Scholarship application period is open for BIPOC women's ski camp in Jackson Hole

[snoWYmonkey]

Click below for infornation about the camp, the founder, and the link to apply:

Link to camp info and scholarship application

Ski Divas who identify as a woman of color and want to join, a 3 day camp in Jackson Hole, please consider applying for full and partial scholarships for this amazing ski camp. Travel, lodging, clothing, gear, lessons and tickets are included. Transportation to and from the ski resort and meals were not and probably will not be this winter either. While the scholarship component is important as it removes or lessens one tangible barrier to inclusivity in skiing, the camp welcomes all participants including those who do not need the scholarship but would welcome an opportunity to join in the learning and camaraderie.

The camp includes 2 full days of instruction at the resort and the last day is an introduction to backcountry skiing Grand Teton National park with the camp founder and lead coach who has guided women all over the planet. The apres events are amazing and hosted by medicine wheel welness. All abilities from never evers to advanced skiers are welcome to apply.

Please feel free to reach out to me directly if you have questions or post them here. Annette Diggs who was mentioned in the NYT article posted today by the Ski Diva was a guest coach last year, and we hope she can come back again this year. It is a welcoming and culturally diverse gathering of strong and caring women leaders in their respective communities, who seek to make our world more inclusive and diverse, getting together to enjoy skiing in an amazing mountain setting.

Please share the link with friends you believe might welcome this opportunity. There were over 200 candidates last year and the average number of participants has been 8 to 9 which allows for great interaction and learning.

The camp has many sponsors including Outdoor Research and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, but is not their camp, but rather a camp put on by one of their best coaches and athletes Jessica Baker who happens to be my mentor and friend and PSIA examiner.

 

[marzNC]

The instructor I've worked with at Wolf Creek was able to do a multi-day clinic with a similar focus at Taos last season. She learned a lot from Deb Armstrong. There was just one small group of BIPOC women who were in the process of prepping for PSIA exams for either Level 2 or Level 3.

It was interesting that a couple of the women prepping for Level 2 were older, meaning over 50.

 

[marzNC]

Click below for infornation about the camp, the founder, and the link to apply:

Link to camp info and scholarship application

Ski Divas who identify as a woman of color and want to join, a 3 day camp in Jackson Hole, please consider applying for full and partial scholarships for this amazing ski camp. Travel, lodging, clothing, gear, lessons and tickets are included. Transportation to and from the ski resort and meals were not and probably will not be this winter either. While the scholarship component is important as it removes or lessens one tangible barrier to inclusivity in skiing, the camp welcomes all participants including those who do not need the scholarship but would welcome an opportunity to join in the learning and camaraderie.

Here's the blurb about Ski Divas LLC:

" . . .
In an effort to bring more opportunity, diversity, and inclusivity to winter outdoor recreation spaces, Ski Divas LLC, Women’s Ski Camps Worldwide and Ski Divas founder, Jessica Baker, will offer the 3rd annual ski camp specifically for Black, Indigenous, and women of color (BIWOC), from March 3-5, 2023. (Please note arrival date for the camp is March 2nd and departure date is March 6th). The camp is based in Jackson, WY, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and Grand Teton National Park. This camp is open to skiers from first time beginners to advanced levels.
. . ."

 

[snoWYmonkey]

@marzNC thank you for both of those posts. Exciting about the training for instructors at Taos.

Another mentor on the national team just completed her master's thesis on the lack of gender based representation at higher levels of PSIA instruction. Her findings apply to all representation issues including but not limited to race and ethnicity.

Her research found that overall skiers are split about 60/40 men/women but instruction ratios are 70/30. Glad to hear that there is work being done across the resorts to change this.

 

[marzNC]

@marzNC thank you for both of those posts. Exciting about the training for instructors at Taos.

Another mentor on the national team just completed her master's thesis on the lack of gender based representation at higher levels of PSIA instruction. Her findings apply to all representation issues including but not limited to race and ethnicity.

Her research found that overall skiers are split about 60/40 men/women but instruction ratios are 70/30. Glad to hear that there is work being done across the resorts to change this.

You're most welcome!

The other shift that is happening is the increased number of women who are in senior management positions for ski resort operations, as well as more young women getting into snowmaking and grooming. That's probably not as noticeable at Jackson Hole or Grand Targhee . . . yet.

The GM who started at Solitude last season came from Sugarbush in Vermont. She is clearly shaking up how things are done there. Her personality on top of her experience from working in the ski industry in the northeast makes for a powerful combination to move Solitude forward.

April 2018

Women Are Finally Crushing The Glass Ceiling Of The Ski Industry

The ski industry has long been an old boys' club. These women are changing that.

www.forbes.com

April 2022

Ski industry is growth field for women - The Mountain Times

By Karen D. Lorentz For high school juniors and seniors — and their parents — spring is a time for pondering college and potential careers. For males and females who love snow sports, Vermont has two universities that offer bachelor […] Read More

mountaintimes.info

 

[marzNC]

@snoWYmonkey : did you know that the new CEO of PSIA-East is a woman? I had a chance to listen to her presentation at Snowbound Expo in Boston in November. Kathy Brennan has a lot of energy and enthusiasm. She currently works at Waterville Valley in NH but has also taught in the mid-Atlantic in western PA.

 

[ilovepugs]

Click below for infornation about the camp, the founder, and the link to apply:

Link to camp info and scholarship application

Ski Divas who identify as a woman of color and want to join, a 3 day camp in Jackson Hole, please consider applying for full and partial scholarships for this amazing ski camp. Travel, lodging, clothing, gear, lessons and tickets are included. Transportation to and from the ski resort and meals were not and probably will not be this winter either. While the scholarship component is important as it removes or lessens one tangible barrier to inclusivity in skiing, the camp welcomes all participants including those who do not need the scholarship but would welcome an opportunity to join in the learning and camaraderie.

The camp includes 2 full days of instruction at the resort and the last day is an introduction to backcountry skiing Grand Teton National park with the camp founder and lead coach who has guided women all over the planet. The apres events are amazing and hosted by medicine wheel welness. All abilities from never evers to advanced skiers are welcome to apply.

Please feel free to reach out to me directly if you have questions or post them here. Annette Diggs who was mentioned in the NYT article posted today by the Ski Diva was a guest coach last year, and we hope she can come back again this year. It is a welcoming and culturally diverse gathering of strong and caring women leaders in their respective communities, who seek to make our world more inclusive and diverse, getting together to enjoy skiing in an amazing mountain setting.

Please share the link with friends you believe might welcome this opportunity. There were over 200 candidates last year and the average number of participants has been 8 to 9 which allows for great interaction and learning.

The camp has many sponsors including Outdoor Research and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, but is not their camp, but rather a camp put on by one of their best coaches and athletes Jessica Baker who happens to be my mentor and friend and PSIA examiner.

I really want to do this camp one year, but won’t have the time this year. Please keep posting about it!

 

[marzNC]

The recent NY Times article about how some people are moving away from destination resorts on Epic/Ikon and there are increased efforts to bring in people new to the sport from diverse backgrounds. A couple of organizations with a focus on BIPOC folks were mentioned. Edge Outdoors is in the PacNW and Unlikely Riders is in Vermont.

EDGE OUTDOORS

edgeoutdoors.org

Unlikely Riders

www.unlikelyriders.com

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Anette was one of the coaches last year for the Jackson Hole Ski camp. She is the founder of Edge.

 

[yogiskier]

I had a flash of imposter syndrome - "who am I to apply for this?" and then realized that was probably THE WHOLE POINT of opportunities like this one So I clicked on the link to learn more, but my sister's baby is due in early March and I'm going there to help out for a few days. Like @ilovepugs said, thanks for sharing @snoWYmonkey ...maybe next year!

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I don't know why you had the flash, but please know that we have coached very experienced skiers who only needed partial scholarships but welcomed a chance to ski with and meet women with similar as well as different experiences in their past on the slopes. I really hope you can consider applying in future years. We've had 20 somethings to 60 somethings and verything in the middle. While I have never experienced racism it directly affected my family in so many ways. This camp has made me appreciate that I too belong and have something to offer for future generations of humans.

 

[hopefulskier]

Wow this is amazing!! So happy to see an initiative like this. I've always wanted to go to a training camp but the costs can be so high (for someone like me who's still in the deep holes of student debt). I would love to apply but unfortunately don't meet the citizenship requirement. Hopefully one day there will be a similar initiative here in Canada

 

[ilovepugs]

Wow this is amazing!! So happy to see an initiative like this. I've always wanted to go to a training camp but the costs can be so high (for someone like me who's still in the deep holes of student debt). I would love to apply but unfortunately don't meet the citizenship requirement. Hopefully one day there will be a similar initiative here in Canada

Check out @colourthetrails on Instagram — they are a group that promotes BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ access to the outdoors in Canada! I think you just missed their summit, but I’m sure there will be other opportunities to connect!

 

[snoWYmonkey]

@hopefulskier what a bummer for you. I can't speak to the reasons it is limited to US skiers only as I am not the founder of the camp, but suspect some of it is to guarantee that women who have faced challenges here are part of the camp, rather than women who simply come from other countries where they may not have faced any barriers to entry into sports such as skiing.

One example would be a young Japanese American participant. I don't even think she knew that there is a long and vibrant history of skiing in Japan, as she was born and raised in the US, where there is no such history of immigrant families from Japan on our slopes.

I really hope you find similar initiatives in Canada.

 

[yogiskier]

I don't know why you had the flash, but please know that we have coached very experienced skiers who only needed partial scholarships but welcomed a chance to ski with and meet women with similar as well as different experiences in their past on the slopes. I really hope you can consider applying in future years. We've had 20 somethings to 60 somethings and verything in the middle. While I have never experienced racism it directly affected my family in so many ways. This camp has made me appreciate that I too belong and have something to offer for future generations of humans.

@hopefulskier what a bummer for you. I can't speak to the reasons it is limited to US skiers only as I am not the founder of the camp, but suspect some of it is to guarantee that women who have faced challenges here are part of the camp, rather than women who simply come from other countries where they may not have faced any barriers to entry into sports such as skiing.

One example would be a young Japanese American participant. I don't even think she knew that there is a long and vibrant history of skiing in Japan, as she was born and raised in the US, where there is no such history of immigrant families from Japan on our slopes.

I really hope you find similar initiatives in Canada.

@snoWYmonkey Thank you for these comments!