MAKE TAHOE DEEP AGAIN ~ 2016/17 OFISHUL SNOW/FOOD/WHINE & STOKE THREAD

[NakedShorts]

I've got 35 years under my belt at Kirkwood...so yeah, no need to explain Red Cliffs. Yeah, its the place where I used to ski Whiskey so I could ski down to the sundeck and meet my dad for lunch. Oh boy, they even had sick arcade games against the Eastern wall of the lodge. I guess my point is that from Red Cliffs to Chair 6 is quite a trek and my wife doesn't want to just hang in an old lodge. Now if that place was a bit more updated with decent food, then we are getting somewhere. On a side note, my daughter says she hates eating lunch there during Mini-Jets because they have to walk back to Chair 11...haha.

Of course, I'll still venture back to KW here and there...ARE YOU KIDDING??? Its my favorite place to ski...period.

Bottom line, I'm just talking a season or so...until my youngest can actually stand up in a pair of ski boots. Telluride is a great example of we as a family can feel right at home. No driving, extreme hiking terrain to long beginner runs and an actual town that has tons of stuff going on. Yes, its expensive.

Pretty much sums up the reason why we left the city behind and what sparks the whole emotional divide between what is " to be " the future of our ski towns. When you live here you actually don't need to schlep your ski sh$t through the village to feel like you are in the mountains.
If we could all just be Crested Butte.
First skied at Kirkwood 33yrs ago. I remember it too. So will my kid.
Food &Beverage is run better at most movie theaters, we dont even bother.

[Ottime]

No Friends on Powder Days (& No Kids) - Get a sitter, leave them in town, and have a fun day skiing.

You know this as well as anybody Kirkwood, Sugar Bowl, Homewood, and Rose are the only Mountains with Soul (edit: Donner & Sierra too) . Alpine once had it and KSL sucked it dry. I do not like SV (aside from a couple zones that place is Over Rated)... Almost got arrested on a x-mas stay once for trying to hawk my families tickets - we did not want to ski a windy & bulletproof Red Dog lift and had 2 of 3 day tix.

...

First, it is numerous that you say KW still has soul. If you considered a flogged, tired, beat to shit soul, soul, sure. But VR is sucking the would out of that place. The only soul it has left is old dilapidated infrastructure. IMO, old does not equal soul.

You can get the same security enforcement harassment at KW these days with their black coat and mirrored aviators wearing security team. I've had my bag searched so I could ride a lift on closing day. While I was completely sober and riding with my 4 year old.

On another note, I get the no friend or kids on a powder day, but I actually prefer to mix it up. I like to line up and get four early laps, them meet up with my wife and son. Send her out for a few laps while I ski with him (he likes powder too). A family lap, then when they go in for lunch, I ski a few more solo laps. Family ski until they call it quits, then a few boundary laps.

Hardly ever get to the back side any more. If you don't count the three laps I hiked from 10 one day, I've had 4 Thunder Saddle laps this year. One with my kid.

I get what you are saying about lines though. Perhaps another reason I do t go back to 4 much , unless it is a sleeper day.

[Ottime]

F&B at Red Cliffs has been defunct for years. Only the general store operating.
The walk back would be improved if they put one of their rope toes in there. But the place needs a major overhaul. Video games would be cool. Windows looking out onto the mountains would be cool too. A Gondi upstairs tonthe top of RC the. To Caples would be cooler.


I spent a week at Tride. I get why you like it. Love the town and mountain.

[skier666]

Looks like I'm skiing Silverado alone today? Its warm already and its stunningly blue...a green beer already sounds good.

[Ottime]

Ugh. I like my beer amber.

We pulled the plug on this weekend. Wife needs to rest and not sure about the forecast. She prefers soft conditions. Fingers crossed for winter's return next week.

[Gaperious Basterd]

Visiting squaw for the first time, I thought it had ample soul.

Heavenly less so, but still a but at the actual base areas, and that soulful tram! That was stripped away when I paid for lunches, however.

[bodywhomper]

A rope tow thing, like what Alta has, b/t the lifts and red cliff lodge would change a lot.

Does AM still have a toddler play ground in their lodge?

[NakedShorts]

Looks like I'm skiing Silverado alone today? Its warm already and its stunningly blue...a green beer already sounds good.

Not trying to give you a hard time. Mixing it up keeps it fresh. We all have our wants. It's good we have choices. Ski you later...

[TahoeJ]

Visiting squaw for the first time, I thought it had ample soul.

It does, the problem is the owners are doing everything they can to kill it. The vibe at Alpine Meadows was everything great about skiing as recently as 4-5 years ago, now it's mostly gone. Still bummed about that.

[hercule33]

It does, the problem is the owners are doing everything they can to kill it. The vibe at Alpine Meadows was everything great about skiing as recently as 4-5 years ago, now it's mostly gone. Still bummed about that.

Me too. What happened to Alpine is so sad. In some ways what happened to the soul of Alpine has happened at Kirkwood. Ever since Vail took over, there don't seem to be as many fun events especially in the spring (when was the last time the airbag for jumps was there?). The vibe has really changed. But at least Vail is spinning the lifts on powder days, unless they're after April 16.

[spnce]

huh, I guess I'm not really one for those sorts of resort-sponsored events, because I don't miss them.
But when I go to alpine I run into friends & friendly people, which is pretty sweet.

[TahoeJ]

huh, I guess I'm not really one for those sorts of resort-sponsored events, because I don't miss them.
But when I go to alpine I run into friends & friendly people, which is pretty sweet.

It's not just the events... it's a whole bunch of little things combined. And the Squaw bus showing up on storm days to make the line on Roundhouse ridiculous to the point that you say fuck it and go home or go backcountry is a pretty big factor too. I love Alpine and it will always be my favorite mountain in Tahoe, but it's not the same.

Having said that... anyone going to be there Wednesday? Putting my daughter in ski school and hoping Summit and/or Scott opens.

[mcski]

Missing Kate's line management magic wand and lots of other old timers as well.

[LightRanger]

Missing Kate's line management magic wand and lots of other old timers as well.

She was crushing it when I skied through one of her lines on Saturday.

Not at Alpine though.

On a related note...

Time to wax the boards and lather on the sunscreen, Sugar Bowl is operating 7-days per week for at least another 5+ weeks, through April 23. As we get into April we will see how the snow and traffic are holding up and decide how much longer into May we will operate. We are also introducing a new spring music, barbecue and beverage series to keep the action going all spring on the Village Lodge Deck – check out the lineup and make your plans now to ride our deep snowpack late into the season:

APR 1	Caribbean Beach Party Jerk Ribs, Grilled Snapper Sandwich, Papaya Salad. Red Stripe Beer and Koloa Rum Pina Coladas and Rum Runners. Live Reggae band.
APR 8	Redneck Fusion Festival Smoked Brisket Sandwich, Pork Ribs, Baked Beans and Cole Slaw. Blind Beer Grab and Jack Daniels. Live Southern Rock band.
APR 15	Hawaiian Luau Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich, Spam & Mac Salad, Pork with Coconut Rice. Kona Brewing beers and Koloa Rum Mai Tai. Live Hawaiian/Beach music.
APR 22	Bacon, Beer & Bluegrass Bacon themed Tapas Grill, Brewers Cabinet Beers, Assorted Cocktails. Live Bluegrass band.

spnce, do those count as events? Because they sound fucking fun and delicious.

[TurxSki]

.. Because they sound fucking fun and delicious.

If only they could offer some kind of nicely priced SpringPass/4Pak type dealio, then I imagine we could have a Springtime Maggot Mini-Summit, right there.

[spnce]

spnce, do those count as events? Because they sound fucking fun and delicious.

They do sound fun, i just never seem to find myself at that sort of thing

And, tahoe being what it is, I'm betting that the bands will all be the same 6 white dudes wearing theme-appropriate outfits

that said, if they can make a respectable brisket, I'm listening.

[bodywhomper]

Sugarbowl is hosting a skimo race next weekend, too.

[Nevada29er]

And, tahoe being what it is, I'm betting that the bands will all be the same 6 white dudes wearing theme-appropriate outfits
.

Hey, Fletch doesn't wear costumes, that's just what he looks like, living the dream.

[DJSapp]

666, I'm feeling the same way about KW, just about done with them after 17 years. Has there been any more talk of them staying open later? April 16 is bullshit, and the fact that buying a squaw pass now gets you April 1--July 4th just can't be ignored. 3 months of spring skiing + next season may almost be enough to put up with the 80 junkshow

[bodywhomper]

I-80 has been really bad this year. I'm hoping that it's an anomaly, but concerned that closure decision making has changed

[DJSapp]

Yeah, I've been keeping an eye on that. I'm pretty much up in the air between Sierra, Sugar bowl and Squalpine. Likely have both kids on the mountain next year, so I'll probably be skiing without poles more than with them.

[GrumpyPilot]

666, I'm feeling the same way about KW, just about done with them after 17 years. Has there been any more talk of them staying open later? April 16 is bullshit, and the fact that buying a squaw pass now gets you April 1--July 4th just can't be ignored. 3 months of spring skiing + next season may almost be enough to put up with the 80 junkshow

Okay, quick note on KSL's marketing. What they say is going to happen, at what happens are pretty much two different things. My guess is will Squaw be open on July 4th, however I wouldn't expect non-stop skiing up until that time. Just isn't the demand and if it doesn't make economic sense to KSL it won't happen.

[TahoeJ]

Squaw will be open until Memorial Day for sure, but after that it's likely just Friday - Sunday at the most. Or they shut down for all of June and re-open for July 3-4. I believe that's how it went in 2011 IIRC.

Which, to KSL's credit is still pretty good.

[DJSapp]

Okay, quick note on KSL's marketing. What they say is going to happen, at what happens are pretty much two different things. My guess is will Squaw be open on July 4th, however I wouldn't expect non-stop skiing up until that time. Just isn't the demand and if it doesn't make economic sense to KSL it won't happen.

Yeah, I figured that would be the case. Before Vail, kw did that too. I'm a weekend warrior from the flatland so weekends only doesn't bother me.

[old goat]

Squaw will be open until Memorial Day for sure, but after that it's likely just Friday - Sunday at the most. Or they shut down for all of June and re-open for July 3-4. I believe that's how it went in 2011 IIRC.

Which, to KSL's credit is still pretty good.

2011 it was Shirley via the Tram if I recall correctly. Nothing else. A nice way to spend the 4th (although I prefer to stay home and watch the madness on Donner Lake from our deck) but not skiing.

As far as soul goes--the backcountry has soul. My mosque has soul. A ski resort is just a ski resort--some are better than others. Some may feel Squaw once had a soul; I never felt like being trampled on and shoved past by my fellow skiers in a KT or Silverado line on a big powder day--pre or post KSL--had anything to do with soul. Soul is something we bring to the mountains with us, or not.