TR - ESA Stowe 2010

Sorry I can't make it this year, but definitely get those pics up as soon as you can so we can all enjoy the ESA!

Your photographer is pretty slow on the uploads. Go wake him up, OK?

So far it has been fantastic.The snow has been some of the better quality than we have seen at Stowe. I have a bunch of pics..over 500 so far that I will clean up on the flight home then post the best ones. 

We would like to thank all the attendees along with all the people who donated prizes,K2 skis (free pair of skis, as usual) Transpack (bootbags), StartHaus (Gift Certificates), Terry Ackerman/Slidewright (Rotobrush),  Mike Egan and Bud Heishman (Full day private lessons) and Black Diamond Sportswear for contributing a portion of the vests!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philpug 

have a bunch of pics..over 500 so far that I will clean up on the flight home then post the best ones. 

Yikes! Take your time then.

stoked to see them (well not all 500!)  Did you get any fresh?

Did the 'BWPa-guided powder-skiing-bonanza off-piste adventure' happen already, or is that scheduled for tomorrow?

Dear Eastern Bears,

   I am so sorry that due to an unfortunate confluence of events, I was not able to join you all this year.  I am sitting here feeling very sorry for myself and wishing I had been with you this weekend. I have been to the last 7 Stowe events and was hoping to keep the streak alive.  Alas, I sincerely hope to be with you all next year.  I hope you all had a great time, but I have to say this is the lamest ESA Trip Report I have ever seen.    I was hoping for some vicarious pleasure but.....where are the Photos, the inuendo, the rumors, the drinking, the demo reports....the implied carousing, the boot fitting sagas and the normal effluvium of generosity and good will.  Wake Up guys!!!   What have you all been doing these past two days???

  So, Happy Holidays to you all.  I wish all the best for the coming Season.

-Richard

Stowe ROCKED!  

Thanks to a great group Emily, Monty, David, Marcia, Colin!  

woot!  Stowe was a lot of fun, even if I had to bail out a little early this afternoon.  That's what I get for going to a clinic on my 2nd/3rd days on snow for the season...

Special thanks to Bud for the fitting ideas, Chris for the tactical advice in the bar, and Mike "Milky" Egan for an awesome couple days out there.  Feeling really stoked for the rest of the season.

I could've passed on the zero visibility off the gondola and ice chips in the face this afternoon on the summit, though.  Still, one of those 'good day on the slopes beats a bad day everywhere else' deals. 

Finally, some pics. I know everyone is waiting for pictures, we have about 800 from the three days, along with video from every group. Chris and Bob have all the raw footage at this point but I did want to post a few tasty treats...

We are on the way back and I wanted to post up a few pics between flights. I will try to get some more up as soon as I can, our connection might be snug.

Here are a few more here... http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=315153&id=540901137&page=2

WOW!  Some great skiing going on there!!!  Nice job on the photos Phil.  Conditions look awesome too. CHEERS!!!

Who won the K2 skis?

Another truly amazing weekend with the best bunch of skiers to be found anywhere!

I had the honor and privilege of skiing with Bob Barnes and a great group of excellent skiers.  Bob's an amazing coach (but most of you already knew that) with an ability to create a focus build on it over the course of the weekend.  I left with several of those big "Aha!" moments and some new focus and purpose for the upcoming season.  I even (finally!) figured out Bob's classic "backward bicycle" animation for the moguls.

While conditions were certainly early season and the open trails limited, we still managed to find some pretty awesome runs with great conditions on both days.  Temps were warm, which helped to keep the snow soft and the skiers comfy.  Even with a wet, nasty day in the forecast for Sunday the weather gods gave ESA a break with snow coming down into the early afternoon before the rain and sleet moved in.  The smiles on the faces of wet skiers coming into the lodge at the end of the day was a real testament to the success of the weekend.

A special thanks as well to Chris, Phil, TrekChick and Tog for their time and effort spent to support the coaches and pull the whole weekend together.

I'm now officially stoked (or is that Stoweked?) for the upcoming season ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldEasternSkier 

Another truly amazing weekend with the best bunch of skiers to be found anywhere!

 

I had the honor and privilege of skiing with Bob Barnes and a great group of excellent skiers.  Bob's an amazing coach (but most of you already knew that) with an ability to create a focus build on it over the course of the weekend.  I left with several of those big "Aha!" moments and some new focus and purpose for the upcoming season.  I even (finally!) figured out Bob's classic "backward bicycle" animation for the moguls.

Now that you've had all these "aha!" moments, it sounds like I'm going to have to start bringing my "A" game to our Wachusett ski-togethers. 

I actually did not ski with Bob Barnes for a change, although our two groups did ski a few runs together.  Instead, I spent the weekend in the company of Mike "Milky" Egan (and Matt, Gaby, Bob Binder, and the Three Apostles -- Peter, Paul and John).  Milky is an experience in every sense of the word -- a very funny guy, and a truly amazing skier.  I just loved watching him and then trying to come close to the lines he would take.

As OES said above, Bob Barnes' bump-skiing technique is largely based on the back-pedaling technique.  Milky's bump-skiing is largely based on the "when in doubt, air it out" theory.  The guy doesn't spend much time with his feet on the ground.  I did try airing out a few myself, but my ability to land in balance needs a little (ok, a lot of) work.
 

Would someone identify the skiers in the photos, please? 

Another great ESA come and gone!  As usual, we had the opportunity to "sink our teeth" into skiing and get some instruction to start our season off on the right note.  The socializing with old friends and meeting new friends was fabulous, as well.  I also was in Mike Egan's group -- after the initial trepidation of skiing "with an Egan", I was able to appreciate his somewhat Zen approach.  His style of coaching is more tactical than technical, and I look forward to adding his pointers to the technical foundation that I have gotten from previous ESAs.  The drill with holding a balloon between our legs while skiing was as enlightening as it was entertaining!

Peter (I forgot his last name) was in my group and won the K2 skis.  He was a new-comer to ESA, and visibly improved and smoothed out his skiing during the weekend.  The other raffle prizes were great also.  Marcia won a Transpack boot bag, and I won a gift certificate to Starthaus.  Thanks to all the folks who donated these prizes! 

I am looking forward to getting back on the snow to practice and play, and Marcia and I are certainly looking forward to ESA in Snowmass in 1 month.  Thanks to all the coaches and to the organizers for doing a great job!

I am featuring ESA A-Basin & Stowe in tomorrow's newsletter--will YOU make the cut? Tune in to see!

Quote:

Originally Posted by bud heishman 

Stowe ROCKED!  

 

Thanks to a great group Emily, Monty, David, Marcia, Colin!  

Bud, I can only speak for myself - but what a blast! We had a great group and had alot of fun. I'm looking forward to getting back out on snow this weekend and see how much has made it from my brain on down into my feet! I cant believe how good the snow was - even though we never made it over to mansfield, we had room to work on a bunch of different techniques and a variety of conditions to work with. Both good skiing and good for us skiing all at once!

TC: are you sure he was actually standing still? The shutter speed on teh DSLR is pretty darn fast. I'm postive he was not actually standing still for much longer than it took to push the button!

Such awesome instructors and students - it was great to see old friends and meet some new ones and so glad that the weather cooperated!! See ya next year!

Thank you everyone for the reports and especially to Phil for the Pics on Facebook. Ahhhhhhh, I miss you guys!

Rich - I'm with you . . . next year for sure!

Stowe ESA was great, as it is every year.  Educational, fun and entertaining all at once with a great group of people.  It's always nice to meet some new people and see many old friends.  Thanks to Trekchick and cgeib for all the organizing, Philpug and Tog for the great video and all of the coaches for edumacating us.  The snow way exceeded expectations.  I was lucky enough to be in a great group with Bob Barnes and certainly picked up a few things to focus on throughout the season, specifically - making sure I'm centered on my skis, getting my body properly countered and finding purpose in my turns to be more aggressive.  I can't get back on the snow soon enough!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcusFire 

Thank you everyone for the reports and especially to Phil for the Pics on Facebook. Ahhhhhhh, I miss you guys!

 

Rich - I'm with you . . . next year for sure!

Marcus, good to hear from you.  I will definitely look forward to seeing you next year and best of luck for a great season.

The generosity of the donors contibuted greatly to the success of the raffle -- the humor though, that was all pure Phil Pug! Thanks to the sponsors!! And the vests rock ... fit great under a poofy for when the Philly weather decides its time for winter and we return home to low 20s! Thanks guys! :)