Ski and Snowboard News, Deals, and Events

Sugar Bowl, celebrating its 70^th year, added a new backcountry center. The Alpine Skills International's Backcountry Adventure Center, located in the Village Chalet retail building, will offer educational seminars, backcountry-specific rental and retail items, an avalanche transceiver training park, and professionally-guided sidecountry tours.

Alpine Skills International, a 30-year-old company, has gained a reputation for ski mountaineering training. Their professional guides will offer several programs this winter out of the new Backcountry Adventure Center at Sugar Bowl.

One-day programs include Sidecountry--an introduction to backcountry skiing, and the Anderson Ridge Tour. A guided Lake Run from 2-5 p.m. tours from the summit of Mt. Judah to Donner Lake.

Two-day programs include a lift-assisted backcountry hut trip and a heli ski prep camp. Midweek three-day camps feature skiing Sugar Bowl's sidecountry and preparing for the European Haute Route.

Alpine Skills International also plans to provide avalanche education out of the Backcountry Adventure Center. Both one-day and three-day avalanche training programs are available.

The Backcountry Adventure Center also plans to offer mini clinics from 3-5 p.m. each day. Subjects for the clinics include backcountry gear, tour planning, navigation basic, emergency shelters, snow camps, and high and light ski camping.

Rental and retail gear at the Backcountry Adventure Center is provided by The BackCountry from Truckee.

More information. Or call 530-426-9000.