Nisei Ski Club

Happy Chinese New Years to All!!
4712 – Year of the Wood Sheep

May the new year bring good health and prosperity to all, and MORE SNOW!!

Most of our club’s membership just spent a great week in Jackson Hole where we found abundant snow.  Despite the fact that we missed a big snow dump by a few days, there was plenty of the white stuff and certainly much more snow than Tahoe has.

DON”T GIVE UP HOPE for TAHOE!! As I write these stream of consciousness babblings, the snow gods are gracing our Tahoe slopes with new snow with Northstar reporting 3 inches of new in the past 24 hours and 13 inches in the past 48 hours (as of Feb 8).  More snow is expected to fall tomorrow in the Sierras – so there’s hope yet.

Jackson Hole 2015

Did someone mention Jackson Hole?

Thanks to Armand, I had a BLAST!!! As I’m sure you did too!  What more could you want?  Plenty of snow, great variety of terrain from mild to heart stopping, huge verticals, cloud layers, inversion layers, a dusting of fresh snow, moose (mooses? meece?), good food, elk, dog sled racing, ice skating, cowboy bars and incredible company!!!  I only regret that with such a large group, I didn’t get to  meet all of you.

Presidential Words to the Masses

Click here for Armand’s Jackson Hole and Membership Report and don’t forget Armand “the Bard” February President’s Message.

Jackson Hole Pictures & Videos

N.B. – these pictures were taken in public places at

Thanks to all those who have contributed pictures and videos.  Here are the links to them:

• Elaine Yu’s Google + pictures
• Gilbert Lee’s Dropbox pictures
• Bill Lee’s Google + pictures
• Bill Lee’s Google + videos

Individual pictures – click on each to enlarge

• Sandy’s pictures:

• Kevin Chan’s pictures:

Racing Anyone??

Do you have Walter Mitty dreams of being a ski racer?

Will you be the next Lindsey Vonn?

Well, your dreams and aspirations can come true!!!  Our very own Sandy “Lindsey” Kiyomura is a veteran racer, at times reaching speeds faster than a speeding bullet!

Lindsey, I mean, Sandy, describes how you can be all you can be in her article here: “Open League Racing“.

And LAST but NOT LEAST, we had Jackson Hole ENGAGEMENT!!!  Wes Lum from Hawaii proposed to Mariana Guerrero of Mexico!  Talk about a Loooong Distance romance!

For those of us where weren’t lucky enough to witness the event, here you go:

Da Prez Armand Gutierrez

Welcome to the Chinese Year of Sheep (Wooden or Green)! Yes, the Chinese New Year starts February 19th and if you were born under the sign of the Sheep then you have a mild personality and are considered friendly.

2015 is here and January has turned out to be the driest January in recorded history. Although the Tahoe resorts remain open not all lifts and trails are open. I was up at Heavenly just before the ski week trip and there was only one black run open on the Nevada side, and all green/blue runs on the California side. Northstar did open up the Prosser black run on Lookout Mtn, but other than that it’s primarily the green/blue runs that were open. Skiing is probably good if you’re a beginner to intermediate but for you black diamond aficionados there’s not much to offer. Still, I’m hopeful we’ll get some snow in before or first weekend ski trip at the end of February.

Jackson Hole Ski Week

The Jackson Hole ski week trip turned out to be a really great trip and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Catch all the details in the Membership and Jackson Hole reports.

BAC Man and Woman of the Year

Once again it’s time to nominate an outstanding member, or members, for the annual BAC Man and Woman of the Year contest. This year I have nominated Karen Soo for Woman of the Year. Karen was selected because, as Trip Director, she ensures that the NSC weekend trips are well-organized, transportation and lodging are taken care of, and, if you’ve ever been on any of her trips, then you know there is quite a bit of work for ensuring everyone is well-fed on the trip up and back. In addition to her outstanding work as Trip Director, Karen also plays a pivotal role in organizing our picnics, the ski-week souvenirs, and is involved with the hikes and other events. Congratulations Karen for a job well done.

President Armand Gutierrez

Membership Activity

We had two members join up in January for the Jackson Hole trip. Yes, they were late signups but there was room for them on the trip. Currently we have 94 members in the club.

Jackson Hole Ski Week (24-31 January 2015)

Wow! What a week at Jackson Hole. There were 75 members on this trip and judging by the comments it appears to have been a very enjoyable and successful trip. Our flight out of SFO was on time and went without a hitch. In Salt Lake City we met up with several groups from the Sacramento and Albuquerque areas, and there were several members that opted to drive and were already in Jackson Hole.

The first three days of skiing was reminiscent of skiing Tahoe in Spring conditions. An inversion layer kept the base area in the high teens while tempts at the top of Thunder chair actually got as high as 60° F, which is most unusual for Jackson Hole during January. This lasted for several days and then we were blessed with a light snowfall on Tuesday evening. Yes, that meant a nice coat of 3″-4″ (more in some places) of fresh powder!

A number of people took Wednesday off to build up the local Jackson economy and to take in the National Elk Refuge on a horse-drawn sleigh. Of course, most members did make a visit to the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, and our very own Dan Lew (newsletter editor) managed to get in some ice-skating in the town square.

The remainder of the week we had sunny to partly sunny skies and skiing was very pleasant. There were a couple of special events during the week- on Tuesday the Hawaiian Snowriders (members of our trip) held a memorial service for one of their fellow skiers that loved Jackson Hole and had passed away last year, AND there was a marriage proposal at the top of Bridger Gondola!! Yes, Wes Lum (from Hawaii) popped the big one to Mariana Guerrero (from Mexico). Needless to say there were tears flowing profusely.

Unfortunately, there were two accidents (one minor, one major). Kay Kamiyama had a fainting experience and fell forward onto the slope and incurred a slightly bloody nose and a scrape on her cheek. She was up and skiing the very next day. Curtis Otaguro suffered a dislocated shoulder while navigating the Tower 3 Chute (a black diamond). Although this happened on the last day of skiing it’s a sure bet that made the end of his ski season. Yes, for those that are counting I’m three for three now.

Our Farewell Dinner was held at the locally popular Mangy Moose and our group took over the top floor. During the Social Hour everyone was talking to everyone else, mingling and co-mingling, and then we got down to business of eating dinner. After dinner I gave my usual speech about the trip and last-minute announcements for departing the next morning.

During the week Greg Wong was busy gaining vertical feet and his concerted effort was rewarded with the 100K Vertical Foot pin. Meanwhile, Joe Feng and I finally reached the 500K vertical foot milestone and were rewarded with the 500K Silver Belt Buckle.

On our departure there was a little snafu at the Delta counter at the Jackson airport. Seems like their reservation system got overloaded with our whole group checking in at the same time and that sent the ticketing reps into a mild frenzy calling tech support. They finally were able to get all of us ticketed and we boarded on time and made our way back to SLC and SFO.

~ President Armand Gutierrrez ~

2015 is here and I trust that everyone had a Merry Christmas, a safe and Happy New Years celebration, and perhaps a few ski-related New Year’s Resolutions.  Looking back at 2014, NSC had a good year with the Sun Peaks ski week, the weekend ski trips, a well-attended picnic, and a good showing at the hiking events. So what’s in store for 2015? Well, hopefully a good ski season with plenty of snowfall, the Jackson Hole ski week with 74 members that includes quite a few former members, two scheduled ski weekends, and whatever else the board can come up with for events.

One thing that I would like to see for 2015 is more events sponsored by the membership. Why more events? Well, events serve as a vehicle for bringing members together for having fun, sharing stories, and perhaps meeting new members. In years past (many years) the board consisted of members that would sponsor an event, which had to go through a number of approvals before posting a flyer in the newsletter. That was in the days when the NSC newsletter was actually in printed format. Now that NSC has an online newsletter it is much easier to get approvals for events and event flyers for posting on the website. So, I’m asking the membership for some volunteers to step up to the plate and sponsor an event. It doesn’t have to be a big event, but something that would bring together the membership and the board will certainly help you with logistics and notifications.

The Jackson Hole ski week trip is at the end of the month and hopefully everyone is ready for some great skiing. It would be to your advantage to get in a couple of days of skiing before the trip and get your “ski legs” ready. I certainly will be up at Tahoe before the Jackson Hole trip to break in my new skis/bindings and boots.

~ Da Prez – Armand Gutierrez ~

Membership Activity

As expected, there were no new memberships for the month of December. However, now that the ski season has started and the Tahoe area looks promising perhaps we’ll get a few more signups for our two weekend bus trips. Currently we have 92 members in the club.

Jackson Hole Ski Week (24-31 January 2015)

Our ski week trip to Jackson Hole is rapidly approaching and there’s plenty of snow to satisfy your skiing needs! A recent check showed a base depth over 70” and compares with base depths of 32” at Heavenly, 42” at Squaw and 18” at Northstar. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to get in a few ski days prior to our departure.

Thanks to the many members that dropped by Casa Gutierrez for the Jackson Hole Orientation Meeting held on December

Corbet’s Couloir

13th. It was great seeing a bunch of members that I normally don’t see except during our picnics and the ski weeks. I’m looking forward to skiing with as many members as I can during this trip, unless, of course, you’re planning on jumping into Corbet’s Couloir. That would take a considerable amount of persuasion.

Ed. Note: for your entertainment, watch this Corbet’s video:

CORBET’S Couloir – One Epic Day

~ President Armand Gutierrez ~

Let the winter season begin! Yes, it’s been snowing up at Lake Tahoe and the predicted weather for the next few weeks includes rainstorms in the Bay Area and snowstorms in the Tahoe region. Are you ready for the ski season? I am. At the end of last season I purchased new skis, bindings, and boots. To many of my friends that know me well, they’re breathing a sigh of relief that I have finally upgraded my ancient skis (Atomic 922s and Tecnica boots).

Our ski week trip to Jackson Hole is just around the corner and they have been receiving quite a bit of snow. In fact, the “red tram” is in operation and the mountain is 100% open. There have been quite a few improvements and Ski Magazine rates Jackson Hole as the #1 Overall Resort.

Dan Lew is back from his vacation and producing the December newsletter and all future newsletters ‘till the end of our season. Dan has been at this for four years now and has decided to pass the baton to a new newsletter editor for the next season. With that in mind, the board would like to ask if there are any volunteers who would like to be the newsletter editor. It’s not a difficult job and only requires a few days of your time at the end of the month.

Code of Conduct
At our last board meeting we reviewed and approved the Code of Conduct that Brian Hess produced. Please review the Code of Conduct, which will apply to all NSC-sponsored events.

Snow/Road Conditions Web Site
Did you know that Caltrans has over a thousand cameras monitoring various roadway sections across California? Over the years I’ve found this website to be helpful when planning my trips up to Tahoe. The website, presented by Caltrans, offers a number of webcams that show road conditions in real-time. For example, to check on road conditions in the Lake Tahoe area follow these steps:

1. Go to http://video.dot.ca.gov.
2. Click on “Sacramento and Tahoe Traffic Camera Map”.
3. Use the magnification slider on the left side to zoom in on Lake Tahoe.
4. Select a “red camera” (i.e. Tahoe Vista).
5. When the image appears click on the triangle on the left side and see the image in real-time.
6. Note, not all camera images provide the real-time feature or an image may not be available.
7. Zoom in and you can see the lifts and runs at the ski resorts.

It’s been a great year for NSC and I would like to thank all the
volunteers that contributed their time for making our events successful. As we enter the Christmas season I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

~ Karen Soo – Trip Director ~

The Giants wins the World Series, the Panda is heading to the Boston Red Sox and rain is starting to fall in the Bay Area. The recent storms that had blown through the area, continues to drop fresh snow in the Tahoe area.

Get your skis tuned and sharpened and get ready for a new season.

Our sign-up sheet is currently active on the Nisei Ski Club website. Please note the ski destination resort has been revised.

» Trip 1 – February 27 – March 1st (Squaw Valley / Northstar (*Race day)
» Trip 2 – March 13 – 15 (Alpine Meadows / Sugar bowl)

We are offering a $10.00 discount if you sign up for both trips and send in your forms before January 15, 2015.

San Jose – We are still looking for a new area to park our cars for the weekend ski trips. Preferably close to 880 North.
Let me know if you have available parking at your work facility.

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December 13, 2014: Alpine Meadows with BAC is hosting a Club Appreciation Day!
There is no other work you need to do . . . just show up at Alpine Meadows & Have Fun!

No Advance Reservations ~ Pay The Morning of the Event!

Like a Race Weekend, there will be a special location at Alpine Meadows and only certain hours in the morning when the following will be available to any member of a club in the BAC or Sierra League.

Date: Saturday December 13, 2014
Location: Alpine Meadows 7:00- 8:30am

* Price Includes; Lift Ticket, Lunch Voucher ($15.00 Value) and a Fun Race!
$62.00 for 23 – 64 years old
$52.00 for 13 ~ 22 or 65 – 75 years old
$38.00 for 5 – 12 or 76 and above

Alpine/Squaw Season Pass Holders can pick up the Lunch Voucher ($15.00 Value) for $12.00 during check in.

A Learn to Ski or Board Beginner Package is also available!
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Discounted Lift Tickets ~ Everyone wants to save money and visit world class ski resorts. We have people from around the globe who travel thousands of miles to experience the slopes in our backyard ~ the Greater Lake Tahoe Region! During the days of our Recreational Races, all members of our club can get Incredible Savings on Lift Tickets!

The key is they have to arrive early (usually by 8:30am) at the resort and go where they are selling the Discounted Lift Tickets to us.

On our Recreational Race Days ~ discounted Lift Tickets are projected to be around $60.00 per day at Squaw, Alpine, North Star and Sugar Bowl!

If you do not race, you can still purchase the discounted lift ticket during the Recreational Race Days take advantage of these great savings. See 2015 Race Schedule. This is a benefit from the Bay Area Ski Council

*We’re going to Northstar on March 1st / Sunday. Care to race?

FOR SALE
Marmot Down Jacket – Size Large / BLACK. Worn only 3 times
Marmot 72050 Yukon Classic Parka. Original Price is $450.00 – for sale $150.00

Here is a brief description at REI

http://www.rei.com/product/816311/marmot-yukon-classic-parka-mens
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FREE MUSEUM DAY – This Sunday, December 7th at California Academy of Science in San Francisco

Doors open at 11:00am. Be on line at 10:00am

http://www.calacademy.org/

For more info, please email Karen at tripdirector@niseiskiclub.org

Have a safe and happy holiday season with your family and friends. Enjoy and see you next year.

Karen Soo
Nisei Ski Club Trip Director

~ Da Prez, Armand Gutierrez ~

1. Membership Activity

I guess it’s never too late to join NSC as we have one new member who joined in November. I’m hopeful that as the winter season progresses with impressive snowfall we’ll have more people join us on our weekend ski trips. Currently, we have 92 members in the club.

I would like to welcome the following new member:
• Rodney Jeong

2. Jackson Hole Ski Week (24-31 January 2015)

Well, what can I say? It’s been snowing in Jackson Hole and by the time we get there our “winter wonderland” will beckon us to immerse ourselves in snowflake heaven. Be sure to check out the Jackson Hole webcams (http://www.jacksonhole.com, and click on webcams) to see what awaits us.

The Jackson Hole Orientation Meeting at Casa Gutierrez will be held on Saturday, December 13th, so look for an Evite with all the details. Please try and make it to so you can meet other members and pick up your souvenir jacket. If you’re going to Jackson Hole and haven’t received an Evite then please contact me at : president@niseiskiclub.org.

Hey Racers, you could be the next Lindsey Vonn!!! Here’s the 2015 Bay Area Snow Sport Council (BAC) race schedule for the 2015 season:
2014-2015 BAC Race Schedule 2015

The Nisei Ski Club is a group designed to facilitate events in which all participants can enhance their experience of the event through sharing it with like-minded individuals. While every individual has the right to the full enjoyment of the group, there are times when one person’s enjoyment could come at the expense of another person. Intentional or not, behavior that causes problems for others or the club cannot be allowed. For the sake of clarity, here are examples of non-acceptable and encouraged behaviors:

 Alcohol and tobacco are permitted in moderation, environment permitting.
 Harassment of any nature, verbal, physical, or visual, will not be tolerated.
 Conduct adversely affecting the life, safety, or well-being of others or their property will not be accepted.
 No illegal activity of any kind will be tolerated.
 Participants’ giving each other respect at all events, treating each person as he or she wishes to be treated, is encouraged.
 Members representing Nisei Ski Club to those not in the club should conduct themselves courteously.
 On trips and at events, participants shall follow the direction of the trip leader or event organizer.

This is by a no means a complete list. If there is a conflict of opinions about something not expressly mentioned, the trip manager or the event organizer will Any member of Nisei Ski Club who wishes to report any perceived violations of conduct, may do so to the board by emailing membership@niseiskiclub.org.

Failure to adhere to these conduct expectations may lead to actions up to and including expulsion from the club without recourse.