HVSC Hudson Valley Ski Club Poughkeepsie, New York * 2014 * Our 76th Year *

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1 HVSC Hudson Valley Ski Club Poughkeepsie, New York * 2014 * Our 76th Year * Volume LXXVI Number 1 Janauary 2014 Ice Skating Party January 10 Open skating from 7:15 to 9:00 pm at Civic Center/McCann Ice Rink, Poughkeepsie $10 includes skate rentals. Race Training will be at River Station that night. After skating, folks can go back to River Station for hot chocolate to warm up. MAKE YOUR OPINION COUNT The club is conducting a survey of members ski trip preferences for the season and for both eastern and western trips. If you haven t already responded please go to and spend 5 minutes to let us know your preferences. It will greatly help the Trip Committee to plan the trips you want. The survey will end December 31. RSVP Gwen Cardarelli at or Ellen at John Macek Lift Ticket Lotto January Programs January 15: Club forum on Ski Trips. Jim Gahn Program Chairman The club holds Lift Ticket Lotto contests at each club meeting during the ski season as a means of generating some revenue for the club. Several local ski areas have given the club lift tickets in exchange for ads in the newsletter. We will be giving away lift tickets to different ski areas at each meeting from October through March. All you need to do to get in on the hot action of this cool deal is to be sure to buy Lift Ticket Lotto tickets at the next meeting don t get left out in the cold. When you win and later use a lift ticket from Lift Ticket Lotto, please take a moment the thank the ski area for their support of the HVSC. Ticket prices for the Lotto will be: 1 for $1, 6 for $5, and 15 for $10. The lift tickets to be given away at the January 15th meeting are: Butternut, Mount Snow, Thunder Ridge, and Windham. Thank You... Thanks to Helen Dickerson for setting up the Holiday Party at Mohonk Mountain House Thanks to Claudette Hennessy for hosting her annual Holiday Sing-Along. Every year she graciously opens her home to us for the holiday event and we truly appreciate her hospitality.

2 Page 2 HVSC Information Club Information Club Officers President: vacant Vice-President: Frank Van Zanten Secretary: Helen Dickerson Treasurer: Jim Gahn Sergeant at Arms: Larry Slezak Board of Directors Herb Eschbach Craig Goldstein Carole Daniels Pamela Smith. John Macek Committee Chairs Budget and Finance: Carole Daniels Constitution: John Macek Events: Gwen Cardarelli & Ellen Kelly Instruction: Mark Searle Marketing and Publicity: Craig Goldstein -Media Liaison Christine Desmoni Meeting Programs Jim Gahn Membership Services: Pete Gray -Sub-Chair: Welcoming, Mentoring, Retention: Shirley Rinaldi Welcome to the following new members: Lisa Aronson Stephen Aronson Paula Martinelli Holger Sternberg Mary Sternberg FREE SKIS & BINDINGS Skis: Rossignol Attraxion III, length: 162. Bindings: Rossignol Axitec Doncept 110. Contact: Sue Gamache sue.gamache0@gmail.com Long-lime HVSC member and sergeant-at-arms Larry Slezak is now at the Lutheran Care Center on Dutchess Turnpike in Poughkeepsie (he had been in Vassar Hospital until Wednesday, the 18th). Our thoughts and prayers are with him. Newsletter Editors: Mike & Angie Harelick 183 Millers Lane Kingston, NY Deadline: 15th of the month editor@hudsonvalleyskiclub. A $30 membership fee A FREE anytime/non-holiday lift ticket* $25 off midweek tickets $15 off weekend/holiday tickets Direct to lift access Must have valid ski club I.D. *Free ticket included if purchased by Dec. 1, 2013 Card available for purchase through Feb 1, kathyaman1008@gmail.com

3 HVSC Page 3 ADULT SKI & SNOWBOARD RACE LEAGUE CATAMOUNT, Hillsdale, NY (518) Calling All Instructors With the ski season now upon us, it s critical to think about the Ski/Ride Improvement Days. A benefit of membership in the HVSC is that throughout the ski season knowledgeable and experienced member-instructors offer lessons to skiers and riders of all levels. However, before that can begin the group of instructors needs to meet and establish their availability for the season. Therefore, if you ve served as a ski/snowboard instructor for the club in the past or are interested in becoming an instructor this season, please contact Mark Searle at HVSCSkiTeach@yahoo.com or (845) The objective here is to assemble a group of instructors who will be the leaders of the upcoming ski/ride improvement days. Ski/Ride Improvement Days The following dates have been identified as ski/ride improvement days for the month of December 2013 and part of January One of the benefits of membership in the HVSC is that members can take advantage of free lessons from certified instructors. These lessons are designed to meet the needs of beginner through upper intermediate skiers/riders. If you wish to take advantage of one of these events, please contact Mark Searle (phone: ) so that adequate instructors can be made available to meet your needs. Discount (Flex) Tickets for all dates are available at Potter Brothers ski shops and the programs begin at 9 AM unless otherwise noted. Sunday, December 22 Windham Mountain Sunday, January 5 Jiminy Peak Friday, January 10 Windham Mountain Sunday, January 12 Plattekill Friday, January 17 Belleayre Sunday, February 2 Jiminy Peak Friday, February 7 Windham Sunday, February 23 Plattekill Friday, February 28 Windham Sunday, March 9 Jiminy Peak I m pleased to announce that the ADULT SKI & SNOWBOARD RACE LEAGUE is back for another season and everyone is invited to participate. The same format as last year is being offered and it is expected to be a huge success. We will be participating in Team Ski / Board Racing on Wednesday Nights for six consecutive weeks beginning January 8, We need at least FIVE racers to participate as a TEAM. The cost will be $ per person. This will include your lift ticket, race fee, awards and banquet at the end of the season (a portion of the cost will be paid by the club). Registration will be at 6:30 pm and racing should begin about 7:00 pm. This is a GS course and includes two timed runs. Last year over 50 skiers participated on some nights. The deadline to register is 12/31/13. It seems that we have the same members participating each year. I would like to see some new faces; especially some of the newer members. If anyone would like to provide some training or instruction or share/offer some of their racing expertise please join us. We usually car pool from the Red Oaks Mill area on race nights. The Season Finale will be the annual President s Race in late March 2014 (date pending) presented by the New Jersey Ski Council (NJSC) at Hunter Mountain. Anyone who has ever participated in this event can attest to its success. This race is open to all HVSC members (children are also allowed to participate). Further details about this event will appear in upcoming newsletters and announced at future meetings. These are all ON-SNOW events (unlike Friday Night Race Training) and open to all levels of skiers and boarders, men and women, from beginners to experts. All HVSC members are invited and encouraged to participate. It is a great opportunity to meet and ski with some of your fellow club members while improving your skiing skills and technique. This weekly event is meant to be FUN, so come on out and enjoy the thrills and spills that racing has to offer. Any other racing events that come up during year will be announced at the meetings, appear in the newsletter or will be posted on the website. To register, contact Tom Pompei at (845) ; (914) (cell) or e- mail: TVP606@optonline.net. Hope to see everyone there!!! Ski area ad

4 Page 4 "Best Mountains You've Never Skied" Ski Magazine, Nov $1,645 March 8-15, 2014 The criteria for this distinction: "large enough to offer true variety and a diverse ski experience, intimate enough to retain a hometown ambience and cultivate a true sense of community. Simply put, these mountains kick butt and take names." "Schweitzer, Idaho. Where lake views, tree skiing and a generous serving of backcountry snow cat action await." 7 Nights Lodging, 5 of 6 day lift ticket**, Roundtrip Air, Ground Transportation to and from the airports, Welcome Reception, Daily Breakfast, One Ticket for a free "Quick Tip Ski Clinic" on the mountain. Schweitzer Mountain Resort is located in the Selkirk mountains in northern Idaho, 11 miles (18 km) northwest of Sandpoint. The ski area is approximately 45 miles (72 km) south of the Canadian border. You might wonder how you ve managed to miss a ski resort with almost 3,000 acres of marked trails, another 3,000 acres of guided back-country skiing, tiny or nonexistent lift lines, no altitude issues, beautiful views, and a friendly, local, non-corporate feel. Welcome to Schweitzer Mountain Resort! If you like skiing the trees, Schweitzer has more than 1,200 acres of one of the most diverse, glade skiing experiences in North America. For powder lovers, the snow under Sunnyside lift stays untracked for days after a big storm, and you can get your bowl fix off South Ridge. Scary-steep groomed runs let you master gravity and test your nerve, with plenty of blue trails for the rest of us mortals. If that still isn t enough for you, spend an optional day skiing 3,000 acres of guided back country with the Selkirk Powder Company, adjacent to Schweitzer Mountain Resort. You can breathe easy; the summit is only 6,400 feet with a vertical drop of 2,440ft, so leave your oxygen tank at home. HVSC Ski Trips January 3-5 $270 Trip Leader: Tom Pompeii 2 nights lodging at the slope side Inn at Bolton Valley 2 ½ day all access lift ticket 2 catered breakfast buffets in Bailey s Restaurant 1 après ski party, inclusive of cheese platter and an available cash bar 1 catered dinner buffet in Bailey s Restaurant Enjoy slope side lodging and catered meals without leaving the mountain! The lift ticket includes a half day on Friday beginning at 4 p.m. Check in time is after 4 pm Friday. Checkout is before 10 am Sunday. The Inn at Bolton Valley Located slope side and in the heart of the base area village, our true skiin-ski-out hotel offers 60 traditional hotel rooms. Within the slope side village you will find dining options including the James Moore Tavern, Fireside Flatbread and The Bolton Valley Deli and Grocery, offering homemade soups and sandwiches plus Vermont products and souvenirs. The village is also home to Honey Bear Childcare and Bolton Valley Sports, a full rental, retail, and repair shop. The adjoining base lodge offers a cafeteria, ski school and ticket sales. Nordic skiing and snowshoeing are located a short walk away at the Bolton Valley Sports Center. Deposit $100 ~ Final payment $170 due by Oct 31 ~ Cancellation penalty $25 The average annual snowfall is over 300 inches (762 cm). There are 92 named runs and open bowls on Schweitzer's sizable skiable area. The longest continuous groomed run is Little Blue Ridge Run, at 1.7 miles (2.7 km). Schweitzer's uphill lift capacity is 12,502 people per hour using seven chairlifts (a high-speed six-pack, two high-speed quads, 1 triple, and 3 doubles) and 3 surface tows, serving a skiing terrain rated at 20% beginner, 40% intermediate, 35% advanced, and 5% expert. We will be staying at the Selkirk Lodge at the base of the mountain and about 100 yards from the main lifts. The hotel has an outdoor heated pool and three whirlpools. There are two bathrobes provided with each room. Also on site is a spa, restaurant and coffee shop. *The price could change due to airline fuel surcharges. **Your ski lift ticket can be exchanged for a ski lesson on another day, a credit in the Solstice Spa, a snowshoe experience and other options. Contact: Bill Egan, Hudson Valley Ski Club, snowdrifters@gmail.com,

5 HVSC Ski Trips Page 5 Cancellation/Refund Policy For HVSC Ski Trips 1. Minimum cancellation penalty is $100 for week long trips and $25 for shorter trips. January 18-25, 2014 $1,540* Trip Leader: John Macek 7-nights Condo lodging in Snowmass Village, Colorado 5 of 6 day lift ticket with access to 4 incredible mountains Round trip air Ground transportation to and from the airports Welcome Reception Famous for its history, diverse terrain, amazing restaurants and legendary nightlife, Aspen/Snowmass is one of the most wellknown resort destinations in the world. Four mountains - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk offer a combined 5,285 acres of skiing which include eight terrain parks, four half pipes and 336 marked trails via 46 lifts. 2. Cancellation requests must be in writing and will take effect the date they are received by the trip leader. 3. Penalties vary from trip to trip. Anyone who cancels from a trip will be assessed penalties as per our contract with the vendor. Whatever the club loses, the person who cancels will lose plus the $100 cancellation penalty, however, the penalty will not exceed the total cost of the trip. 4. Refunds will not be issued until after the final accounting of the trip. For details about Top of the Village condominium at Snowmass Village read the September or October newsletter. The ground transfers from Denver will include a grocery stop. Spaces are limited. Sign up policy will be strictly followed. Trip insurance is recommended &available through the tour operator. *The price could change due to airline fuel surcharges. Payment schedule: $300 with the trip registration, $200 each month by the first club meeting July through November, with final payment by the first club meeting of December. Minimum cancellation penalty $100. Ski area ad For information/sign-up, contact: John Macek ski@jfmacek.com Phone USPS mail: 36 Hillview Dr., Poughkeepsie, NY Attention Bolton Valley Ski Trip Participants: You are welcome to extend your weekend by staying at The Telemark Ski Club House on Route 7 in Pittsford VT (in the Killington area); available Wednesday/Thursday January 1 & 2 and/or Sunday/Monday, January 5 & 6 (nights; don't arrive before 6:00 PM ) ($36 per person per night includes breakfast and linens) Visit: For reservations or more info contact Ellen Kelly Ski Club Appreciation Days Gore Mountain $42 * December 7, 8 & 23 January 17 February 10 March 7, 22 & 23 *Each person must show their photo id and current ski council or club card. Council day tickets may only be purchased at the Snow Sports Desk in the Northwest Lodge.

6 Page 6 Ski Club Week February $350* HVSC Ski Trips Killington 3-Day Weekend Feb 28 - Mar 2 $342 Trip Leader: Mark Searle - Sign up September 18 4 day lift ticket/3 nights lodging at the Grand Summit Ski in/ski out Full Breakfast Buffet Daily Ski club week activities which include: Ballroom Welcome Reception, Snow Barn Pizza Party, Ski Race, Tubing and other activities. A repeat of a favorite! Spoil yourself with four days of great skiing combined with three nights at the luxury Grand Summit. After a phenomenal day on the slopes ski down to the hotel and hand off your equipment to the ski valet! What better way to top off the day than to enjoy the starry night from the outdoor heated pool or the two outdoor hot tubs! A group dinner on Wednesday Night at Harriman's will be available through the trip leader for $28. It doesn t get much better than this! *You may make one payment of $350, two payments of $175 each, or 3 payments of $125, $125 and $100. Trip Leader - Mark Searle (845) , HVSCSkiTeach@yahoo.com Trip Leader: Susan Kokosa shski2beach@yahoo.com - Sign up September 18 3 Nights Lodging 3 Day Lift Ticket Full Hot Breakfast We will be staying at the Inn of the Six Mountains which offers complimentary shuttle service to and from the Killington ski area. *You may make one payment of $342, two payments of $171 each, or 3 payments of $121, $121 and $100. ~ Cancellation penalty $25 Mail: 18 Hartstone Drive Poughkeepsie, NY Ask the Editor - Due date for final payment January 8, Cancellation fee - Minimum $25? Why are events for the previous month listed in the current issue? The newsletter goes public on the same date it is published and goes to the printer for hardcopy duplication (typically around the 18th of the month). Any events after that date are still listed in the Coming Events section of the newsletter; although the full article might be reduced or elided.? Why should I opt out of receiving this newsletter by USPS mail? Assuming you have access to the Internet, you can view and/or print the newsletter from your computer or other web device. And you can view it a. in color, b. at any scale you like (especially nice for those with vision limitations and c. you can print selected pages (we like to print and post just the outside page with race training and events summaries on our refrigerator) and most importantly there are cost savings for printing and postage which you and the club share. And for those of you who are environmentally conscientious, you are saving some small part of a tree.? What are those funny little squares of dots which appear in the newsletter and other documents? Those images are called QR Codes (QR is for quick response ) and when scanned by a Smartphone, tablet or any other camera equipped device which can access the internet, will link to the associated web page on that device. It s a very convenient way to visit a web page or initiate an without typing in the address. For example, scanning the QR Code to the right will connect you to the HVSC website home page. Please contact me at editor@hudsonvalleyskiclub if you have questions about the HVSC newsletter or website. Mike

7 HVSC Page 7 Ski Stronger by the Minute Picture a tennis player waiting for a return shot from their partner or opponent. Poised, alert, knees bent, slight rocking back and forth, ready to explode into motion. They first learned the basics, then practiced the fundamentals, and developed a conditioning routine. They are on their game, so to speak. Last month Mark Searle and I presented our initial articles for improving your on-snow performance and enjoyment. In my article I focused on one of the most important components of skiing and snowboarding: Balance. More precisely, exercises designed specifically to tone your feet and lower leg muscles, where much of our control comes from. Now let s move up the body to the Core area: the hips, waist, and glutes. We frequently hear that we should maintain a separation of our upper and lower body when we are turning our skis. This doesn t mean we become magicians and get sawed in half! Rather, our upper body faces down slope as the feet and legs rotate or pivot to initiate the turn, resulting in better speed control. To get a sense of how this movement feels, here is a simple exercise. Lie on your back, lift your feet up about inches, and bend your knees just slightly, now pivot your feet back and forth, then rotate your legs from the hip without moving the entire pelvis. Note that your quad muscles are actively engaged in performing this movement. It may become obvious we need some muscle toning to maintain pelvic stability, but also flexibility in the hip area to allow upper and lower body separation. There are any number of exercises or stretches, but here s just a couple that are appropriate for toning the hip and gluteus muscles. Kneel on your right knee with that leg slightly behind you, and the left upper leg up and forward with the lower leg vertical (upper and lower leg at 90 degreescalled a knee lunge). Slowly tighten the butt (glute) muscles of the right leg while slowly moving the hip and left leg forward until you feel a stretch in the upper quad muscle. Hold this for seconds and repeat several times, then switch leg positions and repeat. To assist in developing lateral rotation and flexibility at the hips, I have found this exercise to be useful. Take some kind of a weight (hand weights, ski boot, etc) and hold it out at arms length. Place your feet apart and slightly wider than your shoulders, bend your knees slightly and tip your pelvis up towards your abdomen. Without rotating your hips, rotate your entire upper body and arms slowly (to avoid potential over stretching). Now rotate in the opposite direction slowly as far as you can, repeat several times. Certainly explore other Core exercise options to fit your conditioning goals for skiing and snowboarding. Hope to ski with you soon. very soon! Our 66th Year in Business Poughkeepsie: Kingston: Fishkill: Toll free: also in Middletown & Jiminy Peak From the Trip Committee Ski Trip Survey and Meeting Thank you for participating in the Ski Trip Survey. It is always helpful to get a fresh perspective. The results of the survey are pretty much in line with our trip evaluation surveys, however, there were some surprise results. Please support Mickey Cahill during the January 15 meeting when he will review the survey and conduct a short discussion session. There will be a follow up form provided for any additional comments at the end of the meeting. Nancy Egan Herb Eschbach Instruction Committee

8 Friday Race Training Every Friday evening Club members meet at an area eatery for a couple of hours of friendly conversation. If you have questions, comments or suggestions, contact Susan Kokosa race_training@hudsonvalleyskiclub.org race training coordinator. Coming Events -- January 2014 December 18 Meeting at Coppola's on 9 at 7:30 Program: Alex Bartholomew 25 Merry Christmas... December January Beekman Arms 6387 Mill St Rhinebeck JOINT WITH TRAILSWEEPERS 27 Shadow's on the Hudson 176 Rinaldi Blvd Poughkeepsie 3 Cosimo's Delafield St Poughkeepsie 10 River Station Restaurant 1 North Water St Poughkeepsie (come after ice skating or if you don't skate) 17 Elaine's Tap and Table Route 44 (Dutchess Tpke) Poughkeepsie 24 Nic L Inn Wine Cellar on the Hudson 135 N Water St Poughkeepsie 31 Liberty Public House Montgomery St Rhinebeck (joint with Trailsweepers) January 1...and a Happy New Year February Bolton Valley, Vermont Ski Trip 10 Ice Skating Party at the Civic Center Meeting at Coppola's on 9 at 7:30 Program: Discussion of Ski Trip Survey Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado Ski Trip Meeting at Coppola's on 9 at 7:30 Program: To be determined You can visit the HVSC website just scan with your Smartphone. Or: goo.gl/op3yt Hudson Valley Ski Club If undeliverable, please return to: 183 Millers Lane Kingston, NY Mailing address: P.O. Box 2704 Poughkeepsie, New York info@hudsonvalleyskiclub.org January 2014 Next Meetings: January 15 at 7:30 PM at Coppola's on 9, South Road, Poughkeepsie (No meeting January 1)