To:        All Tri-State Race Programs, Interclub and Buddy Werner Programs

From:    Andy Maslow and Rich Tingle

Date:     2/10/08

This will be the 12th year for our summer ski program at Mt. Hood for Tri-State and Interclub racers and parents !!!  Once again we are going the first two weeks of August and with the huge snowpack that has accumulated by the end of January, there is little question that the conditions will be excellent again during our sessions. 

As in the past we have made arrangements for a group from Tri-State to attend a summer ski camp run by Mount Hood Summer Ski Camps, whose management is the oldest and the most established at Mount Hood and whose coaching staff is of the highest caliber.  Arrangements are made for Tri-State coaches to attend to help supervise the racers both on and off the snow.  Because of the overwhelming success of the camp, we are again making similar arrangements this year for attending summer ski camp August 3-August 16, 2008.  Our group will receive a special rate for each of the two weekly sessions during this period.  A special Tri-State application is enclosed.

Over the last eleven  years our group included hundreds of Tri-State racers and included some parent campers as well.   By nearly all accounts, these sessions have been a great success. A very high percentage of young Tri-State athletes qualifying for the Junior Olympics had previously attended camp with our groups at Mt. Hood.  We have skied with some of the best ski racers in the world.  The kids who attended vastly improved their skiing.  In fact Daron Rahlves, Ted Ligety  and  Julia Mancuso all attended as young campers!  The coaches for the Tri-State group included several world cup coaches and former and current racers who set examples that that few Tri-state athletes (and parents) get to see during the winter.

Each weekly session will include 5 days training (Monday-Friday), one day free skiing (Sunday) and one day off (Saturday).   Typically, kids attending summer ski camps are 12-16 years old, although kids as young as 9 or 10 occasionally attend.  Additional weeks may also be available. Parents of racers 10 and under are encouraged to come with the young racer.

Campers will stay in one of the two Mount Hood Summer Ski Camps lodges. The location is at Wapinitia, 5 miles east of Government Camp on US Highway 26. The main lodge has 6 sleeping rooms for counselors and kids, ski room, wax room, storage and game room in the basement, dining room and kitchen serving the best camp food in the area.  They also have basketball hoops, two skateboard mini ramps, volleyball, a clay tennis court and the only soccer field on the mountain.

Arrangements are also being made to allow parents to stay at the Mount Hood Inn in Government Camp, and optionally ski at Mount Hood, have meals with the camp and attend after-skiing activities.  We have found that this works very well for the younger J4 and J5’s.  It is also possible for parents to actually attend the camp.  There will be an adult only group.  You need not be a racer to attend, just an intermediate skier.  In the past, adults have had a great time. Some ski in the morning and play golf in the afternoons!  One parent liked it so much he came back in September to celebrate his 50th birthday on skis!!  He has returned every year since.

Afternoon activities are required and are fun: white water rafting, rock climbing, trampoline, soccer, cliff jumping, hiking, mountain biking, volleyball, windsurfing, paintball, softball, golf-cage, unicycle, challenge course and tennis (MSSSC has their our own clay court).   Where else can you ski and whitewater raft in the same day?! Adults can attend activities but usually rest, or play golf or tennis.  A great golf course is only 15 miles away and it is easy to get tee times on weekdays.

Evening activities include: video analysis with your assigned coach, ski tuning, skateboarding (MHSSC has  3’ and  6’ mini vert ramps), ping-pong, basketball, and volleyball.

A weekend camping and surfing trip to the Oregon coast will be available and has been a big hit in the past (cost was about $100 which included wetsuit and surfboard rental).   Otherwise, Saturdays at Mount Hood Summer Ski Camps are used to rest, clean up, work on laundry and do some sight-seeing in Oregon.  Nearby popular locations include Hood River in the Columbia Gorge (Windsurfing capital of the world), Clackamas Town Center (a mall with movies and a skating rink) and Kahneeta (a resort on the Indian Reservation with a pool, tennis courts and a golf course). Sundays are easy ski or snowboard days while new campers are being picked up at the airport.  An afternoon activity is planned for each Sunday. 

Racers train on Palmer Glacier where they will have training areas on both the upper steeper section and the flatter slopes of lower Palmer. Technical drills and free skiing will be emphasized on the first days of each week, followed by slalom and giant slalom training. FIS full (60 gates) courses, dual slaloms, and drill courses will be set with the use of Breakaway gates. The more advanced racers can elect to be in a group which will have ten full days of extensive training in slalom and giant Slalom on the Palmer Glacier, with the emphasis being on line and tactics.

Courses are salted to give each racer a variety of changing snow conditions on which to test their technique. Daily video tape analysis with two cameras and numerous playback machines gives each racer the opportunity to further their improvement on technique and tactics. 

All meals except lunch are served at the lodge. The food is great! Skiers make their own lunches each day choosing from a large assortment of sandwiches, juices, fresh fruit and cookies.

The special Tri-State weekly rate will be $945 for the first week and $905 for the second week.  This includes: airport ground transfers, lodging, meals, lifts, coaching, video, and afternoon activities.  Airfare is not included.

Space is limited so anyone interested in attending or receiving more information should contact either Rich Tingle or Andy Maslow by April 1, 2008 at the address, phone numbers or e-mail above. A video about the camp is available on a VCR tape or DVD.

Ski fast and have fun!

Sincerely yours,

Andy Maslow and Rich Tingle

P.S. You can see a nice video about Mount Hood Summer Ski Camp at:

www.mthood.biz/videos/promotion_video.html

Dear ski racing parent,

Summer ski camp is not only for kids!  And it is not only for active racers!  Why should our kids have all the fun?

For over 12 years now we have been taking large groups of kids to Mt. Hood Summer Ski Camps. We have also seen and participated in the adult programs ourselves and can assure you that all the adults go home happy, tired and much better skiers.

It does not matter at what level you ski.  At Mount Hood you ski on perfect terrain for any skier, nearly perfect conditions and you are surrounded by skiers and coaches who are the best in the world.  You may have noticed that at home our ski racing kids are the best skiers on the mountain.  Not so at Mt Hood.  At Mount Hood our kids ski in close proximity to so many top ski racers it is inevitable something (technique, inspiration, attitude) seems to rub off on them….and it can for you too!  There is nothing like this during the winter at any ski area in the country.

The adult program is flexible and is an opportunity like none other at home.  Your level of skiing is sure to improve.  You don’t have to race to ski like a racer.  Have you ever noticed how much fun ski racers have when they are free skiing?  It written in their body language as well as on their faces.  Well this can be you too!

And skiing at Mt. Hood in the summer is only half of the day and only half of the fun.  It is winter in the morning, 7AM-Noon. But when you come down from the mountain (it’s a six mile uphill drive to the bottom of the lifts) its summer. Great golf courses, private clay tennis court, windsurfing, trout fishing, white water rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking are typical activities for the afternoon. Not to forget taking a well deserved nap for us old folks.

If you let your kids tag along with you for a week, here is a suggested schedule:

Saturday:  Arrive in Portland. Rent a car and drive 1 ½ hours to Government Camp.  Get demo skis (they are free from the ski manufactures reps who are set up in town usually through the first week in August).  Check into the camp lodge which is 5 miles from past Government Camp.  Ask about golf, tennis, fishing, windsurfing, swimming, etc.  Explore.

Sunday: Morning:  Breakfast at 7-8AM at the Lodge, make your lunch to bring up the mountain and head up to ski on your own.  Don’t forget sunscreen.  It a good way to acclimate and get used to the routine…which starts earlier on Monday.  Eat lunch on the mountain about 11 AM and head down about 12:30.

            Afternoon:  Drive to Hood River, take a hike around Trillium Lake, get demos, take your kids on the alpine slide. Explore some more while you still have some energy.

Monday: Breakfast at the Lodge at 6:30 AM….make your lunch and rush to the mountain to get some warm-up runs before your group begins at 8:00.  This morning routine is repeated Tuesday-Friday

            Afternoon: Your group will do an afternoon activity with your coach or you can choose to rest, play golf, tennis, etc. Your kids will be going with their coach on an afternoon activity.

Tuesday: Afternoon:  Sign up with your child to go white water rafting, cliff jumping or rock climbing.

Wednesday: Afternoon nap (or play nine holes of golf or tennis if you think you have some energy) before the all-camp picnic and barbecue at a local State Park..  Join the staff/coach/parent team as they attempt to beat the campers in a softball game.

Thursday: Afternoon: sign up for rock climbing, cliff jumping or white water rafting if you had not previously gone.

Friday: Afternoon: Take your kids to the local alpine slide, or take them on a short trip to Hood River to watch or join the windsurfers and kiteboarders, etc.

Saturday: Travel day (your kids may want to stay on for another week if they are old enough)

For more information go to www.mthood.com and click on  Family Camp” or  “Adult Camps”.  We encourage you to come for one of the Tri-State sessions, August 3-9 and August 10-16 when the weather is usually perfect and the crowds on the hill are down and a Tri-State discount is available.

If you are interested in attending or receiving more information feel free to contact either of us

Sincerely yours,

Andy Maslow and Rich Tingle

P.S. You can see a good video about Mount Hood Summer Ski Camp at:

www.mthood.biz/videos/promotion_video.html