SEQUOIA SNO GO NEWSLETTER Sequoia Ski Club Established 1935 Member FWSA March, 2010
KEYSTONE TRIP A BIG HIT
Eleven club members traveled to Keystone, Colorado, for a week of skiing as part of the Far West Ski Association annual ski week. They formed part of a group of over 30 Sierra Council members and 360 FWSA members in a week of skiing and social activities
The group left on Saturday, January 30, and returned on Saturday, February 6. Flying to Denver and then taking a bus to the resort were George and Debbie Stewart, Ed and Melinda Bergreen, Joe Shimasaki and Rosalie Fisher, and J. D. Fischer and Kathy Enea. Woody Hogan and Lupe and Mike Bowers drove.
The group skied two days at Keystone before taking a bus for a great day at Vail, the biggest resort in the United States. They finished with three more days at Keystone. Included in the week were club and council dinners, the opening reception and farewell banquet, an on-mountain lunch, individual and council racing, and numerous other social activities.
The weather stayed good for the most part, with one day of one inch of new snow and another with three to four inches. Skiers had to adjust to some occasional cool and breezy weather at times and the altitude which ranged from almost 9,300 feet at base level up to over 11,800 feet.
MEMBERS CAPTURE RACE MEDALS
Debbie and George Stewart, Woody Hogan and Ed Bergreen all captured medals in the ski races held during the week-long trip. As to our council, the Sierra Council placed second in overall points among all the councils during the competition.
CAT SKIING TRIP
At the farewell banquet Thursday Ed Bergreen won a raffle for a day of snow cat skiing on the final day on Friday. Debbie bid on one of two remaining spots for the trip and George was able to go with Ed on the trip.
George reported that they took nine runs on terrain above the main part of the resort, with fresh powder that ran from a foot to almost waist deep. Their group had 10 people and 3 guides and they ascended to well over 12,000 feet.
Part of the package was a stop at a mountain Yurt where the members of the group were treated to a big, white linen lunch. A normal cost for the day-trip is $285.
MEMBERS INDICATE FAVORITE PARTS OF THE TRIP
"The friendships that you make is the favorite part of the trip for me," said Debbie Stewart. "Also being successful in the racing was a highlight."
Joe Shimasaki said that all the great groomed blue runs at Keystone were a big highlight. The front mountain rose 2,300 vertical feet and was a long, groomed paradise with bountiful runs for skiers of all levels.
"Skiing the Poppyfield runs in the back bowls of Vail was a great highlight for me," added Rosalie Fisher. The weather was perfect for Vail day and the snow was almost perfect.
Kathy Enea also said that the Vail trip was a big highlight but commented on another individual highlight she will always remember. "That was when the four of us (Kathy, J. D., Rosalie, and Joe) got to the second peak of Outback early after the fresh snowfall and found the Prospector Run with untracked powder. All of us whooped and hollered as we made S turns all the way down the long run of 3 to 4 inches of new snow."
The other members of the group also agreed that the one run was the best of the trip.
Obviously for George and Ed the highlight was the cat skiing on the final day.
TRIVIA RESULTS
There seemed to be some confusion about the questions, so I received no correct answers this month. The questions were to name the resorts that had the same names of lifts that are also at Keystone. Answers: River Run is at Sun Valley, Outback at Mt. Bachelor, Ruby at Deer Valley, Peruvian at Snowbird, and Summit at both Mt. Bachelor and Alpine Meadows.
NORTHSTAR TRIP
If you are interested in going to Northstar next weekend from Friday, March 5 through Sunday, March 7, contact Debbie Stewart. Club members should have received a flier by email about the trip. There are special lodging options for members. This is also a scheduled Sierra League race weekend, so bring your FWSA Membership Card to get the special race price for lift tickets sold at the registration area. Members are eligible to sign up for the race clinic on Saturday and race on Sunday. More information is on the web site www.sierraleague.com.
SKI TIP OF THE MONTH - #4 - INDEPENDENT LEG MOVEMENT
The last three newsletters dealt with up-unweighting, down-unweighting, and retraction. Here is the final ski tip - independent leg movement. Even when you've mastered flexing or extending both legs simultaneously, there's still one more movement pattern you need to address. As the pitch of the slope, your speed and the forces acting on you increase, your legs need to work independently. With your outside power leg extended far outside your center and your body countered away from the hill,you have to flex your inside leg to keep it under your center and to give yourself a stable platform. (From Ski Magazine, Nov, 2009)
CLUB BIRTHDAY PARTY 
Sunday, March 21, will be the annual club birthday party at Sierra Summit. Woody Hogan indicated that by teaming up with one of the Visalia Rotary Clubs that day we can purchase a one day lift pass for that day at a discounted rate of $30. Anyone wishing to purchase a lift pass for that date should give Woody or Debbie a check in advance.
The club plans to eat lunch together. Each person should bring their own lunch or buy it at the Quonset Hut cafeteria. Gary Smith, Social Director, will coordinate a birthday cake to help celebrate and supply the plate, forks, and napkins. Anyone who would like to help should contact Gary at pargrs@gmail.com.
MARCH TRIVIA
Since many of the events of the Winter Olympics were held at Whistler, this month's questions are about that resort. (1) The lowest elevation point is 2,140 feet and the highest 7,494, a vertical of 5,354. Where are these measurement taken? (2) The Peak 2 Peak Gondola spans how many feet over what creek? (3) The same gondola runs from Whistler to Blackcomb and back high above the valley. What are names of the two lodges where the terminals are located? (4) What is the name of the high speed quad with the highest vertical of 2,200 feet? (5) What is the official name of the downhill course used for the Olympics
CALIFORNIA SENIOR WINTER GAMES
The first annual California Senior Winter Games will be held March 11-14 at Dodge Ridge for competitors 50 years and older in five-year age groups that will include cross country (Classic and Skating races), Nordic, Snowboarding, and Skiing. (All will have Giant Slalom, Slalom, and Dual Slalom) The four days will be a festive, colorful, action-packed Winter Carnival atmosphere for competitors, spectators, friends, and family. Visit www.CaliforniaWinterGames.org.
WRAPUP
For non-members of the club this is your last newsletter unless you join the club before the next one +++++ There will be no Thursday Ski Club meeting in March. It will be held briefly at Sierra Summit during lunch at the club birthday party on March 21. +++++ Thirteen members and one guest attended the February meeting at Round Table on February 18. Most of items at the meeting are discussed in other stories in the newsletter. +++++Debbie is requesting 64 pillows for the Sierra Council for next year's trip Sun Valley, Idaho. Lodging is first come/first served, so sign up early. +++++ George Stewart reports that pictures from the recent Keystone trip will be on the web site soon. +++++ More information about the fabulous resort of Sun Valley, the home of the first chairlift in 1936, will be presented next month.