The Great Ski Race is the main fund raising event for the Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue Team, a non-profit all-volunteer organization. Team members, along with community supporters, organize The Great Ski Race, which continues to be one of the largest Nordic ski races west of the Mississippi. Race proceeds are used primarily to purchase equipment for the Team, and to support winter survival and avalanche education programs sponsored and conducted by the Team.

The Great Ski Race has gone from 60 racers being manually timed in 1977, to more than 600 racers with electronic timing in 1985, to more than 800 racers every year since 1999. In 2005 all records were broken, with 1109 registered racers, 1029 finishers, and the fastest mens and womens times yet!