Nothing this year really blew my socks off and I’m not very good at creating a “best of” list, so I’ll just try to re-cap the year with some films and some thoughts. We’re now pretty well past the pandemic, though some things that changed during that time haven’t completely changed back (and perhaps never will), but we still keep moving forward into our new reality. In film, that new reality is still finding its place. Even more than affecting the industry’s ability to make films, the pandemic shifted how we watch films. It took theatres a while to rebuild audiences, and then this year we also had a strike by both writers and actors at the same time—both coming as the new AI technology began to infiltrate the industry, potentially threatening the livelihoods of writers and actors. That issue is just getting started and will probably figure into things for some time to come. On the big screen, one of the most significant stories is something I mentioned a bit in prior columns, the fall of Marvel and Disney from being surefire box office titans. Of course, Marvel and Disney are now one in the same, but they are still separate brands. There is the Marvel cinematic
28 Mountain News
universe (MCU) as the home of all comic book superheroes and then Disney live action along with the animated films from Disney and Disney-owned Pixar. All had some significant failures this year. Marvel has been heading somewhat downhill for a while. They had decent success with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 but the slide downward continued when Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania greatly underperformed and the more recent film, The Marvels has had dismal box office (by MCU standards). In animation, Pixar’s Elemental tanked domestically last spring, not even covering its $200 million cost. Luckily it did well overseas and
universes, and the giant corporation is hemorrhaging money on all sides. Of course, a corporation this big will keep moving forward, but what used to be surefire moneymakers will no longer work, so Disney must go back to the drawing board to recapture and rebuild a solid audience. As we look back on the year, there are some high points with films that will most likely be Oscar contenders. Of course, the big buzz was about “Barbenheimer,” which refers to the simultaneous release of the films Oppenheimer and Barbie, two films, polar opposites in content, that both drew big audiences and created an event where people would see a double
We're now pretty well past the pandemic, though some things that changed during that time haven't completely changed back (and perhaps never will), but we still keep moving forward into our new reality. showed a bit of profit. The latest Disney classic animated film, Wish has also been tanking at the box office. In live action, remakes of The Haunted Mansion and even Indiana Jones’ final adventure have been big disappointments. Add to this the expense of producing several streaming series in both the MCU and Star Wars
bill, catching both in one sitting. Both films will most likely be up for best picture. Teresa and I saw and liked both. Oppenheimer is interesting in that it explores his unusual life as well as the events surrounding the first atomic bomb, and Barbie is cool in that for all its silly goofiness, it addresses real issues while
also having significant nostalgia and a witty sense of humor. Martin Scorsese has made a very good film with Killers of the Flower Moon, a Scorsese take on a true story about the brutal murders of native Americans back in the 1920s, featuring brilliant performances, beautiful cinematography and most likely a bunch of Oscar nominations. Two other best films of the year that are a little out of the norm would be Poor Things and Asteroid City. Poor Things is a crazy, black comedy riff on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, with the “monster” being a young woman named Bella, brought back to life, but with the mind of a child; and as she explores life in Victorian London, the thing she finds most fascinating is sex. Emma Stone as Bella will have a best actress nomination for sure. Asteroid City I wrote about last July and it is one of the better Wes Anderson films. It may not garner a best picture nomination, but I still think it is one of the year’s best. In the animated world, with the slump of Disney and Pixar, Spider-Man: Across the SpiderVerse showed what a blockbuster animated film can look like, this one from Sony Animation. Visually stunning with great story telling, this highly rated film has done about $600 million worldwide, far outpacing any of the Disney-Pixar
films. On a lesser financial scale but just as critically acclaimed is The Boy and the Heron, which may be the final film from Hayao Miyazaki at Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio that brought us great films like Princess Mononoke, The Wind Rises, Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away. The hand drawn fluid style with lush backgrounds and the influence of Japanese landscapes and culture combined with elements of fantasy, wonder and whimsy have made his films some of the best ever, and The Boy and the Heron is another masterpiece. So those are some of the top films from this year. With the industry still recovering from all the changes to the film landscape, there have also been some good, smaller, independent films released on streaming services. As I have said, Teresa and I both enjoy watching new films at home. I really enjoyed films like They Cloned Tyrone, Lola, Carmen and Rye Lane, among others. However, streaming services are realizing that they don’t make money putting out piles of films, so it will be interesting to see how that may change this year. Overall, I think we’re in a transitional year for film as we shift toward new technology, new business models and new audiences. Happy New Year.
Mountain News 29
THE EL DORADO COUNTY AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT OFFERS INCENTIVE PROGRAMS TO RESIDENTS OF EL DORADO COUNTY TO IMPROVE LOCAL AIR QUALITY.
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The Drive Clean! incentive program offers El Dorado County residents a $599 incentive towards the purchase or lease of an eligible electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen vehicle.
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Mackenzie Wagstaff and Kyle Roundy with newborn daughter Athena Magdalene, South Lake Tahoe's first baby of 2024, born January 1 at Barton Memorial Hospital.
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