SUGAR BOWL
It's Your Turn

From its stately perch atop Tahoe's Donner Summit, Sugar Bowl is the closest major resort to Sacramento and the Bay Area, meaning less time in the car and more time on the mountain. Sugar Bowl celebrates 70 years in 2009-10, having served up some of the region's best skiing and riding since 1939. With four peaks, 13 lifts, 95 trails and the most annual snowfall in North Lake Tahoe, the ski experience is fantastic. You owe it to yourself to check this place out — it's a slice of authentic skiing history, with all the modern amenities. A true mountain adventure.

Sugar Bowl has installed a new lift accessing expert-only runs in the Judah Bowl, on the northern flank, and off the backside to Donner Lake below (only for skiers and riders well-versed in backcountry travel). The new chair opens up significant lift-serviced acreage, and more powder for the people.

Sugar Bowl continues its popular General Admission program in '09-10, where skiers and riders ages 13-69 receive a free two-hour group lesson at any level and/or free rentals for the day with the purchase of their lift ticket or with a season pass. The program is valid Monday-Friday (non-holiday), and seven days a week, from opening day through 12/25/09 and 3/15/10 to closing day. Certainly a great value for those new to the sport, but it's also an attractive benefit for those skiers and riders who might own outdated equipment, or who haven't been on the slopes for some time and are in need of a refresher course. Even the experts get in on the action, since lessons are available at all levels.

Sugar Bowl has a great loyalty and rewards program available to all season pass holders at no additional cost. Earn points every time you ski or ride, and for every qualifying dollar spent, that can then be redeemed for free items such as lift tickets, food and beverage, retail items, even a massage at the Summit Spa.

For those looking for the convenience of a season pass without the commitment, the Daily CORE pass is just $19, gets you automatic enrollment in the CORE Rewards program and saves you $10 off your lift ticket every day of the season. It also gets $10 off a friend's ticket too, so conceivably it can pay for itself on the first day. Skip the lift ticket lines and go straight to the lift when you sign up for Resort Charge.

Alpine Skills International and its American Mountain Guides Association-certified and International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations-certified guides will operate the new Backcountry Adventure Center at Sugar Bowl, located next to the lodge. The Backcountry Adventure Center is an excellent addition to the resort, offering educational seminars like Level 1 and 2 avalanche classes, transceiver location drills in the new beacon basin, wilderness survival classes and guided sidecountry skiing tours in and out of Sugar Bowl.

Sugar Bowl will host the U.S. ski team for ski-cross training on the new course, Feb. 1-17. Come watch the U.S. team train for the Vancouver 2010 Games!

Sugar Bowl may not be Tahoe's biggest resort, but it's definitely one of the best. Great skiing and riding, an authentic vibe, closer to home than the rest, a staff that gets it, and tons of snow. At Sugar Bowl they like to say "It's your turn," so why not take it?