by Allan Miller, Alumni Supervisor | Feb 18, 2025 | Division News, Program News
2025 Annual Alumni & Patroller Celebration – March 16-20
• Celebrate, ski, and reconnect at the 2nd Annual Eastern Division NSP Alumni & Patroller Celebration!
• Join us at Stratton Mountain for an unforgettable gathering of NSP alumni and patrollers as we celebrate our shared passion for skiing and patrolling!
• Come for as long as you’d like—whether it’s a day or the whole event, the choice is yours!
Go to PatrollerSchool.org for information and a registration form. Use this link 2025 Flyer for the flyer with the details.
Genesee Valley Region Annual Alumni Day Invitation – February 28
• Friday, February 28, 2025, from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm at Hunt Hollow.
• The last day to register and order lunch is February 21!
• To register and get all the event information please click this link 2023 Genesee Valley Region Alumni Day
• Be sure to click the SUBMIT button at the end of the form.
Western Mass Region Annual Alumni Day – March 5
Calling all WMR Ski Patrol Alumni and Guests
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at Ski Butternut, Great Barrington, MA
• Join us for a day of skiing or just come for lunch and camaraderie!
• Check in at the Upper Lodge and enjoy coffee and doughnuts at 9:00 AM.
• Lift tickets courtesy of Butternut Ski Patrol – hit the trails or hang out.
• Noon Buffet Lunch.
• Free for currently registered WMR Alumni.
• $10 cash payable at the door for all other family and guests.
RSVP for lift tickets and/or lunch to Ann Migliaccio.
Eastern New York Region 3rd Annual Alumni Day – March 9
• The Royal Mountain Ski Patrol will host the 3rd Annual ENY Alumni Day on March 9.
• Mountain management will provide a free day pass to currently registered alumni and patrollers.
• Those interested can assist the patrol with opening, mid-day, and closing trail checks.
• The day will begin when we gather at 8:30 to 9:00 AM at the Patrol Building at the top of the parking lot.
• Mid-morning breakfast and mid-afternoon lunch will be provided at the patrol top shack.
• You can attend for the full day or any part of the day
• We will meet in the Velcro Lounge at closing for a beer.
If you plan to attend, please respond to Dan Crandall or 518.365.6277.
by Harriet Frawley, Memorial/Scholarship Advisor | Feb 18, 2025 | Division News, Program News
It’s that time of year when students are anticipating acceptance letters, narrowing down college majors, and making their final decisions about where to commit to for next fall. Current students and adult learners may be exploring graduate programs, or further coursework to facilitate a career change.
Any Eastern Division patroller who is seeking to pursue further education is eligible to apply for the 2025 David J. Nelson Sr. Memorial Scholarship. Now is the time of year to apply. Applications will be accepted through March 31.
Please see https://www.nspeast.org/memorial-scholarship.html to download the application and for more information. There, you can also learn about the origins of the Memorial Fund and how to honor the memory of a fellow patroller with a donation.
Here’s a recap of our 2024 Memorial Scholarship recipients. Be sure to congratulate them and ask about their studies when you see them on the hill this season.
Scholarships [$1,250]
Avery Laitala
Wachusett Mountain/EMARI
Biomedical Engineering/University of Connecticut
Cooper Biersbach
Holimont/WNY
Mechanical Engineering/SUNY at Buffalo
Lauryn Constantineau
Gore Mountain/ENY
Biology/Clarkson University
Joseph Brodsky
West Point/WMASS
Philosophy/NYU.
Honorable Mentions [$500]
Joanna Eckhardt
Swain/Genessee Valley
Nursing/Elmira College
Kathleen Knefley
Ski Sawmill/WAPP
BS in Nursing/The Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania.
Caroline McKeon
Blue Mountain/EPA
Wildlife Conservation Biology/University of NH
Jadon Crawford
Elk Mountain/EPA
Penn College of Technology/Heavy Equipment Operator.
by Heather Newman, Women's Supervisor | Feb 18, 2025 | Division News, Program News
The Eastern Division’s Women’s Program is off to a fantastic start for the 2024-2025 season, with successful clinics that have drawn great enthusiasm and participation. The program continues to provide opportunities for women of all skill levels to improve their mountain sports abilities, try new activities, and connect with like-minded peers.
The program has hosted clinics at Elk, Killington, Smugglers’ Notch, Gore, Plattekill, Wisp, Labrador, and Burke Mountain this season. In addition to ski and toboggan enhancement, the program has offered guided uphill skiing, skiing/riding, GPS search and navigation, and Nordic.
- Participants have been excited by the opportunity to try new activities and refine existing skills in a supportive and encouraging environment. We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many women expressing their appreciation for the camaraderie and expert instruction encountered at each clinic. Here’s what a few participants had to say:
- “This was a fabulous clinic organized and run by experienced, informative women. The instructors worked very well together to provide a comprehensive and fun day with the attendees. I learned more this day than expected!” – Labrador Mountain participant
- “Great instruction with positive encouragement and a can-do attitude. It was powerful, and I am thankful to the instructors for being inclusive to all levels!” – Megan S., Smugglers’ Notch Clinic
- “Creating a safe space for women to step outside their comfort zones with some amazing instructors. I felt supported every step of the way!” – Smugglers’ Notch participant
- “The pre-event organization and communication were matched with highly skilled instructors. Their ability to identify improvement needs, demonstrate techniques, and communicate concisely made this program highly successful.” – Elk Mountain participant
Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce the next clinics:
• Blue Mountain (EPA) on February 23
• Otis Ridge (WMA) on March 2
• Mad River Glen (NVT) on March 10
We are also thrilled to offer the Women’s Program Scholarship in Memory of Deborah Stitt again this year. Deborah had the opportunity to attend an Eastern Division Patroller School, where she was empowered to continue her patrol journey and support other women patrollers in developing their leadership skills within the National Ski Patrol (NSP). More information about the scholarship can be found at Patrollerschool.org.
Be sure to check out our Facebook page, National Ski Patrol – Eastern Divisions Women’s Program for a listing of upcoming events and additional details!
As the season progresses, the Women’s Program will continue to offer these clinics to foster a sense of community, adventure, and skill-building among women in the division. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities to get involved!
by Chuck Boyd, Nordic/Backcountry Supervisor | Feb 18, 2025 | Division News, Program News
Nordic Fest was a blast! It started snowing on Friday night and we woke up to several inches of new snow blanketing the area. Highland Forest was our gracious host providing the Pines Cabins for the weekend. Saturday started with half the group taking skate ski lessons with PSIA L3 Instructor Candice Raines, who did a superb job teaching. Her husband, Thayer, worked with those who required more basic skate ski instruction. Highland Forest provided rental skis for those who needed them.
The other half of the group took classic ski lessons with division staff members Phil Galka and Mike Lapierre. The highlight of the classic lessons was doing the ‘Dead Bug’ to get up after a fall. Lunch was back at the Pines Cabins as we prepared for the afternoon sessions.
Three stations were set up for the afternoon. One was shelters and fire starting, the second was improvised toboggans, and the third was low-angle rescue (LAR). The LAR station drew the most comments as we tried to standardize the system across Nordic/Backcountry, MTR, Certified, and Nordic Master programs.
Once the day was done, the group shared a huge meal and dessert working them off practicing a nighttime navigation exercise. The following day some of the group again took a PSIA L3 classic skiing lesson with Candice and Thayer. The rest of us went on a ski tour and candidates’ patroller skills were evaluated.
Besides great skiing, Jennifer Jones of Highland Forest Nordic passed her Senior Nordic OET. Sten Winborg of High Point Nordic became a Nordic patroller passing all the required skills. A big shout out for their great efforts and to all who attended!
But wait, if you missed this one there’s more coming. Our next event is at Pike Glades in New Hampshire. Registration and details are available on wwwpatrollerschool.org. This event is more backcountry-oriented and requires climbing skins on skis or split boards. I look forward to seeing you.
On the weekend of March 21-23, 2025 we are planning our final Nordic/Backcountry event. The activities include a Nordic Senior evaluation and possible Nordic Master training. We are still looking for a venue; any patrol interested in hosting this event please contact me asap. The only requirement is plenty of snow.
by Peter Frykman, NH OET Advisor | Jan 18, 2025 | Division News, Program News, Spotlight Articles
Join us at the Patroller School dedicated to only Telemark and Snowboard on Saturday and Sunday, February 8-9 at Waterville Valley, NH.
What makes this patroller school different from all the others? There are only snowboarders training snowboarders and telemark skiers training telemark skiers. This small event is limited to 20 snowboarders and 20 telemark skiers, assuring a great teacher-to-student ratio.
We’ve brought together a collection of top snowboard and telemark NSP toboggan instructors. They will help you up your sled game. If you just got your jacket last year or are training for your Senior OET credential these trainers have the skill and experience to bring you to the next level. Our cadre of snow sports instructors from the AASI and PSIA are among the best in New England.
Waterville Valley is known as the “Home of Freestyle Skiing” and was the host of the 1971 and 1972 National Championships of Exhibition Skiing. These were the first national-level freestyle competitions. Waterville Valley has grown into a hub for world-class competitions, hosting 11 Alpine World Cup races, 5 US Freestyle Championships, 1 US Alpine Championship, and numerous freeski and snowboard US Revolution Tours. Waterville has become the go-to early-season training venue for multiple boardercross, big air, and alpine race teams.
The upper slopes of the resort are known as “High Country” and are the location of a full-sized boardercross course, a cluster of big air/slopestyle jumps, a mogul training course, and a set of slalom/giant slalom training lanes. High Country was the pre-season training venue for the US Boardercross and Paralympic Snowboard teams. Before the women’s World Cup races at Killington, many FIS Alpine race teams came to train up on High Country including the US, Slovenian, Croatian, Canadian, Albanian, and New Zealand teams.
This year Waterville Valley is hosting the 2025 Toyota Waterville Freestyle Cup which is part of the World Cup Mogul Series. This event will be on Lower Bobbies one of the steepest World Cup Mogul courses. Waterville has a wide range of terrain on its 67 slopes and is blessed wi
th a great snowmaking and grooming team.
Join us at Waterville and learn from top-flight instructors on world-class terrain. This event was a huge success last year and what the attendees liked the most was that they were instructed by folks from their chosen snowsport. To find out more information and to register for this event follow this link to the Patroller School website.
by Chuck Boyd, Nordic/Backcountry Supervisor | Jan 18, 2025 | Division News, Program News
See you on the snow!Well, the new year kind of wreaked havoc with our snowpack leaving us firm to icy conditions, or no snow at all. But here in the east Mother Nature has a way of correcting herself. Our western regions received a good amount of lake-effect snow. This set us up nicely for Nordic Fest.
Our second event at Pike Glades in NH is still in the planning stages and registration should open soon. Patrollerschool.org is the place to find out more information and to register.
Our OET staff is putting more emphasis on skate skiing this season. This is the fastest-growing aspect of our sport, and who doesn’t want to look like Jessie Diggins? With trail running becoming so popular in the other seasons, runners have taken to skate skiing to enjoy the winter season and maintain their aerobic fitness.
Others of us just do it for fun. To help us all learn the skating techniques, we have recruited PSIA L3 Track and Skate instructors to help provide this training. Even alpine patrollers should take a break from constantly going downhill and try this style of Nordic skiing. It’s a great way to balance your fitness and prevent overuse injuries.
While I was getting ready to drive into that lake-effect snow my yard was green. That does not work for us. We finally got some serious cold weather and snow. I hope to see many of you at our Nordic/Backcountry events, and if you notice a Subaru buried in a snowbank with a set of ski tracks heading into the woods, come and join us.
by Jessie Miller, Assstant Division OET Supervisor | Jan 18, 2025 | Division News, Program News
This year the Senior OET Evaluation includes two major updates to the format of the evaluation. The changes aim to make the assessment more relevant and practical, mirroring how these critical patroller skills are used in practice.
Patroller Skills-Blended Skills Run
Moving forward, all Senior Evaluations in the Eastern Division will evaluate patroller skills as a blended skills run, including snowplow, sideslip, moving change in direction (i.e. transition or pivot slip), and a static change in direction in a designated location (i.e., kick turn, wedge and match, jump turn or static 180 for snowboards).
In years past, a Senior Candidate would complete patroller skills separately, performing a snowplow run and a sideslip run. In practice, when a patroller is handling a toboggan they use a BLEND of these skills to achieve a smooth ride for the patient.
Loaded Toboggan & Tail Rope – Traverse
A traverse is now included in the loaded toboggan run. The driver and tail rope candidates demonstrate the ability to work together as a team to traverse around an obstacle. In a practical sense, the traverse will simulate getting around a rock, tower, bare patch, or other obstacle while safely transporting an injured patient. Consider how each of these changes ties into the Toboggan Fundamentals!
Toboggan Fundamentals
• Employ sound judgment to ensure the safety of the toboggan handlers, passenger, and public.
• Use a blend of Technical Fundamentals, along with chain/rope management, to control the speed and direction of the toboggan.
• Use Route Selection and other Tactical skills to optimize the path of the toboggan to safely arrive at a scene or transport a patient.
• Employ appropriate Communication between toboggan handlers, passenger, and public.
Really Cool Resources
You have questions? We have answers! The FAQs in the Standard Operating Procedure aim to address questions regarding the updated Senior Evaluation format. These, and more, can be found on the:
Patroller School OET homepage.
Senior Evaluation Standard Operating Procedure
OET Trainer Evaluator Handbook (i.e. the Flip Book)
Reach out to your local TEs and Regional Leadership to learn more and get involved in the Senior Program!
by Rob West, Avalanche Supervisor | Jan 18, 2025 | Division News, Program News
Hello everyone. Winter is upon us, and the snow has been falling. Thanks to some early-season storms the backcountry is skiing nicely. With that, it is time to think about avalanche safety when venturing into the backcountry.
The Eastern Division is running three Level 1 Avalanche classes this season. If you are venturing out into Tuckerman Ravine or getting ready for the Certified program these classes are for you. Our first class is coming up soon, from January 24-26 at Whiteface Mountain in NY. Registration is now open at Patroller School or contact the IOR Chuck Boyd.
Our other two classes are at Smugglers’ Notch and Tuckerman Ravine. Dates and information can be found on the Patroller School website. See you all soon.
by Sue-Ellen Helmacy, Awards Supervisor | Jan 18, 2025 | Division News
It’s Eastern Division Outstanding Award nomination season and there are 21 openings to receive those titles. Each “opening” is listed, with a brief list of the requirements, on the Eastern Division webpage under Programs/Awards.
Current nomination forms for Outstanding Patroller or Outstanding Patrol must be downloaded from the NSP website.
Completed nominations are due to the Division Awards Advisor by March 1. Before submission to the Division, the nomination must be submitted and reviewed by the Region Awards Advisor and Region Director. Each region may submit only one name for each category.
The information for the patroller or patrol should include the NSP activities for this season and the last three. Contact your Region Awards Advisor for further details. They even have guides on how to write the nominations.
Remember, ACHIEVEMENTS make strong awards, not only titles! Let’s fill all 21 “Openings” this year!
