Giving Tuesday is December 1 -- raise money for your patrol and NSP! What it is GivingTuesday is “a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration” which takes place this year on Tuesday, December 1. Many nonprofits take advantage of the day to encourage financial donations from supporters. National [...]
Ski Patrol Radio is NSP's latest form of communication with our members and other outdoor rescue professionals, as well as the everyday outdoor enthusiast. Covering topics from ski patrolling and PTSD to the new surge in backcountry recreationalists, this podcast will discuss many topics affecting how people interact with the outdoors and the work our members [...]
Why it is Critical to Chronicle our Chronicles By Andrew Hennigh Fabricating epics around the fire The plan was in place for the next morning; the avalanche control teams were notified, shot counts were given to the shot makers, and the forecast had been adequately analyzed and over analyzed. It was mid-March and this [...]
Spilled Moonshine In the month of May we ski the debris: dust, twigs, broken branches clumps of mistletoe, pines cones and pine needles, sun cups and sap, everything but snow it would seem in the month of May. But climb high enough, doggedly enough, and a sip of winter yet awaits pooled among the [...]
By Dave Watson Wading through the deep waters of life, surrounded by love and beauty that is balanced by willful ignorance and fear, I am learning the lessons of moments long past. Toxic behavior, violence and injustice have been normalized and it is a reminder that we all must do better. We must do a better [...]
By Tarah O'Connor Uncertainty, transition, a sense of loss, a sense of adventure. These are the normal feelings each spring for the seasonal flock of professional ski patrollers. We move into smaller pods of raft guides, wildland firefighters, mountain guides, gardeners, ER techs, bartenders and carpenters. This is the “normal” flow of an already difficult [...]
By Christine Wodke, NSP Subaru Ambassador In Scott Welle’s book Wellness he says “When you are challenged you are forced to grow or you can’t meet the challenge.” That quote perfectly describes not only my race at the Winter Triathlon National Championship, but our present COVID-19 situation. The March 1 race at Theodore Wirth Park [...]
By Alex Limkin Walking the 22-mile Skywalk across the Sandias with Chuck Hosking is a bit like showering with a loofah, or eating a dandelion salad: a bit raw, a bit rough, but seriously good for you. On the verge of turning 72, Chuck Hosking's body and mind retain the virile appearance and functioning of [...]
During the last several months the world has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ski community was not immune to this with the ski season ending months earlier than expected. When resorts closed ski patrollers lost their jobs all around the country. This created opportunities for patrollers to continue to give back by [...]
Do you remember the world before COVID-19? Do you recall when we could freely travel far distances in search of those premier, sacred, lesser-traveled places to recreate? Those days will return eventually, but in the meantime, we can use this unprecedented free time to plan future trips for when we’re all able to travel safely [...]