Maine Sunday Telegram - SKIING

2003 Season Columns - 

February 2003

 

 

 

“Maine ski areas show they mean green this weekend”

Feb. 23, 2003

Fortunately Maine ski area are not green at all this season, they are sufficiently buried in white. But are Maine ski areas “green” when it comes to reducing, reusing and recycling?

If the assumption is that ski areas are cutting swaths of trees and using up rivers of water without concern; that would be a grand misconception. Behind the scenes, there is a lot more than collecting bottles and cans going on at Maine ski resorts that make them environmental leaders.

“We consider ourselves to be good stewards of the environment, and we keep the environment in mind at all times,” said Tom McAllister, general manager at Saddleback ski area.

"Ski resorts across the country continue to succeed in implementing environmental practices and programs that will ensure a sustainable future," said Michael Berry, president of National Ski Area Association (NSAA).

This weekend, 173 resorts nationwide are celebrating the third annual Sustainable Slopes Outreach event, which represents more than 72 percent of the U.S. ski industry.

Several of Maine’s ski areas including Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Saddleback and Shawnee Peak are involved in the NSAA’s Sustainable Slopes program and have adopted the Environmental Charter.

The Environmental Charter is an outline of environmental practices for ski resorts including water conservation, wildlife habitat protection, energy conservation, waste reduction and improving air quality.

The Environmental Charter mission statement reads, “We respect the natural settings that we call home and want the same experience to be available for future generations. We are also keenly aware that our guests take the environment seriously and want us to be the most sustainable operations we can be.”

Ski areas operators recognize that sustainable eco-tourism is critical to their long-term success and survival. Thousands of people everyday can visit ski areas and appreciate the outdoor elements, so minimizing impact while providing recreational access is a top priority.

Melissa Rock of Shawnee Peak said, “Snowmaking is the biggest user of fuel on the mountain. We have installed a brand new state of the art 25,000-gallon oil system that uses sophisticated computer technology to feed exactly the right amount of fuel to the air compressors in the snowmaking system, ensuring minimal, if any, waste or excess fuel usage.”

McAllister of Saddleback said, “We restrict our snowmaking to 20 degrees or below to maximize efficiency, and we use a Fan system, eliminating the need for huge electrical or diesel compressors.”

Saddleback has reduced its waste stream by over 50 percent, with a strict recycling policy in the base lodge and in the condominiums, according to McAllister.

Shawnee Peak recycles cardboard, cans and bottles. On the innovative side, they reuse materials such as old billboards to create elements in the terrain park. Old snowboards and skis from the rental shop are used as signs instead of heading toward the landfill, according to Rock.

“When we log for new trails, every piece of lumber is taken to the proper type of mill. We are careful to make every piece of wood count,” said Rock.

Susan Duplessis of Sunday River said, “Our mountain operations crew has built water bars across all trails in order to diffuse run off from the spring snow pack melt in to the Sunday River.”

Sunday River resort also has an extensive recycling program for employees and guests, including paper, plastics, sludge, light bulbs and batteries. Duplessis said “Our program is so extensive that the town of Newry recognizes us as a transfer station.”

Cheryl Fullerton at Sugarloaf said, “We have a very successful recycling program which includes composting. Some of the restaurants have even tracked expense savings generated from this program.”

“In the spring we do a big clean up along the Sugarloaf resort roads, and gather back the sand that results from managing the roads during the winter. The objective is to keep as much of this sand from washing down into the local streams,” said Fullerton.

This year’s NSAA theme is ironically "Keep Winter Cool." Ski resorts in New England have seen little evidence of global warming this winter with extreme bitter temperatures.

However, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are predicted to cause variables in winter weather. The largest contributors of GHG emissions are transportation and coal burning operations, but ski areas do their part by replacing aging air compressors, applying green building principles, and using alternative fuels and wind power.

Geraldine Link, NSAA director of public policy said, “Although ski resorts' outreach programs are implemented all year long, the Sustainable Slopes Outreach event this weekend is intended to highlight their efforts to guests and remind guests how they too can help with environmental stewardship."

To do your part, turn off lights and turn down the heat when you leaving your ski condo or home. Recycle your après ski cans and bottles. When you hop in your gas-guzzling SUV, share the ride to and from the slopes with a ski buddy or two or three – it’s makes for a more fun ride besides.

Conditions: Herb Stevens, the skiing weatherman, is calling for more snow this week to further cover Maine’s ski slopes, which are in full operation. Stevens said, "El Ninos, such as the one we have right now, tend to drag winter on, so the prospects for snow, and a continuation of this wonderful season, are excellent. The snowpack will continue to grow, rather than shrink, as we head into March."

Events: In honor of Sustainable Slopes, bring an empty cartridge from a printer, copy machine, fax or plotter to the Sunday River ticket window any Sunday through Friday Feb. 23 - March 14 and receive $10 off a full price adult lift ticket or $5 off a full price junior or young adult lift ticket.

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“Ski Areas Roll Out White Carpet for Vacation Week"

February 16, 2003

 

While kids are pumped, parents may be panicky. Vacation week, that annual school hiatus when parents must entertain their kids, provide them with nine consecutive days of midwinter amusement, has arrived.

If you are not heading south to see the overgrown mouse at his amusement park or searching for a lounge chair on a cruise ship, have no fear. No need to stock up on video rentals or movie passes. This February, Maine is a veritable outdoor snow theme park for kids.

“The natural snow this year has really created a winter enthusiasm,” said Greg Sweetser, executive director of Ski Maine. “More kids are rediscovering the joys of winter and the many on-snow outdoor activities that exist. Ski areas are having very good seasons, the snow is really bringing people out to the slopes particularly at the smaller ski areas.”

February vacation week is an important revenue week for ski areas, so to compliment this season’s exceptional ski conditions; resort operators are rolling out special events to entice families to visit.

“The snow has been great this winter, so vacation week should be excellent,” said Megan Roberts, general manager of Titcomb in Farmington. “We have lots of special activities planned - face painting on Tuesday, ski polo on Wednesday, and a Radar Race plus a bonfire and torchlight parade on Friday. The radar race is fun for kids and parents to see how fast they ski; the Farmington police provide the radar. Saturday is an on mountain prize hunt.”

Shawnee Peak celebrates with their annual Family Fun Day on Thurs. Feb. 20 with a magic show, cartoon characters, a snow sculpture contest, a disc jockey, and a special noontime barbeque.

Mount Abram has designated this week as “family carnival week” with winter Olympic games on the hill for kids and parents. The ski area will be open all week with extended hours and special activities. Monday is Kids Day featuring a scavenger hunt, kid’s race, chairlift ring toss, and face painting. Tuesday is a scavenger hunt, Wednesday is an obstacle course, and Friday is an Egg Relay race plus a torchlight parade in the evening.

“All our trails are open, even Rocky’s and Zephyr. The new Westside lift is a big hit, as are the new snow skate and tubing parks,” said Mount Abram’s owner Josh Burns.

Sunday River has the obvious phenomenal skiing and riding with 99% of their vast terrain open. In recent years, the resort has added to its après ski diversions at White Cap Fun Center. While the kids sample the High Roller and Twister tubing runs, ice-skating, or night riding in the lit half pipe, moms and dads can enjoy a drink, dinner and music inside the lodge.

You can also rent an hour of grooming time. Sunday River’s accomplished groomers take passengers aboard the Snowcats (ages 13 and up) for a night ride while they lay down the corduroy. For a more traditional ride, Sunday River Stables has horse-drawn sleighs.

If your little skiers are not thoroughly exhausted from skiing Sunday River’s eight mountain peaks, special evening kids programs during the week include the Gizmo Guys juggling comedy act and Rick Charette.

“We have outstanding conditions right now, nothing but pure white snow at Sugarloaf,” said Bill Swain. Sugarloaf celebrates President’s week with open snowfields and special events after the lifts stop.

Weeklong family events at the Loaf include après ski bonfires with entertainment, free sleigh rides, Turbo Tubing, snowshoe safaris, and family games and movie nights. Sugarloaf will have fireworks and a torchlight parade on Feb. 18.

Families visiting The Loaf may want to check out the Anti-gravity center at C.V.A. You can try your own tricks at the training site of our future U.S. Ski Team stars. Day passes are available to the indoor climbing wall, the trampolines, plus the largest indoor skate bowl and street park in Maine.

Camden Snow Bowl has received several big coastal snowstorms this season; the toboggan run had its earliest opening. In addition to affordable skiing during the vacation week, families can enjoy tubing, the Toboggan Chute at the Snow Bowl and ice-skating on the pond, according to general manager Chip Taylor.

Terry Thompson of Saddleback said, “The bitter cold of January kept people away. We have great natural snow plus we have been able to make some snow. We are hoping for a busy vacation week.”

Connie King, general manager of Lost Valley said, “This is the week we depend upon for our success. Our conditions this season are excellent, we have been getting dumped on with snow, and we are looking forward to good weather for the kids’ vacation week.”

Lost Valley is offering a new Saturday teen night. “We are surprised at how popular teen night has been, tickets are $10 for skiing and riding from 5-9pm, we play teen music and we have prizes and giveaways,” said King.

Big Squaw has all their trails open including several new glade runs. Rich Donaher, ski shop manager said, “The snow has been coming this month and the table is set for February vacation. This is a really important week for us.” The Greenville ski area will host a torchlight parade on Saturday.

We are meteorologically fortunate to have snow to play in this year. This year looks bright and white, albeit a bit chilly. Dress the kids warmly, grab the camera and head to the snow-covered hills for some family thrills.

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“Mount Abram Starting Gate for Maine racers"

February 9, 2003

Ski fast at Mount Abram this winter and you could find yourself racing against Phil Mahre, Picabo Street and Bode Miller in Utah by March. That’s right. Running the gates at this family hill will register you for the National NASTAR Championships at Park City, Utah.

Mount Abram is the only ski area in Maine to host the popular nationwide NASTAR program. “There are a lot of very good recreational racers in Maine, and now they can have at it at Mt. Abram,” said Bill Madsen, Director of Operations of NASTAR.

NASTAR is an acronym for National Standard Race, and was created by SKI magazine in 1968. The race program was extremely popular in the 1970s and 80’s.

NASTAR is the world’s largest recreational ski program with more than 4.5 million participants. Today it is offered at over 100 ski areas. Out west the race program is well established, and here in New England, seven ski areas in Vermont offer the race program and New Hampshire has nine NASTAR venues.

“NASTAR has really changed in the past few years and become more user friendly for racers. On the website (www.nastar.com) you can pre-register and then view your race results,” said Madsen. “You can even create a family and friends team and have a virtual race experience with relatives who live far away skiing on different mountains, even different days.”

Josh Burns, owner of Mount Abram said, “We are having fun with the NASTAR program. We dress up the course, and play music and then we have an awards ceremony in the lodge at the end of the day. We generally have about 75 participants.”

Amy Bath, Mount Abram season pass holder from Kennebunkport said, “We have had a ball this season racing NASTAR at Mount Abram. Our kids have raced every weekend. They give out gold, silver, and bronze medals and prizes at the end of the day. Even the adults are having fun with it, all the Mount Abram regulars are doing the race.”

Burns said the NASTAR program has been well received by his customers. “We have a group of guys that call themselves ‘the Losers Club.’ They are having a grand time with the race each weekend, it is quite a ribbing session for them.”

The Mount Abram’s NASTAR racecourse is located on the Boris Badenov Trail. Races are held on Saturdays from 1-3pm. Two runs cost $5.

Picabo Street said, “The first time I ever went through gates was on a NASTAR course.”

World champion skier Daron Ralves and National Downhill champion Chad Fleischer also won their first Gold medals racing NASTAR. Now many of the U.S. Ski Team members serve as pacesetters and are on hand at the National event to rub shoulders and give pointers to recreational racers.

To qualify for the Park City Championships, you must be ranked in the top three finishes within your age and gender category at Mount Abram by February 23. Then you will receive your official invitation to Utah for the finals March 27 - 30.

Don’t assume the winner is a fast, future-pro youngster in a skintight suit. The 2002 National Champion was a 48-year old Coloradoan, Cameron Hancock, who had undergone knee surgery the year before.

Hancock won by five-hundredths of a second, beating out a young lady from Wisconsin thanks to a complex handicap system. “Just to qualify and race with Olympic legends is a thrill itself,” said Hancock.

Last year in Park City, there was not one Mainer in the top 75 finishes. Perhaps this March there will be a Maine name or two on the national scoreboard who blazed through the gates at Mount Abram. Maybe Maine’s Losers Club will be the winner.

Events: Sunday River is celebrating Valentine’s weekend with special lift and lodging packages Feb. 14-16 including champagne and roses starting at $99.95 per person per night, double occupancy at the Snow Cap Lodge and $129.95 at the Jordan and Grand Hotels.

Conditions: If you have not skied yet (what are you waiting for?), check out the current video clip at www.sugarloaf.com for a virtual ski experience. Fresh snow throughout the state in recent days has significantly added to base depths and trail counts are at or near 100% at Maine ski areas.

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“In wake of avalanche, a look at backcountry protocol"

February 2, 2003

 

Heli-skiing got a bad rap when seven people died in an avalanche on January 20. The avalanche occurred on the Durrand Glacier northeast of Revelstoke, British Columbia.

“The Revelstoke incident was completely misreported as a heli-ski accident,” said Marty Von Neudegg, director of corporate services for Canadian Mountain Holiday. “This was not a heli-ski trip, the skiers were delivered to a cabin location via helicopter for a week. From this base they used skins and Telemark skis to access the terrain where the slides occurred.”

“I would be surprised if there were mistakes made by the guide or tour company in this incident,” said Brad Karafil, owner and operator of the snowcat skiing tour company White Grizzly Adventures in British Columbia. “There are a lot of variables involved, and weather can be so unpredictable, but tour companies follow so many protocols to provide a safe backcountry ski experience.”

Accidents do happen and avalanches can be deadly in backcountry skiing. But tour companies and their guides adhere to stringent procedures and extensive precautions are taken to minimize the risks.

“Heli-skiing is a lot safer than the public perception,” said Von Neudegg. Canadian Mountain Holiday is the largest heli-skiing tour company in the world, providing guided weeklong helicopter trips for the past 37 years, hosting over 7,000 visitors a year.

According to Von Neudegg, there were 70 avalanche related deaths last year, including all outdoor activity, not solely skiing, and only five of those were with a commercial tour operator. “The greatest danger lies in going into the backcountry without a guide,” Von Neudegg said.

“Our CMH mountain guides are the key to the safe and quality experience we provide. We have 110 highly trained mountain guides. These are not young ski instructors that decided to do this for a season. It takes five years of training, intensive study and testing to become a certified guide. Their full time job involves weather forecasting, scientific snow casting, extensive terrain knowledge, first aid and medical training, and the list goes on,” Von Neudgegg said.

Having personally heli-skied, I can tell you that the guide’s experience and knowledge is paramount. The guide briefs his group for hours prior to even approaching the helicopter. Participants learn how to safely board and disembark the aircraft, how to operate an avalanche rescue transceiver, and perform drills for various emergency scenarios including avalanches.

Anyone who has been delivered by helicopter to a 12,000-foot summit in the most beautiful and remote mountain ranges of British Columbia knows the feeling of exhilaration is unmatched.

And anyone fortunate enough to have skied the bottomless, untracked powder on such pristine wide-open terrain is heavenly.

I certainly feel far safer on a snow-covered mountain in the remote Bugaboos reached only by helicopter than I do driving the Maine Turnpike at 5 p.m.

Von Neudegg said that recreational backcountry skiing in not 100% risk free, there is risk associated in traveling in the mountains, just as in traveling by aircraft and motor vehicle. “Statistically, we have guided 6.5 million runs in our 27 years of operation. In that time we have had nine avalanches. That is nine too many. However, if I put 6.5 million cars on the highway, chances are many more than 9 will have accidents.”

“Our guides meet each morning to decide the safest of our 200 available runs. The decision of where to ski is determined by the entire team of experienced guides, plus the consulting of aerial photo images and a very sophisticated computer system. We also exchange daily information with other tour operators and the Canadian Avalanche Association as to any potential slide hazards that may exist,” Von Neudegg said of daily safety precautions.

“Safety is our greatest concern at White Grizzly Adventures. In 27 years of cat skiing in Canada there has been one death, that is out of all fourteen cat skiing tour operations.” Karafil said.

“We have practice sessions in search techniques and equip all our clients with an avalanche rescue transceiver. Continuous radio communication is maintained between the guides, the snowcats, and the lodge. Managing mountain terrain is very complicated, and involves a variety of partners. In addition to our own in-house expertise, our forecasting is done with British Columbia Heli and Snowcat Skiing Operators Association and the Canadian Avalanche Center,” said Karafil.

My sympathies go out to the families of the four Canadians and three Americans that died in the recent slides. Investigations to date have not deemed any negligence on the part of the tour company.

Canadian Mountain Holiday, the world’s largest heli-ski operator, can be reached at www.cmhski.com or by calling 1-800-661-0252

White Grizzly Adventures provides weeklong cat skiing tours in British Columbia, check out www.whitegrizzly.com or call 1-250-366-4306

Events: Sugarloaf hosts kids ski free week with family lodging packages Feb. 3-7.

Conditions: Maine ski areas have snow depths ranging from one foot to over six feet at Sunday River. Terrain open varies from 60% open at Squaw, to 90% at Sugarloaf, and 100% at Shawnee Peak.

Greg Sweetser of Ski Maine said, “Days are getting longer and lighter. Temperatures are moderating and we are entering our snowiest months, making this a great time to ski.”