by Allan Miller, Alumni Supervisor | Jan 21, 2026 | Division News, Program News
The Region Alumni Advisors of the Eastern Division are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom Forum.
This will be the first-ever Alumni Forum. We are creating an opportunity for Alumni to share stories, have their questions answered, and help us understand how we can support them in staying connected with their patrol and patrolling friends and getting the most out of their Alumni membership.
We will discuss the third Alumni and Patroller Celebration at Stratton in March. This is a great week with special low-cost lodging and lift tickets, plus opportunities to socialize and gain insights into the resort that the general public rarely gets to experience.
Topic: Eastern Division Alumni – Forum
Time: Feb 5, 2026, 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 881 7853 4064
Passcode: 288574
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Join instructions
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by Matt Nebzydoski, OET Supervisor | Jan 21, 2026 | Division News, Program News
Here’s a great opportunity for some skill building before Senior tests kick off.
Eastern Division is offering two exciting Patroller School opportunities close to home—join us at Gore Mountain in the Adirondacks or Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills!
These events are a great opportunity to build and refine your skiing/riding and toboggan handling skills while learning alongside fellow patrollers.
What to Expect
Patroller School is a two-day OET event focused on skill development and progression:
- One full day with a Level III PSIA instructor focused on skiing or riding
- One full day with Division OET Staff focused on toboggan handling and applied skills
These events are engaging, supportive, and designed to promote meaningful growth—while having a lot of fun on snow.
📍 Gore Mountain
- Gore Women’s Toboggan Clinic – Friday, Feb 27
- Gore Patroller School – Saturday–Sunday, Feb 28–March 1
The Gore Women’s Clinic may be taken as a stand-alone, one-day event, or added to Patroller School for a three-day experience.
📍 Belleayre Mountain
- Belleayre Patroller School – Saturday–Sunday, Feb 28–March 1
👉 Register now: PatrollerSchool.org
We hope you’ll join us for an outstanding weekend of learning, skill-building, and connection.
Think snow,
by Allan Miller, Alumni Supervisor | Jan 21, 2026 | Division News, Program News
YES, IT WILL HAPPEN AND WE’RE GOING BACK TO STRATTON!
Join us again for the 3rd Patroller and Alumni event. It will be a week of skiing, information, camaraderie and Après Ski. We will again celebrate our shared passion for skiing and patrolling! Be there for as long it is fun for you. We hope you can stay the whole time, but your stay is up to you. No charge for notable alumni and patroller events. All costs for lodging, lift tickets, and meals are on you.
HERE ARE THE DETAILS SO FAR!
DATES
We are awaiting Stratton’s announcement of the dates. The event will coincide with their “Friends and Family Week,” mid-March, around St Patrick’s Day. Stay tuned for the details.
LODGING
The price needs to be confirmed, but it appears Stratton is again providing rooms for $99 per night, plus tax and VT fees, at Black Bear Lodge for the week of the event. This rate is for one or two people per room. We will post a reservation link once the final dates are announced.
LIFT TICKETS
The price has not yet been confirmed, but it appears Stratton is again offering us a great “Friends and Family” rate of $35.00 per day, plus tax valid for the week of the event. Just go to the outside ticket window on the uphill side of the Base Lodge, identify yourself as a participant in the National Ski Patrol Alumni group, and buy the appropriate number of one-day tickets.
OTHER EVENTS
Several after-dinner events are being planned. Last year’s events were well worth the time and a BIG BONUS to the week. Details and schedule of these events will be forthcoming.
Mark your calendars and join us for this unforgettable event. More details will be sent periodically. Come for a day, come for the whole week…JUST COME! We look forward to seeing you there. Stay tuned for more info and updates!
VERY IMPORTANT: Please let us know if you are coming or planning to come. Register on the PatrollerSchool.org website. We will send you information about the event as it unfolds.
by Grant Fullman, Division Director | Dec 22, 2025 | Division News
Winter arrived early this year – unlike last year! Lots of good snowmaking weather and some help from Mother Nature, so most of us have already been out on snow. OEC courses and refreshers were successfully delivered throughout the Division, and feedback on this year’s refresher content was overwhelmingly positive. Certified Boot Camp at Ski Roundtop (EPA), Advanced Patroller School at Swain (GV), AMN Instructor Refresher at Pike Glades (NH), multiple MTR courses, “Snowbound 2025” (Boston Ski Show), and the Division OET Staff Conference at Killington (SVT) were delivered and well received. Many thanks to everyone who made these possible!
National Board election turnout was up from last year’s, and all four candidates recommended by the Division won seats. Congratulations to Shelley Urben, Sharon Friedel, Rich Pietrafesa and Bill Cline! It’s never too early to look ahead to next year’s election, which will have five National Board seats to fill. If you’re interested, I recommend attending National Board meetings by Zoom on a regular basis; most are open to any member, and you can find the schedule and login information on the National website.
As we start a new season on snow, let’s pause to reflect on how we interact with our teammates, area management, and resort guests. Treating everyone with kindness, dignity, and respect wins the day every time—especially when that might seem undeserved or the heat of the moment might send us in a different direction. We can make a positive difference every day, even when we’re not providing first aid or transportation.
Have a happy, joyous, and safe holiday season! Hope to see you somewhere on snow soon!
by Craig Larson, YAP Supervisor | Dec 22, 2025 | Division News
Young Adult Patrollers (YAPs) from Maine to West Virginia will once again gather at Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Jeffersonville, Vermont, March 13-16, 2026 for the Eastern Division Young Adult Program Summit. Smugglers’ Notch Resort has over 1000 acres of terrain including long turn cruisers, steeps, trees, terrain parks, and the only TRIPLE BLACK DIAMOND in the east, Black Hole. Smugglers’ has been a gracious host to this event in the past and looks to do the same this year.Attendees will receive the following;
• Three nights of lodging (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
• Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday
• Dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
• Lift Ticket for Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday
• Hands on skills training
• Patroller Skills competition
• Mystery events
• FREE swag
Registration opens on January 1. There will be a late fee for anyone registering after January 31. Eligible patrollers are those age 15 through high school graduation. Scholarships are available to Young Adult Patrollers with financial needs to attend the Eastern Division Seminar. The deadline for scholarship applications is January 27.
Information and registration can be found on the patrollerschool.org
by Les Blomberg, Mt. Washington Ski Patrol | Dec 22, 2025 | Division News, Program News, Spotlight Articles
Monty AtwaterThe Eastern Division Roger H. Damon Jr. Avalanche Award was developed and first presented in 2013 in accordance with criteria from NSP’s Montgomery Atwater National Avalanche Award, to recognize Eastern Division’s NSP members, or non-members, who have made outstanding and continuing contributions to the Avalanche Program with significant division impact. Examples of such contributions might fall under management, curriculum development, publication, scientific discovery, instruction, or any combination thereof.
Roger Damon
Roger was the first recipient of this award in 2013 when he then had 67 years of service, including time served at Norwich University, Burke Mountain, and the Mount Washington Ski Patrols. Also, during his time in the military, Roger patrolled at a mountain in Austria where his interest in avalanche safety began. He retired from the Mount Washington Ski Patrol in 2018 at the age of 89, after one last season of hiking up to Tuckerman Ravine, assisting in rescues, and then skiing out the Sherburne Ski Trail at the end of the day.
Other recipients of this prestigious award include:
Brad Ray—2015, for his work as a National Forest Service (NFS) Snow Ranger from 1958 to 2001, writing avalanche advisories, educating the public about avalanche hazards, and conducting countless rescues in Tuckerman Ravine. Brad joined the Mount Washington Ski Patrol when he retired from the NFS in 2021.
Brooke Taber and Conor Lahiff—2016, Burlington, VT-based weather forecasters for the National Weather Service for their contribution to NSP Eastern Division avalanche courses by teaching the weather portion of the Avalanche Triangle.
Chuck Boyd—2024, for his leadership and support of the Eastern Division Avalanche Program over the last 25 years, including serving as the Eastern Division Avalanche Supervisor.
Les Blomberg—2025, for his leadership, mentorship, and dedication to the Eastern Division Avalanche Program over the last 35 years. Les is the go-to member of the Team for Companion and Group Rescue as well as mentoring new instructors. He has produced and copyrighted pocket guides on Companion Rescue for students.
Les and Chuck were recruited by Roger and working side by side with him teaching outdoor education and avalanche fundamentals to both NSP and non-NSP educational venues in the White, Green, and Adirondack Mountains.
Chuck Boyd Roger Damon Les Blomberg
Chuck and Les were able to visit Roger on December 5 to share memories and thank him for all his contributions and for mentoring them as they grew into the avalanche education and division avalanche program leadership. Without Roger we would not have the avalanche program we have today. Wishing Roger all the best!
2013 Trail Sweep article about the Roger Damon Avalanche Award
by Chuck Boyd, Nordic/Backcountry Supervisor | Dec 22, 2025 | Division News, Program News
As I woke up this morning the temperature was 9 degrees with 3 – 4 inches of snow in my yard. What a great way to start this ski season. This is the best start that we have had here in the east for several years, so let’s take advantage of it. I’ve been out skiing on two types of Nordic skis so far, for a total of four times. Waxing skis in the evening has become a ritual, with fellow patrollers coming over to chat and wax their skis.
Congratulations to all the new NSP BOD members. This is the first time that everyone I voted for was elected. Did you vote?
We are working on getting all the online course materials up on the Patroller School website. This is a huge undertaking for the staff to have all this material online five to six weeks before the start of each program. We hope to have most of this material open to the students by Christmas.
Nordic Fest is a go for the weekend of January 31 – February 1, 2026 at Highland Forest in Fabius, NY. This will be a fun time, and I look forward to seeing many of my fellow Nordic patrollers!
Pike Glades Backcountry patroller school is scheduled for the weekend of February 28 – March 1. Hope to see a lot of you skinners there.
Bolton Valley’s Nordic Senior/Master weekend is scheduled for March 21 – 22, 2026. Come out and help us get our Nordic senior and master candidates through their evaluations. Bolton Valley always has great snow conditions and is open already.
All of the above events can be found at Patrollerschool.org.
I’ll let you know next month how the December skiing was. See you out there!
by John Wolf, Bike Supervisor | Dec 22, 2025 | Division News, Spotlight Articles
As the 2025-2026 ski season gets underway, the Liberty Mountain Ski Patrol (LMSP) marks a significant milestone: sixty years of dedicated service to the skiing community and the National Ski Patrol system.
From Oregon Ridge to Liberty Mountain
Their story begins around 1965 when patrollers from the then recently-closed Oregon Ridge Ski Area in Hunt Valley, Maryland, brought their expertise to a newly developed resort in the rolling hills of south-central Pennsylvania. Originally known as Charnita—named for developers Charles and Anita Rist—the ski area faced early financial challenges. When the resort went bankrupt in the early 1970s, those committed patrollers persevered.
In 1974, when Irv Naylor acquired the property and renamed it Ski Liberty, the patrol members took a defining step: they ratified bylaws to provide lasting structure and guidance, a measure that was truly ahead of its time. That formalization, now over fifty years old, created the foundation for an organization that would become a stalwart within the Eastern Division.
Leadership Within the NSP System
LMSP’s impact extends far beyond the 600 vertical feet of their home mountain. The patrol was named the 1995 and 2025 Eastern Division Large Alpine Patrol of the Year, a testament to their commitment to excellence. Members have served at the highest levels of the NSP, including as National Chair and as legal counsel, Divisional and National, for the organization for decades and have ended up in the most prestigious halls of fame and honor that the NSPS has to offer. Not to mention the countless number of instructors that the patrol has produced over the last 60 years as well as countless other leadership positions its members have held at all levels (sectional, regional, and divisional). Their innovative practices, safety protocols, and accident documentation have been adopted by patrols and ski industry organizations across the country.
A Family Tradition
What truly distinguishes LMSP is the deep sense of family that permeates the organization. Multiple generations have served together; spouses, parents and children, even grandparents and grandchildren have shared patrol duties. In the early 1980s, patrol members and their families literally built their community together, constructing a family room annex to the first aid facility. When the patrol outgrew that space in the mid-1990s, families again came together to create new facilities.
Pioneers and Mentors
The patrol’s success rests on the shoulders of pioneers who set the standard for generations to follow. Legends like Wally Shank, Bill Sachs, Bob Scarlett, and countless others who established a culture of excellence and mentorship that continues today.
Bob Starr, who joined as a teenager in the early 1970s and who continues to actively patrol in the present day, summed up the patrol’s enduring appeal: “The people bring us back. We are all friends who support each other.”
Beyond the Slopes
LMSP’s commitment to service extends well beyond Liberty Mountain. Patrol members regularly provide support for community events including the JFK 50-miler ultramarathon, the Annapolis Running Festival, the Baltimore 10-Miler, and the Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League races, among many others. This community involvement reflects the patrol’s broader mission of service and safety.
Looking Ahead
Today, LMSP comprises approximately 120 members, over half of whom are volunteers. They represent diverse professional backgrounds from across the mid-Atlantic region united by a passion for skiing/riding and helping others.
Entering its seventh decade the patrol faces ever evolving challenges, yet the foundation laid by those Oregon Ridge patrollers sixty years ago remains strong. A legacy of service, excellence, and family that continues to define LMSP.
As the 2025-2026 season progresses and LMSP celebrates this diamond anniversary, the patrol stands as a reminder of what makes the National Ski Patrol special: dedicated patrollers who brave harsh weather, provide exceptional care, and create lasting bonds of friendship through service and passion. Here’s to sixty years of keeping the slopes safe at Liberty Mountain and to many more seasons ahead.
by Bill Zink, Certified Supervisor | Nov 19, 2025 | Division News, Program News
A lot of activity in the first nine months of the year as we wrapped up the 2024/2025 season welcoming four new Certified Patrollers in the Eastern Division. They are already living up to their number as all are actively engaged in the operations of the NSP Eastern Division Leadership and training programs.
We completed our second program in September with the annual Enhanced Patroller School at Swain Resort in New York. Again, over 60 participants shared their experiences and local expertise at a division event. The fearless leader of the program, Jeff Baker, Certified# 549, was honored as the National Alpine Ski Patroller of the Year for the entire NSP on September 20th. Congratulations, Jeff—you make us proud!
If you are interested in our program, please go to the Eastern Division website to learn more about the Certified program. We have a team of dedicated Region Certified Advisors that are local to your resort and are available to answer questions. We also have two certified members, Denice Kaus, Certified# 833 and Becky Moran-Rubin, Certified #871 that are available to help answer questions and guide you through the process. For more information contact Bill Zink by email or call 703-497-1475.
Below is a list of our program schedule for the 2025/2026 ski season:
• Nov 27, 2025: Registration should open for exams and Patroller School events
• Jan 1, 2026: Candidate credentials due
• Jan 21, 2026: Responses to admitted candidates
• Feb 1, 2026: Hunter Mountain Pretest (pretest referral letter required)
• Feb 6, 2026: Killington Pretest (pretest referral letter required)
• Feb 7–8, 2026: Killington Patroller School, Intro to Certified Program
• Mar 19–22, 2026: Certified Exam, Sugarloaf, Maine
• Mar 22, 2026: Certified Annual Meeting, Sugarloaf, Maine (8–10 AM)
• Mar 18–21, 2027: Tentative Certified Exam, TBD
• Mar 16–20, 2028: 60th Anniversary Certified Exam, Killington, VT
Looking forward to seeing everyone on the slopes this season.
