Early Fall chapter Closing

It's after midnight on the 17th of October and life is good. Very busy here with Lucia learning to sleep, her sister Clara getting used to sharing the spotlight and Diane figuring out how to deal with all three of us at once.

I've been working for the Mountain Sports School 2 days a week preparing for season kickoff, permit maintenance, and anticipating changes in a few of our operations. There's a bit of skepticism about what kind of a year it will be economically, but most agree: It will snow. If it's early and big, we can kick off the new Tram in style, but that's a wait and see kinda thing.

I've also been immersed in a number of PSIA initiatives, which has captivated my every spare moment, and then some. After, of course, that is, doing all kinds of things around the house. My favorite: watching TV and folding the clothes rivals cleaning up the kitchen and making cookies with Clara.

Clara goes to swim class and dance class and she's in day care/pre-school the other days, shifting to more days at the Kids Ranch at Teton Village which works well with my work days. I'm looking forward to the bus stops and crowded rides, along with watching her learn to ski.

Now, I'm on the cusp of leaving for Team Training at Copper Mountain, and our annual pre-training starting in the Fruita, CO area for some rollerskiing, dune skiing, StandUp Paddling, maybe even real skiing, and camping. Working with the new team over the next four years promises to be an amazing experience and I've got a feeling we're gonna get a lot done.

That's the news from our corner of the Tetons. Hope to see you in the valley...or in the mountains this winter!

food for thought...

Daily Stat: October 8, 2008 A Climate-Friendly Diet
The United Nations has called on developed nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. The production of food in developed countries accounts for a significant portion of their greenhouse gases -- an estimated 30% of the EU's total emissions -- and studies in the UK and the Netherlands show that the meat and dairy industries account for more than 50% of food-related emissions. A recent report by the UK-based Food Climate Research Network urges developed nations to reduce meat and dairy consumption by a drastic 70% so that global production remains stable as the world population increases. Here's what that would mean for an average Briton:



SOURCES:
The Guardian (UK), September 30, 2008

Cooking Up a Storm summary, Food Climate Research Network, September 2008

From the Harvard Business Review e-publications

Telemark Stance article - Narrow or Wide? - Find your Stance

Narrow-Minded or Wide Load?

Choose your stance width for the situation you’re in!

By J. Scott McGee

Starting your season with a focus on stance is always a good idea. And stance width may be something you’ve thought little about, but mastering its application in different situations can help you be a more stable and balanced skier.

The narrower stance (Left) is great for bumps and crud, where narrow troughs provide limited space. A wider stance in bumps might put the two skis on uneven ground, upsetting balance. In powder and crud the narrow stance lets the lead ski ‘break trail’ for the trailing ski, reducing the chance that it gets thrown around. In a wider stance the equal weighting required in powder is harder to achieve.

A wider stance like the one on the right widens your base of support, which increases lateral stability, and is especially useful on ice, or when carving, and as a drill to increase balance and range of motion. On hard snow and ice, width = stability, whereas a narrower tele stance can be a bit like walking a tightrope.

Carvers like tip their skis up, however in a narrow stance, ankles and shins get in the way and legs and skis may touch. Instead, use your inside ski to active manage lateral balance and to propel yourself into the next turn.

Wide stance drill:

Play with narrow and especially with wider stances to develop your set of options. Experiment in different terrain and conditions. Since most tele’er end up skiing too narrow most of the time, practice skiing wide a lot. Develop the edging and steering of the trail foot along with your ability to balance in the wider stance. You’ll have more options when the going gets tricky. Have fun!

J. Scott McGee works as Jackson Hole Mountain Sports School’s Sr. Manager for Nordic, Training and Guides in Wyoming. A former Telemark competitor, he now dreams of perfect corn on spring backcountry skate ski tours. Scott spends his summers guiding climbs in the Tetons for Exum Mountain Guides.

(reprinted from Ski Trax Issue Fall Issue '08)