Great Skiing Photos from President's Week at Northstar

So many things about President's Week were awesome. We received a ton of new snow and enjoyed both white-outs and blue-bird powder days.  People struggled with snowy roads, chain-control and highway shut downs but donned big smiles as soon as they hit the slopes.

I skied for multiple days with a few families I've known for years, and met a few new folks as well.   Special thanks to the Tuchs and the McClellands (friends from grad school), for letting me and their kids tear up the powder together. 

With all this snow, we should be skiing into late April. Come on up!

Teaching a powder clinic this Sunday!

A number of my friends keep saying "When's your day off? When can I get you to help me with a few tips to take me to the next level? I don't need a whole day lesson, and mainly want to ski hard, get a few tips and have you show me the mountain."

The problem has been that my days off don't fall on the weekends, and I'm probably teaching their kids on the day they'd like to ski themselves. If you're one of these people, the time to come up and ski with me is this Sunday.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to meet me at 9:30 am at the Snowell Demo Shop next to the Northstar skating rink. [begin Mission Impossible theme music now....]

Why? Because I'm teaching Northstar's Skills Clinic. It's designed for the intermediate and upper level skier (levels 6 and above).

For $219, you get an all day lift ticket, all day lesson and a high performance demo package from Snowell. The Demo Center carries the newest skis from K2, Nordica, Volkl, Atomic, Dynastar, Blizzard and Rossi; ski boots from Technica, Nordica, Lange and Atomic. Demo snowboards from Burton, Forum, Rome, DC and K2.

Each time I've taught this before, I've had only one or two students. It's basically a private lesson with all the perks that go with it, plus an opportunity to try the latest and greatest equipment. We could switch skis multiple times during the day at the mid mountain demo shop, but I think we'll be on the fattest powder boards they have, and we'll stick with them!

This message will not self destruct in 5 seconds... so feel free to "like it!"

Music Video of the (Ski) Week! Watch (if you're 5) to get psyched to shred

The snow has arrived! Here's a link to an unofficial Northstar Weather Discussion

Northstar Weather Discussion

It's coming down hard, and the majority of the snow is still to come. As you can see in this photo shot from the front door of our Indian Hills condo near Northstar Village, we've already got 14 inches on the ground and the snow plows are hard at work.

I drove back last night after the event at the Sports Basement, and coming over the pass was tough. Chain control was in full force, there was 4-5 inches of snow on the road, and we were creeping at 30mph for what seemed like forever.

If you're coming up, even later in the week, I'd suggest leaving a few hours early. The snow is expected to continue all week.

Be careful, and bookmark the link above or below for a good source of Northstar-specific weather info.

Northstar Weather Discussion

Recent Ski Lesson Photo Albums

Linking turns is sometimes easier than linking to photos!

Some recent students have been asking where to find the photos from their lessons, so this post is to provide some slide shows and links. 

The most recent album is from the first two weeks of February:



New Year's Week



January Third

Ski & Snowboarding Night 2/15/11 in San Francisco

Back on January 20th, I journeyed down from Tahoe to the Presidio Sports Basement and conducted an evening ski and snowboarding program for the Golden Gate Mothers Group.

The event was fun and the feedback was very positive.  In the audience were moms and dads who'd either heard about it from the GGMG or the Southern Marin Mother's Group.

So, the Sports Basement has invited me down to do it again, this time for anyone with questions about  skiing, snowboarding, North Lake Tahoe and the mountain life.  I'm also bringing couple of friends who are snowboard instructors from the Burton Academy. We'll be on hand from 5:00 to 8:00pm, in the snow sports department of the Sports Basement in the Presidio.

Wagons make things easy, especially if it's Uncle Jay's day off!

We're changing the format somewhat to allow the night to be of value to anyone who skis or snowboards, anyone who wants to, and parents looking for advice as they expose their kids to the slopes. 

For parents, the focus will be as described in the Sports Basement Event Calendar, with special emphasis on making ski trips low stress. 

Kids' Ski and Snowboard Class

Tuesday, February 15, 2011  /  5:00pm - 8:00pm
Presidio Store

Are you planning to take your kids skiing or snowboarding this season? This ski-prep class at Sports Basement is ideal for parents of children under the age of 12 who are new to skiing and snowboarding. You will learn how to dress your child for skiing, how NOT to dress your child, the best products and technology -- gloves vs. mittens, hand and toe warmers, helmets, goggles, and more. Most importantly, you'll learn how to make the ski hill a stress-free zone for you and your child. Stop by anytime between 5pm and 8pm to chat with a certified ski and snowboard instructor. You'll be ready to hit the slopes before you know it!



So, mark your calendars, and hope to see you there!