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There really aren't enough good things to say about the fantastic trails and skiing conditions at Shanty Creek Resorts, as we gathered for the 41st International Ski for Light, or, for what has become one of the best, extended family reunions imaginable.... There was something behind the magic of the smooth and gentle 5-K, and the more hilly and challenging 10-K trails, though, so the party was in the works long before most of the SFL contingent descended on the Lakeview Hotel in Bellaire in late January. Jeff Pagels, John Peiffer, and Doug and Lynda Boose had made their way to Shanty Creek in March, 2015, in order to work with the resort's general manager, Pete Bickford, and later, with Shanty Creek's groomer to optimize SFL's skiing experience. Their efforts paid off in universal praise: Those of us who sit-ski, as well as those stand-up skiers wanting a more leisurely time of it rejoiced over the gentle ups and downs of the 5-K trail, and sit-skiers were also thrilled that they could ski more throughout the week because the trail had been designed in part to meet the needs of MIPs relying almost solely on upper body strength to propel their skis. The 10-K was likewise pleasing; always well-groomed, and studded with some challenging, exciting hills! Shuttle service to and from the ski area was superb, with the hotel's being just a few minutes' ride from the hours of great skiing. Lunch service at the cafeteria was complimented by all, and the Lakeview Hotel's staff was outstandingly courteous and helpful in all aspects of their service and assistance throughout the week. Of course, some folks were able to enjoy their skiing because they were committed enough to show up at the much-lauded stretching classes led by Doug Powell... the SFL fitness guru, every morning at 6:45! Others of us cherished that last, lingering bit of pre-breakfast calm before the non-stop fun and camaraderie filling the rest of our days. While that latter group of us rubbed sleep out of our eyes and tried to jump-start things with some desperately needed caffeine, Doug's dedicated stretching class would be the most upbeat people in the breakfast buffet line. The hot tub, steam room, and sauna were well-populated after each ski day, and the resident massage therapist was kept quite busy throughout the week. The evenings were filled with some fun gatherings (like the one hosted by Diane Brunswick and Glenn Beachy), and Nancy Stevens led a couple great jam sessions in front of one of the hotel's fireplaces, where rousing folk music was sung, played, and otherwise enjoyed by all! On the night of the silent auction, a lively and entertaining deejay played some great tunes, and one of the more unexpected moments occurred when several of the guide dogs present were allowed to "dance" right along with the rest of us, having the permission of their handlers and being off-duty at the time, naturally! Another of our ski week traditions, Norway Night, was met with the usual combination of attentiveness and enthusiasm: Festivities featured traditional costumes, an interesting presentation on Norwegian history and culture, a moving testimonial by deaf/blind athlete Harald Vik, and one of the more offbeat yet cherished SFL traditions, a giant snake dance, everyone with hands on shoulders winding through the dining room and swaying to John Denver's "Country Roads." Julie Coppens's spirited, articulate announcing/deejay skills kept us all riveted as she delivered meal-time updates on trail/weather conditions, and on our daily schedule of events. The only, real "downer" of the week was that it had to end and, though the Granby event is nearly a year away, many of us feel that it can't come soon enough!
The wise people who do the difficult job of matching skiers and guides at each event follow a few rules of thumb: they try to avoid repeating matches from year to year; they do their best to create pairs with compatible goals as stated on their applications (whether to ski recreationally, competitively, or somewhere in between); and they tend to match first-time participants with veteran guides, and vice versa, which helps to break in the new folks. Here are two perspectives on SFL 2016 from just such a skier-guide pair: rookie Anmol Bhatia, who was born in Mumbai, India, and now hails from Seattle; and 19-year guide and SFL board member Julie York Coppens, who lives in Juneau, Alaska. Despite their origins on opposite sides of the globe, and a wide difference in skiing experience, Anmol and Julie developed an instant rapport out on the trail-we could hear their wide-ranging conversations and shared laughter from across the meadows at Shanty Creek, and every day it was clear that Anmol was becoming a better skier.
Anmol: I first learned about Ski for Light in 2010, and the thought of going skiing really excited me. I applied to attend the Ski for Light International 2011, which was held in Granby, Colorado-the same place it will be held in 2017. I was accepted then; however, since I was just starting my Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling program at the University of Arkansas, I decided that I could not justify missing a week of school to go skiing.
Julie: Darn it, Anmol! You missed a great event, and one of the worst race-day blizzards we've ever seen.
Anmol: After that school and other work commitments always seem to get in the way. However, this year I decided that I better do it now or I may never be able to do it and I am glad I took a week of vacation and came to Shanty Creek, Michigan. My guide Julie York Coppens was extremely fun, cheerful, and very patient. It helped that she was the event's announcer and a very popular person at Ski for Light.
Julie: OK, I don't know who Anmol was skiing with, but it couldn't have been me.
Anmol: It also helped that her husband [Ken Leghorn] was one of the instructors, and through both of them I learned the art of skiing.
Julie: True, I think we both learned a lot from Ken. I remember spending one morning with you in the practice tracks, working on diagonal stride. Ken could see immediately what you were doing right, what great balance and flexibility you already had. He knew that with a just a few adjustments-getting that rhythmic arm swing going and working the flex a little more in your knees and feet-you'd be able to really glide. You were listening so carefully and trying so hard to put all those points together, and then bam, you were gliding, just zipping down the tracks! It was awesome to see how much your technique improved and how much faster you were skiing every day. And then during the Rally you amazed everybody, including me, by skiing totally clean and beating your estimated time by almost half an hour, finishing at 1:12! I know that in the Rally you're supposed to come in close to your estimated time, but we were just cooking with too much gas. You should have gotten a prize for that.
Anmol: The entertainment in the evenings was just as exciting with dances, the trivia night, the comedian, and socializing at the bar. I really learned the art of cross country skiing and got a wonderful workout at Ski for Light International 2016. Next year I am looking forward to an equally good time and expect to expand on what I learned.
Julie: Yep, I think we are all going to have to watch out for you in Colorado! Congrats, Anmol, on receiving a grant from the Puget Sound Regional that will help fund your trip to SFL 2017 - it is much deserved, and you're a great new ambassador for that active group in Seattle. I know you will do them proud, and I will share some of that pride as your first SFL guide. You made my week.
Cross-country skiing is the recreational activity that I desire most. Living in Alaska, you may think that I have a lot of skiing opportunities. On Kodiak Island not so much, unless I put skins on the bottom of my skis and hike up a mountain. The average rainfall here is over 70 inches a year at sea level. Besides I am accustomed to skiing on great tracks since joining SFL and my favorite bunch of friends and skiers on the planet! This year, though, I was in for a surprise. So it's three days before the 2016 event in Bellaire, MI, my orthopedist tells me that I am not to ski due to a chronic knee injury. He says that I am not 'safe' to guide! Reluctantly, I concede to the fact that I am not skiing this year. Sadly, I send my regrets to Lars Johanson, the guide coordinator, and instead offer to serve behind the scenes. Then I experience an epiphany. On the wall of my office hangs a poster of one of my mentors, Jeff Pagels, towing a sled full of gear while donning a full pack up a mountain, on a sit-ski. I've looked at that poster every day for the past 15+ years. It says "Always Climb Higher!"- Jeff Pagels, Adventurer (Also the title of his recently published book). Hmm... maybe I can sit-ski this year!! The first night at SFL is brimming with excitement. I always look forward to seeing my dear friend, Dianne Brunswick, who is an accomplished athlete and an experienced sit-skier. She also happens to be the MIP coordinator. After telling her about my predicament, I nonchalantly mention that it may be 'Fun to sit-ski this year'. Dianne's eyes light up and she says 'Meet me in the MIP room'! It turns out that an extra sit-ski is available, broken, but not for long. With a bit of ingenuity (and super glue) Tim Byas reattaches the binding to the ski; I am ready to hit the tracks! A week of skiing with Dianne Brunswick and Kristen Johnson...priceless! Logistics, jetlag and learning something new equal a rough first day out. We ski 5k in the afternoon and call it good. Kristen says that learning some technique will make it easier. Dianne is glad that I am joining her as a fellow sit-skier this year. She shares her skills and guides me, by the end of the week we each ski about 18K. Dianne asked me to compare my sit-ski experience to traditional skiing. For the most part, it feels the same to me, except it's a better work-out. Gliding along the flats, speeding down hills, enjoying the outdoors and spending time with healthy friends is all the same. But, there are a few eye-openers. Sitting near the ground in a sit-ski with vehicles and buses pulling up next to you is daunting. Even worse is inhaling the fumes because the exhaust system is at nose level. Maneuvering the sit-ski to the start of the trail is a work-out in itself. Heck, if you tip over, it's a major time delay. Perhaps the most enlightening observation is the way some non-SFL skiers respond to me on the trails. One recreational skier greets me with a pitiful expression. It dawns on me that he believes that I am a true MIP. So for a brief moment, I am a MIP; yet, it reminds me of another story, another time.
You see, many years ago, I was hit by a car. After a week in the hospital, I managed to make a near-total recovery. I am forever mindful it may have been otherwise. We never know what the future holds; life can change in an instant. On the Shanty Creek trails, I was just a momentary MIP, but the experience will remain with me forever.