Eastern Division NSP's News Magazine
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Congrats to our New OET TEs
Author’s Note 4/30/2026: This post has been updated to include additional Trainer Evaluators whose certifications were finalized after the original publication. We’re glad to recognize them here and appreciate our new TEs’ contributions to the OET Program!
The Outdoor Emergency Transportation (OET) program provides patrollers with advanced on-snow training in skiing, riding, and toboggan handling to ensure guests can be transported safely and efficiently to higher levels of care. OET Trainer Evaluators serve as regional staff responsible for training and evaluating Senior OET candidates, helping maintain consistent, high-quality instruction across the division.
This season we congratulate and welcome eight new OET Trainer Evaluators. Their dedication to excellence in skiing, toboggan handling, teaching, and mentorship strengthens the quality of training throughout the patrol community.
Division Director’s Report – April 2026
Spring arrived in the Adirondacks suddenly. Yesterday I was starting to swat bugs, and it’s snowing today. We are done skiing, except for a few diehards on skins in the high peaks. By most measures, this was an awesome ski season―great snowmaking weather, a good amount of natural snow, and relatively few rain or warm weather events until very late in the season.
Most of our friends out West were nowhere near as fortunate. In the absence of an NSP Powderfall event, Central Division sponsored “Last Tracks” at Park City, Utah in late March and low attendance, largely due to lack of snow, cost them dearly.
Two Bike Patroller Schools This Summer!
The Eastern Division Bike Program is announcing two different bike patroller schools! Any NSP member is welcome, regardless of whether you’re on a bike patrol. This includes hosts, patrollers, Nordic patrollers, and physician partners. You do NOT have to be a bike patroller, just have an interest in learning.
The first patroller school is hosted by GROC Mountain Bike Patrol in the Genesee Valley Region. It will be at two parks that have cross-country trails designed by and for mountain bikers.
EMS Continuing Ed Program
Over the past two years, Eric Snyder, a member of the Bear Creek Mountain Resort, has engaged in the development and implementation of a continuing education program. The program, run through Bear Creek EMS (not affiliated with Bear Creek Ski Patrol), has and continues to provide workshops via live online platform (i.e. Zoom).
The program provides interesting topics through the lens of industry professionals. Some are directly related to “patrolling” and others to outdoor emergency care. Each session is two hours in length and can be used as CEU’s for a myriad of certification requirements (i.e. NREMT).
Advanced Life Support Pain Management Program
Now about to conclude its second season, the advanced life support (ALS) pain management program at Stratton Mountain in the Southern Vermont Region has already helped numerous patients with moderate to severe pain while still on the mountain with injuries.
The program, known internally as “Code 90,” was started during the 2024-25 ski season at the Stratton Mountain Ski Patrol (SMSP). The goal and purpose were to enhance our on-hill medical care by reducing pain and improving comfort and patient outcomes.
What Award to Give in an OEC Incident
So, you know an OEC incident (can be anywhere, at a ski area or not) where a patient with a critical injury was handled by one or more individuals in an outstanding manner. They saved the life of the patient or kept them from having a negative quality of life outcome. You want to give the team an award, but you aren’t sure what award to give. Here is how to determine which.
The word individual used here refers to patrollers, hosts, or alumni. Individuals must be up to date on their OEC/OFC and dues. Only one merit star per individual per incident may be awarded. What incidents qualify?
Nordic/Backcountry Roundup
Bolton Nordic Patroller School was our big event of the season and Ullr, the Norse God of Snow, delivered. With fresh snow on both Friday and Saturday nights we were primed for both XC and backcountry skiing evaluations! We minted four new senior Nordic/Backcountry Patrollers as well as two new Nordic Patrollers. Typically, we also do a Nordic Master evaluation, but this year our candidate had a medical issue just before the event was to begin. They will be back for next year.
In Memoriam – Howard Johnston
It is with sadness and a heavy heart that I announce the passing of our longtime Seven Springs ski patroller and dear friend Howard Johnston on Sunday April 12, 2026.
For many years, first as a Safety Ranger and then as a Ski Patroller, Howie was a steady presence on our mountain. The guests came to know him for his kindness and looked forward to greeting him at the Gunnar Chairlift every morning. When he retired due to declining health, just a few years ago, the question; “Where is Howie?” was heard over and over again on the mountain.
Employees from all departments knew him by name, and he had a special way of making everyone feel seen and supported without ever making a big deal of it. At the end of every shift, Howie would send our guests off to the front side of the mountain with a pointed arm, a clear direction, and a contagious smile.
Outstanding Alumni & Patroller Event
Melanie Musczynski, EDIV Safety Team & Oliver Loewen, Stratton Patrol
No matter how you look at it, the 2026 Eastern Patroller and Alumni Event was an outstanding success. There were over 100 people signed up to participate, more than double last year’s event. The evening events with NSP Board members Rich Pietrafesa and Butch MacQueen, the NSP Safety Team, and the history of the 10th Mountain Division were well attended and very informative.
Stratton Mountain did a great job welcoming us. The daily events included touring the snowmaking operations, the Carlos Otis Clinic and First Aid Center, and the Patrol Summit HQ. These provided us insight into some unique attributes of the daily routine of different departments at Stratton. Matt Jones, CEO of Stratton, even came and talked about the resort, the ski industry, and answered questions from us all.
Women’s Programs Galore
Women’s program events were held all over the Eastern Division this year. A One-Day Women’s Toboggan Event was held at Elk Mountain on Friday, January 23. It was a huge success! Twenty women and several instructors from Eastern New York and beyond took to the glades, steeps and bumps on Friday, February 27 as part of Gore Mountain Women’s OET Clinic. And an amazing women’s empowerment clinic was held at Bristol Mountain on Saturday, March 7. Click below to read more about each event.
Bike Season is Coming!
For most of you, your patrolling season is about to end. But bike patrollers are just now preparing for our upcoming season! Many of the bike patrollers you see out there are, in fact, year-round patrol members, also serving as alpine or Nordic patrollers in the winter.
Coming this Summer from the Bike Program
Watch for upcoming events and news. The bike program is still developing and growing across our division. Bike patrollers across the U.S. serve in many areas, including urban roads/gravel trails, in XC/backcountry locations, and at downhill/gravity bike parks (these work more like the typical alpine patrol).
