Nisei Ski Club

Karen Soo, Trip Director

Do I sound like a broken record? We need more sign-ups for Trip 1!

Happy New Year! What a way to start a new year! After 4 years of drought conditions, we are finally getting a nice base of snow in the Tahoe area. Our first weekend trip is scheduled for January 29 – 31, 2016 for Heavenly / Heavenly.

The bus company and hotel are requesting deadline commitments by January 13, 2016. So we need you to send in your checks. We will be skiing 2 days at Heavenly and staying at the Blue Lake Inn, which is practically a block away from the gondola. Breakfast is available from the hotel. Amy Tsuhako and I will be your trip leaders.

I know the Christmas holidays might have put a dent in your wallet. If you want to send in the money later, then I will allow you to do this provided you are a loyal NSC member and that I know your word is good. Just email me if you are joining us or not at TripDirector@niseiskiclub.org.

The snow is great right now. This is what we all have been waiting for. It’s also a good way to get in some runs in before the NSC weeklong Utah trip. So stop thinking about it and send in your money along with your sign-up form now.

Did you know Nisei Ski Club has a ride share group? If you have available transportation or want to share a ride with someone from our club, this is the place to be. It’s an open communication forum for our members to go skiing with another NSC member. Sometimes it’s a one day trip or an overnight trip. We ask that you pay for the gas if the other is driving. Or if you are able to drive, then your passengers will pay for the gas. The more people sharing the ride, then the lower the cost.

Lodging is available for overnight trips. Please email Sandy (the moderator) at rideNSC-owner@yahoogroups.com if you want to be added to this list.

See you on the slopes.

If you have any questions, please email Karen Soo at TripDirector@niseiskiclub.org.

Sandy Kiyomura

A group of skiers used the rideNSC Yahoo Group to arrange rides to Tahoe. We skied Northstar for 2 days. The snow and the skiing were simply awesome.

To join the NSC ride share group, send a request to me (Sandy Kiyomura, the moderator) at rideNSC-owner@yahoogroups.com.

Left to right: Allen Hu, Greg Wong, Hong Chin, Armand Gutierrez

Sandy Kiyomura

Sandy Kiyomura

I am starting the NSC race team. Who’s joining? We only need a few skiers. Information about how the ski league works is in my December article. NSC will supplement $25 of your fees and you will be skiing at your own level.

I will be participating in the January and March races. Use the rideNSC Yahoo Group to arrange a ride. Contact Sandy Kiyomura at skiyomura@gmail.com if you are interested. It’ll be fun!

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

Let the ski season begin! A few resorts opened before Thanksgiving and after Thanksgiving more resorts have opened with an abundance of snow on the slopes. The season looks very promising and the weather forecasts are for more rain in the Bay Area and more snow up at Tahoe. If you haven’t planned on taking a trip up there before the Christmas holidays then what are you waiting for? And don’t forget to signup for one of the weekend ski trips. There’s going to be plenty of snow this season so let’s take advantage of what Mother Nature has to offer.

Last month there was a contest to identify this ski location and earn a free lift ticket for the first weekend ski trip. Well, there were no correct guesses. Those that did guess mistakenly named California ski resorts, which weren’t open at the time the newsletter was published. The correct guess was Loveland, CO.

So  let’s try this again with a new resort, and as a hint this location is somewhere in California. Once again, as an added incentive the first person to correctly identify the resort and signup for any weekend ski trip will get a free one-day lift ticket. Email your answer to president@niseiskiclub.org. (Board members excluded, deadline is 31 December, and only one answer per person so guess carefully).

Ride Sharing Service

Sandy Kiyomura has set up a ride sharing service (a first for NSC!) for NSC members to facilitate getting to the slopes with other members. The service is called rideNSC and you have to join Yahoo Groups in order to gain access. Members can post to the group to either offer a ride-sharing opportunity or make a request that you’re interested in joining with somebody that might be going up. Details can be found in Sandy’s rideNSC article.

Park City/Canyons Ski Week 2016

The Park City/Canyons trip is moving along well and we had one new signup, so that puts us at 46. The final payment is due December 10^th so be sure to remit your payment if you haven’t already done so.

Christmas Greetings

This has been a good year for NSC with the highly-popular Jackson Hole Trip, numerous hikes, a pizza social, and what looks like the start of a good ski season. At our November board meeting we had all board members in attendance, which is sort of a rarity considering there are 11 board members. On behalf of the NSC board I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~Charles Dickens

Sandy Kiyomura

If you haven’t already heard, this is the El Nino Year. In an effort to create more opportunities to ski at Tahoe, NSC has established a Yahoo Groups for ride sharing called rideNSC@yahoogroups.com. The purpose of rideNSC is to connect people who need a ride with people who can offer a ride. So, you can offer a ride or ask for a ride.

It’s simple. When you offer a ride, please state:

• preferred dates
• ski areas
• where you might be staying
• what the costs will be

Anyone who is part of rideNSC and is interested can respond to you.

To get started, visit the rideNSC group information page. If you have a Yahoo id, then click on Join Group. If you don’t have a Yahoo id, click on the subscribe link.

I am the moderator and will approve (or disapprove) your membership. All members of the Nisei Ski Club can join the group. We ask for standard on-line etiquette. That means you should be “adult-like” in your postings. That means no offensive language or say anything that your mother would not approve of. Therefore, if you are interested in finding some new ski buddies this year, visit rideNSC group and start sending posts to ridensc@yahoogroups.com.

Questions? Send email to Skiyomura@gmail.com

Sandy Kiyomura
Hey, skiers and boarders! It’s time to head to the mountains. This is the earliest opening in decades for most resorts. I was lucky enough to get a few turns in after Thanksgiving. I skied Squaw one day and Northstar another. Operations were limited but who’s complaining? Just being on the snow made the trip worthwhile. Most likely, by the time you read this, the entire mountain will be open.

I am also the benefits director for BAC and I wanted to let you know that if you don’t have a season’s pass, you might want to consider Sierra at Tahoe. NSC belongs to BAC (Bay Area Council of Snow Sports). BAC has a corporate agreement with Sierra at Tahoe to get discounted tickets (any day, holidays also). As part of NSC, you are entitled to all the benefits of BAC including discounted lift tickets.

Here’s information about the Sierra at Tahoe ticket rates:

You can purchase on-line tickets at the Sierra at Tahoe online store

Login (all upper case) CRP-BAC
Password (all upper case) SNOW1940

If you have further questions, contact Ryan Parker. He is our contact person at Sierra at Tahoe:
email address rparker@sierraattahoe.com and phone number: 530-543-3134.

Another important feature is that the Adult E-Ticket can be exchanged at the ticket window for the first timer’s introduction to skiing or snowboard package (ages 13 and older). The package includes a 2.5 hour lesson, rental equipment, and a limited access lift ticket ($114-$125 value).

More BAC benefits to NSC members
As I mentioned, NSC belongs to an umbrella organization BAC. (Bay Area Council of Snow Sports). As part of NSC, you are entitled to all the benefits of BAC. That includes discounted lift tickets, racing, and travel. For more information on these benefits, go to www.skibac.org.

There is an excellent international travel program as well as an annual ski week. This year, BAC is going to Telluride and Cortina for its international trip. I have written an article about racing, and as a member of NSC, you can participate.

If we can get enough people for a race team (maybe 5), then we will need to register in December. I have already registered. Presently, there is no NSC race team, so please contact Sandy Kiyomura if you’re interested.

Sandy Kiyomura

Did you know that you could ski like a pro? The Bay Area Snow Sports Council (“BAC”) is the umbrella organization that Nisei Ski Club belongs to and has a race league that you can join. The BAC race league is the Open League Race where you will compete with people of your skill level, gender and age. There are 8 races during the season (4 weekends) and you can race in as many of them as you like. Some races are Slalom and others are Giant Slalom.

Here is the web site: Open League Racing Race Schedule. As you can see, there are clinics as well as races. There is a fun race on December 13th at Alpine, where you can race for FREE. This would be a good day to sample the race course. Lift tickets are be $43-$68 (depending on age) and include an $18 lunch voucher!

Here’s some facts about how the league works:

• What does it cost? $115 for the season. However, the Nisei Ski Club will supplement $25 of your fees.
• How long does it take to race? There are 3 different times for racers each day. For instance, advanced skiers may be at 10am, Intermediates at 12 noon and Beginners at 2pm. Most of the time, one finishes his/her race in an hour, so you still have plenty of time to ski.
• How do I know what level I am? In your first race, you will have a time. Depending on your time, they will determine your level (1-10). Levels 1-4 are Advanced, 5-7 are Intermediate and 8-10 are Beginners. If you are very fast, they will “promote” you to the next level.
  Once your level is determined, you will race in that category for the season. If you have 2 strikes (very good times), they will move you up a level.
• How can I get to the races? Nisei Ski Club has established a Yahoo group for ride sharing and people can car pool. I have been staying at the Apres cabin (since I’m a member) and guests can stay for $25 a night.
• Why should I race? Three reasons: it’s fun, you get the best snow on the mountain and you will become a better skier.

Questions? Contact me, Sandy Kiyomura at skiyomura@gmail.com. I will be racing for Nisei Ski Club.

Armand Gutierrez, NSC President

Are you ready for some skiing this season? If not, then feast your eyes on the photo that was recently taken at a well-known ski resort. Yes, this place is already open for business! Granted, it’s probably a lot of man-made snow mixed in with Mother Nature’s early snowfall, but these people are already skiing (and you’re not). And when do we get our share of the ski season? Well, Northstar and Heavenly are scheduled to open on November 20th, and Squaw Valley on the 25th, subject to weather conditions, of course. Karen Soo is already planning two weekend ski trips so look for details on dates and places in her write-up. It’s been several years since NSC has had a weekend ski trip so it’s muy importante that we get as many signups as we can to ensure that these trips are successful. As an added incentive, the first person to correctly identify the resort in the photo AND signup for the first weekend ski trip will get a free one-day lift ticket. Email your answer to president@niseiskiclub.org. (Board members excluded, deadline is 20 November, and only one answer per person so think carefully).

Snowbomb Ski Shows
It’s not too late to sign up for the San Jose Snowbomb show on Nov 7-8. Greg Wong will be there on Saturday and I’ll be there Sunday afternoon. Entry to the show is free by securing passes at this site: http://www.snowbomb.com/ski-board-festivals/ and scroll down and then click on “Purchase Tickets Here” under San Jose. Many thanks to Karen Soo and Curtis Otaguro for attending the SF Snowbomb show.

Park City/Canyons Ski Week 2016
The Park City/Canyons trip is moving along well and we currently have 45 signups. The second payment is due November 10th so be sure to remit your payment if you haven’t already done so. Also, an email was sent out to everyone about a change in our return flight from Salt Lake City. We were scheduled to return at 8:10pm on flight UA5333, and the new schedule is 5:18pm on flight UA5765. For those of you making your own flight arrangements that means you might be able to take the return shuttle bus with the rest of the group.