Yesterday was the last day of lift operations at Squaw and there were plenty of skiers out lapping the Paslisades and milking the last sticky turns of the year.

Well, it’s May and even though there is some skiing left, I’m switching modes. Last fall, the owners announced that the 9-hole Ponderosa Golf Course in Truckee would not reopen. Just outside of Sierra Meadows, the course was just a few minutes from my house. A locals’ gem among many expensive, high-end courses around town, many were saddened to see it go. The word was that the owner’s didn’t want to run it anymore because of competition from the resort courses. The airport bid on it, but could only offer the appraised value ($3.1 million) and the owners didn’t want to sell at that price. Last weekend, we learned that the course is going to open after all! The Truckee Parks and Rec department will run it and hopes to reduce prices and increase local programs. The photo to the left was taken two weeks ago when we played the unopened course for what we thought would be the last time. Nothing like the losing something for a little while to make you appreciate it even more.