Mountain Sports Club Blog

Wiinter keeps hanging out in parts of the Rocky Mountains and a few areas are keeping the the lifts open and/or extending their seasons.


Here are a couple of updates we found on the web at the Ski Area Management site:

New York State's Windham Mountain is reopening on Saturday, May 24 to host a rail jam for diehards. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the 24th. Because of the event’s location at the base of the mountain, no lifts will be running, but food and beverage operations will be open.

Utah, Snowbird will continue to operate on a limited schedule, with selected lifts through the weekend of May 30, and will shoot for a possible July 4 closing should conditions permit.

Colorado’s Arapahoe Basin is the last to remain open in the state, with a June 8 closing day. Check out recent photo galleries of spring skiing, beach party and hikes to the North Pole terrain.

In California, Mammoth Mountain has scheduled May 26 as the mountain’s final day to run the lifts.

Farther west, both Timberline’s Palmer snowfield on Mt. Hood and Blackcomb’s glacier will remain open deep into summer. Timberline’s season is expected to go until September 1, with operations on the Blackcomb glacier commencing June 9 and running through July 27.

Blackcomb resort will close on June 8 and the mountain’s Wizard Chair and Solar Coaster Chair are closed for maintenance through June 8, but will reopen on June 9 for glacier skiing.)

Special spring and summer membership drive. The Mountain Sports Club premium membership retails for $29.95. This valuable membership offers premium members savings of up to 50% on purchases, services, lodging, lift tickets, travel and more at top resorts throughout North America.

Register now and enter promo code spring08 to receive specially priced membership for only $6.95, for one year from date of registration and start saving.

The Mountain Sports Club membership offered member lift ticket discounts at over 50 resorts in North America during the winter 2008. Lodging discounts and online booking of discounted travel was available at most major destination resorts and through over 2,000 different lodging properties. More resorts, lodges and merchants are being added weekly.

Resorts offering lift ticket discounts and savings:
Alyeska, Kirkwood, Squaw Valley, Loveland, Crested Butte, Monarch Mountain, Sunlight Mountain, Diamond Peak, Shawnee, Shawnee Peak, Windham Mountain, Mad River Glen, Ski Liberty, Roundtop, Whitetail, Cranmore Mountain, Tenney Mountain, Whaleback, Wildcat, Gunstock, Pats Peak, Smugglers Notch, Ski Cooper, Powderhorn, June Mountain, Mission Ridge, Saddleback, Plattekill Mountain, Holiday Mountain, Baldy Mountain, King Pine, Ski Denton, Camelbeach, Magic Mountain, Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail, Beaver Creek, Copper Mountain, Winter Park, Tamarack, Big Sky, Moonlight Basin, The Canyons, Arapahoe Basin, Snowbird, Park City,Angel Fire, Red River and more…

Mountain Sports Club members enjoy lift ticket savings at over 50 resorts nationwide. Resorts from California, Colorado, New York, Vermont, Utah, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and more. The 2008-09 winter season will offer more and more benefits for members to save at an ever growing list of resorts and merchants providing members with valuable savings.Have a special promotion code and offer? Once setting up your FREE basic membership, follow the links to upgrade account to complete activation of your premium membership.

Start saving now on lift tickets discounts, lodging discounts, travel savings and more.Special spring and summer membership offer. Spring special offer now only $6.95 for one year. Use promotion code spring08 when upgrading to redeem discounted membership offer.

Questions call us at 303.554.6555 Monday - Friday 9-4 Mountain Time.

Free Skiing at Monarch MountainFree Lift tickets for all on Monday April 7, 2008 Monarch, CO.

Monarch Mountain is offering free lift tickets on Monday April 7, 2008 to encourage people to visit the area in central Colorado. Monarch has received record snowfall this season, more than 36 feet so far and the conditions are fantastic.

“We are a pretty low key family ski area and we feel it’s important to offer a great value to keep people coming into our sport and what’s a better value than a free lift ticket” said Rich Moorhead, CEO. “This season has been one of our best so we want to show off the mountain” added Moorhead.

Complimentary lift tickets will be available at the ticket windows starting at 8:30am. Monarch is asking for a donation of a non-perishable food item but everyone will receive a free lift ticket. The donated food will be given to The Grainery a local organization that operates a food bank.

Monarch is located in the San Isabel National Forest 20 miles west of Salida, CO. Abundant natural snow (350 + in.) and friendly people are two of the areas strongest attributes. For more information on Monarch Mountain or the free lift ticket day visit www.skimonarch.com.

Mountain Sports Club members save all season on lift tickets at Monarch Mountain.

Utah ski trip was winding down. We had long wanted to visit Sundance, and it did not disappoint. Robert Redford was wise to buy and develop the resort in such a magnificent location! It is quaint, rustic, and beautifully run and decorated with American cowboy and Indian motifs. Steep mountains and waterfalls surround the resort, but many of the slopes are wide and well groomed. There are the usual mixture of catwalks (which I find difficult and try to avoid) and bowls. From the front there is one very long chair, and you can download it at several points. If you stay on to the end, you can access another lift to a spectacular view of the Great Salt Lake.



The residents say it is one of the smallest of the Utah resorts, and I tell them we would love to have such a resort back East. To me, it is huge, high, and challenging! The sharp peaks can make you very dizzy. It is a family resort, and it is wonderful to see so many children learning and singing as they ski or board. There were a number of Brigham Young college students, and they are respectful and well behaved. Everyone goes out of their way to be friendly! Special thanks to public relations manager Lucy Ridolphi, who does a terrific job and has produced a very handsome brochure of Sundance.



If you can get reservations at one of the lodges on the property, try to do so. But, you must book well in advance, especially if the timing coincides with the Sundance film festival (some of the events are held there, but most are in Park City). Sundance was voted the 6th top resort world wide by Conde Nast, and deserves the honor! If you can’t stay overnight, book lodging at one of the nearby cities and spend the day. You will have a terrific ski experience. Hopefully, no” raindrops will fall on your head” while you are there. Ouch! Hope that didn’t “make your day.”


Sadly, the next day was time to leave Utah. It was a long 9 day trip, capped off by extremely rough flights for all travelers across the nation. After an enormous amount of turbulence, and wind gusts of 70 miles per hour, we had a rough landing at BWI. Every adult on the plane applauded, and most of us shook the hands of the Delta pilot and co pilot as we left the plane. As we looked out the airport window, we saw a magnificent rainbow, which made it all worth while. It was another answer to our prayers, and a signal it was time to plan another trip!



Author Connie Lawn, see more articles at DCski.com from Connie.

Tuesday we were at Park City; Wednesday at Snowbasin, (where we stayed at the handsome Lakeside Villages), so by Thursday, we must be a Snowbird. What a treat!! If you have never in your life stayed in the Cliff Lodge, you owe it to yourself to have at least one night there. The sheer, spectacular mountains can be seen from all the windows. The sunsets and sunrises are magnificent! The décor of beautiful hotel is enhanced by displays of oriental carpets, antique Chinese robes, screens, and sculptures, and beautiful artwork and other fine items sold in the stores. There is a heated rooftop pool and hot tub, as well as a spa and health club. It is great to enjoy the pool, especially as the snow falls in your face, and the moon rises over the mountains. Our special thanks to Public Relations Director Laura Schaffer for her generous contribution to this part of her trip. Her parents are journalists in Washington so she understands what reporters like! We enjoyed dinner at the Lodge Bistro, breakfast buffet at the Aerie, and Clif energy bars on the snow!

On Thursday, we took the Peruvian Express High Speed Chair to the top of Snowbird at 10,518 feet. Then we skied down Chips Run, a 2.5 mile blue trail but steep and challenging for us. As the natives say, “Snowbird is an intense mountain.” A new option is to buy a combined Snowbird-Alta lift ticket (only $10 extra) and take the new tunnel from the top of the Peruvian quad chair. The surface people mover is 600 feet long and 15 feet high. You can take the tunnel through to the panoramic Mineral Basin, take the Mt Baldy lift go through the gates to Alta, ski back through Alta at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon and return to Snowbird on the free shuttle bus. This new option can be especially helpful to intermediate skiers, and reduce traffic on the aerial tram and other chairs. We hope to return and check out the tunnel and more of the areas – there is so much territory, and so very much to cover! We were extremely pleased we had a great deal of time to spend with the Snowbird Adaptive skiers – the major part of our visit.

The Adaptive sports center is run with compassion, skill, care, and dedication by Peter Mandler, the Executive Director, Laura Cantin, the Assistant Director, and numerous instructors and volunteers. They have all earned their places in Heaven! While we were there, two young children with cerebral palsy were being brought down the mountain on sit skis. It took a team of 3 or 4 people to help them ride the lift and whiz down, but how much the children loved it! There is no additional charge for this – as in most adaptive programs, the funds come from donations and fund raising events. Later in the day, a doctor with a spinal cord injury also had a chance to celebrate his second anniversary on a monoski. Several of us had the chance to sit in his monoski; it is not at all easy and requires great upper body strength and coordination just to get in and out of it.

Thanks to Jessica Kunzer and Ski Utah, we had another magical week in Utah – a state which produces some of the best snow conditions and most majestic, towering, and steep mountains in the world! Thanks also for a tour which shows us how far Utah has progressed, and will continue to progress, to help adaptive, disabled athletes and wounded warriors.

We had a wonderful whirlwind tour, which included Park City, Snowbasin, Snowbird, and Sundance (which Charles and I visited on our own). Everyone has their own preference, but Charles and I loved the long, wide, perfectly groomed slopes of Snowbasin, as well as the panoramic views. We love the comparative solitude and the assurance we are not going to be crashed into from behind or above. We were once told there are an average of 2,000 acres to a skier on a weekday. We also love the fact that people remember us and call us by name, even though we had not been there for several years. Snowbasin also has the incredibly luxurious day lodges, which are dripping with marble, fine carpets, crystal lamps, and beautiful art. It is nice to rest on a plush couch, in front of the fireplace, when you are relaxing from the rigors of the slopes. The day lodges also have gourmet meals and numerous community events for visitors and nearby residents.

Snowbasin is opening up more programs for adaptive skiers and boarders, including those with sight and hearing problems. We watched with amazement as a blind skier repeatedly whizzed down the mountain, while a world class sit ski champion went through his paces. Both men warm up on runs like the two Olympic Downhill courses at Snowbasin, and then think nothing of spending the rest of the day on steep, narrow double black diamonds. Paul Schaeffer is a blind skier who lives in Virginia and works at the State Department. He flies in alone from the Washington DC area, takes a bus to Ogden and then shuttle buses to Snowbasin. There his guides and ski companions help him out. But, since he skis better than most of them, they have to work hard to stay ahead of him! Paralympian Chris Waddell was also a guest at Snowbasin that day; he has won top medals in monoski competitions around the world. We were honored to meet athletes of this character and caliber.

Monday afternoon we had flown into Salt Lake City from Reno. We were met at the busy airport by our hostess, Ski Utah’s Jessica Kunzer who had already met the other two journalists on our tour. Jessica and Ski Utah have to be some of the busiest ski representatives in the industry. She conducts about 5 such tours a year, and they require enormous work and expense. As if she were not busy enough, Jessica told us she was up at 4 in the morning to hike up a mountain with friends. Then they skied down at sunrise. She personifies much of the best of the West, where people combine the love of nature with dedication to intense physical exercise. Don’t mess with these women – you may not live to tell the story! Two members of our group, including me, had intense lung congestion, which caused us pain and breathing difficulties throughout the week. That was no fun, and can be dangerous, especially at that altitude. I learned that lesson the next day – more later.

We checked into a modern Holiday Inn Hotel and then went directly to the famous National Ability Center at Park City. It is one of the most amazing of all the centers for adaptive sports people in this country. The sprawling, modern center receives donations from many people, but the largest grant came from the generous Bronfman Family. The Bronfman Recreation Center and Ranch proudly carries their name. The center has many adaptive programs, including hippo or equestrian therapy, swimming, biking, and the wide range of winter and summer programs. The programs are the brainchild of Meeche White, who has devoted the last 30 years to creating them and raising funds. She claims she plans to semi retire, but I doubt she can ever be replaced. She is now assisted by a terrific partner - Ryan Jensen, the Marketing Manager.

That night we had dinner at the National Ability Center Ranch with 10 soldiers and Marines from San Antonio sponsored by Operation Comfort. While they were recovering from their wounds, they were skiing and snowboarding. Some were still on active duty, and the others were working hard to begin the next phase of their lives. One handsome young soldier still has sand and shrapnel in his eyes, but is coping with his pain and is skiing. He masks his disabilities, and it is difficult to tell he has visual impairment. Charles and I enjoyed the opportunity to have long talks with the men and women over the relaxed meal. Often, there is a great rush at these wounded warrior events, and there is little time to get to know the soldiers and their stories, before we all head to the slopes together.

A Note about Altitude sickness

Just a brief aside to warn flatlanders – take it easy in the wind, cold, and altitude. I love Park City – one of my favorite areas. I came down too fast a few times, and the wind grew stronger and colder. I was having trouble breathing in any case, with the chest congestion. On the second run, as I neared the bottom, I got dizzy, my heart pounded, and I fought for breath. Then everything went blurry, and I sank gently into the snow. It was so peaceful lying there. But, whenever I tried to get up, I did not have the strength to stand. Thank God Charles and other members of our party were there, and they stayed until the ski patrol came. Those wonderful men gave me oxygen, strapped me into their sled, and transported me down the rest of the mountain. It is so comforting to be cared for by professionals! Still, I was really angry at myself. The condition cleared up in a short time, and I was well enough to ski Snowbasin the next day, if I took it easy and stopped frequently. I think the wind, cold, and my congestion were the main problems – I do not generally have a problem with altitude. But, this is meant as a warning to my friends – don’t exert yourself too quickly in the big mountains – build up to it by skiing and boarding often, and don’t try to do too much in a day. Buy a half day lift ticket, get some rest, and enjoy spending part of the time sitting around in the sun, and eating the delicious foods at the resorts!

Article written by Connie Lawn. See more of her articles at DCski.com

Out of the Clouds, and into the Sun! Snowshoe and Silver Creek West Virginia

After five years of planning, the Challenged Athletes of West Virginia sponsored their first Wounded Warrior Weekend at Silver Creek and Snowshoe. Their hard work paid off – it was a tremendous success! The snow conditions also held up, and were good to excellent, depending upon the time of day and area. Everyone learned a lot and had a great time. Nearly 40 people participated in the weekend. They included the regular staff members, instructors, and volunteers from the Snowshoe program, which is ably headed by David Begg. He told us 5 of the warriors were active duty Marines from Camp LeJeune (they looked so young without their heavy military equipment!). The other visitors were from Tennessee, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. They had various degrees of injuries, but several had lost legs. They all appeared to be skiing, snowboarding, or sit-skiing with great courage and skill. Dave said they hope to have other such warrior programs, in addition to those for the skiers and boarders disabled in other ways. He said there was incredible support from the staff, volunteers, and community. He told us the event created a really good feeling in the Snowshoe community. Some of the athletes continue to experiment with their sport. Staff Sargent Karl Dorman has a knee disarticulation, or amputation at the knee, and was skiing for the first time with two skis and his new prosthesis. Before that he was snowboarding. He is active in the distribution of artificial limbs. He, his wife, and four children attended the event, and he has siblings still serving in Iraq. It is difficult to list all who participated. But, special thanks to media and marketing coordinator Laura Parquette, who did a great job, despite the flu!

The warriors in the program included Karl Dorman, Arnold Beard, Shon Holler, Tyler Baker, Richard Caseltine, Dominico Washington, Roman Goddeau, Aaron Bourassa, and Dean Schwatz. Some of the special adaptive instructors and volunteers Bob Spencer, Becky Halioua, Nathan Magnusen, Denise Heffernan, Mark Tracy, Riley and David McDowell, Robert Martin, Dave Kennedy, Jeff Costin, Skeeter Porter, Brandi Garrett, Mike Smoot and the fabulous instructors who cooked and served the terrific food all weekend. Thank you all, and apologies to those left out or misspelled! The weekend consisted of special instructions and free skiing or riding, generally in the Silver Creek area (which is much less crowded than the larger Snowshoe area. Both are connected by free shuttle buses, and use the same lift passes). Many of the warriors are so skilled, they did not actually need instructors, and were far ahead of them on the snow. The sit skiers were especially fast and graceful. But, all the athletes had “snow buddies” or a group of volunteers to help them with their equipment, and assist in getting onto and off the lift, if needed. Again, some are so skilled and possess so much upper body strength, they need little help. Some skied or used snow boards with one leg, while others used their special, high tech prosthesis. Other athletes on the mountain appeared to be considerate and polite towards the special skiers and boarders. Adaptive ski programs are growing in this nation, and there is greater support for them in many areas. That is an important trend which must be encouraged! Most of these programs are privately funded, so support, contributions, and volunteer assistance is always welcome.

The Skiing was great!!

Snowshoe and Silver Creek lived up to their reputations as some of the finest resorts in the Mid Atlantic region. It is too bad they are so far away from the Washington and Baltimore metro areas, and we wish there was regular shuttle bus service (to all the resorts, in fact). Thanks to the skilled driving of my husband and partner Charles, we made it in about 5 hours each way. He followed the most important rule – drive during daylight!! Those steep, winding roads can be killers. Fortunately, the ice storm of the night before was not a major factor, since we left in mid afternoon. But, the thick fog in the lowlands, which yielded to clouds in the higher mountains, became very scary. The warriors told horror stories about their driving experiences. Snowshoe can be confusing at best of times, even for those of us who had been there several visits before. If you are trying to find your lodging, when it is cold, snowy, windy, dark, and cloudy, it is not a pleasant experience. So, drive in daylight and enjoy the dramatic scenery. It is not called “wild, wonderful West Virginia” for nothing! The trails were in great condition, and the snowmaking and grooming paid off. On Saturday, we thoroughly enjoyed Silver Creek, where the instructions were underway. There are some very fine lifts and trails there, and Mountaineer, Bear Claw, and Flying Eagle are advanced. The majority of the trails are designed for intermediates and beginners. There is also a nice large condo on the slopes, and the package prices are reasonable.

For many reasons, it might be better to stay in Silver Creek, ski there during crowded weekends, and take the quick shuttle bus to Snowshoe when you want to go there. On Sunday morning, the sun was shinning, the snow was perfect, and Charles and I were out early. We passed up the chance for free ski lessons – offered by the resort – to check out the new trails. We loved Sawmill! The moguls were just the way I liked them – medium sized and soft snow. I could not resist shouting “eh haw” everytime I jumped one! Widowmaker, Camp 99, and Sawmill Glades also looked like they were in terrific shape, as was most of the mountain, at that hour. Then we took the shuttle bus over to the Western Territory, and took the infamous Upper Shay’s Revenge and Lower Cupp Run. Can you say fast? Wow!! No wonder they are rated some of the most challenging and exhilarating runs in the East! I hope people from other parts of the country come and try them. I defy them to ever think Eastern skiing is easy after that. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

One more note about Snowshoe (and any other snow experience). It really pays to get a package deal, and check the various websites for specials. Booking a package which includes a condo, ski lift, and – sometimes rental equipment and instructions, it really pays. You can get packages for about $170 on weekends, and under a hundred during the week – again, there are a lot of specials. The condos are fabulous, with terrific views of the mountains and heavens (Snowshoe, like Wintergreen, is a resort built on the top of the mountain, to maximize the views and the fresh air). The condos have full kitchens and those magical, romantic gas fireplaces. There are saunas, swimming pools, exercises rooms, and indoor play areas in the Snowshoe resort. There are also a series of great restaurants, if you do not want to cook in. For the weekends, there are also Church services , which always take on a special beauty high in the mountains.

The Snowshoe Resort offers 60 trails, a 4,848 foot summit elevation, and a 1500 foot vertical drop. There is also snow tubing, terrain parks, snowmobile rides, and snowshoeing. In the summer, there is golf, biking, boating, and the usual round of summer activities in a magical setting. Thank you Snowshoe – keep up the good work!

Blog report authored by Connie Lawn

Lake Tahoe has had some of its best snow in decades, and my husband Charles and I did a weekend add-on to the adaptive ski tour of Utah that we will report on next week.

As in the East, the areas here can get crowded on weekends, and we could not get accommodations in Incline Village, Nevada. The area is well known for expensive homes, but there are lakeside casino hotels on the Nevada side which are relatively inexpensive and have free shuttle service to many of the ski areas. But, they were full. In Reno, there is ample lodging in casino hotels and many motels; you could get luxury accommodations and good rates. It is about an hour drive or less to the mountains, depending upon the resort and snow conditions.

We returned to a sumptuous suite in the new Tuscan Towers of the Peppermill. Thanks to our friend Michelle Hackman, we also enjoyed a hilarious show with the comedian Howie Mandel in the new Tuscan auditorium. The Peppermill hotel has a casino (the gaming is everywhere in Nevada, even in supermarkets) but Charles and I were not tempted. Nor did I allow him a tour of the Mustang pleasure ranch advertised on billboards on the roof of the taxis!

Our flights out West were complicated but fortunately, we missed the bad weather of the week before. That weather system translated into massive amounts of snow by the time we arrived. Our flights took us from BWI to Cincinnati on a Delta connection plane which held 50; then we changed to a larger one for a smooth flight to Salt Lake City. Next, a long walk through terminals and transfer to SW Airlines, a flight to Boise and finally into Reno. The casino hotels in Reno have free airport shuttles, and were relieved to be back at the Peppermill and promptly crawled into bed. Pity the poor political candidates and reporters – they are making such hops all the time!

Alpine Meadows, California

The next morning we shuttled back to the airport, rented a car, and took a glorious drive over the mountains to Alpine Meadows. We went over Donner Pass and past huge mounds of snow everywhere. Off the highways, there were places set aside for cars to safely park, and hundreds of people climbed over the mounds of snow to cross- country ski, snowshoe, snowmobile, and sleigh ride. The West has truly been blessed this year.

Alpine Meadows is a magnificent resort, not far from Squaw Valley. It is very steep, and can be prone to avalanches (as are many of the areas). The steepness and increasing wind made me very nervous, but everything was terrific when we were there. Thanks to media rep Rachel Woods and ski manager Mike Allred for helping with lifts and equipment. I used Volkl R1 skis and Tecnica boots. They were good and worked well on the fast, groomed trails, but heavier than the usual equipment I use in the East. Charles thought his equipment was also good, but the heavy Tecnica boots gave him a bruise on his shin.

Still, I highly recommend renting equipment on trips involving planes, and I will report on the skis and boots from now on. It is much less hassle to rent than to carry. And, now more airlines are imposing one piece limits on luggage, so bringing your own equipment could cost much more than rental fees.

At Alpine, we took several fast, fairly steep blue trails with magnificent vistas of the high Sierras and Lake Tahoe in the distance. The weather was in the high fifties, and the snow in the upper mountain was listed as 157 inches, with 103 inches in the lower mountain. There are numerous trails and bowls, and the highest point, Ward Peak, is 8,637 feet.

In addition to the incredible beauty and conditions, Alpine has one of the finest and oldest adaptive ski schools in the country. In fact, director Haakon Lang-Ree says it was one of the founding chapters of Disabled Sports USA. When we were there, there was a large group of adaptive teen skiers who were bused up from the San Francisco Bay area. We watched as they went through their instructions and boarding or skiing. These teens showed so much pride in their accomplishments, as they conquered new maneuvers or went over obstacles in the terrain parks.

Not only children enjoyed the mountain. There were several hundred guests from the Rotary Clubs there, skiing, meeting, and sharing friendship. Many appeared to be in the older skiing range. I enjoyed one man’s shirt which read, “Seniors rule.”

You can tell a resort is a family area when there are dogs around. I saw about 20 dogs cavorting in the snow at different times (but not in the trails where they could endanger to skiers). There were also numerous, sleek, friendly Golden Retrievers, who wore jackets identifying them as avalanche rescue dogs. Fortunately, their skills were not called upon at this time.

Diamond Peak, Incline Village, Nevada

On Sunday, March 2, we had several fast runs at Diamond Peak, which is adjacent to Incline Village. It boasts some of the best views of Lake Tahoe, and is not exaggerating! The sparkling aqua lake could be seen from several of the trails. It is 27 miles from Reno, and the winding mountain highway takes you past the Mt. Rose Ski area; one of our favorites. I’m glad Charles is a skilled driver – I would not want to handle those mountains and curves on my own; especially during snow and ice storms. There are alternative highways, which can be wider and faster, but are a bit longer.

Diamond is considered a family resort, and there were many young children whizzing down the mountains. 31 runs were open and the 65 inches of snow was listed as groomed. That translates to fast and hard packed. As the wind picked up at the top, we had to fight hard to gain control and keep from being blown off the mountain. But, we had a fast day skiing and snow boarding with our friends Michelle Hackman and her husband Colin. He arranged a surprise birthday party for her at the Snowflake Lodge at the top of the mountain. The view is worth many more birthdays!

On the way down, Charles and I were able to show off our Eastern skills. The slopes became harder and faster as the afternoon wore on. On the lower parts, they were a bit slushy in the 40 degree temperatures.

The highest point at Diamond Peak is 8,540 feet, with a vertical drop of 1,840 feet and the longest run of 2.5 miles. Most of the trails are blues and easy blacks. Diamond Peak has many fun events, such as a Last Tracks wine tasting and appetizers, at the end of some evenings. Skiers and boarders can watch the spectacular sunset over Lake Tahoe, as they journey down the mountain.

Our rental equipment held up well, and I suppose I do better on the heavier skis and boots, but I have to get used to them. This time I used Volkl Unlimited 156’s and Salomon boots. Thanks to Kayla Anderson, Marketing Coordinator, and Walter Guasch, Rental Manager, for arranging passes and equipment. We plan to re-visit Alpine Meadows and Diamond Peak many times.

Make sure to take advantage of the lift ticket discounta available from the Mountain Sports Club on your lift tickets the next time you ski at Diamond Peak. Members save $9 daily of lift tickets when using the discount coupons.
Western Wanderings -Tahoe – Feb 29 Mar 2, 2008 By Connie Lawn

A late February trip to Idaho brought me to 3 sweet ski areas - Sun Valley, Brundage and Tamarack in the South central part of Idaho. While Idaho may not be at the top of many skiers and snowboarders list of destination states for ski and snowboard vacations that will be changing based upon my recent experience.


There has been huge snowfall this winter and all three resorts offered great skiing and riding, plenty of options for great lodong and accomodations and excellent dining options. I flew into Boise and each of the areas are under 3 hours driving from Boise.

Sun Valley

It had been over 15 years since I had been to Sun Valley and I had forgotten how big and huge the area is. It had been several days since any new snow, but on the north facing slopes I was still able to find soft barely skied powder snow. The runs are long and provide options for off piste in the bowls and next to the beautifully groomed cruisers. The views of the Sawtooth wilderness is another spectacular site to behold. It was a blue sky day and the vistas enabled me to see mountains close to 100 miles in the distant horizon.

I drove and parked in the River Run base lodge area. Once at the base area I rode the Lower River Run chair up to midway and jumped on the upper River Run chair. This got me right to the top and access to the bowls on Bald Mountain. From here I then took the Lookout Chair across the top of the ridge to the top of Bald Mountain at 9,150 feet. This is a great jumping off point as you have a variety of lines, runs, bowls and tree lines to ski. The snow was surprisingly light and soft. It had not snowed for several days and there was a bright blue sky. Anything on the north facing slopes I found to have boot deep pow left to ski. Some of the snow was chopped up and some partial lines were still available.

In addition to the nice bowls with intermediate to advanced runs was the impeccably groomed runs. Literally something for everyone. And no crowds. One thing about Sun Valley is that while it may be hard to get to you have no lines and wide open runs to yourself. As big as many Colorado resorts with about half to 60% of the skiers and snowboarders. It is truly a relaxed unrushed and comfortable place to ski and ride. The on mountain and base lodges are truly full of creature comforts, excellent food, great views and a friendly atmosphere. If you have not been to Sun Valley I would highly suggest putting on your list of must resorts to ski or ride.

The holiday weekend was upon us and the plan was for a family ski and snowboard trip that would start with us heading for Salida on Thursday night and skiing at Monarch on Friday as we worked to beat the weekend crowds. With abundant snow recently and all winter we knew the conditiond would be excellent.

We stayed an evening at the Circle R Motel. This motel was spacious, clean and confrtable with hottub. Even though we were only there a night some of the units have refrigerators, microwaves and a little kitchen. Family owned and operatored by Pam and Lee we felt right at home. With already great rates the Mountain Sports Club savings and discount makes this an incredible value for those looking to save on the lodging. You will be able to stay here for several nights for less than one night in many ski resort towns.

That evening when we arrived we had dinner in old town Salida at Benson's. We had arrived close to 9 and wanted to make sure a full kitchen was still available. I had remembered Benson's from aprevious visit. Good selection of microbrew beers, hearty portions and a good pub style menu. The service was excellent and quick.

The next morning we were advised to have breakfast at Pancake Patio. Great value, friendly service, good food with generous portions. Just a few blocks down the road from the Circle R, it was an another good choice for a hearty breakfast to get us ready for a day of skiing and riding.

The skiing at Monarch was a picture perfect day. Blue skies, relatively warm day and soft snow. It had snowed recently and while there was minimal powder there was lots of soft broken snow and easy bumps to fly through. It has been over 15 years since I had been to Monarch and the warm family feel of the area was still as friendly as ever. There is a new structure for rentals that really made the traffic flow out of the base lodge much easier and added to a good family feel. We sampled runs across the ridge and had great views of the snowcat skiing terrain available. Monarch offers a wide range of terrain from short steeps, trees and bumps to easy cruisers. We tended to spend most of the day off the Garfield chair as we preferred the variety of great runs offered here. This was the case when I last skied here as well.

Make sure to take advantage of your Mountain Sports Club discounts when purchasing lift tickets. Members save up to $8 daily on lift tickets with the coupons. This area is a great value for families and anyone on a budget. Sitting a top Monarch Pass the area always has some of the best snow in the state. A visit to Salida and Monarch feels like a step back in time to days when resorts were not all full on real estate developments and the skiing and snowboarding fun as the focus on all efforts.

Saturday, February 16, 2008, was one of the near –perfect days for skiing and snowboarding at Liberty Mountain – the trails were well covered, the sun was shining, and the weather was warm. Some brave souls skied in short sleeve shirts. Don’t they know it is still February? We were pleased to take off our jackets and hang them on the racks (without lift tickets, of course). Next to the slopes, golfers were playing on the course. Love that contrast!

Over our heads, in the cloudless skies, we watched three gliders perform graceful circles. At times they seemed close enough to touch. Presumably, they landed safely at the nearby airport.

Liberty Mountain was crowded, as we knew it would be this Saturday of the Presidents weekend. But, they handled the crowds well. Charles and I are always impressed with the safety measures at Liberty. At several intersections, Ski Patrol members stood next to signs urging skiers and riders to slow down. Sometimes, they blew whistles or held up their hands. The signs read, “Chill” and “Ski Fast, Lose your pass.” They meant business, and the skiers and boarders appeared to respect them in most cases. Thank you!!!

The snow was in quite good condition. In fact, snow making continued on some trails until the afternoon, which left nice bits of real powder on the sides of the trails. Of course, the trails got harder and slicker as the day progressed, but that is to be expected. 16 trails were open and 8 lifts. There were nice big moguls on Upper Ultra and Upper Eastwind (not that I felt inclined to take them, but they looked large from the chair).

The snow parks looked good, and were well-utilized. There are good safety features; lifts you can get off at mid station, to cut down traffic from the top. There is also a J bar to one park and a magic carpet for beginners on the “green” side of the resort. I was pleased to see safety features at the Boulder Ridge Snow tubing. I did not tube this time, but looked down at the tubes from the ski slopes. It appears as though the hills were high enough to stop you at the end, and no one came close to hitting the fence (at least while I was observing). In fact, they slid backwards gently as they came to the end of their run. These features are very important, and make the exciting sport of tubing safe as well as fun. I will check it out again next visit.

There were lots of instructors working on Saturday, and a large group of adaptive skiers enjoying the thrill of the snow. At the end of February, Liberty Mountain hosts its group of Wounded Warriors – most have been receiving therapy at Walter Reed Hospital. But they will find the snow covered mountains, the fresh air, the respect and friendship to be the best therapy they can possibly have.

There are lots more events coming up at Liberty. There is a Big Air Park event, and 80’s weekend, and the usual zaniness that comes with March and springtime. Liberty has some of the best events in the region, so look for a variety of special surprises. Let’s see if they can top last year, when they covered President Eric Flynn’s office in foil, and aliens took over the resort! Whatever comes up, there should be several more weeks of good skiing and snowboarding ahead at Liberty Mountain, and the other resorts of the Mid Atlantic region.

This blog entry titled Gliders and Sunshine at Liberty Mountain – Saturday, February 16, 2008 - is from our field correspondent Connie Lawn. You can view more of her work on this blog and at www.dcski.com.

Mountain Sports Club members also receive lift ticket discounts at Liberty Mountain Resort. MSC members save $5 daily on lift tickets with members only coupons for daily lift ticket discounts. Not a member? Join now at www.mountainsportsclub.com.

The K2 Raider Ski with Marker M2 11.0 Tc Binding Package is now on sale for only $519.97. You save over 40% on the K2 Ski and Binding package. This discounted ski and ski binding package is brought to you by Ski Chalet. Visit them online to take advantage of this incredible deal now while supplies last. Ski Chalet is an award winning specialty ski retailer for over 30 years. Mountain Sports Club members save an additional $10 and save in store on purchases and shop work.

New to the K2 skis line for 2008, the K2 Raider ski is exceptionally versatile and built for the athletic skier seeking performance at an exceptional value. Built on the proven 78mm chassis, this ski has the widest performance envelope in our line. This ski binding package is currently available in 160, 167 and 174 cm lengths. With great snow everywhere take advantage of this closeout ski while still available. There is still lots of great skiin gleft this season.

Features
MOD Monic dampening system
MOD Technology
Triaxial Braided

Tecnical specs:

Dimensions: 119/78/105
Performance: 50% ungroomed / 50% groomed
Radius: 18m @ 174
Construction: Torsion Box
Core: Fir/Aspen