All posts by Gary Ehrich

Council Tracks

CouncilTracks – December 2014

The newsletter of NJS&SC

When I began writing this month’s newsletter the state of winter didn’t look good as the weather’s been waffling back and forth.  However, it’s beginning to look like Mother Nature is about to turn around as things are improving in the East and the far West.  Today is 12/11 and the Catskills just got one foot from the Nor’easter that blew through.  The same weather system giving the Catskills resorts a very badly needed base also gave Vermont an early Christmas present as Killington and others are reporting major dumps (24”) of new snow and state the snow is still falling.  Can you hear the bugles heralding in the season!

The weekend of 12/13-14 will be kickoff day to the new season for many of us and some of the areas such as Plattekill which have not yet opened.  My advice is get moving and out the door because SKI SEASON is here!  Killington has been operating since October so anyone who hit it back then has already been making tracks for two months!  Jean LeGrand of Ocean Ski Club sacheted into the December meeting of NJSSC this past Monday sporting a face that matched her red ski coat.  I looked at a tussled and tired Ms. LeGrand who said she just drove down from Killington after having skied there all day.  On the slopes all day, drives from Vt. To NJ to attend the Council meeting then home to Ocean County……wow Jean, that makes for a VERY long day!  Also at Monday’s meeting Council treasurer Norm Blumenstein said he got a day in at Mt. Tremblant over Thanksgiving, Dennis Young had a good day at Windham, Frank De Rossi got 2 days in one of which was at Sugarbush and one guy in my club already logged SIX DAYS at Hunter.

One week ago, things weren’t looking good then King Neptune stirred the Atlantic producing a Nor’easter and we got snow!  Parts of NJ and Eastern Pa. only got a few inches but a check of local conditions surprisingly showed that  Blue is reporting a 24-36” base with 11-14 trails open and further out Elk Mtn. is reporting 10 trails open.  The story gets better as you head up the Thruway to the Catskills which I thought was too far west to be affected by a Nor’easter.  Bellaire, Hunter, Plattekill and Windham all report 12” of new snow.  Plattekill opened on12/13 and for the first time in 4 years, NJSSC was able to hold Ski Skills Tune-Up Day at Windham (more on this later).  Current base depths in the Catskills:

Bellaire: 12-45”;  Hunter: 12-48”;  Plattekill: 10-20”;  Windham: 24-40”

The REAL Story however is VERMONT with most resorts reporting a whopping 24” of new snow……..BUDDA BING BUDDA BOO……….We got  S_N_O_W !!!!!

No one is happier than I over this week’s event because I was almost crying as I began this newsletter.  It’s good it didn’t publish sooner because this is the best Christmas present for the Catskills and Vermont in many years.

FELIZ NAVIDAD Vermont, you got what you wished for!

Ski Skills Tune-Up Day:  Ed Dalton, head of “Programs” is responsible for arranging Ski Skills Tune-Up day for us.  At the December meeting Ed said, “I know ski skills tune-up day is going to happen this year, I can feel it”.  For (3) years in a row didn’t hold it because of a lack of snow but this year we had enough snow and participants.  Our group of approx. 30 people even included a Virgin……Gina Stewart from High Life, a never-ever gave skiing a try for the first time.  As it turns out, Joe her boyfriend was a ski instructor but knows the wisdom of having someone else teach his main squeeze!

Meadowlands Ski Sale:  last week was the Meadowlands Ski sale held annually by Mt. Everest Ski Shop of Westwood.  That was probably your last chance to snag a bargain before Christmas arrives.  The next time will be the March sales at the end of the season and that’s a long time to wait for a new pair of skis or a board at discount pricing.  In addition to ski and snowboard gear, a number of resorts and tour operators were on hand.  I’m a new Rep for Plattekill and was asked if I could take over in the evening for two Plattekill employees who staffed the booth during the day.  Plattekill piggy-backed with the I Ski New York booth so in addition to Plattekill brochures there was a wealth of information from “I Ski New York”.

I Ski New York Passport:  While at the Meadowlands sale one of the more interesting things I learned about is the, “I Ski New York Passport” where children who are in 3rd or 4th grade get to ski FREE.  If you have kids in these grades you should know about this program.  The program is open to residents in all surrounding states even Canadians!  If you have young children in the target age group you might want to rethink your entire skiing strategy while you kids are young and ski exclusively in New York State.  I say this because this is the bargain of your child’s lifetime as it allows them to ski FREE ALL SEASON long for at least two years.  This incredible deal consists of an application that a parent returns to the I Ski New York program along with $25.  The child receives a book of coupons allowing them to ski up to (3) times at each of the participating NY Ski resorts.  The list is very inclusive with 32 NY Ski areas including Belleyare, Catamount, Gore, Greek Peak, Plattekill, West Mountain, Whiteface, Windham and many others X 3 days each………………….THAT IS A LOT OF FREE SKIING  for your child!!!  I was happy to see that my new “employer” Plattekill and all the other resorts are offering a magnificent incentive for children in the 3rd and 4th grades to learn to ski/ride.  The resorts are taking to heart the feeling that if your give someone your child from age 2-6 they’ll have them for life.  This program makes it possible for parents with children in 3rd and 4th grade to learn to ski without breaking the family treasury.  In times of expensive energy, food and excessive taxes this program provides relief from the high cost of skiing for parents with young children in the formative years.  It also is an aid to boost interest and help usher in a new generation of those who like to play in the snow.   I am very heartened to learn the at least NY has come up with a way to help families and encourage development of new skiers/riders.  For more information on this program please visit the I Ski New York website using this link: https://www.iskiny.com/ski-deals/free-kids-program/free-kids-ski-areas.   PS:  Yes there are holiday black-outs BUT your children do get to ski FREE.

Council Trips:  Each year I dedicate part of the space in Council Tracks to a review of a “Featured Resort”.  Sine NJSSC has two trips scheduled to New England with the first to Stowe on February 25th I’d like to kick this part of Council Tracks off with a review of Stowe.

Stowe History:  Many of you may never have heard of the Civilian Conservation Corps but it was a program born of the great depression.  When the economy went bust and thousands were out of work then President Franklin Roosevelt created this public relief program for unmarried, unemployed men.  The US Government put such men to work by founding the Civilian Conservation Corps (“the C’s”) which operated from 1933-1942.  The C’s were responsible for many projects such as construction of roads, visitors’ centers, stone retaining walls and trails in our national parks. The “C’s” cut the first ski trail on Mount Mansfield in Stowe during 1933-1934.  A few years later in 1937 Sepp Ruschp opened a rope tow on what became known as the toll house slope.  That was followed by the first chair lift constructed in 1940 when Ruschp, Lowell Thomas and Roland Palmedo who had formed a lift building company opened what was heralded as the world’s longest chairlift at 6,330 feet of length.  It was a single chair and remained at Stowe for half a century before being replaced.  It was about that time when Cornelius Van der Starr visited Stowe for the first time and was hooked.  In 1946 (before many of us were born) the well-heeled Cornelius took ownership of Stowe and began a love affair resulting in Cornelius investing lots of cash in Stowe over a period of years.

As you drive into the valley, Mt. Mansfield is the large mountain on the left side of the access road while Spruce Peak sits on the right side.  It wasn’t until the 1949-1950 season that Spruce peak opened and was served by rope tows.  A few years later a double chair was installed on Spruce-peak for the 1954-1955 season.  Snowmaking arrived at Stowe in the 1967-1968 season and the rest is well……..history.

I skied Stowe 30 years ago which was long before the current Mt. Mansfield and the Stowe Mountain Lodges existed.  The first time I was there the area where the Stowe Mountain Lodge now sits was all fields with field grass sticking above the snow.  I vividly remember skiing down what surely must have been a winding dirt road covered with snow.  At one point, I went off-trail and skied through the field grass meandering my way through many small saplings growing in that area which surely must have been a forest years earlier.  That was then but here is information about the current Stowe, Vermont.

Stowe is a large 2-mountain resort with Mt. Mansfield having most of the blue and black trails. Spruce peak is the easier side but has enough pitch to get the blood running on several black diamonds.  Several years ago I was there while a very competitive downhill was being run on Spruce Peak.  It was a full-blown downhill with blue lines dyed on the snow so racers at high speed could hold a line and not veer off-trail into the fields beyond.  Mt. Mansfield has a summit of 4,396 feet (200’ higher than Killington peak) affording 2,360 feet of vertical drop to its base.  It’s a resort encompassing 485 skiable acres with 116 trails split between the two peaks.  If a die-hard seeking diamonds then ski the front four on Mount Mansfield.  Spruce Peak is a bit smaller and less demanding cruisers mountain.  If you want laid-back skiing and not have to worry about renegades, this is where you want to be.  It’s has the tendency to attract young families and slow skiing.  When the Stowe Mountain Lodge was built, Management made it easy to flip-flop back and forth between the two mountains by installing a gondola that crosses the street.  You can park on either side of the access road yet ski both mountains without ever having to move your car.  Both bases have lift ticket sales and cafeterias so no matter where you start from you’ll have the services you need.  The Spruce Peak side has the new base and top notch amenities if that is what you seek.

The Council trip to Stowe will utilize off-site lodging, primarily because a stay in the Stowe Mountain Lodge is pricey and would result in much higher price for the trip. In addition it’s nice to experience some of the local lodging to see what it’s like.

As of 12/15/14 Stowe is reporting 84% of its terrain and 11 of 13 lifts open.  Keep in mind that Stowe is far north in Vermont which means it’s colder more often and affords them more opportunity to make snow!  Today Stowe is reporting 27? and a 20-48 base with 48” at the summit.  The 2-foot dump of last week insures they have plenty to ski on!

Last Tracks:  I want to take this opportunity to wish all a happy holiday season.  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa or something else……it’s a time of the year when many people reflect on life and express love and gratitude for family and friends.  If this is a religious holiday for you, I ask you to do more than pray.  Do something concrete for planet Earth because the Earth is in serious trouble and needs our help to preserve Winter and the snows that bless us all.  Since many government lawmakers have their heads in the sand (or somewhere else) and do nothing but bicker, we need to take action.  We need to do more than change light bulbs.  We need action that will bring tangible results…… park your car a few days each week and bicycle to work.  Don’t plant one tree, instead sow acorns, maple and birch seeds and plant an entire forest because that is what I did (yes an entire forest).  Now is the time to do more than pray because Snow needs our help and needs it NOW.

Merry Christmas and best wishes for a Happy New Year,

Bob Zega

 

Pictured below is the base of Stowe in the early 1940’s and looks oddly familiar to the one I saw the first time I skied Stowe many years later!

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Council Tracks – November 2014

The newsletter of NJS&SC                                                                   November  2014

This was intended to be the October issue but due to mental fatigue fighting with the town of Denville to whom I pay far too much property tax, it quickly became the November issue of Council Tracks and the first of the 2014-2015 season.  I began writing this while sitting in my 4th story office at work when the trees had color but since lost all leaves.  During the long run of warm fall weather it was hard to envision winter but several weeks ago parts of Maine got 2 feet of snow and Killington opened 3 trails at the summit to season pass holders.  Now that this issue is late getting to press I can also announce that Hunter, Blue and Shawnee have opened.  Last week Mountain Creek had snow guns blasting and were open for those willing to hike to make first tracks of the season!  I visited Heinos Ski and Cycle in Wayne last Saturday when I was told Mtn. Creek was looking for Patrollers (also to hike up) and apparently there were few if any takers.  Each year, waiting until sufficient intuitive information has deposited itself in the grey matter of my brain, I offer a prediction for the coming winter and now that were close enough I’m willing to take a shot at this season.  So read on……..

Too many people are unaware of the natural environment but I’ll remind you that the past summer was different in several ways.  For the most part it wasn’t overly hot but in the later months El Sol ramped up and things got ugly quick…..mucho caliente y seco (very hot and very dry).  By September local rivers and streams were exhibiting more rocks than water challenging paddlers to find water deep enough for kayaks.  The waterfall of Kaatersill Creek at the hair-pin turn as you ascend the mountain from Malden, NY on the way to Hunter was all but gone with the smallest trickle of water…….barely enough to wet the rocks.  That is NOT a good sign because if the dry weather pattern persists there’ll be scant natural snow this season.  If you can’t get better than a 3% raise because your boss tells you “there’s no money in the budget” then you sure can’t expect snow with no moisture in the air.  Last year, we had the reverse situation with an extremely wet summer and fall.  At that time I told people if the weather pattern continued and the temperature dropped, the only thing that could happen was for snow to fall.  Last winter we got snow every other week and that plus extended cold made for great later season conditions.  Without access to heavenly intervention, I can’t tell you how cold it will get nor when the cold will settle in for good but local night time temps are now low enough to make snow and in recent weeks we did get rain.  Also the run of cold weather of the last few weeks gave the local Mtns. the chance to put snow on their trails.  In addition, the Weather people report that the Siberian cold air mass is bigger and colder than ever before at this time of the year.  This supposedly indicates a cold winter ahead.  So without more enlightenment from the heavens my forecast for winter 2015 follows:

Don’t expect sustained snowmaking temperatures before early to mid-December.  Nights up North should be cold enough for snow-guns to spritz by mid-November but without Nature’s help we won’t have enough machine-made on the slopes to allow Vt. resorts to open significant terrain until after Thanksgiving (no surprise here).  Hopefully recent local rainfalls mean an end to the dry trend if but if that’s short-lived, natural snow could be hard to come by and when it comes may not drop more than a few inches.  With as much rain as we had last year, many major snow storms skipped Vermont and the resorts fought to open.  Mad River Glen which doesn’t make snow was closed for a month or longer.  While anything is possible, consider the following:

  • Over the last couple of years there was no skiing at Thanksgiving and little even by Christmas.
  • NJ Ski Council cancelled Windham ski-skills day 2 years in a row because there was no sustained cold to allow sufficient terrain.
  • Last season it got cold early and everyone thought we were ready to rumble then warm temps returned and skiing at Christmas was hard to find.

Then just as everyone was about to put their skis back into storage we experienced 2 weeks of sustained cold allowing the resorts to put enough snow down to ski by January resulting in the loss of almost one-half of our ski season!  You might not remember it BUT I DO.  After that, Old Man Winter sent the mercury into a nosedive and the snows came regularly.  Hopefully the dry weather is behind us and we’ll enjoy carving figure 8’s on the slopes in 2015!

Change:  I need to talk about this because the transmission has been stuck in neutral too long.  Change never comes easy because humans tend to resist something new unless we are talking cell phones…..then change can’t come fast enough!  If you haven’t accumulated enough wealth to leave the corporate world you know how things are changing in the workplace.  There is more cultural diversity than ever before; more highly educated and technically competent women.  It’s also a fact that people are living and working longer resulting in a large spread in ages between the younger and older worker to name a few things.  The working population has changed and industry has had to accommodate it….ask any HR Manager you know and SHE will tell you how it’s been (if you haven’t noticed, more women occupy HR positions than men).

How does this relate to skiing you might ask……well for the last couple of seasons we’ve been hearing a message, that the number of skier visits to mountains is dropping, the skiing population is greying and the number of young people entering the sport is diminishing.  The National Ski Council Federation who tracks such things agrees…….ski club members are getting older and less young people are coming in.  There are a lot of forces at work here causing the carnage.  Some things are out of our reach, but we might be able to influence others to the extent that it could benefit member clubs.  One thing we have to recognize is that change doesn’t happen overnight and it will take years of work before an effect is felt but if club members and administrators of State Ski Councils pitch in to make change happen I think the clubs stand to gain members and the Council to gain clubs.

Demographics is one area we can’t change and one must realize that the US population is shifting from traditional Europeans coming from countries with skiing to a mixed culture of Hispanics, Indians and Asians many of whom are clueless to Winter and the snowsports.  For them life IS a beach or a palm tree.  I recently spoke with a NYC based ski travel agent who’s been in business for 30 years.  His NYC based ski trip business used to be able to fill 30 buses every weekend with skiers from Manhattan and send them to Vermont.  Now he’s lucky is he can fill six on any given weekend.  Why…..because CHANGE took place while no one was watching!   It’s been referred to it as the “foreign or Asian invasion” where new residents coming from regions of warm climate have no appreciation for Winter.  When someone runs around in Bermuda shorts or a sari all year how do you interest them in snow!  In addition the aging population means older skiers drop out of the sport, some retire and move to Florida and are not being replaced by younger people.

Consider also that younger people today are much different than we were at their age.  Buses might be cost effective but the social charm of a Friday night bus run to New England isn’t what it used to be.  When a single can find a ski buddy or soul-mate on the internet why chance you’d meet one on a bus?  Another factor is that younger people have no interest in the Mom and Pop el cheapo motels that tour operators traditionally used to keep rates low.  Instead they’d rather hustle a last-minute deal on their smart-phone, pack their car with gear and sneak 10 friends into a 2 bedroom slope-side condo.  Anyone who’s technologically connected doesn’t need a travel agent when the internet gives them the capability to make cut-rate bids on Priceline to get a better deal.

Does this mean that we give up and accept that ski clubs will wither and die allowing a sheriffs sale of our Vermont lodges.  No…..but we must admit that the landscape changed over the years and how we market our clubs and the Council to attract younger people and those who ski or might, MUST also change. The state ski Councils and member clubs have to change and re-invent themselves…..there is NO OTHER WAY!!!  Our own Ski Council needs to make changes to carry it and its member clubs through.  How we did business 30 years ago doesn’t matter anymore.  People in the 25 to 40 year old category weren’t around or were too young to know about what we did.  THEN was THEN but NOW is NOW and NOW is different!   NJS&SC must change by doing things differently and here are some thoughts I offer as suggestions for REAL CHANGE:

1)  To attract awareness to the Snowsports we need to get in front of the public eye.

2)  We need to reach those we do not yet reach and to attract younger people to the clubs.

3)  The current EXPO has NO glitz, change the format because to do nothing is ludicrous.

4)  Invite owners of area ski/sport shops to a meeting of the Executive Board.  Ask for their ideas on how to improve the next Expo. Shop owners are the front line marketing the snowsports so why not utilize their knowledge?

5)  Interface with ski resorts asking for input from their Marketing gurus and ask for ideas on how to improve the Expo they are being charged to attend.  Seek their help in promoting ski clubs…..(find common ground).

6)  Capture reasons why joining a ski club is a good idea; put them in the Guidebook and broadcast them on a poster at the Expo.

7)  Recognizing that not everyone skis, market Council clubs as sporting/social clubs with skiing as one of many interests.

8)  NJSSC should sponsor a summer event (5K run or bicycle ride) to raise awareness of who we are and why we exist.

9)  Engage High School ski Clubs and Town Recreation Ski programs because they represent a possible source of current and future members.

10)  Train Council reps. to make a presentation to their local town ski programs then DO IT.

11)  Add a ski race to the Council schedule and circulate it amongst the Catskill Ski resorts as one way to improve relations between the Council and the resorts.

12)  Dispense with the monthly agenda at Council meetings and divide the club Reps. into working groups, assign each group an ‘issue’ to solve……..then DO IT.

13)  Create a strategic planning committee in the Council to create a vision and 5 year plan.

 

These suggestions can work and should be implemented without delay.  As we listened to Susan unhappily announce a downward trend in skier days last season, the huge reduction in the Council’s voucher sales and hear some club members say they are having trouble filling their lodges…….do we sit back and watch it happen OR do we run with the bulls in Pamplona!!  CHANGE, SERIOUS CHANGE IS NEEDED and it can’t be put off for another season IT MUST BEGIN NOW!  Just as the world needs sustainable energy, NJ Ski Council needs a plan to secure its future.  CHANGE NOW should be our new mantra, CHANE NOW and grow!

Did you know:   NJSSC has a beautiful new website thanks to the efforts of our President Susan Donlan who was instrumental in negotiating with a colleague to create it.  If you haven’t logged onto www.newjerseyskicouncil.org in some time I urge you to do it.  The new website is well designed with nice graphics and great functionality.  The home page is loaded with features such as a calendar of upcoming events in the left hand corner and the amazing Find a Ski and Snowboard Club in the right corner where all you do is to input your zip-code and search to find a club near you.  There are a number of buttons across the top of the page including: News and events, Discount Programs, Trip listings, Member Clubs and the Race Program.  The new website was a major step forward for NJSSC and we have Susan to thank for spearheading the effort……THANK YOU SUSAN!

Instant E-vouchers:  A presentation was given by a club member at the Executive Board meeting this month for an enhancement to the Voucher program.  His suggestion is for an E-ticket of sorts where in addition to getting voucher by ordering through your club, a member of a Council club could log onto the Council website, go to the Voucher ordering section, select a resort they want to ski and using PayPal or other method, pay for an E-voucher at the mountain of choice.  In essence it would work like Liftopia where the member prints a receipt to take to the mountain which is redeemed for an already paid lift ticket.  This idea was just presented so has not been seriously studied and being a new concept to the Council no details have been worked out.  In addition the mountains would have to be contacted to see if such a program could link with their websites and our own website would have to be modified to enable such a program.  If possible it could not be implemented before 2015-2016 however, the Ex. Board would like to know what you think about such a program.  Email your responses to Susan at sdonlan1@comcast.net or me at the email address below.

A request to all clubs:  Although I am the author, Council Tracks belongs to YOU the Clubs and I’d like it to reflect and promote the interest of The Council clubs.  Please send me articles of interest and pictures you’d like posted.  If your club did something neat last winter, this summer or fall and you have pictures please send to me at rjzega@yahoo.com to get them published in Council Tracks.  This newsletter is a great vehicle to call attention to your club and activities.  Ski –stories such as falling into a tree-well, escaping an avalanche or skiing off the backside and having to get rescued because you couldn’t hike up 5,000 feet in waist deep snow are of interest to all.

As the season progresses I will add the usual columns such as Featured Resorts and Tech Talk.  Also now is the time get your equipment tuned and for you to get your ski legs and stamina pumped up!

 

As we head into the Thanksgiving weekend, on behalf of the Executive Board, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.  While we can afford our expensive sport, think about those less fortunate for whom even a daily meal is a challenge.  Donate food and if you can, spend some time volunteering at a soup kitchen.  It’s a simple way to give back.

Bob Zega