Skiing / Bob Lochner : Season May Retake Southland by Storm

Four Southland ski areas are operating this week, double the number at the end of January, and several more hope to come on line by the weekend. It all depends on whether the current storm drops rain or snow in the mountains.

Snow Summit reported a 12- to 36-inch base Wednesday, which should ensure that the resort near Big Bear Lake can successfully stage its two big pro racing events this month.

The Peugeot Grand Prix men’s pro ski tour stops there Friday through Sunday, giving the recent arrivals from the U.S. Ski Team another chance at trying to overhaul Norway’s Halsnes brothers. The latter staged a typical performance last Sunday at Winter Park, Colo., as Edvin defeated Jarle in the slalom final.

Then on Feb. 22-23, Women’s Pro Ski Racing moves into Snow Summit after spending this weekend at Winter Park.

Also presently open are Snow Valley (18 inches), Goldmine (24 to 36) and Mountain High (24 to 48). Operators at Mt. Baldy and Ski Sunrise said they hope to be running their lifts this weekend, while the others--at Kratka Ridge, Mt. Waterman, Snow Forest and Ski Green Valley--are keeping an eye on the thermometer.

Skiing Notes It snowed throughout most of the High Sierra Wednesday, and Mammoth Mountain boosted its snow depth to 89 inches, while nearby June Mountain listed 48 to 84. . . . Boreal, on Donner Summit, will play host to the 40th annual Snowshoe Thompson cross-country ski race, an event founded by current Los Angeles resident Carl Messelt, 83, shortly after World War II. . . . Mike Brown and Pam Fletcher won NorAm Trophy downhills at Copper Mountain, Colo., Wednesday. Brown edged Doug Lewis by .04 of a second, and Fletcher was .83 ahead of Holly Flanders in the women’s race. The competition was a preliminary to the National Alpine Championships, which get under way today. GGP Sports’ coverage of the races will be shown on Channels 7 and 10 both Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. . . . The International Olympic Committee will consider Anchorage’s bid for the 1992 Winter Olympics on Friday at Lausanne, Switzerland. The IOC will announce its selection Oct. 17. The Alaska city has six rivals for the ’92 Games on snow and ice: Albertville, France; Berchtesgaden, West Germany; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy; Falun, Sweden; Lillehammer, Norway, and Sofia, Bulgaria. . . . Aspiring mogul and aerial skiers of all ages, with or without experience, may enter the U.S. Ski Assn. Far West Freestyle Division’s contest Feb. 23 at Snow Valley.