Snowboarding in Tahoe

Day 1 - Kirkwood Mountain, prepare to meet your maker!

Here are my notes for Day 1:

- Kirkwood is cheaper than Heavenly and far less crowded. However, Heavenly is higher and has a much prettier view. More on that in the next entry.

- If you want to rent cheap, rent from Powderhouse. They have 3 stores around the area. Reserve 48 hours in advance and you get 20% off. I got a freestyle board - Soloman Prospect - with boots and bindings and it only cost me $64 for two days! Skis are just as cheap at only $45.

- Freestyle boards are really fun because they're light and you end up being able to do a lot more tricks and quick turns easier.

- If you're going to go crazy and do tricks, be sure to wear a helmet. I didn't and hit my head pretty hard and had a headache for the next day.



Review of the first day
- Alice and I went all over the mountain and conquered the blue trails across Kirkwood

- The trails are pretty nice. Some of them are a little crazy and steep. But for the most part the blues were very manageable. This is only my 3rd time snowboarding, by the way.

- The view of Lake Tahoe is beautiful! It was a sunny day, with the sun glistening along the deepest blue [lake water] you'll ever see. Snow capped off the mountains sitting around the lake. The skies were clear with a touch of coulds the way Bob Ross would want it to look...Happy.

- Happy it was. With the crisp air and soft powder hitting my face and trailing behind my snowboard marks, I felt a sense of calm each time looked over to my companion, Alice, who was racing down the slopes with me, weaving between fellow skiers and snowboarders. The best was when we decided to take a break and jump into the puffy powder...sinking in about 1 foot.

- Around mid-day, we were at the bottom of the mountain and to our surprise there was a marching band playing! Trombones, Tubas, drums, symbols, everything. All of the players were decked out in the casual snow gear. It looked like an old navy commercial, actually. A really fly one! But what's nice about Kirkwood, is that at the Main Village area, they have live music playing throughout the day. After the marching band, they had a cover rock band. It was a really great way to be greeted each time we make our way to the bottom of the mountain.

- No better way to end a full day of snowboarding than to chill out in a steaming hot tub with 5 of your friends and a case of Pabst Blue Ribbon Light!