Nisei Ski Club

Greg Wong, Membership Chairperson
The ski season is not yet over and Squaw Valley summit still has 246 inches of snow. They will be trying to stay open until July 4 but many other ski resorts have closed.

The Nisei Ski Club season has also ended. It has been a great year for those who went skiing with record snow fall and great conditions. The club’s only bus trip was canceled due to a lack of sign-ups. However, our trip director Karen Soo made the trip a go but without a bus. We went to Tahoe by car pooling and stayed in at Sands Hotel in Reno, our familiar lodging. The trip was a great adventure! We laughed, we talked, and we skied. We learned a lot about our fellow members.

This year, I went to Lake Tahoe 3 times with Nisei Ski Club members. We drove up just as the club did originally. This club has brought us skiers together and will keep bringing skiers together just as it has done for the last 60 years. So, now is the time to sign up for next year. We have the Vail Resorts week trip planned for next year. Karen Soo will try to schedule some weekend carpool trips again. We have our non-ski events in the planning. This is our anniversary year. Sign up before June 1, and there is a $5 discount.

Who: NSC members/ families and invited guests. Look for your Evite invitation in May.

What: Wear your favorite Hawaiian Shirts and Muu Muus and join us at our Annual meeting combined with a Luau picnic. NSC will fire up the grill with a BBQ luncheon. Soda, beer, and water will be provided. Attendees are welcome to bring side dish / dessert to share. Please email Karen Soo at tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org and let her you know what you are bringing.

When: Saturday, June 24, 2017 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Where: Picnic area #1 in Las Palmas Park, 850 Russet Drive, Sunnyvale. For exact location and parking location, here’s the link to Las Palmas Park

Why: To update our membership on the club and its future plans and to enjoy a pleasant day together.

Cost: No $$, Just Bring (3) – $1.00 bills for our game of luck and chance

Sandy Kiyomura
BAC is hosting its twelfth annual Oakland A’s event. All proceeds over cost go to Society for disABILITIES. It’s Coliseum fireworks night. The seats are in field level, first base side, and great for viewing games and fireworks.

Date: August 12, 2017
Cost:

• $36 seats – Game starts at 6:05pm
• $14 for TailBBQ + Raffle prize – Barbeque from 4-5:30pm

Deadline:July 10, 2017

For more information, click BAC A’s Event Flyer to download the flyer.

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

Sad to say but April is here and that means the ski season is coming to a close. Most Tahoe resorts will be closed by the end of April (Northstar and Heavenly), and Mammoth is planning on staying open until July 4^th (weather permitting). Squaw Valley usually offers the same closing date but it hasn’t been officially announced yet. Due to the abundance of snowfall this has been an extraordinary season. Hopefully you had a good ski season this year, whether it was at Tahoe or the Snowmass ski week.

Elections

Well, it’s that time again for holding our board nominations and elections for the 2017-2018 season. By now you’ve received an email for making your nominations for the board. As you know, volunteers run this club, and without them this club would cease to exist, and it’s been in existence for almost 60 years! You are encouraged to take this opportunity to nominate an individual for one, or more, of the board positions. All individuals that accept the nomination(s) will go through an election process in May, and final results will be announced at the annual June picnic. Ask any of the current board members and I’m sure they will tell you that by volunteering they get back more than they ever gave. By volunteering you will experience social benefits as well as provide a greater sense of self-worth, trust, and lots of fun. Many of you have served on the board in the past, and your efforts were greatly appreciated and perhaps you would like to join the board again. For those that have never served then perhaps now is the time to consider a board position and provide new ideas and useful experiences.

60^th NSC Anniversary Vail Ski Week 2018

Yes, 2018 will be NSC’s 60^th anniversary and Vail has been selected for our NSC ski week. Our last visit to Vail was in 2008, so I’m hoping to start an NSC tradition of visiting Vail on our ten-year anniversaries. If you’re considering Vail for next year then you might also want to look into getting the Tahoe Local (Epic Pass), which will be good for five days skiing at Vail, plus unlimited skiing at Heavenly, Northstar (excluding Saturdays), and Kirkwood. Tentative date is January 27 – February 3.

Hoyt Nelson, Vice-President

Every year we ask the membership to nominate prospective members to fill the board of directors for the next  fiscal year (which starts 1 June).  The offices are president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, trip director, membership director, newsletter editor and board member(s) at-large to act as “floater” to help the board as needed.   Do you know another member who has not volunteered, but who would be a good candidate?  See if they are willing to run, or let us know and we will be glad to talk with them.   You can also nominate yourself.    We are looking for people just like you who can make this club even better.  It doesn’t take all that much time since the process of running the club has recently been streamlined.  The board decides when to meet (about 10 times per year) and rotates meeting locations to spread travel evenly.  Also note that annual dues are waived for all board members.

Are you a bit cautious to step up?  Here’s a chance to break out. Do think you have nothing to offer to the club?  Be assured we can find many worthwhile opportunities for you to help.

The duties of board members are as follows:

NSC President

The President presides at all meetings to supervise and direct the club’s affairs, appointing committees as necessary. He/She maintains inter-club relationships, prepares the annual club budget, and administers club operations of club matters via budgets and policies.

NSC Vice-President

The Vice-President advises the president and stays current on administrative matters so that he can take over all duties of the President when necessary, He is an advisor member of all committees and assists in the transition of the new board at the end of the fiscal year. He supervises the election of the NSC Board for the new fiscal year. He/She also promotes and coordinates non-ski events and ensures they meet the club requirements

NSC Treasurer

The Treasurer is the custodian of the club funds. He/She keeps an account of receipts and disbursements. The Treasurer shall disburse funds and bill accounts receivable as ordered by the Board of Directors, render whenever requested, the financial condition of the club, prepare a financial report and submit the necessary reports to the State Franchise Tax Board and the Internal Revenue Service

NSC Trip Director

The Trip Director shall coordinate transportation, lodging, Tour Leader selection, and trip cancellation with the club’s “Travel Arranger”. The Trip Director shall plan and administer all club weekend ski trips. Tour Leader Guidelines and all club winter equipment and supplies shall be maintained by the Trip Director. The Trip Director shall maintain and update Tour Leader Guidelines.

NSC Newsletter Editor

The Newsletter Editor shall coordinate the publication and distribution of the newsletter and SPAM to the membership. The Editor prepares a budget, sets up guidelines for submission of flyers and articles, and publicizes club events through the newsletter and emails. The Editor coordinates email distribution and web publication in coordination with the NSC Webmaster.

NSC Membership Chairperson

The Membership Chairperson shall be responsible for coordinating activities that promote membership in the club and for maintaining the membership roster. This includes contacting other organizations, updating the membership brochure, coordinate sending of the welcome letter to new members, maintain a list of non-members who have attended past events or non-renewed members to publicize club events, and advise the Board on matters relating to membership.

NSC Board Member

The Board Member represents the club in voting on club matters, promotes, supports and assists at club events, and shows hospitality to all participants of events, especially those new to the club.

In a few days you will receive an e-mail from SurveyMonkey with a link to an election ballot form (unique to you, so please don’t  share your ballot with anyone else). Filling out the form should be intuitive. SurveyMonkey will remind you if it doesn’t receive your timely response.  Please look for this e-mail and think about who to nominate. Send any questions to elections@niseiskiclub.org.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

March is upon us and it appears that our major snowstorms are behind us. Of course, Mother Nature is always unpredictable and she may surprise us with a few more storms this month. With all the snow in Tahoe, Heavenly Valley and Northstar have extended their season by one week to April 23rd. Haven’t heard anything about Squaw or Alpine yet but I’m sure they will be extending their season as well.

Just to give you an idea of how much it snowed in at Tahoe take a look at the two pictures. The boys digging out the ski lift are at Homewood, and the man-in-blue is at Northstar.

March NSC Weekend Trip

Although there’s plenty of snow up at Tahoe there weren’t enough signups for Trip 1 to Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. Our trip director, Karen Soo, did come up with a car-pool effort with eight people making a trip for a weekend of skiing/boarding.

Snowmass Ski Week 2017

The Snowmass trip was a great trip and everyone had a great time. Based on comments received, the Crestwood Condominiums received top-notch points for their service and amenities. There was plenty of snow at Snowmass, Aspen, and Aspen Highlands (don’t know if anyone went to Buttermilk), and it did snow 1”-2” on Thursday. The Potluck Dinner was one of the highlights of the week. Instead of roaming around in search of condos with food, everyone gathered in the Independence Room at Crestwood feasting on endless tables of food. I would like to thank everyone for coming on this trip, as it was a lot of fun for everyone, meeting new friends, and exploring the various resorts.

Board Nominations

Now that it’s March it’s time to think about Board Nominations for the 2017-18 season. If anyone has an interest in joining the board for the next season and has questions about what it entails then just drop a note to any of the current board members, or perhaps you have someone in mind to nominate for the board. Please keep in mind that the Nisei Ski Club relies on volunteers to be on the board and undertake the running of the club. It’s not all work and no play. Board meetings are fairly informal and afterwards we usually go out for lunch and talk about skiing or upcoming club events.

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

Happy Chinese New Year!

Welcome to the Chinese Year of the Rooster! Yes, the Chinese New Year started January 28th and if you were born under the sign of the Rooster, then you are an unpredictable person. Roosters are intelligent, bold and are also self-assured. Have you ever seen a rooster strut his stuff? Roosters are very positive and thoughtful, and at times they are very conventional and exaggerated. Do you know anyone in the club that fits the characteristics of a rooster?

March NSC Weekend Trip

2017 is off to a great start with an outrageous amount of snowfall up at Tahoe, and this is the beginning of the ski season! I’ve been tracking the snowfall at Heavenly and the Comet Express chair (Nevada side) is still not open due to the lift being buried in snow. With so much snow at our favorite resorts in Lake Tahoe now is the time to sign up for the NSC weekend trip to Alpine Meadows/Squaw Valley on 3-5 March. Our trip director, Karen Soo, has been making arrangements for this trip and now all we need is for YOU to sign up and make this trip a reality.

Helmet Safety

Recently I received a request to review an article about helmet use on the slopes and the top reasons to wear a helmet. I know that most of the club membership do wear helmets, but if you’re sitting on the fence about wearing one then perhaps this article will be helpful in your decision. As usual, ski safely by knowing your limits and always be in control of your speed.

by Deanna Power

While the number of people opting to wear a helmet on the slopes has increased significantly throughout the last decade, there are still many people who don’t wear helmets. While most resorts do not make wearing a helmet mandatory, medical professionals recommend wearing a helmet on the slopes because of the impact it can make on the outcome of an accident. There are several advantages to wearing a helmet when skiing or snowboarding, so there is no reason for you to not wear one when participating in alpine sports.

The Statistics

While there is an excellent safety record for snowboarding and skiing overall, there are inherent risks that comes with any dangerous sport. When you wear a helmet, you can improve your safety and decrease the risks of you being seriously injured in an accident. The most recent data provided from helmet studies reveal that skiers and snowboarders are understanding the benefits of wearing a helmet. According to a study conducted by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), 67% of those who ski or snowboard wear helmets while participating in alpine sports.

The study shows that the use of helmets reduces the risks of suffering a head injury anywhere from 30% to 50%, but that decrease is usually limited to the less serious head injuries. Just because you wear a helmet, you shouldn’t participate in risky behavior because there has not been a significant reduction in the number of fatalities on the slopes during the last 9 years.

Four Reasons Why You Should Wear a Helmet

There are multiple advantages to wearing a helmet. Here are just a few:

1. Safety. Research shows that while helmets may not completely prevent head injuries, they can significantly impact the severity of the injury and the outcome of the accident. Most injuries occur when a skier strikes an inanimate object, such as a rock, tree, or the ground. Helmets can play a significant role in reducing the severity of the impact and reduce the trauma that your head suffers.

2. Warmth. Being out on the slopes can be cold. Because the body loses most of its heat through the head, a helmet can be beneficial in keeping you warm. Helmets act as insulators and will keep your head warm.

3. It can hold your goggles in place. When you are skiing, you want to wear goggles to protect your eyes. A helmet can help you keep your goggles in place so you can see better when you are out on the slopes.

4. There are many reasons to wear a helmet, but an important one is that you set a good example. When children and adults see other people wearing helmets on the slopes, they pay attention. You wearing a helmet can lead others to wear a helmet and protect themselves as well.

Choosing a Helmet

When you select a helmet, you want to choose the right helmet for your needs. You want to get a helmet that properly fits. This means that when you strap it on, you don’t want it to shift when you tilt from side to side. There are helmets of different styles and designs. Some helmets are more lightweight than others, but they are usually more expensive. Select a helmet that feels comfortable so you can get a lot of use out from it. If you choose to wear a helmet, you’ll be going a long way in protecting yourself while skiing or snowboarding.

*This article was not written by an attorney, and it’s always your choice as to whether you want to wear a helmet. Just keep in mind that if you wear a helmet, you could be saving lives!

Newsletter Editor

This is to remind everyone that NSC has established a Yahoo Groups for ride sharing called rideNSC@yahoogroups.com. The purpose of rideNSC is to connect people who need a ride with people who can offer a ride. So, you can offer a ride or ask for a ride. You must be subscribed to the rideNSC Yahoo group.

It’s simple. When you offer a ride, send an email to ridensc@yahoogroups.com and state:

• preferred dates
• ski areas
• where you might be staying
• what the costs will be

Anyone who is part of rideNSC and is interested can respond to you.

Subscribing to rideNSC

Getting added to the group is simple, click on the link – Request to join our email group: rideNSC. You can find it on the right hand side of the NSC home page.

Sandy Kiyomura is the moderator and will approve (or disapprove) your membership. All members of the Nisei Ski Club can join the group. We ask for standard on-line etiquette. That means you should be “adult-like” in your postings. That means no offensive language or say anything that your mother would not approve of.

Questions? Send email to Skiyomura@gmail.com

Sandy Kiyomura

BAC has 8 races this year. On those dates, resorts offer BAC racers and their family and friends discount tickets. Each area has its own meeting area for racers. Tickets are normally sold before 8:30am. Look for the racers’ registration area. Last year, Northstar sold the discounted BAC tickets at the regular ticket office (inside). Mention that you are a BAC racer. This year, I’m not sure what is planned. There will be races on January 21 and January 22 at Northstar. Tickets are $66 and $50 for Seniors (over 65).

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

It looks like 2017 is off to a good start with new snowfall up at Tahoe, and more is predicted in the upcoming weeks. I had planned on getting in a few days of skiing in early December but conditions just weren’t good enough due to limited lift operations and very few open runs. Now that I’m back from spending Christmas with family in New York (actually, Long Island), I’m ready to make up for some lost time. Conditions up at Tahoe look a lot better so I’m planning on getting in my first trip after the New Year’s crowd returns home.

Ski Instructor Course

Ever thought about becoming a certified ski instructor? Well, here’s an opportunity that’s coming up in January for you to take a week-long course on how to become a ski instructor. The course is January 8-13 at Heavenly Ski Resort and total cost is $707. If you’re interested, then you can contact

Heidi Ettlinger, PSIA/AASI-W Education Chair and Course Leader
Email: heidiettlinger@yahoo.com
Phone: 530.318.8661


Snowmass Ski Week 2017

The Snowmass trip is at the end of this month so hopefully everyone has had a chance to get their “ski legs” and be ready for a week of skiing. Aspen Snowmass has been receiving a lot of snow and the majority of lifts are open. By the time we arrive lifts should be in full operation and all runs open. The Snowmass Orientation meeting will be held on Saturday, January 7th so mark your calendars. This will be an opportunity to meet other members on the trip, socialize a bit, and pick-up the souvenir gift. If you didn’t receive the Evite then let me know so you won’t miss this event.

Karen Soo, Trip Director

A very Happy New Year to you and your family! Over 2 feet of snow has fallen in the Lake Tahoe area this past Christmas holiday and we are gearing up to a start of good a ski season.

There is just another month to go before 65 NSC members heads out to Snowmass where they been getting a steady snow fall.Armand will be having his orientation this month and I am planning the Snowmass pot luck for our trip.

NSC is planning its bus trip to the North Shore Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, dates: March 3 -5, 2017. The sign up form is now available on the NSC website. We were able to keep the same cost as last year. If you’re on the Snowmass trip and have the Mountain Collective pass, you will be able to use your pass on the weekend trip. Please send in your money early so we can plan this trip. We need 35 people to make this trip happen.

Date with Warren Miller

Curtis Otaguro, Greg Wong, and I had a date with Warren Miller’s new movie called Here, There & Everywhere, which was shown in Cupertino. We didn’t win any grand prizes but we did get our 2 for 1 lift tickets to Squaw Valley/ Alpine.

Amazon Link

If you need something from Amazon.com, click on the Amazon link, which is located on our Nisei Ski Club website (right hand side). Our club will get a small percentage from your purchases.

Looking for some discounted outdoor gear?

Are you looking for some discounted outdoor gear? All you have to be is 50+ and sign up at Senior Skiing. On the right side of their website, you can sign up for the Promotive deals.

ProMotive.com is the online community for industry experts and influencers. It matches qualified ski members such as yourself with top brands offering exclusive discounts on all your favorite gear.

We’re looking forward to a great season. If you have ideas for a great season, let me know.

Karen aka Trip Director for how many years now?

Sandy Kiyomura

Nisei Ski Club is affiliated with the Bay Area Ski Council. One of the benefits is that our members can purchase lift tickets at the discounted corporate price. You can buy tickets at corporate price of $84.15 instead of the at resort price of $109. That’s a $24.85 savings! For information on how to buy your Mt. Rose tickets, check out the flyer on how to buy your Mt. Rose tickets at the Bay Area corporate price.

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President
 

Ski Season Officially Opens

The ski season has officially begun with numerous resorts opening during the Thanksgiving weekend thanks to a series of snowstorms to hit the Tahoe area. Of course, these resorts have limited lift operations and perhaps only 5% of open terrain. But still, that’s better than no skiing. Let’s pray to the Snowgods for more snow in December.

Mystery Ski Spot

Congratulations to Andrea Stewart and Judy Hom for correctly identifying our Mystery Ski Spot as Sierra-at-Tahoe. It’s been a real long time since I’ve been to Sierra so I couldn’t say where this photo was taken.

Snowmass Ski Week 2017

The Snowmass trip is almost here and hopefully you’ll get in some skiing before the trip. Please send in your final payments no later than December 10th. The Snowmass Orientation meeting will be held on Saturday, January 7th so mark your calendars. This will be an opportunity to meet other members on the trip, socialize a bit, and pick-up the souvenir gift. An Evite will be sent out later in December.

Ride Sharing Service

Last year, Sandy Kiyomura set up a ride sharing service for NSC members to facilitate getting to the slopes with other members. The service is called rideNSC and members can make a post to the group to either offer a ride-sharing opportunity or make a request that you’re interested in joining with somebody that might be going skiing. For information contact Sandy at (skiyomura@gmail.com)

Christmas Greetings

This has been a good year for NSC with the popular Park City/Canyons Trip, numerous hikes, the Week 1 Football pizza social, and what looks like the start of a good ski season. On behalf of the NSC board, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

Hoyt Nelson, NSC Vice President

Eight of us met up at the Carmel Safeway and drove about 6 miles south to the Soberantes Canyon trail leading to a bluff that overlooked dramatically crashing waves. Next, after a stop for lunch at the north end of the Bixby Bridge, we sampled a bit of the old dirt road that everyone used before the 2 big bridges were built and drove south to at great view of McWay falls at the Julia Pfeifer Burns State Park. A few miles north of there we finally rediscovered the charming Tanbark trail that lead up Partington Creek (closed for about 10 years due to a forest fire in the area). By the time we reached our next hidden trail off Ribera Road just sout of the Carmel Valley Road, it was too dark to continue. So, we went back to the Safeway shopping center and ate dinner at the Rio Grill. Hopefully, people will find this and another gem in downtown Carmel in the future. Maps were handed out at the start.

Ernie Handa passed away on November 19. He was the NSC President during 1970-1971. His memorial service is Sunday, December 11 at 11am. It will be held at the Willow Glen Funeral Home, 1039 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose, CA. For more information and photos, see Ernie Handa’s obituary on Dignity Memorial.

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

October ended with some long-needed rainfall and now it’s up to November and December to continue that trend. Unfortunately, the recent rains are the product of a leftover typhoon that contained a lot of moisture but not the cold mass of air required for producing snow at our local ski areas. So, let’s hope for a Polar Express, low-pressure system to come in and bless us with snow in the upcoming weeks. Nobody guessed the ski resort in the photo, and the correct answer was Kirkwood.

So, here’s another opportunity to check out your ski resort knowledge by identifying this location.

For those of you that are planning on some early skiing here are the latest opening dates:
Heavenly – November 18
Northstar – November 18
Kirkwood – November 18
Squaw – November 23 (Tram rides only)
Alpine – No date given

Snowmass Ski Week 2017

The Snow mass trip is full with 66 signups. The second payment is due November 10th so be sure to remit your payment if you haven’t already done so. And while the checkbook is open, go ahead and get ahead of the game and make the third payment as well and be fully paid up!

Hoyt Nelson will be leading a hike on Saturday, November 13 to explore hidden places from Monterey to Big Sur. Carmel and Monterey are quite pleasant in the fall and we will explore a number of lesser-known sights in the area. The club last did this hike in March 2009 but some sights were closed at that time.

We meet at my place in Campbell at 9:30. Bring the usual layered clothing, strong hiking shoes, camera, snacks, liquids and lunch. Bathroom facilities are limited to my place, the shopping center at the Carmel Valley Road, and gas stations in Big Sur. Total hiking is less than 3 mi. but at least 100 miles driving. If we all eat in Monterey, we will probably be back to San Jose about 9pm. Due to logistics, this trip is limited to 15 people. Sign-up early so we can figure out car pooling and parking at various stops.

For more details, download the hike flyer.

For more information, contact Hoyt at monterey@niseiskiclub.org.

McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Election Day is November 8

If you’re registered, make your vote count. Vote on or before Election Day.

Happy Thanskgiving

I particularly like this Thanksgiving Day thought from Dan Lew, your previous newsletter editor. Happy Thanksgiving.

Give thanks for what you have,
Hope for what you don’t have,
Be kind to others,
Help those who are less fortunate than you

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

The first rains have appeared and snow has been falling in the Tahoe area. Although the early snowfall has only resulted in a slight dusting of that fine, white powder at least it’s a start for what hopefully will be a good winter season. If you’re a seasoned ski veteran then perhaps you can identify the ski resort in the picture (hint: it’s in California). Drop me a line (president@niseiskiclub.org) if you think you know the answer.

Click for a larger picture

Coastal Cleanup

Under the guidance of Judy Hom, members of NSC hit the beach armed with buckets and gloves and convened on Crown Beach to pick up litter and trash. Thanks go to Karen Soo, Sandy Kiyomura, Curtis Otaguro, and Winston Fong for helping to keep our bay area clean and a job well done!

September Pizza Social

The September Pizza Social at The Garret was well attended and everyone had a great time. Fortunately The Garret wasn’t that crowded and we were all able to sit at a big round table and enjoy pizza and beer. Although the intent was to watch a football game most of our time was spent discussing a variety of topics, some NSC-related and some not related. I’m hoping to turn this into an annual event with a Pizza Social for Week 1 of the football season.

Halloween Party

Halloween is this month and that means witches, goblins, and all sorts of creatures of the night. Dave Schultz will be your tour guide to a big neighborhood Halloween party so be sure to read his article.

SnowBomb Shows in October/November

The annual SnowBomb shows are coming up this month and November. The San Jose show will be on October 29^–30 and the San Francisco show on November 5^–6.  We’re looking for volunteers to support the BAC booth at both locations. As a volunteer you get free admission to the SnowBomb event, talk with people about the various clubs that are part of BAC, and do some self-promoting of NSC. Arrive early, or stay later, and visit the other ski-related booths or perhaps pick up something at one of the retail booths that have discounted prices on ski gear. If interested then drop me a line (president@niseiskiclub.org) or Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseskiclub.org).

Snowmass Ski Week 2017

The Snow mass trip is full with 65 signups. This is way more than I was expecting but I’m glad to have such a great turnout for this trip. There is a wait-list for those that are still interested in going on the Snowmass trip.

Karen Soo, Trip Director

Fall is just around corner just as the days are starting to get shorter. I’m not ready to put my golf clubs away but it’s a good time to think about the upcoming ski season. Now is the time to inspect your ski and snowboard equipment and see if there are gouges and scratches that needs to be taken care of. Your equipment deserves a good yearly tune up. Check your local ski shops for early tune up discounts.

Our Snowmass weeklong trip is wrapping up its planning stage with Armand leading the pack. There are 64 attendees. While he is finishing up with that, I’ve been planning our weekend trip for 2017.

Save the Date – March 3-5

NSC is planning a bus trip to the North Shore – Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows – Dates: March 3 -5, 2017

If you’re on the Snowmass trip and have the Mountain Collective pass, you will be able to use your pass on the weekend trip.

The good thing about our weekend trip is that cost will be the same as 2015/2016. Please sign up early or give me a verbal. We need 36 people to make this trip happen. If you have friends that are interested in a weekend trip, please bring them along.

We are planning one bus trip for 2017. Surely, we can plan some other weekend car trips.

We will go up during BAC race weekend. NSC can get discounted tickets on those race days. The race schedule is not available yet. As member of the Bay Area Ski Council, we are eligible to get the discounted lift tickets as low as $65.00 per person and you don’t have to race.

Other Trip Possibilities

Another possible weekend car trip to Squaw Valley is to see the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Down Hill races on March 11-12 weekend. Olympic champions Julia Mancuso, Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin will be on hand for the Giant slalom and slalom races.

Mammoth anyone? Ski 3½ days with condo lodging. Again, you can use your Mountain Collective pass here. Please let me know you are interested and if you are available to drive.

We can make it all happen if there are interests out there.

Snowbomb Schedule

Snowbomb is coming to the bay area.

• San Jose: Convention Center
• Oct 29 – 30, 2016
• San Francisco: Fort Mason
• Nov 5 – Nov 6, 2016
• Sacramento: Cal Expo
• Nov. 12-13, 2016

We would like to welcome volunteers to promote our club and talk about our weekend bus trips. You can help out for 2 to 3 hours and get free admission to the show. Sorry as volunteers, you will not be eligible for any free lift tickets.
Please email me if you are interested in helping out – tripdirector@niseickiclub.org.

A Date with Warren Miller

Warren Miller’s new movie called Here, There & Everywhere is coming to the South Bay on November 19th at The Heritage Theatre in Cupertino, 6:00pm showing.

Tickets are $21.00 per person and free swag, like 2 for 1 lift tickets to Squaw Valley/ Alpine will be given out to each ticket holder.

Let me know if you are interested. Maybe we can get a group together and have some pizza and beer afterwards. Armand is buying the first round.

Shopping at Amazon?

If you need something from Amazon.com, check out Amazon through our website at the Nisei Ski Club Website. Our club will get a small percentage from your purchases.

Discounts for Seniors

Looking for some discounted outdoor gear? All you have to be is 50 + and over and sign up at Senior Skiing. Check it out at www.seniorsskiing.com.

On the right side of their website you can sign up for the Promotive deals. ProMotive.com is the online community for industry experts and influencers — matches Qualified ski members such as yourself with top brands offering exclusive discounts on all your favorite gear.

We’re looking forward to a great season. If you have ideas for a great season, let me know.

Karen aka Trip Director for how many years now?

Dave Schultz

Yes, the party is on and it’s a big one. There is a big Halloween party in the San Jose Alum Rock area. It occurs over 6 square blocks, bordered by Toyon Avenue, upper Golf Drive, Pepper Tree Lane, and Tallent Avenue. Most of the homes in that area will offer candy at the door. Some will have “fun houses” or “haunted houses” set up on their lawns or in their garages. At the top of Golf Drive (just before the condos at GolfView Drive), is a booth run by the condo dwellers, where they serve soft drinks, hot drinks, beer and wine, and more candy. Most people visiting this block party will be in costume.

Let’s meet at my old house around 7pm, which is 3972 Golf Drive (about four or five houses up from Toyon Avenue). It’s typically cool on Halloween night, so a warm (but not hot) costume may be beneficial.

Rather than trying to park near my house, it may be easier to park on lower Golf Drive or on nearby Richardson Drive (below Toyon Avenue). There will be a lot of kids on all the streets in the block party, so be extra careful if you drive on those streets.

Feel free to contact me at 510-512-6441 or email me at dave_schultz28@hotmail.com with any questions.