by Chuck Boyd, Nordic/Backcountry Supervisor | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News, Program News
I hope everyone had a great summer and accomplished their goals. Now it’s time to go to the AMN Instructor Continuing Education Event, September 26-28. This year’s event will be held at Pike Glades, NH as we move these events around the division.
Instructors, instructor candidates, and interested patrollers wishing to get involved with Nordic, MTR, or Avalanche are always welcome at this event. This year’s registration will close on 9/22, allowing all attending to have time to complete the online material before they arrive.
The Nordic/Backcountry station will focus on navigation, using CalTopo, and plotting a waypoint on a paper map. The MTR station will focus on low angle rescue as we try to standardize our systems throughout all NSP programs. The Avalanche station will do transceiver searches and exam prep for L2 avalanche and Nordic Master transceiver tests.
Plus, this year they will introduce the Hypo Wrap, a backcountry technique to help keep your hypothermia or injured patient warm until more help arrives and transportation is complete. With the online material ahead of time we can now adjust our schedule and spend more time outside doing hands-on training. This should make things a bit more exciting and fun!
We will announce the upcoming season’s events for Nordic/Backcountry on patrollerschool.org. When you sign up and access AMN you’ll find a video presentation of our program updates. AMN events will be posted on the division website calendar when the events are finalized. As a heads up, one of the events will be at Pike Glade, NH in February.
Did you know that Jesse Diggins came to Vermont and held training camps at Stratton? It’s fantastic to see Olympic Nordic skiers come east to help train our future Olympians.
See you all soon at the AMN. The winter outlook for the east coast shows lots of snow and cold temps for us.
by Joni Porter, MTR Supervisor | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News, Program News
To All Patrollers
All of you who are instructors and instructor candidates, along with those of you who are familiar with Avalanche, MTR, and/or Nordic/BC skills, and are interested in becoming an instructor in one of these programs:
This year’s Avalanche, Mountain Travel & Rescue, and Nordic/Backcountry Instructor Refresher, best known as AMN2025, is being run September 27 & 28, 2025, at The Pike Glades in New Hampshire. Camping is available on-site, free of charge, beginning on Friday, September 26, 2025. Register on Patroller School for more details.
In Other News
National is beginning work on a hybrid MTR Level 1 course modeled on the Eastern Division’s hybrid MTR Level 1 course. The anticipated release date is March of 2026. There are three Eastern Division MTR ITs on the committee: Matt Karpinecz, Jeff Sargent, and me. The MTR Instructor Manual has been updated to align with the recently released “Mountaineering – Freedom of the Hills, 10th Edition,” which is used as the textbook for MTR Level 1 and Level 2 courses.
All division MTR Region Advisors have been invited to add their region’s 2025/2026 courses and clinics to an ‘MTR Course Schedule’ in Google Docs. This schedule also includes division-run courses. This is one of the ways we are achieving our goal of inter-region collaboration.
We will be asking every MTR Instructor and Instructor Candidate to do the online portion of the AMN Instructor Refresher every year. They’ll do this by registering for the hybrid portion only when registering for the AMN. This won’t fulfill the requirement of attending an instructor refresher once every three years, but it will keep all our instructors and instructor candidates engaged, informed, and current.
We’ve found that one-day MTR clinics are being very well attended and generate a lot of positive feedback. Some recent ones have been an MTR clinic for women, a navigation clinic, an uphill-travel clinic, and a low-angle-rescue clinic. Clinics are also a great way for instructor candidates to get in their required mentored instructing in their quest to become an MTR Instructor. Reach out to your region’s MTR advisor to find out where and what type of clinics will be offered this season.
Our newest MTR Region Advisors are Todd Wildman for EMARI and Monica Lee Zablotny for WNY. Much appreciation to John Caron and Mary MacQueen for previously serving in those positions.
I’d like to remind everyone that downloadable lists of all current MTR personnel appear on the Eastern Division’s website.
by Matt Nebzydoski, OET Supervisor | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News, Program News
Yes, it’s very steep!
OET Steering is excited to announce a diverse lineup of events across the division for the upcoming season. These events offer valuable opportunities for patrollers to learn, grow, and connect with fellow patrollers.
Patroller Schools have a rich history of providing patrollers the opportunity to learn from the best instructors, including Division Staff and Certified Patrollers. In fact, the Elk Mountain, Maine, and Killington Patroller Schools can trace their history back more than 30 years when they were founded by Certified Patrollers looking to share their expertise.
Patroller Schools are awesome opportunities for patrollers at all levels to grow their OET skills and enjoy the camaraderie of meeting fellow patrollers from outside their home mountains. Events will include Senior, Women’s, and Certified level training. Schools will also offer top level PSIA coaches to help hone your ski, snowboard, and tele technique.
In addition, instructors and TEs will have several Ski Trainer Workshops (STWs) to choose from to help maintain and grow their skill sets. We will continue our theme of “Building Great Instructors” for a second year as we provide multiple opportunities for instructor development.
Here is a tentative list of this season’s events. More details to come in the coming months in Trail Sweep and at Patrollerschool.org.
Patroller Schools
1. Timberline/Canaan Valley – Jan 10 – 11
2. Maine Region – Jan 24-25
3. Elk – Jan 24-25
4. Plattekill – Jan 31-Feb 1
5. Sugarbush (Steeps, Trees, and Bumps) – Feb 5 tentative
6. Killington – Feb 7-8
7. Gore – Feb TBD
Ski Trainer Workshops (STWs) Dates TBD
1. Jay Peak
2. Sugarbush
3. Catamount
4. Holiday Valley
5. Waterville Valley
6. Ski Liberty
7. Sugarloaf
by Bill Zink, Certified Supervisor | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News, Program News
Brant Maley, certified #523 and Ski Roundtop patroller (a Vail Resort), and the staff of both the resort and the Certified Program delivered in August, what is being hailed as one of the best boot camps in the program’s history! The venue was outstanding; the participants were incredible, and the weather cooperated.
Activities included a ropes course, fishing, camping, cookouts, firepit discussions, and an all-around good time. We had over 60 participants over the 2.5 day event. Industry experts participated in open, town-hall-type forums talking about lift evacuation and risk management.
We spoke about the credentialing aspect of entering the Certified Program and we trained on all the modules including:
→ OEC (assessments, team OEC problems, and bystander problems)
→ Avalanche (including beacon searches and focused-probing exercises)
→ Low Angle Rescue (from fundamentals like knot tying and their applications to actually setting up systems in real-life situations)
→ Outdoor Risk Management (roundtable discussions)
→ Lift Evacuation (honing the skills needed to support our management)
Well, since we had no skiing we practiced our skills on the Onewheel Pint X.
Sunday morning things were brought together with two significant scenarios where all the skills learned were put to use!
Thank you to all the participants.
As we prep for the upcoming season, some Certified Program key dates to keep in mind are:
Credentials due – January 1, 2026
Pre-test – Killington Resort, February 6
Patroller School – Killington Resort, February 7-8
Exam – Sugarloaf Maine, March 18-22
If you have questions on our program, each reg and other events across the division this year.
by Mark Kendrick, NH Region Assistant YAP Advisor | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News, Program News
July 24-27, young adults, past, present, and future, Eastern Division YAP and OEC supervisors, and the New Hampshire Region YAP Advisor gathered to take on the challenge of the mountain bike craze. We all met at the Country Aire Campground, where we set up a variety of stays, everything from the good old tent setup to what some would call Glamping (I prefer to call it staying in comfort and style). That night sitting around the campfire, we discussed our plans for the next few days. It was decided we would take on the challenge of Thunder Mountain Bike Park on Friday.
After a hearty breakfast on Friday, we loaded up the trucks with our bikes and headed over to Thunder Mountain. After signing the standard waivers, we donned personal safety gear and headed to the lifts. We were led by Jason Tamulen, the Eastern Division OEC Supervisor and bike patroller, to the top and after some discussion and planning we learned the motto Pre-ride, Re-ride, Free ride. No different than doing a trail check, warm-up lap, and then letting it rip.
With nine people in the group, we had all levels from first-timer (this guy) to experienced YAPs who race and compete. With coaching from Craig Larson, Eastern Division YAP Supervisor, and Jason we learned how to ride within our abilities and coached to learn new skills and expand our boundaries for riding.
We zigged and zagged, twisted and turned, up and down as we made our way down the trails. We learned about riding strategies and how to use our momentum to carry us through various obstacles along the way. After each run, we assessed our ride and talked about how to improve all while riding the lift back to the top.
After a much-needed lunch and many bottles of water and Gatorade, we went back out to try some more challenging trails. This time we met up with no-gap jumps. Newcomers could roll through if they wanted. Through the woods and along the trails, you could hear the whoop whoops, yeehaw, and ‘Hang on Snoopy’ all the way down. At the end there was a large ramp where, if you didn’t carry enough momentum, you would roll back down the hill.
One last run down a technical trail (means lots of rocks to this guy) and we were physically spent, well, at least the adults were. Fortunately, our leader treated us to some ice cream from a local food truck. It tasted way too good after the day we all had.
At a great dinner sitting at the campfire, it was decided we would try and tackle some local cross-country trails. After some research using an app, we decided the trails of Catamount State Forest would be our target. Saturday’s breakfast was eaten, we loaded trucks with as many bikes as possible so we could minimize our parking, and headed to the trailhead.
After slowly working our way up a dirt road that ended more like a 4×4 trail, we found our parking spots. Some had to park further down as their vehicle just did not have enough clearance for the trail. We met up and under the navigation of Zach Larson we headed out, then turned around and headed a different way.
Well, let me say this, these trails were not well-traveled and were quite an adventure. Some of us felt like we were just taking the bikes out for a walk (lots of hills to climb). Did I say we were all in shape? Well, maybe not enough. Anyway, we scrambled up, up, and more up and then a little down.
We came across a great little spot to dry camp back in the woods alongside a small pond. From there we kept our adventure going with everyone encouraging and cheering each other on. The YAPs would find lines to take their bikes on. The adults would just stop and watch with big smiles as they negotiated through the challenges.
Along the way, we came upon a large stone with an American flag flying over it. It stated this was the first flag raised over a public schoolhouse in 1812. Pretty amazing and odd to find that in the middle of the woods. Further up the trail we found a sign pointing to a Bear Cave; after checking things out, we continued along our way making a 5-mile loop back to the vehicles.
Loading up, we headed back to the campground and quickly changed to head to a local swimming hole we passed along our drive. We all jumped in for a refreshing and well-deserved swim. Then back to the camp for some dinner and story time. Sunday morning, we were met with some light rain while packing up camps, but all was done with big smiles from an adventurous weekend with family and friends.
To learn more about YAP programs in your area, contact your region YAP advisor, or visit the YAP page on the Eastern Division Website.
by Kathy Fitzpatrick, Safety Supervior | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News, Program News
The Mission: The Eastern Division Safety & Wellness Team is offering live presentations to educate all about the importance of
stress awareness.
Why: Studies have shown that first responders who are educated and aware of the signs and symptoms of stress injury fare much better than those who are not. Our job is to care for your patrol members and to help support and retain them.
How: We will send a Safety & Wellness Team member to deliver a 5-minute presentation, “Wellness for All,” followed by a brief discussion at your option.
Where: At your region with your patrol.
When: At your Annual Refresher, On-The-Hill event, and/or your OEC or OET classes.
Please email Kathy Fitzpatrick to reserve a date and time for our team to help your patrol deal with stress!
by Harriet Frawley, Memorial/Scholarship Advisor | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News, Program News
As students return to their studies this fall, please join me in congratulating our 2025 David J. Nelson Memorial Scholarship recipients. Your generous donations to the Memorial Fund allowed us to award seven scholarships and two honorable mentions at this year’s Spring Officer’s Meeting.
$1,250 SCHOLARSHIPS
Ian Campbell, Belleayre/SNY
A recent graduate of Xavier High School in NYC, Ian was a leader of Xavier’s Jr. ROTC Regiment, served as Vice-Captain of a competitive fitness team – the Xavier Raiders, and was VP of the Rock Climbing Club. He also volunteered at Mercy Center in the Bronx, providing one-to-one English and math tutoring to elementary school students. Academically, he’s explored his varied interests by participating in summer programs like Worldstrides Biotechnology at UCSD, the Veritas AI Scholars program and Cooper Union’s Sustainable Building Materials Program. Ian plans to study Engineering at Dartmouth where he looks forward to joining the Dartmouth Ski Patrol.
Greta Marino, Swain/Genesee Valley
Greta is a sophomore BSN Nursing Student at Binghamton University. A third-generation patroller, she patrols at Swain along with 
her mother and grandfather. Named Genessee Valley’s Outstanding Young Adult Patroller in 2023, Greta’s completed the training necessary to become an OEC Instructor. At Binghamton University, she’s a member of the Student Nursing Association, the Outdoors Club and the Ski Club. Greta has a deep personal connection to pediatric oncology nursing, having lost a close friend to childhood cancer. Greta feels that drawing on experiences as a children’s softball coach throughout high school and as a patroller will help her develop skills to provide attentive and compassionate care. Her long-term goal is to become a pediatric oncology nurse practitioner.
Emma Watermann, Oak Mountain/ENY
Emma graduated from Broadalbin Perth Jr./Sr. High School where she participated in the A/V Club, Drama Club, Track & Field, New 
Visions Health Careers club and as captain of the ski team. It was through ski racing that she first learned of the opportunity to become a patroller. With a passion for STEM, she is the recipient of the RIT Women in Stem and Howard E. Reese Alumni of the Year scholarships. Recently, as she’s learned more about biology and life sciences, Emma became intrigued in medicine, leading her to take OEC and become a patroller. She says, “Even though this was my first year on patrol, I don’t think I have ever been so happy about a choice I made for myself.” Emma is attending SUNY Polytechnic Institute as a Biology Major on their Pre-Med Track, seeking to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.
Katherine Tedesco, Holimont/WNY
Kate is a sophomore at Bonaventure University, double majoring in Health Sciences and Philosophy, with a minor in Finance. She 
was inspired by her mother to follow in her footsteps and become a patroller. Kate has completed Sr. OEC, is an OEC Instructor and a secondary on Holimont’s Bike Patrol. In 2024, she received WNY’s George Pfister Memorial Award for OEC Instruction. Initially planning to pursue a career in finance, she says that changed after her first ski patrol incident. While in high school, she attended classes at Buffalo General Hospital, observing surgeries in the OR and spending time in patient care areas. She says, “Seeing healthcare professionals in action and witnessing the impact they had on patients solidified my decision to pursue a medical career. My studies are providing me with a well-rounded perspective on healthcare, the human experience, and the practical aspects of financial decision-making in the field.” She seeks to become a Doctor or Physician Assistant.
Selina Guendel, Belleayre/SNY
Selina is enrolled in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Marist University. She began patrolling as a YAP in 2008, completed Sr. OEC and OET in 2016, and plans to become an OET Instructor and T/E. Selina’s volunteer activities include a Cognitive Loss 
Exercise Group, Diabetic Foot & Footwear Screenings, a Falls Prevention & Group Exercise class, Parkinson’s Stretch Clinic, and athlete fitness screenings for Special Olympics. In her own words, “My growing understanding of the human body and its movement aligns perfectly with my aspiration to become an OET instructor and T/E. I never imagined that my interests in ski patrol and physical therapy would intertwine so seamlessly—beyond addressing injuries! I envision hosting pre-season workouts and hip mobility classes specifically for patrollers and creating a series of educational videos on hip flexibility for sled skills, which I’d love to one day distribute through the NSP.
$500 HONORABLE MENTIONS
Nathaniel Kowaleski, Elk Mountain/EPA
Nate is a sophomore at York College of Pennsylvania studying Civil Engineering. He is joined at Elk by his father, uncle and younger brother. Nate has completed Senior OET. In high school, he was the captain of the Freehold Boro Varsity Swim Team and an NHS member. Nate held various jobs during school breaks, including lifeguarding. Last winter, he worked at the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex in Lake Placid on the hill maintenance team. Tasks included snowmaking, event preparations, building venue features such as aerials jumps and preparing the landing hill, and working FIS World Cup events.
Audrey Chagnon, Bousquet/WMASS
Audrey is a 2025 graduate of Wahconah Regional High School. There, she was involved with the school paper and yearbook, was a 
WMASS finalist in varsity track and field and joined the ski team specifically to improve her ski skills for patrolling. Audrey was also president of a club named “No Place for Hate,” which identifies problems in the school and community and explores way to resolve them, offering a safe place for students to reach out to. She also volunteered with the Berkshire Humane Society. She says “I started shadowing ski patrollers during my first season skiing ever. I fell in love and since then it’s been my winter priority.” Audrey is majoring in Finance at Keene State College.
by Linda Clifford, Asst. Eastern Division OEC Supervisor | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News, Program News
Many of you have heard of the ‘newly revived’ OEC Senior Aid Room Management Module. This program was initiated in 2018 but was never effectively launched in the Eastern Division. It is hoped that the information here will dispel some of the questions and concerns surrounding the course and promote momentum to establish a quality program in our division.
The Aid Room Management Module of the Senior Program (AR-MSP) was initially designed to offer a path to obtain NSP Senior for those individuals who would not be completing the OET portion of the Senior Program.
The Senior Aid Room Management Module is not a requirement to become an Alpine or Nordic/Backcountry Senior. It is, however, a requirement to become a Senior Patroller along with the OEC Module of the Senior Program (OECMSP) and four additional Senior Electives. Much, if not all, of the AR-MSP can potentially be completed virtually.
The goal of the AR-MSP is to enhance the Senior Patroller Candidate’s skills and knowledge of aid room procedures and related area policies. The training emphasizes further development of skills in leadership, decision making and problem management while enhancing existing OEC aid room skills. It is intended to follow the policies of a candidate’s local patrol and includes written responses, scenario discussions, and hands-on scenarios.
Topics include:
• Aid Room triage and resource management
• Medical interventions and treatment within the aid room environment
• Conflict Resolution
• Interaction with EMS, medical personnel, police, etc.
• Interfacing/communication with patrollers on scene and in the aid room, and area management.
To teach any NSP course, one must have first completed the course. Since the program is relatively new to our division, the first stage will be to train AR-MSP instructors and evaluators. This involves appointing a Senior Training Coordinator or STC for the AR-MSP in each region. This should be an individual, other than the OEC-MSP STC, who is enthusiastic and has strong OEC and leadership qualities and skills.
Once a region has a trained staff qualified to implement the program, it can be offered to local patrollers at large. It is the hope of the Eastern Division that this program can be launched for all in the very near future.
If this program appeals to you, please reach out to your local ROA, Asst. OEC Division Supervisor, or OEC Eastern Division Supervisor.
by Bill Zink, Certified Supervisor | Jul 4, 2025 | Program News
The NSP Certified Program is a performance-based leadership program that provides an opportunity for patrollers to learn and be tested on critical patroller skills/knowledge. The program has a distinguished history with many of its members serving in national, division, regional, and local patrol leadership positions. Certified patrollers have a history of commitment to giving back, fostering learning, and progressing core patroller skills over the years.
Success in the program is hard-earned, requiring a real commitment to mastering multiple patrol-related disciplines, often over multiple years, across regions and divisions, to gain a vast and deep knowledge/skill base. Through the program, our members not only build a best-in-class level of expertise but also a sense of camaraderie with fellow patrollers as they work outside their local patrol/region.
Your preparation to participate will provide a unique opportunity to learn from others, broaden your experience, and sharpen your skills. Admission is not automatic. To apply as a candidate, an applicant’s credentials are reviewed by a committee to ensure a minimal level of experience, a commitment to the program, and a track record of leadership and support of their local patrol/region.
Qualified individuals are invited to participate in the annual certified exam. This exam is an intensive 3-day event that tests all aspects of your patrolling skills. During the season, multiple events are hosted, including a summer boot camp, to help hone skills and prepare candidates to be successful.
The Certified Program has six core components examining physical endurance, knowledge, and experience, all requiring individual study and travel. The six core components are Avalanche, Outdoor Emergency Care, Outdoor Risk Management, Rope Rescue, Skiing and Riding, and Toboggan Handling. The specifics of each component can be found below in a document titled Certified Program Operations Manual.
This member-driven and approved standard is without compromise, where excellence is mandatory and the contents of exams are constantly evolving to remain current with best practices and industry standards.
Over the past years, we have concluded that we make great patrollers even better through a combination of training, education, and teaming opportunities. We are working hand in hand with the National Ski Patrol to develop future leaders and excellent patrollers. We have a significant pipeline, and we continue to engage and expand our reach into the ranks of the NSP, including active participation in all levels of training, testing, leadership development, and diversification of the NSP across every program offered.
