A wonderful week in the Swiss Alps

After spending a week enjoying skiing in the Swiss Alps, it was a relief to return to the familiar setting of Lake Tahoe.

The occasion was the 49th meeting of the Ski Club International des Journalists (or SCIJ), the 13th time I've attended one of these meetings around the ski world. Joining me were Karl Horeis and Jeremy Evans of the Nevada Appeal and Jim Scripps, editor of the Sierra Sun in Truckee.

SCIJ was a Cold War idea in 1955 by Gilles de La Rocque of France and Swiss Marcel A. Pasche. They had a concept of a gathering of journalists in a site away from the winds of the Cold War to exchange and share professional experiences amid a skiing setting. It was usually difficult for East and West journalists to meet in such a neutral setting back then.

The idea caught on and membership rapidly grew with the United States fielding a "team" as delegations came to be known in 1957. Since then meetings or recontres have been held in all Western Europe ski areas as well as in Japan, Canada, the Soviet Union and twice in the United States.

At one time the USSR sent KGB agents to keep an eye on Soviet teams, but that ended in the 1980s when during a meeting in Andorra, the Soviet Tass correspondent in New York asked the meeting to help bring about perestroka and glaznost. Since then politics have become less important but not ignored. At the Swiss meeting in Les Diablerets a round table political discussion of the war in Iraq drew some intense debate.

This is not a free ski holiday; all pay their air flights and other expenses. But as organized by the Swiss SCIJ team, those attending got a wonderful week for their money.

We skied a glacier at 10,000-plus feet from Les Diablerets (taken to the lifts by Swiss army trucks); we skied and snowboarded at the one-time TB clinic of Leysin, now converted to a fantasy of ski runs and home of the American College In Switzerland; at Meilleret-Villars and we raced on an ice-hard giant slalom run at Ruvine. And for those not recovering from knee surgery, there was a cross country race at Les Diablerets.

That said, there were also opportunities for trying Swiss wine, enjoying European dining and meeting old friends and making new ones.

While more than 5,000 journalists belong to SCIJ, only 220 could be accommodated at Les Diablerets. They came from 33 countries, most from Europe, Canada and the USA, although two Aussies made it. Dubravka Markovic was the lone representative of Serbia-Montenegro (SCIJ met in Yugoslavia in 1990).

In the past the USA team has tried to organize a recontre in the Lake Tahoe area for SCIJ, but a national tourism office backing has been hard to find. It's not a small project to house, feed and entertain 250 international guests. It takes money and planning; when Colorado's Summit County hosted SCIJ a full time coordinator was hired for the project. Alas, Nevada and California seem to be ill-equipped for such a task. But -- maybe in 2009!

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Heavenly reports that it will remain open through April 27. All access to the mountain will be the California and Stagecoach lodges and the Heavenly Gondola. Springloaded '03 will feature a Dummy Glande April 10, SlushPond Mania April 12 and Easter Celebration April 20.

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Northstar-at-Tahoe is offering a $99 spring pass for the rest of the season. Northstar Double Whammy season passes for the 2003-04 season are on sale for $268. With day lift tickets going for $57 this year, $268 is a bargain.

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Homewood Mountain Resort to the west side of Lake Tahoe is offering Friday-Saturday lift tickets for $34.

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Diamond Peak Ski Resort offers $20 lift tickets for the rest of the season. This deal is good mid-week and weekends for any adult lift ticket. Diamond Peak is more than 75 percent open with 24 trails to choose from. Call 775-832-1177 for more information.

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Sierra-at-Tahoe Snowsport Resort is hosting Glen Plake's Wild, Wild Hot Dog tour Saturday. This is the fourth stop on the Booth Creek Resort Tour.

The event, sponsored by Mountain Dew and Gatorade, includes a bar party with ski videos, poster signing by Glen Plake, a hot dog eating contest, Glen's bizarre bar games and drawing prizes.

The day starts with one of two ski-alongs with Plake starting at 9:30 a.m. The second ski along is at noon, followed by a half pipe jam from 2:30 to 3:30 pm. The event is free with a purchase of a lift ticket..

Those who don't know Plake for his skiing will no doubt recognize his signature hairstyle (the Mohawk). Born and raised in South Tahoe, Plake began his freestyle skiing career in the early '60s. His career quickly turned professional when Glen starred in movies such as "Fist Full of Moguls," "Natural Born Skier," "License to Thrill" and "Blizzard of Aaahhh's."E

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The world's top snowboarders are lining up to prove their worth in the Ford Ranger FX4 Challenge to be held at Squaw Valley Saturday and Sunday. The snowboard cross race has attracted 20 of the elite racers in the world, and is one of the United States' first SBX events since the U.S. Olympic Committee announced the inclusion of the sport in the 2006 Olympics. Racers compete for their share of more than $30,000 in prize money and a 2003 Ford Ranger Two-Year Lease. E

The U.S. Snowboard Team will post a good turnout with team members Jeff Greenwood, Pete Thorndike, Ryan McDonald, Eric Warren and Ben Fairchild invited.E

The Ford Ranger FX4 Challenge is introducing an 'open' qualifying element designed to spark interest throughout the snowboard world. Based on a new qualifying format, any and all SBX racers will have the opportunity to compete in head-to-head racing against top international racers in the Ford race. On Saturday, registered qualifiers get two chances to run the course, and the top 12 will qualify to race in the Ford Ranger FX4 Challenge on Sunday, based on their finish times.

Anyone interested in qualifying can register for the Ford Ranger FX4 Challenge at BAR 6 at Squaw Saturday from 8-10 a.m. Cost is $50, and all registrants must complete registration and waiver forms on-site. Photo identification and a helmet are required.

Sam Bauman is the Nevada Appeal Diversions Editor. E