Author: Ski NASTC

The North American Ski Training Center is now an AIARE Avalanche Course Provider.

Isn’t safety the #1 concern for all of us when it comes to skiing and riding in the sidecountry or backcountry? True to NASTC standards, our avalanche instructors are of the highest quality, professionalism, and experience level. This is a 3-day education and certification class in which you earn your AIARE Level I (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education).  It’s the minimum amount of know-how if you want to travel, ski, or ride out of bounds safely.  There is time spent in the classroom and on the snow daily.  Each year more resorts are lifting their boundary lines, allowing us to get to fresh snow and exciting terrain even after the resort itself is “skied out.”  

However, the risk has never been greater.  You need to know what you’re doing if you are heading out there.  A friend may say, “oh I know some avalanche safety stuff…” but really?  Do you want to rely on them, or have the knowledge yourself?  In this course, among other skills you learn how to plan a trip, what are the “red flags,” how to recognize different types of avalanche terrain and avalanches, how to perform certain observations and snow safety tests, route finding and terrain management, and how to use your beacon. 

So often accidents occur not as the result of one bad decision, but several. These human decision-making errors can be avoided.  The snow science around avalanche education is truly fascinating, and the Level I curriculum has come a long way.  The risk has never been greater, everyone is pushing the envelope. Get certified. You’ll enjoy it and be safer. 

Dates for the NASTC AIARE Level I courses: January 21-23 or February 11-13 

US Ski Team member Nolan Kasper returns to snow 72 days after surgery (more…)

An interview with the 2010 Women’s World Cup Champion and what her outlook is for the season

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<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/GWRU9UC8yv8″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>{/source}An interview with the 2010 World Cup

Train smart this ski season when time and resources are an issue.

You can get an edge on this ski season by using, Total Skiing as a guide to maximize your training time, while achieving optimal fitness and performance benefits.

Total Skiing uses fitness screens like the functional movement screen(FMS), cardiovascular assessments, muscular fitness assessments, power and agility assessments.  By documenting the results of these 4 test you can streamline a custom work-out for your individual needs based on the test results.  Limits in your fitness and asymmetries in your movements will be seen as the barriers that need to be addressed before higher levels of skiing performance can be reached.  Poor scores on the FMS could mean your overall movement patterns are weak.  The good news is that there are     exercises prescribed in Total Skiing that can give you a path to success in your overall movement and fitness and ultimately increased performance on the snow. 

Once the test in the book are taken, your custom program  can be written and applied for dramatic results.  The following benefits will be experienced as a result of the advice gleaned from Total Skiing. 

• Improved functional movement and athletic performance
• Identification of limits in strength, endurance and neuromuscular imbalances
• Reduction in overuse injuries
• Reduction in connective tissue strain and non-impact injuries
• Corrective exercise programs that are based on your weaknesses for greater and longer lasting results
• Identify connection to past injuries and movement asymmetries that result in chronic pain and injury.
• Establishes a base line for all future fitness and performance levels.
• Helps you asses what is the right training program for you based on your time commitment, current fitness level and you on mountain goals.
• Increased amount of fun and enjoyment on any mountain, in any conditions with limited exposure to injury.       

We all have limited self awareness when it comes to holes in our own personal fitness and mobility picture.  Often it’s not until we experience pain or the inability to accomplish a goal that we become aware of a problem.  With Total Skiing you are given a system to judge your movements, and then apply a fix to your findings.  If you don’t know there is a problem, how can you ever address it?  Once you are aware of it then half the battle is done and you are on your way to finding a solution.  This is your year to be your best, start early, stay committed and enjoy the process.

U.S World Cup racers have some pretty strong sentiments regarding the FIS changes to ski dimensions in the World Cup regulations.  At the start of the 2012-2013 season, FIS regulations will require racers to be on 40 meter radius ski, up from 27 meters.  FIS claims that the changes in ski length and dimensions is attempt to improve safety.  Many World Cup racers, lincluding Ted Ligety and Steve Nyman are opposed to the changes, they feel that these changes will regress innovation and move ski technique and technology backwards and as for safety, the 40 meter radius increases the consequences not lessen them, particularly where younger skiers are concerned who do not have the body mass to maneuver such a ski.  “

Ted Ligety express a lot of concern for younger skiers entering the circuit and a loss of potential athletes before they even make it to the circuit.  The last time skis have had such a long radius was in the 1980s.  After trying some of the prototype skis out, racers found them difficult to ski in terms of making a clean arc that modern GS skiing is known for.  The FIS will review the rule changes later this year in answer to racers’ concerns. 

Ski areas are opening their doors.  Wolf Creek, UT gets the honors as the first resort to turn its lifts and open up to the public this season.  Arapahoe Basin and Loveland are scheduled to open today and tomorrow respectively.  Before we know it, lifts are going to be turning here in the Tahoe area too.  We are stoked for this ski season, we are looking forward to another good snow year and some great programs here at NASTC.  We are here for your coaching needs, if you have any questions about goals, technique, equipment or conditioning we can help answer them – just drop us a line or give us ring – one of NASTC’s trainers are always in house.

Check out one of the best rated skis of the season, “The Experience”.  Both Chris Fellows and Nick Herrin love this ski!

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It never fails, the NASTC brochure is hitting our clients’ mailboxes this week and it starts snowing! Let us know if you didn’t get one and would like us to mail it to you. This year’s brochure is shorter, the goal of course is to focus resources on our website and make it the best it can be, bringing you up to date info and news as often as possible. We’ll see you soon – keep an eye out for more news…

It’s official!  Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley are now one resort!  This means 6000+ acres of skiing and the start of what will likely be the best and biggest resort in the United States.  Season passes will be valid at either resort.  Plans for further development are on the table but will not happen this year.  The primary focus this year is to merge both resorts operations. 

Will the merger also bring on a name change? Squalpine? Squaw Meadows? Alpine Valley?  NASTC has had a strong relationship with both Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley for 17 years.  We are excited about the merger.  Maybe the possibility now exists for Lake Tahoe to challenge Colorado as the heart of the ski industry. 

The best part…..this new super-resort is just down the road from NASTC and we are hosting an All Conditions/All Terrain Camp at both Squaw and Alpine.  Check the dates and details on the our website and sign up quick as spots are likely to disappear fast as the word on the merger spreads around.

NASTC is now a V1 Branded Sports Academy. What this means for you, is you will have streamlined access to personal video coaching sessions viewable online through the NASTC website.  Need a reminder of the feedback your NASTC coach gave you?  Very simply we can take your video footage from the NASTC course that you took and give you a voice over video coaching session with visual aids that you can view as many times as you want. 

NASTC will be offering TWO AIARE Certified Avalanche Level 1 courses this year.  Check the NASTC website for dates. 

New this year is an exciting line-up of 1-day backcountry adventures that progress in level of difficulty and will give you a solid introduction into backcountry skiing and an opportunity to become familiar with more backcountry tactics, best practices for trip planning and safety and explore the vast terrain of the Tahoe National Forest.  Our guides are AMGA certified, highly experienced and avid backcountry skiers eager to show you around. 

Check out the NASTC website for this season’s courses and dates!  Make sure you check NASTC blog on our website regularly for updates, industry news, cool videos, ski tips and articles by Chris Fellows and the NASTC coaching staff. 

We can hardly wait until the first snowflake falls and are looking forward to another great winter and skiing with you this season.