What's cookin' in the Sierra: Snow, Yoga and Beer - San Francisco Chronicle (blog)

What’s cookin’ in the Sierra? Rather a lot, actually. Big news from your Slope Dope blogger…

Fall

It’s a tingly time of year. Though we’re still in October, and it’s just barely fall outside the house, our mountains are brushed with another kind of fall. Snowfall.

And, since the predictors and prognosticators, seers and soothsayers are all promising a snowy winter, here’s a tingly reminder of what Tahoe’s like when it really snows.^[1]

And here are some early sightings of snow:

Jetset

If you’re bored by skiing just one mountain, or one region, or even one country, Vail Resorts has the ticket for poor, jaded, old you.

The Epic Pass gives you access to no fewer than 26 resorts in four (4) countries. Ready? Deep breath, then repeat after me: Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Canyons, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Afton Alps, Mt. Brighton, Arapahoe Basin and Eldora, plus five days at each — Verbier, Switzerland; Arlberg, Austria (St. Anton, St. Cristoph, Stuben, Züers, and Lech); and Les 3 Vallées, France (Courchevel, La Tania, Méribel, Brides-les-Bains, Les Menuires, Saint Martin de Belleville, Val Thorens et Orelle).

Try being bored with that.^[2]

But wait, there’s more. If you’re among the first ten to ski all 26 in one season, you may win an Epic Pass for Life. Details and restrictions here^[3] .

Big gets bigger

Mount Bachelor, our snow-blessed Oregon neighbor to the north, just made the Top Five. By expanding the mountain’s east side, Bachelor has added 648 acres to its existing 3,683, for a grand total of 4,331 skiable acres. That puts it in in the top five of America’s biggest ski areas. FoMoInfo, click here^[4] .

Yoga and beer

What do you do after you’ve put in the new lifts, new snowmaking guns and the planet’s first ski-in/ski-out Starbucks? With $8 million burning a hole in their parka pocket, the folks at Squaw and Alpine Meadows had to find some place to park this bit of spare change.

So, a yoga studio at Squaw. A beer garden at Alpine. New food trucks at both. And electric-car-charging stations next to the Cornice Cantina at Squaw. Maybe they should change the name to Juice y Taco.

Mega base

Sierra-at-Tahoe^[5] , the only double-hyphened-named ski area in Tahoe and maybe the world, just spent $4.5 million on a new baselodge-plaza-facility. Its 9,000 square feet of indoor space includes retailers, a demo center and a new restaurant. Outside, expect a big deck area with fire pits, live music, and lounge chairs for ogling action on the mountain.

In response to Vail Resorts’ multi-mountain tickets, Sierra-at-Tahoe has joined the Powder Alliance. Sierra Resort Unlimited passholders now get skiing benefits at eleven other mountains: Crested Butte, Snowbasin, Stevens Pass, Timberline, Schweitzer, China Peak, Mountain High, Arizona Snowbowl, Mt. Hood Skibowl, Angel Fire Resort and Bridger Bowl.

Just can’t wait?

In Colorado, Arapahoe Basin opened for business on Sunday.

^[6]

The change that didn’t happen

Last month I ran into Kirkwood’s Kevin Cooper. “Glad to see you’re upgrading the place,” I said, “but there’s one change I wish you hadn’t made.”

“What’s that?”

“Your Mexican restaurant. I know the suits from Vail didn’t like it, but I did. More than liked it — I thought it was regional, reasonable and delicious. I wish you weren’t taking it down.”

There was a long pause. A lonnng pause. Then Coop said, “Jules, we don’t have a Mexican restaurant.”

“What? Of course you do. At mid-mountain.”

Another pause. “Uh, no. Not at mid-mountain, not at anywhere-mountain. No. Mexican. Restaurant. At. Kirkwood.”

“Dude,” I said. “Maybe you don’t call it Mexican, though it is. But I know you’ve got it — I even got a shot of it in one of my ski videos. I’ll send you the link when I get home.”

When I got home, I checked out the video. Sure enough, there it was. Mexican restaurant, mid-mountain… at Sierra-at-Tahoe.

Here’s the video that proves it^[7] .

Jules Older is publisher-contributor to the ebook, SKIING THE EDGE: Humor, Humiliation, Holiness and Heart.

References

1. ^{^} really snows. (youtu.be)


2. ^{^} that. (www.snow.com)


3. ^{^} here (www.snow.com)


4. ^{^} here (www.mtbachelor.com.)


5. ^{^} sierra at tahoe (www.sierraattahoe.com)


6. ^{^} Arapahoe Basin (arapahoebasin.com)


7. ^{^} NASJA Does Tahoe (youtu.be)