Granite Chief http://granitechief.com/blog/?
Author: Ski NASTC
-
Shreddit Showdown Context
p=3727 -
Get in the Best Shape Now
Six Tips to Get in the Best Shape Possible Now
-
Storm Hitting Sierras Finally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTP-2YDwRYI#t=39 -
La Grave March 1-8
We are going to La Grave and YOU need to come! Good for intermediate through expert skiers, we have 2 groups going! There are 3 spots left on this epic trip. We only do it once every about 5 years. La Grave is unpatrolled, uncontrolled, inexplicably amazing terrain: over 7000 vertical feet off one chairlift! We stay at the charming Auberge Edelweiss and enjoy fine food and wine after long days of skiing this treasured valley. Hear about it from the front lines, here is Rod who will be guiding alongside Chris Fellows with NASTC March 1-8:
-
NASTC in Schweitzer
Greetings NASTC Nation! While its so far an unsually (read: painfully!) light snow year in Tahoe, NASTC students are enjoying deep powder cat skiing today and tomorrow in Schweitzer with Selkirk Powder Cats, next month in Snowbird, and in March in La Grave, France. Phew! Our AIARE Avalanche courses are also filling up.
Of course anyday now its got to do the Sierra Nevada “thing” and dump…for days…and days. That would make us very happy. Keep your eye on our schedule and sign up soon for something fun, you deserve it.
Also, if you live in the Bay Area, don’t miss NASTC Guide Zeb Blais’s slide show at REI about his amazing ski on Denali! Here is the description:
Four adventurers pit themselves against bitter cold, severe altitude and self-imposed heavy loads to climb and ski Denali’s Messner couloir… in under two weeks. Learn about expedition climbing, backcountry skiing, high altitude travel, and the majestic scenery that is Denali National Park. Questions and comments welcomed from mountain guide Zeb Blais.
Berkeley REI — Denali: A Ski Trip to the Top of North America
Date: 1/23/2014
Event Location: Berkeley REI
Event Fee: Free
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 PM -
NASTC NEWS Happy Holidays
Hello NASTC Skiers and Friends! All North Tahoe resorts are open! Great skiing this past weekend at Alpine Meadows which opened from top to bottom last Friday – sign up for the All Conditions/All Terrain course, January 26-28 and see why this mountain is still one of the locals’ favorite places to ski. If the forecast holds true, we should be getting a fresh coat of paint this week.
News on the World Cup front: Marlies Schild tied Swiss legend Vreni Schneider’s record for 34 World Cup Slalom wins.Mikaela Shiffrin placed an uncharacteristic 12th in the slalom at Courchevel today. Some great races this weekend with the women in Val d’Isere and the men in Val Gardena.The current leader boards are:Women1. Lara Gut2. Maria Hoefl-Riesch3. Tina WeiratherMen1. Aksel Lund-Svindall2. Marcel Hirscher3. Ted LigetyNASTC is still accepting food donations for the Project Mana Food drive. We can accept boxed or canned items as long as they are unopened and unexpired.
Training for your PSIA Level 3 exam? Check out our course at Snowbird, February 1-5. Snowbird has been the trial grounds for the PSIA National Team selections and a great place to train for your Level 3 certification. Snowbird’s steep and challenging terrain forces you to be accurate with your movements which is necessary to achieve the full cert level. https://skinastc.com/index.php/all-courses/80
Planning on skiing in the backcountry? Check out our AIARE certified Avalanche Safety Level I & II courses. Avalanche Level I is highly recommended for anyone planning or interested in backcountry skiing. Avalanche Level II is a course designed for individuals that find themselves in the leadership role within their backcountry skiing groups or for those that want more depth of information on how the snowpack and weather increase or decrease the risk for avalanches to occur.
Course dates:
Avalanche Level I: January 18-20 or February 21-23
Avalanche Level II: February 7-10
International Ski Adventure in France – March 1-8
Ski La Grave & the Southern Alps with NASTC as your guide. All the details are taken care of for you. All you have to do is show up ready to ski and have fun. This is a weeklong trip in the beautiful Hautes Alpes region of southeastern France. There are two groups available for you to join, depending on your skiing goals. One group will shoot for adrenaline pumping, high exhilaration experience. The other group will work on their advanced skiing skills and build more slowly on the adventure factor. Each group will have a local guide to lead them to the ideal off-piste terrain choices and a coach to give you feedback on your skiing and coaching you through any challenges that you might encounter. The trip includes lodging in a double occupancy room (single upgrades are available), breakfast and dinner daily, lift tickets, instruction and guiding. Check out the following trip descriptions for more information: https://skinastc.com/index.php/news/355 or https://skinastc.com/index.php/all-courses/331
Great opportunities to get focused coaching and to be pushed and challenged locally in Tahoe, NASTC’s home base;
All Conditions/All Terrain Squaw Valley – February 26-28
All Conditons/All Terrain Sugar Bowl – March 15-16
All Conditions/All Terrain Northstar – March 21-23
NASTC also has gift certificates available if you need any gift ideas for the special skiers in your life.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
-
Ski La Grave & the Southern Alps
La Grave & Southern French AlpsA Glacier Skiing AdventureMarch 1-8, 2014
If you had to choose one ski adventure for the whole season, this one would be it. The Southern Alps are home to some of the top skiing destinations in Europe. One of the biggest attractions besides the phenomenal skiing is the haunting beauty of the Southern Alps and the village of La Grave where will be staying for the week. The ruggedness of the landscape and the tranquil beauty of this “kingdom of stone” that the town of La Grave has been nicknamed, cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.
Skiing in the Southern Alps is a different experience than the typical charming alpine villages that comes to mind when one thinks of skiing in Europe. We will be skiing in the areas of Serre Chevalier, Alpes d’Huez, Les Deux Alpes and La Grave. Skiing past blue glacier ice, winding your way on skis back to the village, having a top quality trainer to coach you and help you through the challenging areas, then finishing off the day sitting by the fire with drinks in hand re-counting the day’s adventures is an experience that will mark your skiing memories forever. We will spend the week, exploring these different ski areas, working on the technical skills for off-piste skiing as well as tactics for negotiating various types of terrain and snow conditions. The week will also include off-piste skiing excursions on glacier terrain where you will be coached and guided by seasoned professionals.
What awaits you is big adventure, big fun and a unique venue that will stand out amongst all your other skiing experiences, because there really is nothing like having a fun, adventure filled day and watching the sun set on one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in the world.
Includes: double occupancy lodging (single upgrades available), breakfast & dinner daily, lift tickets, coaching & guide
Check out our other adventures and camps in Snowbird, Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, and more. -
NASTC NEWS: New Snow, Ski Training Updates, FIS Alpine World Cup Recap
Hello NASTC Friends!
Although we are not looking at much snow on the ground here in downtown Truckee, the storm system did deliver what was needed. Some resorts are reporting as much as 18 inches in the upper elevations!
The next few weeks are filled with some action packed ski racing. The first slalom races of the season just wrapped up in Finland this past weekend, with Marcel Hirscher on top of the men’s podium and U.S favorite Michaela Shiffrin sitting in 1st place ! for the women. Next weekend is the start of the women’s speed races at Beaver Creek, with the men’s first speed events at Lake Louise. Then the men and women swap locations for another week of Downhill, Super G and GS. Thanks to Michaela’s strong placing in Soelden and her victory in the Levi slalom, she is sitting on top of the leader board with Lara Gut hot on her tails. Ted Ligety is in second place with Austria’s Marcel Hirscher in the top spot.
NASTC is a drop off location for the Project Mana food drive. If you find yourself in Truckee, to or from the Start Haus, Granite Chief or one of the local resorts from now through December 23, stop by and drop off any unopened and unexpired canned or boxed goods at our office: 10710 Donner Pass Rd, Ste 100. Hours: 9:00-2:00pm, Mon-Fri. (530)582-4772.
Tahoe and Reno locals or anyone who is up in the area this weekend – the Warren Miller movie, Ticket to Ride, will be premiering at the Pioneer Center in Reno. Show times are 6:00pm and 9:00pm. Each showing is accompanied by a raffle with some really cool prizes including 2 Tahoe-based NASTC courses! Click on the following link to watch the trailer. http://www.skinet.com/warrenmiller/brightcove_playlists/video/2594315396001
It is dumping up north, Red Mountain has had 40 inches of snow since November 1st. Knowing their reputation for lots of dry light snow, conditions should be good for the NASTC Powder & Cat-skiing Camp, January 16-20. Space is still available if you’d like to check into the “white room” with us and feel the powder floating up around you.!
Check out the NEW! NASTC video and feel free to share it with your friends!NASTC COURSES NOT TO MISS THIS SEASON:
All Conditions/All Terrain Alpine Meadows – January 26-28
This course focuses on introductory to advanced level all mountain skiing skills. W! ork on fundamentals of skiing off-piste terrain, tactics for steeps, chutes, trees, bumps and more. Ideal course for skiers that want to start skiing more of the mountain and for those that are looking to improve their off-piste skiing skills.
Snowbird, UT – February 1-5
This course is geared for advanced level skiers that want to improve their off-piste skiing skills and tactics. The terrain at Snowbird is big and has a lot of variety to offer the seasoned skier. You will definitely be pushed and challenged to step up your off-piste skiing performance.
La Grave & The Southern Alps, France – March 1-8
If you had to choose one ski adventure for the whole season, this one would be it. La Grave is the destination on! just about every expert skier’s list. The general! area of La Grave is home to some of the top skiing destinations in Europe. La Grave offers a very different scenery than what is traditionally expected out of a European ski getaway. The area of La Grave has a rugged and wild beauty about it. The villages are made of stone and sit at the base of craggy mountain peaks. We will be skiing in the areas of Alpes d’Huez, Serre Chevalier, Les Deux Alpes and La Grave. You will build up the technique and tactics throughout the weak to ski the glaciated off-piste terrain. This is a great heart pumping adventure where you will be carefully guided by seasoned professionals. Skiing past blue glacier ice, winding your way on skis back to the village, having a top quality trainer to coach you to new heights in your skiing and to help you through the challenging areas, sitting by the fire with drinks in hand re-counting the day’s adventures is an experience that will mark y! our skiing career forever.
-
The Skiing Memory Bank
Even though I spend about 200 days per year on the snow, each time I get back on to the snow after having spent some time off, I go through the same process. The first few turns are a little goofy as my body remembers what it’s like to play with gravity and how to fire certain muscle groups again. By the third or fourth run, I do the same thing, I start to get impatient and freak out. I want to ski and feel the same sensations as I did two months ago when I was on skis. I have to remind myself to be patient and disciplined. I go through basic exercises like making turns on just the outside leg, skiing slow basic parallel turns, rolling from edge to edge on flat terrain. My skis soon begin to work on the snow as they should and I slowly stop freaking out. The most important part of this process is having an accurate memory bank of ski related sensations. I use this sensory cues to let me know that I have the correct position over my skis, that my body is moving as it should and the skis are doing what I expect out of them. Without this “memory bank” I wouldn’t have any hope of knowing where I’m at or what I’m doing. If you do not have a memory bank of ski related sensations (sensations of face planting , double ejecting or rolling downhill excluded), I suggest you ski with a coach who can help you develop sensory cues as to whether your movements are efficient or not. It is important that when you get feedback from a coach, tune in to sensations in your body – areas of tension, relaxation, which muscles are contracting, but also to tune into sensations coming in from your feet and the snow surface, is there a feeling of slicing or sliding, is the pressure sudden or progressive, do you feel any pressure. Once you become familiar with these cues and recognize what these sensory inputs are telling you about your skiing, you can start to coach yourself.