FWSA News                                                                                                                                       December 2009

Benefits to belonging to FWSA

·  Sierra Resort and the National Ski Council Federation have teamed up to offer you a 20% discount off your stay.  Just one more perk you receive as a member of the NSCF.  User Name is skiclub, Password is member.

· ORI is pleased to offer NSCF members Personal Accident insurance coverage that is only available through  the NSCF website.  Log into the "Members Only" page for more detailed description of coverage available, pricing and how to purchase a policy.   User name is skiclub, Password is member.

Trips

· FWSA 2009 Ski Week will be in Keystone, Colorado January 30 to February 6, 2010.  Council Trip Leaders are taking sign-ups.  Check the Keystone flyer for Trip Leader contact information at www.fwsa.org and click on travel.

· Cortina Ski Trip, February 27—March 7, 2010—$1844 per person; Cortina, one of the most beautiful settings in the Alps; daily breakfast and dinner included; 7 nights at a 3+ star Splendid Venezia and round trip flight from SFO/LAX.  Venice—Pre-Trip Extension $575 February 24-28; Vienna/Budapest— Post Trip Extension $878.  Contact Norm Azevedo at fwsaitravel@ sbcglobal. net.

· FWSA is going to hold its first summer trip to Wolf Creek, Utah and will be working with the Ogden Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Information with details will be on the FWSA Website soon.

· Canada/New England Cruise  with the "Carnival Glory" and the Cruise Company from September 26—October 2.  Optional New York City  pre-trip.  Go to FWSA Travel web site for more information.

· FWSA is joining Holidaze Ski Tours for an Antarctica Adventure & Celebration of New Years Eve in Buenos Aires.  The low prices on the flyer and the $500 reduction has been extended until the end of November.  You will leave Dec 29, 2010—January 12, 2011 for a 15 day cruise with three nights in Buenos Aires for  New Years Eve.  We will be joining other ski clubs & councils across the U.S. for this trip.  Contact Norm Azevedo at fwsaitravel@ sbcglobal. net for more information.

FWSA  Survey Closed November 15, 2009—WHO WON $500? 

· Congratulations to Susan Schaffer of North Island Snowdrifters in San Diego who won $500 in the FWSA survey drawing.  FWSA extends its appreciation to all survey participants for taking the time to help FWSA improve its programs and marketing efforts.

Far West Ski Association Upcoming Programs and Events

· Convention 2010—It's not too early to make plans to attend the 78th Annual Far West Ski Association Convention at the fabulous Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa in Indian Wells (Palm Springs), CA, June 10-13, 2010, hosted by the San Diego Council of Ski Clubs.  Rooms (double occupancy) are onl6y $139 per night—use Group Code FWSA.  The resort fees have been waived (except for internet fees) and there will be complimentary parking.  Call 1-877-804-4070 for reservations.  The theme this year is " "Thanks for the Memories", and many fun and educational events are planned. 

· Win Two Great Ski Vacations from FWSA Safety and Ski Heritage Contests— Safety person of the year will win a six day vacation for two to Aspen, CO; winner of the Western Ski Heritage contest will win a five day vacation for two to Steamboat, CO.  Click here for contest descriptions and forms.

· FWSA Charity Recognition Program—The Club or Council which has shown an outstanding effort in donating time and/or financial support to one or more charitable organizations during the past year will be recognized at the FWSA Convention in June. A check for $100 will be awarded to the club/council' s favorite charity.  Click here for more information and application.  For a summary of the organizations to which FWSA members have volunteered time and/or money, please …(click here).

FWSA Athletic Scholarship Record Number of Winners

· Chairman Dick Shawkey has announced the thirteen Athletic Scholarship Winners for 2009-2010.  Ranging from $500 to $1000, the scholarships will aid four athletes from Oregon, seven from California, and two from Nevada.   Nine athletes from the Lake Tahoe region have been honored for their Alpine ski racing performance and potential by the Far West Ski Association (FWSA).  Click here for their bios . . .

·  The Keystone Resort has contributed twenty spaces on their Snow-Cat Adventure to be raffled at the Farewell Banquet on Thursday evening, February 4, 2010.  Eighteen spaces will be raffled and two spaces will be sold to the highest bidder.  On Friday, Feb 6 the winners/purchasers will ski/ride Keystone's back country with experienced guides including a gourmet lunch.  All proceeds will go to the FWSA Athletic Scholarship Program.

Wounded Warrior Alumni Weekend

· The Tahoe Donner Senior Alpine Ski Club plans to participate in a Wounded Warrior program with the Disabled Sports USA Thurs Feb 25 through Sun Feb 28.  This program will provide an opportunity for wounded veterans to return to the Disabled Sports USA snow sports program at Alpine Meadows for a weekend of ski/snowboard instruction.  TDSASC members will host the Wounded Warrior for three nights and provide transportation to and from all events.  Activities will include a reception on Thursday night, snow sports instruction on Friday and Saturday and a potluck dinner at the Tahoe Donner ski lodge on Saturday night.  Further information will be posted on the  Disabled Sports USA Far West website in the near future.

Public Affairs

· Global Warming Claims Two Ski Resorts.  After 46 years of operation,  Iceland's small Kerlingarfjo II Ski Area has stopped offering snow sports due to climate change.  Half a world away, Bolivia's Chacaltaya Ski Area, formerly the world's highest ski resort, stopped operating because the snow field on which it was located has melted away.  Chacaltaya lost 80% of its bulk over the past two decades, and was closed just before melting snow caused its last lift tower to collapse. 

· Huckleberry Canyon—Unleash the Extreme!  Sierra-at-Tahoe is offering expert skiers free backcountry tours out the five gates leading to the double black diamond Huckleberry Canyon on Friday afternoons when conditions allow.  The one-hour tour will introduce skiers to the 320 acre expert terrain recently annexed .

· Learn a Snow Sport Month The entire month of January has been dedicated as the national month to learn a new snow sport. With hundreds of resorts spanning 22 states giving away free lessons and equipment rentals,  you have no excuse to spend the month sitting inside by the warm fire – at least until you get back.

· Intrawest and Powdr Corp have reached a "definitive purchase agreement" for Copper Mountain Resort. Intrawest CEO Bill Jensen, who has been public about Intrawest's intent to sell off some of its assets to pay down debt, announced the Copper deal to Intrawest employees today via email and said the deal is expected to close in December.

· Learn More on the North Shore—Resorts Offer attractive learn-to-ski- or-ride deals.  North Lake Tahoe has had a program in place for more than 10 years to make learning to ski or snowboard affordable.  The Learn to Ski and Board Weekend, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 12 and 13, costs $25 and includes an all-day beginner lift ticket, group lesson, and equipment rental.

· Sun Valley adds $10 + million eight passenger gondola to its Roundhouse Restaurant and Seattle Ridge area runs.

· Tribe May Buy Arizona Snowbowl  The decade-long battle between Arizona Snowbowl ski area and local indigenous tribes has taken a new twist.  The two groups have fought many court battles over plans by the ski area to use recycled and purified waste water to make snow on their slopes, which the tribes regard as offensive to their beliefs because they regard the land as sacred.  Successive courts have decided alternatively  in favor of either side, most recently coming down on the side of the ski area.  The latest development is that the local Navaho tribe is considering buying the area to stop the snowmaking.

· Moonlight Basin is in Chapter 11.  Montana's Moonlight Basin Ranch announced that the company and its subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for reorganization under Chap 11 in the face of Lehman Brothers' efforts to foreclose on an outstanding loan.

· With Ski Lifts Idle, Tamarack Owners Are Worried.  Owners fret about fate of once-booming resort.

· Courts Deny Women Ski Jumpers Again—Still fighting for a spot in the 2010 Olympics, women's ski jumpers were dealt yet another blow when the British Columbia Court of Appeal denied their bid for inclusion in the Games.  Even though an appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada is likely, with so little time left until the Opening Ceremony, it appears Vancouver will not hold a women's ski jumping competition.

· Skier visits decreased –5.1% to 57.4 million visits for the 20008-09 season based on the final report from the National Ski Areas Association.  This still is the 4th best season on record and represents a +1.2% increase over the 10 year average of 56.7 million annual skier visits.  Overall snowfall was down 10% (Southeast +31.2%, Midwest +1.1%, Northeast -10%, Pacific West -10.2%, Rocky Mountain -14.2%) but relatively favorable snow and weather conditions counterbalanced the challenging economic conditions.

· Top 12 myths concerning alpine skiing injuries debunked.  Myths included "Skiing is among the most dangerous of activities" and "If you think you are going to fall, just relax and let it happen".  Study by Robert J. Johnson, MD, Emeritus Professor of Orthopedics at University of Vermont published in Nov/Dec issue of Sports Health:  A Multidisciplinary Approach.

· U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Announces Largest Class of Inductees Since 1984—Jack Benedick, Chris Waddell and Sarah Will are the first adaptive skiers to enter the Hall of Fame since the late Diana Golden was honored in 1997.  Read on for bios of all eight inductees . . .

· Bring on the Rings—Read the 2010 preview of Olympic alpine skiers A-D Men's and Women's U.S. Ski Teams.  Note that due to injuries Resi Stiegler and TJ Lanning will not be competing.

· The North American Police Ski Championships will hold their 21st annual race Mar 20-27, 2010 in Snowmass, CO.  All active or retired law enforcement officers are eligible to participate.  With over 240 attending, NAPS was able to raise almost $34,000 for the Winter Sport Programs of Special Olympics. The group has now raised over $665,000 in the past 19 years.  We also raised $13,500 for the Twin Towers Initiative benefitting the new law enforcement officers memorial museum being built in Washington, DC. This gives us donations of more than $38,000 in a few short years.

· The Ski Channel is the source for skiing and snowboarding news, equipment reviews, and exclusive interviews with the legends of skiing.  But we also have a community of loyal skiers who send in photos from the mountain, submit their own personal stories of glory, and ultimately make the Ski Channel their own.

Safety

· Preventing the Afternoon Bonk ...Only about five percent of the people we saw were drinking anything during skiing. We also interviewed about 50 skiers, virtually all of whom reported that a noon lunch break was the only opportunity they afforded themselves to take in fluids and nutrition to fuel their day on the slopes. Not surprisingly, many of these skiers reported suffering from something we might call "the three o'clock bonk". By mid-afternoon, most of them were running on fumes – exhausted and sore. Lunch could only carry them so far.

· Preparation is the Key to Avoiding Skiing and Snowboarding Injuries.  "The good news is that many injuries can be prevented with a smart pre-season training program to add strength and flexibility to the muscles, tendons and ligaments used while skiing—many of which are rarely, if ever, used during normal everyday activities," reports leading orthopedist Dr. Plancher, Chairman of the Orthopedic Foundation for Active Lifestyles.  Dr. Plancher recommends a program that focuses on four areas:  flexibility, strengthening, endurance, and core development. 

History

· Kittastrophe at Aspen . . . In 1993 the men's Word Cup downhill never finished—and started a controversy.  A decision by the FIS jury to end the Aspen Downhill due to safety concerns robbed AJ Kitt of a certain win.  Read on for more ...

· Save the date for the Olympic Heritage Celebration January 8, 2010—January 18, 2010. at Squaw Valley, CA.  Nearly 50 years later, residents and visitors are preparing to celebrate the 1960 Olympic Games.

· Sugar Bowl Celebrates 70 years.  For skiers and snowboarders, the Sugar Bowl ski area is the jewel of Donner Summer, and perhaps the most famous of all the northern California ski areas.  The vertical drop may not be impressive when compared to Tahoe's largest resorts, but sugar Bowl receives more than 40 feet of snow in an average winter, the heftiest of any resort in the Tahoe Basin.

· Warren's World . . .by Warren Miller—Skiing Has Always Been Great; "Today even old timers can still enjoy skiing—-including me at over 80. These days you just wander down to the ski shop with a sliver of plastic and in a short time are able to take advantage of several million  dollars worth of research and development. This makes it possible for you to continue to make turns on a snow- covered slope no matter how many winters you have skied. . ."

Park City Mountain Sports Club

· Is hosting its Winter Gala on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at the Grand Summit Hotel at the Canyons Ski Resort.  The club will be collecting voluntary donations for the Peace House, the local organization that shelters and assists victims of domestic abuse.  December 15 is the deadline to purchase tickets.

Bachelor Bash

· Sports are open now for the fabulous Bachelor Blast, April 16-18, 2010 at Mt. Bachelor in Bend, OR.  Pricing includes lodging at Sun River Resort condominiums, lift tickets, and a on-the-mountain picnic.  Price depends on number of occupants and number of days you'd like to stay.  Contact Mary Olhausen at omary52@comcast. net or Linda McGavin at mcgavinski@gmail. com for info and sign-ups.

Geezers, Groomers and Parabolics—The Senior Skiing Revolution

· Author John David Fischer, a member of the Sequoia Ski Club in Visalia, California, has written an entertaining story of older skiers in this country and their passion for the sport.  The heart of the book is based on detailed questionnaires answered during the 2006-207 ski season by 80 senior skiers ranging in age from 55 to 88.  Their story covers all that they love about skiing, along with the many issues they face as they get older.  The book is 280 pages in length and includes pictures, research, and opinions from many ski personalities and experts.  Click here to find out how you can get your copy ….

Fitness for Alpine Skiing

· USSA Sports Science Director Troy Flanagan explains what you need to improve your skiing:  "When we are designing a good training program for US Ski Team members, we first consider what muscles are involved in the movement of skiing and then choose exercises that predominately work each muscle or muscle group.  In this article, we show you the key muscles involved in elite alpine ski racing and how to train them.  Click here to read more.

· Core Strength Training—Not just about your abs.  The core region consists of far more than just the abdominal muscles.  Core strength training aims to target all the muscle groups that stabilize the spine and pelvis.  It's these muscle groups that are critical for the transfer of energy from large to small body parts during many sporting activities.   Click here for programs, workouts and more information.

Businesses That Donated to the Far West Race Association Silent Auction

· Resorts of the Canadian Rockies—Over the past five years, each of our Resorts and the towns we operate in, have been steadily growing, improving and evolving into unique and welcoming destinations. Our world class Resorts are recognized as international destinations and attract thousands of skiers and snowboarders from around the globe each season. What hasn't changed over the years at RCR is the warmth and friendly nature of our Resorts. We are the ideal place to visit when you want to re-connect with your family, friends and nature. You can count on the snow to be plentiful, the smiles to be genuine and the scenery to take your breath away.  Fernie, Kimberley, Nakiska, Mont -Sainte Anne, Stoneham, and Trickle Creek Golf Resort are the resorts which make up RCR.

· Panorama Mountain Village is steps away from one of North America's longest vertical descents. Ride the mountain, jump through the biggest and best terrain park in the Rockies and end your day soaking in the largest slope side hot pools in Canada.  Panorama is located on the Kootenay Rockies Powder Highway, close to Banff and just over a three hour drive from Calgary International Airport. 

· The Resort at Squaw Creek—Delivering high-altitude fun in a dramatic alpine valley. A full-service, luxury resort in an idyllic mountain setting, Resort at Squaw Creek rests at the base of Squaw Valley USA, site of the 1960 winter Olympics, and just minutes from California's North Lake Tahoe. Having just completed a $53 million resort-wide renovation, this AAA Four-Diamond resort has never been more magnificent.  Our dramatic lobby, through its floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooks a cascading waterfall and the breathtaking Sierra Nevada Mountains. Our 405 luxurious resort rooms and suites, complete with resort-style kitchens, fireplaces and LCD flat-screen TVs, comfort guests in mountain home ambiance.

· Squaw Valley Ski Corp—Lake Tahoe's legendary ski resort  - Squaw in Olympic Valley is one of the largest and most high-concept ski areas in the U.S. and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics.  It is the second-largest ski area at Lake Tahoe (after Heavenly) boasting highly-advanced chairlifts (high speed quads and six-packs), as well as the only Funitel in the United States. Because of the resort's popularity, the entire community of Olympic Valley is commonly referred to as "Squaw Valley." The resort attracts 600,000 skiers a year. Its usual season for skiing is from mid-November to late May. ^Wikipedia

· Steamboat—Brand new adventure, peppered with flavors of the Old West.Whether it is winter, summer, spring or fall, Steamboat Springs has it all! In the winter you don't have to pick if you want to experience World Class Skiing or float effortlessly through our legendary Champagne Powder® snow.  It is all in one place, a town known as Ski Town, USA®… You may know it as Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Although our winter season is full of a variety of exciting activities,  the local motto is, "Come for the winter and stay for the summer". 

Council Websites