A common sight this was not — snow skaters shredding in force down the slopes of Donner Ski Ranch.
In fact, the Minus 7 Melee this past Saturday marked the first-ever snow skate contest on Tahoe’s north shore, said Kurt Zapata, owner of Truckee-based Minus 7 Snow Skates along with his wife, Jill.
About 20 snow skaters, many of whom came from as far away as South Lake Tahoe, Reno and Sacramento, competed in a boardercross-style race (called skatercross) followed by a terrain park jam session. It was largely a family affair, Jill Zapata said, as fathers and sons as young as 8 entered together to fill out the youth and adult categories.
Snow skaters ride a skateboard deck set on trucks and a small ski. Unlike snowboards and skis, however, the boards have no bindings…Â Details