Two net T-bars now up and running at Kirkwood

There haven't been a lot of new lifts installed in the Sierra Nevada this season, except for a couple of conversions from four to six-packs at Squaw Valley. But Kirkwood, which has long explored adding new territory off toward Thunder Mountain, sneaked in two new lifts, or tows to be more accurate, this season.

Much of the time the two new T-bars weren't running due to technical difficulties, one Ski Patrol skier said.

Last Friday I was there with skiing partner David Rittenhouse, who skis or boards anything up to a 90-degree perpendicular, and whom I rely on for reports on ventures too risky for my new knee and mended ribs.

So there we were on the back bowl quad on a bright, sunny day where the snow had been icy and clumpy " the clickity-clack kind of stuff " and I was enjoying the scenery, the vast panorama of snow-capped peaks stretching off to the southwest when I suddenly realized that I had missed the off-loading point and I was about to go around the bull wheel.

Thoughtlessly, I jumped off the chair and landed about six feet down in a muddle. No injuries, except to my pride. In all my years of skiing I had never had a fall getting off a lift. Well, once back in the Midwest when the young lady I was wooing grabbed my arm at the download spot and pulled me over.

Anyhow, the two new lifts at Kirkwood are in the back bowl. One is reached from the top of the Caples lift, a short hike up to the loading platform. The other is reached from the top of the big lift in the back bowl, stretching off to the right from the top.

Both are T-bars, and I suspect there are many skiers and riders who have never tussled with a T-bar. They once were common in the United States but have largely been replaced by chairlifts.

The name comes from the shape of the bar that tucks between one's legs while riding it. It is shaped like the letter T with a curved cross bar. One or two people can ride it at the same time. It's best to have someone riding with you pretty much the same size and weight, otherwise you fight a battle to keep all in balance.

David reported that the skiing was fine, very advanced but nicely challenging. Maybe this week I'll try one.

READER'S COMMENT

The piece at Squaw Valley's Olympic Museum caught the eye of Carson City skier Heidi Manfroi, who has memories of the 1960 event that put Tahoe on the ski map.

Here's what she remembers:

"I was one of the fans of that Olympics, but like everyone else I was worried about the lack of snow. So I organized some friends and we held an Indian snow dance the night before the Olympics were to start.

"No sooner than we started dancing the snow started to fall, so to celebrate we had a broomball event on the ice rink. I don't think many people know about that."

Hang in there, Heidi, we sure could use some more snow right now. Anyone for a dance?

BRIEFLY SPEAKING

The sixth annual Telegrass Festival at Sierra-at-Tahoe is a busy weekend of freeheel skiing, dancing in ski boots and trying beer with friends. It's also an opportunity to try Telemark skiing with free clinics and Telemark gear. Tmhis takes place Saturday. Clinics will be offered each day.

Top Telemark makers will be offering free demos for all. Personally, I've never tried Telemark, but I've watch Telemarkers gracefully running the bumps and wished I knew how.

There will be a classic Telemark race and a bumps event as well as a park demo y professional Teleskiers. This is the resorts 40th birthday year and the event will include a relay race and a retro costume outing.

Bluegrass bands from around Northern California will play so snowboarders, alpine skiers and Telers can dance in their boots from noon-6 p.m.

KIDS IN THE AIR

Those 10 and younger will have a chance to catch some "big air" at the Snowbomb Lil Air Festival at Diamond Peak Saturday. Kids will have two runs to a one-foot jump and the bottom of the Lodgepole run. Registration is from 9-10:30 a.m., and the contest will start at 11:30.

Entry fee is $20 and all participants will receive a Huck Doll and a Certificate of Achievement. A photographer will be on hand to catch the epic jumps of the kids.

Sometimes I wish I were a kid again.

MACUSO GOLDEN

Julia showed how its done after plying the World Cup circuit this season at Girdwood, Alaska, at the nationals. Photos of her on the course show the Squaw Valley skier with her skis at almost 90 degrees to the snow surface. That's the way the do it on the World Cup runs. She had a fine season on the circuit and this only certifies it.

SEASON STILL ON BUT...

The snowsporting season is running down, with Kirkwood, home of the giant snows, planning to close April 27. Other resorts will close before that unless we get an April dump of surprising size.

Heavenly will probably stay open until late in the month, if nothing else than to keep people at The Ridge happy. Boulder base will probably close first with Stagecoach later. Cal base and the Gondola will run until the snow disappears. Well, nobody promised us skiing on July 4, although I have done so at Mammoth and Squaw Valley. Great fun!

- Contact Sam Bauman at 841-7828 or sambauman@att.net.