Ski school ?

[HowieT2]

I'm thoroughly confused now. Thanks for the input GS and RFM. As stated in my earlier post, I had initially attributed the issues my daughter had last year to her particular group, until I read the complaints on this thread. I guess we'll see how it goes this season.

Now back to our regularly scheduled broadcast.

[gratefulskier]

If you children are having problems with their groups and are unhappy, please let us know. I have played a major role in the initial group assignments and then facilitating in-season swaps the past few years. I hate to hear halfway through the season that someone is unhappy with their group or instructor, because it can be tougher on the child and another group to make a late switch.

We don't get everything perfect on the first day or even the first weekend. We need to spend time watching the kids ski and watching how they interact with each other. Plus, many students don't show up until Christmas week. So, there will always be in-season adjustments.

But please let us know when there is a problem. I'm one of the people you are likely to talk to if you have a problem, and I try very hard to fix those problems. I've even been helping some parents this off-season by suggesting coaches for them to request when they sign up.

My own children have been Blazers for years and my son is now an instructor. My daughter skis in my group. So, I know the importance of creating a situation that makes the children want to go to the mountain. My daughter is in my group now because she loves the other kids in the group. It's the social aspect of the skiing that makes her want to go to the mountain. For other kids, it's all about the turns and the gnarly terrain. And for some others, it's all about cruising and having fun on groomed terrain.

We do everything we can to keep all of them happy, but we can't fix things we don't know about.


GS

[gone.skiing]

Nice one, castlerock. About time you straightened us out... Do you need to use supplemental oxygen on that high horse? You got your opinion, I got mine. Neither one is right or wrong, they just are. Why don't we respectfully post them here and let the chips fall where they may... At the end of the day Win is going to make up his own mind, we are just trying to voice some concerns. I do not think this thread is any better or worse than "slipper stairs", "small changing room", "insufficient snowmaking", etc. threads. At least this one has some skiing pictures in it.

007, you keep pounding on statistics... My son's group skied Church/Bear Claw/Saddle exactly 0 times last year. How many times did any blazer group ski those areas last year? Are you saying that there was not a single day on a weekend last year when those runs were in good enough shape to take upper level groups through?

[gratefulskier]

My group skied Bear Claw last year and a lot of other places that I won't name here.

GS

[barkbiter]

Back to the original post. What's up with a telemark skier from Stowe running the alpine ski school ? I thought John Egan was the man ? A quick search online.......................

Telemark Clinic for beginners and intermediate skiers at Stowe Mountain Resort with top-rated PSIA Telemark instructor Mickey Stone.

and another search..........

John Egan, rated as one of the top 50 skiers on the continent by Powder Magazine, has skied down peaks that others thought were unskiable, accumulating dozens of first descents. One of the original members of the North Face Extreme Team he is recognized around the world as a pioneer of Extreme Sports. John was inducted into the Vermont ski Hall of Fame in Oct. 2003, located in Stowe VT. Along with his brother Dan, he has covered the globe with his skiing talent and is one of the original Warren Miller" poster boys ", staring in some of Warren's original movies. John Egan is available for private groups or individuals at his home in Sugarbush, VT.

Hmmmmm, who do I want in charge of the ski school?

It's well known that Egan is the reason a lot of people come to ski here. A lot.

[castlerock]

... Do you need to use supplemental oxygen on that high horse? You got your opinion, I got mine. Neither one is right or wrong,

No oxygen needed, I'm fully acclimatized. As for the opinions, mine is worth what you paid for it. I'm just sharing observations. My friends (the aforementioned coaches), and my experience as a blazer parent, tell me that the quality of the day is directly related to the attitude of the slowest kid. In addition groups have tended to stick together over the years even as kids have diverged in abilities. The coaches I know would prefer an LT excursion over virtually any trail. But they also ask for input from the kids, hence the comment about the weakest link.

[Yard Sale]

I have three kids in the Blazer program not Adventure Blazers so I can't speak AB. I have to say the logic behind RFM's post is sound. A group can only be as adventurous as the weakest skier. Grateful Skier's post is consistent with my kid's Blazer experience in that if there is a problem the Blazer team is cooperative and eager to take strides to correct it. They do a very good job overall at a very challenging venture with an immense responsiblity, our childeren. When I have had issues, I brought them up and John Atkinson was very responsive.

The two coach policy as I have experienced it, was only for Slidebrook. To me it makes sense. I've skiied with the different groups, and as far as I can tell they are hitting the inbounds trees without hesitation, as evidenced by my 5 yr old insisting on a last run through Eden every weekend. (I know it's only Eden, but she is just 5)

Is the program perfect? No. Is it for everyone? Certainly not. But it's a very good program on the finest terrain in the east. I'm not gonna sweat it. When the last guy (JA)took over the programs, I'm sure there were doubters and whispers about him too, and he turned out to be a pretty good find. No?

Not that Gone.Skiing doesn't have a point, and not that I don't enjoy even the more ridiculous incendiary rantings posted. I especially like the ranter on ranter crime. I don't know this guy McGinty, but I'm willing to wait, but I have faith in Win and the mountain. There is a track record of good descisions backed up by a demonstrated ability and desire to make meaningful changes midstream when necessary.

So, go on rant if you must. Me? I'm just gonna keep on sipping on my Kool Aid, maybe even add a little Grey Goose, wait and see.

[gratefulskier]

Bill McGinty runs the ski school. Mickey is coming to Sugarbush to run the seasonal programs.

Mickey is an amazing skier. He's an amazing teacher. And, he is passionate about snow sports. I've seen him leading clinics at PSIA events in the past and his groups always have a great time. Always.

I think that if people can reserve their judgment until they meet Mickey, they will be pleasantly surprised. John Atkinson has provided us with passion in prior years. Mickey will continue to do that this year.

This conversation is now starting to drive me crazy. I got new boots yesterday. My skis are in the shop getting the bindings checked and getting their first tune of the year. I'm ready to go and November 21 is still a long way away.


GS

[daevious]

I don't usually get involved in the discussions here, but somebody asked what I think.

I did not coach a Blazer group last season, but I was involved with the program as a trainer and I was a Blazer and Adventure Blazer coach for the previous six seasons.

I think that many (if not most) of the "facts" under discussion are opinions, assumptions, guesses, "I heard"s and "it seems reasonable to me"s. Conclusions reached can be no more valid than the information on which they are based. I'm just sayin'.

I do not recall any major changes to the off-piste guidelines last season, beyond some refinement of the zones.

I think that if the Blazers weren't in the woods as much last season as the year before, it is because conditions didn't warrant it.

I believe that kids need time to develop their skills on-piste, in good conditions, so they don't fall back on and further develop undesirable, defensive skills and tactics when they are challenged by the terrain and obstacles off-piste. This is not a new idea (and it applies to grown-ups, too).

Let it snow!

[Hawk]

Excellent. Thank you Daevious.

[castlerock]

I think that if the Blazers weren't in the woods as much last season as the year before, it is because conditions didn't warrant it.

I was going to mention a bit of that in my earlier post. It wasn't until Feb 21-22 that we got enough cover in the woods for reasonably covered conditions. That weekend and the weekend after were the best snows of the year (meaning something fell on top of a base). The last weekend of Blazers was probably March21st? No?

[HowieT2]

I think that if the Blazers weren't in the woods as much last season as the year before, it is because conditions didn't warrant it.

I was going to mention a bit of that in my earlier post. It wasn't until Feb 21-22 that we got enough cover in the woods for reasonably covered conditions. That weekend and the weekend after were the best snows of the year (meaning something fell on top of a base). The last weekend of Blazers was probably March21st? No?

I spoke to my son about this last night and he agreed that the conditions on the weekends weren't great for most of the season. If you recall, we got a great stretch of snow starting the thursday of presidents week, but before the following weekend we got rained on. Then we didn't get any snow in March.

[Jacgue le guide]

For the past 5 years I have had 3 kids in the Blazers. Last year was defintetly restricted compared to previous years.
The conditions overall were no better or worse. I was told by coaches that this was due to new upper management
policies. Shouldn`t parents be made aware of these new restrictions, before money is spent and the season has started?
Many of the parents are not happy about this and are considering pulling their kids this year. Will there be some clarification
of these issues by management or will they just take our money and change the rules as they go?

[castlerock]

Listen Jaque Strappe, First, which coaches, two Blazer coaches have told you the opposite of your assertion. Trust me, they aren't "in league" with the mountain either, as their incentives to coach have been dwindling every year. On top of that you have forgotten about the weather. No better, no worse? Rremember Dec Snow, Holiday Rain, Feb Snow immediately followed by rain. Then bubkus in March.....You sound like a Fox news spokesmodel making stuff up as you go along!

[HowieT2]

For the past 5 years I have had 3 kids in the Blazers. Last year was defintetly restricted compared to previous years.
The conditions overall were no better or worse. I was told by coaches that this was due to new upper management
policies. Shouldn`t parents be made aware of these new restrictions, before money is spent and the season has started?
Many of the parents are not happy about this and are considering pulling their kids this year. Will there be some clarification
of these issues by management or will they just take our money and change the rules as they go?

is Jacque actually barkbiter's nom deguere?