U.S. Forest Service teams up with Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month

By John Heil
The U.S. Forest Service and organizers of January's Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month are working together to promote and recognize the event at Lake Tahoe and elsewhere, highlighting the health benefits of winter outdoor activity.
An agreement was signed recently by Mary Jo Tarallo, executive director for LSSM and Jim Bedwell, director of recreation, heritage and volunteer resources for the Forest Service. The agreement details the efforts to mutually encourage children and adults to learn how to ski and/or snowboard by taking lessons from professional instructors. According to Forest Service data, alpine skiing is the second most popular recreation on Forest Service land behind hiking.

Information about LSSM is being posted on Forest Service websites. Ski and snowboard areas throughout the U.S. including California offer free and reasonably priced turnkey programs during January as part of this initiative. In California, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows have January beginner and “progression” learning offers. Information can be found here.
“We are working together to create public awareness for California snow sports and winter activity outdoors,” said Randy Moore, Pacific Southwest Regional Forester.

There are 23 ski and snowboard areas and resorts in California on National Forest Service land:

Eldorado National Forest:
— Kirkwood Mountain Resort
— Sierra-at-Tahoe

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit:
— Heavenly Mountain Resort

Tahoe National Forest:
— Donner Ski Ranch
— Boreal Ridge
— Alpine Meadows
— Squaw Valley
— Sugarbowl

Inyo National Forest:
— June Mountain
— Mammoth

Klamath National Forest:
— Mt. Ashland

Modoc National Forest:
— Cedar Pass

San Bernardino National Forest:
— Bear Mountain
— Big Air/Green Valley
— Snow Summit
— Snow Valley

Sequoia National Forest:
— Shirley Meadow
— Sierra National Forest:
— Sierra Summit

Stanislaus National Forest:
— Bear Valley
— Dodge Ridge

Angeles National Forest:
— Mountain High (East, West & North)
— Mt. Waterman
— Mt. Baldy

Go to: http://www.skiandsnowboardmonth.org/ for more information.