Tahoe Donner Opens Alder Creek Adventure Center
After several years of planning, the Alder Creek Adventure Center opened its doors to the public on Nov. 26 at Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Area. Visitors will enjoy spacious seating, large windows overlooking Hawks Peak, a grand fireplace, and the Alder Creek Cafe, complete with a bar and televisions. The Alder Creek Adventure Center was designed to accommodate large parties, weddings, corporate meetings, and banquets. In the summer, the building will house Tahoe Donner’s Equestrian Center and Bikeworks operations. Info: 15275 Alder Creek Road, Truckee, (530) 587-9484, tahoedonner.com/cross-country
Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows Invests Over $9 Million in Capital Improvements
Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows kicked off the 2015-16 ski season with more than $9 million in investments in snow surface and chairlift technologies across both mountains. Improvements include the Gazex Inertia Exploder, an avalanche mitigation system that uses compressed gas to create a sonic concussion, triggering controlled avalanches before they become a hazard; Alpine Meadows has added 15 new high-efficiency snowmaking guns, which will allow for more consistent snow surfaces and early-season snowmaking; Squaw Valley has added two new snowmaking fan guns that will improve lift access ramps and lift loading processes at Big Blue, Siberia, Headwall, and Gold Coast chairlifts; new grooming machines account for $1.5 million in grooming investment; and one of the most popular lifts at Squaw Valley, Siberia Express, has undergone a $7 million upgrade from a high-speed quad to a high-speed six-passenger lift. Over the last five years, Squaw and Alpine have invested $8 million in snowmaking to create 14 miles of snowmaking between the two mountains. The resort now makes four times more snow than they did five years ago.
Mountain Hardware and Sports Buys Truckee Rents
On Dec. 4, Mountain Hardware and Sports’ President Doug Wright announced that the acquisition of Truckee Rents had been completed with the close of escrow. Mountain Hardware and Sports intends to retain the Truckee Rents name, as well as the variety of rental equipment, repairs, and parts, along with plans to upgrade and expand the fleet in the coming years. As part of the acquisition, Truckee Rents will also continue to be a Honda Power Equipment and Husqvarna dealer with Honda equipment also being offered at Mountain Hardware and Sports’ Donner Pass Road and Blairsden locations. Truckee Rents is located at 10410 River Park Place in Truckee. Info: (530) 587-4844, mountainhardwareandsports.com
Gallery 5830’ Opens in Truckee
A new merchant in downtown Truckee, Gallery 5830’ offers a creative portal, featuring an eclectic mix of artwork and furniture on consignment, handcrafted by artists in the community. Co-Owners Troy Corliss, Chris Nelson, and Reid Thomas founded the gallery in November 2015. The owners hope that the unique aesthetic within the gallery will contribute to the developing market for local art and will more firmly establish Truckee as an artistic destination. Examples of artwork in the gallery include old-world blacksmithing, hand-blown and kiln fused glassware and sculpture, furniture featuring re-purposed and re-claimed materials, wheel thrown pottery, and brightly colored constructed paintings. Info: 10060 Donner Pass Road, Thursday to Monday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; facebook.com/gallery-5830-819996868112949
Homewood Mountain Resort Offers Drone Footage for Guests
Homewood Mountain Resort recently announced its new partnership with Cape Productions, a drone video service, for the 2015-16 season. Cape Productions provides a new video method for personal action sports, allowing guests to be filmed while a piloted drone camera follows them. After capturing shots, guests will receive an edited and online published version of their footage with the ability to share it through social media outlets. Everyone, regardless of age or skill, will be able to capture breathtaking footage, film their family ski trip, get shots of their group of friends, and more. Info: skihomewood.com/drone
Grant Program Offers $12,000 for Truckee Events
Event planners are invited to apply for the Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce Event Grants Program until Jan. 8, 2016, for consideration of funding their new or recurring event to be held in Truckee during 2016. The total event funding pool is $12,000. Event planners focused on bringing in out-of-market participants and spectators during shoulder season in fall/winter/spring are qualified to apply for funds to cover marketing expenses. The event must be held within the Town of Truckee limits and have a tourism draw that drives overnight lodging. Additional economic impacts expected are shopping, dining, and in-market spending on other local services. Grant guidelines and applications are available on truckeechamber.com.
Truckee/North Lake Tahoe Shop Local Holiday Contest
Holiday shoppers are invited to shop local in Truckee and North Lake Tahoe until Dec. 24 for a chance to win a seven night adventure or $300 in cash. Shoppers can enter the “Show Your Love – Shop Local Holiday Contest” by picking up a contest card at participating retailers in Truckee/North Lake Tahoe and by getting the card stickered after completing a purchase of at least $25. Shoppers with four stickers will be entered into a drawing for a $300 cash prize. Shoppers with 12 stickers will be entered into a drawing for the seven night accommodation package in Acapulco, St. Maarten, Spain, or Orlando. Contestants have until Jan. 5 to drop off their cards for entry into the drawing. Winners will be chosen Jan. 15. Info: shopnorthtahoetruckee.com
