Indian Summer is here and while that means warm weather for us Bay Area resident’s, that also means that  the Fall Equinox has passed us and the days are becoming shorting.  This means, if the snow gods are watching over us, SNOW will soon be upon us!  Now is the time for skiers to start thinking about dragging your skis and boards out from your storm and root cellars and  having them serviced.

Ski bindings should be calibrated at least once a year by a certified ski technician.  Snowboard bindings should have their screws checked and tightened, strap and cables, if any, checked for cracks or signs of wear.  If you have rust on your ski or board edges, have them “edged” to remove rust and to put a nice sharp edge on them!  For skis, visually check for check the binding’s  anti-friction device’s (AFD)  condition.  For fixed AFDs, check for cracks or broken pieces. For moveable ones, ensure that they glide smoothly.  If the AFD is damaged or doesn’t operate smoothly, have them replaced.  Do NOT adjust ski bindings yourself even if you think you know the DIN setting.  The DIN setting is only a starting point. When a ski technician calibrates the release, the amount of force required to release the binding is measured and the binding is adjusted until the correct amount of release force is achieved, taking into consideration the skier’s age, weight, skier type and boot sole length.  Lastly, your board or skis will appreciate a nice smooth slippery coat of wax and if necessary, flat filed or stone ground.

Coming events –

• Mountain View Buddhist Temple “Oh What a Night” dance – Saturday, October 19
  • more info : Dance Flyer (Not an NSC event)

• SNOWBOMB  – a festival of : ski area information; learn about the new equipment and clothing;  buy gear; Waren Miller movies; and of course, stop by the NSC booth.
  • Nov 9-10 at AT&T Park San Francisco
  • Nov 23-24 at the San Jose Convention Center
  • Web site: http://www.snowbomb.com/festivals-main/
  • Karen Soo and Curtis Otaguro are volunteering at the SF event and Armand will be staffing an NSC table at the San Jose venue. If interested in helping out, see Armand’s monthly President’s Message for contact information.

Last but definitely not least, we have Armand’s monthly President’s Message and his membership & Sun Peaks report.

See you after Halloween!

~ President Armand Gutierrez ~

Towards the end of September my neighbor came up to me and informed me that it had snowed in Tahoe. Not hearing about this event on the evening news didn’t surprise me because I’m sure the amount of snowfall was most likely insignificant and probably didn’t last long. However, perhaps this can be interpreted as an upcoming winter season with a bountiful snowfall. Yes, this is most encouraging!

Reminders of the upcoming winter season are already bombarding my email. The On The Snow reports are already telling me about testing for the 2014 alpine skis, powder skis, all-mountain skis, rocker skis, bindings, and ski boots as well as snowboards, board bindings and boots.  And I’m sure there will be more articles about winter clothing, lightweight clothing, hats, gloves, and other winter-related accessories. And locally, I’m getting offers from Homewood and Sierra-at-Tahoe to encourage our members to ski at those resorts, which, regrettably, are not on the agenda for our weekend ski trips. So what does all this mean? Ski season is on its way!

Anybody up for some dancing to a live band? This is a reminder that Mountain View Buddhist Temple wants to thank the NSC Obon Festival volunteers for contributing to its success and everyone is cordially invited to their “Oh What A Night” dance, to be held on October 19^th.  There will be live 60’s and 70’s music provided by Somethin’ Else. Details are provided in the flyer, and there is a coverage charge.
See the invite here: “Oh What A Night” flyer .

Coming up in November is the annual Snow Bomb Ski & Snow Festival at ATT Park on 9-10 November and in San Jose on 23-24 November. Volunteer signups will be taking place this month. Karen Soo and Curtis Otaguro are planning on attending the ATT festival and I’m planning on attending the San Jose festival. If you’re interested in attending then send a note to either Karen (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org) or me (president@niseiskiclub.org).
For more info, see the SnowBomb website: http://www.snowbomb.com/locations_old/san-francisco/

The Sun Peaks trip is progressing smoothly and we have 23 members planning on spending a week of skiing, dining, and absorbing the Canadian hospitality offered by Sun Peaks. I’m looking forward to skiing new territory and quaffing a few Canadian ales.

Membership + Sun Peaks Ski Week Report

Membership Activity

The month of September brought in one new member, one former member, and one returning member, which brings us to a total of 47 members. Once again, these members can be attributed to their signing up for the Sun Peaks ski week trip.  The annual Snow Bomb Ski & Snow Festival will be held at ATT Park and in San Jose in November. This will be an opportunity to showcase what NSC has to offer and potentially sign up new members. We’re looking for volunteers for this event so please contact either Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org) or me (president@niseiskiclub.org).

Sun Peaks Ski Week

There are 23 members signed up for the Sun Peaks ski week trip, which meets our minimum 20 in order to reap the benefits of lodging and lift ticket discounts. Lodging at the Bear Country condos has been confirmed and final flight bookings will be made in October. The souvenir gifts have been ordered and received, and thanks to Karen Soo for her great assistance in this effort!

Errata – corrections in the description of Toby’s NZ accident

September brings the close of summer and this August makes the close of an era, notably the passing of one of Nisei Ski Club’s founding fathers, Tatsuo “TATS” Sumida who passed away on August 14.

President Armand pays tribute to Tats in his monthly president’s message in addition to his membership and Sun Peaks report. Also in this month’s edition are Hoyt Nelson’s dedication to Tats as well as former NSC president April Shiro’s recounting of the honouring of Tats at NSC’s 40th anniversary.

On another very serious, albeit less grave, note, Toby Kravet, president of the Hawaii Ski Club whose members frequently attend our week long snow trips, was involved in a very serious skiing accident  in New Zealand recently. He was skiing ALONE and had to survive a frigid night until he was found with two broken legs! Read Armand’s cautionary article entitled >>Skiing Alone<<.

LESSON to be LEARNED? DO NOT SKI ALONE!!! 

On lighter notes,  click here >> Bernal Heights Hike << for pictures and reporting of last month’s Bernal Heights hike led by the intrepid Hoyt Nelson and this link >> Thanks & Dance Invite << for thanks of gratitude from the Mountain View Buddhist Temple and an invitation to their “Oh What A Night” dance on October 10. And last but not least, sign up for the Sun Peak’s week long ski trip.  The September 15th deadline will soon be upon us.  Join the 19 members who have already signed up.

Back to a more serious note, Toby Kravet, the president of the Hawaii Ski Club whose members frequently attend our week long snow trips, was involved in a very serious skiing in New Zealand recently. He was skiing ALONE and had to survive a frigid night until he was found. Read Armand’s cautionary article entitled >>Skiing Alone<<.

LESSON to be LEARNED? DO NOT SKI ALONE!!! 

Until next month, have fun, stay safe, practice random acts of kindness!

~ Armand Gutierrez, Da Prez ~ 

Are thoughts of snow and skiing entering your mindspace yet? Well, it IS September and the annual Snow Bomb Ski & Snow Festival is all ready getting ready for their festivities at AT&T Park on 9-10 November and in San Jose on 23-24 November. Volunteer sign-ups will be coming soon. So farm Karen Soo is planning on attending the ATT festival and I’m planning on attending the San Jose festival. If you’re interested in attending then send a note to either Karen (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org) or me (president@niseiskiclub.org). 

Got your dancin’ shoes ready? The Mountain View Buddhist Temple wants to thank the NSC Obon Festival volunteers for contributing to its success and has invited the NSC membership to their “Oh What A Night” Dance, to be held on October 19th.  There will be live 60’s and 70’s music provided by Somethin’ Else. Details are provided in the flyer. 

We’re closing in on the September 15th deadline for the Sun Peaks ski week trip. We currently have 19 people on board and there’s still plenty of room for signups so what are you waiting for?

In Memorium

Normally these President’s Messages are not too difficult to write with discussions on volunteer events, ski topics, and our updates on the weekend and weeklong ski trips. However, this month’s message had the added dimension of informing the membership of the passing of Tatsuo Sumida on August 14th. “Tats”, as he was affectionately called, passed away peacefully at the age of 85. For many of the newer members not familiar with the history of NSC, Tats and Hi Fujii were co-founders of the Nisei Ski Club, which was an offshoot of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) in the 1950s. Unfortunately, the board and other members of NSC learned of his passing too late to inform the membership to attend his service, which was held on August 24th. For additional information please read the thoughtful write-up by Hoyt Nelson and former president, April Shiro’s recounting of Tats being honoured at NSC’s 40th anniversary.

Membership + Sun Peaks Ski Week Report

We are sad to relate that one of the main founders of the Nisei Ski Club, Tats Sumida, has recently passed on. Tats was an avid skier while a member of the JACL and formed a group of skiers in the early 1950s that eventually became the Nisei Ski Club. A donation in the name of the club has been sent in memory of Tats. Unfortunately, we did not get this information in time to attend his service. His obituary is reprinted below. If anyone has information relating to Tats that you would like to share in the newsletter, or would like to make a donation to the family, please contact the editor at newsletter@niskeskiclub.org.

Obituary Tatsuo C. Sumida, age 85, (born May 17, 1928 ed.) passed away peacefully on August 14, 2013. Tatsuo’s childhood roots were in Los Angeles, which he left for Berkeley. He graduated from the Cal Business school – GO BEARS!! Tatsuo was a teacher for many years at George Washington High School- BEAT LOWELL! Downhill skiing, tennis, swimming, traveling and meeting people were just a few of his favorite pastimes. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Yoko, daughter Lynn and her husband Duke, daughter Ann and her husband Ted and grandchildren Trent and Erika. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 24, 2013-11:30 am at Halsted N. Gray-Carew & English Inc. 1123 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94109. – See more at: http://www.halstedngray.com/obituary/Tatsuo-C.-Sumida/San-Francisco-CA/1235273#sthash.k3ezQ1Kp.dpuf

EVOLUTION  DEDICATION
TATS SUMIDA

A Survey was sent to the Past Presidents  in January.   They were asked who they would dedicate the 40th Anniversary  ‘Evolution’ to.  Without a doubt, Club Founder,  Tats Sumida was a favored  choice with comments such as  “He’s the Man!!!”.

Past President April Shiro shares some history with us.

“Back in the 1950’s, there weren’t a lot of skiers around and Tats Sumida loved to ski. Tats wanted to go skiing and he wanted to get a lot of other people skiing. He started the JACL Ski Club but that didn’t quite work out so he started his own club with some friends. Since most of them were Nisei, they decided to call it the Nisei Ski Club.

They would get together and decide where they wanted to go, Tats would arrange for the bus transportation and tour lead the group. They even made trips to Mount Shasta and Sun Valley by bus and those buses didn’t have restrooms on board! Arrangements had to be made periodically for rest stops.

Gradually, the club grew and grew and Tats Sumida continued to make the  arrangements for the ski buses, collect money for the ski trips, send out confirma­tions, and deal with last minute problems, He had to start recruiting tour leaders because he started a family of his own and it had been decided that Nisei Ski Club members had to be 21 years of age or older. It didn’t matter to Tats. He took his family up skiing but fortunately for the Nisei Ski Club, Tats kept on making the arrangements for the club bus trips up until 1990. Tats was a school teacher in San Francisco so he did have another full time job! He had connections with the Greyhound Bus company. 

Tats worked tirelessly for the Nisei Ski Club, I know all the members that knew him think the world of him. Tats Sumida made it easier for us all to go skiing.” 

It is with great pleasure that we dedicate ‘Evolution’ to TATS SUMIDA. 

Thank you, Tats, for making the Nisei Ski Club for  us!

~ Celeste Rogers ~

Can you imagine being in a tree house with the city of San Francisco at your feet? That was the first thing we saw on Saturday as we trooped out of Hoyt’s van. The Tree house (next to our meeting place) is in a huge redwood patio equipped with a nice sized BBQ grill, lots of potted plants and interesting garden sculptures such as a bench shaped like a long tortoise.

Bernal Heights is a large rocky hill south of the Mission with a radio tower on top. Some of us dutifully and meditatively walked a nearby rock labyrinth while we waited for the rest to gather around for a group picture taken by Karen Soo.

We set off to climb a few steep stairways – from a few steps to about 100, some winding and some through community gardens. Some streets have cars parked 90 degrees to the streets that were so steep you felt a slight push could tilt them over.

As usual, San Francisco is beautiful, with blue skies, some patches of clouds and fog blowing in from Golden Gate. As much as we sweated from the steep stairs, it was not all that tiring since the cool breezes invigorated us. Trees were flowering with red flowers, community gardens laden with tomatoes, vegetables, garden flowers, profuse bougainvillea and many “ Naked Ladies” – the flowering plants, in case you are wondering. Some eucalyptus trees were so fragrantly swaying in the breeze that it felt good to be alive.

Along the way, we had time to be a kid again sliding down a long, dual metal slide using floor mats, jackets, cardboard or just plain jeans.

After some more arduous stairs – probably more than a thousand, we snacked and rested while being rewarded with a sweeping view of the Golden Gate Bridge on the far left and Downtown SF on the far right.

Soon, we were back near where we started, but were told that we had done only the first half. As we started the second half, we passed a few patches of bushes laden with blackberries ( but only a few worth picking). We stopped to admire a blue house with many water fountains in front, made out of discarded watering cans, buckets, funnels, milk containers, sinks and pumps. I am not sure which was more attractive of the two: the trickling water sounds or the creative water fountains, but we stayed a while to enjoy them.

One of my two guests, Johann, (born in Russia, but lives in Germany) proudly pointed out to me that a German was the brains behind Friends of the Urban Forest (FUF) that had created some of the gardens we passed. Johann was unexpectedly glad to meet and talk (in Russian) with another of our hikers named Ann who was also Russian!! Hoyt was delighted with the meeting!

After one of the last and steepest climbs I turned back, I saw a view of SF that was worth all the huffing and puffing. It reminded me of the many uneven steps, dirty and unsafe surroundings in Rio de Janeiro and how lucky that SF has these stairs that are evenly spaced, with hand railings and flowers and shady trees and without animal poop littering.

Ending the hike, I raced up the Bernal Heights Summit and was out of breath but managed to take a quick video of the awesome 360 degree view.
As usual, Hoyt’s hike was amazing and showed us places in SF that we don’t know about- a hike with wonderful people to chat, catch up and share food with, rewarding views that never fail to fascinate, and a delicious Peruvian lunch to top it off.

A very wonderful way to spend a Saturday!! Cheers, Celeste Rogers (with a few edits by Hoyt)
Thank you, Hoyt!!

Have you ever been cruising along a run and looked off to the side to see some nice glade skiing? Or how about venturing off the main run to head into the trees to poach some untracked powder? I have, and many times was tempted to jump into some sweet skiing without crowds or other people only to remind myself not to go it alone. When skiing I always like to apply what I call the “scuba diving” rule: always have a partner. Yes, the fresh powder may be tempting but if you should fall and get injured no one may be around to help you. I raise this issue because here is an email that I received from fellow skier Sandy Kiyomura:

hi Sandra,

bad news.  I hear that Toby is really laid up and I’m hoping he wont be disabled.  One leg has been operated on, but the other is shattered and they’re waiting for it to stabilize before they operate on it.  It’s a good reason not to ski alone.  I don’t know how to contact him since he hasn’t replied to any emails.

I dont know how we’re going to run the ski club since Toby has been doing mostly everything like the newsletter and the financial problems by himself.

How are you doing?  where are you going skiing this year?

Cathy

Below is an excerpt from MENAFN.COM (Middle East, North Africa, Financial Network):

Skier survives freezing night in mountains of New Zealand

MENAFN – – 8/20/2013 1:43:59 PM

Skier survives freezing night in mountains of New Zealand

Aug 20, 2013 (Menafn – The Honolulu Star-Advertiser – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) –A 72-year-old Hawaii skier suffered two broken legs, then survived a night in the frigid mountains of New Zealand by fighting to stay awake and exercising his arms to avoid hypothermia, a New Zealand newspaper reports.

Kamehameha Heights resident Toby Kravet, president of the Hawaii Ski Club, “lives for skiing,” his friend Geof Chu told the Star-Advertiser. “He goes every year to New Zealand. This is a yearly ritual for him.”

While skiing alone Sunday at Treble Cone resort, South Island’s largest slopes, Kravet got lost, and police expressed “grave concerns” when he missed his bus back to Queenstown, The Press reported online Monday at stuff.co.nz.

A helicopter search using night-vision equipment failed to find Kravet that night, and the search resumed at daybreak Monday….

Full article: http://www.menafn.com/8b4bad40-702d-4cfb-b8b3-6e721bc150fa/Skier-survives-freezing-night-in-mountains-of-New-Zealand?src=MWHEAD

I would like to thank you and the members of Nisei Ski Club for supporting the Mountain View Temple’s 2013 Obon and Bazaar.  The preparations leading up to and including the Obon and Bazaar week-end were very busy and the help of many volunteers was a key element in the event’s success.

Thank you again on behalf of the Mountain View Buddhist Temple,

Ron Murata,

Volunteer Coordinator

the MVBT ABA invite Nisei Ski Club to come out and dance the night away on Oct 19th to the live music of “Somethin’ Else”

Summer’s half way over!!!  Some kids (and adults) are already going back to school at the end of this month, but you have plenty of time to hit the beaches, do a little angling, go on a famous Hoyte lead hike, or whatever tickles your fancy!

MEMBERSHIP – if you haven’t yet joined or renewed yet, what are you waiting for?  Here’s the membership link >> membership form <<

SUN PEAKS Week Trip – Feb 8-15, 2014 –  2nd largest ski resort in  British Columbia and 3rd largest in all of Canada!  Sun Peaks boasts of 3,678 acres of skiing and almost 3,000 vertical feet of skiing!!!  Dry snow, large vertical, and big terrain!  More info below in Armand’s President’s Message. 

FWSA Week Trip – March 6-15, 2014 – Next season, the Far West Ski Association, of which NSC is a member, is going to Zermatt, Switzerland.  Join Armand on this trip to the land of chocolates, cows, cuckoo clocks and alpine trains!  The Swiss are famous for their trains.  In fact, trains are used en lieu of ski lifts for some of the slopes! For more info: >> FWSA Zermatt Link << . Nota Bene – this is not an NSC event. 

President’s August Message

Summer is gradually coming to an end and fall will soon be upon us. Signs of fall: students returning to school, tree leaves changing from green to yellows and reds, and warm evenings spent outside after a picnic or BBQ. Of course, I’m always thinking about the upcoming ski season. Perhaps that’s because I’m busy with the Sun Peaks trip next February, followed by my Zermatt trip in March. Have you been entertaining thoughts about the upcoming ski season? Will it be a good season with lots of powder and plenty of snow? Or will we head into another drought season? Well, whatever Mother Nature provides us, I’m sure that we’ll all try to make the best of it.

The Mountain View Obon Festival held on July 20-21 was a great success and lots of fun based on the pictures and video that Bill Lee took (thanks Bill). I would like to thank the following members (and a few non-members) for volunteering their time and enthusiasm that contributed to the festival’s success: Angie Fong, Brian Hess, Ken Kato, Bill Lee, Kay Lee, Doris Leung, David Miura, Haruko Nagaishi, Jerry Nishimura , Curtis Otaguro, and David Uyeda. Once again, NSC members have contributed their time to participate in voluntary activities for the local community. (Editor’s note – click on the picture for a video of a young girl’s day of snow cones, duck ponds, bingo and glowing bunnies at this year’s Obon Festival)

~ Armand Gutierrez ~

Last month’s Post-Season Picnic at Las Palmas Park in Sunnyvale was a great event. About 30 members convened at the designated picnic area, which was next door to last year’s picnic spot, with plenty of food for everyone. Looks like Las Palmas Park is a popular venue for picnics so perhaps NSC can start a tradition by having Pre- and Post-Season picnics here every year. Besides the variety of food, Karen Soo had us all gather ‘round for her popular dice game. Would you believe that the winner is related to last year’s winner? I won’t reveal her name because she’ll have her own write-up in the newsletter. See Amy’s report here: << Picnic Report >>

The Mountain View Obon Festival is July 20-21 and if you’re interested in volunteering for the beer booth (or other booths), then please contact Karen Soo ( tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org ) and let her know. They also could use help in several other areas: pre-construction and post-destruction staging (this sounds like fun), manju making, strawberry shortcake booth (is sampling allowed?), and other food booths. So what are you waiting for?

Next year’s FWSA International trip is to Zermatt, Switzerland and a second week in Spain. It’s been 30 years since the last time I was in Zermatt so I just had to sign up for this trip. Yes, it’s a little pricey (more than the Chamonix and Innsbruck trips), but viewing and skiing next to the Matterhorn is priceless. Zermatt is a quaint little town that does not allow automobiles on the streets. Yes, you walk everywhere: to the restaurants, shopping, and the ski lifts. There are horse-drawn carriages for those that would like to see the town the old fashioned way. I’m looking forward to skiing Zermatt and possibly some side trips to various nearby Italian ski resorts (Monte Cervinia is on the other side of the Matterhorn). If you have any questions about the Zermatt trip then contact me at president@niseiskiclub.org.
(FWSA Website: http://www.fwsa.org/Travel/InternationalSki/2014-FWSA-Zermatt/2014-FWSA-Zermatt.html)

The Sun Peaks ski week trip already has seven signups and I’m sure there’ll be more. If you haven’t signed up then now is the time to do so. Normally final payments aren’t due ‘till November or December, but Alaska Airlines is requiring final payments by October. So get your check outs, fill out the sign-up forms and be part of what should be a great trip.

~ Armand Gutierrez ~

1.      Membership Activity

The month of June was a repeat of May with 18 members joining, which gives us a total of 36 members (about the same as last year).  We need to double our membership to ensure there will be enough signups for the weekend ski trip for next year. This is where we need your help in ensuring our weekend bus trips actually take place by talking to former members that haven’t joined yet and getting them to join. The board can only do some much by hosting social events and planning trips, so now is the time to recruit some members. NSC is not only a ski & snowboard club but also a “social” club where we get together for a variety of events. With that in mind don’t forget to invite “non-skiers” that would enjoy our social events.

2.      Sun Peaks Ski Week – Feb 8-15, 2014

Currently we have seven members signed up for the Sun Peaks ski week trip. If you’re thinking of going then now is the time to sign up and send in your deposits. Although there are reservations for 32 (I’m very optimistic) we do need a minimum of 20 in order to take advantage of group discounts.  By September, which seems months away, flight reservations will have to be released for unfilled seats. So, if you’ve never been to Sun Peaks don’t miss out on this opportunity to ski someplace different.

Info & sign up form here =>SUN PEAKS

By Amy Tsuhako

Saturday June 22 was picnic perfect weather at Sunnyvale’s Las Palmas Park. As we circled the parking lot looking for an empty stall, kids were running around tossing water balloons; and adults were stringing up piñatas and firing up grills. We spotted NSC’ers already noshing on food and knew we were at the right spot! As with NSC tradition, food was plentiful as the four picnic tables were covered with buckets of fried chicken, chili, BBQ ribs, chicken wings, maki sushi, California rolls, dumplings, egg rolls, lettuce wraps, sausage and peppers, somen salad, cabbage salad, quinoa salad, fruit salads, chocolate strawberries, an assortment of cookies, brownies, homemade toffee brittles and cheese cakes.

It was so hard to decide what to load up on my plate, as the creativity of some of the dishes rivaled those of Master/ Iron Chef creations. David and I sampled Karen’s roasted beet quinoa salad, Hoyt’s homemade chili, Greg’s pork and green bean lettuce wrap, David Tom’s “not your grandma’s BBQ’ed ribs”, and Liz’s cabbage salad. Even though we were stuffed, we could not resist Haruko’s berry cobbler and Wes’s homemade toffee. Absolutely scrumptious! And no picnic is complete without a slice of watermelon –seedless, super-sweet and handpicked by Debbie. YUM just about sums up the food coma I was in at the end of the picnic.

As we ate and chatted, we felt really grateful that the NSC board of volunteers took the time to organize this picnic so that we could catch up with our friends old and new. We met up with people that we had not seen in a while such as Frank and Wendy, Jackie, Liz (and her mom, a former NSC member!), Melissa, Desmond, and Brian. And it was really heartwarming to see that NSC friendships span not just years, but decades.

We also learned a few tips that afternoon. It was amusing to learn from Carol that being a sushi chef is not that easy. And we discovered from David M. that discounted, usable postal stamps are available online. And from, Frank, we learned that you can make money off of interest free credit card loans—whoa… I usually throw away those mailers—that’s why he’s our treasurer! But most importantly, we learned that our resident ski instructor, Randy, will be sporting a new orange “easy-to-follow” Arcteryx jacket! –Although whether I will really follow him down the hill is still debatable…

And to round off the entertainment for the event, Karen organized the now NSC traditional dice game of Left,  Center, Right. I really didn’t want to win, I swear!!! But, as the dice rolled, and excitement ramped up, screams of “Left, Left, Left”, or “Right, Right, Right” could be heard clear across the park. In the end, it came down to Bill and me with a single dollar each left in our hands. With just a flick of the wrist, Bill rolled the die, and we held our breaths as we watched the outcome—Center. And just like that, the pot of dollar bills ended in my hands—all 66 of ‘em. One couple winning two years in a row is I believe grounds for exclusion from the game next year…

~ by Armand Gutierrez  ~

1.      Membership Activity

The month of May saw a good number of members taking advantage of the discounted membership fee by renewing their membership.  We had 18 members join, plus the returning board members (8), and Morgan Hua has decided to take a break from the board after serving a number of years. That brings us to 30 members.  Also, congratulations to Joe Feng for being the first to renew his membership.

2.      2013-2014 Election Results

I would like to thank the membership for participating in this year’s NSC board nominations and elections. There was a 40% turnout for elections and the results are as follows:

a.      President – Armand Gutierrez
b.      Vice President – Hoyt Nelson
c.      Treasurer – Frank Chang
d.      Secretary – None ~ position is available!
e.      Trip Director – Karen Soo
f.       Newsletter Chairman – Dan Lew
g.      Board Member – Joel Hayashida
h.      Board Member – Curtis Otaguro
i.       Board Member – Bryan Hess

~Armand Gutierrez~

Last year I volunteered to be President of NSC because Morgan Hua had already served two terms and he decided that it was time to pass the gavel to another NSC member. This year I volunteered to be on the ballot along with any other nominees for President. Well, there were no other nominees or write-ins so it looks like I’m back for another season. Once again, the board will remain the same; with the exception that Morgan will be taking a “break” from serving on the board. I would like to thank the current board members for remaining “on board”, and a special thanks to Morgan for serving on the board for a number of years. Besides my duties as President I will also continue my Membership Chairman position.

This past ski season was slightly better than last years, but not by much. The season started off well with snow in November and December, but after that it seemed like Mother Nature decided to take a nap. The highlight of the season had to be the Steamboat trip where everyone was treated to the famous champagne powder.

This year’s ski week will be at Sun Peaks, BC. I picked Sun Peaks because it offers great skiing on a variety of slopes, Nisei has never been there, and I figured it was time to explore new territory. Take a look at the flyer on the website and sign up for what should be a great ski experience.

This month we’re also having a Post-Season Picnic at Las Palmas Park in Sunnyvale. There was such a good turnout at last year’s picnic the board decided to have this event to once again reunite old friends, meet new friends, and get everyone excited about the upcoming season. Read the flyer for details and look for an Evite invitation in your email. One other upcoming event is the Mt. View Obon Festival on July 20-21. If you’re interested in volunteering for this event please contact Karen Soo (tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org).

I’m hopeful that this season will bring us an increased membership, a few more social events, and a good ski season.

Ischgl, Österreich

~Armand Gutierrez ~

Sad to say, but, I’ve finally acknowledged that the ski season has ended. It wasn’t  the best of seasons with Mother Nature giving us great hope in November and December and then leaving us high and dry from January to April.  Still, it was a better season than last year and this was one of those seasons that I didn’t have to use 4WD up at Tahoe, which means either I missed the snowfall weekends or it just didn’t snow that much. Fortunately, there was plenty of snow on my Innsbruck trip. Three days at Innsbruck, one day at St. Anton, and one day at Ischgl provided some excellent skiing. A return trip to Ischgl is in the cards because I was amazed at how big this place is. Think three or four Vails put together and you have what Ischgl has to offer.

This is also the end of our 2012-2013 season and it’s time to bring in the 2013-2014 NSC season. Last month we had our nominations and this month it’s time for elections. Based on the nominations it looks like there won’t be much of a change on the board, but we’ll still have the election ballot go out to everyone so you can due your duty of voting. Lucky winners will be announced at the June NSC Post-Season Picnic.

We’re currently finalizing plans for the June NSC Post-Season Picnic at Las Palmas Park (Sunnyvale) on June 22^nd. As mentioned last month, this will be a potluck lunch where you provide your favorite dish and the Board will provide the beverages (beer, soda, and water). Details will be in the June Newsletter.

Interested in volunteering for a worthwhile event? Well, the annual Mt. View Obon festival is scheduled for 20-21 July and they could use a helping hand, especially for the ever-popular beer booth. If interested then contact either Karen Soo ( tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org ) or me ( president@niseiskiclub.org ) for details.

 Membership Activity
~ Armand Gutierrez ~

We’re ending our 2012-2013 season with a total membership of 58 members and I’m hopeful that the upcoming season will see an increase in membership. The 2013-2014 season starts in June but if you send in your completed membership form during the month of May the early membership fee is only $25 instead of $30. This last season our membership was sufficient to plan and have one weekend ski trip (we did have three planned but two had to be cancelled), and the ski week had 28 lucky skiers at Steamboat. So now is the time to for you to recruit some friends and if we can get 75+ members then we can start planning on a possible 2^nd weekend ski trip.

Byline – C. Otaguro

Having three of the most popular American parks, Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and Sequoia / Kings Canyon in California, it’s easy to overlook the newest national park, Pinnacles.  Luck for us, this gem can be found right in our back yard in the Gabilan Mountains just east of the Salinas Valley.  This enticed 16 NSCers and guests to make the 1.5 hour trek on March 30^th to visit Pinnacles, America’s 59^th national park.

The threat of rain showers almost cancelled our trip, but our worries were unfounded as we headed out under light overcast skies.  Hoyt drove us (Morgan, Greg, Tony, Karen, and me) from his home heading south of San Jose then through Hollister.  As we neared the park, Hoyt suggested that we first meet at the east entrance instead of the original meeting place, Bear Gulch Visitor Center, just in case the parking lots were full since it was the Easter weekend.  Entering the east entrance, Hoyt’s foresight came true as we saw a long line of visitors  waiting for the shuttle bus after parking in the overflow lots.  David Tom soon drove up with Bev, Jenni, and Michelle.   We didn’t see David and Amy there, but assumed they were already waiting at the Bear Gulch Visitor Center since they left before us.  After parking, we deliberated whether it would be faster to walk or take the shuttle 2 miles to the start of the trailhead.  Taking into account that there were 2 shuttle buses carrying approximately 20 – 25 people, the number of people waiting in line, and a pick up time of around 15 minutes, we decided the best choice would be to wait for the shuttle.

After a short wait, we boarded a shuttle bus and rode to Bear Gulch Visitor Center where we spotted David and Amy.  Luckily, they managed to get one of the few remaining spots at a lot closer to the center.  The original plan for the day was to hike the High Peaks trail counterclockwise then hike to the Bear Gulch Caves, time permitting.  However, since the majority of the group desired to see the caves, we opted on a clockwise route, planning to double back from the High Peaks trail if we ran out of time.  We also decided on a lunch stop at the Bear Gulch Reservoir, next to the caves as it was already past noon.

We started hiking on the Bear Gulch Caves trail which climbed steadily, running parallel to a road along a narrow canyon.  Trees provided shade as we hiked toward the caves.  We walked alongside a small stream as we entered the talus caves – tunnel-like caverns created when massive boulder toppled into the narrow ravines.  I pulled out my headlamp to explore the darker spurs, hoping to catch a glimpse of bats which colonize these caves.

We climbed upwards, passing water spilling over boulders, a small pool, and saw shafts of sunlight slipping past huge boulders overhead.  Marked arrows led us deeper into the caves, where we were forced to squeeze through some tight sections.  A four-story climb up stairs cut from the side of a rock wall led us out from the caves to a reservoir which opened up towards the western side of the park.   Eventually everyone from our group left the caves and joined the throng of hikers who had stopped for the view.

I found a spot near the reservoir and unpacked the bentos that I was carrying for Karen and myself.  The homemade bento consisting of chicken, musubi, and Spam musubi was very satisfying!  A ranger came by and played an Indian song on a flute and then proceeded to give a history of the Pinnacles.e throng of hikers who had stopped for the view.

The Pinnacles volcano came into existence an estimated twenty-two to twenty-three million years ago.  It slowly grew over time to nearly the size of Mount Saint Helens.  However, the  steady movement of seismic plates of the San Andreas Fault slowly destroyed the volcano over time leaving one-third of it in Southern California and moving  the other two-thirds of it in Southern California and moving the other two-thirds to the current park location.  The volcano slowly sunk and eroded over time by wind, rain, and ice, forming ravines and monoliths and colonnades alongside massive walls and lonely pillars.  Boulders fell from lofty recesses to top narrow stream channels forming the talus caves.

We estimated that we had enough daylight to finish our planned route, so we continued on the High Peaks Trail after lunch.  The trail wound around some pinnacles then headed northwest.  A few miles later, we reached the base of the High Peaks where we encountered a series of switchbacks.  Jenni identified the patches of Manzanita with its characteristic red bark and stiff, twisting branches that we saw alongside the trail.  We were rewarded near the top with a view of condors leisurely riding the thermal updrafts.  At the top, we enjoyed the views as we waited for the rest of our group.  David and I scrambled up some rocks to a higher vantage point and were rewarding with a fantastic view of the park.  Everyone showed up except for Hoyt and his neighbor friends.  We conjectured that they may have decided to double back on the trail, returning to the trailhead, so we decided to hike on.o the current park location.  The volcano slowly sunk and eroded over time by wind, rain, and ice, forming ravines and monoliths and colonnades alongside massive walls and lonely pillars.  Boulders fell from lofty recesses to top narrow stream channels forming the talus caves.

The trail continued along the ridge of the High Peaks.  We climbed up and down some narrow or steep sections with cable railings.  As the trail headed east, we enjoyed stunning views of the Balcony cliffs.  Wildflowers such as Indian paintbrush, Parry’s larkspur, and Peak rush-rose dotted the trail.  The light started slowly fading as we headed down switchbacks towards the end of the trail.  Fortunately, we reached the Bear Creek Gulch Visitor Center before the shuttle service ended for the day, so David Tom was able to shuttle down to the outer parking lot returning to pick up Bev, Karen, Jenni and Michelle.  A stranger offered the rest of us a ride so Greg, Morgan, and I rode down with him to the park entrance.  David and Amy hiked to the nearby lot, picked up their car, then drove back and waited at the trailhead for Hoyt and his friends.

Once we got to the park entrance, we only found Hoyt’s van there – his friends van was nowhere to be seen.  We started worrying since Hoyt could now be hiking by himself.  Much to our relief, David and Amy saw Hoyt hike out and returned with him back to the park entrance.  We found out from Hoyt that his friends had doubled back to the trailhead, but he had hiked on, completing the difficult loop back on the High Peaks trail – what a trouper!

Jenni suggested having dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Hollister, so we drove there after Hoyt returned.  Recounting our day’s adventures over a delicious dinner of tamales and tacos was a nice end to a tiring, but enjoyable day.  Thank you Hoyt for planning another memorable hike!

~ Armand Gutierrez ~

Well, it’s that time of year again. This is the time of year when spring has officially begun and thoughts of skiing are giving way to golfing, mountain biking, hiking, and other activities. Of course, there is still snow up at Tahoe and spring skiing can be enjoyable. There’s nothing like cruisin’ down the slopes without all the bulky clothing, basking in the warm sunshine, and just enjoying what Mother Nature provides. Can you tell? My season isn’t over just yet.

It’s also time for our time-honored traditional democratic process to take place. That’s right. It’s time for NSC Board nominations and elections. This month you will receive notice to provide nominations for the Board. If there’s anybody you feel would be a good representative as a Board member then by all means, nominate that person. After nominations are received in April , the Board will confirm that those nominees will accept the nominations and be placed on the election ballot for May. Then, you will have the opportunity to vote on all the nominees, and the lucky winners will be announced at the June NSC Picnic. Volunteers are also greatly appreciated.

Did I say NSC Picnic? That’s right, folks. Mark your calendar for June 22^nd for our Post-Season Picnic event. This will be a potluck lunch where you provide your favorite dish and the Board will provide the beverages (beer, soda, water). We’ll also say goodbye to the old Board members and welcome the new Board members (that is, if there are any changes).  The picnic will once again be at Las Palmas Park in Sunnyvale – details to come…

On the heels of Morgan’s most excellent ski week trip to Steamboat, it will be difficult to arrange (as ex officio) next year’s ski trip with the champagne powder that you experienced (I’m still jealous). However, if you remember the snow ghosts of Big White and the excellent snow conditions, then get your passports in order for next year’s ski week at Sun Peaks Resort, BC.  In their words: “If you haven’t been here, You Have No Idea What You’re Missing”.

Sun Peaks, British Columbia

~Karen Soo, Trip Director ~

It’s upsetting to see our ski club dwindling down with such low membership. Three weekend trips were planned back in September of 2012 and everyone had plenty of notice of when we were going on our trips in 2013.

Doug W from MSSC and Tony M from NSC

We had 13 sign-ups for Trip 1.The first trip of the season had to be cancelled due to low sign-ups. We needed 30 people to make a weekend trip happen, thirty to break even. Prior to Trip 2’s departure, we had 15 signups. Emails were sent and phone calls were made. With Monterey Ski and Social Club’s gang of 11 sign-ups, we finally had 37 people for Trip 2.

Now I was left with another problem – We needed a bigger bus. The 36 passenger bus was too small. I made a few phone calls to Bonjour Transportation and we were able to get a 57 passenger bus. It cost everyone an additional $7.00 but it was worth it for the leg space and comfort.

With Amy Tsuhako as my co-trip leader, we left the bay area around 8:00pm due to an accident delay on 880 North. As usual, dinner was served on the bus. What was on the menu? Thai chicken green curry over rice with mango pudding as the dessert was served. We plugged in a DVD into the player,Flight with Denzel Washington, and we were on our way. Before you know it, we arrived at the Sands Hotel in Reno around 12:00am.

The Crew from Monterey

When we arrived at the Sands, everyone got their $5.00 casino voucher, the keys to their rooms, a quick introduction to their roommates and everyone scurried off to bed.

On Saturday morning, we departed at 7:30 am for Alpine Ski Resort. Amy and I collected the money for the group rate lift tickets on the bus and called to order the lift tickets. By the time we arrived at the parking lot, the Alpine sales coordinator came over and handed me the lift tickets. The tickets were distributed and we were on our way.

The skiing at Alpine Meadows was great. Sunny skies and plenty of snow. Most people skied the entire day and got back to the bus by 3:30pm. We had our après ski at the bus with drinks and plenty of snacks donated by the people who came on the trip. ~”Thank you” to those who brought home made goodies.

By the time we got back to the Sands, it was 6:00pm. We had an hour to get ready for 7:00 dinner. Where did we go for dinner? A group went out to the Vietnamese restaurant across the street from the hotel, Seafood Buffet at the El Dorado and Hash house A Go Go at Harrah’s.

Snow at Northstar

On Sunday morning, we went to Northstar Ski Resort. Thanks to Sidney Mar, I was able to secure 18 – $50.00 lift tickets from the Tahoe SAFE Alliance. (A local Tahoe charity) Those who signed up early on the trip were able to get this limited deal. Those who signed up late for the trip had to get their own lift tickets. This is not the usual case; the cost of these tickets was lower than the $70.00 group rate, a price we could not refuse.

The weather for Northstar was wet with a light drizzle at the parking lot. When we got to the summit, there was 6 inches of fresh snow and fresh tracks made.  It was fantastic plus it was still snowing on top.

Some people who opted out from skiing that Sunday morning went back to the bus, changed to their ski gear and came out again.

Après Ski at 3:30

It turned out to be a great day. Dennis Heffley from BAC came out to meet us. He brought his famous cookies filled with whole almonds, chocolate chips and apricots.

Dennis – Can I get the recipe? Or is this a secret family recipe?

Again, we had après ski at the end of the day. For dinner, we tried something different.I know that the tour leaders were supposed to provide dinner but you know what? Amy and I did not have time to do this. We decided to order out at Ikeda’s in Auburn. Tom Lee helped out with everyone’s order and call in the order at Ikeda’s.

Walking Billboard for
Marmot

We had 4 people, charging 4 groups of receipts. The food was bagged and the names and amount was put on every bag. The only problem that we ran into was that 2 bags were switched on their orders. All was cleared and everyone had a hot meal going home.

It was smooth sailing going home.  Grady, our great bus driver, worked wonders in getting us home on time.

An extra thank you to Greg Robinson – President of the Monterey Ski and Social Club for getting their 11 members onto our weekend trip. We had had a blast, plus it was a great way to get the 2 clubs together. We hope to continue this collaboration in 2014.

Uhh.. What happened to Trip 3? You have to wait and see.