Each spring hundreds of Nordic skiers, snowshoers, and fit bodies race up the mountain in the Annual Billy Dutton Uphill, in honor of late local luminary, Billy Dutton. The original “run what ya brung” uphill race is an uphill answer to the famous ‘Chinese Downhill’ of the 70s. Starting from the bottom of KT-22, the race course climbs 2000 vertical feet over 3.2 miles to High Camp, el. 8200’. This Easter Sunday, April 12, marks the 20th Annual Billy Dutton Uphill at Squaw Valley USA.

The Billy Dutton Uphill race is open to Nordic skiers, snowshoers, runners and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Registration for the April 12th race begins at 7 am in the Olympic Plaza, and the race starts at 8 am at the Funitel. The $20 entry fee includes a tee shirt and goodie bag and proceeds benefit the Tahoe Nordic Race Scholarship Programs. Prizes are awarded to the top finishers in all age categories.

The always smiling Billy Dutton helped establish the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue (TNSR) in 1976, based on his passion for cross country skiing and his vast knowledge of the Tahoe Basin and the surrounding backcountry. “Bill was our strongest skier. I was always sure to be with the likes of him when we teamed up on searches,” says Doug Read, Dutton friend and fellow original member of TNSR.
Read recounts the time when Dutton herringboned eight miles up and out of a canyon near Diamond Crossing, carrying a hurt woman on his back to safety and recovery.

“All he asked was if I would carry his poles,” recalls Read. “He was the type who made our community such a wonderful place to live.” It has been two decades since Billy Dutton passed away, but his spirit lives on through the Annual Billy Dutton Uphill, and through his wife, children, and grandchildren.

The 20th Annual Billy Dutton Uphill is sponsored by Girdisch Ranch Apple Juice, Atlas Snowshoes, Patagonia, Squaw Valley Preserve, Brad Dutton Masonry, the Squaw Valley Firefighters Association and Dr. John Walsh/Sierra Sports Care, and Squaw Valley USA.

More information on the Billy Dutton Uphill is available by calling (530) 587-2573 or (530) 583-6985. The most up-to-date resort conditions, operation schedules, events and live mountain cams are available on www.squaw.com.

The popular Easter Brunch gourmet feast returns to Resort at Squaw Creek on Sunday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The menu this year includes a champagne bar, a cold buffet with items such as a smoked chicken with arugula and artichokes salad, and cold smoked salmon with capers, tomatoes, hard-cooked eggs, fresh lemon and parsley.

Eggs Benedict, an extensive cooked-to-order omelet station, a carving station with ham and prime rib, along with hot buffet station will be featured. The hot entrees include dishes such as Spanish seafood paella with clams, mussels, shrimp, chorizo and chicken mixed in savory saffron rice, and oven-roasted chicken breast with fresh oregano and lemon seafood stuffed roulade of Patrole sole with black truffle lobster cream sauce.

The Grand Dessert Buffet features a chocolate fountain with assorted fruits and pound cake, praline cheesecake, pecan and maple syrup bread pudding, Crepes Suzette and Bananas Foster with vanilla ice cream.

A special children’s buffet features items appealing to a younger palate. In addition, an egg hunt will take place in the Alpine Ballroom, and the jazz quartet, Katy Did Strings, will entertain buffet guests.

The price has been reduced this year to $38 for adults, and children ages 4-12 are $18, plus tax and gratuity. Children ages 3-and-under eat free. Reservations can be made by calling (530) 581-6686. For more information on Resort at Squaw Creek visit www.visitsquawcreek.com.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. April 12. Enjoy sweeping views of Lake Tahoe while you dine at Jake's On The Lake in Tahoe City this holiday. In addition to lunch, Chef Scott Yorkey has created a menu of delicious Brunch Specials including Seafood Crepes, Chicken Apple Sausage and Eggs, Jake's Seafood Melt, French Toast, Jake's Omelet, and Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake. Kids may even find an Easter egg or two. Cafe Menu available at 3 p.m., and dinner served after 5:30 p.m. Reservations recommended. Jake's is located in Tahoe City's Boatworks Mall on North Lake Boulevard. For more information please call (530) 583-0188 or visit www.jakestahoe.com.

Easter Sunday is a time to enjoy a leisurely morning and relaxing afternoon, and the dining room on the river at the River Ranch provides that tranquil setting with a special brunch menu for those wanting traditional brunch dishes at an affordable cost.

For the first time, The River Ranch will be serving brunch from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They will be offering a special menu ranging from $11.95-$14.95 that will include time honored brunch items along with a few lunch favorites. Chef Julia Walter has created a menu that includes classics with a personal spin such as a Dungeness Crab Cake Benedict with two crab cakes on English muffins with poached eggs and hollandaise and served with breakfast potatoes.

Their Smoked Salmon Omelet with three eggs smoked salmon, asparagus tips, tomatoes, and mascarpone cheese with breakfast potatoes is likely to satisfy those with a hearty appetite. On the sweeter side, they are offering Banana Nut French Toast griddled to perfection topped with caramelized bananas, whipped cream and candied walnuts served with Niman Ranch bacon. Chef Walter will be incorporating her Southern flare into the Corned Beef Hash over shredded potatoes with two poached eggs and Hollandaise.

The bar will be mixing up Blood Mary’s, Champagne Mimosas and traditional Ramos Fizz. “We have been working at perfecting our ‘Fizz’ in preparation for the holiday, says Tom Ballou, Restaurant and Bar Manager at the River Ranch. “It’s a difficult drink to make with many ingredients with orange flower water being the crucial ingredient.”
For those not familiar with drink, the Ramos Fizz, alias The New Orleans Fizz or the Gin Fizz, was created back in 1888 in New Orleans by Henry C. Ramos. “The egg white gives it body, the cream lends smoothness, and the citrus provides its’ cool. The sugar tames the citrus, and the gin does what gin does. As for the orange flower water - that's for mystery” states Esquire’s drink historian.

The holiday will continue to be celebrated into the evening where an Easter Ham Dinner will be featured on the River Ranch specials menu for the night.

With the location the perfect meeting place in the middle between Tahoe City and Truckee or Squaw Valley, the River Ranch provides restaurateurs with faire that matches the great setting on the river. The River Ranch is located at the corner of Hwy 89 & Alpine Meadows Road.

Reservations are suggested and can be made by going to www.riverranchlodge.com or by calling the River Ranch at (530) 583-4264.