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.

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!