Representing the people of the historic Donner Summit community for the preservation of the area’s rugged mountain character and natural resources by providing active coordination for community development issues.
Read more about the DSAA's Vision and past projects
UPDATE: Minutes are now available.
Thanks to Fran Sandwith and the Cal Trans staff for sharing their space with the community. All are welcome to attend. Arrive by 5:00 to enjoy dinner from the cafeteria (under $5 per plate). Meeting starts promptly at 6:00.
The Agenda includes a brainstorming session for a community event in May, centered around the Amgen Tour of California bike race that will cross the Summit via Old Highway 40 on May 16, 2011. Public comments are always encouraged.
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About 12 community members joined the staff, engineers and Board of the DSPUD for a facility tour and discussion of the proposed $21.5m upgrade and expansion to the wastewater treatment facility on Donner Summit. Thanks to Plant Manager, Jim King for the plant tour and General Manager Tom Skjelstad, and Board Members Cathy Preis and Bob Sherwood for leading a discussion about the proposed project. Catherine Hansford was also on hand to speak about the financing options.
Mark your calendars for the community-wide Rate Workshop, taking place on January 20th at Sugar Bowl. With rates increases estimated at 40-50%, the public is encouraged to work together to determine how costs of this project will be passed on to ratepayers.
For more information or to download a copy of the plan, go to: www.dspud.com or www.slcwd.org.
AP—Skiers and snowboarders are packing the slopes in the Sierra Nevada to take advantage of what resort operators are calling the best early-season skiing conditions in decades.
Resorts are reporting mid-winter conditions and some of the country’s deepest base depths after a string of storms dumped up to 10 feet of snow over the week leading up to Thanksgiving Day.
Boreal spokeswoman Tracy Brimmer said throngs of holiday skiers and snowboarders turned out Friday at her resort atop Donner Summit north of Lake Tahoe.
“There’s definitely more excitement than usual this November because of all the snow,” she said. “Our parking lot is completely full, and we’re extremely busy.”
Squaw Valley USA just north of Tahoe enjoyed twice the number of pre-Thanksgiving skier visits compared with last season because of the unusually heavy snowfall, said spokeswoman Amelia Richmond.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort south of Tahoe reported its snowiest November in 30 years, while Alpine Meadows just north of Tahoe reported the largest single November storm in its history dropped 6 to 9 feet of snow.
“The ski resorts usually open around this time, but it’s been eons since they have had these types of snow conditions for Thanksgiving,” said Eric Doyne, a spokesman for Ski Lake Tahoe.
His group represents seven of Tahoe’s largest resorts: Alpine Meadows, Heavenly, Kirkwood, North-at-Tahoe, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Mt Rose Ski Tahoe and Squaw Valley. All seven resorts are open with top-to-bottom skiing and most lifts in operation.
Some Tahoe-area resorts have reported up to 170 inches of snow so far, which is nearly half of their 400 inches of average snowfall.
Quoted from the Sierra Sun.
OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. — The second major Lake Tahoe ski resort changeover in less than a month is nearing completion, as Squaw Valley USA announced early Tuesday that KSL Capital Partners has acquired the resort.
According to a Squaw press release, KSL has entered into an agreement to acquire substantially all of the shares of The Squaw Valley Development Company, which includes all facets of Squaw Valley USA ski operations, the Village at Squaw Valley and related real estate holdings. The transaction is expected to close prior to year end.
KSL is a private equity firm based in Denver dedicated to investments in travel and leisure businesses. KSL’s current and prior investments include some of the premier properties in travel and leisure, including Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, La Costa Resort and Spa, Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Hotel del Coronado, the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa, the San Francisco Bay Club and its sister clubs, as well as ClubCorp, the world’s largest owner of private golf and business clubs.
Recently appointed Squaw Valley President and CEO Andy Wirth will continue in his role, according to the press release. Wirth came to Squaw in August 2010 after maintaining executive level positions with Intrawest, based out of Vancouver, British Columbia and Steamboat, Colo., and has 24 years of experience in the mountain resort and hospitality industry.
“In the short period of time he’s been at Squaw Valley, all of us at KSL recognize that Andy’s extensive experience and leadership has already had a profound and positive impact on the operations,” Resnick said.
“KSL’s pending acquisition of Squaw Valley is great news for our guests and our dedicated, hardworking team,” Wirth said in a statement. “KSL’s expertise in hospitality, recreation, and guest service will provide the support and resources for Squaw Valley’s talented management team to advance the resort’s enterprise-wide focus on the guest experience. The KSL team has already committed more than $50 million in capital improvements over the next three to five years here at Squaw, clearly supporting their commitment to the mountain and guest experience.”
In October, Vail Resorts announced it had acquired Northstar-at-Tahoe from Both Creek Resort for about $63 million.
Moonshine Ink has published Sierra Watch Executive Director Tom Mooers’ opinion piece on the DSPUD expansion project. According to the piece, Sierra Watch is working to ensure that plant expansions enhance water quality in the Yuba River (where DSPUD discharges treated effluent), but do not include capacity that could subsidize new subdivisions.
DSPUD is hosting a Wastewater Treatment Plan Tour and Open House at its Soda Springs location on Saturday, December 4 at 10am. Find out more at www.DSPUD.com.
Find out more about Sierra Watch. Read Moonshine Ink online.
Sean and Blair Esson of Serene Lakes have been selected to compete in the Deaf Olympics in Slovakia in 2011. They are raising funds for their travel and equipment expenses. Read Sean’s message below for more information.
Sean Esson
“Alright everyone, I have great news… I made it on the USA Deaf Snowboarding team for the 2011 Deaflympics (Deaf Olympics) in Slovakia this upcoming February. I will be competing in the half pipe and boarder cross events. I never thought this day would come, and I would become an Olympian for the Deaf Community. It’s like a dream come true.
I need everyone’s help. I’m trying to raise $2,500 to go to the Deaflympics and in addition, I need to upgrade my snowboarding gear. The cost will include international airfare, room and board, training expenses, fees and apparel. I don’t want to ask too much from each of you, but contributions of any amount would help. I’ll appreciate whatever you can donate.
Few options to make the donation: You can write a check for “2011- US Team” and send it to:
USA Deaf Sports Federation
PO Box 910338
Lexington, KY 40591-03338
Make sure you write my name “Sean Esson” on the memo.
You can use Paypal as well. Here’s the instruction for the paypal:
Go to the main USA Deaflympics website at http://www.usdeaflympics.org/, you will see a donate button on the right side. All donors should click on the button, enter PayPal, and type in their donation amount, then login PayPal and click on “add special instructions to seller” (Sean Esson) to identify who the donation is earmarked for.”
25 new homesites have been approved at Sugar Bowl’s Village. Sugar Bowl will begin releasing the sites this year.
