Calling members! We want YOUR pictures and experiences. Message or e-mail us your pictures from the 2018-19 season for a chance to be featured in the next print newsletter! If you want a quick quote or story of a fun experience or moment, please send us those too! please e-mail all content to editor@psia-w.org.
See last year’s collage here:
Thank you everyone who voted in our Board of Directors election. Your opinion matters, and the election results are in! Please welcome our new and returning members of the board!
Jaime Marso-Tanner
PSIA Level 2, June Mountain Ski School Director
I’d like to be one of those individuals that not only works to maintain the high standards and quality performance that has always been associated with PSIA-AASI but I’d also like to work to improve the organization from within. From my association with PSIA-AASI I have learned that no matter how skilled you are, there is always room for improvement; this philosophy also holds true for organizations.
Who I am
I am a wife and mother. I run the June Mountain Ski and Snowboard School. I’m very proud to have recently received my Level 3 Alpine Ski. I taught geology and oceanography for 9 years. I am a member of Mammoth Lakes CERT. I’m a certified EMT and volunteer my services.
Volunteering is part of who I am. I’m happiest when I can share my knowledge, skills, and passion for skiing with others. It’s a personal goal of mine to bring the joy of skiing to others while also instilling respect and love for the environment.
What I can do for PSIA-AASI:
I’ve worked on the linkage membership committee board for 2 years. I’m interested in educational collaboration on the national level and consistency between all divisions. I want to present some fresh ideas and ways to help PSIA-AASI grow and evolve into an even more impressive organization. Once I am involved, I commit myself fully.
And most importantly, I know how to listen.
Returning:
Greg Lyons
PSIA Level 3, Children’s Specialist 2, Cross Country Level 2, Telemark Level 2, Current PSIA-AASI Western Division Board of Directors – President
As a full-time instructor for 31 years at Heavenly, I strive to create a safe, enjoyable lesson that includes making sure the guest feels valued, confident, internally motivated, passionate for their snowsport and wanting to return for future lessons. As I work to improve at this, I have been honored to earn “the Most Requested Instructor at Heavenly” three times.
I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business from Oregon State University
It has been an honor to be President of PSIA-AASI-W for the last three years. I believe my years of experience, working with the board, its committees, the PSIA-AASI-W staff, and the membership make me uniquely qualified to continue to serve on your PSIA-AASI-W Board of Directors.
I’d like to continue our efforts to provide educational opportunities that our membership wants to participate in: on snow clinics, in-door clinics, online training, and other programs—all with the goal of allowing you, our members, to succeed as professional instructors.
I believe PSIA/AASI-W needs to develop long term strategies and policies that provide an exceptional experience to our members today as well as the framework for an exceptional experience for our members and organization in the future.
I will advocate for PSIA/AASI-W to provide exceptional training to its present and future leaders. Our Board of Directors, office staff, Member School Directors, Education Staff, and Resort Trainers need to be provided exceptional training.
Lea Logal
AASI Level 3, Freestyle Level 2, Children’s Specialist 2, PSIA Level 1, AASI Ed Staff, Bear Mountain Resort Training Manager, Current PSIA-AASI Board of Directors – Publicity Chair
Hello Western Division Membership. I have spent three years serving on the Western Division Board of Directors as the Publicity Chair. In that time I have worked for the membership to help provide the best experience in both educational and certification events possible. I would love to continue my service with the Board and continue to help grow the Western Division.
Having been a proud member of the Western Division since I started in this industry in 2004; I have worked hard to become an examiner and part of the AASI Western Division Snowboard leadership. It is important for me to see this division continue to innovate and inspire in the snowsports industry.
Currently, I am working for Big Bear Mountain Resort as the Ski and Ride School Training Manager. It has been incredible to move down to Southern California and be able to positively impact and influence a whole new base of dedicated and passionate snowsports professionals.
Growing the value of membership in the west through our premier events, promoting interaction and connection between our members, while listening and taking action on our member’s constructive feedback will keep the Western Division leading the way.
Blaine Lomen
PSIA Level 3, AASI Level 2, Children’s Specialist 1, Alpine Ed Staff Team Emeritus, Current Western Division Board of Directors – Ed Foundation Chair
I have been an instructor, trainer, supervisor, assistant director and most recently a director of a ski and snowboard school, giving me a broad range of knowledge and experience in our industry. Within our division, I have been an examiner and on the Board in many different positions bringing past experience and understanding of our culture and membership.
As a Board member for the last three years, I have been the representative to our Education Foundation Board also where I’m the Vice President. If you have followed the Foundation, you have witnessed the growth and great strides in communicating with the membership.
I am also on the Finance Committees of both Boards. Though pouring over the finances of the organizations is neither fun or “sexy” it is important to keep tabs on where we are month to month and how your money is being spent/allocated.
I understand the big picture as well as the finer details of our path and mission. I think the strengths of both the Education Foundation and PSIA-W Boards is the fact that we are very focused on how we can serve the membership better and more efficiently and I am dedicated to seeing that continue.
New at the 2019 PSIA-W Convention is an Education Foundation Legends Clinic to benefit our Foundation. The three-hour clinic has a $25 premium on it which is a direct donation to our PSIA/AASI-W Education Foundation. In addition, the Western Division will donate another $25 to make a total donation of $50 on your behalf.
The Legends Clinic will be hosted by experienced clinicians John Armstrong, Jack Copeland and Blaine Lomen. We will do a sun-related tour of Mammoth Mountain and discuss recent technique developments and how they relate to the Good Old Days! Big emphasis on cruising, grins and giggles. Available Friday and Saturday morning at Convention – see you there, and thank you for helping our Foundation. Last year, $6,000 was awarded to 20 members to help them with their educational and certification goals.”
Blaine Lomen
Jack Copeland
These two clinics are limited to 24 participants per morning.
If you have already signed up for Convention and want to join one or both of the clinics, contact the office at 530-587-7642 or info@psia-w.org to be added to the list.
This is your chance to own a ski and snowboard school!
Make $75-100,000 working 6 months a year teaching skiing & snowboarding near the beach in Encinitas, California.
Since 1977, for over 40 years since I was 23 years old, my SnowSports Simulator business has allowed me to purchase (and in 7 years will pay off) a nearly million dollar home three minutes from Moonlght Beach in Encinitas CA, raise and support a family, ski most of April and then travel the world for 2 to 3 months most summers, invest in real estate and stock markets and accumulate a sizable retirement account, and from October thru March help people from all over the world learn, improve, and get in shape for snow sports that I love.
I’m looking for someone that sees this opportunity to take my business over. You could double the income stated above if you have half the energy and enthusiasm I did in my early years I ran the school. You’re buying a 40+ year established business and a great lifestyle of working for 6 months and traveling or working elsewhere for six months of the year.
At 60 something years old, the time is near for me to pass the torch. I am not in a rush as I still love what I do, but I’d like to do it with/for someone else while I still can to help them learn the ropes.
I will work with and train the new owner to be able to be successful at continuing the legacy I established over 40 years ago and want to see continue for at least the next 40 years…
Price for turnkey established business is $400k. Serious inquiries only please. For the qualified right person I might be willing to accept a sizable down payment and carry the balance of the loan with terms TBD.
www.adventureski.com
Contact kent@adventureski.com if this is something you are interested in!
Kurt and his group
A year ago, Kurt McMahon from Australia wouldn’t imagine he’d be where he is now. After graduating from high school, Kurt embarked on a more conventional route and enrolled at a university. Kurt loved studying and university life, but he had a burning desire to explore and see the world. A year into a physiotherapy degree, Kurt decided that if he was going to go traveling, it needed to happen now. So, after completing his first year of study, he packed his bags and jumped on a plane destined for the USA.
Kurt chose to become a ski instructor at Northstar Ski Resort located at the beautiful Lake Tahoe in the USA. After visiting the nearby Squaw Valley as a young kid on a family ski holiday, Kurt always dreamed over returning to Lake Tahoe one day and becoming a snowboard instructor.
Kurt arrived at Northstar and began training almost immediately. Training under some of the best instructors in the world, there was no room for ego and Kurt took in all the advice he could from his trainers. Coming from a background of snowboarding only once a year and straight into three weeks of full-on training, Kurt’s riding improved immensely.
“The biggest thing for me was dropping any ego I had at the door and taking on any advice from these guys as they were the ones who have been doing it for more than 20 years!“
Kurt quickly settled into his new life at Northstar, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Being 18 and away from home for the first time, one of the biggest challenges Kurt faced was finding accommodation for the season. “Finding the right house that can suit your needs and is in the right location is maybe [one of the biggest challenges] that we’ve faced in our lives to date.”
Kurt quickly figured out that the best way to overcome this was to find a bunch of people he got along with and patiently wait for the right place to come along. And his advice for anyone else in a similar boat? “Find a bunch of people you get on with and take time trying to find your accommodation and make sure you have plenty of options in case one doesn’t work out.”
The best part of Kurt’s EA course was the people he met along the way. During the six months, he made friends from all over the world, including Germany, England, and New Zealand. His favorite place to hang out off the slopes was at a pizza joint called Rubicon’s where he learned the American tradition of adding ranch dressing to pizza. “My mates and I loved coming here after a big day at work, and it was a highlight at the end of the working week! Being an Aussie, I have never really grown up with ranch on my pizza, but I don’t think I will be able to let it go once I return home.”
When training had finished, Kurt began work immediately as an instructor and quickly fell in love with his new role. “There’s a reason it’s widely known as one of the best jobs on the planet. You’re sharing your passion for the sport with others, and at the end of the day, they go home stoked and so do you because you get to do it all again tomorrow! There’s nothing quite like it.”
After completing his EA instructor course, and working his first winter season, Kurt decided he wasn’t ready to return to Australia just yet. At the end of his season at Northstar, Kurt travelled down the East Coast of the USA with a friend he met on his EA course. He then headed back to the West Coast and is now living and working in Los Angeles, California.
While Kurt plans on joining the yachting industry next year, he’s excited to do another winter season instructing too. “It was honestly something that I will remember all my life. I would encourage anybody else to get out there and give it a crack. You’ll meet people from all over the world, and you get to do what you love every day.”
Kurt’s advice for anyone considering a ski or snowboard instructor internship or a gap year abroad? “Keep traveling, don’t waste away your late teens and 20s sitting at an office. Keep doing what makes you happy!”
This content was originally published in September 2018 at https://easkiandsnowboard.com/resources/latest-news/instructor-story-kurt-mcmahon/
What a month! Tahoe resorts received up to 300 inches (That’s about 25 feet) of snow in February alone, according to the Opensnow report . Not bad for the shortest month of the year.
Photo courtesy of Sierra at Tahoe, February 2019
Many resorts have broken records for biggest February in recorded history. The average February snowfall for Tahoe is 72 inches (6 feet). This year was close to triple that. Some resorts have even broken the record for the biggest snowfall month, beating out the unforgettable January 2017.
Sitting at close to 200% of our average snowfall for this time of year, we’re in for an epic spring. (if it ever stops snowing!) What a great time to earn your education credits, take an exam, or get an accreditation.
Here are some of the events to look out for in March 2019:
March 13th: Cross Country level 2 and 3 exams at Tahoe Donner XC center
The Level 1 is on March 17th ay Tahoe XC
March 16th – 17th: Alpine and snowboard level 1 exams at Snow Summit
March 17th: Cross Country level 1 exam at Tahoe XC
March 18th: Spring Session Education Rally in Mammoth (all disciplines)
This is a one-day education event at Mammoth. You can earn continuing education credits, work on your own skiing/riding, or prepare for an upcoming exam.
March 19th -20th : All level Alpine and Snowboard exams
This is a great opportunity to hone your skills at Spring Session the day before your test. Exams will be offered for Alpine and Snowboard level 1, ski/ride level 2 and 3, and level 2 and 3 teach.
March 20th -21st : Senior Specialists level 1 and 2 at Northstar
This accreditation is for members of all ages looking to learn the best techniques for teaching senior skiers and snowboarders. Successful Cantidates will receive a senior specialist pin.
March 30th-31st : All level Alpine and Snowboard exams
And remember, its never too early to start planning for Spring Convention coming April 26th -30th , at Mammoth Mountain. Look out for more information in our Spring 2019 Edge newsletter coming mid- March. You’ll find a schedule, guest clinician highlights, party information, and more!
Join us again this year for the weekend of March 23 & 24, 2019 at Sierra At Tahoe!
The event is a chance for veterans and active military to spend a weekend in the Lake Tahoe area. This is an opportunity for those who have served to reconnect with fellow vets from past and present conflicts. The event is designed to provide an opportunity to reconnect with first responders and rehabilitation personnel from your past in a healthy and supportive place far from the battlefield.
The mountains of the Lake Tahoe area are full of beauty that can help heal the body and spirit. There will be multiple venues for those who come to enjoy this wonderful place.
Take the Operation Rebound Nordic Challenge on the morning of March 23rd by climbing up to Grandview over the 5 mile course then down to the ski school bell at the base. Free lift ticket with online tax deductible donation of $50 to Operation Rebound. Learn more about them here.
You will be required to present your active military ID or if you are a veteran,You will need to present your California drivers license with veterans designation, DD 214, military ID or a Veterans Administration ID to validate your veteran status.
For details on these activities and instructions for signing up click here.
Full information on the Veteran’s Reunion can be found at http://veteransreunionlaketahoe.com
It’s time to rally!
The PSIA/AASI-W NorCal Winter Rally is upon us, hosted at Sugarbowl, California this January 13th-14th! Come connect with friends, earn some educational credits, and ride with our elite guest clinicians and athletes! Peek all the important information on the flyer below, and we hope to see you at Sugarbowl!
(Hover over the image to click to page 2)
2020 maybe a year away, but it will bring with it new faces, new vision, and a new National Team!
Information on the next National Team Selection was recently released, and preparation and training for National Team doesn’t start next winter, it starts NOW.
PSIA/AASI-W will post additional Western information related to the nomination process on January 15th. If you have any interest in learning more about the National Team selection process, please fill out the form below. You may also find more information about the tryout and the application packet at the link below.
Tryout Information and Application Packet
Ladies! (Ski and snowboard) This year Women’s summit is January 15-17, 2019 at Steamboat Springs, CO! Interested?
