Tahoe Donner News February 2017 by Tahoe Donner Association

NEWS

FEBRUARY 2017

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EMC - December Full Page F6.pdf

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SnowTech and Waltman Construction are merging together to bring you Elements Mountain Co. Faster, more responsive snow removal • Upgraded equipment for better service Expanded customer support and office hours • Improved driveway berm removal service

Simplifying Mountain Life

Join us for one of our community open houses to learn more. February 15, 18 & 25 from 3 – 6 PM: 17356 Northwoods Blvd. Meet our Team • Learn more about our merger • Bring the kids to check out our snow removal equipment fleet Enjoy hot chocolate, coffee and snacks • Ask questions about your personal service

530.582.0300 / www.elementsmtn.co

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THE MAGIC OF TAHOE DONNER DOWNHILL KIDS PROGRAMS What’s our secret? The terrain, the staff, the vibe. P18

TROUT CREEK RENOVATIONS

DEPARTMENTS

TAKE NOTE

GM’s Message Big snow brings big fun

The remodel, completed in December, was on time and on budget.

Monthly Calendar Don’t miss our February events

P04

Let’s Get Together Your source for TD events and specials

DOWNHILL SKI AREA WINS AWARD Voted Best Family-Friendly Resort... but we already knew that!

P08

SUMMER REGISTRATION Summer registration for day camps, aquatics, and equestrian programs coming up.

P22

GPC Public Forum A report on the January GPC public forum Giving Fund Supporting youth science Board Meeting Read a recap from the Dec. 17 meeting

Snowman Contest Enter your creation you could win! Coming Soon A sneak peak at our new website Recent Videos Our latest videos with more to come Wedding Discount Planning a wedding? Check this out. What a Storm! A photo essay from January’s big snow Volunteer Ski Patrol Join our National Ski Patrol crew.

Where in the World is TD News? TD News travels the world

ON THE COVER: TAHOE DONNER’S MAINTENANCE CREW. SEE MORE ON PAGE 2.

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VOL. 18, NO. 02

WELCOME

FEBRUARY 2017 EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION STAFF Brinn Talbot Gretchen Sproehnle Ashley Quadros Derek Moore

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President

Jeff Bonzon, jbonzon@tahoedonner.com

Vice President

Ron Wulff, rwulff@tahoedonner.com

Treasurer

Steve Miller, smiller@tahoedonner.com

Secretary

Jeff Schwerdtfeger, jschwerdtfeger@ tahoedonner.com

Director

Darius Brooks, dbrooks@tahoedonner.com

Board of Directors

GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE

board@tahoedonner.com

Postmaster Send address changes to Tahoe Donner News, 11509 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee, CA 96161; 530-587-9400, Fax 530-587-9419

comdep@tahoedonner.com

More than 20 feet of snow... It’s been a

Country Ski Areas. In fact, Snowplay has some

memorable start to 2017. Tahoe Donner and

of the largest tubing lanes in Tahoe Donner

the surrounding region received more than 20

history.

feet of snow in January, with more in the fore-

However, this series of storms has also

cast for the remaining winter months. There

taken a toll on the infrastructure of the com-

are some great photos in this issue, along with

munity, from roads, culverts, and powerlines,

the exclusive advertising representative;

video content from the storms on the associa-

to countless fallen trees, power outages, and

phone 530-582-4100.

tion website and Facebook page. This series of

significant road closures.

Advertising Sales Creative Concepts Media + Marketing is

Publishing Information

record setting winter January storm activity

The Truckee Donner Public Utility District

has left an incredible snowpack for our winter

(TDPUD) released a statement regarding the

service mark right to “Tahoe Donner.” Any

operations allowing for fantastic conditions to

recent weather challenges mid-January. It

unauthorized use of such will be regarded as an

be had at Tahoe Donner Downhill and Cross

read in part, “The greater Truckee community

Tahoe Donner Association holds the exclusive

infringement of that service mark right and

continues to respond to a series of severe win-

is prohibited. The inclusion of advertising in this publication does not constitute an endorse-

ON THE COVER: I would like to recognize

ment or recommendation by Tahoe Donner

our outstanding team at the Tahoe Donner

Association or its board of directors of the products, services, or views contained therein.

maintenance department (magazine cover

Tahoe Donner News (ISSN 1550-6061) is

photo) who put in incredible hours moving

the official monthly publication of Tahoe

snow with our loaders, snow throwers,

Donner Association, which is located at 11509 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee, CA 96161. Each membership parcel receives one subscription to a domestic address. Additional

and hand shovels during the day and early morning hours to get our facilities accessible to both our staff and our members.

subscriptions are available at the cost of $25

Once the big parking lot snow removal was

each. Cost to produce and distribute this

addressed our operating teams descended

publication is offset by advertising revenues. Periodicals Postage Paid at Truckee, CA, and

on our facilities to move mountains of snow

additional mailing offices. Member letters to

away from entrances, emergency exits,

Tahoe Donner are published in the Members

handicap ramps, walkways, windows,

section of tahoedonner.com, where publishing

vents, etc. Thank you for a job well done,

guidelines are available.

over and over this past month! —Robb Etnyre, General Manager

ter storms that forced the Town of Truckee to declare a state of emergency and caused power outages, traffic delays, school closures, falling trees and flooding. This historic series of storms started on Jan. 4 and lasted through Jan. 12. TDPUD’s electric crews have been working day and night to restore power as quickly as possible and to keep our community safe.” When the most significant weather passed, we were able to literally dig out and reopen Tahoe Donner facilities several times with only limited closures. However, several times this past month 4WD, AWD with snow tires or 2WD with chains and high clearance vehicles were considered mandatory for driving in (Continued on p. 4)

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February

EVERY SATURDAY

FOR ADDITIONAL FEBRUARY EVENTS SEE

LET’S GET TOGETHER ON PAGE 10 LIVE MUSIC AT TRAILSIDE BAR

Don't miss live music every Saturday night. We have a new artist every week! See page 28.

FEB. 4

SUPER BOWL PARTIES

Catch the game with deals at Pizza on the Hill, The Lodge and Alder Creek Café. See page 17.

FEB. 12

FROSTY WOULD BE PROUD

TD CHALLENGE TOUR/RACE

It’s a cross country race or tour, and you choose your own route! See page 11.

FEB. 14

VALENTINE'S DAY SUNSET SNOWSHOE

Bundle up for a special Valentine’s Day evening and watch the sunset above Donner Lake. See page 11.

With all the snow we received in January, this photo could have been taken this year, but it's our throwback photo of the month dating back to the 80s at Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area. (Don't forget — our annual Snowman Contest is going on now; you have until April 1 to submit your photos. You could win a free dinner! See page 5 for details.) ALL EVENTS ARE DEPENDENT ON CONDITIONS. PLEASE CHECK TAHOEDONNER.COM OR CALL 530-587-9400 FOR UPDATES.

FEB. 18-25

WINTER SUPERSTARS WEEK

Take part in ski and snowboard races at Tahoe Donner Downhill, plus sled pulls, and a mini terrain park event! See page 12.

FEB. 25

GLOWSTICK PARADE

It’s a carnival—it’s a parade—it’s skiing with glowsticks! Don’t miss this free event at Tahoe Donner Downhill! See page 12.

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(Continued from p. 2) Tahoe Donner. For the Martin Luther King weekend, we offered a complimentary shuttle from Northwoods Clubhouse to homeowner residences due to the snow and road conditions that weekend. The shuttle ran Saturday through Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. I would like to thank the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Department of Public Works, Truckee Police Department, Town of Truckee and Truckee Donner Public Utility District (TDPUD). All have worked diligently to keep residents and visitors alike safe, with roads clear and power on. For travel in the Sierra Nevada and in preparation of future winter storms, below are some helpful resources. • The local forecast of the National Weather Service (NWS): http://forecast.weather. gov/ • See the latest road conditions at the Caltrans website, including viewing the I-80 traffic webcams: http://www.dot.ca.gov/

• If you’re interested in finding out what the Department of Public Works snow removal equipment is up to, the Town of Truckee provides a live site for you. Visit Truckee 511 at www.511portal.com/truckee. The Town of Truckee also updates storm event information on their website. • The Truckee Police Department issues important community messages via the Nixle system, where you can receive timely emails or text message updates. • For information on the public utility district (Truckee Donner Public Utility District): tdpud.org/departments/electric/ contact-electric-utility. California • Office of Emergency Service: myhazards. caloes.ca.gov. • Homeland Security: ready.gov/floods. More storm readiness tips can be found at www. tahoedonner.com/storm-readiness-tips. Enjoy your winter resort!

ROBB ETNYRE | GENERAL MANAGER

NEW COIN LAUNDRY • EASY Parking • Clean, Convenient, and Comfortable • WiFi/TV • Table Seating

LINEN SERVICE • • • •

Residential & Commercial Service High Quality Care Affordable Rates Call 530.587.9274

TROUT CREEK RENOVATIONS COMPLETE

11430 Deerfield Dr. (Next to Wongs)

Have you heard? The recent renovations at Trout Creek Recreation Center are now complete

Residential • Commercial

truckeelaundry.com

Serving Truckee/Lake Tahoe

and open at the poolside locker rooms, sauna, and steam room. If you haven’t already, take a moment to stop in and view our new floors, wall tile, light fixtures, and plumbing fixtures. A special thank you goes out to Mt. Lincoln Construction, Inc. for completing this project on schedule and under budget.

QUALITY WORKMANSHIP CLEANLINESS & CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Interior and Exterior Specializing in Staining Wood Restoration Superior Finish Painting Remodels and New Construction

530.550.7938

LEFT: New showers in the remodeled locker rooms. RIGHT: Variable lighting options are now available in the sauna. Photos: Forrest Huisman.

PO Box 11107, Truckee, CA 96162 BONDED & INSURED • CA LIC #764916

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CALLING ALL CREATIVE

SNOWMAN BUILDERS! Build your snowman and participate in the eighth annual Tahoe Donner Snowman Contest! A family favorite and one of our most popular contests, families and kids definitely don’t want to miss out on this fun contest! To participate, simply build your own snowman or snow creature, take a photo with you in it and email the photo with a short story about your snow-building adventure, including names of everyone in the picture, to comdep@tahoedonner.com. Please submit only .jpeg files of 300 dpi or higher for printing.

SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE BY 5 P. M . ON SATURDAY, APRIL 1 . THE BEST CRE ATIONS WILL WIN PRIZES AND BE FE ATURED ON FACEBOOK AND IN THE TAHOE DONNER NEWS .

TAHOE DONNER CONTACTS Member Communications (area code 530)

Member Services 587-9400 info@tahoedonner.com General Manager 587-9431 gm@tahoedonner.com Contact Member Services to be transferred to other departments. Amenities Beach Club Marina 587-9460 marina@tahoedonner.com 582-9694 bikeworks@tahoedonner.com Bikeworks Cross Country Ski Area 587-9484 xcski@tahoedonner.com Downhill Ski Area 587-9444 ski@tahoedonner.com 587-9470 equestrian@tahoedonner.com Equestrian Center Forestry 587-9432 forestry@tahoedonner.com 587-9443 golf@tahoedonner.com Golf Course The Lodge 587-9455 lodge@tahoedonner.com Pizza On The Hill 582-9669 pizza@tahoedonner.com 587-9413 troutcreek@tahoedonner.com Recreation Info Hut Tahoe Donner Campground 587-9462 campground@ tahoedonner.com Tennis Center 587-9474 tennis@tahoedonner.com Trails 582-9672 trails@tahoedonner.com 587-9437 troutcreek@tahoedonner.com Trout Creek Rec. Center Tahoe Donner Association Committee Chairs Architectural Standards, Rod Whitten aso@tahoedonner.com Covenants, Al Noyes alandjosi@gmail.com Elections, Bette Rohrback truckeebette@yahoo.com aiking156@att.net Finance, Art King General Plan, Dwight Walker walker.dwight@outlook.com tdgf@tahoedonner.com Giving Fund Chairman, Dick Gander Tahoe Donner Association Chartered Club Presidents Bridge Club, Robin Reese rbtahoe@sbcglobal.net tdtrails@gmail.com Friends of TD Trails, B.R. Levine Rowing Club, Dot Mace dotmace@me.com hmsmike1@aol.com Senior Alpine Ski, Michael Eyton-Lloyd Tennis, Michele Forsberg minkeysf@sbcglobal.net 9-Holers, Lynette Powell lynette.powell@sbcglobal.net patgemma1@att.net Men’s Golf, Patrick Gemma Women’s Golf, Bettye Carmichael ibboop@suddenlink.net Hiking Club, Robin Reese rbtahoe@sbcglobal.net Quilt Club, Linda Brush sewlinda@aol.com Junior Golf Club, Jean Lai jslai@comcast.net TD 4-Wheelers Club, Bill Ratcliff td4wheelers@gmail.com Equestrian Club, Susan Terrell terrellsf@earthlink.net

SKI OR RIDE FOR FREE

Purchase a CA or NV Tahoe license plate and get two free Alpine or Nordic tickets to the Tahoe resort of your choice*. Now you can play in some deep powder without having to dig deep to make a difference. Your modest commitment will help fund hiking and biking paths, and water quality and restoration projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin. For more information or to purchase your license plate online, visit tahoeplates.com.

julia mancuso U.S. Ski Team *restrictions apply

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Our new home page will periodically feature alerts such as the one shown above (orange bar at top), as well as updated weather and conditions in the blue box.

NEW YEAR, NEW WEBSITE: SET TO LAUNCH IN EARLY 2017 BY ASHLEY QUADROS Out with the old and in with the new! It’s a new year and we have a new website to match, set to debut early this year. In recent years, we’ve received a variety of suggestions regarding our website functionally—and we’ve listened. Thank you to everyone who has taken a moment to share how we can improve. In order to increase the user-friendliness of our website and to make it easier to navigate, we teamed up with design and technology firm, SDBX Studio in Tahoe City, Calif., to create a new website with our membership in mind. The new website, which will be available to view soon from the same URL address of tahoedonner.com, aims to make information easier to find while keeping key information at the forefront. Following are a few features of our new site we think you will enjoy.

Alerts: Stay in the Know Alerts are a new feature that will appear on occasion at the top of our homepage to deliver important information to our members as fast as possible. For example, if there is fire danger, flooding, scheduled power outages, etc. we want to increase the timeliness of our communication efforts and reach our max audience, which is limited for those who do not receive our emails. By having an alert appear on our homepage, or on select amenity pages when appropriate, members and visitors will be informed to major news immediately and can take action accordingly as needed. Alerts will only be used to share important, time-sensitive information, so you’ll only see these sparingly used, but when activated, you’ll see a color bar across the top of the page, as

shown above. Alerts are also color coordinated by level of importance. Red is the more serious, orange is medium and green is mild.

How to Navigate: Easyto-Use Dropdown Menu Our homepage is meant to showcase the most sought-after information, but if you click on the menu button on the top right corner of our new website, you can quickly choose from a drop-down menu list of options, including recreation, restaurants,

facilities, events and additional pages of interest (see below). Any page noted with an asterisk(*) is exclusive to members or member guests, along with our Member’s Area on the top right. Just click on an item of interest and start exploring!

Weather and Ski Conditions: Front and Center Our weather and ski conditions pages are another section of our new website we have enhanced. Previously, ski conditions were only accessible by clicking

The new drop-down main menu is organized to be more user friendly.

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Filters allow you to search only the events that interest you.

through three or more sections of our old website. To eliminate the the hassle, the wait, and the number of pages to click through, our new website offers current weather, snow reports, snow accumulation and number of trails open at each ski area right on our new homepage. Fast, easy and convenient! See the example on the home page image at left. Our web cams link, which is the most popular page on our website, also remains front and center on our new homepage, now featuring live streaming video, in addition to live pictures and additional and recent videos we’ve produced. Just click on the video camera icon and check things out any time of day since the cameras are always live.

More Pictures and Videos Many of you wanted to see more pictures and more videos, so we’ve enhanced these aspects on our new website too. All of our amenity pages are now geared up to show you new pictures with a rolling gallery on all main landing pages. At times, you’ll see videos too. Additional pictures and videos will also be regularly featured on our homepage so you will always know how much fun we’re having at Tahoe Donner. For the latest action at any moment of day, just click on our webcams to watch live video.

Event Improvements: Find All Events in One Click One inefficiency of our old website was the way in which visitors learned about our events. We always aimed to keep our signature events front and center on the home page but smaller events were sometimes overshadowed. We had

a basic calendar listing on our homepage for all events, but it was difficult to find and navigate, and events at times were missing from the calendar. Events were also listed under each individual amenity and restaurant, but if you weren’t on that page, they were easy to overlook. Making our events easy to find and searchable was something we changed for our new site. On the new website, events can now be found a number of ways. In addition to featuring events on our home page, a link to our events is also included in the new menu (again, simply click the menu icon at the top right of our new site). All events for every amenity and restaurant will automatically appear for the current month. Planning to come to Tahoe Donner on vacation next month? No problem. You can search events by the current month, following month, or same day, or you can browse through every event we have planned to date for the entire year. You can even do a custom search for one or more amenity. Going cross country skiing? Just select “Cross Country Ski Area” and only cross country-related events will be displayed. Likewise, if there is an annual event you’re curious about, you can just

type the name of the event in the events search field to see if any information is available for it yet. All events list the event name, date, time, address and description so you’ll always know where to go and when. Events can also be found at the bottom of each individual amenity or restaurant page. Only events specific to the page you are viewing will automatically appear; however, performing a search to see all or some additional events at other locations is an option too.

What We’re Keeping Rest assured, all information on our old website appears on our new website, but may be located in a new space and may function differently. Popular features, like live chat with Member Services and booking programs and lessons directly on ShopTD, will all still function the same. We encourage all members to explore our new website at tahoedonner.com as soon as we launch. We trust you will find it as enjoyable and user-friendly as we have. If you have comments or questions regarding our new website, please email your suggestions to comdep@ tahoedonner.com.

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FEATURE

TAHOE DONNER DOWNHILL WINS “BEST IN SNOW” AWARD: NAMED NO. 1 FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESORT

DAPHNE HOUGARD

KERI OBERLY

DAPHNE HOUGARD

Liftopia.com presents new awards, incorporating skier/rider feedback with exclusive data to uncover most beloved ski areas across North America.

Tahoe Donner is pleased to announced its downhill ski area was

in the Truckee and Lake Tahoe area. Kids love it here.”

named Best Family Friendly Ski Resort on the West Coast by Liftopia,

Coined “The Best Place to Begin,” Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area

operator of the largest online and mobile marketplace and resort tech-

is committed to being the best place for family fun and learning in the

nology platform serving the ski and mountain activity industry.

Tahoe region. Tahoe Donner is known for its successful learn-to-ski

Additionally, Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area made the top 10 list for Best Value and Beginner Friendly ski resorts in the West Coast category. The methodology used in selecting these awards was determined

program – one of the only in the area that starts teaching kids as young as 3 years old. As a smaller ski resort, Tahoe Donner can deliver that personal touch that larger ski areas can’t always provide. Tahoe Donner Downhill

by data collected by Liftopia over 10 years combined with over 10,000

provides two chairlifts and three magic carpets to access 120 acres of

people surveyed. Respondents took into consideration criteria such as

skiable terrain including 17 runs and three terrain parks.

snow quality and conditions, learn to ski and snowboard programs, staff

A 700 square-foot yurt near the base area offers an indoor/outdoor

and instructors, resort size, crowds, accessibility of lifts and beginner

slopeside area for breaks during lessons. The ski lodge and sundeck are

terrain, lift lines, off-slope activities, the surrounding community, cost

great places to relax and view the action, with fire pits and comfortable

of lift tickets, rentals and programs, among other criteria.

couches. Additionally, a new state-of-the-art snowmaking system, the

“We’re honored to be recognized by Liftopia for providing the best in family-friendly service and value to our members and visitors,” said Downhill Ski Area Manager, Robert McClendon. “We’re extremely proud to provide a casual, family-friendly atmosphere at the best value

first of its kind in the U.S., services beginner terrain and the lesson area to ensure a quality experience for all guests. Related: See feature story on Tahoe Donner Downhill starting on page 18.

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VIDEOS: JUST A FEW REASONS WE LOVE TAHOE DONNER Have you noticed more videos appearing on our website and on social media? Video is an excellent source of communication to show our members what’s happening in Tahoe Donner. In December 2016, we released a lifestyle video, “Where Traditions Begin,” to showcase our unique community and our year-round activities and entertainment. Tahoe Donner also recently partnered with the Truckee Chamber of Commerce this past fall in representing the new town motto, “Base Camp for a Big Life,” and participated in the creation of a Truckee promotional video. From swimming at Donner Lake to riding horses in the mountains, to enjoying a quiet dinner at The Lodge Restaurant & Pub or a day on the golf course, we have it all. And we are always brainstorming how we can give our homeowners even more. In a General Plan Committee (GPC) video released this past fall, Nan Meek of the GPC provided insights into the process of how ideas are reviewed and how they become approved capital projects. Just like you, the GPC is a team of homeowners. These volunteers meet regularly to gather and consider all your ideas and make recommendations on how to continuously enhance Tahoe Donner. We also use videos to showcase current happenings. Recent videos released this past January covered the abundance of snow we received, such as fun powder days at Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area and a picture slideshow that showcased some of our employees working hard in a snowstorm to make our amenities safe and accessible for our customers. In our effort to create the most enjoyable experience possible, it’s our goal to keep members and visitors up to date on Tahoe Donner happenings as we invite everyone to experience this unique community.

Simplifying Mountain Life Snow Removal • Driveway Sealing Paint & Stain • Deck Restoration • Carpet Cleaning SnowTech and Waltman Construction are merging together to bring you Elements Mountain Co.

530.582.0300 / www.elementsmtn.co

Videos referenced can be found at tahoedonner.com or on facebook. com/tahoedonner. Videos are also found on our webcam page at tahoedonner.com/web-cams.

BASSETT FLOORING is family owned and operated and has

10800 Pioneer Trail, Unit 3, Truckee

served the Truckee-Lake Tahoe area

53 0 5 82.742 8

since 1979. We carry high-quality hardwood flooring and carpet ideal

bassettflooring.com

for your mountain home. Visit us and explore our amazing selection at the The new Tahoe Donner lifestyle video showcases all that makes our community so special. Check it out at tahoedonner.com/where-traditions-begin.

Pioneer Commerce Center in Truckee.

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Y OW P L A

EST R U Q E K are open, or explore byRfat bike when condiEE ER C tions allow. A L D OUND R • G P M Please remember CA a trail pass is required for BLIC AM

NER

C ENT E R

BLIC AM

any access within the ski area boundary, and

S Q UAT I C A command and you must pick up and dispose

NER

AT T H E

of any dog waste in the trash cans provided. Remember, a trail pass is required for you and your dog. No walking on the trails, please.

REMINDERS FOR SEASON PASSHOLDERS A season pass is still the best deal if you plan on skiing, snowshoeing or fat biking 10 or more times this winter, and it also gets you discounts on food and retail! •

•

Open to all cross country skiers who are

Early Bird from 7 a.m. on non-storm NNE on our website for Early Bird status. E DO

O TA H

Trail access is not permitted outside of N TA

E LS & R

and can damage the skier surface for Fat bike access requires a separate

OO DareS comfortable intermediate and above (and W H T R N O P Owho O L are exploring the on our green trails and blue trails).

Our midweek private lesson packages are the best way to learn. Call ahead to reserve an instructor and learn to cross country ski or skate ski for just $89. This includes a one-hour lesson, equipment rental and a trail pass. Want to introduce your friends or family? Did you know that we offer a one-hour family

I VAT E A M

COST: $120 (TRAIL PASS REQUIRED)

Women’s Skating Improvement Tuesdays and Wednesdays This four-week series of women-only ski skating improvement classes are taught by PSIA clinician Andrea Miller. Join fellow skiers to learn and improve your skating skills while having fun on the trails. Beginners: Tuesdays: Feb. 7–Feb. 27: 10–11:30 a.m.

Intermediates: •

Wednesdays: Feb. 8–Mar. 1: 10–11:30 a.m.

together with your own instructor any day

user days on the trails.

of the week. Equipment and trail passes not

Improve Your Skating - Saturdays

Always display your season pass so it

included.

band; ask at the front desk. If you purchased your pass before Nov. 30, we have free ticket vouchers for you

Improve Your Cross Country Skiing - Mondays

MONDAYS, MAR. 6–27: SKI SKATING – 8:30–10 A.M.

•

N E DO

T R EC R EA

ski so we can get an accurate count of

PROGRAMS STARTING IN FEBRUARY

O TA H

MONDAYS, JAN. 30–FEB. 20: CLASSIC SKIING – 8:30–10 A.M.

ticket or pass.

NEW TO THE SPORT?

COST: $120. TRAIL PASS REQUIRED.

This four-week series of skating improver classes are taught by top instructors and are open to all cross country skaters who are intermediate and above (and are comfortable on our green trails and who are exploring the blue trails).

| Tahoe Donner News | February 2017

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Don’t miss our four-week series of improver

private lesson for just $109? You can learn

ers. You can get a free lanyard or arm

I VAT E A M

Please scan your season pass before you

can be easily seen by our ticket check-

•

We are open from 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. with

the following day.

on the trails, your dog must be under voice BE

I V AT E A M

classes taught by PSIA Clinician Val Licon.

R KS O W E K I B Our expanded dog trails have been met with Rthese hours. After-hours access delays NNE O D much excitement. Dogs must be on a leashTA H O E Sski patrol’s end of day operations, slows D R A U our machinery operators’ efficiency, until you enter the new trailhead which is the L I F EG •

DOGS

TA H

ers are not valid on holidays).

days. Please check the grooming report

walking on or near the trails is not permitted.

D O Nside of the building. Once corral on the south OE

EV ENT

I VAT E A M

NER

LU B C H C A B E A R I NA M

NT E R E C s i t en n

IAtoNbring friends to ski with you (vouch-

C RE T R O U TC E N T R EC

IC AM

DON HOE PU

BLIC AM

It’s peak ski season, so if you haven’t already

to cross country ski or snowshoe any day we

been out, it’s time to come and check out our

COURS

BLIC AM

P & INFORM

beautiful cross country trails. You can choose

ER ONN

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EMB

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AR EA I K S L WNHIL OE D TA H

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V I C ES R E S R EM BE OE TA H

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RAMS

Intermediate skaters and above:

in advance at tahoedonner.com/shop.

Benefits of buying a full Season Pass:

•

Saturdays: Feb. 4 -25: 8:30-10 a.m.

TIME: 6:30-8:30 P.M.

•

Saturdays: March 4-25: 8:30-10 a.m.

COST: $25 FOR ADULTS; $15 FOR KIDS UNDER 18 (MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT).

non-storm days.* We have a regular

Valentine’s Day Sunset Snowshoe Tour, Feb. 14

change into their ski boots and enjoy

COST: $120. TRAIL PASS REQUIRED.

TD Challenge Tour/Race, Feb. 12 A new twist on the traditional racing scene. This was so popular last season, we brought it

Season passholders can ski early on 7 a.m. “early bird” crowd that takes advantage of the new locker room to the fresh grooming before work. You can even grab a muffin and coffee

Bundle up with a companion for a special

back this year. The Tahoe Donner Challenge is

Valentine’s Day evening to watch the sunset

before you leave. Locker room and

a race or tour and you choose your own route

above Donner Lake. Meet at Alder Creek

trails open at 7 a.m. The lodge opens

on the trails of the cross country center. This

Adventure Center at 4:15 p.m. to caravan up

and coffee is ready at 8:30 a.m. *Note:

fun format makes for some great strategizing

to the trailhead (4 p.m. if you need to borrow

7 a.m. “early bird” access is only avail-

and comparing routes post event. Checkpoints

equipment). Dress in warm layers, including

able on non-storm days to allow for

at Drifter Hut, Hawks Peak and in Euer Valley.

hats and gloves, and bring water and a head-

grooming and snow removal. Check the

You decide the fastest route. Fun for interme-

lamp. Space is limited. Please reserve your

weather and grooming report before

diate skiers and above and snowshoers.

spot at least 24 hours in advance at tahoe-

you leave home in the morning.

Time: 10 a.m.

donner.com/shop.

Cost: $30 for adults/$40 day of race; $20

TIME: 4:30-6 P.M.

off food, non-alcoholic beverages and

COST: $25 INCLUDES GUIDE AND

retail at the Cross Country Ski Area

for junior ages 19 and under/$30 day of race. Includes trail pass.

EVENING SNOWSHOE TOURS Full Moon Snowshoe Tour, Feb. 11 Enjoy the beauty of the full moon on this

•

(discount not available on sale items).

SNOWSHOE RENTAL IF NEEDED.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO BENEFIT FROM A SEASON PASS It’s going to be a great season and, we

Season passholders receive 10 percent

•

Season passholders receive free access to Tahoe Donner’s Snowplay area.

•

Combo season passholders also receive skiing and boarding at our downhill

guided snowshoe hike above Donner Lake.

think, a nice long one too. A season pass is

area and 10 percent off food and non-al-

Meet at Alder Creek Adventure Center at 6:15

the best way to get out on the trails – bypass

coholic beverages at Pizza on the Hill

p.m. to caravan up to the trailhead (5:45 p.m.

the ticket line – and with just a swipe of the

and The Lodge restaurants (not valid

if you need to borrow equipment). Dress in

pass you are off enjoying the trails. Dis-

during holiday periods).

warm layers, including hats and gloves, and

counted restricted passes are also available

bring water and a headlamp. Includes guide

for snowshoeing and fat biking this year. See

and snowshoe rental if needed. Space is lim-

all pass prices online at tahoedonner.com/

ited. Please reserve your spot at least 24 hours

cross-country/rates.

EXPANDED DOG TRAILS Add just $50 to your season pass and you can take your dog out on designated trails. We

tahoedonner.com |

TDNEWS_BODY_February_2017.indd 11

1/27/17 5:26 PM

have expanded the number of trails and the

•

Snowshoers: please travel to the right side

hours for dogs this year. We now offer 7 kilo-

of the trail to minimize impact on the

meters of dog-friendly trails, all the way up to

skating lane, and please do not walk on

the Dogs in Space trail.

the classic ski tracks.

Well-behaved dogs are allowed on the fol-

•

Fat bikers: please double check which

lowing days and times:

trails are open for riding as trail access is

•

Daily through Feb. 28: Dogs are welcome

subject to change based on conditions. Do

all day, any day, except for weekends and

not ride if you begin to make ruts more

the holiday period of Feb. 18-25, when we

than an inch deep.

only allow dogs before 9:45 a.m. and after

•

Dogs are only allowed on designated

3 p.m. March 1 – end of season: All day, any day.

•

Trails close at 5 p.m. After-hours access

Season passholders are welcome to ski with their dog on “early bird’” days (non-snow removal mornings). Check the daily grooming

is prohibited.

medals! Events are for all ages and include

For questions, call Tahoe Donner Cross

ski and snowboard races, sled pull, and a mini

Country Ski Patrol at 530-582-9621.

terrain park event. Participates can sign up on

report for updates on status.

the day of the event.

TRAIL ETIQUETTE, SAFETY

Glowstick Parade and Carnival, Feb. 25

[trail yield graphic here]

This is a partial list. Be safety conscious at all times.

Parade with glow sticks for children 10 or

NNE younger who can ski or ride unassisted in E DO

E RV I C S R E B E Mglow sticks E R parade andM secure a spotO N inNthe get D E O AH by Tplaying our Lfree AY carnival games. Music and S N OW P

whenever the ski area is operational. •

Please do not walk on the trails.

•

Observe all posted signs and warnings.

the dark on our Snowbird run. Come early to H

Keep off closed trails and out of closed

Downhill traffic and people ahead of you

L U B have the right away. It is your responsibilC A N I O ity to pass safely. ST

ARE INTE

•

Be aware that machinery, including snowmobiles and snow cat grooming machines, may be operating on the trail at EEK

BLIC AM

vate lesson, or join in one E R of many fun events.

T E R Feb. 18–25 N E C Winter Superstars Week, N IA ST Rnext U Ethe EQyou Are Tahoe Donner Superstar? N DON

BLIC AM

I V AT E A M

starts at 12 p.m. FREE event!

I VAT E A M

FEATURED EVENT: Save the Date: I-Did-A-Run is March 12!

OD S O W H T R the 13th annual I-Did-A-Run March. N O this O L furry, O P This event is a timed dog race for our R E N ON O E D four-legged friends to pull weighted sleds TA H R KS B I K E WOdown a snow-covered chute in a race against

Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area will host

I VAT E A M

L I F EG UA

N E DO AHO

DON

NER

CS AQ UAT I

OE TA H NER

EV ENT L A I C E P

AT T H E

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the clock. This event will take place rain or

E LS & R

shine, and it’s the chance every dog dreams of – a moment to show off their skills in the spotlight. There are four weight divisions: • 0-25 pounds • 26-50 pounds

DAPHNE HOUGARD

DON HOE

BLIC AM

We are looking, so come out and win some

the perfect time to join us for a group or priOE TA H

C B EACAHR I NA M and food specials, snow sculpture contest R E T games.EA N great time for the whole family that n n is C

• 51-75 pounds • 75 pounds and over

| Tahoe Donner News | February 2017

TDNEWS_BODY_February_2017.indd 12

TR R

Join us for some tropical fun, live music,

operations and excellent conditions! This is

OURS GOLF C

CA M P

D GROUN

Winter Beach Party, March 11LU B

O OE D TA H

R NNE

CR DER

FREE event!

depth and as a result, we have full mountain

any time.

4:30 p.m. with the parade starting at 6:30 p.m.

Recent snowstorms have built up our base

TD M

EET

•

E BLIC AM

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• S

C C R O S S possible. Stay to the right whenever PU

O U N T RY

are not visible by others. ER EMB

NE Na Do not stop where you obstruct trail or E DO O TA H

IC to the parade. Sign-up and carnival start at

•

P & INFORM

snacks will be provided in the bar area prior I N

AR EA I K S L IL D OW N H ONN OE D TA H

Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.

areas. •

O TA H

and access within the ski area boundary

A kid’s version of our New Year’s Eve Light

SALLY JONES | CROSS COUNTRY SKI AREA MANAGER

A trail pass is required for all trail users

•

trails.

1/27/17 5:36 PM

BLIC AM

P & INFORM

BLIC AM

SAT. AND SUN. 9:30 A.M.–4:30 P.M.

O TA H

U BM E M B E L C H C BAEYA AR I NA L P M W SNO

EN Don’t Miss Friday N T E RNightPUBTubing, ER LIC AM E C ONN D s i E A n E O Feb. TA H K I AtR3e n

O OE D TA H

9:30 A.M.–4:30 P.M.

TD M T tickets are just $1 each; those who buy five

EXTENDED HOURS: FOR PRESIDENT’S WEEK, WE ARE OPEN DAILY, FEB.N18-26, NER

UB L C A N raffle tickets will receive a sixth ticket for free. OI

MEE

O U N T RY

EN PU ERS Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe. Raffle BLIC AM EMB

L AY

C C ROS S

with loads of amazing prizes to benefit the

NER

Along with the race, there will be a raffle HOE

NE DON

DON HOE

GOODY BAG FOR YOU AND YOUR DOG.

S N OW P

NER

I AR EA K S L L I REGULAR HOURS: FRI., 1:30–4:30 P.M.; OW N H TA

COST: $20 ENTRY FEE - INCLUDES A

N E DO

O TA H

Awards will be given to the fastest in each TIME: REGISTRATION IS FROM 12-1 P.M. WITH THE RACE STARTING PROMPTLY AT 1 P.M. PREREGISTRATION IS NOT NECESSARY - JUST COME ON UP!

NER

RV I C E S R E MEMB TA

division with a trophy for the overall winner.

DON HOE

I V AT E A M

H I L L S Tube under the lights until 6:30 p.m. for N W R O E D C ENT night tubing. Note: this is for night tubing ER N A I ONN R D posted on our website soon. T E S O Y E H R U A T T ? only,ERnot sledding. C O U N EQ For a full list of events scheduled at Tahoe EEK S S R CR O E R ONN D AC H ICN C E D AL B S N OE D R S this season, E H U Donner DownhillESki Area visit E C A O B I T V BURNS | RECREATION • Session Card #1: Buy 2 hours, get 30 M M MAR S E RROGER MPGR A S R T TD C D E O B B tahoedonner.com/downhill-ski/events. MEE R O M U E R minutes free: $70 E M SUPERVISOR CL NER ONN C E N T EN O RTPHOWO L DON O E D O I N EA s i H O ECard #2:YBuy 4 hours, get 60 n TA H S • Session A n J R T te ROBERT WPLA ER L F C O UMCCLENDON | DOWNHILL SKI O N ER ONN minutes free: $140 G OAREA S N D N E O O MANAGER TAEHR OE D ER TA H get 90 C E N T • Session Card #3: Buy 6 hours, O R KS ONN W D E N E A K A E O I I H R B R A T minutes free: $210 E R SKI A Q U EST L L I NN E K H O E N D E R ? ER OE C R E E RK D OW ER C TA H T S U D D A L DSimulator N R O N N R Fees R A O E U T C ENT E R O L I F EG U S ONN OE D G E P C I TA H M OE D Y V A R R We have 27 of the world’s finest golf courses S E R EC NT NER C U B R O WOO D E U DON C L H NER B E T N C M S O R O E H S H D O A R M for our customers to "play." From a single C E T N E O B E A A R I NA ONN TA H P OO L U R S E AQ UAT I CS to a foursome, OE D O C TA H we have multiple tee options Y R M F E A L N L GO ER D O N Movement ONWT EPRgame options for the entire Kids Club Music O E and Nvarious ONN S along with TA H OE D T H R KSpostponed until E A N T O C E V W ER s E i E N Note: This class has been n K N L I B IA en tgroup. E DO EA RTHE AHO S P E CHOURS: A I R KAND springtime. Parents will be notified when we NER OPEN TO TMEMBERS ES N N HOURLY RATE: $35 FOR UP TO 4 PEOPLE O N OLL OE D O ENDH I PUBLIC EVERY THURSDAY-SUNDAY, HW T E R 1-7 TA H AO N schedule classes again;Cwatch emails and R E E Kyour T E R D4 S D C A HALF HOUR RATE: $25 FOR UP TO T U N U P.M. G A O I E R R R ER R F E E I N T T N T L N N S our website for announcements. PEOPLE N O R E DO EQ U E NNE ETCAHCOEE Dplease RY Club Fitting N Fawn R T EK N E D O Note: A 10 percent discount will be given to B ROEU O For more information, C AT I Ocontact H U R E L TA R C S S C OUND C C E H I R C T B EA AR I NA S Usher, childcare coordinator, at fusher@ Professional club fitting is available by ourAQ UATahoe Donner members. PGR R E MH WOO D tahoedonner.com. N O N staff. Empirical data is certified club fitting T OE D T R R Golf Simulator League Nights N O E TA H E N T EV E Nour collected by our launch monitor, P OO L isNusECRfor C IALcomputerized n E Join new golf simulator nights! n P e S t ensuring each customer that the golf club ON R OE D • Women’s NNE TA H O KS League: Thursdays, 1–7 p.m. D RMen’s or golf ball configuration that they’ve been R O E OE T W N E TA H E K • League: Fridays, 1–7 p.m. I N C for them; they B A I trying is correct and optimal R R T R NNE S E E • All games are 9 holes U E DO ONN Q O D E H E A can be confident in theSresults upon purchase. O T EK TA H CRE D Titleist, among AT I O N • Skins games, closest to the pin compeE R R A C U E D G Mizuno, Ping, Bridgestone, R E N LIF titions GNRNEORU others are represented proudly. DS • All games are handicappedT H W O O S IC N O R P OO$5 L COST: $15 PER PERSON (INCLUDES Club Fitting Session: $99 Friday Family Movie Night R E N FOR SKINS OR CLOSEST TO THE Note: 50 percent of the club fitting session O E BUY-IN DON H PIN) A Bring a favorite pillow and blanket to T KS R O is refunded if golf clubs are purchased from W E K Northwoods Clubhouse, kick your feet up, B I Come and play by yourself, or bring your Tahoe Donner. ER N own group. Reservations are recommended, N and enjoy both classic and new movies. Movie O OE D TA H S D but walk-ins are welcome. R nights begin at 6:30 p.m. and the films are Session EPlay G UACard F I L For more information, or to book a time, rated G and PG. Call the Member Services at R For the player who wants to work on his or NE please contact James Murtagh at 530-587530-587-9400 to find out what’s playing. her game throughout the winter, we offer a CS E

ON OE D TA H

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Session Play Card. A percentage discount is

given, depending on the amount purchased.

9442.

JAMES MURTAGH | GOLF MANAGER

Thursday Night Trivia Trivia lovers, this is your chance to win big! tahoedonner.com |

TDNEWS_BODY_February_2017.indd 13

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ARE INTE

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to win. A list of possible prizes to win will be

ARE INT Winners do not need to be present in order

1/27/17 5:26 PM

with a barbecue, potluck and bocce ball • Metal Cloak Skills Day at Prairie City: Great 4x4 training Feb. 23 or March 16. • Summer Concert on the Green: Club party in Kids Night Out our special section Kids ages 4 through 10 are invited to an • Fourth of July Parade in Truckee evening of games, dinner, arts and crafts, • Bear Valley trail run to prepare for our Sierra our Friday Night Movie and even a bedtime 4x4 Trails & Ales event story. Let our trained staff looks after your • Sierra 4x4 Trails & Ales event to benefit the little ones. Preregistration and Boys and Girls Club Tahoe Donner payment is required at least • Pole Creek/Cabin Creek maintenance trail Quilt Club 24 hours in advance. Please run on the trail we sponsor for the United Tahoe Donner download our waiver online at States Forest Service Quilt Club is tiretahoedonner.com/rec• Camp Nejedly trail run - transport mentally lessly working to programs/programs/kidsdisabled children to a wilderness camp help those in need in night-out/ before arriving with • Observation Point on the Rubicon Trail to Truckee. One of our your child. To reserve a spot, explore this world famous 4x4 trail charities is Meals on call Trout Creek at 530-587• Verdi Peak Fire Outlook: Fun trails with Wheels. We feel it is 9437, or Member Services great views of the mountains and Reno very cheerful to have at 530-587-9400, ext. 0. • Sardine Peak Fire Outlook: Barbecue potluck a pretty placemat Subject to cancellation. Space dinner, stargazing from the mountaintop when a meal arrives. is limited; there is a maximum • Gold Lake/Snake Lake Trail: Beautiful trail We discovered that of 25 and a minimum of 5. winds around Gold Lake and then a very many times it is in a WHERE: NORTHWOODS challenging downhill descent to Snake Lake bag, which is not fun! CLUBHOUSE • Hunter Lake Trail: Pretty run up to the top So, we are making DATES: FRIDAY, FEB. 3 of the mountain overlooking Reno and then Just some of the many quilt AND SATURDAY, FEB. 18 s the Quilt a variety of placeER down through Big Meadows Club has created this season ONN for those OE D in need . mats to put smiles on H TIME: 5–9 P.M. A • Sunrise Pass/Como Ghost TownTTrail: the faces of those who COST: $20 PER MEMBER A western Nevada trail that leaves from I EN PU CHILD; $25 FOR GUEST CHILD cannot get out for their meals. Come and join ER BL AM Minden O N N and goes east, meeting up with I C D E O in! We meet the first and third Wednesday ROGER BURNS | RECREATION TA H Como trail where we ended with a dinner in of the month from 1–3 p.m. in the Meadow SUPERVISOR VirginiaN I City E PU BLIC AM Room, located in Northwoods Clubhouse. All ER N • Annual holiday party, Northwoods Clubhouse N O D OE skill levels TA H welcome! Contact Linda Brush According to my very precise calculations, at sewlinda@aol.com or Marilyn Dundas or we drove 3,430 miles, climbed seven peaks, I S EN PU BER BLIC AM md11792@outlook.com for further informaM E M and bounced over 237,468,000 rocks. But more D TT MEE tion. importantly, we had way more laughs and smiles than the rocks we went over! SH RE TD 4 Wheelers Club ARE INTE P R and explore EN If you E R would like to join the fun I VAT E A M It’s time once again to write my summary of E D O N N O H A the less-traveled backroads of this majestic the fun we had in 2016. Here are the high-T TD Men's Golf Club region with us, see our website at TD4wheelers. I lights of trails and events we were involved in P EN U B L I Ccom K E A M or send us an email at td4wheelers@gmail. The time to renew or apply for the Tahoe E R C this past year: ER ALD Donner Men's Golf Club 2017 season is now. com. • Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah: Applications can be found on the hallway bulI 50th annual event with over 3,000 EN PU ER BLIC AM ONN letin board just outsideOthe shop at Tahoe E Dpro H other Jeeps TA Donner Golf Course, in addition to Member R • Crystal Mines trail run: Great fun NNE I E DO Services at NorthwoodsP Clubhouse. We have N O H E A UBLIC AM T for the children and grandchildren a dozen tournaments scheduled for next looking for crystals in this old RE EP summer, as well as friendly informal matches N TA ER LS & R mining area ONN D E every Wednesday, beginning in late June. AHO • Verdi Peak Road in the snow: AT When you join the Men's Club, you are autochallenging snow run, dinner at B E ER E AT T H E H matically enrolled in the Northern California ONN D on E O Pizza the Hill TA H Golf Association (NCGA). This organization • Miller Lake/the Rubicon: Cleanup of will calculate and send your index or handiR B E campground E HE the we sponsor on the AT T H E ONN cap monthly when you post scores. Among the OE D H A T Rubicon Trail many benefits of being an NCGA member, you • Sardine Mountain Loop trail run will be eligible to play the two NCGA courses in Monterey (Poppy Hills) and Livermore (Poppy Ridge) at a discounted price. All property owners are eligible to join the Men's Golf Club. A limited number of non-property owners may join once they are invited/sponsored by a property owner. Therefore, if you have a friend you would like to invite to join the Men's Golf Club, please give them a copy of the application.

S N OW P

L AY TY

Don’t miss our Trivia Night at Pizza on the Hill from 6-8:30 p.m. Not offered on Feb. 16,

R EA A I K S ILL D OW N H

N T RY U O C S C ROS

OUND

B I K E WO

CS AT

AQ UAT I

RDS AT

L I F EG UA

R KS S

O U R SE C F L O G

R CA M P G

ENT E R C N A I U EST R

ENT E R C s i n t en

CL A N I O J

V ENT E L A I C SPE

The 4 Wheelers in Moab, Utah in March 2016.

| Tahoe Donner News | February 2017

TDNEWS_BODY_February_2017.indd 14

1/27/17 5:26 PM

N O RT

DINING OPTIONS

Mondays: Feb. 30 – Feb. 20: Classic skiing –

RESTAURANT & PUB Mondays: Mar. 6 – 27: Ski Skating – 8:30–10

No Corkage Tuesdays* Bring in a special bottle of wine from

12850 Northwoods Blvd. a.m.

home to savor in the dining room and we’ll waive the corkage fee on

530-587-9455 Cost: $120. Trail pass required tahoedonner.com/the-lodge

Tuesdays. Not valid Feb. 14 or Feb. 21, or with any other promotions or

The restaurant is open daily for dinner starting at 5 p.m.

Women’s Skating Improvement Tuesdays

and Wednesdays Super Bowl Party, Feb. 5 For Super Bowl Sunday, The Pub will open This four-week series of women only ski specials, along with our regular at 3 p.m. with happy hour food and drink

skating improvement classes taughtthroughout by pub menu. Happy hour willare be valid the duration of the game, PSIA Clinician Andrea Miller. Join fellow and for those looking for even heartier options, our dinner menu will be

coupons.

Wild Wednesdays* We’re getting wild and we want you to join us! Enjoy happy hour food and drink specials in the entire restaurant all night long! Not valid Feb. 22 or with any other promotions or coupons.

skiers to learn and improve available starting at 5 p.m.your skating skills while having fun on the trails. Valentine’s Beginners: Day, Feb. 14 Spend your Valentine’s Day with us and

enjoy our regular–dinner menu, along with • Tuesdays Feb. 3–24: 10–11:30 a.m. special Valentine’s Day creations by Chef Lew. Reservations strongly • Tuesdays – Feb. 7–Feb. 27: 10–11:30 recommended.

a.m.

Happy Hour at the Pub* Enjoy drink specials and 25 percent off

Intermediates: shared plates, soups and salads in The Pub, every Sunday–Thursday from • Wednesdays – Feb. 4 – 25: 10–11:30 5–6:30 p.m. Not valid Feb. 19–25, or with any other promotions. a.m. •

Wednesdays – Feb. 8 –

Mar. 1: 10–11:30 a.m. PIZZA ON THE

HILL

Thursday Night Trivia

Cost: Northwoods $120. Trail pass 11509 Blvd required. 530-582-9669

this is your chance to win big! Don’t miss

tahoedonner.com/pizza-on-the-hill Great Ski Race Preparation

our Trivia Night at Pizza on the Hill from

Training Group Thursdays

Extended Hours: During President’s week,

An 8-week series of ski improvement and

Pizza on the Hill will be open daily for lunch

It’s time to test your smarts! Trivia lovers,

6-8:30 p.m. Not offered on Feb. 16, Feb. 23 or March 16.

training tips taught by PSIA Clinician/USSA and dinner, Feb. 18–25 from 11:30 a.m.–

Coach Glenn Jobe. Whether it’s your first 8:30 p.m.

Great Ski Race, or your 30th, there’s always

Bring a favorite pillow and blanket to Northwoods Clubhouse, kick your feet up,

super at Pizza on the Hill: skiextra faster! Entry to The Great Ski Race is not a • Watch the game on our 120 HD projection requirement. screen, or three large televisions. Session dates: • Take advantage of happy dealsp.m. during Thursdays, Feb. 12–Mar. 2: 11hour a.m.–12 the game. Cost: $180. Trail pass required. • Join our FREE football pool for the chance to win great prizes! Participants must be Seniors – Learn to Cross Country Ski Fripresent to win and must be on game board days by the beginning of game to be eligible. This four-week learn to ski series is exclu-

Movie night is even better when you enjoy it

and enjoy both classic and new movies. with one of our pizzas! Movie nights begin at 6:30 p.m. and the films are rated G and PG. Please call Member Services at 530-5879400 to find out what’s playing.

$10 Pizza Sundays* Bring the whole gang! Every Sunday night, enjoy $10 cheese or pepperoni pizzas.

NEW! Micage Night sively for Open those over 60 and is taught by Feb. 16 and March 16, it’s Open Mic PSIAOn instructor Herb Holden. Join fellow

Offer valid on take-out or dine-in pizzas;

Nightto atlearn Pizzahow on the Hill. Hosted Michael seniors to cross countryby skiing join us from 6:30-9 p.m.and andatbe in Golden, a fun, supportive environment anready

Ask about our specialty pizzas!

wanting try their hand at XC. HappytoHour*

Session dates: Hour Thursday–Monday from Enjoy Happy Fridays, Feb. 6–27: 10 –11:30 5–6 p.m. Drink specials includea.m. $4 Coors Light, $5 Fridays, Feb. draft beers, $5 3–24: house 10–11:30 wine and a.m. half-priced wings. Fridays, Mar.1 3–24: Not valid Feb. or Feb.10–11:30 13-15. a.m.

15275 Alder Creek Rd. 530-587-9484 tahoedonner.com/aldercreekcafe

Open for lunch daily from 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m. with grab-n-go and coffed from 8:30 a.m.

Friday Night Movie Nights

Super Bowlefficiency Party, Feb 5 skiing. Join room for more in our From 2:30-8:30 p.m., the Super Bowl be Glenn Jobe to find out how to work lesswill and

for a fun evening! We willfor supply an amplifier, unbeatable price! Designed beginners new please bring your own instrument. to but skiing, or downhill skiers/snowboarders

ALDER CREEK CAFE AND TRAILSIDE BAR

limit six. Not valid Feb. 19.

Trailside Bar Hours: • Open Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m. • Extended hours on Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m.

Happy Hour* Enjoy $4 selected drafts and $4 house chardonnay or cabernet, valid Sunday–Thursday, 3–5 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 4–8 p.m.

Live Music on Saturday Nights Don’t miss live music every Saturday night at Trailside Bar from 5–8 p.m. See page 30 for February’s featured artists.

TD EATS FOOD TRAILER AT SNOWPLAY Winter Schedule & Hours: Open every weekend (Saturday and Sunday): 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Additional Holiday Hours: Feb. 18–26: Daily, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. All hours of operations are weather permitting. If Snowplay is closed, TD Eats is also closed.

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*Promotions cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon and are not valid during holiday periods.

THEa.m. LODGE 8:30–10

1/27/17 5:26 PM

CAPITAL PROJECTS

GPC MEMBER FORUM REPORT: CREATING ADDITIONAL SPACE AT TROUT CREEK RECREATION CENTER BY JOHN STUBBS | GPC MODERATOR, TROUT CREEK RECREATION CENTER SPACE REALLOCATION TASK FORCE

On Jan. 6, Tahoe Donner Association con-

Reallocation Project,” then on “Click to watch

an architect to conduct a feasibility study

ducted an open member forum at the North-

the meeting.”

for board consideration. Todd Mather was

woods Clubhouse. The forum, addressing the

PROJECT BACKGROUND

selected for this study and charged with

space reallocation proposal for Trout Creek Recreation Center, was chaired by Forrest Huisman, director of capital projects. The panel consisted of Miguel Sloane, director of operations; Courtney Murrell, TCRC fitness instructor and former member, Tahoe Donner board of directors; Todd Mather, architect, TCRC Space Reallocation Project Feasibility Study; and Brinn Talbot, director of marketing. Participants included 15 attendees and one online chat member. The one-hour forum was recorded and may be accessed at tahoedonner.com; on the home page, click on the square titled “Member Forum: Trout Creek Recreation Center Space

In the December issue of Tahoe Donner

addressing all areas of the proposal, including

News, on pages 24-25 we presented a mem-

permitting and Town of Truckee approval.

ber information article describing the 2016

MEMBER FORUM

proposed project and detailing how the space

At the member forum, Sloane presented

reallocation proposal will make more efficient

a summary of the development of the 2016

use of existing space in the cardio, weight, and

proposal that has replaced the previous 2010

current Kid’s Zone areas and adds additional

proposal. He listed the improvements that

space, including a new spin bike classroom, all

would address ongoing staff and member space

within the existing footprint and at a cost sub-

needs initially identified in the 2010 proposal.

stantially less than a previous 2010 proposal. In 2016, the GPC-appointed Trout Creek

These include creation of a dedicated stretching area, expanding the cardio room

Space Reallocation Task Force, the GPC and

area by 50 percent, expanding the weight room

the board of directors reviewed and approved

area by 25 percent, moving the Kids Club to

the concept for this space reallocation, after

the area now containing the couches, creating

which the board voted 5-0 in October to fund

a new spin bike classroom, creating storage An architectural drawing addresses the space reallocation proposal for possible Trout Creek Recreation Center upgrade. This, along with other drawings and information, was prepared for the feasibility study and was presented at the member forum on Jan. 6, 2017.

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space for the laundry carts, reconfiguring the

explained that on completion of the feasibility

plumbing capacity is sufficient to meet code for

reception desk and making a lobby area by

study, a contractor will provide a construction

the proposed space reallocation and expan-

the main entrance, specifically designed to

cost which will be combined with other soft

sion.

help maintain temperature conditions in the

costs, such as engineering and permitting, to

reception area.

establish a total project cost to be presented

Via Live Chat: How are you making the plan energy and water efficient-considered LEEDS? Answer:

Murrell, working with amenity staff and

for consideration by the GPC and the board.

general management, conceived the proposed

Association members will be kept updated on

floorplan by thinking “inside the box” of the

progress on the “Active Projects” page of the

existing building, efficiently achieving space

web site at http://www.tahoedonner.com/

improvements by removing several interior

major-projects/active-projects/.

walls and adding others within the current roofline and foundation footprint. Architect Todd Mather presented a detailed

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Traffic flow from bathrooms? An-

summary of progress to date, stating that the

swer: There will be a walking area suitably

feasibility study was 30 percent complete

defined by floor coverings or other means to

and projecting 100 percent completion by

provide access to locker rooms through the

March. His projection is that the project will

fitness area.

be achievable, as illustrated in the floor plan

Why is the unisex bathroom next to the stretching area being kept?

shown on the facing page of this article. In answer to a member question, Huisman

Project scope doesn’t predict large energy or water use upgrades. For the poolside renovation, all lighting and plumbing facilities were upgraded to be more efficient. Also, a board-approved 5.88-kilowatt solar array system has been installed, generating 25,000 watts of power every sunny day. Members who attended the forum left with solid information, answers to their questions, and a general sense of approval for this proposal, along with congratulations on an efficient solution for existing space issues at Trout Creek Recreation Center.

Answer: Not known yet whether the current

CAPITAL PROJECTS AT A GLANCE CAPITAL PROJECT

IDEA DEVELOPMENT

PROJECT SELECTION

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

FINAL DESIGN

CONSTRUCTION

2nd Draft Under Review

ASSOCIATION MASTER PLAN

SUMMER TRAIL GROOMING

Completed

ALDER CREEK ADVENTURE CENTER ADDITIONAL STORAGE

Alternative Found

TROUT CREEK RECREATION CENTER POOLISIDE LOCKER ROOM REMODEL

Completed on Time & Cost

TROUT CREEK RECREATION CENTER SPACE REALLOCATION

Feasibility Study Under Way

CLUSTER MAILBOX CONSOLIDATION

Options Being Evaluated

GLACIER WAY EXPANDED PARKING

Options Being Evaluated

DOWNHILL SKI AREA STUDY

REVIEW

Final Station In Spring

WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATIONS

EQUESTRIAN CENTER PHASE 3

POST PROJECT

Town Hall Meeting Held

Awaiting AMP Priority Project Task Force Formed

This chart shows the current status of capital projects as they progress through the six-stage Capital Projects Process. For more detail, visit tahoedonner. com/major-projects/ and click on Active Projects.Suggestions are always welcome. If you have an idea for an improvement project, new amenity, facility or service at Tahoe Donner, please complete the form located at tahoedonner.com/major-projects/ and click on Submit Your Ideas.

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REBECCA BOXWELL

FEATURE

Tahoe Donner Downhill ski area: BY DEREK MOORE Like any sport, starting them young is a philosophy that resonates within the ski and snowboard industry. The reality is, kids are quick learners, resilient, and, in many cases, are somewhat fearless. And, let’s face it, they have a shorter distance to fall. I remember my first experience on skis. I was 5 years old and we joined family friends for a long winter weekend at their cabin on Lake Tahoe’s west shore. My father was excited to give my older sister and me our first ski lesson. Many years later, he still says he should have enrolled us in ski school.

We probably would have listened to our instructor better. That said, I owe a lot to my dad for sharing his passion for skiing with us. Teaching kids to ski and snowboard has a rich history, typically taken on by those driven to share their love for the sport, the mountains, and the culture. It’s a natural desire to want to pass on the knowledge to the younger generation for their benefit, but also to keep age-old traditions alive. It is in this spirit that Tahoe Donner Association’s tag line is “Where Traditions Begin.” Avid skier John Green started his kids in the

Tahoe Donner Ski School program when they were 4 and 5 years old. They took group lessons in the Snowflakes program and followed with a few private lessons. His children progressed through the Tahoe Donner ranks, including season-long programs—first the Speedsters and then the race team. “The mountain is perfect for kids. The terrain offers just enough challenge, while most instructors return each year so there is familiarity among the parents, instructors, and our kids,” explained Green. When it comes to ski

school programs for kids, Tahoe Donner Downhill stands out from the rest. It’s known as the “Best Place to Learn” for a reason. In a region recognized for its legendary steep terrain, extreme skiing, and propensity to breed some of the world’s top winter athletes, Tahoe Donner Downhill honed in on its unique offering many years ago. A small ski resort in comparison to its neighbors, the Downhill ski area is a neighborhood gem offering 120 acres of skiable terrain, 17 runs, magic carpet rides for beginners, and gentle terrain with wide open bowls. Will you see Olym-

pians on the mountain? You sure will – often with their own children. Tahoe Donner Downhill’s expansive learning program for kids starts with special classes teaching children as young as 3 years old, which is unusual among Tahoe ski resorts. Its family-friendly atmosphere and non-intimidating terrain lends itself as an ideal resort for kids to not only learn how to ski, but to have fun and stay motivated to continue learning through their adolescent years and beyond. “The best part about teaching skiing at Tahoe Donner Downhill is the

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REBECCA BOXWELL

and pizza. The former is the key to moving downhill, the latter is the fundamental basic one learns to stop moving. Once these concepts are taught, kids are encouraged to step onto a movable “carpet” that takes them up a gentle beginner slope of about 50 yards. With their instructors, they can practice their french fries and pizza stances and take their first, gradual descent to the bottom. “The learning program at Tahoe Donner Downhill is about building confidence with the kids in a friendly environment,” said Dave Walker, ski and snowboard school director at Tahoe Donner Downhill. “Our programs are designed to progress kids to the next level where they build on what they’ve learned to acquire new skills.” During an average ski season, the Snowflakes program teaches 3,000 to 4,500 kids per season. The season-long TD Tykes program this year has over 50 kids ages 3 to 6 for skiing, and ages 5 to 6 for snowboarding who will participate in weekly group ski lessons on every Wednesday and Thursday, conditions permitting. Group lessons are also offered. On an average year, there are approximately 2,100 7 to 12 year olds who participate in group ski lessons, and 1,000 who participate in snowboard-

WHERE KIDS COME FIRST ing lessons. For those who prefer private instruction, Tahoe Donner Downhill averages 3,000 hours of private ski and snowboard lessons for kids each winter season. Tahoe Donner has long been a community based on building traditions with a family focus. As with all traditions comes some history rich with memorable personalities, each with their own story. Longtime employee Mike Leary taught ski school at Tahoe Donner Down-

REBECCA BOXWELL

family atmosphere. Everything about this ski area is organized to meet the needs of families while providing the best place for beginners to learn how to ski,” said Adelaide Baber, a children’s ski instructor at Tahoe Donner Downhill, now in her sixth year of instructing. Adelaide is no stranger to kids. Monday through Friday, she teaches 7th grade English Language Arts and Social Studies at Alder Creek Middle School in Truckee, and teaches downhill skiing on the weekends and during holidays. She took her first downhill ski lesson at 4 years old and continued taking lessons almost every winter. She has earned her Alpine Level 1 and Children Specialist certifications from the Professional Ski Instructor of American (PSIA), continued her professional development with PSIA, and earned a Master’s in Education. Tahoe Donner offers everything from group and private lessons with Snowflakes and Snow Shredders instructors to weekly programs with the same coach that last all season, such as the popular TD Tykes and Speedsters. I had the pleasure to join in on a program recently and quickly understood what makes them successful. It begins with friendly, outgoing instructors who know how to relate and encourage young kids, some of whom are learning how to step into a ski binding for the first time. Meeting at the Learning Center, parents and kids are greeted by instructors clad in brightly uniformed attire and with big smiles. Once warmed up, the parents are encouraged to slide out and watch from the centrally located base lodge. Kids are first taught to step into one ski and get comfortable, and to follow their instructor, who takes short steps in a small circle. The purpose of this exercise is to introduce them to the feel of a ski underfoot and equally important, the concept of balance. From there, they step into their other ski and perform the same exercise where they are introduced to the age-old concept of french fries

KIM LARSON

Adelaide Baber, a seventh grade teacher at Truckee’s middle school, has been a children’s ski instructor at Tahoe Donner Downhill for six years.

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Kim Larson, who travels the world for her career, prefers to spend her winter weekends teaching children at Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area.

“

The mountain is perfect for kids. The terrain offers just enough challenge, while most instructors return each year so there is familiarity among the parents, instructors, and our kids,” —John Green, Tahoe Donner homeowner and parent

”

hill from the opening of the ski resort in 1972 for 32 years without missing a season, driving up every weekend from San Jose, where he was a college professor. Another notable figure is Ernie Gray, one of 13 lifetime PSIA members—a huge accomplishment—who retired from Tahoe Donner Downhill just last April. Cindy Tom, currently on our roster of instructors, has been teaching kids to ski and ride for the past 25 years at Tahoe Donner Downhill. What’s at the core of Tahoe Donner Downhill’s legendary learn to ski program? As with any business, employees are the most important asset. At Tahoe Donner Downhill, it’s about having fun and learning in a safe environment taught by a well trained staff of knowledgeable instructors. James Murtagh is instrumental in training Tahoe Donner’s instructors. Many of you may recognize Murtagh as Tahoe Donner’s golf pro, but in the winter, his passion is teaching skiing. While he taught for 3 years in Vermont before moving to Tahoe, then at Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows for 18 years, this

is his first year at Tahoe Donner Downhill as a lead instructor and trainer for both kids and adult learning programs. “With kids, it’s all about being fun and engaging,” Murtagh explained. “I always tell instructors that if you’re boring, they’ll be bored and lose interest. With adults, it’s about connecting with them and understanding their goals and also, figuring out what kind of learning styles they have. With both, patience, patience and patience.” In December each year before the ski resort opens, first-year instructors spend a week in on-mountain training, followed by sessions shadowing seasoned instructors once the season begins. Tahoe Donner employs both full-time and part-time instructors during the winter, made up of local and international talent. Kim Larson is from Seattle, Wash. and has taught at Tahoe Donner Downhill every year since the winter of 2008-2009. She splits her time as a travel consultant specializing in creating customized itineraries for people

traveling to far-flung destinations such as Papua New Guinea, the Raja Ampat Islands and other remote locations around the globe, and a ski instructor teaching kids to ski on weekends at Tahoe Donner. “I love teaching at Tahoe Donner. It has been great to see kids who I taught from the age of 3 years old grow up and join race teams or big air teams,” Larson said. “The best part is they keep in touch because of the bonds we made during their younger years at a special and unique kidfriendly ski resort.” Rebecca Boxwell and her husband David know about this unique experience firsthand. All three of their children—Emily, Audrey and Caleb—are growing up learning to ski at Tahoe Donner. Tahoe Donner’s programs are designed to allow kids learning to ski and ride to evolve through the years. Programs like TD Tykes and Snowflakes are designed to get children comfortable with being on the snow and learning the basics. They can then graduate to Sunday Speedsters and the Tahoe Donner Race Team.

“I think that one of the best parts about learning to ski at Tahoe Donner is that all of your attention can actually be focused on learning to ski,” Boxwell said. “At other resorts so much energy has to be devoted to parking, ticket purchasing, hiking through the shopping area to get to the snow – everyone is exhausted before they've even put on their skis. Tahoe Donner does a really good job of putting the needs of families first, and making it as painless as possible to get your family on the hill.” According to Walker, the most important aspects of the programs are learning, safety, and making sure the kids are motivated to continue learning. Rebecca Boxwell’s children seem to agree: • “I can't believe he remembers me!”—Emily, age 5, after being greeted in the lift line • “The best part about the race team coaches is that they get there early to set gates for us to train. They work really hard.” —Audrey, age 10 • “The instructors are all really friendly!” —Caleb, age 13

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Child ski and snowboard group lesson packages are designed for all levels of skiers and snowboarders. Packages include an all-day lift ticket, a group lesson and all day equipment rental.

Snowflakes Ski School (Ages 3–6) The Snowflake Ski School has special instructors and its own room just for kids. Each session includes specialized instruction and a low student-to-instructor ratio. Children must be at least 3 years of age, potty trained, and willing to ski.

Snow Shredders (Ages 5–6) Snow Shredders is designed for the youngest snowboarders, ages 5 – 6. Small class sizes plus energetic instructors add up to a great learning experience. Each session includes specialized instruction and low student-to-instructor ratio. Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Area also offers season-long ski and ride programs for kids, including TD Tykes, Sunday Speedsters, recreational and race ski and snowboard teams. For more information, or to sign your kids up for Tahoe Donner Downhill’s children’s ski programs, visit tahoedonner.com/downhill-ski, or call 530-5879444. Related: Tahoe Donner Downhill was recently named Best Family-Friendly Resort on the West Coast by Liftopia, as part of the company’s 2016-2017 “Best in Snow” awards. Additionally, Tahoe Donner made the Top 10 list for Best Value and Beginner-Friendly ski resorts in the West Coast category. See page 8 for more on this award.

REBECCA BOXWELL

”

LESSONS JUST FOR KIDS

ABOVE: The Boxwell family, all smiles.

BELOW: James Murtagh, who is Tahoe Donner’s golf pro in the summer, trades golf clubs for skis to train ski instructors in his winter role at Tahoe Donner. Photo: Derek Moore.

LEFT: A young Keegan Green during his first Snowflakes lesson in 2010 at Tahoe Donner at age 3. RIGHT: Six years later, Keegan rips it up on a race course as a member of the Tahoe Donner Race Team at age 9. Photos courtesy John Green

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GE T READY FOR

SUMMER FUN! AT TENTION FA MIL IES ! IN AN EFFORT TO ASSIST IN THE SUMMER PLANNING OF OUR MEMBERS, TAHOE DONNER WILL OPEN REGISTRATION FOR THE 2017 SUMMER DAY CAMPS, AQUATICS PROGRAMS, AND EQUESTRIAN HORSEMANSHIP CAMPS BEGINNING MARCH 1 FOR MEMBERS. GUEST REGISTRATION FOR ALL AND PUBLIC EQUESTRIAN REGISTRATION BEGINS MARCH 15. MEMBER REGISTRATION BEGINS ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1 AT 8 A.M. FOR DAY CAMPS, AQUATICS PROGRAMS, AND EQUESTRIAN HORSEMANSHIP PROGRAMS. Here are some important registration steps to help assist in completing the process:

DAY CAMP, AQUATIC, AND EQUESTRIAN PROGRAM MEMBER REGISTRATION To register as a member, each participant must be identified in the Tahoe Donner profile, even if they are 6 years old or younger. Additional members can be added to member profiles at the Member Services office, located in Northwoods Clubhouse. Members can also send an email to add a child to their profile. Send the email to info@tahoedonner.com. In the email include: member’s name, Tahoe Donner address, child’s name, birthday, and relationship to owner. 1. Create a login at tahoedonner.com/shop. To do so, members will need to enter their name and member ID number exactly as they appear on the member ID card. If the member completed the registration process last summer, the login for the member should be the same. Both previous and new users should log in and make sure all additional members added to the member’s property appear on the online registrant’s profile. 2. During the checkout process, links to waiver forms will be provided which will need to be completed and submitted to Tahoe Donner. 3. For questions with registration, please contact Member Services at 530-5879400, ext. 0.

GUEST REGISTRATION BEGINS ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15 AT 8 A.M. FOR DAY CAMPS, AQUATICS, AND EQUESTRIAN PROGRAMS. TO REGISTER AS A GUEST, EITHER A TRANSFERABLE GUEST CARD ID NUMBER OR A MEMBER CARD ID NUMBER MUST BE OBTAINED. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC (NOT AFFILIATED WITH TAHOE DONNER) MAY SIGN UP FOR EQUESTRIAN CAMPS ONLY.

DAY CAMP AND AQUATIC GUEST REGISTRATION; EQUESTRIAN CAMP GUEST AND PUBLIC REGISTRATION 1. Create a login at tahoedonner.com/shop. 2. During the checkout process, links will be provided to waiver forms, which will need to be completed and submitted to Tahoe Donner. 3. For all programs restricted by age, guests will be required to provide an accurate birthdate for the child. If the birthdate entered is found to be inaccurate, the child will be removed from the program and no refund will be issued. Please visit tahoedonner.com or watch for our Summer Fun Guide for the complete schedule of day camp, aquatic, and equestrian activities for the upcoming summer. For questions about the registration process, please contact Member Services at 530-587-9400, ext. 0. Please note: If the child member turns 7 years old prior to registration this year, Tahoe Donner members may be required to pay applicable member fees for them to be considered a member. Also, please be sure to check the status of the children well before the registration date so any issues can be resolved in advance of the registration date.

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SAVE 20% ON YOUR SPRING TAHOE DONNER WEDDING Wedding season is right around the corner and most venues are filling up fast—including ours! If you haven't found the perfect wedding venue and are

planning to get married this year, don’t stress just yet. Instead, consider Tahoe Donner. As a Best of Weddings award winner from

The Knot and a Best of Lake Tahoe Weddings award winner by Tahoe Unveiled, we are pleased to offer both indoor and outdoor ceremony selections in the picturesque High Sierra with availability to host up to 200 guests at The Lodge Restaurant & Pub. And the best part? If you book one of the following spring openings for this year at The Lodge, you’ll receive 20 percent off your site fee and food (excluding all beverages). Dates available at The Lodge: • May 13 • May 20 • May 27 • June 3 • June 17 • June 24 Date availability is first come, first served. To learn more about this wedding deal and packages available, please call Lisa Tomasi with group sales at 530-582-9643 or email ltomasi@tahoedonner.com.

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CalBRE# 01947697 ©2017 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company and Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. This information was supplied by Seller and/or other sources. Broker has not and will not verify this information and assumes no legal responsibility for its accuracy. Buyers should investigate these issues to their own satisfaction. Real Estate Licensees affiliated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are Independent Contractor Sales Associates and are not employees of NRT LLC., Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC or Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. CalBRE License #01908304.

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TAHOE DONNER GIVING FUND

Headwaters Science Institute is the latest grant recipient of the Tahoe Donner Giving Fund.

TAHOE DONNER GIV ING FUND S UPPORTS YO UTH S CIENCE EDUCATION BY MEGAN SEIFERT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HEADWATERS SCIENCE INSTITUTE

Headwaters Science Institute (HSI) is one of the non-profits that Tahoe Donner Giving Fund

own research questions. HSI staff members do not give students research projects;

partially funded this year along with the

instead, students develop their own

Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation.

questions and hypotheses for each

HSI is a Truckee-area education non-profit whose mission is to empower students to discover their potential for critical thinking and inquiry-based learning in an outdoor setting.

project. After questions were created, students worked in small groups organized around different research topics. Projects ranged from com-

In one example of our programs from this

paring the health of a small creek to

past October, sixth grade students from North

a nearby lake in the valley by collecting

Tahoe Middle School created research projects exploring how human impacts are affecting Martis Valley. Truckee Donner Land Trust and HSI instructors guided students through the program. HSI staff joined the students at their school earlier in the week to

aquatic insects, to testing how slope angle and soil moisture affect the type of vegetation in any given part of the valley. These projects culminated with groups creating scientific posters and presenting their findings at the Truckee-North Lake Tahoe S.T.E.A.M.

teach students about Martis Valley and help them design research

Fair. Through these presentations each student was challenged to think

questions. One of the unique things about all HSI projects is that

critically about her or his research and also had the opportunity to

students use their knowledgeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in this case about human impacts from

share its implications with a broader audience.

their earth science classâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and about Martis Valley, to develop their

The program was a success. The teachers said that their students

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learned a great deal about the process of science as well as human impacts on the environment. In student exit surveys we learned that over 65 percent of the students felt that the program positively changed their view of science (see graph at left). “HSI impressed the grants committee with the both the number of students served and the depth of their programs,” said Lois Ermak, Tahoe Donner Giving Fund Committee Member. “We were happy to partner with the Community Foundation to meet HSI’s full grant request,” she added. HSI also works with Tahoe Donner Association’s summer camp program to bring more of their unique brand of experiential science to our campers. HSI will be working with select groups to give the campers an opportunity to investigate the amazing green space in and around Tahoe Donner. The Tahoe Donner Giving Fund is chartered by the TD Board of Directors. All contributions are voluntary tax deductible gifts from TD members and friends. The Giving Fund is administered through the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation. For more information on the Giving Fund or to make a contribution, visit our web page at tahoedonner.com/giving-fund/. Contact tdgf@tahoedonner.com with questions or to volunteer for the Committee.

KAYAK AND SUP STORAGE LOTTERY COMING UP IN APRIL Save the date! The lakeside storage lottery for the Beach Club Marina begins on April 18. There are some changes to the lottery this year—details will be posted in the next issue of Tahoe Donner News, and will also be posted online and included in our regular e-blasts.

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ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS January Delivers More than 24 Feet of Snow It's been a memorable start to 2017. Tahoe Donner and the surrounding region received more than 24 feet of snow (as of press date) in January, a regional record for the month. Fantastic conditions are to be had at Tahoe Donner Downhill and Cross Country Ski Areas, and Snowplay now has some of the largest tubing lane berms in Tahoe Donner history. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a nice long season! Please call or check online for your favorite amenityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s updates on conditions and operations. Photos by Kyle Kelly and Derek Moore.

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BULLETIN BOARD

BECOME A SKI PATROLLER Tahoe Donner is seeking new members for its volunteer ski patrol.

5. Contact Peter Mu, the Patrol Director, to learn further details and

As the leading authority of on-mountain safety, the National Ski

how to get started on training.

Patrol (NSP) is dedicated to serving the public and outdoor recreation

SKI PATROL PERKS INCLUDE:

industry by providing education and accreditation to emergency care

1. Complimentary season ski pass for yourself, your spouse and

and safety service providers. The organization is made up of more than 26,000 members serving over 600 patrols, including Alpine, Nordic, and

dependents plus a complimentary voucher and a $5 rental voucher for each day you volunteer.

auxiliary patrollers. Members work on behalf of local ski and snowboard

2. Cafeteria lunch voucher, for $15, valid on the day you volunteer.

areas to improve the overall experience for outdoor recreationalists.

3. Unlimited coffee and hot chocolate from the cafeteria.

WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN THE VOLUNTEER SKI PATROL?

4. Access to Trout Creek for yourself, your spouse and dependents

1. As you serve you will have the satisfaction of making a difference. 2. You will learn new skills that will enhance the safety of your family, friends, and outdoor community. 3. Your skiing will improve significantly.

(access to Trout Creek is based on fulfillment of the minimum day requirement from the previous season). 5. Ski lessons for $5 for your immediate family (space-available basis).

4. You and your family will be able to ski free at Tahoe Donner.

6. End-of-season awards dinner, sponsored by the Tahoe Donner

WHAT MUST I DO TO JOIN THE TAHOE DONNER SKI PATROL?

7. Retail shop discount of 25 percent off; pro-form products as avail-

1. Be able to demonstrate that you can ski in a stable manner on the Tahoe Donner mountain. 2. Be willing to learn how to transport injured skiers in a toboggan. 3. Take the National Ski Patrol Outdoor Emergency Care First Aid Course.

Downhill Ski Area. able. 8. Uniform subsidy of $100 for NSP vest, jacket, pants or backpack, upon completion of season-long ten-day NSP obligation. For more information, please contact Ski Patrol Director Peter Mu at peter.mu@gmail.com.

4. Be willing to serve 10 days per season as a patroller.

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BULLETIN BOARD

LIVE MUSIC AT ALDER CREEK ADVENTURE CENTER Every Saturday night, we present live music at Trailside Bar, located inside the Alder Creek Adventure Center, from 5-8 p.m. With a new artist every week, there is always a reason to come back for more. February’s featured artists are as follows: • Feb. 4: Brooke Chabot from “Calling Ophelia” • Feb. 11: TBD • Feb. 18: Richard Blair • Feb. 25: Pure Winter While you’re there, enjoy happy hour specials with $4 selected drafts and $4 house chardonnay or cabernet from 4–8 p.m. (See additional hours of operation on page 15.) Spread the word. It’s a great way to relax and gather with friends. See the latest updates at tahoedonner.com/alder-creek-cafe.

SEASONAL POSITIONS DOWNHILL SKI AREA

• Groomer I & II ($12.80-19.35 DOE) • Lead Snowmaker ($14.14-19.35 DOE) • Snowmaker I ($11.08-15.16 DOE) • Parking and Scanning Attendant ($10.50-12.28) • Ticket Sellers ($12.55-17.55 DOE) • Rental Fitters ($11.14-12.28 DOE) • Rental Cashiers ($11.14-12.28 DOE) • Rental Boot Fitter ($10.50-11.57 DOE) • Terrain Park Attendant ($10.50-11.57 DOE) • Bus Driver – Class B w/passenger endorsement ($15.59-21.34 DOE) • Lead Lift Operator ($13.47-18.43 DOE) • Lift Operators & Attendants ($13.00-15.92 DOE)

SNOWPLAY

• Attendants ($12.06-14.44 DOE)

DOWNHILL SKI SCHOOL

LODGE

PIZZA ON THE HILL

ACCOUNTING

• Ski & Snowboard Instructor – non-certified ($12.55-15.92 DOE) • Ski & Snowboard Instructor – certified ($14-23.52 DOE) • Waitstaff - part-time, experienced ($10.50-11.57 DOE) • Prep Cook/Dishwasher ($11.82-13.75 DOE) • Cook I ($10.50-11.57 DOE)

TROUT CREEK REC CENTER • Host ($11.60-13.10 DOE)

• Prep Cook/Dishwasher - full-time or part-time, days or evenings (starts at $10.05-13.75) • Waitstaff Assistant ($10.71-11.81 DOE) • Cook ($11.60-13.10 DOE) • Seasonal Accounting Clerk ($13.06-17.55 DOE)

OPERATIONS

• Custodian I or II ($12.06-15.92 DOE)

MAINTENANCE

• Vehicle Mechanic I ($16.37-22.40 DOE)

Visit tahoedonner.com/employment for complete job descriptions and application. Tahoe Donner Human Resources Office, 11509 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee, CA 96161 | jobs@tahoedonner.com

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Tahoe Donner is an equal opportunity employer, a drug-free workplace and an “at-will” employer.

1/27/17 11:37 AM

| Tahoe Donner News | February 2017

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BOARD MEETING RECAP DECEMBER 17, 2016 I. Social Media Update: No action Brinn Talbot, Director of Marketing, presented to the board and to the

real solutions to tackle these issues. To view the full report, please visit the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation website at ttcf.net.

membership a summary of comments and activity across all Tahoe

VI. Board Amenity Access and Expense Reimbursement Policies:

Donner social media platforms and on Next Door, as an additional

No action

way to stay abreast of emerging issues among the membership. The

The board discussed two information papers – one regarding creating a

most common topics this month were the tent structure at The Lodge Restaurant and Pub, members not being allowed to attend the Finance subcommittee meetings, leasing homes in Tahoe Donner to employees, controlled burns, and loose dogs on Cross Country trails.

Board of Directors Amenity Access and Privileges policy and the other regarding creating a Board of Directors Expense Reimbursement policy. Drafts of each policy will be presented at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the board on January 28, 2016 for further discussion and

II. Approval of Minutes: Approved 5 – 0

review, before final approval.

The board approved the November 12, 2016 regular meeting minutes.

VII. Director of Finance and Accounting Report: Approved 5 – 0

III. Committee Rosters and Committee Goals: No action

The board approved the 2016 October Financials presented by Mike

The board reviewed each of the chartered Tahoe Donner committee

Salmon, Director of Finance and Accounting.

rosters, as well as each committee’s goals for 2017. The board would like

VIII. Tahoe Donner Community Solar Share: No action

to thank everyone for working to get this project completed by the new

The board was provided with a progress update on the feasibility of a

year. IV. Consent Calendar:

solar garden in Tahoe Donner from Director Darius Brooks and Forrest Approved 5 – 0

The board approved the following items. •

Appointment of Karolyn Gander as a new member to the Elections Committee.

•

Appointment of Jim Beckmeyer as a new alternate member to the General Plan Committee.

•

Appointment of Jennifer Jennings as a new alternate member to the Tahoe Donner Giving Fund Committee.

•

Huisman, Director of Capital Projects. Thus far, Director Brooks and Forrest Huisman have met with Steven Poncelet, from Truckee Donner Public Utility District, to review Tahoe Donner’s objectives regarding this project and the feasibility of actually making it happen. IX. California Minimum Wage Pay Range Adjustments: Approved 5–0 The board approved changing Tahoe Donner pay rates in order to remain compliant with the increase in California minimum wage requirements and to be competitive in the employment market.

Tahoe Donner Giving Fund grant authorization.

V. Truckee North Tahoe Regional Workforce Housing Needs: No action Stacy Caldwell, CEO of the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, presented to the board of directors the Truckee North Tahoe Regional Workforce Housing Needs Assessment report. Stacy informed the board that this report was created to inspire and activate the community to address the housing issues in the North Tahoe region, and that with the completion of the report, real work can now begin as far as identifying

HOMES ON THE RISE The Architectural Standards Committee reviewed the following plans during December 2016. Unit/Lot 10/313

Street Address 12740 Muhlebach Wy

Square Feet Project 4418

House

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WEST INDIES

Brossar t in St. Kitts Cameron, Maddison and Mike

FLORENCE, ITALY

on a bridge over Jaimie, Mitch, Nicky and Peter last summer. the Arno River during their trip

KAUA'I

Eric Lindquist, his wife Tanya and chilrly dren Danielle and Jonathan, with Beve Lindquist attending the wedding of Beverly's nephew.

, STONEHENGE ENGLAND e Robbins at Stonehenge Ca rolin Cliff, Margie and

Email your â&#x20AC;&#x153;Where in the Worldâ&#x20AC;? photos to: comdep@tahoedonner.com. Please submit only .jpeg files of 300 dpi or higher for printing. Photos must include a copy of TD News. Please list the names of everyone in the picture, where and when it was taken, and a short description of your captured experience. Note: please be patient; it could take up to six months to see your photo published due to a large number of submissions.

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Happy Valentine’s Day from Elder Group Tahoe Sold!

12866FALCONPOINTPLACE.COM

Welcome home to the stunning great room, offering huge windows overlooking the private greenbelt setting, a chef’s kitchen with butler’s pantry, an intimate dining enclave surrounded by forest views and easy indoor-outdoor access and living year ‘round. This four bedroom home provides a spacious master suite and two bedrooms on the main living floor, a large bunk room downstairs. Listed for $845,000, Sold for $810,000 + Furnishings Close of Escrow: 1/5/17

Sold!

12221SCHUSSINGWAY.COM

Here’s a delightful Tahoe Donner cabin, beautifully maintained & ready for its new family! You’ll love the easy living and spacious single story floor plan with airlock entry, three large bedrooms (en-suite master), two baths, spacious great room with a nice dining area and open kitchen, perfect for entertaining. Two car garage, easy access and a wonderful, lower elevation location in Tahoe Donner too! Listed for $535,000, Sold for $535,000 – Unfurnished Close of Escrow: 12/30/16

The professional assistance and service provided by Alison Elder and her team in Truckee, CA was simply superb. She knows the local market extremely well, as evidenced by the right pricing of our home and its prompt sale. What impressed us the most, however, was the absolutely outstanding support we received from Ms. Elder and her team. They made the whole process easy despite the difficulties of selling and buying a home at the same time. I had purchased and sold several residences before, but the level of service and support provided by the Elder Group was far above any of my previous real estate transactions. If you are looking for a top real estate professional in this area, I would highly recommend Alison Elder and her team. – Ted and Deborah Lipien, Sellers, COE 1/12/17

ELDER GROUP TAHOE

Alison Elder

Real Estate Advisor, Par tner 530.582.8103 tahoe@alisonelder.com eldergrouptahoerealestate.com alisonelder.evusa.com

PARK CIT Y | L AKE TAHOE | NEWPORT BEACH | SAN FR ANCISCO | L AGUNA BEACH | ST. GEORGE ©2016 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principals of the Fair Housing Act. If your property is currently represented by a real estate broker, this is not an attempt to solicit your listing. CA BRE License #01399851

1/27/17 4:51 PM

MARKET PROFILE REPORT 2016 When it comes to understanding the Truckee/Tahoe market, trust the experts at Dickson Realty.

TAHOE DONNER SINGLE FAMILY HOME SALES 10-Year Average Price & Median Price $670,779

$643,908

$673,684

$596,336

$522,609

$542,023

$576,007

$610,239

$742,434

$740,584

AVERAGE PRICE

+4%

FROM LAST YEAR $605,000

$580,000

$617,250

$545,000

$483,500

$500,000

$520,000

$565,000

$660,000

$675,000

MEDIAN PRICE

+4%

FROM LAST YEAR 2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

10-Year Average Days On Market & Units Sold 300

UNITS SOLD

+10%

250 200

FROM LAST YEAR 150

DAYS ON MARKET

-10%

FROM LAST YEAR

100 50 0

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

As of January 3, 2017, there were only 27 single family homes on the market, which equates to just over one month of inventory based on total sales in 2016. With the abundance of snow that has blanketed our Sierra Nevada mountains , winter enthusiasts, whether skiers, snowboarders or just “fun-in-the-snow” visitors are flocking to our winter wonderland. Many will be interested in looking for their own vacation getaway to own, so if you’re considering selling, this is definitely a seller’s market. Call one of our experienced agents for the most current information on values in Tahoe Donner.

Source: Tahoe Sierra Multiple Listing Service, as of January 3, 2017

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