Wednesday, Feb. 27
• 5 p.m.
Check in at Monopalooza houses:
Monopalooza House #1
1927 Venice Dr. S. Lake Tahoe, Calif. 96150
(530) 544-0843

Monopalooza House #2
1931 Venice Dr. S. Lake Tahoe, Calif. 96150
(530) 542-4571

• 6 p.m.
Meet at Murphy's Irish Pub / Rockwater Restaurant
787 Emerald Bay Rd. Hwy 89
(530) 544-8004
Located across from the 7-11

• 8 p.m.
Set up monoskis for Thursday at Monopalooza House #1,
There won't be much time to set up any mono-skis in the morning.

Thursday, Feb. 28
• 8:30 a.m.
Kirkwood Resort
Meet at Red Cliffs Lodge for group tickets.
$55 Don't be late!

• Noon
Lunch. Location TBA

• 3:30 p.m. Apres Ski -
Dinner. Location TBA

• 7 p.m.
Salomon binding adjustment clinic

• 7:30 p.m.
Set up mono-skis for Friday

Friday, Feb. 29
• 8:30 a.m. Sierra at Tahoe

Meet outside the main ticket window to get group tickets.
Two- day $85; Single - $46
Don't be late! Please bring exact change!!!

• Noon
Smokehouse Barbecue

• 1 p.m.
Group Photo
Up top at the
Smokehouse Barbecue

• 3:30 p.m.
Meet for Chinese Downhill
Location TBA
Speed demons scouting the best run

• 4 p.m.
Apres Ski
Location TBA

• 4:30 p.m.
Monoski Carnival
Location TBA

• 7:30 p.m.
Dinner at the Fresh Ketch
Located on Venice Drive
Near the Monopalooza houses.
(530) 541-5683. Call for reservations.

• 9 p.m. Set up mono-skis for Saturday

Saturday March 1
Sierra-at-Tahoe

• 8 a.m.
Womens meeting at Java Junction in the base lodge (Base Lodge)

• 8 - 8:15 a.m.
Meet outside the main ticket window if you didn't get two-day tickets
Single day $46 Don't be late! Please bring exact change!!!
All extra tickets will be returned by no later than 8:30 a.m.

• 8:30a.m.
Morning Breakfast for all the men at Mama's Kitchen, you know you're all Mama's boys. Powder days, we might have to blow off breakfast? (Base Lodge)

• 10 a.m.
Carving clinic
Carve it deep with the Yama Tool-heads and other like-minded carvers.
Location TBA at Mama's Kitchen during Breakfast.

• Noon
Lunch
Baja Grill (located at the bottom of West Bowl Express)

• 1:30 p.m.
Bump Fest
Location TBA at the Baja Grill

• 3:30 p.m.
Apres Ski
Location TBA

• 8 p.m.
Awards and movie premier Murphy's Irish Pub
Rockwater Restaurant
787 Emerald Bay Rd. Hwy 89
(530) 544-8004,
Located across from the 7-11

Please pick up mono-skis you want to try tomorrow morning at Monopalooza House #1

Sunday March 2
Heavenly Valley

• 7 a.m.
Pick-up any monoskis you might want to try, it will probably be a late night on Saturday...

• 8 a.m.
Meet at Gunbarrel Base area California side.

• 11 a.m.
Lunch at Sky Deck (California side)
Early lunch meeting so we can hit the Nevada side
and Mott's Canyon during the afternoon.

• 7 p.m.
Alaskan Fish Fry at Monopalooza House #1

Annual Ski Event Brings Eclectic Breed of Skiers to South Lake Tahoe

The 9th annual “Monopalooza”, a gathering of more than 100 monoskiers from around the world, will take place in South Lake Tahoe Feb. 28 through March 2 at Kirkwood, Sierra at Tahoe and Heavenly Resorts.

This quintessential gathering of like-minded skiers prefer to ride the mountain on one large board, called a monoski, with their feet facing forward side by side in a fixed position. They often get puzzled expressions from onlookers who are used to seeing skiers on 2 boards, or snowboarders who ride sideways in a skateboard or surfing position.

“It’s really exciting way to enjoy riding the snow, “says Scott Gordon, President of Chronic Ski Company, who has organized the Monopalooza gathering for the past 9 years, “and it’s a sport that skiers and boarders can easily learn, especially those that have experienced knee and back injuries.”

The monoski limits lateral pressure on the knee joint and on the lower back, enabling many people who can no longer ski on two skis to continue to enjoy skiing. The monoski even helps skiers that have never been able to ride their two skis in powder. The first day on a monoski in powder can eliminate 30 years of frustration for skiers that can’t control two skis in the fresh stuff.

“As the event gets more exposure, more people want to give monoskiing a try” says Gordon.

Warren Miller films featured the Monoplooza event in it’s 2006 feature film, Off the Grid where freeskiing, cliff-jumper and vertical drop-world-record-holder, Jamie Pierre rides a monoski. And Skiing Magazine recently covered skiing legend
Jeremy Nobis as he discovered the thrill of riding the “mono”, or one ski.

Once practiced by an eclectic few, the monoski is catching on as an alternative way to spend a day on the slopes. Ski celebrities with “rock star” status like Shane McKonkey, Micah Black, and famous ski personality Glen Plake all ride monoskis.

Young skiers and snowboarders who at first say “what is that thing?” are seen a few hours later carving in the snow with huge grins on their faces., as are seasoned snowriders of all ages, looking for a new thrill.

“It’s a unique sensation, riding a monoski, people who try it get hooked and it’s a lot like waterskiing, you start on two skis and move to one once you become more advanced, how many water-skiers would go back to two skis?” says Gordon, who is almost finished planning this year’s event to include an Alaskan fish fry, a kickoff celebration in two houses located in the Tahoe Keys, and gatherings around South Lake Tahoe.

Resources:
http://www.monopalooza.com">www.monopalooza.com
http://www.chronicski.biz">www.chronicski.biz
http://www.yamatools.com">www.yamatools.com

Skiing Magazine, 2005 October Issue