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2011 Sierra Ski-Orienteering Championships

Day 6 – Tahoe Cross Country (Burton Creek)

Date: (Sat.) Feb. 5, 2011
Location: Lake Tahoe, CA
Event Director: - 650.793.8764
Course Setter: Greg Walker
Type: Ski-O; Day 6 of the 2011 Sierra Ski-Orienteering Championships

Please note that fees and time limits apply, unless otherwise mentioned below. Events are typically not canceled due to bad weather.


Tahoe XC (also known as Burton Creek by our summer orienteers) is skating heaven for our ski orienteers. This venue has 60+ km of groomed ski trails, plus some special trails snowmobiled in by the course setter and the Tahoe XC staff. The terrain includes easy and moderate hills and lots of flat areas. If you think you can create your own shortcut between two trails over an open flat area, go for it. Wax your skis for some fast skating and fun!

As happened last year, Greg Walker, the course setter, will be adding his own snowmobiled trails to the map to change your routing choices. Additionally, Brenda Giese discovered at least one new groomed trail and mapped it. This map, which is taken from one of our best foot-O maps, is probably our best ski-O map when it comes to accuracy and detail.

The courses this year will be point-to-point courses using a single map each. Starts, which are handled on a first-come-first-serve basis, are from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Courses close at 2:30 PM.

Here are the course statistics:

            Optimal            
   Course   Distance   Controls
   White     3.0 km        9
   Orange    4.3 km        9
   Green     5.8 km       15
   Red       8.1 km       22
   Blue      9.9 km       27

Climbs are negligible for all the courses.

Registration and results are handled in the ski lodge. Starts will be up the hill on the flat above the ski lodge. Give yourself 5 to 10 minutes time to go to the Start area. Parking is in the main parking lot or on one side of the street outside the resort. If parking is filled, wait a few minutes — there is a constant turn over of cars in the parking lot.

Everybody must check in at registration before skiing. If you preregistered for this event, you will be able to pick up a coupon for your trail pass when you check in. Day-of-event entries can purchase trail passes when they register on the event day. Everybody takes their trail-pass coupon to the resort trail-pass desk to pick up the trail pass for the day.

Tahoe XC is a non-profit cross country ski center that is setup by a local community group supported by the local water district. They exist to give locals and others a great place to ski. Many locals come here for their daily hour of ski exercise. What a life... The staff is one of the friendliest and most helpful that you'll encounter. Some of the locals that you'll see on the trails are volunteer staff members for this great organization. Note that at least one trail, the Blue Trail, at this venue allows dogs, so take care in passing skiers with dogs.

Driving Directions

Tahoe Cross Country is on the northwest side of Lake Tahoe in the Sierras. To get there, do the following:

  1. Take Highway 80 to Truckee.
  2. Exit at Hwy 89 and drive south to Tahoe City.
  3. At the traffic light, go north (veer to the left) on Hwy 28 (North Lake Boulevard) about 2 miles.
  4. Turn left on Fabian Way (7-Eleven store on the opposite side of the highway).
  5. Make an immediate right onto Village Road and follow it as it veers to the right.
  6. Turn left onto Country Club Drive, and park as close to the Tahoe XC office as you can.

There's a map here that shows the location of the event.