On vacation (and it’s not skiing!)

May 21, 2013 in Off season stuff, Ski News

Travel is a good thing. It expands your horizons, it’s good for the soul, and it’s just plain fun.

Usually my get-aways involve skiing. And as great as that is, believe it or not, once in a while it’s actually good to do something else — even if you are a Ski Diva. That’s why we decided to take a trip to San Francisco and Yosemite. That way we’d get both parts of the vacation spectrum: the urban hustle and bustle of one of the most beautiful cities in the country, and the majesty and serenity that is Yosemite.

So forgive me if I’m not writing much this week. Instead, I’ll share some pics from our trip. We just left San Francisco yesterday and arrived in Yosemite last night. Our hotel room overlooks Yosemite Falls. How can you beat that?

Here are some of the things we did in San Francisco:

Rode the cable cars:

Checked out Lombard Street, the most crooked street in America (so they say):

Biked over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito:

Saw the special exhibit on the Chinese Terra Cotta Warriors at the Asian Art Museum:

Ate a lot of great food (the SF restaurants are amazing!):

Then yesterday we visited Muir Woods to see the Redwoods….

 

And today we’re getting ready to explore Yosemite. This is the very famous El Capitan (which we’re not climbing):

As they say, travel is broadening, so here are a few the impressions I’ve had on so far:

• Califronia is DRY DRY DRY. This was most noticeable once we left the city and started driving inland to Yosemite. All the grass is brown and there are very few trees. A very different landscape from back east.

• Everything is so (relatively) NEW. No surprise there, but in the east it’s common to see buildings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. To me, this emphasizes how recently we’ve been in this part of the world.

• San Francisco is indeed beautiful, but you have to be in good shape to live there. Those hills — whew! We did a lot of walking, and I can’t imagine dealing with those if you were elderly, out of shape, or infirm.

• There are loads of good restaurants in SF. This town is foodie heaven. I guess walking the hills help keep of the pounds.

• San Francisco’s bus service is great. Two dollars per ride, and your ticket is good for (I think) 90 minutes. We went everywhere, and it was easy, easy, easy.

• The BIG EARTH QUAKE did not hit while I biked over the Golden Gate Bridge. I was pretty sure it was waiting for  me. One bullet dodged. :)

We have 3 days left, so lots to do. You’ll forgive me, then, if I sign off…..

 



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It’s your week to get healthy, ladies.

May 12, 2013 in Health & Fitness, Ski News, Women

 

Let me be the first to wish you a very happy National Women’s Health Week!

What? You didn’t know about it?

I’m shocked! Shocked, I tell you!

Well, maybe not. Don’t let my feigned indignation fool you. I mean, it’s not like it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, or even President’s Day. I’m not surprised I caught you unaware.

But maybe that’s a mistake. After all, we should all know — and celebrate — a week that’s devoted especially to women’s health. As women, we have a tendency to put everyone else first. We take care of our kids, our spouses, our pets, our parents, our homes, often neglecting our own needs in the process. And that’s the problem. If we’re not healthy and happy, we can’t do anything particularly well (and this includes skiing).  It’s all a matter of balance. By putting ourselves first, we actually give ourselves the ability and strength to take care of others better and do the things we want to do. It’s not being selfish. It’s being smart.

Which brings us to National Women’s Health Week.  The week was developed by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health to promote women’s health and its importance, and to  empower women to make their own health a priority. It also encourages women to take the following steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases:

  • Visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings. There’s a terrific interactive screening menu on the National Women’s Health Week website. You can use it to figure out which screenings you need and when you them.  For someone like me, who can find all this very confusing, it’s defintely worth checking out.
  • Get active. Last week I posted about how much exercise is enough. This is important, expecially since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that just 20 percent of adults in the U.S. are meeting both the aerobic and muscle strengthening components of the federal government’s physical activity recommendations. So how much exercise is enough? Check out my post here.
  • Eat healthy. This is a key component not just in keeping  your weight under control, but in preventing disease, keeping your energy up, and making you feel all around better. You know the drill: reduce your fat, sugar, and processed foods, eat more veggies, fruit, and whole grains.
  • Pay attention to mental health,  including getting enough sleep and managing stress.
  • Avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking,  not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle or ski helmet, and texting while driving. This includes skiing safely, too. Watch out for skiers around you. Look uphill before you start. Ski in control. And if you ski in the backcountry, take the necessary precautions and get avalanche training.

So do yourself a favor. Take some time this week to think about what you can do to improve your health and well being. And instead of setting it aside for later, take action now.

And have a good week.

 



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Are you getting enough exercise?

May 7, 2013 in Ski News, Women

For most of us — at least those of us in the northern hemisphere — ski season is either over or drawing to a close. If you’re like me, you find this very, very sad. But if you’re also like me, you don’t let that stop you from being physically active. If you did, that’d be very, very sad, as well.

Staying active is critical to your well being, both mentally and physically. I don’t need to go into all the studies that prove exercise is good for just about everything that ails you. You’ve heard about them all before.

Incredibly, the message seems to be lost on a lot of people. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that just 20 percent of adults in the U.S. are meeting both the aerobic and muscle strengthening components of the federal government’s physical activity recommendations.

Twenty percent. That’s not a big number.

The data are based on self-reported information from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System – an annual phone survey of adults aged 18 and over conducted by state health departments.

According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, every adult should get a minimum of 2-1/2 hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as walking, or 1-1/4 hours a week of intense aerobic activity such as jogging. The guidelines also say that adults should do some muscle-strengthening activities such as push-ups, sit-ups, or activities with the use of resistance bands or weights. These activities should involve all major  muscle groups and be done on two or more days per week.

But the report highlights that just 50 percent of adults are getting the recommended amount of aerobic exercise, and 30 percent the required amount of muscle-strengthening activity. It also found differences among states. The rates of adults meeting the overall guidelines ranged from 27 percent in Colorado to 13 percent in Tennessee and West Virginia. The West (24 percent) and the Northeast (21 percent) had the highest proportion of adults who met the guidelines. Women, Hispanics, older adults, and obese adults were less likely to meet the guidelines.

Read that last sentence again. Yes, it says women. And I have to say it’s easy to see why. A lot of women have a hard time finding time for themselves. Between jobs, taking care of the house, taking care of the kids, it’s not always easy to find time to work out.

Most of the women reading this blog are fairly active, at least over the winter months. Makes sense, since this is a ski blog.  But just because skiing’s over doesn’t give you a pass to sit on the couch. (Yes, this means you! I can see you through your computer screen.) It’s important for all of us to make exercise a priority all year round, During the off season, I bike, swim, and work out in the gym. It’s good for my health, it keeps me going, and it keeps me in shape for the ski season to come.

Even if you can’t work out every day, try to make some time to do it at least enough to meet the exercise guidelines. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, here are some ways to make that happen:

• Take a brisk walk for 30 minutes on five days (moderate intensity); exercise with resistance bands two days (muscle strengthening).

• Run for 25 minutes three days (vigorous intensity); lift weights on two days.

• Take a brisk walk for 30 minutes two days (moderate); go dancing for an hour one evening (moderate); mow the law for 30 minutes (moderate); do heavy gardening two days (muscle strengthening).

• Do 30 minutes of an aerobic dance class (vigorous); do 30 minutes of running one day (vigorous); take a brisk walk for 30 minutes one day (moderate); do calisthenics (sit-ups, push-ups) on three days.

• Bike to and from work for 30 minutes on three days (moderate); play softball for 60 minutes one day (moderate); use weight machines two days.

• Play doubles tennis for 45 minutes two days (moderate); lift weights one day; hike vigorously for 30 minutes and go rock climbing one day (muscle strengthening).

So what about you? Are you meeting the guidelines? And if not, what do you plan to do about it?



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Women Ski Jumpers Defy Gravity and Sexism.

April 30, 2013 in General skiing, Ski News, Women, Women's Skiing

Got ten minutes?

Good. If you don’t, though, set this aside for when you do. It’s that worthwhile.

A bit of background: Until recently, women’s ski jumping wasn’t allowed in the Winter Olympic Games. You read that right: men’s teams, yes; women’s teams, no. In fact, ski jumping and nordic combined, which includes ski jumping, were the only sports in the Winter or Summer Games that did not offer events for women. The IOC twice rejected women’s ski jumping for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, saying the sport lacked enough elite competitors and its inclusion would dilute the value of the medals. But this was totally bogus. Because although IOC President Jacques Rogge argued that the sport only had 80 competitors worldwide, Women’s Ski Jumping USA said the US had at least 150 jumpers and Norway, between 500 and 600. This gave ski jumping more seasoned competitors than women’s bobsled and skeleton had when those sports were added to the Games in 2002.

But there’s a happy ending. In April, 2011, the fight finally paid off. Women ski jumping will be included in the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

In the video here, first aired on NBC’s Rock Center, Lindsey Van (no, not Lindsey Vonn) — the very first women’s world champion — and others talk about the spirit of sexism that long kept women from competing in the Olympics, and the grit it took to get the IOC decision overturned. It’s an eye-opener, that’s for sure.

Yes, there’s an ad first. But hang in there. And prepare to be inspired.


Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy



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Reflections on the Loveland Avalanche.

April 23, 2013 in General skiing, Ski News

As I sit here writing this, the Loveland Avalanche is only a few days old.  Sandwiched in a news cycle that included the Boston bombings and the Waco fertilizer explosion,  it was easy enough to miss. In case you did, here’s the story: five very experienced backcountry snowboarders were killed in a spring avalanche in Loveland Pass, Colorado. This, from the Denver Post:

Crested Butte snowboarder Jerome Boulay was trapped for almost four hours in an avalanche that killed five men on Saturday, according to the official report released Wednesday on the state’s deadliest avalanche in 50 years. That’s much longer than was originally reported by rescuers who said the sole survivor told them he had been buried for an hour.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center report concluded the six men — five snowboarders and a skier — triggered the avalanche as they traversed an open slope hundreds of feet below the point where the snow fractured. Two of the men — Joe
Timlin of Gypsum and Rick Gaukel of Estes Park — had reached a stand of trees
on a knoll. Boulay was close to them. Three others were behind Boulay as the group climbed toward the northwest slopes of Mount Sniktau.

“Heard a whumpf”

The group was spread out, spacing 50 feet between each climber as they crossed the north-facing slope. They “felt a large collapse and heard a whumpf,” reads the report.
“It took several seconds for the crack to propagate uphill and release the deep slab. In those several seconds, they all ran for the far end of the slope and towards the
small stand of trees,” said the report.

They all knew about the danger. Windy storms had loaded north-facing slopes,
raising the risk of avalanches. They had read the avalanche center’s bulletin for the
day, warning of “recent deep persistent slab avalanches” on the region’s north-facing slopes, including a fatal slide near Vail Pass two days earlier. The bulletin ominously warned: “If you find the wrong spot, the resulting avalanche will be very large, destructive and dangerous.”

The group found that wrong spot Saturday as an avalanche 800 feet wide roared
600 feet down the north-facing slope around 10:15 a.m. After discussing the danger,
the group had decided the safest route would be to start from Loveland Pass’
uppermost switchback and traverse along a summer road and cross the Sheep Creek drainage, just above a narrow ravine.

“They aimed to avoid the more north-facing slopes which they recognized as a threat,
by crossing well below the start zone, in the runout zone, to reach what they
deemed safer terrain,” said the avalanche center’s report.

Slide debris

Just after noon Saturday — almost two hours after the slide — avalanche forecasters
on highway duty with the center noticed the slide’s debris while driving over
Loveland Pass. The two forecasters parked and walked to the debris and searched
with avalanche beacons and binoculars. They didn’t find any tracks or signals.

They drove down the pass to the closed Loveland Valley ski area, where
snowboarders were participating in the Rocky Mountain High Backcountry
Gathering, an event that was raising money for the avalanche center. At 1:30 p.m.,
the forecasters asked if anyone knew of the avalanche or if anyone from the event
had triggered the slide.

Several attendees raced up the pass. Two rescuers from Loveland ski patrol
arrived at the avalanche debris at 1:45 p.m. At the same time, two more skiers
arrived at the bottom of the debris pile. They all began scanning the debris field for beacon signals.

Tangled beneath Boulay were his friends Timlin and accomplished guide Gaukel.
When Boulay was found, only his left forearm was free. He had used it to scrape snow from his face to breathe.

Farther down the slope were three more victims —Chris Peters of Lakewood, Ian Lamphere of Crested Butte and Ryan Novak of Crested Butte. One of them
was buried in a hole 10-12 feet deep, according to the report.

Halsted Morris, the avalanche educator who joined Loveland ski patrol
as some of the first rescuers on the scene Saturday, said “it was more like
16 feet deep. We didn’t even feel him on the end of the probe,” said Morris,
a former avalanche center forecaster who spent years studying snowpack in
the Sheep Creek drainage. Morris dug a 10-foot pit over the beacon signal
and started probing again. A veteran avalanche rescuer, Morris said the hole
“was about the deepest I’ve ever dug” for a rescue.

Two of victims were wearing avalanche airbag packs that were not deployed.
Others were wearing Avalungs, which allow buried avalanche victims to breath
through a hose, but none had the Avalung mouthpiece in their mouths.

The report concluded that the group had selected terrain that was less likely to
produce a devastating avalanche, “but to get there they traveled through a
dangerous area.”

 

US avalanche deaths have climbed steeply since 1990 as new gear has become available for backcountry travel. Until then, avalanches rarely claimed more than a handful of lives each season in records going back to 1950. The deaths of the past weekend bring the total avalanche deaths this year to 24.

I’m not a backcountry skier. I live and ski mostly in the east, where opportunities for sliding in the backcountry are limited and avalanches rare. And to be honest, I’m really not that daring. I seem to lack the “no fear” gene that many extreme skiers seem to have in spades.

That said, this doesn’t prevent me from having some thoughts on what transpired out there.

• Backountry skiing/boarding is a risky enterprise. Heck, skiing and boarding are risky, wherever you do it. But so is driving. Walking down the street. Arguing with your spouse. Eating a peanut. There are lots of things that are risky. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do them. We can’t spend our lives in bed wrapped in a blanket. All I’m saying is that we have to weigh the risks with the benefits and proceed with caution.

• If you’re going to go into the backcountry, be sure you know what you’re doing. Take avalanche courses. Pay attention to warnings. Bring appropriate gear. I’m not saying this would’ve saved the people who died this past weekend. They were all very experienced and no doubt had training. But there may have been signals they missed. Which leads me to my next point…

• Even if you know what you’re doing, it may not be enough. Mother Nature has her own agenda, and doesn’t care if you’re an expert or not. Avalanche prediction is not an absolute science, and nature will do what it will do, no matter how much you know.  In fact, the 16th victim this year was Craig Patterson, a seven-year veteran of avalanche forecasting for the Utah Department of Transportation. It appears Patterson died while gauging snow conditions alone above the Big Cottonwood Canyon highway outside Salt Lake City. Which leads me back to point #1.

• Dying while skiing or boarding is particularly sad. Maybe because it’s a sport that brings me so much joy. The people who died weren’t rushing into a burning building to save someone, they weren’t on a battlefield fighting for our country — they were just out for a day of fun. They left behind lovers, friends, children, co-workers.  One of the victims had a six-month old baby who will never know his father. What could be worse than that?

The victims of the past weekend are not the first to die in an avalanche, nor will they be the last. But that doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking.

My thoughts and condolences to all those who mourn.



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How to survive the off season.

April 16, 2013 in General skiing, Off season stuff, Ski News

I don’t know about you, but my ski season is over.

Yeah, it was pretty great. Seventy-nine ski days spanning five months — November 8 through April 8.  And though I didn’t make it out west, I enjoyed lots of great skiing here in the east: Mount Snow, Okemo, Killington, Pico, Sugarbush, Smugglers Notch, Burke, Wildcat, Cannon, Bretton Woods.  So really, I can’t complain.

Or can I?

Of course I can. Because it’s D–O–N–E.

See, I’m one of those people who’d ski year ‘round, if I could. I actually fall into a depression when my season ends. Sort of like those people who have problems when winter begins, but in reverse. The way I see it, a veritable Sahara of no skiing stretches out before me, with no oasis in sight. May. June. July, August. September. October. No wonder I’m in a funk.

What’s a skier to do?

Good question. To help me — and you — get through the no-skiing drought, I’ve put together a list of things to do that might make the off season a bit more palatable. Who knows. It might help.

• There’s always South America. Or New Zealand. Or Mount Bachelor. If you can afford it, and you really, really, really want to go, why not?

• Start training for next season. It’s never too early. There are lots of things you can do that can improve your stamina, strength, balance, and flexibility. I’m no personal trainer, so I can’t give you any specific recommendations. But I bike, swim, and lift weights, and I like to think it helps. Another suggestion: the SkiA Sweetspot Trainer, a dryland trainer that helps you hone your balance skills to improve your skiing. I reviewed the Sweetspot here. Even better:  there’s a special discount on the Trainer for Ski Divas. Go here to find out more.

• Take some ski lessons. Yes, you can do this. Sort of. Watch some ski instruction DVDs and imagine how you’ll put those lessons to work next time you’re on the hill.

• Organize your ski photos and videos. If you’re one of those people who turns on your GoPro the first chair ride up and keeps it running all day, you have your work cut out for you. No one — and I mean no one — wants to sit through your ski day in real time.

• Join an internet ski community like TheSkiDiva.com. Trust me, there are a lot of us ski fanatics out there. You’ll find someone to talk to about skiing, even when temperatures are in the 90’s.

• Watch some ski porn. There’s always Warren Miller. Meathead Films, Matchstick, Sweetgrass, Or TGR.  Live vicariously through someone else’s powder shots. Or just watch some movies with skiing in them. The Spy Who Loved Me. Hot Dog. Downhill Racer. Frozen. Just some good old mind-numbing fun.

• Try a little retail therapy. The off season is when prices for ski gear are at their lowest. Had your eye on a particular jacket or a pair of skis? You can get some fantastic deals on just about anything. So pull out your credit card and start shopping.

• Plan next season’s trip. Start investigating that trip to [insert name here]. It’ll give you something to look forward to.

• Buy your season pass for next year. Some mountains increase their prices in the fall. So, as they say, act now and save!

Of course, there’s always this (but I think that’s gotta hurt, if you fall down). Anyone here have any experience sand skiing?:

YouTube Preview Image

 



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2013 Mountain Top Picks: TheSkiDiva.com’s Annual Best-Of Awards

April 9, 2013 in Gear Review, General skiing, Ski Gear, Ski News

Get any group of women together, and you’re liable to get as many opinions as the number of women present.

So imagine the hundreds of opinions you’ll find on TheSkiDiva.com, the largest online community of women skiers. Yep, with 3,600 members, there are loads of viewpoints on gear, clothing, resorts, and so on.

Still, as they say, the cream will rise to the top. So this year, once again, we asked our members what they consider the best of the best. The result is our 2013 Mountain Top Picks. And the results are interesting; a number of returning favorites, but some brand new choices, as well.

So hold on to your ski poles! Without further ado, here are the results of our annual poll:

Ski Gear:

Favorite Front Side Carver: Volkl Kenja* 
Favorite Powder Ski: Rossignol S7W* 
Favorite All-Mountain Ski: Blizzard Black Pearls
Favorite Ski Boot: Dalbello Krypton Storm
Favorite Goggle: Smith IO/S*
Favorite Helmet: Giro Sheer

Ski Apparel:

Favorite Baselayer brand: Icebreaker
Favorite Ski Sock Brand: Smartwool* 
Favorite Jacket Brand: The North Face* 
Favorite Ski Pant Brand: The North Face* 
Favorite Glove or Mitten Brand: Black Diamond

Ski Resorts:

Favorite Eastern Resort: Stowe
Favorite Western Resort: Steamboat
Favorite Midwestern Resort: Nub’s Nob*
Favorite Eastern Canada Resort: Mont Tremblant* 
Favorite Western Canada Resort: Sunshine
Favorite European Resort:  Val d’Isere* 
Favorite Women’s Ski Clinic: Women’s Alpine Adventures, Okemo 

* Second year in a row!

Big congratulations to all the winners!

 



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If I could change one thing about skiing, it’d be…….

April 2, 2013 in General skiing, Ski News

You know how it is when you love someone. At first, they’re perfect. Their hair, their eyes, everything they say and do. Then you get to know them better. If only they’d be on time. Or keep their car cleaner. Or obsess less about their e-mail. And what’s with that ratty sweatshirt, anyhow?

Skiing is sort of like that. Even though we’re crazy about the sport, there are undoubtedly things all of us would like to change. Some of them are out of the realm of possibility — obviously, we can’t control the weather or the way other people behave. That said, it’s fun to think about what how we’d change skiing, if we ran the zoo.

Here’s my take:

• More comfortable ski boots. Seriously, do ski boots have to feel like your foot is caught in a vise? The real answer is no. My ski boots are fine. They fit well and perform well, too. But I’ve seen enough people with serious boot problems to wish it wasn’t so difficult to achieve a comfortable fit. It shouldn’t be this hard.

• Lower cost  lift tickets: I appreciate that ski areas have to make money in order to 1) stay open; 2) pay staff, and 3) make improvements. But  maybe lower ticket prices would lead to increased sales. And that would have the same effect, wouldn’t it?

• Longer ski season: Year ’round would be nice. I’d love to ski in the summer without having to travel to the southern hemisphere. Or even Mount Bachelor. I know there are synthetic surfaces in use in Europe. And there are indoor ski areas, too. But a way to ski on my local hill would be super. Maybe someday….

I love to ski, but I wouldn’t mind changing a few things, either.

I asked the Divas on the TheSkiDiva.com what they’d change. Here are a few of their answers:

• I’d love an easier way to get everything from the car to the lift. It’s just such a hassle, especially when you’ve got a six year old in tow. I don’t love carrying two pairs of skis while walking in ski boots and prodding a very slow-moving tired-out kiddo through the village.

• Out of control skiers and boarders. Too many collisions and irresponsible people on the hill. Too many people needlessly hurt.

• I’d get rid of rain. We’ve had way to much warm weather that really mungs up the snow pack.

• I’d like ski snobs banned, or at least put in their place and forced to be more down to earth, do some volunteer work in a poor nation and have their money taken off them for month.

• I’d get rid of all the preparation and everything that happens before getting out on the hill. Once I’m up there, it’s all good. But it sure is a schlep to get going.

• I think my biggest issue is the freezer ride on the chair lift followed sweating bullets on the ski back down.

• I’d love to see standardized boot flex numbers- They have DIN for bindings, why no standard for boot flex?

• It’d be great to have in-bounds patrolled off-piste skiing in the Alps.

• I wish all ski hills had clearly marked trails and trail maps at both the top and bottom of each lift to help everyone (me included) stay on the trails they should be on.

• I’d like to see some respect (i.e. discounts) for senior skiers! Not only is there no uniformity concerning when a “senior” deserves a discounted ticket, but they keep raising the age that qualifies. The more active and fit older people are becoming, it seems, the more they are penalized for what really should be encouraged.

• I’d change the trail rating system to make it more comparable between mountains and easier to compare trails within a particular mountain.

• I’d like to see skiing  have less impact on the environment. This can be done with more shuttles/carpool benefits, less water/energy usage in snowmaking, less tree clearing/regrading of trails, more energy efficient lodges/snowcats/chairlifts, greater use of local food, and solar panels/windmills.

• I’d change the propensity of resorts to liee about snow received during storms. Be honest!

You can see more of the Divas comments here.

So what would you change?



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Happy 90th birthday, Dad. And thanks for the skiing.

March 26, 2013 in General skiing, Ski News

Greetings from sunny Florida.

Seriously. I know it’s still ski season, but here I am in the land of oranges, gators, and Mickey Mouse. Why? I flew in to help celebrate my Dad’s 90th birthday. But trust me, keep reading. This is about skiing — I promise.

First, a bit about my Dad. Take all your preconceived notions about 90 year olds and pitch them over the side. That’s not my Dad; you have to start with a clean slate. Because even though he’s been on the planet for 90 years, he’s really more like twenty years younger.  At least.  This morning, for example, he went out to play 18 holes of golf. He swims half a  mile four times a week. He builds and flied remote controlled airplanes. He walks, bikes, and essentially does whatever he wants. He’s going for a cruise to the Panama Canal tomorrow. I only hope I can be as active if — and when — I reach his great age.

And here’s where the skiing comes in. You see, my Dad is the one who started me skiing. And for that, I owe him big time.

My Dad was never a great skier ability-wise, but he had a lot of enthusiasm, and as any parent knows, that can go a long way. When I was 13, Dad decided to take the family skiing at a small hill in New York state. The hill had a rope tow; it dragged me up the mountain, and I fell all the way down. The whole experience was awful: the long straight skis, the lace up boots, those bear trap bindings (yes, I’m that old).  Yes, there were even tears. My sister, however, picked it up right away, and my competitive spirit egged me on.  I persevered because I wanted to be better than she was. And since she now lives in Florida and hasn’t been near a ski hill in a million years, today I am.

Dad  doesn’t ski anymore. My parents also moved to Florida a long time ago. When I call and ask how he’s doing, he’ll say, “Another day in paradise.” But when I tell him I’ve been skiing, he gets this wistful tone in his voice and says. “Boy, I wish I could be there with you, too.”

I do, too, Dad. Thanks for a million things. And thanks especially for the skiing.

And yeah, Happy Birthday, too.

My Dad, age 90



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The Women in Red.

March 19, 2013 in General skiing, Interview, Ski News, Women, Women's Skiing

 

Ski Patrollers are sort of like super heroes, but with red jackets instead of capes. They’re the people who throw bombs to control avalanches; who perform first aid under the most daunting conditions; who bring the injured down the toughest terrain. They’re like EMT’s crossed with policemen and mountain ambassadors. And though some do it for pay, the vast majority do it for nothing more than the reward of a smile and a thank you. And not all of them get even that.

This month marks the Patrol’s 75th anniversary. As a citizen of the great state of Vermont, I’m proud to say that the NSP started in Stowe in 1938, when the president of the National Ski Association, Roger Langley, convinced the founder and leader of the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol, Charles “Minnie” Dole, to form a national organization.

Dorothy McClung, first female member
of the National Ski Patrol

Women were officially welcomed into the NSP in 1941, when Dorothy McClung, a member of the San Diego Ski Club,  was accepted as its first female member. She was assigned number one (in those days, the women had a separate numbering system than the men). And though many women have followed in her footsteps, their numbers in the organization continue to remain low.  Today, only about a quarter of the more than 26,000 volunteers are female.

But the NSP has been evolving, working hard to attract and retain female members. As part of this, it now offers women’s clinics in its educational curriculum.  I recently spoke to Linda Barthel, director of the Patrol’s National Women’s Program, to find out more. Linda is pretty amazing herself. A member of the Mount. Brighton Ski Patrol in Michigan, Linda has both her Certified and a National Appointment Number, and is an NSP instructor in multiple disciplines, including toboggan, chair evacuation, CPR, and OEC IT. She is also a PSIA Level III certified ski instructor, and has a PSIA Central “Train the Trainer” accreditation. Not too shabby.

Q: Why do you suppose there aren’t more women on the patrol?
A: I think it’s a matter of priorities. Women have a lot on their plate. Many of them work, in addition to being homemakers and moms. Volunteer patrollers spend a lot of time during the season fulfilling their obligation to their particular ski areas.  During the off season, there’s continuing education and local protocol training. There are only so many hours in the day. Most women are very busy and focused on their families, and that makes involvement in the Patrol difficult.  They may want to do more, but their obligations at home and work get in the way.

Q: Does the Patrol make a special effort to recruit women?
A: Recruitment varies from one local area to another, and as far as I know, doesn’t really focus on gender. It’s mostly a screening to see if you can handle the terrain in their local area. Requirements within the NSP are extensive first aid and CPR and depending on classification, might include skiing and toboggan handling.

That said, the Patrol could definitely use more women. To have only 25% female patrollers isn’t very good, especially when you consider that about 40% of skiers are women. There are people out there who aren’t joining because of the preconceived notion that you have to meet certain physical characteristics, like you have to be 5’9” and bench press 300 lbs.  Obviously, this isn’t true.

One of the best ways we can attract women is by example – getting women out on the hill where the skiing public can see them. All those us who are on the Patrol, volunteer or pro, were once skiers who saw a patroller and thought that looks cool; maybe that’s something I could do. If a woman skier sees a woman patroller, she may get the idea that she can do it, too.

Q: So tell me about the NSP’s Women’s Program. What’s its purpose and how did it begin?
A: The idea of a women’s clinic is nothing new in the ski industry. There are clinics available for ladies at many different ski resorts. What’s exciting is how the concept has blossomed in the NSP organization. There are women-specific clinics all across the country now.

The NSP’s program started about 15 years ago as an offshoot of what was happening in the various divisions. For example, I started a women’s clinic in the Central Division. I was training a group that happened to be all women, and I noticed the dynamics were different. When I asked if they’d like to have a clinic just for them, the response was overwhelmingly positive. This was going on in other divisions, as well.

I think women’s clinics provide the sort of learning environment in which women can step outside their boundaries and excel at a different level. For example, handling the toboggan takes a lot of technical skill. Sure, you can muscle it around, but once you master the skill, it’s very doable.  So for women to do the job, we have to be technically on the ball. These clinics help us achieve that. Trudy Nye, for example, in the Far Western Division, developed a program that incorporates Jeannie Thoren’s philosophy that women aren’t just smaller men, and applying it to sled operation. She was one of the first to realize we were losing a lot of female patrollers who were running sleds or doing some of the jobs that required more strength. She felt that there had to be a better way to get around the issue of drop outs by focusing on skill development.

Q: What sort of clinics are there?
A: The national program is divided into geographic divisions, and each division has its own personality, as far as programs that pretty much mirror the national program. There’s a toboggan program, an avalanche program, mountain rescue, and all sorts of programs focusing on skiing skills. As the national program director, it’s my job to unify the women as a team.

Q: Do you think these clinics are a success?
A: Oh, yes. I think they definitely help women improve their skills. Not only does this make them better patrollers, but it improves their confidence and may help them stay on the Patrol longer.  I think the clinics also encourage women to strive for leadership positions within the organization. Seeing a woman training a group of patrollers can be a powerful thing. It may help convince you that you can do it, too. We’re trying to get the women out front in the NSP system by encouraging them to become instructors to hopefully help with our recruitment aspect.  It’s also going to help with retention because it’s inspiring to see someone you can relate to able  to do something that you’re struggling with. You’re likely to think, Hey if she can do it, so can I!

Women are making big strides in the Patrol. Vail and Beaver Creek both have women Patrol directors. I really admire them; those are high ranking destination resorts. And that’s pretty awesome.

 

 

On this, the 75th anniversary of the National Ski Patrol, I’d like to thank all the patrollers — women and men — for everything you do to keep us safe. We all owe you big time.

If you’re interested in becoming a ski patroller, it’s easy to find out more. Visit the National Ski Patrol website, or talk to your local Patrol organization. Remember, the Patrol is for women, too!



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