Author: Ski NASTC

Alta-Snowbird, Big Mountain Skiing Skills Camp

Big Mountain Skiing Skills Camp – Alta/Snowbird

JANUARY 8-13, 2017
TRAVEL DAYS: Sunday January 8 and Friday January 13 (or Sat Jan 14)
SKI DAYS: Alta January 9-11 and Snowbird January 12-13

Alta can be described simply as the ski addict’s number one destination. We could have a list a page long of all the reasons why every skier needs to go to Alta, instead we are just going to let you experience it all yourself. There is no doubt that this mountain delivers on terrain and snow conditions. Skiing Alta is pure exhilaration. If skiing the whole mountain is one of your goals then this is the course for you. You will get lots of mileage skiing a variety of terrain and personalized coaching and feedback from your trainer. After spending 3 days building your advanced skiing skills and off-piste terrain tactics with NASTC’s top coaching staff at Alta, there is an optional day of guided skiing at Snowbird. This is a great way to consolidate your learning and apply your new skills on some fun and challenging terrain. At Alta, we will stay at the Rustler lodge, a ski in/out property. NASTC’s full immersion approach to ski improvement will help you move off your skiing plateau to skiing the whole mountain with more confidence.

Prices:
With lodging at the Rustler Lodge, breakfast and dinner daily, 5 day lift ticket (3 at Alta, 2 at Snowbird), all day instruction in groups of 6 or fewer with video reviews and evening tech talks and round trip ground transfers from Salt Lake City Airport.
$4676 Double
$5988 Single

No Lodging Option:
$1495 – 5 days, includes instruction only
$1250 – 3 days includes instruction at Alta only

SAMPLE TRAINING DAY
7:15am Stretching
9:00am Head out to the hill. Group up, go over day’s schedule and goals.
9-12am Skiing & coaching
12:00-1:00pm Lunch
1:00-3:30pm Skiing & coaching, video, free-skiing varying conditions and terrain, personal feedback
4:30-6:00pm Indoor clinic: video viewing and skiing discussions (all tech talks are optional)
6:30pm Dinner

November 1, 2016
Avalanche Level 2

AIARE Level 2 AVALANCHE TRAINING

December 5-7, 2021 & March 6-8, 2022

Price: $645, to book please email [email protected] or text 530-386-2102

Add the 1-day RESCUE COURSE on December 4, 2021 or March 5, 2022: reduced price of $850 total (4 consecutive days)

Location: Truckee, CA

The AIARE Level 2 course is a 3-day program that provides avid backcountry skiers and riders the opportunity to advance their avalanche knowledge and decision making skills. Led by the top instructors in the field, this is an advanced avalanche safety course for the general public. This is not for snow safety professionals, that’s the new AIARE PRO 1 and 2 path. The focus in the Rec 2 is on analyzing snow stability and avalanche hazard. The Rec 2 builds from the introductory avalanche hazard management model introduced in the Rec 1 and adds to it the evaluation factors critical to stability evaluation.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Advance understanding of avalanche terrain, particularly from the perspective of stability analysis.

2. Discuss how the snowpack develops and metamorphoses over time; and discuss the factors that contribute to spatial variability.

3. Learn standard observation guidelines and recording formats for factors that influence or indicate snow stability. SWAG MODULE.

4. Advance understanding of avalanche release and triggering mechanisms.

5. Introduce a snow stability analysis and forecasting framework. The students will dig a snow pit and study the snow pit profile.

6. Improve companion rescue skills including multiple and deep burials.

Required reading:
Snowpack, Weather, & Avalanches: An Observational guideline

Suggested reading before the course:
Snow Sense by Jill Fredston and Doug Fesler
Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain by Bruce Tremper
Avalanche Aware by John Moynier
The Avalanche Handbook

Equipment Suggestions: Alpine touring gear, telemark gear, splitboard, or snowshoes, backpack, avalanche beacon, shovel and probe – see the equipment/packing list below for a complete list of necessary equipment.

This course is 100% off piste and any classroom debriefs will be via Zoom or in a covid-safe setting/distance/ratio

Sample Daily Schedule:

9:00am – Meet at the NASTC classroom for indoor session of avalanche safety course

12:00pm – Lunch break

1:00pm – Head outside for the on-hill practical portion

4:00pm – End of training day

PACKING LIST:
Climbing skins
Randonnee (AT) or Telemark boots, or snowboard boots
Probe with cm ruling
Adjustable ski poles (if no probe ski poles)
Alpine Touring set-up or Telemark skis orsplit board
Avalanche beacon
Pack (2500-3000 cubic inches)
Snow shovel
Complete snow study kit incl 2 m folding rule, grain card and loupe, 2 C thermometers, 2 m length of knotted cord/rope, compass, slope meter, writing tools.
GPS recommended not mandatory
Snow density kit
Altimeter watch
Printed copy of the SWAG (Snow, Weather, and Avalanches: Observational Guidelines for Avalanche Programs in the United States). Published by the American Avalanche Association.
Water bottle
Small first aid kit (moleskin, bandaids, aspirin, personal meds.)
Lunches
Note book & pen for note-taking and pencil for filling in observations in logbook
Ski/Snowboard clothing
Light touring gloves (heavy liners etc.)
Warm gloves (waterproof)
Warm hat, baseball cap, headband, face mask, and neck warmer
Goggles and sunglasses (2 pair goggles if you have them)

Though it is acceptable to plot your snow profile data by hand, we strongly recommend using SnowPilot (snowpilot.org) or Avanet (avatech.com) snow profile plotting software. SnowPilot is free; Avanet requires a paid subscription.

If you have any old or current field books in which you’ve recorded avalanche, snowpack, or weather data please bring them to our first meeting.

October 30, 2016
What To Do When You First Get Back On Skis

The day has come when the ski resorts have finally started spinning the chairlifts for the general public. The excitement in the air is so strong it feels you can feel it vibrate around you. You boot up and take those first few steps to grab your jacket, goggles, gloves, phone and skis, the boots feel heavy and clunky. It’s been months since those things have been on your feet. You grab your skis, drop them on the snow (hopefully you have had them tuned and prepped before this point), as you click in, your heart beats a little faster, who doesn’t love that sound (or the sound of snow creaking when you’re walking on it)?! You’re in the lift line, you do your proverbial slide one foot in front of the other move, maybe look down at your boots and contemplate buckling them a little tighter, but man, they already feel like their in a vice. It’s finally your turn, the chair swings around the bull-wheel, scoops you up, you start chatting up the person next to you because you can hardly contain your excitement. What feels like an eternity (are we there yet?!), you arrive at the top.

After a moment defining push with your poles, your skis glide forward and get pulled down the hill by gravity, now what?! Ever have that split second freak out moment about whether you remember to turn or not? You are not alone. You sort out how to make the skis go left and right and maintain some degree of control as you get to the bottom of the lift (pat yourself on the back, job well done). Now this is the moment that most skiers get wrong. Their confidence shoots through the roof, adrenaline and excitement block all logic and rational thinking. They try to mimic that first descent but only faster and with more edge angles, trying to fast forward to that moment last season where you were ripping.

Your first moments back on snow are crucial for setting the foundation for your technique for the season. You have to help your body remember the sequence of movements, neuro-muscular connections need to be reactivated after having been dormant for so long. The first thing any successful skier does when they get back on snow, is work on their balance. Hold the eye-rolling back for just a second. Balancing on a surface that is slippery, while you are moving at speeds of triple or quadruple that of walking, while you are locked into a boot that limits ankle articulation and are wearing gear that adds additional 25-30lbs to your mass – it’s complicated, especially after being off snow for several months. There are a lot of factor to get just right moving forward, now factor in direction changes, slope angle changes, you are asking your brain and body to process and coordinate a lot of things at a very accelerated rate.

When we work on balance, we work in 3 planes. Fore and aft is the first one. We want to control how movement our center of mass does over our feet and legs (base of support). Keeping it fixed over your feet is not ideal. Our goal when we try to establish and manage our balance in this plain is to continuously adjust our center of mass so we can distribute pressure along the length of the ski (tip to tail) as needed. A great exercise to help out with this is to shuffle both feet forward and backwards as you execute a turn. Another one is to move the pressure points on the soles of your feet from your forefoot to middle to back of the foot without losing shin contact with the tongue of the boot. Dolphin Turns which are a series of hops, where you pop the tips of the skis up off the snow by leveraging the tails of the skis then landing back onto the tips of the skis. How to do a Dolphin Turn. This is a challenging exercise because of its dynamic nature. It forces you to put your body in a position where you can maximize movement out of the ankle joint as well as maximize flexion and extension movements from other joints in the body.

Tune back in for more exercises on how to hone in your balance in the lateral plane.

October 19, 2016
Andermatt – Top 10 Ski Resorts in Europe by Outside Magazine

There are lots of reasons to love skiing in Europe. Travel to Europe has never been more affordable and skiing in Europe is a must do, even if just once. So how do you narrow down where to go? Outside Magazine compiled a list of its Top 10 ski areas in Europe to visit, depending on your interest.

Andermatt, was voted the best place to visit for powder skiing. We chose Andermatt as our European destination this year, not only for the historically massive amounts of snow it gets every year (the most in all of Europe), but because the terrain offered more than the typical narrow icy groomed runs and death fearing off-piste runs on the glaciers and the village of Andermatt has preserved its tranquil mountain setting. Andermatt escaped the commercialization phase that many resorts in Europe have undertaken. Quiet mountain villages have become raging hotspots for international tourists looking for a good party. Andermatt was a the see and be seen destination in a bygone era. It was at the cross roads for 4 mountain passes and easy to get to. After the construction of the Gotthard tunnel, the waves of tourists bypassed Andermatt and headed for easier accessible resorts like St. Moritz or Val d’Isere. Andermatt was able to preserve the idyllic charm and tranquility that comes to mind when one thinks of an alpine village. What most skiers don’t know is that Andermatt’s fairy-tale setting hides some of VERY exciting and exhilarating terrain and THE BEST Snow conditions in Europe.

http://www.outsideonline.com/1927841/top-10-ski-resorts-europe

October 3, 2016
Iceland Viking Ski Expedition APRIL 202

Iceland SKI Expedition on the Orkin
April 2028

The Iceland ski expedition in the West Fjords aboard the beautiful Orkin is a life changing experience. More than just bagging new peaks and first time ski descents, it is a journey of appreciation of beautiful landscapes surrounded by the fjords, amazing wildlife and rare marine mammals. The experience goes beyond skiing pristine fields of snow, it is also about uncovering Icelandic history, culture and tasty local meals. You will ski down slopes looking over the Greenland Sea. You’ll be just 5 nautical miles from the Arctic Circle at times! This trip is a true wilderness experience aboard a floating base camp in the form of a well equipped and expertly managed 62 ft restored fishing boat.

The captain and first mate/cook of the boat are well seasoned sailors, adventurers and skiers with local with knowledge of the area and the seas of Iceland and Greenland. The Orkin is a custom, guided, private ski touring experience.

Itinerary:
Day 1 -Depart U.S
Day 2-Arrive in Reykjavik & transfer to connecting flight to Isafjord, stay one night in Hotel Isafjord

Day 4 -Embark on the Orkin and set sail for your Viking skiing adventure

Day 9 – Get off Orkin in Isafjord. Stay at Hotel Isafjord for the night and take a connecting flight to Reyjavik

Day 10 – Fly Isafjord to Reyjavik and home

Price includes: 5 days and nights aboard the Orkin, guiding, meals, 2 nights at Hotel Isafjord. Note: sleeping arrangements aboard Orkin are there are four double cabins. There is a bathroom with a shower, a washing machine, and a drier.
Its intimate, clean, and comfortable. And the meals….they’re DELICIOUS!

September 27, 2016
2018 NASTC SCHEDULE OF CLASSES

2017-2018 Schedule:

DOMESTIC DESTINATIONS:
Early Season Jumpstart, Sugar Bowl, CA – Dec 3-4, 2017
Big Sky, MT – Dec 11-13, 2017

“Montana Mixed Bag” Ski Safari – February 2018 – date TBA
Squaw Valley, CA – March 5-7, 2018

INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS:

Niseko, Japan – February 23-March 3, 2018
Kicking Horse, Canada – Feb 4-10, 2018

Andermatt, Switzerland – 2019

Iceland – April 30-May 5, 2018
Portillo, Chile – August 11-18, 2018

AVALANCHE EDUCATION COURSES:

AIARE Rec 1 (3-days) – January 13-15 & February 17-19, 2018

AIARE Rec 2 (4-days) – February 23-26, 2018

Rescue Course (1-day) – Dec 9, Jan 13, Feb 18, March 3

Call or text our office anytime for more details: 530-386-2102. Or email [email protected]

August 23, 2016
Rock Climbing with Local KRNV Sports Journalists

Here is an inside look to what your first time rock climbing would be like. Click on the video to watch as we take KRNV (My News Channel 4) sports journalist,Gianna Giorgi, and photographer, Julian del Gaudio, on their very first rock climbing experience. We had a great time introducing them to this very fun and rewarding sport and showing them our Donner Summit playground. We are fortunate to have world class granite right here in Truckee which is the ideal type of rock for climbing. We have access to a variety of climbs with all levels of difficulty. Learning how to climb really is as easy as it looks.

http://mynews4.com/sports/exploring-our-backyard/exploring-our-backyard-rock-climbing-adventure-at-donner-summit

July 8, 2016
Latest NASTC Newsletter, find fun reads on skiing, training, us ski team and rock climbing

How to Improve Your Skiing When There is No Snow on the Ground

Is there a way to step up your performance on the slopes without putting time in the gym? The answer is yes! One of the most valuable tools an athlete uses to improve their performance is mental visualization. It can be done anywhere, anytime. You don’t need snow on the ground to do it and it only takes a few minutes each day. Sounds almost too easy, right?!
Mental visualization is not fantasizing yourself as Marcel Hirscher dominating through the gates. It requires a a little more specific technique.
First find some good imagery or video of the level and style of skiing that you aspire to. If you don’t have any on hand here is a good bank of video segments we’ve collected: https://www.youtube.com/user/skinastc/playlists
Once you’ve found some good images, watch them, a lot. As you watch, try to feel the ski bending underneath your foot, feel the skis slide over the snow, the pressure shifting along your foot and against your shin. The idea is to live it! and feel it while you are watching.
The next step is visualize yourself as the skier. The action is from your perspective as the skier. Try to incorporate as many senses as possible when you do this. Can you feel the cold on your face? Try to hear the sound the skis would make as the slice or slide over the snow. Can you feel the tension and engagement of your muscles. See the line, the transition and the apex of the turn.
You can even focus on what it is you are trying to improve like a specific part of the turn or sequence of movements.
You can do your visualization while you are taking your first few sips of coffee in the moring, while you are in the shower or watering the plants. It just takes a few minutes each day to benefit from this incredibly powerful tool. If you have any questions, just email us and one of our coaches will help you out.

South America’s Turn for Big Snowfall

It’s been blasted all over social media about how much snow has fallen in the Chilean Andes. Could this be Chile’s year for an epic season? We certainly think so. This is the largest snowfall, Chile has received in recent memory. There was so much snow that the road up to Portillo was impassable and took over a week to clear. Immediately our thoughts turned to what it would be like to ski in all that snow! Portillo truly shines when it’s a big snow year. If you’ve been to Portillo and it was an average or less than average year and you still had a good time…”you know nothing, Jon Snow.” The terrain expands by 30% at least. If you enjoy hiking and earning your turns then the skiable terrain expands by even more.
As more pictures and stories come out from the opening week at Portillo, we might begin to salivate with anticipation for when it’s our turn in August to experience all the fun.
NASTC’s annual camp in Portillo is August 13-20. Save the dates if you w! ant a piece of the fun this summer/winter.

NASTC International Adventures – Portillo, Chile

US Men’s Alpine Ski Team Go On Vacation

Well sort of. Habitually the training schedule for the U.S Ski Team has included on snow training throughout the summer months. This year they are switching things up a little bit. The US Men’s Alpine Team finished up the season with a month long intensive training camp in Norway, where they trained side by side with the Attacking Vikings. They will not get back on snow until August when they head to the southern hemisphere to kickstart their training for the upcoming season. The men’s team will have 3 full months of snow, their focus will be directed towards conditioning during their time off. It will be interesting to see how switching up the training calendar will affect performances and the health of the athletes this coming winter.

Climb Your Way to a New Adventure

Rock climbing has a reputation for being a sport for the intrepid outdoor sportsman or the adrenaline seeking adventurer. Rock climbing is more of a zen-like experience that keeps you in the present and puts your mind and body to work as you try to puzzle out a route to the top a granite slab wall. Your often rewarded with some pretty spectacular views and a feeling of euphoria, just don’t look down over the edge or that feeling might get replaced with something else.
Rock climbing is also a family friendly activity, kind of like skiing, everyone doesn’t have to be at the same fitness or experience level to share the fun together. It’s also a strong bonding experience because the atmosphere is almost always positive and supportive rather than competitive.
If you want to give it a try, let us know. We have a terrific team of guides that know how to put a fun day out on the rocks together.
NASTC KIDS CLIMBING CAMP: JUNE 29-30
This is our popular annual kids! climbing camp. It’s a great way to introduce your kids into the sport of climbing and to transition from climbing indoors to real rock. Kids always leave the camp with new skills and beaming with confidence. We look forward to this camp every year because it is such a fun and special two days.
Please email or call the NASTC office for more information

Rock Climbing Tahoe-Truckee

July 1, 2016
Time to Climb! Time to Ski!

Time to Climb!
Climbing is the best sport for focus, fun, and time with family and friends!
Learning how to rock climb is easy and rewarding with NASTC’s certified guides. Or improve upon your intermediate or advanced skills! NASTC offers private rock climbing lessons and guiding on Donner Summit in Truckee. Donner Summit has world class granite that is ideal for climbing and you will get big views of the Tahoe Basin with each climb.
Rock climbing is a great way to get away from the crowds on busy weekends and find some relaxation in the outdoors with friends and family. Call 530-386-2102 or email [email protected] to book a guide! We have two-hour, half-day (4hrs) and full-day (7hrs) time slots available.

Time to Ski!
For 22 great years we have been taking intermediate/advanced/expert ski groups to Portillo, Chile. We always go the 3rd week of August, because that’s the best time.
Every summer, the group is filled with more than half NASTC alumni! Portillo is addictive!
You’ll ski with a NASTC trainer (members of the regional or national PSIA Alpine Team) in a small group of 5 or fewer all week, from Saturday-Saturday. Your skiing improves as you have a blast skiing the breathtaking Andes!
Enjoy the finest food, wines, and hotel amenities to round out a truly relaxing trip of a lifetime.
Book now: [email protected]
530-386-2102

Office for Lease
Office spaces available now at the NASTC suite of offices at 10710 Donner Pass Rd #100, Truckee, CA.
New, market-rent priced, private, fully furnished, turn-key, quiet and professional office environment. Super good parking and easy walk to Downtown Truckee. Good visibility on Donner Pass Road, wifi, wheelchair accessible, kitchen, storage.
2 options: private room OR communal desk
More info/prices: [email protected]

Dated 5/17/16

May 17, 2016
NASTC NEWS 3/30/16

YOUR SUMMER TO GO TO PORTILLO, CHILE

Its that time people. Call us now to save your spot. “Paradise on earth” is how we describe Portillo, Chile! 2016 is our 22nd season taking a group of 20-25 skiers down to ski with our TOP NOTCH instructors in August! Whether intermediate, advanced or expert – we have a group for you! It’s an easy, over-night flight, and just 3-hour time change. You ski the day you land! Enjoy skiing right out your door at the grand Hotel Portillo (some call it the “cruise ship of the Andes”), with lifts taking you high up the sides of dramatic 15,000’ peaks. Then ski down towards glacier-blue Lake Inca or traverse under the ropes into huge, untracked bowls. With 15 lifts, 30+ runs, and all the snow of a maritime mt range, we have skied light powder, ego corn, or groomed corduroy every year! Your skiing WILL improve as you sew your seasons together by giving yourself the training opportunity of a lifetime! Delicious food in the beautiful dining room and fun evenings round out yo! ur ski training vacation.
August 13-20, 2016
$5495 includes: 7 nights lodging, meals, lift tickets, all day small group instruction, hotel amenities, evening events, ground transportation RT from Santiago.
Call NASTC for help with your flight too!

AIARE Level 2

There is still time to get your avalanche education in this season! Especially with new snow, we’re still teaching! NASTC has another AIARE L2 and L1 coming up – contact our office for dates and availability!

16 Things to Know Before You Go Ski Touring
https://www.wildsnow.com/18797/ski-touring-things-know-list/
New to backcountry skiing? Excited to get out there? The guides and pros at NASTC can help you learn the basics and enjoy a day in the backcountry this spring! We have privates and groups going out often – call or text the office to hear more: 530-386-2102.
From our friends at Wild Snow.com, here’s a great set of simple tips for newcomers:

YOUR SUMMER TO GO TO PORTILLO, CHILE

Its that time people. Call us now to save your spot. “Paradise on earth” is how we describe Portillo, Chile! 2016 is our 22nd season taking a group of 20-25 skiers down to ski with our TOP NOTCH instructors in August! Whether intermediate, advanced or expert – we have a group for you! It’s an easy, over-night flight, and just 3-hour time change. You ski the day you land! Enjoy skiing right out your door at the grand Hotel Portillo (some call it the “cruise ship of the Andes”), with lifts taking you high up the sides of dramatic 15,000’ peaks. Then ski down towards glacier-blue Lake Inca or traverse under the ropes into huge, untracked bowls. With 15 lifts, 30+ runs, and all the snow of a maritime mt range, we have skied light powder, ego corn, or groomed corduroy every year! Your skiing WILL improve as you sew your seasons together by giving yourself the training opportunity of a lifetime! Delicious food in the beautiful dining room and fun evenings round out yo! ur ski training vacation.
August 13-20, 2016
$5495 includes: 7 nights lodging, meals, lift tickets, all day small group instruction, hotel amenities, evening events, ground transportation RT from Santiago.
Call NASTC for help with your flight too!
NASTC’s 22nd Year at Portillo, 5% off now til April 15

AIARE Level 2

There is still time to get your avalanche education in this season! Especially with new snow, we’re still teaching! NASTC has another AIARE L2 and L1 coming up – contact our office for dates and availability!

16 Things to Know Before You Go Ski Touring

New to backcountry skiing? Excited to get out there? The guides and pros at NASTC can help you learn the basics and enjoy a day in the backcountry this spring! We have privates and groups going out often – call or text the office to hear more: 530-386-2102.
From our friends at Wild Snow.com, here’s a great set of simple tips for newcomers:

Ski Touring – 16 Things To Know: https://www.wildsnow.com/18797/ski-touring-things-know-list/

Saturday April 2 FREE Demo Day on Donner Summit
THIS SATURDAY The Tahoe Sports Hub and NASTC are offering a free backcountry demo day on Donner Summit. The event will take place at the former location of Sugar Bowl Academy at the top of Old Highway 40 on Donner Summit.
The event will offer participants the chance to try out the newest technology in backcountry ski and snowboard equipment on a short skin track in the backcountry. Equipment from Jones, K2, G3, Dynafit, and others will be available for demo. Skiers and snowboarders who are new to backcountry travel are invited to try skinning or split-boarding for the first time. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn avalanche safety basics and practice using avalanche beacons.
The professional guides from NASTC will offer guided introductory group tours at 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. and representatives from Sierra Avalanche Center will present a “Know Before You Go” avalanche safety presentation at 11:00 a.m. All participants must have advanced ski ! and snowboard skills, sign a waiver, and must carry avalanche safety equipment (beacon, shovel, and probe in a backpack). Tahoe Sports Hub and NASTC will provide avalanche safety equipment, but participants are encouraged to bring any equipment they own. Space and equipment is subject to availability and the event is weather dependent.
Any Q contact Tahoe Sports Hub 530-582-4510 or NASTC 530-386-2102.

Summer Rock Climbing on Donner Summit April-Nov
Summer for NASTC not only means skiing at Portillo, Chile but rock climbing in the beautiful Tahoe weather on Donner Summit, Truckee, CA.
We have a very busy rock climbing school on all summer. There are groups and privates going out all summer. Call to book your day with friends or family or on your own now!
With sunshine like this, climb in April…(although we hope to still be skiing)!

March 31, 2016