S IERRA LEAGUES R ACING N EWS WWW. SIERRALEAGUE . COM NOVEMBER, 2016 L EAGUE R ACE RESOURCES : Nan Carnal; Sierra League Race Chair: [email protected]; 530-550-5228 (h); 510-520-7338 (cell) John Walsh; Singles League Race Chair: [email protected]; 416-596-7234 Debi Phelps; Open League Director of Racing: [email protected]P AGE 1 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Race News Page 1 President’s Message Page 2 Sierra League Contacts Page 2 Member Clubs/Contacts Page 3 CA/NV Ski Area websites Page 3 Race Chair Message Page 4 Ski Swaps /Ski Biste Page 4-5 Holiday Party Flyer Page 6-7 Race Reg. Form & Waiver Page 8-9 Safety: Get ready for skiing Page 10 Travel Options Page 11 -FWSA Ski Weeks 2017 Pgs 12-17 -FWSA Intnl Ski Week 2017 Pgs 18-20 -FWSA Mini Ski Week 2017 Page 21 -FWSA Convention 2017 Page 22 NewsFlash/Newsbeat Pgs 23-28 2016 - 2017 Race Schedule January 21 Northstar Giant Slalom January 22 Northstar Giant Slalom February 18 Sugar Bowl Slalom February 19 Sugar Bowl Slalom February 25 Squaw Valley Slalom February 26 Squaw Valley Giant Slalom March 18 Heavenly Valley Slalom March 19 HeavenlyValley Giant Slalom 2017 FWRA Championships March 31 Mammoth Mtn GS/SLRace Clinics April 1-2 Mammoth GS & Slalom 2018 FWRA Championships April 8-9 Location to be announced Far West Ski Association Ski/Board Weeks Jan. 28-Feb. 4, 2017 Breckenridge February 3-10, 2018 Banff, Canada
Hello Everyone! We welcome the early snow as a good start to the ski season. Please mark your calendars for December 10th when we will have our annual Holiday Party. It's always a fun event where we get to socialize with each other off the slopes. A key component of the evening is our silent auction and raffle to raise money to fund our council administrative expenses and for our Frank App Memorial Scholarship for a deserving Tahoe area junior racer. The party will be at The Lodge in Tahoe Donner. Details are contained in the flyer elsewhere in this newsletter. I want to encourage clubs to nominate a Man and Woman of the Year to be honored at the holiday party where we will announce the candidates who will represent Sierra Council at the FWSA Convention in Boise in June. Your board voted to pay the conven-tion registration fee for our candidates. AJ Hurt of the Squaw Valley Ski Team is our scholarship winner for the second season. AJ was one of the three top scoring appli-cants this year and we are proud to sponsor her. She and her family are very appreciative of the scholarship. B ecause of her outstanding performance last season, AJ was invited to be on the Women's FIS NTG which will travel with the D team. It's a great opportunity but it involves substantial expenses for her family. Race fees for 2017 will remain at $115 for a season race pass and $25 for a one-day drop in. The $115 season pass includes a $20 gatekeeping fee that is refunded to racers after completing a hill work assignment.
Alpine Ski and Snowboard Club Las Vegas, NV www.alpineskiandsnowboardclub.com Mark Zellmer, President [email protected] Bota Baggers Ski Club Truckee, CA www.jaws.com/botabaggers Bob Ellis, President [email protected] Cabernet Ski Race Club Truckee, CA Nancy Ellis [email protected] Capital Ski & Sport Club Sacramento, CA www.capitalski.org Wallter Johnson, President [email protected] Las Vegas Ski Snowboard & Sports Club Las Vegas, NV www.lasvegasskiclub.com Barbard Gottlieb; Acting President; 502-762-7604 [email protected]; [email protected] Reno Ski & Recreation Club Reno, NV www.renoskiandrec.com Diane Hilliard, President [email protected] RU SKI Club Campbell, CA Pavel Bosin, President [email protected] Sequoia Ski Club Visalia, CA www.sequoiaskiclub.com Woody Hogan, President [email protected] Snow More Ski & Snowboard Club South Lake Tahoe, CA Cheryl Lawson, President 925.998.0609 Sugar Bowl Ski Club Norden, CA www.sugarbowlskiclub.com Adrianna Sullivan [email protected] Tahoe Donner Senior Alpine Ski Club Truckee, CA www.tdski.com Michael Eyton-Lloyd, President [email protected] Top Gun Ski Club Greg Peairs, President [email protected]
Ski Area Websites:
Alpine Meadows/Squaw Vly: http://squawalpine.com
Badger Pass: www.yosemitepark.com/BadgerPass.aspx
Bear Valley Ski: www.bearvalley.com
Boreal: www.rideboreal.com
Ski China Peak: www.skichinapeak.com
Diamond Peak: www.diamondpeak.com
Dodge Ridge: www.dodgeridge.com
Donner Ski Ranch: www.donnerskiranch.com
Granlibakken: www.granlibakken.com
Heavenly Valley: www.skiheavenly.com
Homewood: www.skihomewood.com
June Mountain: www.junemountain.com
Kirkwood: www.kirkwood.com
Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard resort: www.skilasvegas.com
Mammoth Mtn: www.mammothmountain.com
Mountain High Ski: www.mthigh.com
Mt. Baldy: www.skibaldy.com
Mt. Rose: www.skirose.com
Mt. Shasta Ski Park: www.skipark.com
Northstar: www.northstarcalifornia.com
Sierra At Tahoe: ww.sierratahoe.com
Snow Summit: www.snowsummit.com
Snow Valley: www.snow-valley.com
Soda Springs: www.skisodasprings.com
Sugar Bowl: www.sugarbowl.com
Tahoe Donner: www.tahoedonner.com/downhill-ski
Where’s the snow? Check out: www.opensnow.com
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RACING NEWS w/Nan Carnal, Sierra League Race Director
Greetings Everyone:
I am looking forward to yet another great ski season and I am sure all of you are too! Our first races this season will be held at Northstar, January 21-22, 2017. The rest of the racing schedule is posted in this newsletter, with subsequent race week-ends at Suga rBowl, Squaw Valley and Heavenly Valley. FWSA Finals will be held this year at Mammoth Mountain, April 1-2, 2017.
Season race fees for Sierra League racers remain the same as last year at $95 for EIGHT races, plus a refundable $20 gatekeeping deposit (total $115). The $20 deposit will be refunded to you once you have completed a race day hill assignment such as gatekeeping, starter or scorekeeper. The drop-in price per race is $25. If you plan to participate in four or more races, the season fee is a great bargain. The 2016-2017 league registration form and waiver are included to this newsletter and also posted on the Sierra League website. (www.sierraleague.com)
As in past seasons, you can pay the racer fee online via PayPal or by check to Sierra League. Regardless of how you choose to pay your race fee, you must either mail the completed registration form and waiver form (be sure to sign the waiver) and check (if paying by check) to Sierra League Race Chair, Nan Carnal, 13081 Ski View Loop, Truck-ee, CA. 96161 or email scanned documents to [email protected].
At the time you register, consider a contribution to support a junior racer in the Tahoe area via a tax deductible contribution to Sierra League’s Frank App Memorial Schol-arship fund. The scholarship is awarded yearly to a deserving local junior racer. Dona-tions for the scholarship fund should be made by separate check to Far West Ski Founda-tion with Frank App Scholarship in the memo line. Donations can also be made via PayPal on the website.
Thanks to all and see you on the slopes! Nan
TRUCKEE SKI AND SNOWBOARD SWAP Saturday November 5, 2016; Community Recreation Center (8924 Donner Pass Rd.)
Back with a wide variety of new/used equipment, accessories, clothing & and miscellaneous winter gear for the entire family. Come join the fun and look for bargains. Local reps from ski shops and resorts will be on hand to answer your questions.
Proceeds help support Truckee Youth Sports Programs such as Buddy Werner, Girls volleyball and Youth basketball.
How To Sell Equipment: Any business Or individual may sell equipment at the Swap. A 20% commission is charged on all merchandise sold. Equipment check in tags will be available at the Main Office a week before the event.
Please call 530-582-7720 for more info.
Merchant Check In: Fri, Nov 4, 5:00-7:00 pm Equip. Pick Up: Sat, Nov 5, 5:00-7:00 pm Public Check In: Sat, Nov 5, 7:30-9:00 am Sales Check: Sun, Nov 6, 9:00-11:00 am
Swap Hours: 11:00 am-4:00 pm Admission $2 for Ages 13+, Kids 12 and under free!!!
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R U Looking forward to a Successful Ski Season?
Now is the time to get in shape to avoid injury and make every day your best day
Catch up with your friends who have already experienced this unique training method
Ski fitness takes weeks or months to achieve. Swimming and road biking are good, but they are linear sports. Mountain biking is better but it’s still not going to get you in shape. Skiing and boarding have a lot of lat-eral movement. Even if you go to the gym 3+ days a week, there are muscles you simply can’t exercise with tradi-tional workouts. Snow Biste training works ski specific muscles, decreasing risk of injury and improving race re-sults. The Biste Method will vastly increase your ability to perform at a high level in only a few sessions. Don’t rush to the slopes in November without being ready! Your body needs tuning just like your skis and boots do. Begin your season right!
Call to schedule. 775-741-9474
Facebook/SnowBiste www.SnowBiste.com
J O I N U S A T T H E U N R S K I S WA P - November 11-12, 2016
Grand Sierra Resort, 2500 E 2nd St, Reno, NV; Entrance is located next to the pool
The UNR Ski Swap is back this year with a humongous selection of new and used equipment. Everything from boards to boots, skis to snow shoes, clothing, helmets, gloves and more.
20% of all sales go to benefit the UNR Winter Sports Club.
Note: This is a repeat of last year’s October Safety article but the information is applicable for seasons to come.
Ready to hit the slopes this winter? If you spend most of your week cooped up at a desk, weekend ski and snowboard trips could leave you with strained muscles and a sore back. But with the right preparation, including strengthening your hamstrings, quadriceps, back and core, you won’t have to risk injury or suffer from the usual aches and pains, says Mike Morin, alpine program director at Stratton Mountain School, who coached the U.S. Ski Team for 10 years through the Lillihammer, Salt Lake City and Torino Winter Olympics. These five exer-cises, recommended by Morin, will get you into the right shape to be a true winter weekend warrior.
1. Toy Soldiers: Having flexible hamstrings is crucial for skiing and snowboarding, says Morin. While something as simple as a seated for-ward bend can stretch your hamstrings, active and dynamic stretches like the toy soldier are most effective, he says. How to: To start, stand up straight with your left arm out to your side at shoulder height. Without bending your knee, kick your right leg while extending your left arm out in front of you to touch your toe. Repeat with the left leg and right arm. Complete three sets of 10 - 12 reps on each side, alter-nating legs, moving forward with a step in between each kick.
2. Step-Ups: Skiing and snowboarding are both “leg sports,” so strengthening the quads is hugely important, Morin says. “When you start skiing and snowboarding, all of a sudden you’re using these big ranges of motion you wouldn’t normally use.” Step-ups not only strengthen your quads and glutes, but also improve range of motion. Plus, you’ll be able to brush up on your balance and coordination, which you’ll definitely need on the slopes. How to: Stand facing a box, step or chair and place your right foot on the flat surface. Step your left leg up to meet your right, by pushing into your right foot and using the muscles in the right leg to propel you (rather pushing off your left foot). Step down with your left leg, then your right. Complete three sets of 10 - 12 reps then switch legs.
3. Physioball Hamstring Curl: “Whenever you strengthen one side of the body, you want to balance and strengthen the other,” says Morin. That means it’s a good idea to follow up a quad exercise with one to strengthen the hamstrings. How to: Begin laying on your back, palms down on the floor, with your legs extended and your feet resting on top of a large exercise ball. Using your leg and core strength, begin to draw the ball in toward your body until your knees are bent and you’re in a shoulder bridge position. Hold this position for a couple seconds before returning to the starting position. Need more of a challenge? Try single leg curls (pictured above) to really test your ham-string and glute strength. Repeat for three sets of 10 - 12 reps.
4. Planks And Side Planks: Also hugely important to downhill sports: the core. There’s no need to get fancy, Morin says. Basic planks and side planks will do the trick. Trust us, if you don’t do core work, you’ll regret it after a few runs. How to: Balancing on your forearms in a push-up position, use the strength of your abdominals and glutes to keep your hips raised to shoulder height, taking extra care not to sag in the midsection. For the side plank, shift from a plank position onto one hand, with the other either extended into the air or on your hip and your feet stacked. Complete three sets (one regular plank and one on each side) of 30- to 60-second holds.
5. Supermans: To compensate for sitting all day long during the week, it’s important to exercise the lower back before hitting the slopes, Morin says. The stronger your back, the less likely you’ll experience lower back pain as a result of a day on the mountain. How to: Start by lying on your stomach with your arms extended out in front of you. Slowly lift your arms and upper body, keeping your neck in a neutral position. At the same time, lift your legs off the ground, keeping your ankles as close together as you can. Hold for a few seconds before returning your arms and legs back to the floor. Complete three sets of 30 to 60 second holds.
When you’re just starting out, complete the recommended sets and reps listed above. As you progress, try moving on to a timed workout, doing 30 seconds of each exercises back-to-back, Morin suggests. “If you build yourself up to doing 30-second intervals of these exercises, and then start to add minutes onto the routine, you’ll really build yourself up to a place where you can develop a strong base for skiing and snowboarding,” he says. And don’t forget to warm up before getting on the lift. A few reps of dynamic moves like toy soldiers and step-ups will get you warm and limber. After your ski or snowboard session, some long, static stretches will get you ready for day two, as will some well-deserved hot tub time.”
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The Far West Ski Association (FWSA) is one of the largest associations of snowsport enthusiasts in the U.S. FWSA covers 12 states with 9 regional COUNCILS with more than 150 CLUBS and a combined member-ship of over 50,000 skiers and snowboarders. As a member of a club that belongs to the SIERRA Council, you are automatically a member of FWSA and entitled to all benefits. You may also join Far West as a Direct Member. FWSA offers a wide range of North American and inter-national travel opportunities. FWSA also offers cruise and/or dive trips and the occasional Adventure trip that
TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES
North American Travel
FWSA Ski and Snowboard Week 2017: Breckenridge, CO; January 24 - February 4
Mini Ski & Board Week 2017: Nancy Greene Cahilty Lodge, Sun Peaks, CA; March 21 - 26
FWSA Ski and Snowboard Week 2018: Banff, CA; February 3-10
Mini Ski & Board Week 2018 - Alaska Iditarod and Mt Alyeska; February 25-March 4
Far West Ski Association Convention 2017: June 7-11, Boise, ID
International Travel:
FWSA International Ski Week 2017
Option I: St. Anton, Austria; March 11-19
Optional II: Vienna & Budapest w/ St. Anton; March 19 - 26, 2017
Option III: Vienna & Budapest, stand-alone; March 19-26
Summer Skiing 2017: Valle Nevado, Chile, summer TBA
FWSA Int. Ski Week March 2018: Les Trois Vallees-Brides les Bains/Meribel, France; March TBA
Dive/Adventure/Cruises
Dive Trip, 2017— TBA
India, 2018 - TBA
Please contact the trip leader and/or check the FWSA website for further information regarding travel/housing/schedules, registration forms, waivers, payment schedules, etc.
National Ski Club Newsflash/Newsbeat The National Ski Club Officers' Newsflash & Newsbeat is emailed each month to America's ski club officers
by The National Ski Club Newsletter on a year-round basis.
POSSIBLE CROWDFUNDING TO BUY RESORTS: MT. ROSE AND RED MOUNTAIN The Reno Gazette Journal reported that Mt. Rose, near Reno, announced that it will entertain offers for the re-sort and a Reno Technology consultant, Govind Davis, has established a crowdfunding Facebook page called One Reno to explore purchasing the resort to “keep its ownership local”. However, the attorney for 95 year old Fritz Buser owner of Mt. Rose, said the sellers are unwilling to consider or deal with an offer that includes alter-native financing nor will they deal with people with no experience running a ski resort – probably because about two-thirds of the resort is on Forest Service land and the Forest Service has guidelines about financing and resort operational experience in their resort purchasing guidelines. Red Mountain, located in Rossland, BC, is also looking to sell itself to local skiers in a crowdfunding pro-ject. Red Mountain is in the first stage of the whole deal, and they want to see who wants to play without asking people to get out their checkbooks...yet. If the resort finds that there's enough interest, they’ll get into gear—and if you invest, you will become an actual owner of the resort. Money raised would go toward improving the mountain. Red started out as a community owned and operated ski club and, years ago, when the current owner, heard it was going to shut down, he bought the area. Squaw Valley Expansion Plan Gets Initial Approval. A controversial $1 billion, 25-year development plan for Squaw Valley cleared a major hurdle after the Placer County Planning Commission approved the plan in a 4-2 vote. The plan moves on to the Placer County Board of Supervisors for the final verdict. If the board approves the plan, developers would have the green light to add about 850 residential units and nearly 300,000 square feet of commercial space consisting mostly of a hotel and retail over the next 25 years. Plans also call for construction of a 90,000-square-foot indoor adventure center and water park at the resort. SAM Vail Resorts Withdraws Application to Trademark “Park City”: Vail Resorts abandoned its effort to trademark the name “Park City” on July 16 in the face of opposition from a long line of critics. In May it was re-ported that Vail Resorts filed a trademark application to secure the name “Park City” as it pertains to Park City Mountain Resort, a property purchased in 2014. The move to trademark the name of a town that was founded in 1869 and included in the name of several local businesses went over like a monsoon in February. Vail Resorts got the hint, and has decided to drop the plan. SAM Plans Drawn to Reconfigure Canyons Village at Park City: Developers have proposed reconfiguring the resort village at the base of what once was Canyons Resort, now part of Park City Mountain Resort in Utah, and they’re receiving very little resistance from the community over their efforts. First Tracks Picabo Street launches new school in Park City. The famous School of Hard Knocks is the more difficult path, especially for a student driven to excel in another pursuit outside of the classroom. In fact, for students with a real passion to pursue their bliss, traditional schooling can be a major deterrent. That’s one of the reasons why Picabo Street is getting behind a new academic option for students in the Park City, Utah, area. Ski Racing New High-Speed Six Rises at Arizona Snowbowl. High above Flagstaff, Arizona Snowbowl is installing its first high-speed lift, and the first six-seater in the state: the Grand Canyon Express. First Tracks
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National Ski Club Newsflash/Newsbeat - Continued...
New Blackfoot Lift at Grand Targhee. This summer, Grand Targhee Resort replaced its old Blackfoot dou-ble chairlift with a new Doppelmayr fixed grip quad. First Tracks!! Big Sky to Invest $150 Million Over 10 Years. An ambitious, top-to-bottom enhancement project called “Big Sky 2025” with an anticipated price tag of $150 million is underway at Big Sky, Mont. Over the next decade, the Boyne Resorts-owned property plans to install 12 new or upgraded lifts, expand its Mountain Village, add ac-tivities, and create new dining options at the mountain. Off-mountain, Big Sky aims to build affordable housing and add more frequent non-stop flights into Bozeman from more cities. Big Sky 2025 is set to be a phased project, and the initial 2015 - 2017 phase is already in motion. SAM Powder Mountain Adds Two New Lifts: Utah’s Powder Mountain ski area hopes to add two new lifts for the 2016-2017 ski season. The resort’s proposed new “Village Lift,” would run up Lefty’s Canyon to a planned mountain village development with a second new lift named ‘Mary’s’ continuing on up the mountain from there YouTube Star Buys Pebble Creek ID Ski Area. Shay Butler is acquiring Pebble Creek Ski Area in Idaho. Butler is the man behind the YouTube channel called “Shaytards,” with nearly five million subscribers. Butler grew up in the area and learned to ski at Pebble Creek. He and his family recently moved back to the area. SAM
The Silver Lining of Vail’s Bid to Take Over Skiing. The preeminent Colorado corporation is buying up ski resorts left and right. Many are hollering “Evil Empire!”, and say a monopoly would destroy the sport—but it's not all bad. Ed Note: This is an interesting analysis/commentary about how the conglomerates are keeping resorts operating in the face of increasing challenges. Outside Magazine Mountain Collective Adds Telluride and Revelstoke. Telluride, Colo., and Revelstoke, B.C., Canada, Aug. 9, 2016—The collection of destinations accessible via The Mountain Collective just grew to 14, for now, with the addition of Telluride, Colo., and Revelstoke, British Columbia. SAM
M .A.X. Pass Adds 10 More Resorts: One of the newest products in the rapidly growing space of season passes that offer access to multiple, mostly unaffiliated properties, M.A.X. is adding 10 MaxPass resorts to its ros-ter. New for this winter, M.A.X. Pass (which is an acronym for Multi-Alpine Experience Pass) will include Okemo, Vt., Mount Sunapee, N.H., Wachusett, Mass., Mountain Creek, N.J., Buck Hill, Minn., Crested Butte and Eldora, Colo., Solitude, Utah, Mountain High, Calif., and Alyeska, Alaska. These additions bring the grand total to 32 resorts that are accessible to M.A.X. Pass-holders. SAM Commercial Flights Return to Telluride. Commercial air service to Telluride Airport will resume Decem-ber 17 following a two-year hiatus. Colorado Flights completed a deal with Great Lakes Airlines to reinstate round trip air service from Denver. Great Lakes, which operated direct flights into Telluride for 17 years, will run year-round flights between Telluride (TEX) and Denver International Airport (DEN), averaging 10 flights per week, with one/day during slower periods and two or more/day during busier times of year. Great Lakes will serve Telluride with twin-engine 19-passenger Beechcraft 1900 planes. The trip takes 45 minutes, and leaves guests with a 10-minute ride into town or to the resort. SAM SKIOWANS Selling A $700 Train Trip to Aspen: While many ski clubs are paying $1,600 to $2,400 for ski trips, this Burlington, Iowa, club is offering a January 8-14th ski trip to Aspen/Snowmass for just $700 for adults and $325 for kids. Lodging is at The Villas in Snowmass, and the trip price includes Amtrak ticket, transfer to and from Glenwood Springs, 5 nights lodging, and a 4-day lift ticket.
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National Ski Club Newsflash/Newsbeat - Continued...
Air Service Expands For Montrose: In addition to the return of regular commercial flights into Telluride Airport, increased traffic into nearby Montrose will also ease access to Telluride this winter. Montrose is getting new Denver service with the addition of twice-weekly Allegiant Air flights. In addition, the region will see a ma-jor jump in service to Montrose on the American Airlines network. American Airlines will operate twice-daily peak season flights from Dallas/Ft. Worth, including mainline jets. Flights from Phoenix will run daily through the season, rather than last season’s two to five days a week. Service will also continue from Chicago and Los An-geles. SAM Ski Train from Denver to Winter Park Returns: After 8-years, the ski train to Winter Park will come back into service this winter using Amtrak. Starting Saturday January 7, 2017 from Denver’s Union Station, the train will run every weekend through to March 26th, 2017 and Mondays in January & February. The train will carry up to 500 skiers/boarders with tickets costing from $39 for adults and children aged 2-12 paying half price. Trains will leave Denver at 7am, reaching the resort about 9 a.m. The new platform at Winter Park Mountain Resort, costing several million dollars to build, was funded by the Colorado Department of Transportation, the city of Denver, the town of Winter Park, the Colorado Rail Passengers Association and Intrawest (the manager of the ski resort). The Ski train was very popular with Denverites for nearly 70 years, but negotiations over track use halted service seven years ago, aside from two weekends of sold-out trips in 2015. There is apparently some pent-up demand for more than 3,300 tickets were sold in the first day that they went on sale. First Tracks Snowmass Base Village Sold. East West Partners (East West), an affiliate of KSL Capital Partners, LLC (KSL) and Aspen Skiing Company (ASC), announced that they have formed a joint venture to acquire the Snowmass Base Village project from Snowmass Acquisition Company, an affiliate of the Related Companies (Related). The acquisition includes all remaining development parcels, all commercial spaces in Base Village, the Snowmass Hos-pitality property management company and the Viceroy Hotel, including the unsold condominium units within the hotel. First Tracks Summit Country 50+ Games: Summit County Colorado’s 50+ Winter Games will be held February 12-14, 2017 with an opening dinner and silent auction on Sunday at the Summit County Senior Center. Skating and Al-pine events will be held Monday at Keystone and Nordic at the Frisco Nordic Center. The Awards ceremony is on Tuesday at the Senior Center. See http://www.co.summit.co.us/1057/50-Winter-Games for further details. Vail Replaces Sun Up Chairlift. The new Sun Up Express, to be designated lift #9 in its new incarnation, will reduce wait times and improve skier and snowboarder circulation, resort officials indicate. The construction marks the ninth chair replacement in the last 10 years at Vail, a period that also saw the addition of the 10th res-taurant and major summer activity expansion. It also makes all of the major lifts at Vail high-speed. First Tracks The Outdoor Industry Is Finally Ready to Play Political Hardball. Colorado, Utah, and Washington have each created an outdoor-czar position in the past four years. It’s an acknowledgement of the economic power of an industry that includes ski resorts, gear manufacturers, retailers, and hunting and fishing guides. For decades those groups have failed to coordinate their lobbying efforts, and their political power has gone unrealized. Ed. Note: This article talks about three states (CO, MT, and WA) who are mounting a lobbying effort to Congress and their respec-tive state legislatures that consolidates all outdoor activities. Outside Magazine
National Ski Club Newsflash/Newsbeat - Continued...
27-Year-Old to Buy Echo Mountain (CO) for $3.8 Million. After filing for bankruptcy in February, Echo Mountain owner Nora Pykkonen appears to have found a buyer for the small ski area just outside of Denver. SkiEcho is managed by 27-year-old Peter Burwell, son of the late Rod Burwell, a Minnesota philanthropist who owned several hotels in Aspen. Peter is listed as CEO of the family’s Burwell Enterprises, a private company that owns a diverse set of businesses. SAM Vail Resorts Purchase Whistler Blackcomb: A stock and cash transaction for Vail Resorts to purchase Whistler Blackcomb was unanimously approved by the boards of Whistler and Vail Resorts. Vail says that it will include Whistler Blackcomb in the Epic Pass and other season pass products for the 2017-18 winter and that Whis-tler’s existing season-pass products will be honored for the 2016-17 winter season. Whistler is a four-season mountain resort sprawled between two side-by-side peaks that are connected by a world record-breaking gondola. Combined, they offer more than 8,000 acres of terrain on 200 trails, 14 alpine bowls and three glaciers. Grouse Mountain For Sale: The CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Company) reported that British Columbia’s Grouse Mountain near Vancouver, after four decades of ownership by the McLaughlin family, is for sale – includ-ing its ski operations and 1,200 acres of property. The popular mountain, which draws 1.3 million visitors annual-ly, has 26 runs and four chairlifts, as well as summer activities. Valemount Master Plan Earns B.C. Government Approval. The Valemount Glacier Destinations Ltd. master plan for a proposed ski resort on Mount Pierre Elliott Trudeau in interior British Columbia has been ap-proved by the government. Once completed, scheduled to take 10 years, the resort is “expected to provide sus-tainable public access to large glaciers that are more than 9,850 feet in elevation” and have the longest vertical drop in North America, totaling 6,726 feet. The vert title currently belongs to Revelstoke, B.C., with its 5,620 of ver-tical. The first phase of development is expected to be completed by December 2017. It will provide access up to an elevation of 8,530 feet and a vertical drop of about 5,775 feet. SAM Minnesota Ski Area Introduces Year-Round Skiing. Making turns all year is typically the wheelhouse of high-altitude mountain ranges with semi-permanent snowfields or glaciers, not a diminutive hillside on the side of an Interstate highway in suburban Minneapolis. However, the new owners of Buck Hill, who acquired the Minne-sota ski area a year ago, have other ideas. They’ve now opened the first phase of a new dry slope experience for ski racers, “snow” tubers, terrain park jibbers, and the general skiing public. First Tracks!! Vail Adds Three Quads to Wilmot Mountain: Vail Resorts is reported to have spent $13 million on a com-plete overhaul of their recently acquired Wilmot Mountain in Wisconsin. The historic ski area is one of several smaller eastern US ski areas that Vail Resorts has acquired as a means of encouraging skiers and boarders to visit Vail’s better known international. Skiers at Wilmot Mountain can purchase Vail’s ‘Epic Local Pass’ for a similar price to what Wilmot-only passes were in the past, but the ticket also now gives them access to world-class skiing at Vail Resorts’ nine western resorts plus Australia’s largest resort, Perisher. Three quad chairlifts from Colorado are replacing existing lifts at Wilmot. There are now two new carpet lifts and a new rope tow as part of a rede-signed learning area and a new terrain park, altogether increasing the area’s uplift by almost a half. Cannon Mountain Aims to Cut Energy Consumption, Improve Snowmaking Efficiency. A series of energy efficiency initiatives now wrapping up at Cannon Mountain expects to reduce energy consumption at the New Hampshire ski area by about 30 percent, while significantly increasing snowmaking capabilities. First Tracks
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National Ski Club Newsflash/Newsbeat - Continued...
Concrete Grout Failure Possible Cause of Sunday River Lift Incident: Investigators think they may have discovered why the upper terminal of the Spruce Peak Triple seemed to uproot from the ground at Sunday River Ski Area on July 10, 2016. According to the resort, Mountain Guard engineers said it appears that the concrete grout used to adhere steel reinforcement bars to the foundation of the terminal and bedrock below failed. They planned to return to the resort to take core samples from the bedrock where concrete grout is present for further tests. No one saw the incident occur, and no one PA Ski Areas Association First-Time Ski/Snowboard Program Returns for 2016-17. Nearly 20 mem-ber ski areas are again participating in the Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association First-Time Ski and Snowboard Pro-gram, offering $49 advance-purchase learn-to packages valid any day, including weekends & holidays, during the 2016-17 season. The package includes a beginner lift ticket, beginner group lesson, and rental equipment. PSAA also offers the 4th & 5th Grade Snow Pass, good for a max of three free days at 19 participating ski areas when the passholder is accompanied by a ticketed adult. SAM Mt. Abram ME Expands Terrain, Snowmaking. Mt. Abram in western Maine will open six new trails this winter, and each trail will be covered with snowmaking. The new terrain consists of two expert trails, two terrain parks, one race trail, and a short connector trail. SAM Waterville Valley Adds 10 New Runs: Patrick Thorne, The Snow Hunter, reports that, Waterville Valley in New Hampshire is working on the first phase of its Green Peak Expansion project which will see 10 new trails cut to provide 45 new acres of skiing and riding this season, serviced by a fixed grip chairlift. This will be Waterville Valley Resort’s biggest expansion project in more than 30 years. Vail’s EPIC Pass Valid in Four European Countries for 2016-2017: Vail Resorts will add Les 3 Vallees, Paradiski and Tignes-Val d’Isere in France, Skirama Dolomiti Adamello Brenta in Italy, 4 Vallees in Switzerland, and Arlberg in Austria to the 2016/2017 Epic Pass lineup. Check www.epicpass.com for details. - France: France’s largest ski areas, Les 3 Vallees, Paradiski and Tignes-Val d’Isere, offer six days of free skiing, but limited to two days of skiing at each resort area, and pass holders are required to present their valid Epic Pass hard card and a valid photo ID to the lift cashier in each resort to redeem their lift access. - Italy: Skirama Dolomiti Adamello Brenta is home to 150 lifts and 236 miles of ski slopes that make up resorts such as Madonna di Campiglio and Pinzolo in Val Rendena; Folgarida-Marilleva, Peio and Tonale in Val di Sole; Ponte di Legno, Andalo-Fai della Paganella, Monte Bondone and Folgaria-Lavarone. Where Epic Pass Holders get three days of free skiing. Pass holders must email [email protected] at least one week prior to arrival and specify the Dolomiti ski area where they will pick up their pass and show a valid Epic Pass. - Switzerland: Verbier, part of the 4 Vallees ski area, is offering five consecutive days of free skiing at Verbier, Nendaz, Veysonnaz and Thyon. Pass holders are required to present their valid Epic Pass hard card, as well as a valid photo ID, to the resort’s ticket office. The offer is valid when booking in-resort lodging (details and partici-pating hotels can be found at www.epicpass.com) - Austria: For decades, the mountain range between Tyrol and Vorarlberg, which is home to Arlberg. In De-cember 2016, thanks to the opening of four new cable cars, Arlberg will be Austria’s largest linked ski area. Epic Pass holders now receive three days of free skiing at Lech, Zurs, Stuben, St. Christoph and St. Anton. Austria’s Kaprun Adds New Lift: Austria’s Kaprun, has the new Schmiedingerbahn lift that replaces the Schmiedinger glacier lifts on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, becoming SalzburgerLand's highest chairlift. Operating between 2,530 meters and 2,775 meters, the modern 8-seater will include heated seats and pull-down weather-protection hoods.
National Ski Club Newsflash/Newsbeat - Continued...
New Gondola & Two-Mile-Long Run at Galture: The family-oriented resort of Galtür, Austria, the quiet-er neighbor located high above the better known – Ischgl in the Tirol, announced it is installing a new 10-seat gon-dola for the coming ski season. The new 8 million-euro gondola will replace the existing Breitspitzbahn chairlift, serving runs above the scenic Kopsee reservoir and will also extend Galtür’s ski area considerably lower than the present chairlift’s bottom station. For those not familiar with Ischgl, that resort and Austria’s St. Anton are men-tioned as being two of the biggest party ski resorts in the world. Primarily due to Ischgl’s famous concerts & bars, St. Anton’s Moosewirt & Krazy Kanguruh bars, plus four other large apres ski bars slopeside just above St. Anton.
Zell am See Re-Opens Old Terrain to be Part of Austria’s Next Biggest Ski Area: Austria’s Zell am See has a new lift that will re-open terrain not used for over three decades. The zellamseeXpress 10-seater lift, first stage in a two year plan to (re)connect Zell am See to Saalbach- Hinterglemm-Fieberbrunn again, will make Zell am See part of one of Austria’s next largest ski areas. The new lift will run to the top station of the Salersbachkö-pfl at 1,920 meters, re-opening access to once popular downhill runs to the Glemm Valley that resort managers say were used for 50 years between 1930 and 1980. More upgrades are planned for the 2018-19 season as part of the 25 million euro project creating further slopes and an additional cable car connection from and into Glemmtal.
New Lifts Highlight New Winter in Italy’s Dolomites. For winter 2016-17 resorts in the region focused on replacing aging lifts at Kronplatz, Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi, Val di Fassa/Carezza, Arabba/Marmolada, Val di Fiemme/Obereggen, Valle Isarco and Alpe Lusia/San Pellegrino ski areas. Runs in all 12 valleys comprising Dolo-miti Superski have upgraded snowmaking infrastructure as well. In total, more than 80 million Euros have been invested in on-mountain improvements this year. First Tracks!!
New Ski Trip to Kyrgyzstan is for Your Truly Tough and Adventurous Skiers: Snoworks, a British ski tour operator, has added skiing the mountains of Kyrgyzstan for the coming winter. The ski adventure to Kyrgyz-stan next February, with accommodation based in traditional yurts, is open to competent skiers comfortable on black runs and who can ski off-piste. The skiing is exclusively ski touring based and located in the Tian Shan Moun-tain range, part of the old Silk Road route between the Mediterranean and Asia. Sking will all be accessed via snowmobiles from the yurt camp. The tour operator says that there’s opportunities to explore some of the coun-try and take in some of the culture too. The trip, beginning on February 11, 2017 and costing just under $3,000/person, includes 6.5 days ski touring with local guides and a Snoworks Instructor, 10 nights accommodation, most lunches and evening meals, return transfers from the Bishkek Airport and transfers to all ski areas. However, the price does not include flights to Kyrgyzstan. See snoworks.com for more information.
New Museum Exhibit Honors Skiing Legend Stein Eriksen. The Alf Engen Ski Museum, located inside the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, unveiled an exhibit filled with artifacts loaned by Stein Eriksen’s son Bjorn Eriksen, honoring the life of late ski legend. First Tracks
SIA Office Opens in Park City, Adds New Staff: SnowSports Industries America (SIA) has made big moves as of late—both physically and organizationally. The move from its office outside Washington, D.C., to its new home in Park City is complete, and the non-profit trade association recently added four new staff members. SAM
The End Could Be Near for K2, Marker & Marmot, Among Others: Newell Brands announced the com-pany’s intention to sell or abandon its entire stable of winter sports brands by January 1, including K2, Völkl, Marker, Full-Tilt, Marmot, Line Skis and Ride Snowboards. The company, which acquired some of snow sports’ most iconic brands in a merger of Newell Rubbermaid and Jarden earlier this year, has given itself only a few months to sell its portfolio of Winter Sports businesses within its Outdoor Solutions Segment, which also includes brands such as Coleman, AeroBed and Abu Garcia, which Newell will retain. First Tracks!!
