So each fall the big question is . . . .what’s new for the coming winter? This one is always interesting for Sierra. We know our guests are coming for the mountain – the raw, unpretentious, come-as-you-are, skiing and riding experience. So we don’t focus too much on building things newer and bigger each summer. Sure we keep our facilities in good shape and change things up when it’s time (360 Smokehouse BBQ at Grandview Lodge, Baja Grill in West Bowl), but let’s be honest. A new gondola to the peak, there ain’t. And nor do we want one.

So how do we make sure it stays about the skiing and riding? What are we doing this season that guests can wrap their mittens around? How are we going to Keep It Real this winter?

Here’s what we know so far . . .

Bank accounts are smaller this winter than they’ve been in years and people don’t have a lot of cash to throw around for fun. So we’re keeping our prices down. How about the same price for a 3-Pak of lift tickets as last year and the year before that? If you buy a 3-Pak before December 15, it’s just $45 per day. These tickets are good any day of the season. And I mean any day. It’s a deal folks!

Let’s say you’re pretty confident on your skis or on your board. You love powder days. You know every nook n’ cranny in Jack’s Bowl and Avalanche Bowl. But going out the Gates into Huckleberry Canyon, backcountry terrain that is now inside our boundary, is still a bit intimidating. You want that powderlicious experience but you hesitate to charge out there by yourself. Enter the Backcountry Tour. Check out Huckleberry with a seasoned guide/instructor, get acquainted with the terrain and feel a bit better about heading out the Gates on your own the next time.

An expanded Backcountry and Telemark Center will offer split boards, avalanche beacons, shovels and probes in addition to the telemark lessons, clinics and rentals that have been on tap for years. Combine this Center with the Backcountry Lesson (for just $33 per lesson with the 3-Pak) and you have a great resource if you’re looking to get into exploring Tahoe’s backcountry.

If you are really into skiing and snowboarding and you are somewhere between 3 years old and 99 years old, we’ve got a program that can keep you learning and having fun on the slopes with your peers. The four new development programs fill in the holes, if you will, so the progression from one to another is seamless. Great for families who like to spend a lot of time on the slopes!

Live painting performances by Lake Tahoe fine artist Reds Regan will add some artistic snap to the local wine tastings we’ve been doing with El Dorado County wineries for the past few seasons. Reds Regan will do a series of live performances – he’s ambidextrous and paints HUGE canvases – that will be really fun to watch. Oh, and the wine tastings are free too.

This winter, you’ll be able to kick back in West Bowl in one of the Adirondack chairs, sun on your face and Corona in your hand, and wait for your fish tacos on the new 1,800 square foot deck that we’re building out the front of the Baja Grill. Those of you who know Sierra know that on a sunny day, there is no better place to chill than West Bowl – the best beach party on snow. The deck will make it easier than ever to move around and hang out with friends. Unfortunately, it will make it harder to find a reason to strap back into your equipment and take a few more runs

More fun new stuff to come . . .we’ll keep announcing stuff as details are finalized.

Talk to you soon,

Kirstin