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He's right, the snow is awesome! I'm keeping busy trying to learn all of the stuff I'm supposed to know to be a good little patroller. I've had my hands on several patients - mostly easy stuff. Getting lots of practice removing boots! Learning and re-learning my skiing - lots of people willing to help, but everyone seems to have a different idea of what I need to know and how I need to do it. All good advice, but sometimes a little overwhelming! I will say that I have skied places I never would have tried on my own. It's forcing me to stretch my comfort zone.

I would love to hear from other patrollers how candidates are oriented and trained on your hills. Our hill is very informal - nice in some ways a little frustrating in others. Do you have training days for candidates where all are there and skills get checked off? Is it up to the candidates to seek out training at their own pace? Do you have experienced patrollers paired with newbies so they learn all of the ropes? :dontknow:

I have a built in mentor with hammerhead there, but have found that my OEC classmates are kind of floundering for lack of direction. And then there's the politics...need I say more? :roll: [/font:cc567f3bef]

snow12-20-07.jpg

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I live near a little (and for most of you it is definitely little) ski slope. I go several times each year to here and a few times to the Appalachians to ski. My skis are strong for the local slopes, but poor for the bigger slopes. What I was wondering is if any of you know how to get involved with a class. I have left messages and tried to get info off their web page to no avail. They have sent me info on becoming a ski instructor, but I am not interested in that. I would volunteer my time if I got free lift tags. i also would be available at times throughout the week, as I work shift work.

I guess this is a little more of a rant than you could ever help, but what things can I do to position myself to be a better candidate for next year?

Michael

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Need definitions, from this non snow, or water, skier.

What is the difference between "Alpine" and "Cross country"? Is it as simple as the former is going down the mountain, and the latter is going around the mountain?

While on definitions, what is "Tyrolean"?

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  • 2 weeks later...
I live near a little (and for most of you it is definitely little) ski slope. I go several times each year to here and a few times to the Appalachians to ski. My skis are strong for the local slopes, but poor for the bigger slopes. What I was wondering is if any of you know how to get involved with a class. I have left messages and tried to get info off their web page to no avail. They have sent me info on becoming a ski instructor, but I am not interested in that. I would volunteer my time if I got free lift tags. i also would be available at times throughout the week, as I work shift work.

I guess this is a little more of a rant than you could ever help, but what things can I do to position myself to be a better candidate for next year?

Michael

I don't know how it works where you are, but here it helps to know someone who is already on the ski patrol. Short of that, you should go to your hill and get acquainted with some of the patrollers there. They are your best source of information about how to get started. Ask if they mind if you shadow someone.

Unless you are already certified, you will need to take the Outdoor emergency care class. Even those who hold advanced medical certification like paramedics, nurses and doctors are required to certify through this process. There may also be some equipment used on the ski hill that you are not particularly familiar with. Attending class can help you apply the skills you already have to on the hill applications. Depending on your experience/certification and how your division does things, you may be allowed to challenge the course and take the test without attending class. He re's a link to the NSP site that has some course scheduling and availability info: NSP Course Availability

After you have your OEC certification, you will spend time on the hill trying to get checked off on your "on the hill" requirements. Your skiing skills will be evaluated, you may be required to attend ski clinics, you will participate in on the hill scenarios, you may receive orientation to the hill, learn hill opening and closing procedures, learning toboggan transport techniques and generally getting acquainted with how your patrol does things. I have learned that how long it takes to get through all of this depends largely on your hill. Some hills are quite informal and others very structured. And there is the politics that I mentioned in a previous post. Generally though, the more often you can be on the hill the quicker you will finish the process.

Good Luck![/font:b6e2341eaf]

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Need definitions, from this non snow, or water, skier.

What is the difference between "Alpine" and "Cross country"? Is it as simple as the former is going down the mountain, and the latter is going around the mountain?

While on definitions, what is "Tyrolean"?

Hi Richard,

I didn't see your questions answered yet (maybe I missed it, I just skimmed) Yes, essentially Alpine is downhill skiing, and cross country is just that. Technically, it is different equipment and different skiing styles, but as far as what they are, there you go.

In the context of this thread, I believe this is what you are looking for:

Tyrolean Traverse

To save you from going there, in a nutshell this is a method of using ropes to traverse steep pitches.

In other news for the ski patrollers here, I passed my senior EMM 2 weeks ago. My patrol director peer pressured me into doing it. I'm not one for titles and that seems to be all "senior" is really good for. Nonetheless I passed and I thought the exam was relatively simple, so if you're considering it, go for it B) Perhaps next year I will try the ski and tobaggon portion, but with grad. school and a 17 month old at home, I couldn't do it this year.

Hope all is well to the 'HH'es. When is your mountain projected to close for the season? We should make it to our projected date of 4/20. Not bad for a southern NYS mountain, eh?

-skibum

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