North Lake Tahoe Correspondence – March 2019

This past month has been the  the snowiest in history, with ski resorts reporting receiving an average of 28 feet of solid water falling on the Sierra Nevada this month. Interstate 80 has been shut down multiple times because plows either can’t keep up with the snow or don’t have anywhere to put it. Yours truly has already been snowed in twice this winter!

Tahoe ski resorts have done an amazing job of digging out their chairlifts and keeping them turning despite the weather, offering fresh powder to anyone who can dig out of their house and find a road to get there that doesn’t have imminent avalanche danger. With the abundant base of white stuff, the resorts are likely to stay open through June, and Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe has already announced an amazing $495 adult season pass deal, valid midweek for the remainder of this season and all of next.

However, the snow is the reason why many of us locals moved up here, and we never miss an opportunity to celebrate the snow. So even despite the overwhelming amount of it in North Lake Tahoe, we’re kicking off the month is the March 1-10 annual SnowFest, filled with fireworks, parades, Garwoods 31st Annual Polar Bear Swim, and more … weather permitting, of course. Here’s a calendar of events and locations: https://www.tahoesnowfest.org/event-schedule.

March 13, 5:30pm-7pm: Incline Village Library Tahoe Mythbusters

Ever wonder what’s really true and not regarding Lake Tahoe’s history and geology? Well, this is your chance to put the rumors to rest with Tahoe Institute for Natural Science’s Sarah Hockensmith, who will share the common misconceptions about Lake Tahoe and its ecosystems. Join her at the Incline Village Library on 845 Alder Avenue to learn about the facts and falsities regarding this beautiful environment.

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Throughout March: Diamond Peak UnBirthday Celebration, Dummy Downhill and Uphill Race

After all of the holidays have passed, Diamond Peak ramps up its event calendar with local favorites involving deals on skiing, spectating and skating up a mountain. If your birthday falls outside of the ski season, then bring your ID to the mountain on March 22 to get a free lift ticket and celebrate your “unbirthday” with Penguin Pete! On March 24, watch dummies built by locals launch off a big jump on the Show-Off run and see if they either land gracefully or spontaneously combust by the time they hit the snow. Finally, on March 30, race up to the mid-mountain Snowflake Lodge on skate skis in the annual Luggi Foeger Uphill Downhill Race, and then enjoy a light breakfast and the views before skiing back down.

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March 29-31: WinterWonderGrass at Squaw Valley

At the end of the month, head over to the Village at Squaw Valley to boogie and ski the days away during the WinterWonderGrass festival. This family-friendly event features favorite bluegrass bands, including Trampled by Turtles, Greensky Bluegrass and Leftover Salmon, while celebrating winter sports and drinking craft brews at the home of the 1960 Winter Olympics.

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This March stay safe, stay warm, and if you have to go anywhere then carry plenty of food, water, blankets, and a snow shovel.

— Kayla Anderson