This page contains news, special offerings, and other items of interest from the MNYSC, member clubs, and other sources.
IKON Passes The Council will be selling the IKON Pass. We will have special rates that are better than you can get online. This is for new purchases only, but if anyone is renewing their pass, please reach out to us. The Council gets credit for the renewal. If we sell enough, we get free passes that we will raffle off. Contact Michael Calderone skimikes@aol.com to get disounted IKON passes.
Council Trip for 2024 The Metro NY Ski Council’s annual ski trip will be to Val Gardena, Italy on March 8-16, 2024. Details of the trip are not yet available, but the Council is trying to keep the price below $3,000. Check the Council website: http://www.metnyski.org for updates on about this trip. Details will also be posted on our website (www.50plusski.org) when they are available.
Harry Voege Memorial Scholarship Applications must be postmarked by April 15th. The information is on our website, www.METNYSKI.org.
Vermont Adaptive Charity Challenge Registration is open for the 13th Annual Vermont Adaptive Charity Challenge presented by Killington Resort - Saturday, June 17, 2023. vermontadaptive.org | 802.786.4991
TOKO Waxes and Tools Federation Members: Toko waxes and tools is a Black Diamond sponsor of the National Ski Council Federation. Instead of trying to do several Zoom calls, they felt it would be better to provide a monthly blasts for each Council to share with their clubs and the clubs to share with their members over four months. Each blast will contain 2-3, short videos on Toko products (vises, irons) or "How-To" use their products (edge tuners, waxing, brushing, etc). Toko is a Swiss brand and are known for their quality. They are supporting some of our events and in addition have extended a 30% discount to all NCSF members. To access this discount, one needs to go to TokoUS.com, put desired items in the shopping cart, and then enter and apply the discount code NSCFTOKO on checkout (it’s on the right under promotional codes). The discount is on all products except for clearance items which are already very marked down.
This is our last month, and we will cover Brushing - what, when, why and an overview of the 4 Toko Oval Brushes and Waxing with Base Performance Liquid Paraffin. Thank you Toko and Ian for all the great information and videos on how to do it yourself! Federation members - don't forget to go to the benefits page and utilize the great offers that are available to us!
Lisa Beregi, Education Chair - National Ski Council Federation -pastpresident@skifederation.org
National Ski Council Federation Newsbeat - March 2023
Vail Resorts to Launch Hands-Free Mobile Pass & Mobile Lift Ticket on New ‘My Epic’ App for the 2023/24 Winter Season. The new technology will allow guests to buy their pass or lift ticket online, activate and store it on their phone in the new My Epic app, put their phone in their pocket, and get scanned, hands-free, via Bluetooth® technology designed for low energy usage. (Snowbrains)..... Vail Resorts Plans $211M in Capital Investments for 2023. Vail Resorts is planning $206 million to $211 million in capital investments for 2023. Projects include lift installations, a new technology rollout, integration activities, and the first phase in a multi-year project at Andermatt-Sedrun. More. (SAM)
New National Guidelines to Regulate Drugs and Alcohol. A few months ago, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) updated its 60-year-old ski code with two new rules: “Do not use lifts or terrain when impaired by alcohol or drugs,” and “If you are involved in a collision or incident, share your contact information with each other and a ski area employee.” (Gear Junkie via Google Alerts)
Indy Pass Gets New Owner, Maintains Independence. In a move intended to bolster the future of the five-year-old Indy Pass, the Pass is being acquired by Entabeni Systems,"the long-time trusted partner who runs the technology platform that Indy Pass has always been built on," according to Indy Pass founder Doug Fish. Fish will continue to lead Indy Pass as it continues to grow its independent resort roster. (SAM)
United States Ski and Snowboard Partner with Kappa and POW to Create Climate Changing Race Suit. United States Ski and Snowboard have collaborated with Kappa and Protect Our Winters(POW) to produce a climate changing-themed race suit to combat the threats caused by global warming. The suit is being used at the 2023 Alpine Ski World Championships, which began on February 6 and concluded on February 19 in Courchevel Méribel, France. (Inside the Games)
Race for FREE at Ikon Pass Resorts This Winter. Alterra is opening up the NASTAR courses at select resorts so you can take as many runs as you like (for free!). Race now at Deer Valley Resort, Palisades Tahoe, Solitude Mountain Resort, and Sugarbush Resort.Mikaela Shiffrin partners with Alterra Mountain Company and NASTAR to bring ski racing to more people this winter. (Outside)
Black Skiers Come Together in Vail for 50 Years of 'Soul on Snow.' Representation matters. And when it comes to people of color participating in and sharing predominately white spaces, there are few examples better than the 2023 National Brotherhood of Skiers' summit in which thousands of Black ski and snowboard enthusiasts, including professionals,ventured to the mountains of Vail to celebrate their love for winter sports. (Rocky Mountain PBS).....Ski Clubs Aren’t as Hip as They Used to Be, But They are Key to Diversifying Colorado’s Slopes. Ski clubs that anchor the National Brotherhood of Skiers are a popular way to attract more diverse skiers and snowboarders to mountains. (The Colorado Sun via Google Alerts)
MOU Between the U.S. Forest Service and the National Brotherhood of Skiers Cements Partnership to Improve Equitable Access to Winter Recreation. Associate Chief Angela Coleman and National Brotherhood of Skiers President Henri Rivers signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to cement a partnership and cooperation in developing new outreach strategies to address issues that affect equitable access to public lands. ( Ed. Note: A guest column in USFS employee newsletter by Associate Chief Angela Coleman submitted by NSCF Treasurer Linda Walker.)
Killington Receives Key Approval for New Ski Village. Killington Mountain Resort will move ahead with plans to build a new ski village with 1,500 residences, including workforce housing, after Killington town voters approved phase one of the infrastructure and development project on Vermont’s Town Meeting Day, March 7. (SAM)
California Operators Cry “Uncle!” on Historic Snowfall. "We love snow, and we tend to get a lot of it here, but I think we’ve reached the point where we are crying“uncle!” said Ski California president Michael Reitzell. More.(SAM)
Ontario’s Mount St. Louis Moonstone Ski Resort Announces Canada’s 1st High-Speed 8-Pack Chairlift Coming in 2023/24. The installation will have the highest design capacity in North America and can move 4,250 people per hour. The Adventure D-Line direct drive 8-seater chairlift features heated seats, manual lock child-friendly safety bars with footrests, and a rise-able loading carpet for young skiers and riders. (SnowBrains)
How to Save Phone Battery Life in the Backcountry. Smartphones are an excellent alternative to conventional GPS devices because they are lightweight and compact, and their large screens are ideal for viewing detailed topographic maps while using an app like Gaia GPS. But, if you use a phone to navigate in the wild, you need to consider ways to conserve battery power so you don’t end up with a dead phone halfway through your hike. (Outside)