Nisei Ski Club

~ President Armand Gutierrez ~

April is here and this usually means the end of a ski season and the start of baseball, biking, hiking, camping, golf, and other spring activities. My last visit to Tahoe was at the end of March, with many people calling it “Magical March” because Mother Nature indeed blessed the Tahoe region with a good snowfall and fresh powder!

BAC recognizes NSC! Although the Sun Peaks trip has passed, the April BAC Newsletter is showcasing our Sun Peaks trip. You can view it here :  BAC0414newsletter .

Board Nominations/Elections

At our March board meeting we discussed the upcoming nominations/elections for the next season. Although our policies provide for nominations/elections, it has become apparent that this process has not been fully implemented in the past few years. There have been no nominations or write-ins and then the election slate is comprised of just the incumbents. Although being on the board is strictly a volunteer effort we’ve managed to retain the current board members for several seasons due to their commitment to running the club. Well, it appears that the 2014-15 season is no different and the current board members have all indicated they would serve again and that nominations/elections would not be formally held this year.  However, we do encourage all of you to be more active members by serving on the board or tour leading a ski trip or other activity. It would be reasonable to assume that some members might want to be nominated or elected. Therefore, if anyone has an interest in joining the board for the next season then just drop a note to any of the current board members.

Code of Conduct for NSC

I’ve been participating in several FWSA functions over the past few years, including their international ski week trips, and as I learn more about how FWSA functions, I noticed that they have a Code of Conduct (CoC) that attendees of their ski trips must abide by. I discussed this with an FWSA member and she told me that the Code of Conduct was put in place so that all members that are part of a FWSA-sponsored event would adhere to the Code of Conduct and any “bad behavior” that could reflect negatively on FWSA could result in being barred from any future FWSA-sponsored events. Although NSC is comprised of good-natured people that are willing to help others and exemplify good behavior on NSC-sponsored trips, the board came to the conclusion that perhaps we should adopt our own Code of Conduct to ensure that all members are aware that any “bad behavior” that could reflect negatively on NSC could result in being barred from NSC-sponsored events. Brian Hess is working on a draft proposal, patterned after the FWSA CoC, and the board will be reviewing it at future board meetings. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding an NSC Code of Conduct please contact me (  president@niseiskiclub.org ) or any board member.

Welcome to Daylight Savings Time 2014!

Enjoy the extra sunlight hours!

The сочи Olympics are over and congrats to all the competitors, American and others.

Lots of ski & snowboarding news this month.  First off, we have President Armand’s Membership and Sun Peaks report  and President’s March Message  which includes highlights of the Sun Peaks week trip. Armand and Curtis are in Zermatt, Switzerland this week skiing with Far West Ski Association of which Nisei is a member, and by the transitive property, so are you!  I expect a full report from our Swiss Matterhorn skiers next month’s newsletter.

NSC Sun Peaks Members with Olympian Nancy Greene
Photo credit : Bill Pseudonym

Sun Peaks

Speaking of Sun Peaks…. David “Lambo” Miura has provided us with this Pulitzer Prize caliber report, perchance that’s a bit hyperbolic, how about Great Bathroom reading worthy report, the “Lambo Sun Peaks Report”.

It’s been rumored that anytime Armand leads a trip, someone gets injured. Well…. I’ll let you read Dave’s report and see the pictures and you can see if this is a fair assessment.

Skiing Français

Your’s truly, your intrepid N.E., spent a week at Serre Chevalier in the French Alpes in mid February.  Luckily for me, it had snowed considerably just before I arrived, so there was an abundance of deep snow.  Lots of “hors piste”, trees and out of bounds skiing with a guide was done. Just to whet your appetite for Alpes skiing, here are some mountain stats: 63 lifts & a vertical drop of 5,249 feet.  That’s almost twice that of Squaw Valley’s 2389′ and more than Jackson Hole’s 4105′ – Did I mention Jackson Hole???? See Armand’s President’s message for the big red tram connection! And, I don’t mean Heavenly Valley’s tram.

Grady and 2/3s of the Langs

Tahoe Weekend Trip (Feb 28-Mar 2)

“Social” Club

Last weekend, 30 some odd ( and I do mean “ODD“) Nisei and Monterey Drinking and Social MSSC Link), endured a 7  hour plus bus ride to Reno on Friday night due to the lots of traffic and chain controls – Thank You Grady!!!. Fortunately, there was plenty of food and drinks (particularly beer) on board as well as scintillating conversation with acquaintances, new and old.  Tour leaders, Karen Soo, NSC Trip Director, and Amy Lew (no relationship) as always, outdid themselves with scrumptious dinners and breakfasts.Saturday, we skied and rode on surprising good snow coverage at Alpine Meadows.  We had such a good time, one or two members stayed on the mountain until, I believe, the lifts closed!

Sunday, we went to Northstar which, except for the lowest elevation runs, also had good coverage, albeit sometimes icy as there it was snowing at the upper elevations and sometimes raining at the lower slopes.  Nonetheless, we had a wonderful weekend playing in the snow! Sooooo, those of you who didn’t go, you missed a snowtastic weekend.

Bill “Pseudonym” L. took the following  pictures  [Photos Link ] and videos [Videos Link].

April 6 – Saint Joseph’s Hill Hike –

Last but not least, don’t forget about Hoyt’s Saint Joseph’s Hill hike on April 6.

Great views of Lexington Reservoir to the West at the start and a sweeping view of the Santa Clara Valley to the East at the top.  There will still be monkey flowers, Scotch broom and remnants from the vineyards that supplied sacramental wine for the Novitiate in Los Gatos many years ago.

For details, see Hoyt’s hike description.

~ Until next month – “Happy Trails to you” …~

~ the Grand Poobah, President Armand Gutierrez ~

As we are now entering March, the ski season is beginning to wind down for many. Ski shops are starting their “clearance sales”, and we just completed our NSC Weekend trip to Alpine Meadows and Northstar. But, that doesn’t mean the ski season is over. If Mother Nature cooperates perhaps there will be more rain in the Bay Area and snow in Tahoe, so don’t put your skis away just yet. I’ll be joining fellow NSCers on the FWSA Zermatt Ski Week from 6-15 March and hopefully return to Tahoe for a few more ski trips.

Sun Peaks Ski Week

The NSC Ski Week at Sun Peaks was a great trip and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the three mountains that offered a variety of runs. This was new territory for everyone as this was the first time NSC had visited Sun Peaks. One of the highlights of the trip was skiing with Canadian Olympian (1968 Winter Olympics, gold and silver medalist) Nancy Greene.

Olympian Nancy Greene

Every Sunday she invites skiers to join her on an informal tour of the mountain, and most of the NSC members were there to join her on the first day of skiing. Incidentally, Nancy is 70 years old, a Canadian Senator for British Columbia, and I’m sure she could out ski most anyone in our group. During the week we finally figured out the shortest route to the ski lifts (Morissey was the closest) and the shortest route back to the condos. Additional details of the trip can be found on the Sun Peaks Ski Week Report and David Miura’s Sun Peaks Report.

Board Nominations

Now that it’s March it’s time to think about Board Nominations for the 2014-15 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.

~ Presidente Armand Gutierrez ~

Membership Activity

Like January there was little activity for February, although we did get one new member that needed to join NSC so he can be on the FWSA trip to Zermatt, Switzerland. Our membership currently stands at 52 members.

Sun Peaks Ski Week

The Sun Peaks ski week was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone that went. Although there was not as much snow as I had hoped for, there were several days with new powder on the ground, one morning that had a freezing rain that froze on our goggles, and plenty of days with blue skies and shadows on the ground. The weather was very cooperative and temperatures where in the low-mid teens most of the time with a few days in the 20’s. This, in contrast to the previous two weeks when temps where in the below zero range.

After our introductory tour of the mountain on the first morning, the group did ski with Canadian Olympian Nancy Greene as she showed us the mountain and gave us a few tips on where the best snow was to be found. There was one injury one the trip where David Uyeda, on his last day of skiing, successfully handled a black diamond mogul run only to fall onto the cat track at the bottom and suffer a dislocated shoulder. The Farewell Dinner on Friday was held at the Cahilty Creek Bar & Grill and everyone enjoyed the dinner offerings as well the complementary first round of libations thanks to the boys in Condo 40.

I would like to thank every one of the Sun Peaks participants for the great gifts (winter fleece pullover, Sun Peaks T-shirt, and a 49er jacket) bestowed upon me at the dinner and rest assured they will be used often. This was a memorable trip for me as I think I managed to ski with just about everyone on the trip at one time or another.

Many people are inquring: “where are we going next year?” Well, looks like a return trip to Jackson Hole is in the stars since NSC last graced the slopes there in 2001.

~ byline: David “Lambo” Miura ~

Twenty-four intrepid skiers led by President Armand Gutierrez traveled to Sun Peaks Resort in eastern British Columbia, Canada for a week of skiing. The flights to Kelowna were uneventful (other than Gary Yee’s flight that got cancelled, forcing him to arrive a day later) as was the slightly heated bus ride to the resort. When we first arrived, it was terribly cold but the weather warmed up during the week.

Sun Peaks is composed of three mountains, and many took advantage of the free Mountain Host Tours divided into ability levels and led by local volunteers. On our first day of skiing we took advantage of the Host Tour in the morning, and in the afternoon we had the opportunity to ski with the resort’s celebrity champion, Olympic gold & silver medal winner Nancy Greene. She is a sitting Senator representing British Columbia in the Canadian Parliament and travels weekly between Sun Peaks and Ottawa. But don’t be fooled by this enthusiastic little 70-year-old lady. She skis very, very fast!

Unlike the sunny conditions that greeted us the day before, Monday was cold and overcast with a steady snowfall. What was most unusual about that day was the new experience of having ice coat one’s goggles after a few seconds of skiing. Everybody had to stop frequently to scrape the ice off with their fingernails, or for our richer members, with their platinum credit cards.

In the evenings, several condo groups ventured out to try the local restaurants in the village. People gave positive reviews for Powder Hounds (German), Cahilty Creek Bar & Brill, Oya (Japanese), Mountain High Pizza, and Bottom’s Bar & Grill (a favorite watering-hole), but thumbs down to Bella Italia (Italian). The mid-mountain Sunburst Lodge and Bento’s Day Lodge at the bottom of the hill both served fresh and delicious cinnamon buns that were so big that four people could easily share one.

Can You Find Frank & Lansing?

This year, instead of a custom Marmot fleece pullover with the NSC logo, Karen Soo arranged for people to be able to choose between that and something else from the catalog. Frank Chang and Lansing Lee both chose a yellow daypack, and with their grey helmets, blue jackets, and black pants, they looked like brothers skiing down the mountain. Judy Hom and Winston Fong joined us for the first time in many years, and it was a welcome sight to see Winston’s bright trademark yellow jumpsuit on the slopes.

Before Treatment

After Re-Setting

Armand claims that there is always at least one injury on the trips that he leads, and unfortunately that was the case at Sun Peaks. A group of skiers made their way down the Agitator (a black diamond mogul run between Static Cling and Spin Cycle), and David Uyeda successfully negotiated the bumps but then at the bottom fell onto the cat track and dislocated his shoulder. After being examined at First Aid, he was transported to Kamloops to have everything put back into place. Thanks to Roland Lee, who accompanied David to the hospital and back.

Before we knew it, Friday had arrived and we were enjoying our farewell banquet at Cahilty Creek Bar & Grill. Armand announced that the club is considering going to Jackson Hole next year, which was well received. Thanks to Armand for leading a successful trip, to Karen Soo for securing the trip souvenirs, and to all of the NSC board members for their support.

For more pics – click this link : Sun Peaks Pictures 

Happy 4712, the Chinese Year of the Horse! 

Per the www.travelchinaguide.com website, people born in the year of the horse have the following characteristics:

” Strengths
People born in the year of the horse have ingenious communicating techniques and in their community they always want to be in the limelight. They are clever, kind to others, and like to join in a venture career. Although they sometimes talk too much, they are cheerful, perceptive, talented, earthy but stubborn. They like entertainment and large crowds. They are popular among friends, active at work and refuse to be reconciled to failure, although their endeavor cannot last indefinitely. 

Weaknesses
They cannot bear too much constraint. However their interest may be only superficial and lacking real substance. They are usually impatient and hot blooded about everything other than their daily work. They are independent and rarely listen to advice. Failure may result in pessimism. They usually have strong endurance but with bad temper. Flamboyant by nature, they are wasteful since they are not good with matters of finance due to a lack of budgetary efficiency. Some of those who are born in the horse like to move in glamorous circles while pursuing high profile careers.  They tend to interfere in many things and frequently fail to finish projects of their own. “

NEW SNOW in the Sierras!!! Drought, Smought!  While the current drought is quite dire, there has been promising recent snowfall in the Sierras!  Northstar ski reports 17 inches of new snow within the past week (See: http://www.northstarcalifornia.com/snowreport.asp) while Heavenly Valley reports a phenomenal 27 inches of snowfall during the past 7 days!!! (see http://www.skiheavenly.com/the-mountain/snow-report/snow-report.aspx)

On the subject of Heavenly Valley and the drought, our ever busy trip director, Karen Soo, reports on her recent sojourn to Heavenly Valley. As you can see from this picture, there was plenty of natural and man made snow at Heavenly.

Here is the link this month’s trip director report: “Drought or No Drought?”

Your intrepid N.E. (Newsletter Editor) and ex-president Morgan Hua, schlepped off to Winter Park recently in search of powder.  I suspect that our trip brought luck to Tahoe as it started to snow in Tahoe shortly after our return! We spent much of our time skiing glades at Winter Park and its sister resort, Mary Jane.  My new Rossi Soul 7 skis floated through the untracked powder within the trees with relative ease!

Presidential Affairs

And speaking of powder, I expect the imminent Sun Peaks trip in British Columbia will fullfill your powderhound dreams!  Club president, Armand, will be leading this trip this weekend!  Armand also pays tribute to the Chinese New Year among other subjects in his February President’s Message and reports on the current state of our membership as well as the Sun Peaks trip in his Membership & Sun Peaks report.

BAC Person Of the Year – this year, the NSC board has decided to participate in the Bay Area Snow Sports Council (BAC – what happened to the “S”s???) “Man/ Woman” of the Year program. Here’s the link to Armand’s nomination: BAC Man or Woman of the Year.
To quote William Tecumseh  Sherman (1820-1891) :

If nominated, I will not run;
If elected, I will not serve

April 6 St Joseph’s Hike – Join Hoyt as he leads another of  his always interesting sylvan hikes to  the Saint Joseph’s Open Space Preserve in Los Gatos.  See his article here: St Joseph’s Hike.

Where Am I? where is your N.E.?

 ~ President Armand Gutierrez ~

Welcome to the Chinese Year of the Horse! Yes, the Chinese New Year started January 31st and if you were born under the sign of the Horse then you have a love of wide-open spaces (a big ski bowl, perhaps?) and considered a hard-working individual with efforts that pay off handsomely.

Let the ski & snowboard season begin! Well, for some of us it started back in December of last year. Others, well, they were waiting for some decent snowfall and the recent winter storm, albeit a small one, did bring a fresh layer of snow to the Tahoe resorts. However, I know that many of you still haven’t skied yet and perhaps the Sun Peaks trip coming up on 8-15 February will be your first foray onto the slopes. That’s OK, because Sun Peaks has a base of over 55” and the cold temperatures (in the 20-25 degree range) keeps that snow nice and soft and fluffy.

If you’re not on the Sun Peaks trip then you better be on the Squaw Valley/Northstar weekend trip slated for 28 Feb – 2 March.  Signups are on the low side (less than ten people as of the end of January) and we need at least 18-20 signups in order to make this trip a go. Click here for the << Sign Up form>> within the NSC Trip Schedule page.

In the past few years, I’ve become more attuned to the FWSA/BAC activities. Starting with my first trip with FWSA to Chamonix, then to Innsbruck, and now a return trip to Zermatt, Switzerland.

Recently I received email about the BAC Man and Woman of the Year nominations. This nomination is designed to bring recognition to a member of the club that has performed outstanding duties and contributes to the success of the club. All nominees from the various clubs in BAC are also considered for the BAC Man and Woman of the Year contest. As far as I can recall NSC has never participated in this event, until now. This year the Board decided to nominate a club member for Man of the Year. Take a look at the Man and Woman of the Year Nomination article to find out who has been nominated.

~ Da Prez, Armand Gutierrez ~

Membership Activity

NSC Members!

Not much activity for January, although we did get one returning member that needed to join NSC so he can be on the FWSA trip to Zermatt, Switzerland. Hopefully there may be a few more membership signups as we get closer to the weekend ski trip to Squaw Valley/Northstar on Feb 28 – Mar 2.  Our membership currently stands at 51 (LI) members.

Sun Peaks Ski Week

The Sun Peaks ski week is around the corner and all arrangements are in place – air/ground transportation, special NSC welcome reception, and the Farewell Dinner. As a reminder to everyone, be sure to arrive at the airport early for check-in and make sure you have your passport.

If you have any questions regarding the trip don’t hesitate to send  Email : president@niseiskiclub.org

All the winter storms are hitting north of us and Sun Peaks now has 55” at the top of the Crystal Chair (my last report indicated 46”). Don’t look at these webcams if you think you can’t handle the beauty and nature of what Sun Peaks has to offer:

http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/weather-and-cams/web-cams

 ~ Karen Soo – Trip Director ~

The howling wind with accompanying snow flurries is music to my ears as I sit here writing the NSC article here in Tahoe. Finally, we got a decent snow fall of 12” during a year where storms have been few and far between. So I hope you have faith that this year will turn around and you decide to sign up for NSC’s Ski trip this year. Snowmaking at Heavenly and Northstar has made a big difference during this drought year, so skiing is not as bad as you may think.

~ Armand Gutierrez, NSC President ~

One of the ongoing traditions of the Bay Area Council (BAC) is to have all clubs nominate a man and a woman that they feel have done the most for their club that year. In the past Nisei Ski Club has never been part of this traditional nomination, until now.

The nominee can be an officer of the club or it can be a club member who has gone above and beyond to make the club successful. This can be through volunteering to help at multiple events, hosting events, doing a job for the club like newsletter or website, etc.

Once a year, BAC then names a Man and Woman of the Year from one of the clubs. The BAC contest uses formal criteria and the BAC Man or Woman of the Year must agree to go to the FWSA convention and represent BAC in their Man and Woman of the Year contest. Since there is a convention attendance requirement, it is optional for the Club Men and Women to enter the BAC contest.

As a further perk for being named a club’s Man or Woman of the Year, BAC invites all to attend a dinner in their honor, regardless of whether or not they decide to enter the contest. BAC will announce the Club’s Man and Woman of the Year names at a BAC meeting in March and also list them in the BAC newsletter.

At our January Board meeting this topic was discussed and we decided to nominate Dan Lew for Man of the Year. Dan was selected because, as webmaster, he ensures that the NSC website is updated in a timely manner, uses his creativity to enhance the articles that are submitted (witness the touched-up photos), provides colorful commentary on current events, and has also added a variety of helpful articles (i.e., last month’s ski goggles tutorial).

Congratulations Dan for a job well done. As I mentioned to you previously, your excellent efforts could possibly result in a permanent webmaster position.

Latest pic of Dan & his clones

Happy New Year to All!!!

And PRAY for rain & snow!  Anyone know any rain dances? Hey, maybe you can talk Armand into letting you go on the Sun Peak’s trip.  Who knows, maybe there will be a cancellation and you can sneak in and ski or ride amongst Sun Peak’s snow angels. While we have a dearth of snowfall in the Sierras, I know of people who have been having a good time skiing the limited man-made snow at some of the Tahoe resorts including your esteemed president, Armand!

Speaking of Armand, in his first  <<monthly president’s message >> of the new year, he gives tips on how to become a better skier or snowboarder. So what’s happening with the membership and the week long Sun Peaks trip?  Satiate your Walter Mitty dreams with Armand’s <<membership and Sun Peaks report>>.  With the paucity of Tahoe snow, don’t you wish you were going to Sun Peaks?? Your editor (me) has been on many of NSC’s week trips and they’ve always been memorable. Keep this in mind for next year’s trip!

GEAR TALK– this month, I thought I’d give you a brief primer about

Smiths Women’s Asian Fit

snow goggles.  Since our club has a one or two Asian members, I want to point out that FINALLY, some manufacturers are producing “Asian Fit” goggles.  Are you tired of goggles riding high on your cheekbones uncomfortably or having cold air blowing through the gap above the bridge of your nose??? Well, relief “may” be available.  Some of the manufacturers that make “Asian Fit” goggles are: Oakley, Smiths, Anon and Dragon. In theory, these goggles may fit Asian faces better. Of course, everyone’s faces are shaped differently.  I personally own a pair of Oakley “Asian Fit” A Frame goggles with spherical lenses, but they don’t fit that much better than my regular fit Bolle goggles.  However, they do fit a bit better, nonetheless. As they say, “your mileage may vary”.  That said, the most important aspect of goggle buying is FIT. When shopping for goggles, try on several pairs, paying attention to how they fit around your face, particularly around your nose.  A good fit will have even pressure & sealing around your face.  Note that goggles come in many different sizes.  Women specific goggles tend to be a bit smaller, but non  gender specific goggles vary in sizes too.  Goggles should be wide enough to provide adequate peripheral vision.  If you wear a helmet, ensure that the goggle fit isn’t adverse LENSES – most lenses are of double lens construction. Avoid single lens goggles as they have a tendency to fog up. A double lens is like a  home’s thermal window, they provide a buffer of air between the lenses to prevent the cold outside air from directly affecting the inner lens, thus reducing fogging. To help prevent fogging, clear any snow that may accumulate on top of the goggles which can impede adequate air flow. Ensure that the fit is not affected by the helmet and that the goggles don’t leave a big gap between it and the from of the helmet, unless you want a forehead brain freeze! Lens color– When do you wear goggles? All the time or just when it’s snowing and

Mirrored, darker, spherical lens

wear sunglasses when it’s sunny? If you wear them even if it’s sunny, then a darker lens may be more appropriate and also consider a mirrored lens to reduce glare. Unfortunately, darker lenses are disadvantageous if it clouds over or gets dark. If you wear goggles only when it’s snowing, then lighter amber, yellow, orange or rose colored lens are good choices.  Amber/yellow/orange  and rose tinted lenses are probably not dark enough for use in bright sunny conditions.  Amber, yellow or orange lenses are better for contrast enabling you to see the changes in terrain better in low light while rose colored lenses are better for depth perception. Photochromatic lenses which automagically darken or lighten depending on the intensity of sunlight are available  but not common.  Polarized lenses reduce glare from the snow when sunny. Lens shape – higher quality goggles (and more expensive)

Flat lens

Spherical lens

have spherical lenses instead of “flat” lenses. Spherical lenses should provide more peripheral vision as they bulge out from the goggle frame.  They should also provide better vision as the lens is more or less equidistant from your eye whereas on flat lenses, the center of the lens is closest to your eye and the rest of the lens is further from your eyes.  As a result, light hits a flat lens at different angles on different parts of the lens when on a spherical lens, light hits the lens at more consistent angles.  All of these factors should result in clearer, sharper, and less distorted vision.  Again, your results may vary.  Perhaps I’m not sensitive to it, but for my vision, I don’t see much of a difference and I own both types – go figure!. OTG – Over The Glasses goggles (not to be confused with USB On The Go << tech joke!)- these  goggles are specifically designed for eyeglass wearers. OTG goggles are deeper to allow room for glasses and usually have a channel in the temple foam to allow room for the eyeglass arms. Wearing goggles over glasses often present fogging problems, so consider an OTG goggle with a built in fan such as the Smiths Knowledge Fan OTG.

Oakley Heads UP Display

GPS GOGGLES – For you well to do techies, you can now also get GPS enabled goggles ($500+!!!) with built in “heads up” displays that show speed, altitude and even where your friends are (in theory). Oakley, Smiths and Zeal are among the manufacturers that make these for the well heeled. Now if only they can display trail maps!

That’s it for this month’s tutorial, GOGGLES 101.

Until next month…your Ed.

Excuse me, my phone’s ringing!

Welcome to 2014 and may the New Year bring you new found prosperity, continued good health, and the opportunity to improve your skiing and riding abilities. Did you get any new ski or snowboard equipment for Christmas? Well, I didn’t. I did get a new iPad Air, which is not made for skiing but brings me forward to the 21^stcentury. Call me a Luddite but I still don’t own a smartphone. Yes, numerous friends have told me that I need new gear. Well, maybe this will be the year I demo some new equipment (I need it all – skis, bindings, and boots).

Armand’s Skis and Boots!

A week before Christmas I ventured up to Tahoe and skied Heavenly and Northstar. Heavenly only had the Nevada side open, and Northstar also had limited lift operations. Yes, skiing wasn’t the greatest but at least it was skiing and I enjoyed being on the slopes and meeting people. But let’s get back to improving your skiing or riding. If you want to improve your skiing or snowboarding, then it’s a must that you plan on several ski trips to Tahoe (or your favorite area). I’ve always told people that there are two things that you have to do to improve your skiing/ riding:

• Ski or snowboard at least ten days in a season, and
• Ski or snowboard with people that are better than you are.

Why ten days? Anything less than that will keep you from improving and you will stay at your present level. Repetition is important so you can develop muscle memory on the slopes.  That’s why firefighters practice putting out fires and disaster scenarios. When it comes time for the real thing they are prepared with automatic reflexes. Skiing or riding with people better than you provides the opportunity of informal lessons. Follow a good skier/ boarder and you’re bound to pick-up improved techniques and style. Plus, there is the added motivational factor to keeping up with a good skier / rider. By the time our weekend trip to Squaw Valley/Northstar comes up there should be plenty of snow. Let’s see how many members, and friends, we can get to sign-up for this trip for some good skiing and riding and perhaps the opportunity to improve your skiing and riding abilities!

Although we’re in some sort of drought for snow I’m still planning on going up to Tahoe for another weekend of skiing. The California side at Heavenly is now open so that will mean more runs to take, and hopefully Northstar will open up a few more runs as well.

~Armand ~

~ Da Prez, Armand Gutierrez ~

Membership Activity

Not much activity for December, however we did get one returning member since he wanted to go someplace that has snow and now he’s signed up for the Sun Peaks trip. Hopefully there may be a few more membership signups as we get closer to the weekend ski trip to Squaw Valley/Northstar on Feb 28 – Mar 2.  Our membership currently stands at 50 members.

Sun Peaks Ski Week

The Sun Peaks ski week is almost here and I’m looking forward to skiing with the “snow angels” (Big White calls them “snow ghosts”). Allen Hu decided that there’s nothing happening in Tahoe so he decided that Sun Peaks is the place to go, and that brings us to 24 members on the trip. On Saturday, 11 January, we’re having our Sun Peaks orientation meeting where members can get information about Sun Peaks, trail maps, an NSC pamphlet for details on the trip, and their NSC souvenir. The Sun Peaks ski week is from 8-15 February, and this date was chosen based on the following:

• Flight availability, and
• Hopefully watch the 49ers in Superbowl XLVIII (2 February)

If you have any questions regarding the trip don’t hesitate to send email me (president@niseiskiclub.org).

All the winter storms are hitting north of us and Sun Peaks now has 46” at the top of the Crystal Chair (my last report indicated 30”). Don’t look at these webcams if you think you can’t handle the beauty and nature of what Sun Peaks has to offer:

http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/weather-and-cams/web-cams

~~ President Armand ~~

Can you believe that Boreal opened up for a weekend of skiing before Thanksgiving? Typically, Thanksgiving weekend is when resorts open given enough snowfall. It may have been limited skiing but at least some people were able to get on the slopes and start off the ski season. Hopefully the weather patterns will continue to bring in cold fronts heavy with moisture and below freezing temperatures, which is just the right recipe for light, fluffy powder. Now that is Mother Nature at her best!

On Monday, November 11^th (Veterans Day), Karen Soo, Frank Chang, and I attended the 5^th Annual Bay Area Snow Sports Council Winter Festival Celebration Meeting at the Englander Restaurant in San Leandro. There were representatives from several ski resorts, raffle prizes, a silent auction, and a great dinner. Dennis Heffley, former President of BAC, gave recognition to all the veterans in attendance and then talked about the upcoming ski season and the offers from the various resorts. This was my first time at this event and it was a pleasant surprise to see some familiar faces from my previous ski week trips with FWSA (Chamonix and Innsbruck).

The FWSA Bay Area Council booth at the annual Snow Bomb Ski & Snow Festivals held at ATT Park and the San Jose Convention Center were well represented by Karen Soo/Curtis Otaguro (ATT) and Gary Lyon and myself (San Jose Convention Center).  Lots of people, lots of retailers, and quite a few people leaving with skis/snowboards, boots, and other ski-related goodies that they had just purchased. For details take a look at the Snow Bomb Festival write-up.  [Snow Bomb article]

Due to lack of signups the NSC Event at the Sports Basement in Sunnyvale on Friday, December 6^th has been cancelled. Perhaps a Friday evening wasn’t the best night to pick.

It’s been snowing up at Tahoe and I’m hoping to get some tracks in before Christmas. Let the season begin!

~~ Armand, Da Prez ~~

1.     Membership Activity

NSC Members!

As expected membership has pretty much slowed down now that signups for Sun Peaks is complete, although there may be a few more signups as we get closer to the weekend ski trip to Squaw Valley/Northstar on Feb 28 – Mar 2.  We did get one new member at the annual Snow Bomb Ski & Snow Festival at ATT Park, and talked to a number of potential members at the San Jose Festival. Our membership currently stands at 49 members.

2.     Sun Peaks Ski Week

The Sun Peaks ski week is progressing on schedule. Ground transportation has been secured and paid for. I’m currently arranging a suitable restaurant for our Farewell Dinner. Sun Peaks has quite a number of good restaurants and I’ve been reviewing a number of menus and dinner options. There will be a Sun Peaks Orientation meeting in January (2^nd or 3^rd weekend) so look for the Evite in your email. If you have any questions regarding the trip, don’t hesitate to send me an email (president@niseiskiclub.org).

Just to get you excited about skiing, Sun Peaks is already open and reporting 30” of snow at the top of the Crystal Chair. Don’t look at these webcams if you think you can’t handle the beauty and nature of what Sun Peaks has to offer:

http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/weather-and-cams/web-cams

On November 9^th Karen Soo and Curtis Otaguro attended the Snow Bomb Ski and Snow Festival held at ATT Park in San Francisco. Karen and Curtis worked alongside other members of BAC at the BAC booth and also met quite few people who were in attendance. The ATT Festival lasted two days, which gave everyone a great chance to pick up bargains on ski equipment, clothing, and free stuff. Karen and Curtis also had an opportunity to tour the ATT field.

On the heels of the ATT festival, Armand Gutierrez and Gary Lyon represented NSC at the Festival held on November 23^rdat the San Jose Convention Center. Yes, it was another well-attended evening with Any Mountain occupying the most floor space with more ski equipment, clothing, and accessories all at discount prices. Gary and I had a great time meeting members of the Snowdrifters and Apres ski clubs at the BAC booth, and somehow we managed to latch onto a few empty glasses and managed to partake in the free beer tastings. Yes, it was a great evening! Our roving photographer, Bill Lee, showed up and managed to take a few pictures. This was my first time for this event and now I’m thinking about attending next year’s event.

SnowBomb San Jose
Nov 23,2013

Karen Soo – Trip Director

Thanksgiving weekend just passed and in 3 weeks Christmas will be here. Most of the ski resorts are already open for business. Our weekend trip for 2014 is all set. We need everyone to do a rain dance or clean their cars so we can get more snow in the Tahoe area.

The signup sheet can be found on the Nisei Ski Club website , or use this link: Trip Schedules.

If you sign up early, before January 15, 2014, please take off $5.00 off your cost.

Just a reminder, the weekend trip is February 28 to March 2, 2014.

One major update, we lost our overnight weekend parking at the 4^th Street Bowl.

We are looking at options on where to park for the weekend. One idea that was brought to our attention is parking somewhere along the San Jose’s VTA Light Rail line or CAL train parking lot. (TAMIEN STATION)

Do you work in an office in San Jose with a parking structure where we can park 12 cars over night for the weekend?

Maybe someone who works at Google or Oracle? Perhaps?

Please send me an email for options on where to park for the weekend.

Have a very safe and joyous Christmas with your family and friends.

Happy New Year, See you in 2014.

Halloween is over, but Thanksgiving is just around the corner and what is else is coming????  SKI & SNOWBOARD SEASON!!!

As Armand and Karen reports, there has been some snow that has fallen in Tahoe recently! Read President Armand’s  President’s Report   and  Membership and Sun Peaks Update reports and, of course,  Trip Director Karen’s report, “Will Mother Nature Continue to Cooperate?”  which detail these upcoming events:

• NSC visit to the San Jose Technology Museum and the Jedi Exhibit (Nov 24)
• The SNOWBOMB ski and snowboard show and sale in San Francisco (Nov 9-10) and San Jose (Nov 23-24)
• Feb 28 – March 2, 2014 – weekend trip to Squaw Valley and Northstar
• Sun Peaks week trip updates
• Membership updates

Eat well and work out

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

~ byline : The Prez, Armand Gutierrez ~

Can you believe that Boreal opened up for a weekend of skiing? Typically Thanksgiving weekend is when resorts will open given enough snowfall. It may have been limited skiing but at least some people were able to get on the slopes and start off the ski season Hopefully the weather patterns will continue to bring in cold fronts heavy with moisture and below freezing temperatures, which is just the right recipe for light, fluffy powder. Now that is Mother Nature at her best!

This month we have the annual Snow Bomb Ski & Snow Festival at ATT Park on 9-10 November and at the San Jose Convention Center on 23-24 November. Karen Soo and Curtis Otaguro are attending the ATT festival on the 9^th and Gary Lyon and I are attending the San Jose festival on the 23^rd. If you’re interested in volunteering with us then send a note to either Karen (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org) or me ( president@niseiskiclub.org ).  Admission is free and you would be helping out the club.

December 6^th! Put this on your calendar so you can attend a Pre-Season event at the Sports Basement in Sunnyvale. Call it a party, call it a gathering, or call it a happening. No matter what you call it just plan on being there. Details are on  Hoyt Nelson’s flyer in this month’s  newsletter. Also, there will be an Evite sent out later this month so we can get a headcount.

Karen Soo is finalizing plans for our weekend ski trip at the end of February to Squaw Valley and Northstar so if you have season passes for either (or both) then you’re all set. Put this on your calendar since it will be the only weekend ski trip and I hope to see you there.

Any Star Wars fans out there? Do you often say to your friends “May the force be with you?” If so, then check out Karen’s flyer for the Star Wars exhibit at the Tech Museum.

~ Da Prez – Armand ~

1.     Membership Activity

The month of October brought in one returning member, which brings us to a total of 48 members. The annual Snow Bomb Ski & Snow Festival will be held at ATT Park and in San Jose in November and this will be an opportunity for NSC to showcase what we have to offer and potentially sign up new members. Karen Soo and Curtis Otaguro are attending the ATT event on November 11^th and Gary Lyon and I are attending the San Jose Convention event on November 23^rd. If you’re interested in volunteering for either of these events then please contact either Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org) or me (president@niseiskiclub.org).

2.     Sun Peaks Ski Week

The Sun Peaks ski week is progressing on schedule. Flight arrangements with Alaska Airlines have been secured and paid for, and a deposit for our lodging at Bear Country condos has been made. I’m thinking about having a Sun Peaks Orientation meeting in January (2^nd or 3^rd weekend) so you can pick up your souvenir gifts and information about Sun Peaks (i.e. trail maps, village brochures, etc.).

Karen Soo – Trip Director

The first storm of the season fell 2 weeks ago.  Squaw Valley had 18” of snow and Boreal were open for business last weekend. Just imagine seeing the fall foliage with a blanket of snow on top. Hopefully a positive sign that we’re going to have a good season in 2014.

SAVE THE DATE, the NSC weekend trip will take place February 28 to March 2, 2014. The destination will be Squaw Valley and Northstar.

We will continue to keep the cost of the trip to follow those of 2013. The only change is that while the Friday night dinner, and two continental breakfasts will still be included in your cost, the Sunday night dinner will no longer be included. For the Sunday night dinner, with an additional charge, we will order dinner from Ikeda’s in Auburn.

We tried this on our last weekend trip and people seems to like this idea. We need 35 people to make this trip happen, so please invite your friends and co-workers.

The main reason we are planning only one weekend trip is that the cost of the bus continues to go up and we are not getting enough people to fill the bus. Thanks to the members of the Monterey Ski and Social Club, we have been able to fill up the buses last season.

I will also add a weekend car/road trip for those who are willing to drive up as a group. Weekend dates will be determined pending snow conditions.   Last year, 8 NSC members carpool up for the weekend. I was able to secure lodging at a friends’ house and we also got discounted lift tickets via Craigslist.

It turned out to be a NSC mini weekend ski trip. A trip director’s job is never done.

Did you know that NSC is a member of Bay Area Ski Council? You can get discounted lift tickets on the day of any BAC race days.  Just go up to desk between 7:30am – 8:30am and tell them you are racing and you’re get your discounted lift tickets.

The schedule is not available yet but please check out the website for additional discounts for lodging and equipment. http://www.skibac.org/

Just a few important ski shows coming to the bay area:

The Annual Snow Bomb Ski and Snowboard Festival is taking place on the following dates:

Nov 9 – 10 at ATT Park in San Francisco

Nov 23 – 24 at San Jose Convention Center in San Jose

Please send me an email if you would like to volunteer for 3 hours to these events to promote our club. In return, you will get free entrance to the event and free lift tickets.

On Sunday, November 24th, NSC is planning to visit the San Jose Tech Museum, where we will see the special exhibit.  Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination. We will meet early in the morning so that we can get back and watch the San Francisco 49ers play that evening.

On Friday, December 6^th,Nisei Ski Club and Sports Basement in Sunnyvale located at 1177 Kern Ave. is hosting a shopping party. Come on by from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and start your Christmas shopping early and get a 10% off on any purchase. Complementary beer, soft drinks and munchies will be available while you browse through their extensive stock of the latest sports gear.

Please refer to the Nisei Ski Club website for more information.

https://www.niseiskiclub.org/

Have a great Thanksgiving holiday.

Karen Soo AKA your one and only NSC Trip Director.