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FWSA News March 2010 Benefits to belonging to Far West Ski Association · Tahoe Dave's—Present your FWSA membership card to receive 15% off rentals, or 10% off any retail item or shop repair. Stop by one of Tahoe Dave's four convenient locations for the best ski & snowboard rental value in Lake Tahoe. · Alpine Meadows Masters Race Clinic —(Daily, except Monday) Identify yourself as a FWSA member to receive 38% off the price of Alpine's Master Race Clinic. Call 530-581-8200 or email: snowsports@skialpin e.com or go to http://www.skialpin e.com. Trips · "Hot Fun Under the Utah Sun!" FWSA and Wolf Creek Resort invite you to five days of fun July 21-25, 2010 at Wolf Creek Resort near Ogden, Utah. Hotel and Condo pricing includes lodging, welcome party, and farewell BBQ; concert with fireworks! Camping is available. · FWSA Cozumel Scuba Dive Trip Sept 4-11, 2010. Contact Randy Lew at 530-304-0802 or fwsa13randy@ telis.org. · 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. 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. · 2011 FWSA Ski Week will be in Sun Valley, ID Jan 22—29, 2011. 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 only $139 per night—use Group Code FWSA. The resort fees of $25 /Day have been waived (except for internet fees) and there will be complimentary parking. PLEASE NOTE: If you call the Marriott Reservation Line, you will receive a Reservation Confirmation that includes the $25 Resort Fee. Please ignore it. Call 1-877-804-4070 for reservations. The theme this year is " "Thanks for the Memories" and many fun and educational events are planned. · The Ski Club Registration Packets have been sent to all ski clubs. This year FWSA is including all Council Presidents, FWSA Board of Directors & Trustees, and Committee Chairmen in the mailing, so you know when the mailing goes out and what is included. We will then update our website to include all Convention information, flyers and forms. · FWSA Election of Officers—Anyone interested in running for FWSA office in the upcoming elections during the convention in June should let those intentions be known to Mike Sanford, Chairman of Elections. You may notify him by e-mail at bubasanfrd@aol. com, robert.m.sanford@ navy.mil or by phone at 619 545-4148. Officer positions up for election: President, Secretary, Treasurer, VP's of Membership, International Travel, Communications, Marketing, Trustees #1 and #2. · FWSA Charity Recognition Program applications due March 15—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). · Athletic Scholarship Raffle Tickets are Available for the Heli Hike Adventure—Most councils have received their allotment of raffle tickets for the athletic scholarship' s grand prize. A description of the CMH Heli-Hike prize is available on the Far West Ski Association web site (FWSA.org). Click on Programs, then FWSA Athletic Scholarships and there is a link to Michelle and Roy Nightengale' s experience. If you're not going to attend the FWSA convention, you can support the athletic scholarship program and have a chance at a truly exceptional adventure by buying raffle tickets. If your ski club does not have tickets available, contact Dick Shawkey at rshawkey@comcast. net. Raffle tickets are $5 per ticket or 5 for $20. · Safety Person of the Year—The winner of the 2010 contest to be named the FWSA Safety Person of the Year will receive a trip for two to Aspen, seven nights lodging and six days skiing plus rentals at any of the fabulous mountains in Aspen. The winner also will also receive roundtrip airfare for two people (airlines may vary depending on departing city and may not be direct). The purpose of the FWSA Safety Person of the Year sponsored by Aspen Skiing Company is to recognize the person who shown safety leadership by doing the most to effectively promote snowsports safety awareness. Judging will be done by an esteemed group of safety experts and leaders of FWSA. Form is due April 19. Click here for forms and information. Disabled Sports Fund Raisers · Disabled Sports Ability Celebration, March 16-20, 2010, Alpine Meadows, CA.; Disabled Sports USA Far West (DSUSA) will have its annual fundraiser, The Abilities Bash, on Saturday March 20, 2010, at the lodge at Alpine Meadows. The Bash will be the culmination of four days of snow activities for twenty-five Wounded Warriors disabled in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. DSUSA services the region from San Jose to Reno; their clients have a variety of disabilities and they span many age groups. · If you are interested in being part of a table for the Abilities Bash on March 20, click here for tickets. Tables are $1000 (10/table) and individual tickets are $100. The event is a plated dinner with dancing. Wounded Warriors will be present. FWSA By-laws, Programs and Awards · Club and Council History Prize due April 19, 2010 The Association launched in 2008 a program to develop club, league and council histories. The objective of the annual program is to capture important information about skiing from the skier's perspective and especially that of the club skier. Selection for the prize will be based on digital presentation of club or council history according to a set of weighted criteria and judged by knowledgeable ski historians. The prize of $200 may be received by the submitters or given to a charity of their choice. Click here for more information. · *NEW*! HISTORIC SKI CLUB DESIGNATION due April 19, 2010—Historic Ski Club FWSA designation is available to clubs and councils who have operated since 1960, the date of the Squaw Valley Olympics. In order to obtain this designation, your organization needs to submit a request to the History Committee not later than 19 April. The request must include an executive summary of the club's history roughly following the criteria of the Club and Council Recognition (below), not to exceed 2 pages. This "branding" may be used on your letterhead, banners, newsletters, posters, flyers, etc. The brand could include "ski and snowboard", founded Year, and other mutually acceptable variants. All submissions of ski histories by organizations meeting the 50-year requirement are automatically eligible for the historic designation. Questions? Contact John Watson at geospace@pacbell. net. · Western Ski Heritage contest winner will win a five day vacation for two to Steamboat, CO. Click here for contest descriptions and forms. Sponsored by Steamboat Springs Ski Resort with support by FWSA California Senior Winter Games Planned for March 11-14 at Dodge Ridge · This action packed event will feature winter sports competition for men and women 50 year-old and up in five-year groups to include: Alpine Racing, Snowboard Racing, and Nordic Racing (both telemark and cross country). Competitors will experience Opening Ceremonies, equipment demos, happy hour, races, award ceremonies and a banquet. For an event schedule click here. To register click here. Public Affairs · Crested Butte, CO. Appeal of USFS Supervisor Charlie Richmond's decision to deny expansion onto Snodgrass Mountain (276 acres) filed in Dec 2009. Level 1 Appeal reviewing officer Jim Pena USFS Deputy Regional Forester (Region 5) jpena@fs.fed. us assigned January 2010. Appeal Decision expected late spring. · The Intrawest Corporation of Vancouver, BC, Canada which recently missed a $524 million debt payment sold Panorama Mountain Resort (all of the resort's mountain and Nordic ski operations plus a 50 per cent · Snowsports market sales for August to December versus year ago were up 1.4% to $1.8 billion (Snowsports specialty shops $1.03 billion +0.5%, internet $410 million +10%, chain stores $373 million -4%). Helmet unit sales are up 29% to 656,523. · USA sets Winter Olympic record with 37 medals. Also Vancouver 2010 is only the 2nd time USA won the Winter Olympic medal count. The last time was 78 years ago at Lake Placid 1932 with 12 medals. Bode Miller wins 3 medals (gold super combined, silver super g, bronze downhill) to increase his total to 5 medals (the most decorated U.S. alpine skier and only the 4th man ever to win 5 alpine skiing medals). Other highlights included Lindsey Vonn 2 medals (gold downhill, bronze super · Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympics 3/12-21. Among U.S. Paralympic Team of 50 athletes, 33 have competed in a prior Paralympic Games and 5 are U.S. military veterans. · Big Cottonwood & Little Cottonwood Canyons, UT. Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office Canyon Alerts Twitter feed launched 2009 with road closures & chain restrictions affecting Alta, Brighton, Snowbird & · Snowbird, UT. Ski Patrol & Snow Safety Twitter feed officially launched January 2010 with mountain updates of terrain & lift openings, events, deals and other news. · Allegiant Air added service in 2009 to Grand Junction (near Powderhorn Resort) with twice weekly direct flights from Los Angeles, CA. · United Airlines added service to Telluride/Montrose, CO with Saturday and Sunday flights for the winter season from Los Angeles, · Julia Mancuso, gold medalist in 2006 and two time silver medalist in 2010 donates $10,000 to Tahoe/Truckee schools. · Sugar Bowl's Silver Belt Bonanza returns March 13-14. Top freeride skiers and riders from around the world will descend upon Lake Tahoe's Sugar Bowl Resort March 13th and 14th, 2010 for the running of the Silver Belt Banzai, a unique race blending the excitement of ski-cross/boarder- x action with the tradition of a downhill race. This year's purse is $5000 in cash prizes. · It's Party and Play Time in Tahoe! Two more storms in the last week have left Tahoe with exceptional conditions, and as March begins, the spring celebrations have begun. The 29th Annual Snowfest gets underway with ten-days of parties, parades, activities and events. · History Georgene Bihlman Passes Away Monday Feb 15, 2010.in Truckee, CA. After a long struggle with Parkinson's and only 10 days before her 85th birthday on Feb 24, Georgene passed away peacefully at home. Georgene was a ski racer and a fierce competitor. In addition to her numerous championships and many years as a member of the National Masters team, Georgene was inducted into the National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame in 2002. Georgene's career as a ski racer spanned 50 years. Her competitive career began in 1949 in the Far West. Missing an opportunity to compete in the Olympics due to a serious auto accident, she went on to compete in Veterans and Masters racing in the U.S. and internationally. In 2009 the Far West Ski Association honored Georgene with its top award, the Hans Georg award. A private funeral was held at her request. · Warren's World - Winter Sports Stimulus Package— "Instant everything" on TV said today that in the latest stimulus package, the politicians have earmarked $650 million for conversion boxes to convert all analog-TV sets in America to digital. The additional clarity means many weekend-sports fans will have to drink four more bottles of beer before the new digital, football-yard lines get fuzzy. More beer sales will boost the economy some, of course, but, instead, I think some of the millions of dollars for TV boxes should be spent on ski equipment. The trickle-down effect would be much greater than that of beer. · Donner Party Tracker; Forlorn Hope December 16, 1846 One hundred and sixty-plus years ago, the members of the Donner Party, now beginning to succumb to their exhaustion and hunger, were placing all their hopes on the efforts of a small group of them who would try to reach safety and assistance in the Sacramento Valley. The Forlorn Hope—On December 16, The Forlorn Hope--the name they had given to the small group of brave souls--got an early start after a sorrowful farewell to those they were leaving behind and hoped to, but might never see again. In their favor, the weather and snow conditions were cold but suitable for the expedition. Patrick Breen wrote, "Fair & pleasant...froze hard last night & the Company started on snow shoes to cross the mountains. Wind S.E. [and] looks pleasant." Club / Council News · "Hope on the Slopes", a fundraising event for the American Cancer Society will take place Friday/Saturday, March 19-20, 2010. This is a 24-hour ski challenge (a ski-a-thon). Teams of skiers/snowboarders will carve the slopes all day and all night to live music. Click here for more information. Or contact Emilio Trampuz, Mt High Snowsports Club if you'd like to be a torch bearer: emilio2000@earthlin k.net · MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN'S SKI CLUB APPRECIATION WEEKEND—Mammoth Mountain will hold their annual Ski Club Appreciation weekend April 16-18. The event consists of a, après-ski party on Friday, a ski club giant slalom race and margaritaville party on Saturday, then a Bloody Mary Sunday breakfast at McCoy Station. Event admission is $30 -- or free if you stay at the resort's lodging when using group booking ID 10614 and booking password 27000159. For more information, call 888-400-6867. · Bay Area Council/Disabled Sports USA Far West (DSUSA) Ski For All Sat. March 27. This annual event will occur during the NorCal Championship races at Squaw. You can collect donations from friends and ski club members using the form here. . . Each person turning in an entry form will receive a Squaw Valley lift ticket good for March 27, 2010, a $5.00 voucher towards food and a raffle ticket with a chance to win some nice prizes. For $200 or more in donations, the person turning in the form also gets an additional raffle ticket plus the chance to win the Grand Prize--Any Atomic Ski & Binding or Atomic Snowboard & Binding of their Choice! The money raised at this event goes towards the purchase and maintenance of equipment used at The DSUSA Ski School. · Northwest Ski Club Council invites you to their Bachelor Blast April 16-18, 2010. Only $199/person. Contact: Mary Ohlhausen at pastpres@nwskiers. org or Linda McGavin at communications@ nwskiers. org. Fat Skis 2010-2011 Preview by Skiing Magazine · Skiing Magazine had a chance to ski a few of next year's skis at the SIA On Snow Demo Days at Winter Park. Due to the huge amount of skis available and the little time we had, we limited ourselves to fat skis. We tested a handful of new, redesigned and carryover models between 95mm and 115mm underfoot. Although certain skis did better in certain conditions, there really was not a bad ski among them. Everything You Need to Know About Skiing Steeps · View slides and tips from the experts here. On steep slopes, the risks are higher—if you fall, it's harder to stop. But so are the rewards. Pitches tilted past 40 degrees can be thrilling if you overcome your fears and tackle the terrain confidently. Ski Tuning - Side Edges Part 2 · You will view a very thorough, step-by-step demonstration of sharpening and polishing ski edges. The maintenance of skis will extend their life, but it will also make your ski day more enjoyable. When a pair of skis has the proper side and base bevels, they will take your skiing to the next level. Keeping your skis tuned is critical for anyone who considers themselves a serious skier. Once you have got your side edges to the desired angle, maintaining the edge is the next step. This is done by using the Pro Edge Beveler to draw a Diamond File or Polishing Stone down your edges. This will polish the edge which helps to reduce miniature striations that are left behind from using files. Those striations can slow down your edges while they are in contact with the snow. Businesses That Donated to the FWRA Silent Auction · We are fortunate to have a race representative, Mike Braun, who can help you obtain racer pricing (which is wholesale cost) on the following brands: Dynastar skis, Rossignol skis, Lange boots, Look bindings, Uvex helmets and goggles, and Swix wax and poles. Contact him at: lapdski@sbcglobal. net. · Sugar Bowl—"GA" GOES EVERY DAY MARCH 8 Due to popular demand, free lessons and rentals with the General Admission program will be offered every day of the week starting March 8th. Skiers and riders age 13 - 69 enjoy a free two- hour group lesson at any level and free standard rentals for the day with the purchase of a lift ticket. Season passholders age 4 and up can join in on General Admission, too! Click here to learn more about General Admission days, and click here to learn more about special Bear Tracks pricing for kids ages 4-12. And as always, CORE members save an additional $10! · NASTC Women's Weekend, Squaw Valley, March 12-13: A specialized course just for women, taught by NASTC's top female trainers. These ladies are some of the best skiers and teachers in the country and they are dedicated to helping other women reach new heights in their skiing. The course is designed to give you lots of ski time, push your boundaries and challenge you and build up your self-confidence minus the "macho-factor. " · All Conditions/All Terrain, Sugar Bowl, March 14-16:
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