"What's good for 9-year-olds is a different subject as far as I'm concerned.

I snowboard regularly in Tahoe. From my observation, there's no shortage of firewood at any of the resorts I have visited (about 10), even in the dead of winter. It should be possible to make a fire from a live, or preferably a dead standing, redwood tree. There are plenty.

My gear while I'm riding includes at least a firestarter, 100 feet of 550 paracord, a whistle, a pocket knife and a small flashlight. I don't bring along a trash bag because I figure the tech of my snowboard shell will cancel out the usefulness of the trash bag. Maybe I'll consider it though because a trash bag basically weighs nothing. [/quote]

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Without shelter, you won't be building a fire in many cases.

Wait till you get stuck in a whiteout on Tinkers Knob with 100 mile an hour plus winds and mixed snow and rain.

Or ride off the backside of Alpine into
powder so deep you can't walk through it without skis with skins or snow shoes.

Many years both these things happen to people.
If they are smart, they build a shelter and signal for searchers. Sometimes they can build a fire, most can't.

I do remember a pair of snowmobilers that managed a fire
by soaking their underwear in gas and using that for a
starter.

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You will have a long walk to start a fire with Redwood Trees,
say across the central valley.