There Is Good News in Them There Hills

Skiing and snowboarding got a much-needed midseason boost this week as a potent Pacific storm enhanced conditions in the Southland and the High Sierra.

With temperatures remaining chilly enough for snowmaking and another shot of natural flakes expected soon, the higher elevations of the Golden State figure to remain a fashionable whiteat least through the next big holiday weekend, Washington’s Birthday on Feb. 17-19.

Ten to 20 inches fell Sunday and Monday at Big Bear Lake, where Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are in full operation. Nearby Snow Valley reported similar numbers, with five lifts providing access to virtually all runs.

At Wrightwood, Mountain High picked up six inches to go with about 12 inches it made for a 36-inch base, and across the highway, Ski Sunrise said it plans to reopen Friday.

Elsewhere, Mt. Baldy continues to operate Chairlifts 1 and 2 but with skiing only off the latter; Snowcrest (formerly Kratka Ridge) will reopen Friday, but Mt. Waterman’s new owners are holding off until another storm adds to the six inches it received last weekend.

In the Sierra, they’re talking feet again when referring to snow measurements. Mammoth Mountain’s Wendy Kelley said more than three feet had fallen there in the last week for a current total of four to seven feet, and a random sampling around Lake Tahoe produced these depths: Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows five to nine feet, Sugar Bowl four to seven feet, Northstar-at-Tahoe three to six feet, Heavenly three to six feet and Kirkwood six to nine feet.

*

On the World Cup circuit, Daron Rahlves gave the U.S. men’s team one of its few shining moments Tuesday, tying for sixth in a super-giant slalom at Valloire, France, only 0.43 seconds behind Austrian Hans Knaus’ winning time of 1:01.29.

Rahlves, 22, of Clayton, Calif., had a fourth and an 11th last season and, with luck, could be a medal contender in this event at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan.

Gunther Mader of Austria finished fourth to move into second place in the overall standings with 753 points, 203 behind injured Lasse Kjus, and could give the Norwegian a battle for the title because of his all-around skiing ability. Michael Von Gruenigen of Switzerland is third with 726, Knaus fourth with 666 and Alberto Tomba of Italy fifth with 616.

Picabo Street continued to be a one-woman team for the United States, winning one downhill and placing second in another last weekend at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

She is sixth overall with 508 points. Anita Wachter of Austria leads with 835, followed by two Germans, Martina Ertl with 784 and Katja Seizinger with 782.

The women will race Friday in a downhill and a night slalom at Sestriere, Italy, then go to St. Gervais, France, for a slalom Sunday. The men are at Sestriere on Saturday for a downhill and a slalom under the lights, which doubtless will be shining most brightly on native son Tomba.

*

World freestyle champion Trace Worthington, still trying to pull himself together after a couple of rough landings earlier this winter, crashed again during Saturday’s aerials competition at Breckenridge, Colo., and plans to skip at least the next meet at Mont Tremblant, Canada. He suffered facial cuts and a sprained left ankle.

In Worthington’s absence, Kris Feddersen stepped up and won Sunday’s event--after finishing 37th the day before--but immediately announced his retirement. Feddersen, 32, said: “I’m getting away from the snow and going to Arizona to play golf.”

Nikki Stone, the 1995 world champion, won the women’s aerials Saturday, then placed second the next day.

Skiing Notes

The moguls at Breckenridge were won by Fabrice Ougier of France, who edged Jonny Moseley of Tiburon, Calif., and took over first place in the Freestyle World Cup standings with 360 points, four more than the American, and Donna Weinbrecht, who kept her lead in the women’s division. . . . Kyle Rasmussen of Angels Camp, Calif., the leading U.S. downhiller at present, finished seventh and 18th in races last weekend at Veysonnaz, Switzerland. . . . The U.S. Pro Ski Tour stops at Heavenly for races Friday through Sunday. . . . Mammoth Mountain will play host to the Jeep King of the Mountain finals, involving former Olympic and World Cup champions, on Feb. 1.