This special night will honor our South Lake Tahoe Juvenile Panel Attorneys – Julie Bachman, John Castellanos, William Cherry, Kimberly Hunt, Lori London, Rick Meyer and Paul Palant.

With gourmet cuisine prepared by Edgewood’s award-winning chefs, and sumptuous wines from Lava Cap Winery, you’ll learn about the rewarding experiences CASA provides the kids and appointees.  The “Have a Heart for CASA” fundraiser will also offer a unique evening of live entertainment, plus a live and silent auction. Tickets are $125 per person/$1100 per table of ten with all of the proceeds going to support our community children.

CASA El Dorado, a non profit organization, recruits, trains, and matches volunteer advocates with children that are part of the Court system as a result of abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers are specially trained and supervised, and are appointed by a Family Court judge. CASAs make a difference in the lives of abused and neglected children by investigating and monitoring cases involving children in foster care. CASA is a national organization serving in counties throughout the United States. CASA El Dorado has served more than 400 children in the last 12 months alone, speaking up as a voice for children in Court and in life.

Cocktail attire requested.  To RSVP for this South Lake Tahoe event by January 20th, please call 530-622-9882 or friends@casaeldorado.org for tickets.

Edgewood Tahoe
100 Lake Parkway, Stateline, Nevada

This special event is free and open to the public.  Refreshments and jazz will be provided.

Kit’s delightful oil paintings are influenced by Jazz and her love of color. Bright color. Bold color.  Color allows her to play with light, while the sweet sound of Jazz inspires her to push the limit adding dimension and animation to her Citrus Jazz and Glass Harmonies paintings. Kit is an oil painter living in South Lake Tahoe, and she is also the creator of “Art in the Morning,” a weekly artistic boost that lifts the spirits and brings art into our every day lives.

Night’s work has received praise from art critic, essayist and Pulitzer Prize winner John Updike, jazz composer, pianist and creator of NPR’s “Piano Jazz”, Marian McPartland and best-selling author of “Art & Physics”, Leonard Shlain.

“My work is influenced by Jazz. Miles, Coltrane, Dizzy, Evans, Brubeck and, as Count Basie used to refer to him, “Oscar Pete.” I love listening to the old guys tell their stories and talk about their struggles. Listening to Jazz Profiles on NPR, it’s like hanging out with them late at night. The music is alive, always changing. They push space. They push themselves to take risks. This is what I try to do with my paintings.”

Night’s work will be on display at Bona Fide Books Feb. 2-29. Bona Fide HQ is located at 1069 Magua Street, #4, behind the Getaway Café in Meyers.  For more art, Events, Workshops and “Art in the Morning”, please visit KitNight.com.

Skating techniques have been revolutionized in the past few years. Join Debbi Waldear, an eight time World Master Champion and winner of the Great American Ski Chase, and staff to learn all about the transformation of the body position and the use of energy at the Kirkwood Cross Country and Snowshoe Center on February 5, 2012.

Debbi’s recent experience working with the U.S. Ski Team coaches gives her the cutting edge on what’s new. The clinics will help you improve your skills and learn the natural more centered way of skating. Clinic starts at 10:00AM, pre-registration is advised. Cost is $30 pre registration/ $35 on the day. Trail passes will be available for $10, equipment rental will be available for $10.

Watching Debbi ski is like poetry in motion.  Graceful, efficient, and seemingly effortless, she is at one with the snow.  An elite athlete, Debbi is passionate about health and fitness which allows her to creatively express herself on and off the mountain.  Above all, she always has fun at the center and never tires of turning people on to skiing. Debbi oversees the ski patrol, ski school, rental shop, grooming of the 80km of cross country ski trails and manages a staff of twelve at the Cross Country Ski and Snowshoe Center. She is often found out on the trails making sure that the trails are in pristine shape and offering words of encouragement or tips to those just getting started with traditional (kick and glide) or skate skiing. Click here to learn more about Debbi.

For more information about this South Lake Tahoe event, call the Kirkwood Cross Country and Snowshoe Center at (209) 258-7248.

These treks are taken at a leisurely pace and led by experienced trail guides.

Skiing and snowboarding aren’t the only ways to enjoy Lake Tahoe this winter season. Join the Tahoe Rim Trail Association for FREE guided snowshoe treks through the end of March. These snowshoe hikes are great for all abilities (shorter hikes are appropriate for kids). Discover this fun and easy way to exercise and socialize during the winter months in the Tahoe Basin.

2012 Tahoe Rim Trail Guided Snowshoe Hikes:

January 21st -  Castle Rock
4 miles 10am to 2pm – Moderate Hike
Located on the east shore of Lake Tahoe,  snowshoe through lovely pine and fir forest to reach Castle Rock a lovely rocky outcrop with stunning views of the lake. Meet at the Kingsbury North Trailhead off of Benjamin.

January 28th & February 4 – Van Sickle State Park
2 to 3 miles 10am to 1pm – Moderate Hike
Enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the “Jewel of the Sierra”along the way. This new trail is a superb addition to our local hiking trail offering views of Lake Tahoe rarely seen, off the shoulder of Heavenly.  Look for the waterfall about 2 miles up the trail that look like angel wings. Meet behind Harrah’s; in the very back parking lot.

February 7th – Tahoe Meadows Full Moon Hike
2 miles 5pm to 8pm – Easy Hike
TRTA Members Full Moon Hike – Not a member of the TRTA? This is a great opportunity to join, and enjoy a moonlit tromp through the Tahoe Meadows. Meet at the Tahoe Meadows trailhead, located a 1/2 mile southwest of Mt Rose summit on Hwy 431.

February 11th – New TRT Section (Middle Kingsbury)
4 miles 10am to 2pm – Moderate Hike
Check out this new section that runs just below the Nevada side of Heavenly before connecting to the new Van Sickle State Park TRT. Meet at the back of Heavenly’s Bouder Lift parking area.

February 14th – Sweetheart Sunset Hike – Tahoe Meadows
3 miles 4pm to 7pm – Easy Hike
Impress your Valentine with an evening snow hike around the beautiful Tahoe Meadows above Lake Tahoe at sunset followed by wine and cheese. Meet at the Tahoe Meadows trailhead, located a 1/2 mile southwest of Mt Rose summit on Hwy 431.

Please register by calling the TRTA at 775-298-0012 or by emailing jaimes@tahoerimtrail.org.

The Tahoe Rim Trail is one of the world’s premier trails. It passes through two states (California and Nevada), six counties, one state park, three National Forests, and three Wilderness areas. This spectacular trail is 165 miles of single-track multiuse trail, winding peak to peak around Lake Tahoe. It is a trail that offers something for everyone! Hiking and horseback riding are allowed on all portions of the trail, while mountain biking is allowed on the trail with the exception of the wilderness areas, the section that is in the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, and on the sections of trail that overlap with the Pacific Crest Trail.

Gear to Bring

1. Snowshoes
2. Snow Boots (recommend gators to keep snow out of boots)
3. Trekking poles with snow basket (ski poles are fine)
4. Water – 2 quarts minimum per person
5. Lunch and snacks
6. Warm clothes (synthetics blends, such as fleece, polypropylene, & wool. Cotton and jeans are not acceptable clothes for the backcountry in winter, this includes cotton socks!) Water and wind resistant pants and jacket are essential.
7. Gloves
8. Ski hat
9. Lip balm
10. Sunscreen, SPF 30 or greater
11. Sunglasses and/or goggles for blowing snow
12. Map and compass (if you have them)

Way to go Sierra!

Help raise money for South Lake Tahoe non-profits during the Sierra-at-Tahoe Snowsports Week, February 13 through 16, 2012.

Sierra-at-Tahoe donates 2,000 lift tickets to the Barton Foundation to benefit the Sierra Education Foundation. Discount lift tickets can be purchased for $35 at select locations throughout in South Lake Tahoe.

Sierra-at-Tahoe Snowsports Week

Monday – Thursday
February 13-16, 2012
$35 Lift Tickets

All of the ticket proceeds will benefit:

• Barton Memorial Hospital Foundation
• Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation
• Lake Tahoe Educational Foundation
• Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care
• Sierra-at-Tahoe Education Foundation

Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be available for purchase at Sierra-at-Tahoe.

Click here for locations to purchase tickets. For credit card purchases please call (530) 543-5614.

Photo: Travis Ramos Bashful Park
Photographer: Hank de Vre

Scott Lankford, author of Tahoe Beneath the Surface will present these tales and many more on February 15, 2012 at Explore Tahoe from 6pm to 7pm.

Tahoe Beneath the Surface brings this hidden history of America’s largest mountain lake to life through the stories of its most celebrated residents and visitors over the last ten thousand years. It mixes local Washoe Indian legends with tales of murderous Mafia dons, and Rat Pack tunes with Steinbeck novels. It establishes Tahoe as one of America’s literary hot spots by tracing the steps of more than a dozen authors including Bertrand Russell, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Michael Ondaatje. Tahoe Beneath the Surface reveals how the lake transformed the lives of conservationists like John Muir, humorists like Mark Twain, and Hollywood icons like Frank Sinatra.

Currently Scott is researching two books: Mindsurfing Lake Tahoe, a literary history of the Lake Tahoe region; and Mindsurfing Mount Everest, an ecological history of earth’s highest peak. Scott Lankford, Ph.D. is an English Professor at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California.

Tahoe Beneath the Surface by Scott Lankford at Explore Tahoe
February 15 – 6pm to 7pm -  Requested donation $5.

Explore Tahoe – An Urban Trailhead
4114 Lake Tahoe Blvd in the Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe next to the North Face
(530) 542-4637

Public transportation is highly encouraged. For route info and times, please click here or call (530) 541-7149.

Special Parking Rate: The parking garage is offering a flat rate on all speaker night dates of $5.00 after 4pm!

Explore Tahoe – An Urban Trailhead

Explore Tahoe – An Urban Trailhead is a Visitor Center featuring informal presentations and interactive exhibits about the geology, wildlife, and cultural heritage of Lake Tahoe, as well as outdoor recreational and cultural activities available in South Lake Tahoe.

Located in the transportation hub at the Heavenly Village, Explore Tahoe staff can help plan excursions throughout south shore utilizing mass transit to help reduce emissions and protect Lake Tahoe’s natural resources.

The Beacon Bar & Grill at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe is holding its infamous snowshoe cocktail race on February 18, 2012 at 7pm.

Winter is happening at Lake Tahoe.  Grab your skis or snowboard and get to a resort or take the dog on a cross country ski or snowshoe trek today before heading to the Beacon.

The Beacon Bar & Grill Restaurant is located right on the water’s edge of Lake Tahoe with 4 miles of old-growth forests to cross-country ski or snowshoe right out its door.

The evening snowshoe cocktail races start at 7pm, and are free to to participate in with snowshoes provided by Camp Richardson’s Mountain Sports Center in South Lake Tahoe.

Along with the snowshoe cocktail races, this South Lake Tahoe event will include food and drink specials, prizes for winners and losers, and happy hour prices until closing.

If you miss February’s fun, get ready for the March 10 race!

Kirkwood skiers, Josh “Baby J” Daiek and Craig Garbiel, will compete at their home mountain, and host their fellow skiers February 22-27, 2011.

To catch all the action, grab a front row seat in the Devil’s Corral, directly below The Cirque – one of the only venues in the world allowing spectators a full top to bottom view of the competition course.

Look for the BBQ at the venue while you’re hanging out – staffers from the Outback Grill will be serving up burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, and more.

The best of the best compete for the title of North American Freeskiing Champion at this exciting South Lake Tahoe event.  Come on out & support your local skiers and our Kirkwood Freeride Team and check out the talent from across the country and the world.

Pedestrian access to the venue will not be permitted – access via snowcat or chair lift is required.

As a river enthusiast, he was easily drawn to the Earth Sciences. With a degree in Fluvial Geomorphology and Water Resources, Scott began working with the U.S. Forest Service on river ecosystem restoration projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

He began teaching at the Lake Tahoe Community College in 2004 and is the Head of the Geology and Geography Departments and an advisor to the Geology Club. Lab-based courses are offered every quarter and field courses regularly appear in the schedule.

Don’t miss Scott at Explore Tahoe on January 18, 2012 from 6pm to 7pm. Requested donation is $5.00 for this South Lake Tahoe event.

Explore Tahoe – An Urban Trailhead
4114 Lake Tahoe Blvd in the Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe next to the North Face
(530) 542-4637

Public transportation is highly encouraged. For route info and times, please click here or call (530) 541-7149.

Special Parking Rate: The parking garage is offering a flat rate on all speaker night dates of $5.00 after 4pm!

Explore Tahoe – An Urban Trailhead

Explore Tahoe – An Urban Trailhead is a Visitor Center featuring informal presentations and interactive exhibits about the geology, wildlife, and cultural heritage of Lake Tahoe, as well as outdoor recreational and cultural activities available in South Lake Tahoe.

Located in the transportation hub at the Heavenly Village, Explore Tahoe staff can help plan excursions throughout south shore utilizing mass transit to help reduce emissions and protect Lake Tahoe’s natural resources.

Wine tasting with Boeger Winery takes place every Saturday in the Sierra Pub from 3pm to 4pm.   Tastings are complimentary to pass and ticket holders for the day.

Learn about and taste wines from wine makers and wine experts from around the area. Whether you are just getting into wine or you pride yourself on knowing quality when you taste it, you’ll appreciate the family commitment to small-batch, high integrity wine-making from Boeger Winery. They’ve been growing premium winegrapes in El Dorado’s highest vineyard elevations for over a decade.

It’s the perfect pairing. After a fun day of skiing and riding enjoy a taste of El Dorado, complements of  Sierra-at-Tahoe.

You be the judge at the wine tasting at the Sierra Pub at Sierra-at-Tahoe.

Cheers!