Presidents Weekend busy and happy

By Sam Bauman

As snowsporters know, last weekend was a fine ski and boarding time. The three-day holiday drew plenty to the slopes, but thanks to the fine snow the trails weren't all that crowded.

I decided to start a Heavenly's Boulder Base for a change. I taught skiing there for several years and memories of the run from the top of the Olympic nonstop to the base to pick up a class recall fine times.

Didn't run into any of the old instructors, all were busy on the hill. So we jumped on the old Boulder three-seat fixed chair, switched to the fixed three-pack North Bowl chair for the long ride. Of all the improvements needed at Heavenly, replacing that chair should be a the top of the list.

Then on the swift new quad Olympic detachable and a couple of quick runs along the edges of the main trail where the corduroy was untouched. Then to the new Pines Trail. As it was still early morning the trail, a track through trees that branches out like tree limbs, was hard stuff, melted and refrozen snow.

Rushing things, we got going a little fast for the conditions and wound up shooting through the trees to the main trail. A bit of excitement on an easy blue trail. Then the old game of running slalom thought the shadows of the chairs on the snow; a bit tighter gates with the faster chairs.

Then over to Dipper and Comet from the top of Olympic as the crowds began to arrive. Cowards that we are, we headed back to Boulder to escape the wackier snowsporters.

No injury except to the pride as I had to skip the bumps because of the right knee. I was wearing an orthopedic brace and when I went to remove it at the Boulder lodge I found that the bottom Velcro strap had been unfixed all morning. Not too smart.

Anyhow, Diamond Peak beckons this weekend.

HEAVENLY JACKPOT RAIL JAM

Heavenly will host the season's first JackPot Rail Jam Saturday at 5 p.m. on the World Cup run at California base. The event will guarantee the top 10 finalists a spot on the JackPot Rail Jams finals to be held there April 12.

Entry fee is $5 starting at 8 a.m. at the Heavenly Race Department. There is a $700 purse with cash being awarded to the best in each category - men and women's skiing, men and women's boarding. Call (800) HEAVENLY or see www.skiheavenly.com.

SQUAW VERTICAL EXPRESS

Squaw Valley USA will host 2008 Vertical Express for Multiple Sclerosis on March 1-2. In its 23rd year, the Vertical Express is a series of on-snow events to benefit the nonprofit The Heuga Center for Multiple Sclerosis

Squaw Valley was Jimmie Heuga's home mountain - the place he trained to win the Bronze medal in the Men's Downhill in the 1964 Olympics.

Teams of three skiers/riders raise a minimum of $1,000 to enter. The day's activities include on-snow events, prizes, complimentary lift tickets, food and goodie bags. Teams that raise $15,000 or more win a free trip to Vail, Colo., to attend the April Awards celebration, April 10-13. Register for the Vertical Express for MS at www.verticalexpress.org or by calling toll free (800) 376-3101.

Proceeds from the event allow people with MS to live full, productive lives by supporting The Heuga Center's one-, three- and five-day programs that teach people with this incurable, neurological disease how to manage it to the best of their ability.

TERRAIN PARK CHALLENGE

The Jeep reran Park Challenge, a progressive grassroots program in its third year of promoting safety and responsibility at terrain parks, reports that California's Sierra Summit Mountain Resort has been selected to host a safety clinic and competition on Saturday noon to 4 p.m. Registration for the event and more information about the Challenge is at www.JeepTPC.com. For Sierra Summit, visit www.sierrasummit.com.

HOMEWOOD WELCOME

Resort lift tickets for just $10 every Thursday starting Feb. 28. At a 75 percent savings, the Other-Mountain Pass Benefit is one of Tahoe's best incentives; however, the real incentive is that signature Homewood view.

Simply present your 2007/2008 season pass at any Homewood lift ticket window to receive a $10 full-day adult lift ticket.

In addition to the Other-Mountain Pass Benefit, no pass is necessary to take advantage of the new Homewood midweek lift ticket benefit. Starting Monday, Homewood will offer adult full-day lift tickets every Monday through Thursday for $29. $29 adult full-day lift tickets are available on line only at SkiHomewood.com.day.

SIERRA-AT-TAHOE WINNERS

Halftime score: One X Games Gold medal, One Burton European Open Gold medal, One Burton European Open Bronze medal, One Australian Open Gold medal, One Roxy Chicken Jam Silver medal, One Jeep King of the Mountain Silver medal and One U.S. Chevy Grand Prix Bronze medal.

Halfway through the season and Sierra Resort's Elite Team, which includes Jaime Anderson, Joanie Anderson, Hannah Teter and Elijah Teter, is a dominating force at snowboarding competitions around the globe.

With three major competitions just around the corner, Sierra's athletes are looking forward to finishing the winter season at the top of the industry. Watch for Hannah Teter and Anderson at the Nippon Open Feb. 26-March 2, Elijah Teter at the Vans Cup at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort Feb. 29-March 2 and the whole team at the Burton U.S. Open March 17-23

The Nippon Open and Burton U.S. Open are part of the Ticket to Ride World Snowboard Tour, a series of independent freestyle snowboarding events organized under one ticket. Riders can earn points at each event during the 10 month competition season. Currently, Anderson is at the top of the women's standings, with 769.08 points.

MERCHANT DAYS

Thursday Feb. 28 is the second of four Merchant Days in which all local merchants and employees in the Reno area and the Tahoe basin, including South Tahoe and Truckee, can ski and ride at Squaw Valley for $20. Local employees can ski and ride for $20 on March 20, and April 20, Merchant Days.

Squaw's also offering everyone who lives and works in the Reno-Tahoe area $20 lift tickets on March 20, and April 20.

Call (530) 583-6985 or visit www.squaw.com.

• Contact Sam Bauman at 881-1236 or Sbauman@nevadaappeal.com.