Snow Sport Report

Alpine skiing/snowboarding

The First Security Winter Games will be at Silver Mountain Saturday and Sunday. There will be a giant slalom Saturday and a boarder-cross Sunday. The giant slalom is open to all amateur athletes. A special mitey mite division is included. The border-cross is a race with four people per heat through an obstacle course. Registration is from 7:30-10 a.m. at Zany’s Restaurant at the Gondola Base, both Saturday and Sunday. Fees are $12 for the giant slalom and $10 for the boarder-cross.

Also this weekend, Mount Spokane will stage Family Days and Mardi Gras. Activities include an obstacle course for teams of four, five-card draw, demos from Wintersport and contests to win season passes for next year. Info: 238-2200.

Event No. 3 in the Inland Northwest Ski Association’s “Five Mountains, Five Challenges” series for skiers and snowboarders, ages 11-17 is “Ridin’ Buzzard’s Valley” Sunday at Lookout Pass.

Nordic skiing

In the Methow Valley ski area, the Sun Mountain upper and lower trails were groomed this week as well as the Methow community trail from Winthrop to Brown’s Farm.

Six trails were groomed this week at Schweitzer, including Cloudwalker. Skiing is available daily, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Avalanche watch

There is an extreme avalanche caution above 4,000 feet in the Washington Cascades and Olympic Mountains areas. Wind gusts at the White Pass ski area were measured at more than 125 mph in the last week. Avalanche caution is widespread in the central and northern Cascade areas because of heavier snow due to warm conditions.