The historic cross-country ski race is available for a lower price until Feb. 16.
The Great Ski Race is set for Sunday March 2 at Tahoe XC in Tahoe City. Registration fees go up on Sunday night, Feb. 16. Until then, the race fee is $85 for adults and $40 for kids younger than 18.
“It’s an iconic part of the experience of being here in the wintertime,” said Doug Read, co-director for the race. “Even the most novice cross-country skier can accomplish it, see some beautiful terrain and enjoy a great time with a bunch of fun people.”
This year, there’s a new 10km course that will circle solely within the boundaries of Tahoe Cross-Country Center in Tahoe City. 
The traditional 26km course will zoom as usual from the original start zone at Tahoe XC up the seven-mile hill to Starratt Pass, around Mt. Watson, and back through forest trails to the finish line in Tahoe XC where the party begins. Registration will be capped at 800. Register here for either the new 10k course or the traditional 26k route.
“It’s the best deal right now until mid-February. Then the price goes up to $100 for adults,” said Dirk Schoonmaker, also race co-director. “You can still save quite a bit.”
With the current cold temperatures and the recent fresh snow, the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue team, which puts on the race, is holding strong that this year’s race will be as nice to ski as many others have been.
The new 10k course is $10 beneath the full price for adults and $5 less for kids under 18. All registrations include a commemorative T- shirt, hot lunch, and live music. Prizes for the 26k race will go to the top winners as well as winners of various age groups, according to gender. For the 10k race, prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers according to gender, Schoonmaker said.
For more information about the race, the course, wave starts, soup station, finish area, etc. go to thegreatskirace.com.
This event is the primary fundraising event for Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue (TNSAR). Proceeds are used to purchase equipment for the team members and support winter survival and avalanche education programs sponsored and conducted by the team.
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Here are more details about The Great Ski Race:
Traditional 26k course
The Great Ski Race has evolved from 60 racers 1977 being manually timed at the original race, which was held across 30k (18 miles) from the then call Tahoe City Nordic Center to Truckee’s Cottonwood Hill in 1977, to more than 600 racers with electronic timing in 1985, to more than 750 racers in 1993. In 2005 all records were broken as 1109 racers registered and 1029 finished. There were also the fastest times seen yet among men’s and women’s top finishers.
The course begins at 9 a.m. in Tahoe Cross-Country Center, on Dollar Hill in Tahoe City. Racers will be sorted by finish time in previous races into zones, and each zone will be launched to start in three-minute intervals. The course cruises through Tahoe XC trees and meadows, then flows up a seven-mile climb to Starratt Pass along the original postal route between Tahoe City and Truckee. It then scoots northeastward along a slight, curling downhill route past the lumpy peak of Mt. Watson. It then turns downhill toward Lake Tahoe and rolls through the forest back into the Tahoe XC boundaries, where it winds through pine and fir trees over Watson Creek and downhill to the finish line where hooting supporters, a sometimes goofy microphoned announcer, and a fun party await.
Shorter 10k course (start 9:25 a.m.)
The Great Ski Race’s new 10k course will zoom through the woods along the rolling terrain of Burton Creek. Skiers will cross a vast snowy meadow then cruise into a shady downhill along Burton Creek. The climb out of the Burton Creek watershed will be more gradual, but still challenging. On the final leg of the shorter race, they’ll cruise through pine and fir trees into the swooping downhill finish, arriving at the hot meal and party slightly later the first finishers of traditional The Great Ski Race course.
About Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue
Based in the Truckee-North Lake Tahoe area, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue (TNSAR) is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization that works closely with local sheriff’s departments and other agencies to conduct emergency search and rescue operations for people who are lost or hurt in the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada. The organization also promotes winter and backcountry safety for all ages throughout the Tahoe community. It operates a survival program for fourth grade students called Winter Aware and provides backcountry training and injury preparedness opportunities for team members. The organization’s mission remains the same as it was on day one: conduct fast and safe rescues and educate the public on winter safety.
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All media credits to Troy Corliss / https://troycorliss.
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