Author: Ski NASTC

Just think about it: what are you waiting for? Sign up for your adventure ski training vacation NOW…we’ve got Big Sky, Sugar Bowl, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, Niseko (Japan), Kicking Horse, Iceland, AIARE avalanche classes, and private backcountry guiding for you. We hope you’ll come. We love what we do and want to share these experiences with you. NASTC was founded in 1994 to bring good skiers great places and bring their skiing up a notch. We love our clients, and thrive on watching them improve. Taking them all over the globe is just the icing. Best part? Their smiles and seeing them enjoy skiing more. What are you waiting for? And if you’re a long time client (a member of NASTC Nation), tell us…where do you want to go ski?

Squaw Valley is opening this weekend folks! Its going to snow all week in the Sierras. Come get some early turns in! Better yet, sign up for one of our early season tune-up courses: Sugar Bowl Dec 3-4 or Big Sky Dec 11-13. Always a good idea to get some early turns in ahead of the crowds so you can enjoy the rest of your season even more with greater technical and tactical know-how on the slopes. Get your gear dialed too, these courses include gear specific tech talks and recommendations. Sign up here on our website for either course! Ski you soon NASTC Nation!

E-bike? I was skeptical at first. Just the thought of riding my bike with a little help from an external power source made me pause and wonder, “Is this the right thing?” I consider myself a core Mountain Bike Rider, jeez, I have been riding trails in Tahoe since 1986 when I bought my first real mountain bike, a Bridgestone MB 1 from Steve at the Village Ski Loft in Incline Village. He was very informative and promised that I would enjoy the Flume Trail more than ever with this advanced technology. I remember my first ride being revolutionary compared to the antiquated mule of a bike I had been riding before.

Bridgestone MB1
I justified the purchase of the MB1 with the clams of it being, a great around town transportation, increased fitness from riding more, and a fun way to get into the backcountry and enjoy the solitude of Lake Tahoe. I do remember getting dirty looks from died in the wool hikers who were perturbed that I was on their hiking trail with my bike, but it never resulted in any real confrontation. On this new ride, I became very fond of the speeds I could reach on the descents because of the improved suspension and stiff prestige frame tubing. The shifting was easy and reliable which helped me navigate the technical up-hills and tricky terrain. The $850.00 I spent on the bike was my entire IRS refund for that year. Thanks, Uncle Sam!

Specialized Levo E-Bike
So here I am 30 years later listening to 29-year-old Russell from Paco’s Bike and Ski in Truckee sell me on the virtues of peddle assisted mountain bikes. My first thought was, is he trying to sell me a dirt moped? As I patiently listen I begin to understand the big picture he was describing. He began talking my language. He mentions Northwood Boulevard the hill I have to climb with my bike to get home. Then there is the bit about a reduction in my carbon footprint by using my bike more and my car less. Then the advantage of tripling my riding mileage, adding length to my rides without the fatigue or the wear and tear on my 57-year-old body. That part really got my attention. He tells me that Specialized Levo was built from a well thought out cross-country design and added peddle assist. Not the other way around. After an hour of his low key sales pitch, I loaded the 42-pound Specialized Levo onto my bike rack for a test run. The shop mechanics smugly watched to see if the loading the heavy bike would bend me or my rack first. They were surprised when it did neither. Off I went headed toward a ride I have done many times and I knew very well. I thought this will be the best test because I had ridden this trail two nights before on my regular unassisted Mountain Bike.
As I unloaded, I looked around nervously to see if anyone was watching. I quickly pushed the on- button and launched turbo style into the woods. The wind blew through my hair, but how could it be, I was peddling uphill. As I climbed and began cornering uphill it felt strangely like the pull from gravity going downhill. I was actually tipping and leaning the bike into uphill turns. That was a new sensation. At least for me. I am sure there are professional riders that regularly generate 400 watts of power just with their legs, but I was riding like Lance Armstrong on POE. Wow, all the benefit of performance enhancing drugs without the side effect or the stigma.
I was soon at the top and stoked to let it fly. As I dropped into the first turn I felt the tires bite as I progressively leaned it into the banked turn, as the shocks engaged I thought,” hmm very much the feel of my Stumpjumper 29er” and that’s a good thing. The puzzle was, how could a 42-pound e-bike react like a 28-pound carbon framed Stumpy? I am not a bike engineer or even a mechanic, but the geometry, the breaking, the shock set up and the on command seat post produced a run that was exhilarating …, no, life-changing. I rolled over the technical sections with the ease of my other bike but felt more traction from the 4-inch tires. As I rode the grin on my face got bigger and as a ski teacher, I remembered when the first fat skis came out and changed the off-piste ski game forever. This bike is going to change everything I thought.
My mileage began to grow exponentially and my vision opened as I looked for the next hill to climb and my internal giggling became audible as I began my descents. I was chewing up vertical like the top riders of the Leadville 100. What was most astonishing was that I wasn’t tired of the amount of riding I was doing and my focus wasn’t compromised. I was as clear-headed as when I started. That alone made me think that the safety margin was bigger, now I was more awake and alert able to adjust to changes in the terrain with the alacrity of a much younger man, or more rested me. The sun got lower in the sky and after almost 3 hours of riding, I knew I would need to head back to the car. I was worried that my battery would die and I would be left pushing up the hills I had ridden down. I reached over and pushed the small button to the Evo setting to conserve my battery. This would give me enough assist to climb out of the valley and over to my car. Peddling a heavy bike is not a deal killer, but having a little help is always nice. What I found out later is that Specialized has developed an app for your phone that lets you punch in your ride and it automatically rations your battery, assisted by Google Earth.
As I drove back to the bike shop I concocted a story that would settle my frugal New England mind over the sticker shock, $3900.00. I also knew my wife would question my sanity when she saw yet another bike added to my growing quiver. I told Russel at the bike shop I wanted the bike to lower my carbon footprint, but the real reasons were the incredible fun factor and the feeling of human growth hormone. By the time I got home my story was calculated into a very convincing formula. Here it is: When an e-bike replaces a car the e-bike offsets 1,550 grams of global-warming hydrocarbons; 1460 grams of carbon monoxide; and 770 grams of nitrogen oxides for every 500 miles ridden. Plus I could take newbie riders out on equal playing ground and I would ride my old bike while they e-biked. My understanding wife got it and knew it was a great alternative to a midlife crisis car or something else.
Steve at the Village Ski Loft told me that I was buying the state of the art technology. In 1986 that Bridgestone MB1 was a top-tier mountain bike designed for a new generation of cross-country riders. Who could have predicted that 30 years later a relatively small battery attached to an expertly designed mountain bike, could extend ones riding fun factor, extend ride mileage, increase riding hours, help with climate change and increase the safety margin too?
by Chris Fellows
October 18, 2017

The dream trip for every serious skier and powderhound! Kickinghorse is one of those destinations that is talked about in hushed whispers because those that have been there want to brag about it but don’t want to spread the word in case too many people hear about it. This resort is one of British Columbia’s true skiing gems, typically off the beaten path for most adventure skiers the area has successfully preserved the true essence of what draws skiers to the sport and to the mountains. This ski clinic will focus on steep skiing skills, all mountain tactics and powder skiing technique. If you want to learn how to charge down technical slopes and ski big aprons of powder this is your ideal course. We will spend 3 days at Kicking Horse getting in mileage on off-piste terrain with personal feedback and coaching to help build the necessary skills and tactics for big mountain and powder skiing, then you have an option of adding 2 days of helicopter skiing with Purcell Heli-Skiing or continue to ski and explore Kicking Horse.

Almost everyone who went last year wants to go back, that’s how good it was! Join us for this all mountain adventure skiing trip, space limited, call or text me!

We are offering two Avalanche education 3-day classes again this year, and the new 1-day AIARE “Rescue Course.”  AIARE, (the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) has now more clearly defined recreational skier/rider education as a separate track from the professional education track with their AIARE 1/AIARE 2/Rescue Courses VS the Pro 1, Bridge, and Pro 2 courses.

NASTC is an AIARE school. We are one of the oldest AIARE schools in Tahoe/Truckee. We offer the AIARE 1 on two holiday weekend dates (AVOID the crowds at the resorts on MLK or Pres Wkend!): Saturday-Sunday-Monday Jan 13-15  (MLK Jr weekend) and  Feb 17-19 (Presidents’ weekend) 2018.  These are 3-day, (8 hours/day) courses in which you achieve your AIARE 1. Both classes are based in Truckee at the Cedar House Sport Hotel for the indoor classroom lectures, and up on Donner Summit for field work.

AIARE 1 Course Description

In the AIARE 1 students can expect to develop a good grounding in how to prepare for and carry out a backcountry trip, to understand basic decision making while in the field, and to learn rescue techniques required to find and dig up a buried person (if an avalanche occurs and someone in the party is caught).

Student learning outcomes for AIARE 1

At the end of the AIARE 1 course the student should be able to:

• Develop a plan for travel in avalanche terrain.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify avalanche terrain.
• Effectively use the AIARE Decision Making Framework to make terrain choices in a group setting
• Demonstrate effective companion rescue.

Who Should Take the AIARE 1 Course

The AIARE 1 is for anyone, regardless of method of travel, who wants to recreate in or near avalanche terrain. Participants may have attended some awareness classes or workshops or completed the Avalanche Rescue course, but none are a prerequisite for this course.

Aspiring professionals will need to take the AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue as a prerequisite for the Pro 1.

Prerequisites for the AIARE 1

Students must be able to travel in avalanche terrain and bring appropriate equipment for traveling on snow to class. There are no other prerequisites.

The AIARE 2 follows the AIARE 1, you must take the AIARE 1 first, as well as the new Avalanche Rescue 1-day class.

***In the past the AIARE 2 was designed to be an entry level professional course. New for 2017, the redesigned AIARE 2 is designed specifically to meet the needs of advanced recreational students who have taken an AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue class.***

NASTC’s AIARE 2 is February 23-25, 2018.  This course is now only 3 days long, not 4.

AIARE 2 Course Description

The AIARE 2 is a three-day/24-hour course that provides backcountry travelers an opportunity to advance their decision making skills in more complicated situations such as being a leader within a small travel group, traveling in more complicated terrain, and/or developing a travel plan where online resources are scarce.

The AIARE 2 builds on the introductory avalanche hazard management model introduced in the AIARE 1 and adds to it the evaluation of critical hazard assessment factors. Students will describe and discuss weather, snowpack and avalanche processes, and identify how these processes relate to observations and travel within avalanche terrain.

AIARE 2 Student learning outcomes

• Differentiate where specific avalanche hazards exist within the landscape and identify avalanche terrain where consequences may be more severe.
• Use and interpret weather, snow, and avalanche observations to locate appropriate terrain prior to entering and while in the field.
• Demonstrate leadership skills within a small team that include facilitating small group discussion, promoting appropriate terrain selection, and utilizing simple risk management strategies.
• Implement a basic forecasting framework that can be used in conjunction with and in the absences of local supporting avalanche information.

Who Should Take the AIARE 2 Course

The AIARE 2 is a three-day course for those who have taken an AIARE 1 and Avalanche Rescue and have had at least a year of backcountry travel experience. The AIARE 2 provides backcountry leaders the opportunity to advance their avalanche knowledge and decision making skills.

Prerequisites for the AIARE 2

Participants must have the ability to travel in avalanche terrain. An AIARE 1 Course (strongly recommended) or equivalent Level 1 training is required. A winter of practical experience after the Level 1 course is required before taking the AIARE 2 course.
AIARE or AAA approved one-day Avalanche Rescue Course.

Another change AIARE made this year is the addition of the new AIARE Avalanche Rescue, a 1-day refresher which is suggested every other year for backcountry enthusiasts.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE NASTC AVALANCHE EDUCATION COURSES & MAKE YOUR RESERVATION with NASTC BY CLICKING HERE: AIARE 1, AIARE 2, AIARE Avalanche Rescue

YOU CAN ALSO GO STRAIGHT TO OUR PAYPAL DEPOSIT ($200) BELOW TO HOLD YOUR SPOT (AIARE 1 or 2)

 

THANK YOU TO OUR AWESOME GROUP LAST WEEK IN PORTILLO, HERE IS PART OF THE POSSE ENJOYING ROCA JACK AND THE INCREDIBLE VIEW OF LAKE INCA! WE WERE GRACED WITH AWESOME RETURNING CLIENTS (you know who you are you fantastic folks!!), POWDER THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, NICK HERRIN, COLTER FELLOWS, GUEST APPEARANCE BY TERESA GERDIN, AND ALL AROUND
FUN TIMES!

SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE! 7/23/17 PHOTO ALBUM FROM PAST PORTILLO CAMPS!

NASTC skiers learning how to ski the steeps on Roca Jack better.

And learning how to ride the Roca Jack lift!

Apres-ski in the pool and hot tubs

The group – all skiers intermediate, advanced, and expert level looking to bring their skills up a step!

Good night Portillo.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2017/05/27/ski-season-is-back-you-can-enjoy-great-summer-skiing-in-chile/#618bdb0f7541