Toko waxes and tools is a Black Diamond sponsor of the National Ski Council Federation.  Instead of trying to do several Zoom calls, especially during the start of the season and the holidays, they would like to provide a monthly blasts for each Council to share with their clubs and the clubs to share with their members.

This session features which vise is right for you? Here is an overview of the 5 Toko Alpine vises.

This Zoom call brought together NSCF member councils, their clubs and our Ski Industry Partners.  The call took place in May 2020.

National Ski Federation Annual Summit

National Ski Federation Annual Meeting

This meeting was again held via Zoom due to the COVID Pandemic.

Legendary Trail Map Artist James Niehues Announces New Original Work Collection

Clay Malott | October 5, 2021

For over 30 years, artist James Niehues has painted ski resort trail maps all around the world. Chances are if you’re a skier, you’ve seen his incredible work before. Niehues has drawn maps for over 200 resorts worldwide, including legendary mountains such as Jackson Hole, Whistler Blackcomb, and Vail.

On October 19, 2021, James Niehues will release his first set of 10 originals showcasing the breadth of his work spanning resorts across the United States, including select original paintings and sketches of Brighton, Mount Hood Ski Bowl, Northstar, Killington Pico, Okemo, and Heavenly. Two of the original works being released, Snowmass and Telluride, are some of the rarest works in Niehues’ collection, as they feature his early work with Snow Country Magazine from over 25 years ago.

Niehues also announced a collaboration with Wagner Skis, who will feature his art as graphics on their custom skis. 

“It is an honor to work with [James], someone whose art has been a part of so many skier and
snowboarders’ lives,” says Pete Wagner, CEO & founder of Wagner Custom Skis. “We’re excited
about the connection our customers feel to his iconic artwork and to their favorite ski
destinations, and that we’ll now be able to offer a Niehues design to further personalize their skis
like no other.”

In addition to releasing his originals, Niehues will also be making available a single, one-time-only digital non-fungible token (NFT) for Snowmass and Telluride Ski Areas with proceeds supporting the Colorado Snowsports Museum. Additional details will be available later this month.

Visit jamesniehues.com to view his incredible prior artwork and his original collection beginning on October 19.

Posted from SnowBrains

Ship Sticks and Ship Skis is proud to offer its partner benefits for the National Ski Council Federation and its members ski councils for the 2021/2022 season. Members are eligible for 10% OFF any shipment booked through the NSCF Partner Site. Ski Council Presidents and Trip Chairs are encouraged to contact Chris Malone directly to determine what group discounts beyond 10% OFF are available for their upcoming club & council trips.

Ship Sticks will ship your sticks and luggage to wherever you’re staying or golfing, providing you with a hassle-free travel experience. Ship Sticks provides shipping supplies, real-time tracking, 24/7 customer service, and on-time delivery guarantee. Their mission is to make winter travel easier and more affordable.

Find us in Member Benefits to access the members only discount page.

Visit our website at https://shop.premierskis.com and simply enter the discount code when you check out and the discount will be automatically applied.

Each of our 3 brands offer a complete line of alpine skis that can meet the needs of any skier and a price range that can meet any skier’s budget. Whether you are looking for a race ski or a ski to explore the back country, we’ve got you covered!

We look forward to Federation members visiting our online store and answering any questions you might have!  Find us the the Member Benefits page to access the discount code.

The mission of Ship Skis is to provide the most cost efficient and reliable shipping service to those that desire a hassle free traveling experience. It is our job at Ship Skis to ensure that every client receives the highest level service from the time a shipment is scheduled until the time it is delivered at the final destination. All NSCF members and their affiliates will receive 10% off each order.

Look for us in Member Benefits to access our discount.

D Curve is pleased to offer NSCF members 50% off retail price on goggles, sunglasses, lenses and helmets at https://dcurve.com/.  Look for D Curve on the Member Benefits page to obtain the discount code.

7 of the Scariest Runs in North America

Robin Azer | July 8, 202

By definition, ‘scary’ is all in the eye of the beholder. Out on the ski slopes, steepness and scary are often partners in crime. How steep is steep? Generally speaking, beginner runs have a steepness of about 10 degrees, intermediates about 20 degrees, experts 30-45 degrees, and anything higher is insanity.

Things like rock outcroppings, narrow chutes, and other natural obstacles are other key ingredients to a crazy-hard run. Below are some of the scariest runs in North America – in no particular order.

“Cause sometimes, to live your dream, you have to face your fears.”

READ MORE

Posted from Snow Brains

June  2021

Indoor Snowsports Facilities Finally Catching on in U.S.; Developer Alpine-X Plans to Open 20-Plus Destinations. Alpine-X’s first venue—Fairfax Peak—will open in Northern Virginia, with 20-plus additional metro markets to follow. The ski dome will be the anchor, but the complex will also include an upscale hotel, a gravity-powered mountain coaster, zip lines and multiple restaurants. More.  Forbes via Google Alerts

Top Snowiest Ski Resorts in the USA. It’s no secret that the West gets the most snow.  Cold fronts come down from the Gulf of Alaska, hit our north-south oriented mountain ranges, and orographic lifting does the rest. There are 10 ski resorts in the west that average over 500” of snow. See the list here. SnowBrains

Major Resort Ownership Groups Band Together to Fight Climate Change. Alterra Mountain Company, Boyne Resorts, POWDR, and Vail Resorts have joined forces to develop the Climate Collaborative Charter, a unified effort to combat climate change through shared sustainability and advocacy commitments. More. SAM

NSAA Releases Skier Visit Numbers & Other Metrics for 2020-21 Season. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) announced that skier visit numbers to U.S. areas totaled 59 million for the 2020-21 ski season, the 5th best season on record and a strong recovery from the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season. More. NSAA

NSAA Issues Annual Report. In spring 2020, NSAA released its first-ever Annual Report. President and CEO  Kelly Pawlak said, “Our goal with this document was to inform our members of the health of the association, and of the outcomes of our year of work. Now, we’re releasing the 2020-21 Annual Report, taking a look back at what NSAA has achieved this past season.” Read the report here. NSAA

NSAA Honors Best in Ski Industry. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) presented awards in sustainability, safety, growth and marketing to members with the most innovative and successful programs in each category. They also give Sustainable Slopes grants to winning resorts, as well as safety awards. See all the award winner here.  NSAA

Jared Smith Named Alterra President. Jared Smith will serve as president of Alterra Mountain Company, effective June 7, 2021. Smith, who will report to CEO Rusty Gregory, will be responsible for overseeing and developing Alterra’s 15 mountain destinations. Smith comes to Alterra from Live Nation Entertainment. There, he most recently served as president and global chairman of Ticketmaster. More. SAM

Cohen Named Mammoth, June President and COO. Alterra Mountain Company named Ron Cohen president and COO of Mammoth Mountain and June Mountain, Calif., effective immediately. He will oversee all operations at both resorts, and will lead significant developments planned for Mammoth, Alterra’s largest and most visited destination. Cohen has served as president and COO of Alterra-owned Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Calif., since August 2018. More. SAM

National Ski Patrol Names New CEO Amid Continued Staff Turnover. National Ski Patrol (NSP) named Chris Castilian as its new chief executive officer. Castilian succeeds former executive director Meegan Moszynski as the head of the non-profit organization. More. SAM

Jeremy Jones Rides Insane 21,500-Foot, 68-Degree Himalayan Spines

Miles Clark

March 31, 2021

In a conversation a few years ago with Jeremy about his 2013 trip to the Himalayas, he told me that the “Shangri-La Spines” were the longest spines he’s seen anywhere.  He explained how in Alaska, the spines are great, but they are rarely longer than 800-1000 feet long. The snow wasn’t great on these Himalayan spines, but he said the thrill was.

In a more recent conversation for the SnowBrains podcast, the topic of these spines resurfaced. Definitely a must listen. But for now, just watch the video above. Insane…

Even high-level skiers and riders would be freaked out by spines like these just as Jeremy’s partner was.  Jeremy said these were the longest spines he’s ever ridden.  They’re 2,000 vertical feet long.  His story about how it all went down is great.

“I’ve never ridden something this steep, this big.”  – Jeremy Jones

“Halfway down, it got a little bit steeper.” – Jeremy Jones

“This was definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” – Jeremy Jones

Spencer Cox

March 30, 2021

Brought to you by Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, CA has produced more legendary skiers and riders than practically anywhere else. It’s no wonder why: These California resorts have some of the steepest, most challenging inbounds terrain in the West. Take the cliff-strewn Fingers off KT-22, the vertical chutes off Palisades, and the well-sculpted race courses, and it’s clear how so many talented skiers and snowboarders cut their teeth on these hallowed grounds. On the race and freestyle side, the Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows teams have sent over seventy athletes to the U.S. Ski Team, and of those, around thirty have competed in a Winter Olympic Games. On the big-mountain side, Squaw Alpine skiers and riders have topped podiums and starred in many a ski movie. Let’s take a look at just a handful of these past, present, and future stars.

#1. Shane McConkey

You can’t talk about the mountain’s most memorable legends without mentioning the late Shane McConkey. He brought a sense of excitement and goofiness back to skiing that had long been absent in ski culture and one that still exists today in his honor. On top of stealing the show in ’90s ski movies, McConkey put down first descents on the Palisades and now has a part of the mountain named after him.

READ MORE

Posted from SnowBrains

Solar Geoengineering: Skiing’s Last Hope?

Clay Malott

January 20, 2021

In 1991, Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines. The eruption spewed 20 million tonnes of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, a layer in the Earth’s atmosphere between 10 and 50 kilometers above the ground. The haze of sulfate particles was ushered around the world by global weather patterns, and before long, the whole world was shrouded in a thin layer of sulfur dioxide in the stratosphere.

To many, this haze went seemingly unnoticed; it was spread out in concentrations that would be hard for your average human to notice. However, this haze blocked a small amount of sunlight, enough to actually cool the average global temperature by 1 degree Fahrenheit!

This got scientists thinking. In just under two years, the particles ejected by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption halted and even reversed the troubling human-induced warming trend. These effects, of course, were short-lived; the climate quickly readjusted and continued on its dangerous upward trajectory.

However, scientists now had validation that the injection of sulfate particles into the stratosphere could, in fact, cool the planet’s temperature. Solar geoengineering was born. Solar geoengineering involves injecting sulfate particles into the stratosphere to intentionally cool the Earth’s temperature. Solar geoengineering is now a heavily researched area of climate science.

Earth’s alarming rate of global warming has become an international crisis, so there is no question that solar geoengineering offers a promising alleviation of the climate crisis. However, like anything else in the scientific community, there has been much debate about the pros and cons of the technology.

Pros:

1. Solar geoengineering lowers the global temperature. As mentioned above, the runaway warming climate is an international crisis that will affect all aspects of daily life – from skiing to the produce aisle of the grocery store. Solar geoengineering offers a scientifically proven way to cool the planet.
2. It’s inexpensive. Not only does solar geoengineering promise decreased global temperature, but it can do so at a very low cost. A mock-solar geoengineering program developed by Harvard University’s John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences claims “it would be remarkably inexpensive, at an average of around $2bn to $2.5bn per year.” To put that in perspective, over $500 billion is invested in green technologies per year.
3. It does not take any development of new technologies. Unlike other projects in the green energy and climate sector, the necessary technology for solar geoengineering already exists – no significant money would need to be spent in order to develop new technology or scientific processes.

Cons:

1. Solar geoengineering may have side effects. The injection of aerosols into the stratosphere and blocking sunlight may have dire consequences in ways we don’t yet understand. Some scientists have proposed that solar geoengineering may alter microclimates, bringing extreme rain or drought, for example. Many argue that solar geoengineering may be a chance that we can’t simply roll the dice on.
2. Solar geoengineering is not a climate change solution. While atmospheric sulfates may help alleviate the effects of climate change, it will not solve our climate issues all on its own. However, solar geoengineering may buy us enough time to reduce our carbon production and develop other climate solutions such as carbon capture.

The bottom line:

Solar geoengineering could be a great solution to buy us time. It would temporarily lower the Earth’s temperature – perhaps enough to stall the melting of the polar ice caps enough for us to find more sustainable, long-term solutions. It may also stave off the warming temperatures that many fear with bring the ski industry to a halt.

Posted from SnowBrains

Ski Tips: Deceleration lives in the future

January 11, 2021

By Dan Egan, EBS ski columnist

Many skiers try to slow down each turn they make because they are living under the delusion that the purpose of turning is to slow down. Skis are not designed to slow down. I’ve never met a ski engineer that has designed a ski to go slow. Skis are designed to make a predetermined radius of a turn, and to accelerate. Each company has its theory of what materials make up the best flexing ski both tip to tail and torsional. Some are softer to absorb the energy created—they flex and dampen, which allows them to slow down easier. Others, like race skis, are stiff for pure acceleration. The wider skis these days are really fast because of the increased surface area—the ski floats and glides forward free of the friction of being down in the snow.

If you turn with the purpose of slowing down every turn, my guess is your legs feel tired by mid-morning or midday, and because you are skiing slow and making short turns, you are overturning during your descent. Not only is this not efficient, but it is also exhausting.

Deceleration lives in the future. It is too late to slow down in the turn you are making, and here’s why: when a skier attempts to slow down at the end of their turn by pushing or bracing against the downhill ski, this action stiffens the ankle, knee and hip causing the ski to skid and puts the skier out of balance. If you do this every turn, you’ll never gain balance, flow or efficiency.

So how do we slow down the technology we have invested in? I spend a lot of time in my camps and clinics convincing skiers that with a slight increase in speed and a mapped-out route, you can ski efficiently, save energy and have more control. The end result will be a longer more enjoyable ski day and eventually you will expand your mastery of the mountain.

Slowing down is an intentional strategic move while skiing, and the how, where and when is an important decision made in advance of a run. I start each run with an intentional plan and break it down into sections. That way I know where I am starting, where I am going and where I will stop. Once I determine the different sections of the route, I then look for deceleration points along the way of each section. Sometimes it can be pillows of fresh snow, or in moguls, the top and downhill side of bumps, or I search for plateaus that make a good target to aim at and longer slower arcs.

The key is to not slow down every turn, rather, I’ll ski three or four turns, letting the skis flow down the fall line and then slow down over a series of turns. I call these turns my “slowing turns.” In other words, I’ll ski three or four turns, then make three “slowing turns”, that are slow, slower and slowest. At that point I’ll either stop, regroup and go again, or I’ll carry one with another sequence of three to four turns in the fall line and then make my “slowing turns”—slow, slower and slowest and stop.

This is what I mean when I say deceleration lives in the future, if you want to slow down, turn. When you release the built-up energy of a turning ski and enter into the new turn, you are gaining control and can slow down while remaining in balance.

You can experiment with this on different slope angles. Start on your favorite blue groomer run and then once you feel comfortable venture out onto a steep pitch, or off in the trees and or powder.

It is important to remember when I make my series of “slowing turns” I compress and extend more—I’m not static. The more I move up and down the more I am able to control the pacing of my skis and control the speed.

The “slowing turns” commit skiers to slowing down in the future, because they release the turn they are in, enter into the new turn with more motion, which absorbs energy, and as control is gained speed is dissipated over a series of turns.

So as a review, map out your run, ski it in sections. Tell yourself, decelerations lives in the future and that it is too late to slow down in the turn you are making. Then head off down the slow, turn in the fall line and as you enter into one of your planed areas to slow down, make your three “slowing turns”—slow, slower, slowest. Stop, smile and continue.

Extreme Skiing Pioneer, Dan Egan coaches and teaches at Big Sky Resort during the winter.  His steep camps run Feb. 25-27, March 4-6 and March 11-13.  He is newest book, Thirty Years in a White Haze will be released in February, for pre-orders visit www.White-Haze.com  for autographed copies.

Posted from Explore Big Sky via Facebook

Big White, BC’s Master Plans Up to 2089:

Doubling Lifts, Skiable Terrain, & More

Liam Abbott

January 12, 2021

Big White is known by many as one of the go-to destinations for skiing and snowboarding in British Columbia and Canada. Its proximity to a Kelowna, family-oriented resort-style, large skiable area, and year-round operations make it stack up against any other major ski resort. With Big White now unveiling their master plans until 2089, all of these aspects will only become more true.

With Big White submitting a 37-page proposal to the Government of British Columbia, there is a lot to breakdown. There are nine main sections:

Skiing:

Currently, Big White offers 16 lifts servicing 119 designated trails on 1500 acres (607 hectares) of skiable terrain with a total uphill capacity of 28,700 skiers per hour. They also offer the largest night skiing terrain in western Canada, with 38 acres (15 hectares) of lit-up terrain. In the proposal submitted to the Government of British Columbia, Big White proposes increasing the number of lifts they have from 16 to 25 by adding two new double chairs, nine new fixed quads, nine high-speed detachable quads, a new eight-person gondola, and one new pulse gondola. These new lifts will bump the 1500 acres of skiable terrain to 2523 acres (1021 hectares), almost doubling it.

All in all, these new ski expansions will increase Big White’s comfortable carrying capacity (CCC) by over 200%, from 9,390 people to 25,624 per day.

Lack of Diversity in Ski Runs:

Big White has acknowledged that one of the biggest current problems with their ski resort is the lack of terrain diversity. Currently, Big White comprises of 18% beginner runs (greens), 54% intermediate (blues), 22% expert (blacks), and only 6% extreme (double blacks). This is great for families, but as Big White continues to expand, they want to appeal to all skiers types. Within the new expansion, Big White is aiming to expand more on difficult and expert terrain.

• Related: 136 Covid-19 Cases Now Linked to Big White Ski Resort, BC

Other Winter Activities:

Big White plans to expand its ski operations in the winter and a variety of other winter activities. For example, Big White plans on increasing Nordic skiing (cross-country skiing) capacity by 300%, add 50% carrying capacity to ice skating, doubling the capacity of snowmobiling, while also introducing ziplining, fat biking, spas, an alpine coaster, winter camping, and horseback riding (equestrian).

Summer Activities:

In 2017, Big White opened its lift-serviced mountain bike trails, and since then, they have been expanding them each year. In their 2089 master plan, Big White plans to continue this expansion with mountain biking and a variety of other summer activities.

Big White also plans on building two new 18-hole golf courses, one based in Happy Valley and the other one in East Peak Village Base. The Happy Valley golf course would incorporate the use of Lara’s Gondola to return players to the village at the end of the course.

Village Expansion:

One of the most important stats that Big White currently has is that 100% of their overnight accommodations are considered ski-in, ski-out. In comparison, Whistler’s is only 20%. Big White has stated that even as the resort continues to expand, they want to keep 100% of their ski-in, ski-out accommodations.

Big White is currently requesting for approval of an additional 20,600-bed unit, which would almost double the current amount of bed units to 44,555.

In addition to the expansion of overnight accommodation, Big White plans to double ski-related spaces (ski school, ski rental, lodges, & other ski-related facilities) from 215,133 square feet (19,986 square meters) to 485,965 square feet (45,147 square meters). Big White has also acknowledged that they will need to transform their ski village into an actual fully functioning town with such a large expansion. This means adding essential services such as a grocery store, liquor store, post office, hardware store, theatre, and other essential retailers.

Besides adding essential services, Big White also plans to expand tourist-oriented businesses such as restaurants, bars, cafes, sporting goods stores, and specialty stores. All of these new buildings will be built to have the current Lower Village as the town center.

Short-Term Goals:

2089 is a long time away, and the reality is most people reading this article won’t be skiing by that point in time. Big White has outlined some of the short-term goals within the outlined proposal they want to see complete.

These include:

1. Obtain all high-level approvals for development.
2. Improve the existing on-mountain and base area facilities.
3. Expand summer operations.
4. Develop the East Peak as a Cat Skiing operation.

Working with the Local Indigenous People & Environmental Impact:

One of the first things Big White said in their proposal was how they have and will continue to work closely with the local indigenous group, the Westbank First Nation, on making sure the plans and proposals are okay with them and that they will not only benefit the resort itself but the people who live there.

When it comes to environmental impacts, Big White has taken this opportunity to do several environmental studies, which concluded that “climate, geology, and vegetation did not present any obvious constraints to development” (Big White Ski Resort Draft Master Plan, October 2020 Edition). Nevertheless, Big White has committed to expanding in an environmentally cautious and sustainable way.

Interactive Model:

If you are still curious about learning more about Big White’s new plans, I would highly recommend checking out the interactive model Big White has put together. It lets you explore the ski resort and what they plan to do in a comprehensive 3D model.

Conclusion:

Big White may not be the biggest or most extreme resort in the Rockies, but it sure is fun. This family-oriented all-season resort is only going to continue to improve, offering more facilities and activities to fit anyone’s needs. If everything in this proposal is complete, Big White’s Comfortable Carrying Capacity (CCC) will increase to 25,624 skiers per day, with an additional 4,151 guests per day for other various activities bringing their total daily winter capacity to 31,825!

While working with local indigenous groups and making sure they expand in a sustainable and eco-friendly way, Big White will serve as a hallmark of skiing in North America.

What are your thoughts on these plans? Is Big White biting off more than they can chew, or are these changes a sign of a strive towards a better resort community? Please let us know!

Posted from SnowBrains

Posted from Conde Nast Traveler

The 2017 Annual  Meeting

was held at the

Sun Peaks Grand Hotel,

Sun Peaks, British Columbia, Canada.

September 6-10, 2017

Photo Gallery

The 2016 Annual  Meeting

was held at the

Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel,

South Lake Tahoe, California.

August 23-27, 2016

Photo Gallery

New York Metropolitan Ski Council

The Metropolitan New York Ski Council had its inception as the Central Ski Committee in 1934. Representatives from 6 clubs met for the purpose of finding a way to bring skiing information to New York and to blaze the trails for the adventuresome to escape to the Winter Wonderland.

Drawn together by mutual interests, they worked in close harmony with the press and the Northland in an endeavor to evolve a uniform method of snow reporting.

The Council found and developed its own area at Norfolk, Connecticut, got ski trains to run there, and promoted weekend snow trains to the Catskills, Vermont, and the Laurentians. It got snow reports into the New York SUN, established a practice slope in Phoenicia, conducted interclub races which have been run ever since 1935, gave free instruction in Central Park, infected thousands of city dwellers with the ski bug by sponsoring movies, and helping promote the first winter sports show in New York City. This Council formed the Metropolitan Ski Patrol shortly after the NSPS was started. Ken Littlefield put out a bulletin, TRAIL SWEEP, which has become the National Ski Patrol’s house organ.

Over the years this council has been host to foreign ski teams visiting the United States, largely because of its location and because of the efforts of the late John J. Clair Jr. It has also been a leader of the revival of ski touring.

The following is a highlight of events throughout the years:

November 1940 – The Metropolitan New York Ski Council met with ski writers. The meeting was devoted to an exchange of ideas between the members of the council and the press. Means of facilitating snow reports were also discussed.

November 1940 – The Amateur Ski Club, member of the Council, sponsored a meeting to award Minot Dole, Chairman of the National Ski Patrol, with the United States Eastern Amateur Ski Associations Safety Trophy.

November 1943 – The Swedish Ski Club, one of the most active ski clubs of the east, contributed 17 members to the United States Ski Troops.

December 1947 – The Amateur Ski Club hosted the United States Olympic Ski Team before they were sent off to the Fifth Winter Games at St. Moritz, Switzerland.

November 1949 – The Metropolitan New York Ski Council was designated by the National Ski Association of America to serve as the official reception committee to welcome all foreign skiers for the world championships to be held at Lake Placid, New York and Aspen, Colorado this winter. At this time the Council had 28 clubs and 7500 members.

October 1950 – The Metropolitan New York Ski Council had 30 clubs and close to 10,000 members.

January 1952 – The Metropolitan New York Ski Council hosted the United States Olympic Nordic Ski Squad before they departed to Oslo, Norway for the Sixth Winter Games.

1957 – The Metropolitan New York Ski Council’s Ski Development Committee worked with New York State with forming new ski areas in the State.

Today, the Metropolitan New York Ski Council is very active with organizations that bring kids to the slopes. The Council supports and donates to; Stoked Mentoring, Chill NYC, The Peaks Project, Cochran Ski Area. We will also be giving these organizations free ads in out guidebook to help further their causes.

The Council also donates and participates in Charity races such as; Race for Cancer, Shawnee Mountain, PA and 24 Hours at Stratton.

The Council has gear & clothing drives with various clubs and donates to organizations that could use them.

The Council is a member of; National Ski Areas Association, Snowsports Industries of America, Ski Areas of New York and National Ski Council Federation.

Michael Calderone, Chairman of the Metropolitan New York Ski Council:

I feel we must do our part to bring kids to the mountains. This is the future of the sport.

Past members of the council who had an influence in the ski community:

John J. Clair Jr. – The Chairman of the 1956 United States Olympic Ski Games Committee. John has also held key positions with the National Ski Association of America, National Ski Patrol System and The United States Eastern Amateur Ski Association. In October 1956, John was named winner of the American Ski Trophy, because of his many contributions to the sport. In May 1970, John was inducted into the Ski Hall of Fame.

Roland Palmedo – The founder of Mad River Glen which opened in 1948. He was also an author of many books on skiing and developed one of the most extensive ski libraries in America. Roland was also a founding member of the National Ski Patrol.

Harry Voege
– President of the New York State Winter Sports Council, Vice President and Director of the United States Eastern Amateur Ski Association and he founded The Metropolitan Ski Jumping Committee. He was instrumental in forming ski clubs throughout the Metropolitan New York City area. Harry was also Director of the National Ski Association. From the 1930’s until his death, Harry was an advocate of eastern U.S. Skiing.

Today, The Metropolitan New York Ski Council has 45 ski and board clubs and over 20,000 members. The Council strives to uphold the dedication and hard work of the founding fathers in promoting winter sports in the Metropolitan New York City area.

Save

The 2015 Annual Summit Meeting was held in Lake Placid, New York.

September 9-13, 2015

Photo Gallery

History of Telluride Ski and Golf Resort

Telluride Ski Resort and the historical Town of Telluride have their roots firmly planted in the mining industry. In 1964, Telluride was designated a National Historic Landmark District for its outstanding degree of historical significance due to its early mining history. Gold was first discovered in the Telluride region in 1858, bringing with the discovery a boom of population and business looking to capitalize on the area’s natural resources. At the height of the Gold Rush nearly 5,000 people inhabited Telluride, and the town boasted more millionaires per capita living in the community than in New York City at the turn of the century. By 1904, more than $360 million of gold was pulled out of Telluride’s mines. However, the world of mining was tough and would set the town on a boom and bust cycle until the development of a ski resort in the 1970’s.

History of Telluride: The Birth of a Ski Area

The miners brought the original interest in skiing in 1937 when William H. Mahoney, erected a primitive tow rope fashioned from a Volkswagen engine near Town Park’s Beaver Pond. Bill “Senior” Mahoney first worked as an Idarado Mining Company shift boss and was instrumental in developing the larger Telluride Ski Area.

As the times changed, Telluride’s boom days started moving toward bust. Many of the area’s mines shut down in the 1950’s, and the population dwindled from thousands to hundreds as people left in droves to find their fortunes elsewhere.

In 1968, Joe Zoline, a Chicago and Beverly Hills based businessman, heeded the advice of a friend from Aspen from years earlier who suggested he check out Telluride, thinking it would make a great ski area. Zoline bought a sheep ranch located at the base of the mountain sight unseen and seeing the potential profits of a running a ski resort, went about creating a ski resort from scratch.

His first step was to hire Emile Allais, a French Olympic skier to consult on the design and layout of the mountain. He enlisted the help of Bill “Senior” Mahoney and Ed Bowers to cut trails, clear slopes, and obtain land-use rights, mining claims, and water rights for the ski company and hired ecologists and environmental planners and encouraged local preservationists to protect the Victorian-era town. By late 1970, the Ski Area offered snowcat skiing for $10 a day including a sack lunch. The next year, five lifts were constructed, and Zoline’s vision became a reality on December 22,^, 1972 when the Telluride Ski Resort officially opened.

Throughout the remainder of the 1970’s the resort slowly expanded, adding access to town via the Coonskin Lift in 1975. In 1978, two Colorado Natives, Ron Allred and Jim Wells of the Benchmark Corporation in Avon, Colorado, purchased the ski area.

The Allred and Wells Era

When Allred and Wells purchased the resort, their long-term goal was to transform Telluride into a world-class destination through lift upgrades, construction of on-mountain restaurants and trails and the development of a high-end community on the mountain.

In 1987, Allred and Wells’ plans came to fruition with the founding of Mountain Village. This luxury community became the base of the Ski Resort operations and included lodging, restaurants and skier services. The Resort also added an 18-hole golf course in 1992 to create a year-round tourist destination offering activities catering to a wide range of guest interests

The Gondola connecting the historic town with the new luxury Mountain Village opened on December 20, 1996 and provided a unique, sustainable and efficient means of transportation between the two towns to help eliminate cars on the road. The free 13 minute scenic ride is the first and only transportation of its kind in the county and has become one of the destination’s largest attractions, a favorite of families who visit the region.

The Morita Years

In July 1999, Allred and Wells acquired a joint-venture partner, Hideo “Joe” Morita of Morita Investments International (MINT). In addition to a new partner this year also brought the upgrade of three lifts as well as the grand opening of the Telluride Conference Center, and the resort’s flagship fine-dining restaurant Allred’s. Perched above Telluride at gondola station San Sophia the vistas from the 25 foot floor to ceiling windows earned its reputation as the best views in Telluride. The rustic elegance, exquisite food, and fine service catapulted it to be one of the region’s best dining spots.

By March of 2001, Morita purchased 100 percent of the Telluride Ski and Golf Company (TSG), taking the vision of Allred and Wells into the 21^st century. Mr. Morita gave the resort the flexibility and latitude to focus on guest service and significant improvements like $3.1 million investment to increase snowmaking capacity and significant terrain expansion. The resort nearly doubled in size with the addition of Prospect Bowl, which added 733 acres of beginner, intermediate and expert terrain providing some of the most scenic skiing in North America with a run for every ability level.

Chuck Horning and Current Times

In February of 2004, the resort transferred hands to Chuck Horning, a real estate investor from Newport Beach, Calif., who remains the current owner today. Horning’s tenure has brought even more terrain expansion and has allowed the Resort to make unique strides towards creating high end, unique dining experiences as well as become more involved in the local lodging community by acquiring a boutique hotel, The Inn at Lost Creek in Mountain Village and taking over the operations of the iconic property The Peaks Resort and Spa.

Between 2005 and 2009 the ski resort opened some of its most legendary terrain, including Mountain Quail, Black Iron Bowl, the Gold Hill Chutes and Revelation Bowl. These new areas offered extreme terrain with a backcountry feel, all while being within the resort boundaries. The addition of access to 13,320 foot Palmyra Peak elevated the ski area’s vertical drop to 4,425 feet, and offered some of the most stunning skiing and riding in North America.

After extensive terrain expansions, intentions were set to bring the resort’s on-mountain dining to new heights. Telluride Ski & Golf’s culinary initiatives shifted away from large scale cafeteria-style restaurants to intimate high-end eateries dotted across the mountain. These restaurants offer exceptional food in a high-alpine environment offering breathtaking views with refined tableside service reflective of what is found throughout European ski destinations.

Alpino Vino opened in 2009 at 11,966 feet on See Forever ski run making it the highest elevation restaurant in North America. This fine-dining European style eatery was modeled after the restaurants found throughout the Dolomites of Italy where you “ski-to-eat” as opposed to “eat-to-ski,” a saying that became a motto for the resort and offered only lunchtime service. Open only in the winter this ski-in/ski-out destination restaurant later began offering its signature wine pairing dinners. The prix fixe five course meal has garnered recognition from foodies and publications alike.

Telluride Ski and Golf continued its commitment to fine culinary offerings with the opening of Bon Vivant in 2011. Bon Vivant is an outdoor only establishment serving classic French country cuisine at the top of Polar Queen Express Chair 5. The restaurant’s setting is just below Palmyra Peak, and boasts 360 degree views of the resort and surrounding mountains.

With a robust food scene the resort expanded into the world of wine with the appointment Certified Sommelier Andrew Shaffner as resort Wine Director a position unique to the ski industry. This position was created to strengthen the wine programs across all 10 restaurants and educate staff and servers. Since Shaffner’s appointment the resort’s restaurants have garnered raves and awards from top publications including Wine Spectator Magazine and Wine Enthusiast.

To further round out the activities available to guests, the Telluride Adventure Center was created to serve as an adventure hub for anyone looking for fun things to do outside of skiing, as well as make it easy for visitors to book a variety of summer season adventures. Through the Adventure Center guests can easily book activities for themselves or kids offered by some of the region’s best outfitters that range from tame, quiet experiences to adrenaline pumping thrills.

The Telluride Ski and Golf Resort has come a long way from meager beginning as a fading mining town into the world class, year-round destination it has become. The pick, shovel, and hammer have been replaced by skis, snowboards and poles boasting high-end accommodations, fine dining, spas, shops and a variety of terrain that blend luxury sophistication with family friendliness. Telluride’s history is a large part of its character and charm, influencing both as it continues to develop into the future.

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Keystone has a year-round adaptive program and is run through the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center.  Headquartered at The Mountain House at Keystone Resort at the base of Discovery Lift, the Keystone Adaptive Center provides alpine, skiing and snowboarding lessons to people with disabilities and other special needs.   Lessons are conducted on a personalized, one-on-one basis, and include all instruction, on-hill guiding and support, specialized equipment and lift ticket.  The Center is affiliated with the Professional Ski Instructors of America and provides all disciplines of adaptive skiing, including four-track, visually impaired, three-track, mono-skiing and bi-skiing.  In the summer months, the Center also provides programs in activities such as handcycling, rock climbing and river rafting.

The Keystone Adaptive Center is a private, non-profit educational center and is operated by the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, a world-renowned adaptive sports program that has provided a wide range of adaptive outdoor experiences for over 30 years.

Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC)
Since 1976, the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center has been providing empowering outdoor experiences to people of all abilities. The Center offers adaptive ski programs at Breckenridge and Keystone Resorts, adaptive outdoor education camps at a campus in Breckenridge and wilderness programs throughout Summit County and the region.  Activities are available year round and include skiing, snowboarding, ropes course, challenge activities, rock climbing, river rafting, canoeing and many others, all adapted to be accessible to all abilities.

For information, call 800-383-2632 or 970-453-6422, or visit www.boec.org for more information.