WINTER 2004 VOLUME 41, ISSUE 2 NOR’WESTER COME ON SNOW - WE’RE READY! BARB DIXON, DIVISION DIRECTOR [email protected] (208) 347-3143 Many areas in the PNWD were not Copies of the Policies and Proce- tend the Program Supervisors meeting. open by Thanksgiving. It is snowing to- dures should be in hard copy form to In between the DD’s will meet with each night so my holiday wish is that all of the each Patrol Director by the first of Jan- other as well as each of those groups. areas in the Pacific uary and you will be able May the New Year find you and your Northwest will be open to get copies from them loved ones happy and healthy. May the VERY SOON. I also or contact myself or your ski season be all we could wish for. May hope you have all had RD. Along with that, we continue to be the very best rescuers a chance to do some don’t forget that we have we can be. Have a very fun and active INSIDE THIS ISSUE: conditioning before you a new set of By-Laws ski season. tackle the slopes and all that was approved at the the responsibilities of August meeting. Calendar Dates to Note 2 patrolling. Remember, Something to a Patrollers Cross is not consider – Currently the something we try to Nor Wester is published Divison Awards Summary 4 earn. four times a year. With It is snowing tonight, so I was only able to the deadlines being my holiday wish is that attend two Region Meet- September 1, December all of the areas in the Ski Flight 2006 6 ings this year, North- 1, March 1 and June 1. west and Southern Idaho. Northwest, Printing is now approximately 3 weeks Pacific Northwest will Inland Empire and Oregon were all on from those dates. The awkward issues be open VERY SOON. the same day. Hmm, let me see, Spo- are September and December due to Division Directory 11-17 kane to Seattle to Willamette Pass all in timing of the convention, the ski season one day. Doesn’t work. We have some itself, and then the holidays. Think about strong Region Directors and things are the possibility of publishing three times a running smoothly. That was also re- year with the due dates being October 1, flected in the refreshers that I attended. February 1 and June 1. This should help Great job everyone! Do you feel re- us get calendar information into the freshed? You should. October issue, National Board meeting The Executive Board has completed information in both the January and June the first ever (to our knowledge) Policies issue and of course convention infor- and Procedures for the Pacific Northwest mation also in the June issue. Contact Division. After several drafts and mul- your RD’s or Deb Garcia with your ideas tiple phone conferences we feel we have and suggestions. a very workable product, and we intend Next week I’ll be heading to Denver to to add to it as we review the last 10-15 meet with all of the other DD’s. I’m going years of minutes. Items from those min- one day early to attend the OEC con- utes will be incorporated on an annual ference and staying one day late to at- basis. 2 Nor’wester AWARDS ALL YEAR LONG ANNE GREENWOOD, AWARDS ADVISOR [email protected] (503) 399-3518 Greetings from your new PNWD division and national, not “outside” the Awards Advisor. I look forward to helping patrol as in at work. CALENDAR DATES you with your awards questions, concerns Be specific. An example of course and suggestions. Of course, I may have description should look something like my own questions, concerns and sug- this: gestions, so please be patient. Ski patrollers are patrollers all year OEC: Taught a complete course of long, not just during the ski season. We 20+ students – (date) MTR 1 and Avalanche 1 classes — Cascade Nordic patrol because we like to help all sorts of Taught a section at the last 3 Cascade Nordic Ski Patrol will be conducting MTR 1 and people, not just skiers, and of course we refreshers to a patrol of 75+ - Avalanche 1 classes this season. Please pass the following do like to ski. Keep this in mind for (dates) info on to your patrollers who might be interested in MTR 1 or awards. You may have a candidate for a Was refresher chair for – (date) merit star in the summertime. Listen to Avy 1. Or, if you know of candidates/patrollers who are interested, please send Dick Willy their contact info. the stories family members tell, or other This same format can be used for patrollers. You may be surprised to learn Avalanche, Mountain Travel, etc. of an event that took place while no one Tentative dates are as follows: was looking. Region Awards Advisors: A few suggestions when completing Classroom (location, Seattle area, east side) awards: Sue Garcia – Inland MTR 1 Jan 25, Feb 1, Feb 8 Review Jim Whittaker’s article from 4200 Highway 231 Avy 1 Jan 27, Feb 3, Feb 10 the Fall 2004 issue of the Nor’Wester. It Springdale, WA 99173 focuses on the outstanding/patrol award (H) 509-258-4359 Field trip (location, Stevens Pass) categories, the merit star categories, the MTR 1 Mar 5 - 6 meritorious service award and the Mike Klein – Mt. Hood Avy 1 Mar 6 distinguished service award. When in 20939 SW Martinazzi Ave. doubt, review the NSP “Policies and Tualatin OR 97062 Procedures, Chapter 10”. (H) 503-691-2256 Instructors of record are: Dick Willy, MTR and Mike McGoey, Use the most current form. Yes, Avalanche.Please contact Dick Willy, Cascade Nordic,206-772- award nominations have been returned Unfilled Position – Northwest 1228 to register or for more information. because of the wrong form or outdated form being used. The forms are available Jeff Faust – Oregon Southern Idaho Region Clinics online at: www.nsp.org 2910 Tulip St 1. “Login” with your member number Eugene, OR 97408 Jan. 8 Sr. Clinic Brundage (H) 541-345-3605 and password Jan. 22 Ski Enhancement Soldier 2. Go to Member Services, click on Carol Fountain – Southern Idaho Jan. 22 Toboggan clinic Ferguson My Bookshelf Jan. 29 Ski Enhancement Brundage 3. Look for Reference & Resource 906 McKinley Street Jan. 29 Snowboard Clinic Bogus Materials, click on Downloads Boise, ID 83712 Another source for forms is your (H) 208-345-6934 Feb. 5 Senior Clinic Bogus regional awards advisor. Feb. 26 Ski Enhancement Anthony and Brundage Clark Noble – Southern Idaho Investigate each question on the Mar. 5&6 Senior Test Anthony P.O. Box 1193 form and answer it with the appropriate Boise ID 83712 information. An example: Beyond the McCall ID 83638 Patrol level means, section, region, (H) 208-634-2712 LETTER OF INTENT - DIVISION DIRECTOR ELECTION BARB DIXON, DIVISION DIRECTOR [email protected] (208) 347-3143 Dear Dear Patroller: mittee has identified five areas of concern This is my statement of intent to run and we are working toward a plan that for the office of Division Director of the coincides with our new Vision and Mission Patroller Pacific Northwest Division for the term Statements. beginning May of 2005. I think we have accomplished a lot in I have currently held the office for a a short period of time and I would like to little over a year and a half. In that time I continue to serve you as your Division have traveled throughout the Division Director for the next term. visiting refreshers, Region meetings, senior exams and patrol meetings. Sincerely, We have developed new By-Laws and a set of Policies and Procedures for the Barb Dixon, DD Division. The Strategic Planning Com- 3 Nor’wester AVALANCHE ED GATELY, AVALANCHE ADVISOR [email protected] (509) 327-3756 As I write this, the snow is on the with an average build. Their program choice of grid size, a guidon cord, porate this new method into my in- mountains in most areas. Although it’s allowed for many variables, such as the and a well marked search area. struction. maybe not enough for skiing as of yet, way the body was positioned, how much To all instructors who have registered hopefully it will come soon. area was to be covered, how many pass- Recommendations courses, thank you. The rest of us who The avalanche community had its bi- es to make and most importantly the We feel it is important to remember are going to do an Avalanche course, get annual get together - The International spacing of the probes. what part probing should play in ava- them registered as soon as possible. Snow Science Workshop was held at They ran the program with many lanche rescue as well as to use efficient If there is anything I can do to help, Jackson Hole WY, on September 19-24, different scenarios each one was run and effective probing technique. please contact me. 2004. This conference was attended by through 10,000 trials. Also the number of over 700 people who are interested in holes per step (HPS) was taken in to Use a 50 cm square grid with Thanks to all for the great work. snow and its effects on those of us who account. Some of the findings of the three holes per step enjoy snow. probe program: a 30x30 cm grid gives a I was most impressed by a young lady 99.9% POD on the first pass; a 50x50 cm Use a guidon cord to facilitate named Erica Davis, a high school student grid gives an 88% POD on the first pass; precise probe placement and who saw a problem and decided to do while a 75x70 cm grid gives a 59% POD offsetting in subsequent passes something about it.