SKIING / BOB LOCHNER : New Snow Gives Lift to Season

It’s that week again in the mountains.

Skiers, snowboarders and just plain inner-tube riders are on the move into snow country to experience, at least for a few days, the thrill and chill ordinarily missing from life in the balmy Southland.

At least, everyone is trying to move, but as usual, there are lines everywhere--on the highways, at the lifts, in restaurants and outside restrooms. Still, there’s no better place to be during this interlude between Christmas and New Year’s, when not much business gets done anyway.

The one essential ingredient, snow, seems to be in adequate supply on most slopes from Big Bear to Lake Tahoe, although many lower-elevation runs aren’t totally covered.

Last Saturday’s storm dumped eight to 12 inches in the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains, boosting the base already created by 10 days of constant snow-making at four ski/snowboard areas--Snow Summit, Bear Mountain, Snow Valley and Mountain High--and enabling three more--Mt. Baldy, Ski Sunrise and Snowcrest Snow Park--to open.

This is the situation locally, where snow depths range from two to six feet:

--Snow Summit now has all 11 chairlifts running and most of its runs open.

--Bear Mountain is operating six lifts serving 15 trails, with additional terrain due to be added as conditions warrant.

--Snow Valley offers skiing on both its front and back sides, with nine lifts providing access.

--Mountain High, with its West runs already 90% open, has added the East slopes in time for the holidays.

--Mt. Baldy has two chairs operating, with skiing and snowboarding off No. 2 only.

--Ski Sunrise is running all but its Giant Poma.

--Snowcrest Snow Park, formerly Kratka Ridge, has Chair No. 2, the rope tow and snowboard park in operation.

The word from Mt. Waterman, meanwhile, is that a little more natural snow is needed atop the 18-to 24-inch base before its season can start.

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In the Sierra, Mammoth Mountain has four to seven feet of mainly packed powder, but its June Mountain runs are covered by only one to two feet.

Farther north, there’s a similar contrast: Fair to good skiing at the upper levels or where there’s snow-making, but marginal or no skiing on lower slopes.

Of course, cross-country skiing is available away from resorts, and the higher the better.

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World Cup racers are taking a brief respite before resuming competition this weekend--the men in a downhill Friday at Bormio, Italy, and the women in two slaloms Friday and Saturday at Semmering, Austria.

Lasse Kjus of Norway is threatening to run away with the men’s overall title, having earned 785 points in the first 14 races, 287 more than runner-up Michael Von Gruenigen of Switzerland. They’re followed by Hans Knaus of Austria with 377 and defending champion Alberto Tomba of Italy with 356.

The women have had 13 races, and the top four are separated by only 75 points. Alexandra Meissnitzer and Anita Wachter of Austria are 1-2 with 488 and 463 points, respectively, just ahead of two Germans, Martina Ertl (433) and Katja Seizinger (413).

The only Americans in the top 30 are Picabo Street, sixth with 328, and Hilary Lindh, 24th with 121.

The leading U.S. male skier is Kyle Rasmussen, who is 47th with 60 points.