marzNC
Angel Diva
Managed to get on the slopes 50 days during my fourth season as a successful coper without an ACL (right knee). Just under half the days were out west, with the rest in the Mid-Atlantic. I didn’t go exploring in the northeast as expected because of the lack of decent conditions all winter. In general, when conditions are good at a big mountain out west, I ski more off-piste than before. Perhaps over 60% at Alta--I know Alta pretty well now--after I get adjusted to high altitude. I can feel a slight difference in a few muscles just below the ACL-deficient knee but there isn’t any impact on how and where I ski. If I ski hard, the muscles below the knee on both legs appreciate the hot tub and a little self-massage afterwards. Off-season conditioning has paid off. Better technique means that even when I’m skiing steeper terrain my quads never hurt.
Continuing to take lessons at Massanutten and during trips out west. In addition to doing several Massanutten Silver Clinics (2 hours Thu or Sun afternoons, $40) with Walter, I also joined a multi-week program that he ran on Sun mornings called the Gold Clinic. The Gold Clinic was for Levels 6-9 (of 9), included about a dozen participants, mostly Level 7/8. Walter's focus was on fundamentals. Had two lessons with ski buddy Bill at Alta (late Jan, early April) with Arthur Haskell. Arthur is the PSIA Level 3 instructor from NC who I started working with in 2014 (on the injured list last year). Most of the time with Arthur was spent off-piste this season.
Skied more than expected at Massanutten because of the big storm in Jan, as well as the Gold Clinic. Ironically, the Gold Clinic and other special group lessons were cancelled the weekend of Storm Jonas because the roads in northern VA and DC were pretty bad. I was in a condo that was a 5-min walk from the ski lodge, which is relatively unusual for Massanutten. The minivan stayed parked for a couple days once the snowstorm started. Another Diva joined me and we had a good time being snowed in. Got another powder day with 3-6 inches at Massanutten on Pres. Day. Was fun watching my friend and her kids skiing in the trees at the edge of the trails. Took her 9yo son to BK for his first experience skiing somewhere other than Massanutten (third season, 6-8 days each). He had no problems with the big bumps on Extrovert, which were soft and not icy when the trail opened that Sat afternoon. Like my daughter (starting age 4 in 2004), he’s learned to ski pretty well with the help of Massanutten ski instructors.
MID-ATLANTIC JAN-MAR 2016
* Massanutten Jan. 4-10, including Demo Day and first Gold Clinic session
* Whitetail, Jan. 8 for Demo Day
* Massanutten Jan. 15-19 MLK long weekend, with friends and their kids
* Massanutten Jan. 21-24, for Storm Jonas (27” by Sat morning)
* Massanutten Feb. 12-15 Pres Day long weekend, with a friend and her kids
* Blue Knob Feb. 19-21, DCSki/EpicSki Gathering, with my friend’s son
* Massanutten Feb. 27-28, for Gold Clinic
* Massanutten March 5-6, for Gold Clinic
Four Silver Clinics (2-hr) in Jan with Walter, mostly solo. Five (of 8) Gold Clinic sessions.
Massanutten trip posts 2016
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/massanutten-2015-16.20247
1/23/16 Massanutten with 27 inches in 20 hours
Tree skiing at Massanutten
Took an hour to dig out the minivan. Not too bad since the snow was fluffy and light.
Pres. Day powder morning, turned to freezing rain after lunch but driving south was okay
Continuing to take lessons at Massanutten and during trips out west. In addition to doing several Massanutten Silver Clinics (2 hours Thu or Sun afternoons, $40) with Walter, I also joined a multi-week program that he ran on Sun mornings called the Gold Clinic. The Gold Clinic was for Levels 6-9 (of 9), included about a dozen participants, mostly Level 7/8. Walter's focus was on fundamentals. Had two lessons with ski buddy Bill at Alta (late Jan, early April) with Arthur Haskell. Arthur is the PSIA Level 3 instructor from NC who I started working with in 2014 (on the injured list last year). Most of the time with Arthur was spent off-piste this season.
Skied more than expected at Massanutten because of the big storm in Jan, as well as the Gold Clinic. Ironically, the Gold Clinic and other special group lessons were cancelled the weekend of Storm Jonas because the roads in northern VA and DC were pretty bad. I was in a condo that was a 5-min walk from the ski lodge, which is relatively unusual for Massanutten. The minivan stayed parked for a couple days once the snowstorm started. Another Diva joined me and we had a good time being snowed in. Got another powder day with 3-6 inches at Massanutten on Pres. Day. Was fun watching my friend and her kids skiing in the trees at the edge of the trails. Took her 9yo son to BK for his first experience skiing somewhere other than Massanutten (third season, 6-8 days each). He had no problems with the big bumps on Extrovert, which were soft and not icy when the trail opened that Sat afternoon. Like my daughter (starting age 4 in 2004), he’s learned to ski pretty well with the help of Massanutten ski instructors.
MID-ATLANTIC JAN-MAR 2016
* Massanutten Jan. 4-10, including Demo Day and first Gold Clinic session
* Whitetail, Jan. 8 for Demo Day
* Massanutten Jan. 15-19 MLK long weekend, with friends and their kids
* Massanutten Jan. 21-24, for Storm Jonas (27” by Sat morning)
* Massanutten Feb. 12-15 Pres Day long weekend, with a friend and her kids
* Blue Knob Feb. 19-21, DCSki/EpicSki Gathering, with my friend’s son
* Massanutten Feb. 27-28, for Gold Clinic
* Massanutten March 5-6, for Gold Clinic
Four Silver Clinics (2-hr) in Jan with Walter, mostly solo. Five (of 8) Gold Clinic sessions.
Massanutten trip posts 2016
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/massanutten-2015-16.20247
1/23/16 Massanutten with 27 inches in 20 hours
Tree skiing at Massanutten
Took an hour to dig out the minivan. Not too bad since the snow was fluffy and light.
Pres. Day powder morning, turned to freezing rain after lunch but driving south was okay