Archive | Interview RSS feed for this section

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!



Read full story · Comments { 1 }

Want to track your ski days? Try Slope Squad.

January 8, 2013 in Interview, Ski Gear, Ski News

I know I’m dating myself, but it used to be that if you had a great day skiing, you might phone someone when you got home, or tell them about it the next day, at work or at school.

But it’s a different world now. We want to let people know right away that we’re on the hill and they’re not. We want our friends to know we’ve skied a bazillion days at Mount Gnarly while they’ve been sweating their buns off at the office. We want to be able to locate our friends, great deals, whatever, at the touch of a button.

In short, we want to share our experiences with the whole wide social network universe. And we want to do it NOW.

There are lots of apps out there that let you do this. But the one I use is Slope Squad, which was developed by Rachel Vecchitto, one of the moderators at TheSkiDiva forum, and her two partners, Taylor McLemore and Jody Shepherd.

Put simply, Slope Squad lets you track your days on the snow, make plans and compete with your friends, and receive offers and messages from mountains and local businesses. It does other things, too, but more about that below, in my conversation with Rachel.

Q: So tell me about Slope Squad. Why’d you decide to develop a ski app? How’d the idea come about?
A: All three of us had been kicking around ideas for a skiing site individually. Taylor was most interested in building something that’d let him plan days with friends, Jody wanted something that’d let him compete with his friends, and I wanted something that’d let me keep detailed stats on my ski days. We’d all run our ideas past fellow Boulderite and OpenSnow.com founder Joel Gratz, who realized we were all thinking about something pretty similar. He put us in touch with each other.

It’s a good match. Taylor, who most recently co-founded Prediculous, is the product guy who helps us conceptualize and prioritize what we’re going to build. Jody, who’s currently a VP at Square 1 Bank, is the business guy who talks to local businesses and investors to get the word out about us. And I’m the developer, and though I currently work at Etsy, I build the site you use when you log on to Slope Squad. As with any small company, we all do a bit of anything and everything that needs to get done.

Q: There are lots of ski apps out there. What do you see as the shortcomings of others, and what makes yours better?
A: Slope Squad is the only one that works at any resort. That gives it an advantage over  Epic Mix, for example, which only works at mountains owned by Vail Resorts. Besides allowing you to plan days with your friends and compete with them for the most days on the snow, Slope Squad also lets you compete with anyone for prizes sponsored by partner companies. For example, our first contest is for a RockyMounts ski rack.  What’s more, Slope Squad provides you with detailed historical stats for all your days on the snow. If you’re a cyclist or runner, think strava.com, but for skiers. It also lets ski areas contact you with news and offers, tell you about pass closures and parking changes, and provide you with discounts a few days before you head to the mountain.

Slope Squad is a great tool for ski areas, too. We let them see detailed analytics about their skiers and riders, build brand equity through social sharing, and increase incremental revenue by reaching visitors before, during and after their days on the snow.

Q: What was the development process like? How long did it take, from concept to finished product? What was the testing like?
A: I’ve been working on a ski day tracking site for quite a while, so I had a lot of the basics built before I teamed up with Jody and Taylor. I’ve been working on building Slope Squad in its current form for about 8 months, part-time, and while it’s well-built and functional as-is, it’s definitely not finished — there’s a lot more we want to build. We had a more basic version of the site up in October or so, and we had some friends kick the tires a bit before we publicized it more widely.

Q: So how does it work?
A: All you have to do to use the site is sign up at the site’s registration page,  and then add some ski days! Once you’ve added some friends, you can view their ski plans.

Friends’ Ski Plans

 

Or you can use the  mobile site:

Mobile Site

You can see what things look like once you’ve entered a bunch of data by clicking around my profile.

Slope Squad Profile

Q: How can someone get the app?
A: Slope Squad is a website (vs. a native app), so you can use it by just hitting http://slopesquad.com on your desktop or http://m.slopesquad.com on your mobile device of choice. It’s completely free.

Q: Any further development plans/refinements/new apps we can expect?
A: We have so many plans! There’s so much you can do with something like this that no one has done yet. Just off the top of my head: we’d like to let you rate mountains and specific runs or areas at mountains, so when you ski somewhere new we can recommend runs you’d probably like. Also, we’d love to have native mobile apps for next season so we can track vertical and do other things that rely on GPS. We want to add common backcountry areas and cat skiing operations, for example, the same way we have mountains now, so you can see those places included in your maps and stats in a more interesting way. I envision other ways you can interact with other users, too: for example, it’d be great for arranging carpools to the hill with other locals, and to create groups of friends to compete and plan with, like your ski house, your ski club, or your race team. Also, we want to have weather-dependent leaderboards that’d show things like which of your friends has the most powder days this season.

I could go on like this for quite a while, and I’d love to hear any other suggestions people have! I absolutely love getting feedback and hearing ideas.

Q: Here’s an important question, Rachel. How much pizza was consumed during the writing of the code?
A: I moved to Boulder from NYC about a year and a half ago now, and I have to say that the pizza here just isn’t the same. As a result, the building of Slope Squad was powered mostly by coffee from Atlas Purveyors.



Read full story · Comments { 4 }

A conversation with Suzy Chaffee

December 18, 2012 in Interview, Ski News

Everyone has their heroes – people who’ve inspired them to take a certain path.

One of mine is Suzy Chaffee. Granted, this goes all the way back to the late 60’s, but Suzy was one of people who inspired me to take up skiing. And that’s had an incredible impact on my life.

Suzy Chaffee

For those of you who need reminding, Suzy was captain of the US Women’s Alpine Team in the 1968 Grenoble Olympics. A miscalculation in ski wax kept her off the podium, but her silver racing suit got the attention of the press and helped launch an astonishing career.  Although Suzy’s endorsement of ChapStick lip balm earned her the name Suzy Chapstick, her accomplishments extend way beyond just being a celebrity endorser. In addition to her participation in the Olympics, consider these:

  • First female member of the US Olympic Team Board of Directors
  • Member of the President’s Council for Physical Fitness, serving through four administrations
  • Three-time world freestyle skiing champion (1971-1973)
  • Co-founder of the Native American Olympic Foundation
  • Inductee in the US Ski Hall of Fame in three categories: Alpine, Freestyle, and Sports Building
  • Inductee in the Vermont Sports Hall of Fame and the Colorado Sportswoman’s Hall of Fame
  • Ski film star
  • Ski ballet pioneer, and helped start the Olympic Women’s Freestyle Division

An impressive list. But perhaps her most far-ranging achievement is her work as a champion of Title IX legistation. Suzy was instrumental in convincing federal lawmakers to enact the statute that guarantees equal opportunities for men and women in federally funded sports and education programs.

I spoke to Suzy recently from her home in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Q: Suzy, can you tell us how you got involved as an activist for Title IX?
A: I had a wake up call in 1964, when I was at the University of Denver. I chose Denver because it was the Rocky Mountain ski mecca, and my [future Olympian] brother, Rick, was part of their invincible ski team. His coach, Willy Schaeffler, promised me training as one of the top skiers in America. I enjoyed their dry land training, where I carried guys up the stadium steps, but when it came time for on-snow training an hour away at Evergreen Ski Area, I wasn’t allowed to ride in the team car because I didn’t have NCAA insurance. The reason: I couldn’t biologically pass the male physical. Since there were no sports scholarships for girls back then and my family couldn’t afford a car, I had to hitchhike.

In 1977, I was asked by the president of the PE Teachers of  America to help lead a march in support of Title IX in Washington, DC.  Thousands of people showed up, and it made the national news. I realized that unity brings power, so after the march I called the White House and set up a meeting with Vice President Walter Mondale. I brought in Billy Jean King and the PE teachers, who had their lawyers for Title IX, and we got the ball rolling. It was a hard fight. Around that time I was on an elevator with Walter Buyers, the head of the National Collegiate Athletic establishment, and asked him, “What would be a reasonable percentage of the men’s budget for the women since it was still one percent after five years?” And he replied, “One percent is just fine.” We got a lot of powerful legislators behind us — Ted Kennedy, for example, who worked for Title IX for almost four decades, including restoring it after President Reagan got it overturned by the Supreme Court.

Q: Why is Title IX so important?
A: Studies have proven that investing in girls’ sports improves the health of families, delays pregnancy, reduces population, and transforms communities and countries from poverty to productivity. Title IX has also been a boon for the US sports industries — especially skiing, since moms who fall in love with skiing not only help create Olympians, but help decide where their families go on vacations.  So protecting Title IX and girls’ ski opportunities is priceless to states like Colorado, where 64,000 jobs depend on snow sports tourism.

Q: You co-founded the Native American Olympic Foundation. What is this and what does it do?
A: Just as Title IX legislation gave women a chance, the Native American Olympic Foundation aims to give Native American youth a chance to develop their talents and compete in the Winter Olympics. According to a senate study by Olympian Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Native youth lack opportunities in sports and jobs. This contributes to the highest suicide rate of any race for the last hundred years. One  in three Native girls attempt suicide, and 1 in 4 Native boys. Snow sports build health, self-esteem, leadership skills, and lasting friendships, as well as provide greater accessibility to educational, job, and career opportunities outside the reservation. They’re also a super way to show appreciation to the Native American ancestors, who gave us the roots for eleven of our Olympic sports. Since ski lift tickets are out of reach of most tribal youth, especially girls, our foundation urges ski areas and communities across America to welcome home their nearby children with a free day of skiing and boarding on their ancestral lands.

Q: I know you also champion environmental causes. Can you tell me more about this?
A: It’s a delicate time for our planet, and we have to do what we can to protect it. The mountains are our source of drinking water, agriculture, and food. If we keep going in our present direction, we’re going to run out of snow. And that means water. So it’s crucial that we shift funding from military defense to climate change defense. We women are the protectors of nature. We need to create a sustainable world so we can live better in the future.

Q: Tell me, do you ever get tired of the name Suzy Chapstick?
A: No, not at all. The endorsement opened many doors for me. It was a great opportunity. In fact, when I was on the U.S. Olympic Committee board, I wrote the rule that allowed Madison Avenue to sponsor Olympic teams and individuals, which helped open the international playing field to people from all economic classes.

Q: Puerto Vallerta  seems far removed from skiing. Why are you there?
A: Because I can see whales jumping from my terrace. It’s a slice of paradise — relaxed, friendly, and affordable.  I missed out on 16 years of vacation pouring all my resources into joyfully giving my gift back to humanity.

For more information on the Native American Olympic Foundation, go here.

 

 

 



Read full story · Comments { 0 }

About “Learn To Ski & Snowboard Month”

November 13, 2012 in Interview, Ski News

I have a friend who wanted to learn to ski. Her boyfriend took her to his favorite mountain, rented her equipment, and brought her to the top of the lift. “It’s easy,” he said. “Just point your skis down and go.”

Then he took off.

Needless to say, she was terrified. It took her what she called hours – no, make that days — to get down, after which she took off her equipment and never went back.

Oh, and she dumped the boyfriend, too.

Too bad  Learn To Ski and Snowboard Month wasn’t around then. Started in 2009, LSSM takes place each January and is a great way to get your friends or family members off to a good start. I recently spoke to Mary Jo Tarallo, LSSM executive director, to find out more:

Q: What is “Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month?”
A: Basically, it’s an initiative backed by a number of organizations. Our mission is to grow ski and snowboard participation nationwide. We do that by encouraging people to take lessons from professional instructors, rather than trying to teach themselves or learn from a friend.  You may be a good skier or snowboarder, but you’re really not trained to teach someone the way that professional instructors are.

Q: So how’d it get started?
A: I think the idea first came up in 2007.  Representatives from a number of resort associations came up with the idea of initiating a learn to ski and snowboard program. Not much happened for a year or more, until we finally just went ahead and declared January, 2009, “Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month.”  We contacted people at various organizations and asked if they’d like to be part of it. A lot of them said yes, and it just kept building and building until we are where we are today. What really propelled it to the next level is the involvement of the National Ski Areas Association two years ago. Now we have more than 300 resorts in 33 states offering special learning programs during January.We also have the support of many terrific organizations: PSIA [Professional Ski Instructors of America],  USSA [US Ski & Snowboard Assocation], of course, the National Ski Patrol, to name a few.

Q: So what’s involved in “Learn to Ski & Snowboard Month?”
A: The key to the initiative’s success is its flexibility. There aren’t any of what I’d call rules. Any resort can create its own program. The typical offer is lift, lessons, and rentals.  Some resorts do a free offer. Ski NH, for example, works with its members to allow people to take free beginner lessons at participating resorts.  Ski Vermont is working with its members to offer a $29. lift, lesson, and rental package for the entire month of January. And Ski Areas of New York is working with its members to promote what the resorts there are doing. So it really varies, from state to state.

We also have a number of retail partners, and we’ve been asking them to work through their existing customer base to bring newcomers into their shops. This gives them the opportunity to talk in terms of how you dress, what kind of equipment you might need if you want to stick with the sport. So we approach it from the retail side a little differently than we would from the resort side. At the end of the day, it’s probably the resort where the customer is going to go first to try a lesson to see if they like it. Then the next stop is the retailer.

The other part of the program is our website. We have a lot of information there that’s very valuable to the newcomer. Skiing is just like anything  you try for the first time. It can be kind of overwhelming.  So we take a lot of the information you’ll need and put it in a logical fashion so people can educate themselves and feel comfortable once they get to a ski area.

Q: What’s participation in LSSM been like?
A: The first year [January 2009], our member partners provided about 20,000 new skier packages. The second year, 30,000.  Then we jumped to 75,000. In 2012 , it was almost 100,000, even though it wasn’t the greatest snow year.   We’re hoping to exceed that this year.

Q: I understand you’re offering something called The Bring a Friend Challenge. Can you tell me about it?
A:  This is an industry-wide effort to tap into current skiers and snowboarders who are in a position to bring a friend or family member to a ski area and help them sign up for lessons. It’s not confined to the month of January. We’re going to start it on December 15, though we may move it up to December 1, depending on the weather, and run it through March 17.  It works like this: If you’re already a skier or a snowboarder, you can bring a friend or family member to a local area,  sometime between the challenge dates, and have them sign up for a lesson package. The current participant and the newcomer are then asked to fill out a registration form on the “Learn to Ski & Snowboard” website. Every week we’ll have a drawing for a  product prize, starting the first week of January through the end of the challenge. At the end, we’ll have a drawing for free trips. For east coast participants, there’s a trip to Smuggler’s Notch in Vermont.  And there are two western trips – one to Sun Valley, the other, to Park City – that are for anybody. The trips will be good for next season. We’re hoping that if the newcomer starts taking lessons this year, they’ll go back for more lessons so if they win the trip, they’ll be able to get way beyond the beginner slopes.

 

To find out more about Learn To Ski And Snowboard Month, visit their website here. You can also find out what specific ski areas are offering on this page.

 

 

 

 

 



Read full story · Comments { 0 }

You’ve got questions, I’ve got answers.

October 2, 2012 in Interview, Ski News

As you can imagine, I get a lot of emails from people asking me all sorts of questions. So chalk it up to laziness, chalk it up to efficiency, I thought I’d handle all my replies here in one shot. Here we go — answers to the most common questions that crop up in my inbox:

Q: How often do you post in your blog?
A: When I first started this blog more than six years ago, I was plenty enthusiastic and posted just about every other day. This was the days before I launched the forum, so I really didn’t have any other outlet.  Now that I’ve calmed down a bit, I’ve decided to give everyone a break. I generally post once a week — usually on Tuesdays.

Q: Can I suggest a blog topic?
A: Sure! If you have an idea, I’d love to hear it. Sometimes the story ideas come fast and furious, other times it’s a real struggle to come up with blog topics. So yes, if you have something in mind, feel free to get in touch.  Please keep in mind, however, that I will not shill for your business. That said, I love to do interviews, and I’m happy to do product reviews, too. Just be advised that I can not be bought; my reviews are 100% honest.

Q: How good a skier are you, anyway? Did you ever race/instruct/patrol?
A: I’m better than some, not as good as others. I think it’s safe to say I’m an aspiring expert — which means I’m an advanced skier who’d like to be better. That said, I’m at the point in my life where I don’t feel like I have to prove anything to anyone; those days are long gone. I ski for the fun of it, and while I’m mildly competitive, I’d rather just sit back and have a good time. And no, I’ve never raced; I think that would make me too anxious. I’ve also never instructed or patrolled, though I did work in a ski shop for a couple seasons. I had to quit, though, since I found that I hated just about everyone by two o’clock. Not good for my soul.

Q: Have you skied for a long time?
A: Yes and no.  I first started skiing when I was 13, though I only went 10 or so times a year. When I was around 23, I stopped entirely. Personal things got in the way, and I didn’t ski again til I was 40. Since then, I’ve been working like crazy to make up for lost time. I’m in the east, where the season is relatively short. Last year was pretty lousy, too. I think I only got in 52 days. Contrast that with the ’10/’11 season, when I made 82 ski days — a personal record.

Q: I’d love to participate in TheSkiDiva forum, but I’m a man. Why can’t you open the forum up to men, too?
A: Fair question. I started the forum for two reasons: 1) selfishly enough, I didn’t have any women friends who skied, and I was looking to find some;  and 2) I found that other online ski communities — and conventional ski media, as well — didn’t pay much attention to women. Anything to do with women’s skiing was seldom addressed, and when it was, it was only in a very secondary manner . I wanted a place where women skiers were front and center — a testosterone-free zone  where women could feel comfortable talking about skiing in a way that they could relate to. I’m sorry if this hurts your feelings, but the forum is our little corner of the world. You have all the rest to play in.

Q: Can you recommend skis for me/my wife/my daughter?
A: Choosing skis is a pretty personal process. That’s why there are so many skis out there. You may love the skis I hate, and vice versa. The best way to determine which skis are right for you is to demo, demo, demo. But if you’re looking for information on where to start, you should definitely check out the Gear Reviews section of TheSkiDiva.com. There’s a lot of good stuff to read there.

Q: What do you ski on?
A: Right now I have 3 pair. I’m in the east where we have a fair amount of hard pack, so my everyday go-to ski are Volkl Tierras. These babies are fantastic; they’re like riding on rails. I’m actually on my second pair. For powder days, spring skiing, and choppy conditions, I have Volkl Auras and Atomic Centuries. My boots are Dalbello Krypton Lotus.

Q: What do you do in the off season, anyway?
A: The off season is hard, just because I can’t find anything I love as much as skiing. I try. I really do. I road bike a couple times a week, swim (a mile!) a couple times a week, too. And sometimes I hike. So I try to keep busy. Nothing comes close to skiing, though. But you knew that already, right?

Q: Are you working on a new Ski Diva mystery?
A: Here’s where the guilt comes in:  (says in a small voice) No. I know, I know. Awful. My intent was to only write during the off season, and to be honest, my off seasons have been really, really busy. So while there are two Ski Diva mysteries for you to enjoy: DOUBLE BLACK and FADE TO WHITE, I don’t have any others in the works at present.

On a brighter note, my husband, the fantastically-gifted novelist Jon Clinch, author of FINN and KINGS OF THE EARTH, has a new book, THE THIEF OF AUSCHWITZ,  coming out in January. Keep an eye on this space for some shameless promotion.

 



Read full story · Comments { 4 }

So you want to save on lift tickets?

September 18, 2012 in Interview, saving money, Ski News

Who doesn’t? Hey, if there’s any way that I can cut my costs, I’m there.

That’s one of the reasons I love Liftopia. Well, that and we both started our websites around the same time. Which gives me a strange sort of fellowship with these guys.  In the world of the internet, we kind of grew up together.

What is Liftopia? Simply put, it’s a site that allows skiers and boarders to buy lift tickets, clinics, and rentals in advance on line at a reduced rate. Resorts offer date specific items at the Liftopia site, which you can buy in advance for as much as 90% off on-mountain rates.

Recently I had the pleasure of speaking about Liftopia co-founder, chief operating officer, and all around nice guy Ron Schneidermann.

Ron Schneidermann, co-founder, Liftopia

Me: Good to finally meet you, Ron. Liftopia is such a great concept. Can you give us some background about what you are and how you got started?
Ron: Sure! Evan Reece [Liftopia co-founder] and I worked together at Hotwire, an online travel site. One day in March, ’05, we were IM-ing about whether or not to go up to Tahoe for the weekend – you may remember it wasn’t the greatest snow year — but we weren’t sure we wanted to spend $72 and end up sitting in traffic. So we were thinking, well, maybe if it was $50 it’d be worth it.  Maybe we should opt out and go mountain biking instead. Then we started wondering: why are lift tickets the exact same price, regardless of the snow? Why can’t we buy lift tickets on line instead of going to REI every time? Why isn’t there an Expedia equivalent for lift tickets? The more we talked about it, the more we thought it made a lot of sense.

Our initial reaction was that someone must have done this before.  It’s 2005, and everything’s been done already.  We started poking around the internet and didn’t see anything that compared, so after chewing on it for a few weeks we decided to start a company. In May,’05, we pooled all our money together, which at the time was $5,000 each.  We got our hands on as much data as we could to figure out what the landscape was – what’s been done, what hadn’t been done – and we raised money from our friends and family. Then we worked on the site. It took us a little bit of time to get a buy-in from the ski areas. That was the hard part.

Me: What was your first mountain partner?
Ron: You know, we keep going back and forth; it was either Windham in New York or A-Basin in Colorado. We can’t figure out which one it was, though it’s definitely one of the two.

Me: How many mountains do you work with now?
Ron: When we went live in the ‘06/’07 season, we had a whopping 7 resort partners and sold all of 900 tickets total. We tend to measure our growth by the quantity and quality of our resort partners because that really opens up different marketing channels for us — how many different customer segments we can tap into and geographies and things like that. During our first winter we had 7 resort partners; our second, about 30 partners;  our third about 70; our fourth about 100; and our fifth, 130. Last season we had 180, and now we’re at 250.

There are roughly 470 ski areas in the US, and in Canada 130 or something like that. We’ll never have all of them, because there are so many small areas that are just rope tows on a little hill. As for other countries, we’re in Canada and we have a few partners in France and Chile. We’re very focused on continuing to grow and getting more breadth and depth in terms of our partners. But at least in North America it’s gotten easier for us to talk about who doesn’t work with Liftopia than who does work with Liftopia.

Me: So you started with just the website and things progressed since then. Can you tell me about some of the ways you’ve changed and what that means for skiers and riders?
Ron: When we first started, the initial concept was to create a marketplace for resorts to get rid of distressed inventory. So in New England or the Midwest, if it was going to rain this weekend, we could put some deals up and get people to come out who otherwise wouldn’t come. Then we realized that everyday should be sold in advance and on line. It shouldn’t just be the crummy days, but the good days, too. It’s important for resorts to get folks away from deciding what to do based on the short term snow forecast. There are many reasons for people to go or not go out on any given day. The obvious ones are snow and weather, but then there are things like sore muscles, hangovers, and so on. It’s really easy to just wake up one morning and decide that you just don’t want to go skiing today. But if you booked on line in advance, paid three weeks before, and you got a great deal, it’s a lot easier to get yourself out, even if it’s just for a few hours. And once you’re out, it’s always a good time. So we moved away from just the distressed inventory. Then we started adding other products like rentals, room packages, credit for on mountain dining. And and we created our iPhone or iOS app, and we now have a site for Android and Windows phones.

The biggest change was last year when we launched the Cloud store. When we’d go to resorts, the biggest question we’d get was why aren’t we just doing this ourselves on our own website? Our answer was you should, but as we got to know the industry better, we found that many resorts didn’t have the tools to make it happen. So we thought let’s take what we have for Liftopia and roll it out so that resorts can plug it into their own sites. This way, they’ll have an e-commerce feed that’s really user friendly, best in class, but more importantly, they’ll have an inventory management system and analytics.

Me: So users won’t have to go to the Liftopia website necessarily; they can go to the resort website for the same thing.
Ron: Exactly. The resorts can also offer unique deals for their own customers, however they want to manage it.  The Cloud went live last year. We had about a dozen test partners. This year we’re going to have between 30 and 50 using it here in the US.

Me: Liftopia recently introduced The Mountain Collective. [a pre-paid pass that provides users with 2 free days and 50% off lift tickets at Jackson Hole, Aspen/Snowmass, Alta, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows.]  This is an amazing deal. Can you tell me how it came about?
Ron: These are all independent, progressive resorts. They were tossing around the idea that even though they were all competitors, they didn’t overlap all that much. So they thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could partner together and create something that would be collectively better than the sum of its parts?’ They came to us with this idea and asked us to tell them what we could do. So we put together a proposal and a marketing plan. We created TheMountainCollective.com and a mobile version of the site.  And we [Liftopia and the resorts] all launched it at the same time in August. It’s great for the resorts, but it’s even better for the consumer. And that’s why it was such a great thing to be a part of.

Me: I know it’s created a lot of buzz. How’s response been so far?
Ron: It’s been amazing. We’ve sold passes in 16 different countries and seen traffic from 105 different countries so far.

Me: Do you have anything more like that down the pike? What about in the east?
Ron: I would love to see an east coast version of this, but we need to see which resorts would recognize the opportunity and want to collaborate together.

Me: Anything else exciting coming from Liftopia?
Ron: For us, it’s the basic blocking and tackling – getting more resorts and unique inventory on board, getting more product live.  When we first began, it was all about the single day pass, and last year, about 15% of our bookings were bundled – lift tickets plus ski rentals, lift tickets plus lessons, food and beverage vouchers, and so on.  That was up from 10% the year before. This year we hope to move to 20-25%. So that’s going to be a huge area of value for the consumer. I think we’ll see that continue to grow.

We’re clearly in a state of transition. The industry is going from outdated, brick & mortar distribution channels that don’t afford the ski areas any control, to on-line distribution with real time control of pricing and quantities — which means they can offer real killer deals, and not have to worry about it spiraling out of control.

Me: So since you started Liftopia, have you had time to ski?
Ron: You know, I have two kids now – an 8 week old and a 3 year old. I hope to get the 3-year old out this year. But it’s not like when we first started, when we didn’t have kids and we’d take meetings on the chair lift with our ski area partners.

Me: You’re in San Francisco. Where do you ski, over in Tahoe?
Ron: Yeah, I grew up skiing at Kirkwood and Sierra and Squaw, and I tend to go to Squaw and Alpine. And if I’m lucky I’ll ski in Colorado or someplace like that during a conference.

You can — and should — check Liftopia out yourself. It’s an easy way to save a lot of money skiing. And what could be wrong with that.




Read full story · Comments { 0 }

Meet Kristen Lummis, Brave Ski Mom

May 15, 2012 in Interview, Ski News

I couldn’t let Mothers Day week go by without a shout-out to the ski moms. After all, it’s the mom who usually makes sure everyone has the hats, goggles, ski pants, boots, etc. they need. Who dresses and undresses the kids. Assembles the lunches. Hauls the equipment. Harbors a secret stash of tissues/sun block/chap stick/energy bars for that unavoidable emergency. Accommodates multiple bathroom breaks with all the dressing and undressing that go with ‘em. Provides encouragement after a fall. Drives to and from the slopes. Attends ski races. Wipes noses and tears. Administers first aid. Puts on and removes boots/jackets/gloves/helmets. Makes sure nothing gets left behind. Arranges ski lessons. Makes sure the kids wear helmets.

Obviously, being a ski mom isn’t an easy job. But there is help: Kristen Lummis’ outstanding blog, Brave Ski Mom. Kristen writes about anything and everything related to family skiing: resorts, gear, kids, parenting, and more.  There’s a ton of great information, so it’s a great resource for ski moms everywhere. Plus it’s a lot of fun to read.

 

The Brave Ski Mom Family

I spoke to Kristen recently from her home in Colorado.

Q: How did you get started, and where’d the name Brave Ski Mom come from?
A: I started Brave Ski Mom in late July, 2010, after 16 months of thinking about it. The inspiration came from my older son. When he was 11, we were skiing at Snowbird, UT, and while riding the chairlift, he began going over the points he felt made Snowbird a great place for kids to ski. Listening to him, I realized that he had put a lot of thought into his comments and that they were really insightful. So, I suggested he start a blog. He wasn’t at all interested, but it planted a seed in my brain. A few weeks later, I began writing sample posts and sharing them with family and friends.

My focus for these sample posts was family travel and ski resort reviews. The “where, how, and why” information that is helpful when families are deciding to take a ski vacation. The feedback I got was very positive. But then I got bogged down in the details: the technology, the platforms, hosting, and so on. It seemed so overwhelming that I put the project off. Fast forward 16 months and my older son, now 13, looks at me on a hot summer afternoon and says “Remember your blog? I knew you’d never do it.” My reaction was to sigh and agree with him. Another good idea put off and another project I didn’t do. A couple days later, I realized I had to do it. I had to start Brave Ski Mom, both to show my kids I could follow through and for my own self-respect! Thirty minutes later I had my first post up. The emphasis on ski resort reviews quickly grew into an emphasis on family skiing from all angles — the joys, the challenges, how to get kids’ skiing, competition and more.

The name Brave Ski Mom came from a lovely older European man whom I met at Mount Hood when my kids were at ski camp. I was riding the lift with a friend and he joined us on the chair. We began chatting and he asked, “Are you ski moms?” We answered yes and told him that we had brought our kids from Colorado. As we got off the lift, he looked at us and said, “You are brave ski moms.” I loved being called a brave ski mom. When I was thinking about a name for my blog, it’s the first thing that came to mind.

Q: Does it take special bravery to be a ski mom?
A: I think that being a mom takes a lot of bravery. When you have children you take a jump, headfirst, into the unknown. As moms, we strive to nurture, enrich and protect our kids. Then as skiers, we put them on skis the moment they can walk and push them down a hill. They fall, we brush them off and send them back out with a kiss. Soon, they’ve got it going on and they scream down the mountain at Mach 10. When my kids progressed from powder papooses to ski racers, I had a choice. I could fret and worry or I could take a deep breath and cheer them on. I chose to cheer.

Q: What’s your own family’s ski story? How’d you start your kids skiing, and how are they doing now?
A: Going way, way back, I grew up with a ski instructor dad. Skiing was important to our family and we skied recreationally and well as competitively. My dad was wise and didn’t teach me and my brother, so we took lessons and clinics from other instructors. But I always loved skiing with my dad and I have a favorite childhood memory of him picking me up from school at lunchtime to go skiing. My husband grew up in the East and came to Colorado for college. From the moment we met, we realized that as skiers we had a lot in common and we spent as much time skiing as our meager budgets would allow. Having kids actually got us skiing more. When our oldest was three, we started him. We made many mistakes, including not keeping him warm enough. That year was pretty much a bust. The next year, he was just four and loved it. Our younger son started at age two and has never looked back. At age 6, each boy started in recreational ski racing through our local Buddy Werner club. Then as they progressed they moved up to USSA racing. Those were really fun and busy years, exhausting actually, as we skied every day the boys did not have school and travelled each weekend. Racing gave both boys a tremendous foundation, but they soon succumbed to the lure of powder and double-blacks and stopped competing. Now we are able to ski where and when we want to, but we still ski almost every weekend and logged nearly 50 days this season.

Q: What’s the biggest challenge faced by ski moms?
A: I would have to say the cost involved in getting kids on skis. Skiing is expensive and while many resorts offer deals for families, kids grow and outfitting them is an annual challenge. Every ski family I know makes choices and sacrifices to keep skiing. These sacrifices aren’t painful, because we’re doing what we love, but they are real.

Additionally, I think that one of the biggest challenges a ski mom can face is having a child who doesn’t share her passion. We are lucky. We all love and live to ski. But we know families where everyone loves to ski except one child. It can be hard and frustrating to honor this child’s preferences, especially when it interferes with everyone else’s personal passion. But we have to respect our kids as individuals, even if we don’t understand their choices.

Q: What do you think: Teach your kids yourself or get an instructor?
A: That’s easy! Get an instructor! While I know this means more cost, it’s good to learn from a pro for several reasons. 1) The instructor is specially trained to work with kids and knows the latest techniques and secrets. 2) The instructor is not emotionally involved with the success or failure of the child. She or he won’t worry and fret as much about falls, nor will any whining impact the instructor like it impacts mom. 3) Having a neutral third-party involved takes the pressure off — both the student and the parent. 4) Kids like learning with other kids and are motivated by their peers. While adults often prefer private lessons, small groups for kids are often more fun and enhance learning.

I know that many parents want to teach their kids and one of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard is to take a lesson with your child. Tell the instructor, up front, that you want to learn how to teach your child after the lesson is over. Ask the instructor how you can successfully build on the lesson, what words to say, what actions to take. Instructors are trained to help you help your child and you’ll make their job easier for future lessons if you reinforce what they’re teaching. Also, don’t push your child too far, too fast. That is probably the number one mistake parents make. We want our kids to progress, we want to get off the bunny hill, so we push them ahead, rather than letting them set the pace. I know. I’ve done it!

Q: What tips would you give a mom or dad for a happy ski day?
A: These are basic. 1) Make sure everyone has warm clothes and proper layers. We stupidly tried pjs as long underwear and a cute department store parka as a ski coat when our oldest was three. Not surprisingly, he froze and hated skiing. My rule of thumb: if I won’t wear it, why should my kids? 2) Keep everyone fueled. Kids get colder and hungrier much faster than adults. Carry snacks and share them on the chairlift. Take breaks for water and hot chocolate. If your kids get hungry or dehydrated, they will get colder faster. 3) Be prepared to have your plans change. Especially with little kids, you have to expect that one day they’ll ski for hours and the next day they may be done after 15 minutes. While this can be frustrating and disappointing, it seems to me that forcing them to keep skiing will only lead to more problems in the future. 4) Enjoy the time on the chairlift. Chat, laugh, listen to your child’s stories and enthusiasms. I’ve had more fun with my kids on chairlifts than almost anywhere. Put away your phone and turn off the iPod. They’ll do the same and you can really enjoy one another uninterrupted for a few minutes. 5) Let the kids be trail boss. My boys love to study ski maps and snow reports, so we’d be foolish to suggest runs. Instead we follow them. Even when they were little, we let them choose where to go. That way, they would have some control, could choose what was fun for them and rarely got in over their heads. Most kids know what they can do comfortably.

Q: And I have to ask: What’s your kids’ favorite ski lunch?
A: As a family of four, we try to avoid buying ski lunches. The simple reality is that if we bought lunch at a resort each day, we’d quickly be broke. Instead, we usually make sandwiches — pb&j, turkey, or cheese quesadillas — whatever will fit in our pockets or in the pocket of a camelbak without becoming too squished (try “sandwich thins” instead of slices of bread — totally non-squishable). We often take nuts, carrots, celery and of course, chocolate. If we’re at a resort with a lodge that allows coolers, sometimes we really splurge and take…leftovers (my lucky family!)

Our oldest son is a great sport about these cold weather picnics and will gladly eat anything. Our youngest son tries to hold out for hotdogs. He started doing this when he was racing. He’d be starving and not want to eat what we were offering. In my desperation to get something into him, I’d offer hot chocolate and he’d say, “How about a hotdog?” Bang! I’d be so happy to get a response, that I would buy him one.

He still tries this once in a while, but his older brother calls him on it (and calls me out too for “spoiling him.” Is there no end to sibling rivalry?)

This is what you want: happy kids.

* Photos courtesy of the Brave Ski Mom herself, Kristen Lummis



Read full story · Comments { 3 }

Muffy Davis: Motivation in Action

May 8, 2012 in Interview, Ski News

Ever feel stuck in a rut? Completely unmotivated? Can’t seem to move ahead?

Well then, today’s your lucky day. Because there’s someone I’d like you to meet:

Muffy Davis.

Muffy is one of the most amazing skiers — make that one of the most amazing athletes — I’ve ever encountered. But more than that, she’s a master at motivation. And once you hear her story, I’m sure you’ll agree.

In 1989, at the age of 16, Muffy suffered a horrific ski accident.  A member of the Olympic Development Team, Muffy lost control during a training run at Sun Valley, Idaho — her home mountain — and crashed into not one, but two trees.  Ski patrol got her off the mountain, and she was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. There, her father, a radiologist, was the first to read her x-rays. She had a fractured spine that left her paralyzed from mid-chest down.

Many people would have taken that as a sentence to a life spent sitting on the sidelines in a wheelchair. But that wasn’t Muffy’s way.

Within three years, she was racing competitively again. As a member of the US Disabled Ski Team, she competed in the 1998 Paralympics in Nagano Japan, winning a bronze. Then came a World Championship in 2000, two Overall World Cup Titles in 2001 and 2002, and more than 25 World Cup medals. In the 2002 Paralympics in Salt Lake City, UT, Muffy concluded her ski racing career with three Silver medals. Muffy was inducted into the US Ski and SnowBoard Hall of Fame in 2010, the fifth disabled skier to receive this immense honor. In 2002, Muffy and three other paraplegics made history by successfully summiting 14,162′  California’s Mt. Shasta, using hand cranked Snowpods. She then made the first ever wheelchair ascent of 14,110′ Pike’s Peak in Colorado.

Currently, Muffy is back in competitive athletics as a member of the US Paralympic Cycling Team.  She began competitive handcycling in 2010 as a way to get back in shape after having her daughter.  She won her first National Title just two months after beginning the sport.  Since then she’s accumulated numerous titles, including Overall World Cup Champion for 2011.  Muffy’s goal:  to represent the US in the 2012 Paralympics in London.

Muffy Davis skis

I recently spoke to Muffy from her home in Salt Lake City, right before she headed out for a training ride.

Q: Muffy, your accident was a life altering experience. What kept you from despair? And what motivated you to ski again?
A: I definitely had hard days, but I think that’s normal. We all have challenges and obstacles, and I think it’s important to allow yourself to grieve. It’s healthy. You just don’t want to stay there. My mom was a big help. She said it was okay to have a grieving day instead of burying it and letting it stay with you. So I gave myself permission to be sad when I was sad, but I also left myself open to the positive. It also helped that I had an amazing support system. My family and the entire Sun Valley community really rallied around me and provided me with tremendous support.

Initially, I said I wasn’t going to ski unless I was standing up. But skiing was my passion; it was what I loved to do. I didn’t think I was going to race again; I just wanted to be out on the mountain where I felt free and whole. That was for me my escape. It was where I’d grown up; where I felt like Muffy. Everyone was very supportive when I said I wanted to ski again. And luckily, the technology existed through adaptive sports that allowed me to get out there again.

Q: What was it like being back on the snow? What kept you going, and weren’t you terrified?
A: A little bit.  Mostly it was frustrating. I’d been this hot shot skier, and now I was a beginner again. It made me appreciate people who start skiing later in life because it’s a hard sport; it’s not easy. I remember thinking, “I don’t know why they call this skiing; it doesn’t feel like it.” At first, I just didn’t know what to do with my feet and every time I’d turn I’d fall over.  Remember, this was 23 years ago, and adaptive equipment has come a long, long way since then. For me, though, it was frustrating; it great to be back out there, but I didn’t reach  the skill level I wanted.  So I took a little break. I went out to California and went to school and I went to a great organization in Tahoe at Alpine Meadows. I met a wonderful instructor who took the time to get my feet right for me, and all of a sudden I started having success.

Q: So what made you start to compete again?
A: I knew in my heart and soul that I was a ski racer. When I was 8 years old, I set the goal to go to the Olympics and the desire was still there. I realized that there was still a chance I could accomplish that. It was just a part of who I was.

Q: But you’re not skiing competitively anymore; you’re into hand cycling. Can you tell me about that?
A: Yes. Skiing was awesome, but I knew I had other stuff to do. I retired from skiing, got married, traveled around the world, had a kid, and then I knew I had to get back into shape, so I took up handcycling, and I’m back into competition again.

Muffy Davis, champion handcyclist

 

Q: You also made the first ever wheelchair ascents of Pike’s Peak — which incidentally, is hard enough to do in a car.
A: Yes, that was fun. We did Pike’s Peak and Mount Shasta, too, and we’ve had a lot of other fun adventures. I’m also an advanced scuba diver. I mean, I have an amazing life. When people say they’re sorry for me, I say, “Don’t be.”

Q: Are you going to be in the 2012 Paralympics Olympics in London?
A: Right now it’s looking good. But you never know until after tryouts.

Q: I know you give lots of speeches on motivation. What keeps you going? And if you had one piece of advice to tell people about motivation, what would it be?
A: You have to follow your passion — what inspires you; what makes you passionate about getting up everyday. Where do you see yourself and what do you want to do? Right now I’m working on being a Paralympic gold medalist. That’s where I see myself; that’s who I want to be. Everyday, that’s what I work for; to accomplish that goal. So really, it’s pursuing your passion and focusing on being the best you can be. That’s what I try to do.

——————————————————————-

No kidding. :)

Now get to it, people!

 

 



Read full story · Comments { 0 }

Mountain Riders Alliance: Big on Mountains, Small on Infrastructure.

March 27, 2012 in Interview, Ski News

When I was a kid (yeah, I know that makes me sound about a million years old), there were loads of mom & pop ski areas around. You know, small family owned and operated places with a rope tow, maybe one or two chair lifts, a few trails, not a lot of grooming, and minimal snowmaking. They weren’t huge and I’m sure it was a struggle each year to stay alive. But they were closely tied to the surrounding community, and the focus was squarely on skiing.

It’s a different world today. Most of the mom & pops have been replaced with mega-resorts that trade on Wall Street. Go to Vail or Breckenridge, or to dozens of other ski resorts, and you’ll find condos, fancy base villages, and a whole host of off-snow activities. To be sure, there’s some great skiing there, too. And the amenities are not without value. Lots of people enjoy them, and I tell myself they help support the skiing. But there’s a downside, too. The development contributes to urban-style problems and can have an adverse effect on both the environment and the local community. And most distressing of all: the focus seems to be less on skiing, and more on the corporate bottom line.

Is there an alternative? Hal Clifford, a former editor at SKI Magazine and the Aspen Daily News, thinks so, and discusses it in his fascinating book, “Downhill Slide: Why the Corporate Ski Industry is Bad for Skiing.” (I highly recommend it.) And so does Mountain Riders Alliance, an organization that’s made it its mission to create ski areas that focus less on infrastructure and more on the mountain. Its stated goal: to develop values-based, environmentally-friendly, rider-centric mountain playgrounds that have a positive impact in the local community.

MRA seeks to balance riders, community, and the environment.

I recently asked Jamie Schectman, one of MRA’s co-founders, to tell us more about his organization.

Q: Can you give me some history about Mountain Riders Alliance? How did it get started and why?
A: We started MRA in 2009 because of our growing concerns about the direction our beloved sport has taken. Many of us passionate skiers and riders are not interested in the current corporate ski model, where the focus is on the out of boot amenities, theme park attractions, and real estate sprawl. We want the sport to refocus on the ski experience.

Q: Can you briefly describe your goals?
A:We want to bring the triple bottom line philosophy of people, planet, then profit to the ski industry. We want to create as well as convert existing ski areas around the world to MRA Mountain Playgrounds.

It’s terrible to think that climate change could make skiing extinct, if drastic action isn’t taken. We believe all ski resorts have an excellent opportunity to create renewable energy. Since utilities are usually the number two cost in the ski industry and account for 75% of a resort’s emissions, we will prove that clean energy is both economically and financially sustainable.

Q: What are your objections to the way most ski areas are run? How would you do things differently?
A: First of all, I’m very grateful for the corporate ski resorts. They’ve provided many years of amazing times and helped me be the skier I am today. We just believe there’s another segment of the ski population whose needs aren’t currently being meet.

In our model, we would greatly reduce the infrastructure and get back to being in the uphill transportation business. Instead of corporate ski resorts, where all the money spent in the village and on the mountain is funneled to the stakeholder, we’ll forge partnerships with the local community. When our mountain playground makes money, everyone will prosper.

Q: So how will your business model work? Will you acquire resorts outright, or work with them as partners?
A: Each Mountain Playground will be a Limited Partnership. We are putting the structure in place so that communities will have the opportunity to buy into their own ski areas. Mountain Rider’s Alliance, LLC will take a small minority stake for facilitating the deal and work as the general managing partner. Each Mountain Playground will be unique to itself, but share MRA core values of Community, Environment and Riders.

Q: Will you create any resorts from the ground up, or are you only interested in acquisitions?
A: We’ll do both: create new areas from the ground up, such as Manitoba Mountain, Alaska, as well as acquire existing ski areas. There are many ski areas around the country, such as Snow King, Wyoming, Moonlight Basin, MT, and others that need a new direction and change in ownership.

Our criteria for selecting a Mountain Playground will include on-site renewable energy potential, exciting terrain and community support.

Q: How can ski areas be more sustainable? What are you doing to promote this?
A: Aside from implementing the low-hanging fruit such as resort-wide recycling programs, composting, using biodiesel, and so on, ski areas can really make a difference by becoming energy providers. Between solar, wind, geothermal, and microhydro, virtually every ski resort has the ability to make energy. Since they are almost always connected to the grid, any excess energy generated can be sold back to the utility company in all 43 net metering states.

Q: Can you tell me about some of the projects MRA is involved in?
A: We have been working with an existing ski area and hope to change ownership to MRA’s first Mountain Playground this summer. Once we have successfully completed the conversion, it will serve as the blueprint for other areas.

There are currently many ski areas and communities around the world that are looking for a new direction and change of ownership. We won’t be a typical franchise where you have the same Big Mac all over the world. Each Mountain Playground will be indigenous and unique to itself but will share MRA’s core values of being Community focused, Environmental stewards, and Rider centric.

Our other exciting project is Manitoba Mountain, Alaska. Located on the Kenai Peninsula, 90 minutes from Anchorage, this Mountain Playground will raise the bar for North American skiing. With 3 surface lifts and access to 10,000 acres of world-class Chugach terrain, our concept of “big on mountain, small on infrastructure” will be showcased. Imagine accessing helicopter-like skiing terrain via a surface lift.

Q: Can you tell me about some of your partnerships?
A: We have forged many strategic alliances.Working with Protect Our Winters, we will be creating an Environmental and Climate Educational Center (EC2) at each of our Mountain Playgrounds. Truly combating climate change starts with education. We’ve also  teamed up with Olympian Suzy “Chapstick” Chaffee and her organization, the Native American Olympic Team Foundation. We strongly believe that Native Americans should have more access to the mountains and look forward to creating programs at our Mountain Playgrounds to assist in that goal. And one of our favorite partners is with SheJumps. As every Ski Diva knows, we need more women in our sport. Together we will be creating an annual She Jumps Spring Fling at Manitoba Mountain. We want to create an annual event with skiing, music and good times, to give people another reason to come visit the Chugach each spring. We’re all about building partnerships with other like-minded companies. Feel free to contact us if you are interested.

Q: What can we, as skiers, do to help MRA achieve its goals?
A: As a start-up grassroots organization, we’ve taken advantage of many riders’ various skills to develop what now is Mountain Rider’s Alliance. Everyone is encouraged to get the word out! If you would be like to become more involved, feel free to contact us. We also will be rolling out our MRA Membership package soon.

 



Read full story · Comments { 3 }

A conversation with Donna Weinbrecht

January 3, 2012 in Interview, Ski News

Donna Weinbrecht

 

Like anyone else, Donna Weinbrecht, Olympic gold medalist, needs new furniture now and then.

I reached her recently at her home in New Jersey, where she was waiting for a new couch.

New Jersey? Yes. Donna lives in The Garden State, home of The Boss, Frank Sinatra, Tony Soprano, and years ago, even me. “It’s my home in the off season,” she said. “My fiancé is a musician and needs to be in and out of New York, so it’s convenient.”

Makes sense. And it all sounds so ordinary. But there’s nothing ordinary about Donna Weinbrecht’s life.

Winner of the first freestyle gold medal in the Winter Olympics, in 1992,  Donna has seven national titles and 46 World Cup wins, and is a member of both the National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and the Hall of Fame at the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum. She’s also listed as one of the Ski Channel’s Top 50 Olympians of All Time.

Donna will be leading Killington’s Women’s Weekends, two weekend clinics scheduled at the resort this season. I asked her a few questions about her career and the upcoming clinic.

Q: So how’d you start skiing?
A: My parents fell in love with it when they were adults. My father bought land in Killington in 1979 and built our house in 1980, so skiing became a family sport. We were weekend warriors. We’d get in the car on Fridays and drive up 4-1/2 hours to go skiing.

Q: What attracted you to the moguls? And how’d you learn?
A:  I don’t remember ever being taught how to ski. I loved figure skating, and some of those skills, like good balance, carried over to skiing. I think sometimes people are just born with ability. I see it in my nieces and nephews. Some of them have that gene and pick things up quickly.

I learned to ski in the 70s, when hot-dog skiing was booming. I’d see these photographs in the ski magazines of the hot-doggers smiling and having fun, so I gravitated to that.

Q: Freestyle can be tough on your knees. How are yours holding up?
A: After I won my medal I had a bad ski injury, so I missed the ’93 season. I was practicing a new jump during a fall camp in Breckenridge.  I was a little pitched forward in the air, and when I landed my leg hyperextended. It was a contusion of the tibia plateau, plus I messed up my ACL, meniscus, medial ligament, and I had a fracture, too.  That was tough, because my comeback was in 1994, another Olympic year. Despite that, I had a great comeback,  I won the overall World Cup, so I jumped right back in.  My training was a little hesitant, but that was it.

Q: Do you have one win that really stands out for you?
A: I have 46 world cup wins, so it’d be hard to say. But the Olympics were like a childhood dream come true. I never felt more perfect as a person that whole season. There was pressure, but I always had the feeling of being centered.  I was on Cloud Nine.  It was incredible.

Q: So when did you retire from competition?
A: I stopped competing after ’98. I took two years off, but they left the door open for me, so I went for it in 2002. I came very close to making my fourth Olympics. It was fine that I didn’t; I was psyched that I went for it.  The team was fantastic. There was so much talent that we could have had an Olympic team within the Olympic team.

Since then I’ve been doing all sorts of things: a lot of events, alumni work for the US Ski Team,  and Powdergirls, a fundraiser for the ski team that’s held in Aspen.

Q: Tell me about Killington’s Women’s Weekend Clinic.
A: I coached at the Killington Mountain School in 2008, and I had all these mothers saying they wanted to ski with me. So I talked to the people at Killington, and we put together a nice fun package for a ladies’ weekend. There’ll be two sessions, one in January and one in February. Each will have a maximum  of 30 people. We’ll be working with Killington’s snow director and some of the elite instructors at the resort. We’ll split in groups according to levels, intermediate to experts, and we’ll work on whatever anyone needs – everything from moguls and the shape of turns to the way to carry your poles, pole plants, flat training, and so on,  I’m self taught, so I have very organic methods.

Q: What’s the most important advice you can give people who want to master the bumps?
A: That’s tough. There’s so much going on.  In moguls, you’re absorbing, you have to look ahead, you have to make sure you’re not being pushed into the back seat.  They always say that if you have a bad habit, it’s going to be pronounced in moguls. You need to work on your balance, use your vision, and work on your pole plants and the cadence of your turns. Practice in the flats, where you have to do some turns to fall into a nice line.

Q: What do you look for in a mogul ski?
A: An all mountain ski is better than a carving ski. I ski on the Chickadee, an all-mountain ski from Ramp, a new online ski company. The main thing is you don’t want anything that’s too wide or too stiff, because a lot of times you’re driving your tips into the  moguls and you don’t want them to push you into the back seat.  As for length, I started my career with I think it was 195, ended with 169. I also use shorter poles in moguls. If you start getting really good and you have those early plants on the backside or the tops of the moguls, you don’t want to have to lift a longer pole. You want to be able to swing out and have it connect.

Q: What do you prefer: machine-made or naturally made bumps?
A. I prefer natural. But machine-made can be a lot of fun, too. It’s all good.

Q:  If you weren’t a professional skier, what would you be?
A:  After high school, I went to art school, but my art school folded so I moved up to Vermont and worked at a small restaurant near Killington, The Pasta Pot. I made nationals in ’86 and then the following year I thought if I didn’t make the team I’d go back to art school. In ’87 I made the team — they took just one mogul skier out of the east coast  My rookie year was 1988 and everything fell into place, and I’ve never looked back.



Read full story · Comments { 0 }