Half a million to hoist in Heavenly rocks

It cost some $500,000 to rent a helicopter to airlift rocks to the Boulder Base at Heavenly Mountain Resort recently. The rocks were to bolster Edgewood Canyon's creek, which, over the years, has caused all kinds of problems at the Boulder area. The rest of Heavenly's work this summer has been on similar projects, while the replacement of the old North Bowl fixed three-seater has been stalled by public objections over cutting the old-growth trees for the new lift.

Anyone who has taken the North Bowl lift knows what a bottleneck it is, probably the longest (and slowest) ride at Heavenly. And from the top of North Bowl, skiers and boarders have to cross slopes to get to the Olympic lift, a fixed two-seater that serves some of the best tree-skiing at Heavenly, as well as the Safeway burn area nearby.

One of the pleasures at Heavenly has been the run from the top of Olympic to the Boulder Base. It's a widely varied run that can be taken in a few fast minutes (after all, it was once a race course). The new lift would make that run one of the most popular at Heavenly, despite the thigh burn involved.

Alpine season passes

Alpine Meadows season passes are on sale at the early-bird rate. Adult midweek pass prices are $399. Midweek-Plus-Sunday passes are $549, and adult Unlimited passes are $779.

Alpine Meadows adult unlimited passholders receive complimentary lift tickets at Mount Bachelor in Bend, Ore. Simply show your 2006/07 adult full pass at the Bachelor special ticket window for a lift ticket any day of the week, including holidays. Alpine's full passholders are also able to ski or ride at Boreal Mountain Resort this fall.

Call (530) 583-4232, or visit www.skialpine.com to purchase a pass.

GI freebie

Squaw Valley offers free lift tickets to active military personnel every day during the 2006-07 season. In its fourth consecutive season, the Military Discount Program is Squaw's way of acknowledging the sacrifice of the military. Over the past three years, 32,000 active duty military participated in the program, saving them over $2 million.

Free lift tickets

Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort is again offering its innovative Rental Rewards Program, a community-based program that awards free lift tickets or a season pass to homeowners who rent a room or rental unit to Northstar Resort employees for the winter.

Homeowners can receive 10 lift tickets for each address at which they house Northstar employees, regardless of the number of employees housed at that address.

Both tickets and the season pass are valid at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort and its sister resort, Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort. Call Northstar Resort Human Resources at (530) 562-3510 or visit www.skinorthstar.com.

• Contact Sam Bauman at 881-1236 or sbauman@nevadaappeal.com.