Program Provides Unique Science Lessons On Tahoe Slopes

Here are the morning’s top stories on Friday, April 25, 2025…

• Skiers cruising down Tahoe’s white slopes this winter had a unique chance to learn about the surrounding ecosystem. UC Davis scientists clicked on their skis and led public tours down the mountain.
• The American Civil Liberties Union has asked a federal court to stop the government from cutting off legal services to families who were forcibly separated at the U.S.-Mexico border during the first Trump administration. 
• It could be another challenging fire year for Californians. According to the latest long range forecasts from AccuWeather, there will be increased fire risks across the state in the coming months.

Ski With A Scientist Program Launches At Tahoe Resort

A newly launched program at Palisades Tahoe is allowing the general public to experience a unique blend of skiing and science education.

The “Ski with a Scientist” program began earlier this year. Each tour features staff with UC Davis’ Tahoe Environmental Research Center, faculty and volunteers who lead participants on a skiing or snowboarding excursion, while also exploring environmental issues that face the surrounding areas.

On a recent tour, UC Davis PhD student Kenny Larrieu started off by describing the areas impacted by 2021’s Caldor Fire. “It was extremely smoky here. There were times where you couldn’t see more than 20 feet in front of you,” Larrieu said.

The wildfire spewed smoke and ash not only into the air but also the lake, creating what looked like falling snow underwater. To show this, he pulled out a laminated image. “I have a picture of what it looks like at the bottom of Lake Tahoe, where you can see a bunch of these particles that just look like tiny specks in the water,” he said. “And that’s what we call lake snow.” To Larrieu’s surprise, the tiny particles disappeared quickly. Using a robot that dives underwater, he discovered phytoplankton helped drag the particles to the lake’s bottom – and clear up the water. “Understanding this interesting physical and ecosystem process will also help us to better understand and predict changes in Tahoe’s clarity going forward,” Larrieu said.

ACLU Fights Trump In Court To Preserve Legal Aid For Border-Separated Families

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a motion in federal court to stop the Department of Justice from cutting off legal services for families who were forcibly separated at the U.S.-Mexico border during the first Trump administration.

A settlement agreement reached during the Biden Administration requires the government to provide legal services to those families in order to help them navigate the complex U.S. immigration system. According to the ACLU’s complaint, filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, the DOJ has declined to renew a contract for the services without specifying what will replace it.

Under the “Zero Tolerance” immigration policy of Trump’s first term, federal agencies detained families entering the country illegally, took children away from their parents, sent them to separate facilities and eventually released them to other family members or to foster care. Nearly 5,000 family members were separated. In many cases, the government did not take steps to reunite them and lost track of which children belonged to which parents.

California Could Face A Big Wildfire Season This Year

Los Angeles County has already been devastated by two massive wildfires in January. Now, AccuWeather is predicting there will be increased fire risks across the state in the coming months.

“I think the rest of the spring is pretty quiet. We start seeing some spotty fires in the ag region area in the foothills as we get into early to mid June. And then starting to grow in coverage across the northern part of the state as we get late June and early July,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

In California, late storms will likely lead to more vegetation growth. Pastelok said once that dries out, the fire danger will likely increase.