Lake Tahoe area ski resorts enforce summer smoking ban

With an extremely high threat of forest fire at Lake Tahoe and the Sierra this summer, Heavenly Mountain, Northstar California and Kirkwood resorts have put a number of precautionary measures in place, including banning all smoking on their respective mountains for the summer.
“We want everyone to enjoy their time on the mountain, but with the extremely dry conditions we wanted to be very aggressive in protecting our mountain communities,” said Pete Sonntag, Heavenly’s general manager, in a news release. “The no-smoking policy will be enforced by our staff, and we appreciate everyone’s cooperation in this effort.”
The U.S. Forest Service has increased its fire restrictions to Stage II, which includes prohibiting building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire, charcoal grill, coal, wood burning stove or sheepherders stove, including in developed camping and picnic grounds.

The following precautions will also be in place at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood:
— No parking vehicles on any vegetation
— No open flames, e.g. lighters, stoves
— No Fireworks

The resorts also urge anyone who sees smoke or fire to immediately call 911 or notify an employee who can alert mountain dispatch. At Heavenly, the smoking ban includes, but is not limited to, all activities related to the Gondola, Tamarack Express and Adventure Peak, as well as weddings and special events at the Aerial Tram and Lakeview Lodge, according to the release.

At Northstar, smoking forbidden in all areas of the mountain, including all facilities at the resort. Smoking is only allowed in designated areas within the Village at Northstar.

At Kirkwood, smoking is prohibited in all areas of the mountain, including all company facilities at the resort.

About Heavenly
Heavenly Mountain Resort is a world-class destination offering guests a one-of-a-kind combination of scenic beauty, exhilarating on-snow experience and nightlife unmatched in the ski industry. Heavenly is a subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc., the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. One of the largest resorts in North America, Heavenly spans 4800 acres, climbs to Lake Tahoe’s highest elevation at 10,067 feet and features 97 trails for every level of skier or snowboarder. For more information on Heavenly Mountain Resort, please visit www.skiheavenly.com or call 800-HEAVENLY.

About Northstar California Resort
One of the finest year-round mountain resorts in North America, Northstar is host to a base area village featuring unique shops and restaurants, a conference center, 9,000 square-foot outdoor skating rink, movie theaters, on-site lodging, special events and more. A winter sport enthusiast’s paradise, Northstar offers 97 ski trails spread across 3,170 acres, award-winning terrain parks and snow sports including alpine and Telemark skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and tubing. Summer activities include mountain biking, golfing, scenic lift rides for sightseeing and hiking, horseback riding, fly-fishing and more. Northstar is located on Highway 267, just six miles north of Lake Tahoe and six miles south of downtown Truckee. For more information, call 1.800.GO.NORTH (1.800.466.6784) or visit www.NorthstarCalifornia.com.

About Kirkwood
Kirkwood Mountain Resort is one of the nation's top destination resorts. Located just 177 miles from the Bay Area along scenic Highway 88, its base elevation of 7,800-feet, assures skiers more annual snowfall than any other resort in North America. Kirkwood is recognized by winter purists and national media alike for the quality of its snow and terrain variety and is a true skier’s destination. Known for its pristine beauty and action-packed expeditions and events, winter fun includes skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, sled dog tours, and backcountry expeditions. An ideal location for weddings and corporate meetings, the Kirkwood Village includes boutique shopping, live music and dining. For more information about Kirkwood Mountain Resort, visit www.kirkwood.com or call 209.258.6000.