Cushing, the founder of Palisades Tahoe, was known as an innovator in the development of the ski industry in America. 

Hosted by the Lake Tahoe Ski Club Foundation, the 13th annual benefit will feature lamb by Osvaldo Ancinas as well as food from Christy Hill, Wolfdale's, Graham's, Jake's and other notable North Shore restaurants. A giant raffle plus silent and live auctions will add to the festivities.

In attendance will be Olympic gold medalist Julia Mancuso and other current and past Olympians, National team skiers, and Far West alpine competitors. Several Lake Tahoe ski racers will receive awards for their 2005/2006 achievements.

Flooding along the river banks has begun to be visibly obvious and sections of the river are now rising up over the bike trail between Tahoe City and River Ranch.

Albeit minor compared to the disastrous flooding in other parts of the country, local businesses and residents are concerned about the river level and the associated impacts over the coming holiday weekend.

Photos: Kurt Althof

The Truckee river was looking more like a portion of the Colorado river along Highway 89 from Tahoe City to Truckee on Tuesday. Large logs and debris that had been sitting along the riverbanks were seen floating at high rates of speed down the river, and waters raged past rocks, trees and bridges. At River Ranch, people gathered to look at the roaring river as it passed the popular restaurant.

"Its really crankin' now," commented one River Ranch staff member. "I hope they can drop it back down for the big weekend."

Firefighters' resources are already stretched thin across the west as tens of thousands of acres burn in Northern Nevada and southern Oregon, and major fires burn in New Mexico and Arizona.

In an apparent nod to the rafting companies, the Watermaster again held off on raising the river until after the weekend tourist rush. A week prior, the river had been raised to 500 cfs on Sunday, and then dropped on Thursday to approximately 300 cfs, a more moderate flow for rafting.

The effects could be seen immediately along the river banks, as the water began to flow up on brush and trees. At River Ranch, where the river begins to run stronger, the rapids went from tame to more challenging. Rafters leaving Tahoe City had a shorter and more active ride as the speed of the water increased.

"The ride was great," commented a visitor from Louisiana upon arrival at River Ranch. "The rapids at the end were a blast."

As of June 14, 2006 Lake Tahoe's elevation above sea level is 6,228.90 feet, a little over two tenths of a foot from "the top", 6229.1 feet, as defined by Federal court order. Many are wondering what will happen when it gets there. A week ago, the Federal Watermaster opened part of two more gates at the Truckee River dam, taking the flow from a mere 'trickle' at 60 cubic feet per second (cfs), to 300cfs, and triggering the start of rafting season on the Truckee River.

Until 1870 there was a continuous balancing act between how much water a hundred streams poured into the lake and what spilled out through the only outlet, the Truckee River, which ended in Pyramid Lake, Nevada. In effect, the lake level was controlled by Mother Nature. Then things changed.

A Tunnel Through the Sierra

On November 18, 2004 after three previous attempts were stymied by weather, Williamson first succeeded in his bid to yo-yo the PCT. He was the first person to complete a round trip of the 2,560-mile trail that stretches from the Mexican to the Canadian border through California, Oregon, and Washington. The 5,300-mile trip took him 205 days. This time his goal is 175 days or less.