Nisei Ski Club

Da Prez Armand Gutierrez

Welcome to the Chinese Year of Sheep (Wooden or Green)! Yes, the Chinese New Year starts February 19th and if you were born under the sign of the Sheep then you have a mild personality and are considered friendly.

2015 is here and January has turned out to be the driest January in recorded history. Although the Tahoe resorts remain open not all lifts and trails are open. I was up at Heavenly just before the ski week trip and there was only one black run open on the Nevada side, and all green/blue runs on the California side. Northstar did open up the Prosser black run on Lookout Mtn, but other than that it’s primarily the green/blue runs that were open. Skiing is probably good if you’re a beginner to intermediate but for you black diamond aficionados there’s not much to offer. Still, I’m hopeful we’ll get some snow in before or first weekend ski trip at the end of February.

Jackson Hole Ski Week

The Jackson Hole ski week trip turned out to be a really great trip and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Catch all the details in the Membership and Jackson Hole reports.

BAC Man and Woman of the Year

Once again it’s time to nominate an outstanding member, or members, for the annual BAC Man and Woman of the Year contest. This year I have nominated Karen Soo for Woman of the Year. Karen was selected because, as Trip Director, she ensures that the NSC weekend trips are well-organized, transportation and lodging are taken care of, and, if you’ve ever been on any of her trips, then you know there is quite a bit of work for ensuring everyone is well-fed on the trip up and back. In addition to her outstanding work as Trip Director, Karen also plays a pivotal role in organizing our picnics, the ski-week souvenirs, and is involved with the hikes and other events. Congratulations Karen for a job well done.

President Armand Gutierrez

Membership Activity

We had two members join up in January for the Jackson Hole trip. Yes, they were late signups but there was room for them on the trip. Currently we have 94 members in the club.

Jackson Hole Ski Week (24-31 January 2015)

Wow! What a week at Jackson Hole. There were 75 members on this trip and judging by the comments it appears to have been a very enjoyable and successful trip. Our flight out of SFO was on time and went without a hitch. In Salt Lake City we met up with several groups from the Sacramento and Albuquerque areas, and there were several members that opted to drive and were already in Jackson Hole.

The first three days of skiing was reminiscent of skiing Tahoe in Spring conditions. An inversion layer kept the base area in the high teens while tempts at the top of Thunder chair actually got as high as 60° F, which is most unusual for Jackson Hole during January. This lasted for several days and then we were blessed with a light snowfall on Tuesday evening. Yes, that meant a nice coat of 3″-4″ (more in some places) of fresh powder!

A number of people took Wednesday off to build up the local Jackson economy and to take in the National Elk Refuge on a horse-drawn sleigh. Of course, most members did make a visit to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, and our very own Dan Lew (newsletter editor) managed to get in some ice-skating in the town square.

The remainder of the week we had sunny to partly sunny skies and skiing was very pleasant. There were a couple of special events during the week- on Tuesday the Hawaiian Snowriders (members of our trip) held a memorial service for one of their fellow skiers that loved Jackson Hole and had passed away last year, AND there was a marriage proposal at the top of Bridger Gondola!! Yes, Wes Lum (from Hawaii) popped the big one to Mariana Guerrero (from Mexico). Needless to say there were tears flowing profusely.

Unfortunately, there were two accidents (one minor, one major). Kay Kamiyama had a fainting experience and fell forward onto the slope and incurred a slightly bloody nose and a scrape on her cheek. She was up and skiing the very next day. Curtis Otaguro suffered a dislocated shoulder while navigating the Tower 3 Chute (a black diamond). Although this happened on the last day of skiing it’s a sure bet that made the end of his ski season. Yes, for those that are counting I’m three for three now.

Our Farewell Dinner was held at the locally popular Mangy Moose and our group took over the top floor. During the Social Hour everyone was talking to everyone else, mingling and co-mingling, and then we got down to business of eating dinner. After dinner I gave my usual speech about the trip and last-minute announcements for departing the next morning.

During the week Greg Wong was busy gaining vertical feet and his concerted effort was rewarded with the 100K Vertical Foot pin. Meanwhile, Joe Feng and I finally reached the 500K vertical foot milestone and were rewarded with the 500K Silver Belt Buckle.

On our departure there was a little snafu at the Delta counter at the Jackson airport. Seems like their reservation system got overloaded with our whole group checking in at the same time and that sent the ticketing reps into a mild frenzy calling tech support. They finally were able to get all of us ticketed and we boarded on time and made our way back to SLC and SFO.

~ President Armand Gutierrrez ~

2015 is here and I trust that everyone had a Merry Christmas, a safe and Happy New Years celebration, and perhaps a few ski-related New Year’s Resolutions.  Looking back at 2014, NSC had a good year with the Sun Peaks ski week, the weekend ski trips, a well-attended picnic, and a good showing at the hiking events. So what’s in store for 2015? Well, hopefully a good ski season with plenty of snowfall, the Jackson Hole ski week with 74 members that includes quite a few former members, two scheduled ski weekends, and whatever else the board can come up with for events.

One thing that I would like to see for 2015 is more events sponsored by the membership. Why more events? Well, events serve as a vehicle for bringing members together for having fun, sharing stories, and perhaps meeting new members. In years past (many years) the board consisted of members that would sponsor an event, which had to go through a number of approvals before posting a flyer in the newsletter. That was in the days when the NSC newsletter was actually in printed format. Now that NSC has an online newsletter it is much easier to get approvals for events and event flyers for posting on the website. So, I’m asking the membership for some volunteers to step up to the plate and sponsor an event. It doesn’t have to be a big event, but something that would bring together the membership and the board will certainly help you with logistics and notifications.

The Jackson Hole ski week trip is at the end of the month and hopefully everyone is ready for some great skiing. It would be to your advantage to get in a couple of days of skiing before the trip and get your “ski legs” ready. I certainly will be up at Tahoe before the Jackson Hole trip to break in my new skis/bindings and boots.

~ Da Prez – Armand Gutierrez ~

Membership Activity

As expected, there were no new memberships for the month of December. However, now that the ski season has started and the Tahoe area looks promising perhaps we’ll get a few more signups for our two weekend bus trips. Currently we have 92 members in the club.

Jackson Hole Ski Week (24-31 January 2015)

Our ski week trip to Jackson Hole is rapidly approaching and there’s plenty of snow to satisfy your skiing needs! A recent check showed a base depth over 70” and compares with base depths of 32” at Heavenly, 42” at Squaw and 18” at Northstar. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to get in a few ski days prior to our departure.

Thanks to the many members that dropped by Casa Gutierrez for the Jackson Hole Orientation Meeting held on December

Corbet’s Couloir

13th. It was great seeing a bunch of members that I normally don’t see except during our picnics and the ski weeks. I’m looking forward to skiing with as many members as I can during this trip, unless, of course, you’re planning on jumping into Corbet’s Couloir. That would take a considerable amount of persuasion.

Ed. Note: for your entertainment, watch this Corbet’s video:

CORBET’S Couloir – One Epic Day

~ President Armand Gutierrez ~

Let the winter season begin! Yes, it’s been snowing up at Lake Tahoe and the predicted weather for the next few weeks includes rainstorms in the Bay Area and snowstorms in the Tahoe region. Are you ready for the ski season? I am. At the end of last season I purchased new skis, bindings, and boots. To many of my friends that know me well, they’re breathing a sigh of relief that I have finally upgraded my ancient skis (Atomic 922s and Tecnica boots).

Our ski week trip to Jackson Hole is just around the corner and they have been receiving quite a bit of snow. In fact, the “red tram” is in operation and the mountain is 100% open. There have been quite a few improvements and Ski Magazine rates Jackson Hole as the #1 Overall Resort.

Dan Lew is back from his vacation and producing the December newsletter and all future newsletters ‘till the end of our season. Dan has been at this for four years now and has decided to pass the baton to a new newsletter editor for the next season. With that in mind, the board would like to ask if there are any volunteers who would like to be the newsletter editor. It’s not a difficult job and only requires a few days of your time at the end of the month.

Code of Conduct
At our last board meeting we reviewed and approved the Code of Conduct that Brian Hess produced. Please review the Code of Conduct, which will apply to all NSC-sponsored events.

Snow/Road Conditions Web Site
Did you know that Caltrans has over a thousand cameras monitoring various roadway sections across California? Over the years I’ve found this website to be helpful when planning my trips up to Tahoe. The website, presented by Caltrans, offers a number of webcams that show road conditions in real-time. For example, to check on road conditions in the Lake Tahoe area follow these steps:

1. Go to http://video.dot.ca.gov.
2. Click on “Sacramento and Tahoe Traffic Camera Map”.
3. Use the magnification slider on the left side to zoom in on Lake Tahoe.
4. Select a “red camera” (i.e. Tahoe Vista).
5. When the image appears click on the triangle on the left side and see the image in real-time.
6. Note, not all camera images provide the real-time feature or an image may not be available.
7. Zoom in and you can see the lifts and runs at the ski resorts.

It’s been a great year for NSC and I would like to thank all the
volunteers that contributed their time for making our events successful. As we enter the Christmas season I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

~ Karen Soo – Trip Director ~

The Giants wins the World Series, the Panda is heading to the Boston Red Sox and rain is starting to fall in the Bay Area. The recent storms that had blown through the area, continues to drop fresh snow in the Tahoe area.

Get your skis tuned and sharpened and get ready for a new season.

Our sign-up sheet is currently active on the Nisei Ski Club website. Please note the ski destination resort has been revised.

» Trip 1 – February 27 – March 1st (Squaw Valley / Northstar (*Race day)
» Trip 2 – March 13 – 15 (Alpine Meadows / Sugar bowl)

We are offering a $10.00 discount if you sign up for both trips and send in your forms before January 15, 2015.

San Jose – We are still looking for a new area to park our cars for the weekend ski trips. Preferably close to 880 North.
Let me know if you have available parking at your work facility.

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December 13, 2014: Alpine Meadows with BAC is hosting a Club Appreciation Day!
There is no other work you need to do . . . just show up at Alpine Meadows & Have Fun!

No Advance Reservations ~ Pay The Morning of the Event!

Like a Race Weekend, there will be a special location at Alpine Meadows and only certain hours in the morning when the following will be available to any member of a club in the BAC or Sierra League.

Date: Saturday December 13, 2014
Location: Alpine Meadows 7:00- 8:30am

* Price Includes; Lift Ticket, Lunch Voucher ($15.00 Value) and a Fun Race!
$62.00 for 23 – 64 years old
$52.00 for 13 ~ 22 or 65 – 75 years old
$38.00 for 5 – 12 or 76 and above

Alpine/Squaw Season Pass Holders can pick up the Lunch Voucher ($15.00 Value) for $12.00 during check in.

A Learn to Ski or Board Beginner Package is also available!
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Discounted Lift Tickets ~ Everyone wants to save money and visit world class ski resorts. We have people from around the globe who travel thousands of miles to experience the slopes in our backyard ~ the Greater Lake Tahoe Region! During the days of our Recreational Races, all members of our club can get Incredible Savings on Lift Tickets!

The key is they have to arrive early (usually by 8:30am) at the resort and go where they are selling the Discounted Lift Tickets to us.

On our Recreational Race Days ~ discounted Lift Tickets are projected to be around $60.00 per day at Squaw, Alpine, North Star and Sugar Bowl!

If you do not race, you can still purchase the discounted lift ticket during the Recreational Race Days take advantage of these great savings. See 2015 Race Schedule. This is a benefit from the Bay Area Ski Council

*We’re going to Northstar on March 1st / Sunday. Care to race?

FOR SALE
Marmot Down Jacket – Size Large / BLACK. Worn only 3 times
Marmot 72050 Yukon Classic Parka. Original Price is $450.00 – for sale $150.00

Here is a brief description at REI

http://www.rei.com/product/816311/marmot-yukon-classic-parka-mens
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FREE MUSEUM DAY – This Sunday, December 7th at California Academy of Science in San Francisco

Doors open at 11:00am. Be on line at 10:00am

http://www.calacademy.org/

For more info, please email Karen at tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org

Have a safe and happy holiday season with your family and friends. Enjoy and see you next year.

Karen Soo
Nisei Ski Club Trip Director

~ Da Prez, Armand Gutierrez ~

1. Membership Activity

I guess it’s never too late to join NSC as we have one new member who joined in November. I’m hopeful that as the winter season progresses with impressive snowfall we’ll have more people join us on our weekend ski trips. Currently, we have 92 members in the club.

I would like to welcome the following new member:
• Rodney Jeong

2. Jackson Hole Ski Week (24-31 January 2015)

Well, what can I say? It’s been snowing in Jackson Hole and by the time we get there our “winter wonderland” will beckon us to immerse ourselves in snowflake heaven. Be sure to check out the Jackson Hole webcams (http://www.jacksonhole.com, and click on webcams) to see what awaits us.

The Jackson Hole Orientation Meeting at Casa Gutierrez will be held on Saturday, December 13th, so look for an Evite with all the details. Please try and make it to so you can meet other members and pick up your souvenir jacket. If you’re going to Jackson Hole and haven’t received an Evite then please contact me at : president@niseiskiclub.org.

Hey Racers, you could be the next Lindsey Vonn!!! Here’s the 2015 Bay Area Snow Sport Council (BAC) race schedule for the 2015 season:
2014-2015 BAC Race Schedule 2015

The Nisei Ski Club is a group designed to facilitate events in which all participants can enhance their experience of the event through sharing it with like-minded individuals. While every individual has the right to the full enjoyment of the group, there are times when one person’s enjoyment could come at the expense of another person. Intentional or not, behavior that causes problems for others or the club cannot be allowed. For the sake of clarity, here are examples of non-acceptable and encouraged behaviors:

 Alcohol and tobacco are permitted in moderation, environment permitting.
 Harassment of any nature, verbal, physical, or visual, will not be tolerated.
 Conduct adversely affecting the life, safety, or well-being of others or their property will not be accepted.
 No illegal activity of any kind will be tolerated.
 Participants’ giving each other respect at all events, treating each person as he or she wishes to be treated, is encouraged.
 Members representing Nisei Ski Club to those not in the club should conduct themselves courteously.
 On trips and at events, participants shall follow the direction of the trip leader or event organizer.

This is by a no means a complete list. If there is a conflict of opinions about something not expressly mentioned, the trip manager or the event organizer will Any member of Nisei Ski Club who wishes to report any perceived violations of conduct, may do so to the board by emailing membership@niseiskiclub.org.

Failure to adhere to these conduct expectations may lead to actions up to and including expulsion from the club without recourse.

The Tahoe region has received its first decent snowfall and several resorts have already indicated opening dates by the end of November. Weather forecasts look promising as low-pressure systems move in and provide us with rain in the bay area and snow up at Tahoe. Let’s hope Mother Nature comes through with plenty of snow this season.

Code of Conduct

At our last board meeting Brian Hess presented a draft of our new Code of Conduct and was reviewed by the board. The draft was well written and required a few minor changes. At our November board meeting we’ll be reviewing the final copy and then have it published by the December Newsletter.

BAC Winterfest Meeting

This was the 6^th annual winter festival held on Monday, 3 November, and was attended by board members Karen Soo, Curtis Otaguro, Frank Chang, and yours truly. The purpose of the winter festival is to meet with ski resort and industry reps, silent auction and raffle, and enjoy a great dinner with other BAC representatives from bay area ski clubs. Karen Soo won several of the raffle prizes while I got outbid on the Big White and Whitefish ski trips on the silent auction. We also met with reps from Sun Peaks, Whistler/Blackcomb, Mt. Bachelor, Telluride, Homewood, Squaw/Alpine, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Sugarbowl, and Mammoth.

1. Membership Activity

Normally October, and following months, doesn’t usually have new/returning members join but we did get one returning member that wanted to go on the Jackson Hole trip. Yes, there’s still some interest for Jackson Hole but that will probably come to an end now that we’ve passed the deadline for signups. Currently we have 91 members in the club.

I would like to welcome the following returning member:  Eden Wong

2. Jackson Hole Ski Week (24-31 January 2015)

With the latest signup we now have 74 intrepid skiers waiting for the chance to demonstrate their skiing abilities on the slopes of Jackson Hole (Corbet’s Couloir anyone?). Now that the deadline for signups has passed I don’t anticipate any more people signing up, plus the extra airline seats had to be released by the end of October. Although there is room in some of the condos getting an airline seat may be difficult at this time (but still possible). Here are some interesting facts about our trip:

• 41 people departing from SFO
• 33 people opted for Land Only (but some are also departing SFO)
• 3 people are driving
• Out of state members: Oregon, Washington, New Mexico, Hawaii, Nevada, British Columbia, and Mexico

Arrangements for our Farewell Dinner are in progress and I hope to be receiving the souvenir gifts soon so that they can be embroidered with our NSC logo. I’m also planning on having an Orientation Meeting at my house either in December (13^th or 14^th) or January (10^th or 11^th) so keep those weekends available.

Don’t forget to download the Jackson Hole mobile app called JH Tapped. This app provides a comprehensive all-season guide to Jackson Hole and includes webcams, trail maps, weather conditions, and lift status just to name a few. You can download this app for your tablet or smartphone from the Jackson Hole website (http://www.jacksonhole.com). Click on “mobile app” in the top row for a complete description and how to download.

The leaves are starting to change their colors. The air is getting cooler. Football season is on. A good indication that fall is here and the best part… The Giants are heading to the World Series. It’s time to start planning our 2015 weekend trips.

Putting all the holiday obstacles aside (Presidents Day weekend, Daylight Savings, Easter Break) I had narrowed down the weekend dates for 2015. We will have 2 weekend trips. We need 35 people to make our weekend trips happen.

Trip 1 – February 27 – March 1^st (Alpine / Northstar)

Trip 2 – March 13 – 15 (Squaw Valley / Sugar bowl)

Due to rising cost of gas these days, the cost of the weekend trips will go up slightly. We will do our best to keep the prices down.

The weeklong trip to Jackson Hole led by Armand G is at its full capacity with 74 people on the trip.   If you are interested in going, we can only put you on the waiting list.

There are a couple of ski shows coming up in the bay area. Snow Bomb Festival will be held at the following areas.  http://www.snowbomb.com/ski-board-festivals/

• Fort Mason during the weekend of Nov 1 and 2
• San Jose Convention Center weekend of Nov 8^th and 9^th
• Sacramento – Cal Expo Center Nov 15 -16

If you like to attend these shows for free and get the freebies with it. You only need to volunteer for 2 to 3 hours and promote the clubs who are members of BAC. More info to follow.

New Benefits: Nisei Ski Club is a member of the Bay Area Ski Council, which is a member of the Far West Ski Association. With this being said, Sugar Bowl will offer a free CORE pass ($20.00 Value) to all club members who show FWSA membership cards for the 2014-2015 season. I will distribute these cards at the Jackson Hole weeklong trip and weekend trips.

The core pass will help you save on your lift ticket purchases and skip the ticket lines.

All Daily CORE tickets include free membership in the CORE Rewards Program, offering special perks, deals and discounts. Plus Daily CORE pas holders enjoy direct-to-lift convenience so you’ll never have to wait in a ticket line again!

Please email Karen Soo at tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org for more information.

Oy Vey, it’s been a hot start to October. With local temperatures reaching the 90s, it has been hard to think about snow sports, but never fear, winter will arrive.  Outdoor and ski/snowboard stores are actively bringing in snow equipment and clothing.

Speaking of snow gear, the annual SnowBomb festivals will be held in San Francisco’s Fort Mason on November 1-2 followed by the San Jose Convention Center event on November 8-9, concluding in Sacramento on November 15-16.  The SnowBomb festivals are a treasure trove of resort and gear information as well as gear and clothing for sale.

Want to attend for free?  Did I say FREE???, then see President Armand’s October President’s Message for details on volunteering to get a free admission!

MEMBERSHIP and JACKSON HOLE – Want to know how large our memebership has become? Want to see whom are the lastest new members? Updates on Jackson Hole?  Well don’t miss Armand’s October Membership and Jackson Hole Reports.

ROCKRIDGE HIKE RESCHEDULED

New Date Oct 26, 2014

ROCKRIDGE Hike – and last but not least, don’t forget the upcoming Rockridge hike in the Oakland Hills stairway hike on October 26.  See : October 26 Rockridge Hike  for details.

NON NSC EVENTS:

• HOCKEY – San Jose Sharks vs Vancouver Canucks on November 6.
  Ticket purchase deadline is looming – October 9 ticket deadline
  Details in the BAC announcement:  2014 BAC Sharks Game 

  For more info, contact Dennis Heffley (bac.president@skibac.org) or 925-998-4415

• Far West Ski Association 2015 Whistler trip  – for those of you not going on the Jackson Hole trip, consider the FWSA Whistler trip from January 31 through February  7, 2015.  Actually, it would be possible to do BOTH trips as they only overlap by 1 day!
  Details here in : Whistler BAC Flyer – Complete

Happy Halloween to All!

Google 2013 Halloween Doodle

~ President Armand Gutierrez ~

Fall is here and despite the warm-to-hot weather in the Bay Area, there have been winter-like conditions at the various ski resorts in Tahoe, Colorado, and Wyoming (think Jackson Hole). Although the early snowfall has only been a slight dusting of that fine, white powder at least it’s a start for what hopefully will be a good winter season. It’s too early to predict and even the weather-gurus can’t seem to agree whether El Niño will be a factor or not.

BAC Focus Meeting

Last month’s BAC meeting was a Focus Meeting on how to make our clubs stronger. Dennis Heffley, BAC President, gave a presentation on how to make clubs stronger, identify our strengths and weaknesses, and, surprisingly, to concentrate on attracting the 30-40 year olds for membership. Why the 30-40 year olds and not younger? Well, it turns out that the younger generation is busy with securing good jobs, trying to afford an apartment/condo, and generally have less disposable income. This makes sense because after graduating college my focus was on getting a job and finding an affordable place to live. Of course, back then finding an affordable place to live was much easier than it is today.

Snowbomb Festival

The annual Snowbomb Festival is coming to town and if you have a chance to go then this is the place to see new equipment, ski/snowboard gear, and winter clothing. The first Snowbomb will be at Ft. Mason on 1-2 November, and the second Snowbomb at the San Jose Convention Center on 8-9 November.  If you would like to attend for free then all you have to do is volunteer to work at the BAC booth at either location. Working the booth consists of talking to people about joining a ski club (like NSC), answering questions about FWSA/BAC, and getting to know volunteers from other ski clubs. If you’re interested in being a volunteer then contact either me (president@niseiskiclub.org) or Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org).

~ Da Prez, Armand Gutierrez ~

Membership Activity

Like August, membership in September dropped off quite a bit as most members joined in the previous months. However, there was one returning member and one former member that that signed up for the Jackson Hole trip.  Currently we have 90 members.

I would like to welcome the following members:

• Ken Kato
• Mike Ryall

Jackson Hole Ski Week (24-31 January 2015)

Interest in Jackson Hole is still there and we now have 73 signups. Currently, I’m making arrangements for our Farewell Dinner and finalizing our condo arrangements. To get everyone stoked on Jackson Hole there is a free mobile app called JH Tapped. This app provides a comprehensive all-season guide to Jackson Hole and includes webcams, trail maps, dining, weather conditions, and lift status just to name a few.

You can download this app for your tablet or smartphone from the Jackson Hole website (http://www.jacksonhole.com). Click on “mobile app” in the top row for a complete description and how to download. Jackson Hole has started to receive some snowfall so check out the webcams.

Karen Soo is finalizing work on the souvenir gifts, so be sure to make your selection as soon as possible to ensure you get the right color/size.

~ by Freeman Wong ~
(with a few edits by Hoyt)

Sacramento Group

We five from Sacramento met Hoyt and about 15 other Nisei Ski Club members and friends at the Sutro Baths Visitor Center in San Francisco. We planned to hike to the old Sutro mansion site across the road, but since the fog was too thick for good views, we hiked down to the bath ruins before starting the headlands hike.  The weather was cool and the fog layer was just high enough to reveal most of the views along the headlands – perfect weather for a hike.

We took a spur off the main trail down to a labyrinth for some fun. Some of us tried to follow the large labyrinth. I heard one person say she got dizzy
trying to get to the center but was very excited to get there.

We also hiked along El Camino Del Mar in the Sea Cliff district where we saw many multi-million dollar homes with views of the Golden gate Bridge from their backyards. We saw Robin Williams’ old home where fans had left flowers and candles in his memory.  As we stopped at the Palace of the Legion of Honor*  on the way back, we were lucky enough to see 60 plus vintage motor scooters drive up and park for a meeting to display their scooters in front of the museum.
(* editor’s note- did you know that the Palace of Legion of Honor is modeled after the  Musée National de la Légion d’honneur in Paris?)

Just before ending our four hour hike, we stopped at the USS San Francisco Naval Memorial where we saw part of a damaged warship and signs about its history in WW II.

Thanks to Hoyt Nelson for leading us on another scenic and informative hike. Looking forward to another one soon!

Welcome to the End of Summer / Back to School edition of the NSC monthly newsletter!

Lots in store this month for your reading pleasure.

From the President’s Desk

First off, we have our club president, Armand’s President’s Message and for an update on our current membership and the Jackson Hole trip. Speaking of the Jackson Hole trip, don’t forget to send you your final payments by September 15!!

Jackson Hole

For those of you whom have not been to Jackson Hole before, the town will offer lots of non-snow attractions.  I have fond memories of my two trips to Jackson Hole.  One of the attractions are the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar with its bar with embedded silver dollars! Here are a couple of pictures of the bar.  There’s no time like the present to brush up on your line dancing steps!

Another memorable attraction is the arch of antlers at the Jackson Hole town square.

~

Annual Picnic

We had another successful annal picnic and BBQ!  Melissa Wong (a.k.a. Fanatic A’s Fan) desribes the picnic and her fortuitous luck at the Left/Right/Center game that netted her almost $100!!!  Our ever present paparazzo, Bill Pseudonym, has supplied a plethora of pictures and a video of the Left/Right/Center game.  Read Melissa’s recounting and see Bill’s photographic oeuvre here: NSC Annual Picnic August 2014.

~

SJ SHARKS vs VANCOUVER CANUCKS

The first ever Bay Area Snow Sports Concil’s (BAC) San Jose Sharks Hockey night is coming up!!!

When : Thursday, November 6, 2014
Game Time : 7:30 pm
Where : San Hose Shark Tank,, AKA SAP Center , 525 W. Santa Clara St San Jose, Ca
Cost : $43 / ticket

Ticket Ordering DEADLINE : October 9, 2014

Details in the BAC Flyer:  2014 BAC Sharks Game FLyer 

For more info, contact Dennis Heffley (bac.president@skibac.org) or 925-998-4415

Sharks Home page: http://sharks.nhl.com/index.html

~Nota Bene – this is NOT an NSC event~

~

Far West Ski Association Whistler 2015 Trip

Just in case you didn’t get onto Armand’s Jackson Hole trip, here’s an invite from the Far West Ski Association (FWSA) to go to Whistler, British Columbia.

~Nota Bene – this is NOT an NSC event~

Hello Fellow BAC Skiers!

The FWSA Ski Week to Whistler BC is coming up next year, and it is going to be an AWESOME trip.  Whistler is the largest ski resort in North America with the longest runs, and a new “Peak to Peak” gondola connecting the twin peaks.  It is consistently rated the #1 Ski Resort in North American by Ski Magazine, so this will be a trip you do not want to miss.

We already have over 70 people from 8 different ski clubs in the BAC signed up, but we couldn’t help but notice that no one from your club is signed up!  We have attached the announcement flyer and a trip preference form here.  Could you please circulate these to your members and put them in your newsletter?  Thanks for helping get the word out.

~

49ers Levi’s Stadium Visit – Assessment of Interest~

Any one intersested in visitiong the new 49ers Levi’s stadium? Trip director, Karen Soo, would like to know.  If there is enough interest, she wll pusue the next steps for a visit.

If you are interested, let her know by dropping her an email at: tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org

That that that’s All Folks – until next month…

~ Armand Gutierrez, President ~

Are You Ready for Winter?

Now that Labor Day has passed, summer is giving way to fall and the next thing we know it will be winter. Are you ready for the upcoming snow season? I’ve got a new pair of skis/bindings and boots that I picked up at the end of last season. So, yes, I am ready. Well, almost ready. The bindings still need to be mounted on the skis and the boots adjusted to the bindings. Then, I’ll be ready.

If you need new equipment then starting in October is when the ski shops start having some sales for last year’s inventory. And then, in November, there are the annual Snow Bomb shows in San Francisco and San Jose. These events offer great deals on ski and snowboard equipment, clothing and accessories, plus it’s like attending a great big party. There will be more details on the Snow Bomb shows in future newsletters.

NSC Picnic

Was that a great picnic we had last month? There must have been at least 50 people wandering around sampling a variety of foods, talking with old friends, and enjoying what turned out to be a beautiful, sunny afternoon in Sunnyvale. Many thanks to Karen Soo for organizing the event and to Curtis Otaguro as chef extraordinaire on the BBQ. And a special Thank You for all of the members that attended and made this a great event.

~ President Armand Gutierrez ~

Membership Activity

As expected, membership in August dropped off quite a bit as most members joined in the previous months. However, there were two returning members who signed up for the Jackson Hole trip. Currently, we have 88 members.

I would like to welcome the following returning members:

• Elizabeth Slocum Jensen
• David Jensen

Jackson Hole Ski Week (24-31 January 2-15)

Is everyone excited about Jackson Hole? We’re up to 70 people and I’m expecting a few more signups before the end of the month. This has turned out to be a very popular trip and let’s hope Mother Nature does her part.

Some members have inquired about trip insurance and it is available through Sports America. Download the Travel Guard Flyer : TravelGuard_flyer_2014  and the Travel Guard sign-up form : Travel Insurance Signup and submit them to Sports America. Since there was very little interest in the SJC departure, those seats have been released.

Please be sure to make your final payments by September 15th.

Karen Soo is still working on the souvenir gifts, so be sure to make your selection as soon as possible to ensure that you get your preferred color/size.

~ By : Melissa Wong aka Fanatic Oakland A’s fan ~

On a mildly warm day on August 9th, about 50 NSC members and their families and friends gathered in Sunnyvale’s Las Palmas Park for the annual NSC picnic.

Immediately upon arrival, Karen got the setup crew (Wes, Armand, Frank, Curtis) going with assignments.  After setup, Head Chef Curtis started the grill and his rotation of sous chefs kept the mostly prompt arrivals fed with hot dogs, hamburgers and ribs.  I was given the task of greeting each attendee with a personalized name tag and a raffle ticket for wonderful prizes.  Attendees generously provided a variety of salads and chips/dips, fried chicken, egg rolls, tamales, sushi and lots of sweets.  An adequate amount of adult beverages were also consumed.

In the second half of the party, Karen drew the winning raffle tickets.  The lucky winners were given items from Trader Joes (Cookie butter, Jo Jo Cookies and Chocolate Bars). Soon after, the final anticipation of the afternoon came  – the popular dollar dice game (LEFT/ RIGHT / CENTER) .  Every adult was encouraged to participate.  Some appeared eagerly awaiting this game all day long while others who were unfamiliar needed encouragement.  As the inaugural and 2nd year champions, Amy and David T excused themselves from this year’s contest.  Amy was later seen being a babysitter to little Kai while Mommy Michelle played on.

As many rounds of rolling took place and $1 bills were slowly thrown onto the center bin, Joe, Armand’s nephew from L-o-n-g Island, needed a couple of timeouts and dipped into the beer cooler.  We witnessed the quick timeouts since the beer cooler was also used as a leg to elevate the bin.  As the contest finally came down to four and then two gamers, Melissa (that’s me again!) was the last person standing, holding TWO $1 bills in hand.  I became the champion of the 3rd annual dice game of the NSC picnic.  My winning tally was $96.00!  I also have the pleasure of writing this lovely article for the monthly newsletter.

I hope everyone had an awesome time.  Obviously, I did!

More pictures & videos, courtesy of Bill “Pseudonym” (what a nom de plume!) –

Yes, this is not really a missive, but close enough, I’m taking poetic license ….

PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC
PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC PICNIC

Don’t forget that this Saturday’s BBQ and picnic at Las Palmas park in Sunnyvale!
Date: August 9   ~ Place: Las Palmas Park

For details, see this link: 2014 Picnic and Membership Meeting

JACKSON HOLE 2015 Participants

Those intrepid skiers and boarders who are going to on the Jackson Hole trip, don’t forget to choose your trip souvenir!  Many thanks to Karen for procuring such a wide variety of choices!  There are jackets, fleece sweaters, vests and ¼ zip tops!  Thou who tarry risk the loss of choices!

Oh, don’t forget that your 2nd payment is due by August 15!!

Those not going on this trip, well, you’ll miss out…

Speaking of Jackson Hole…..

President’s August Message and Membership & Jackson Hole reports

Here is President Armand’s Membership and Jackson Hole report, and, of course, we have his August 2014 President’s Message.  The President’s Monthly Message gives thanks to those who volunteered at the Obon Festival beer venue.

If you are interested in a San Jose airport departure for Jackson Hole, read the details in Armand’s Membership + Jackson Hole report.  A minimum of 10 San Jose departures are required to get the group rate which will have a higher cost than the SFO departure.

I, for one, am studying videos of Corbet’s Couloir in mental preparation!!

San Francisco Headlands Hike

And don’t forget about Hoyt’s August 17 Sunday hike through San Francisco’s Headlands where Hoyt will lead you through verdant trails, the old Sutro Bath ruins and the old Sutro Mansion site.  If the fog cooperates, you will have some spectacular views!
For more info, see: SF Headlands Hike.

White Water River Rafting with the Monterey Ski and Social Club

NSC members Fern Uehara Chan and her husband recently joined the Monterey Ski and Social Club on a white water rafting trip on the American River.

Fern reports:

What a lucky break that we were able to join the Monterey Ski and Social Club on their summer getaway weekend.  A big thank you to Amy McDonald and her team for planning this great weekend event.

Our final Saturday in June was the perfect window of opportunity between 100-degree days in the central valley. My husband Kevin and I who are Nisei Ski Club members drove through the rural hills between Placer and El Dorado counties. We wondered with a tiny bit of anxiety on my part. What quaint Georgetown and its beckoning outskirts has to offer?….

Read the rest of Fern’s report here : Nisei Ski Club Back Paddling with the Monterey Ski and Social Club

Until next month, your N.E.