Liz and I just returned from a long, grueling, nerve-wracking, and incredibly fun weekend trying out for the Steamboat Ski Patrol. We both are applying for "Pro-Patrol" as the paid patrol positions are called... though we'd be happy with Courtesy Patrol as well - which entails all the same responsibilities minus some of the medical first response and adding more snowmobile work.
There were 22 hopefuls in our clinic - which meant that we split into two groups. I was in group 1 and Liz - 2. It definitely worked out to not be in the same group together - being that we were all vying for the few open positions and it was nerve-wracking as it was without adding the stress of competing with your loved one. Plus we ended up meeting more people and socializing much more that way as well.
The tryouts consisted of two days.
Day 1 consisted of practice runs for everything that we would be doing on Day 2. The activities were this:
A ski test consisting of each group member skiing one at a time down various types of terrain while everyone else watched and the Patrollers assessed and "graded" our skills. We started the day with short radius turns down a groomed run. Moving on to fall-line skiing down "The Upper Triangle" - which is a short steep run that funnels into a small chute between a few pine trees. Off to long GS turns - followed by a cruddy bump run on which we had to carry our poles and a stick of bamboo down - to simulate carrying equipment and not using our poles in adverse terrain. We then went to Chute 1 which was steep skiing with soft snow. Finally, we had the bump run (I love bumps). The skiing portion of day one was in the morning for me which meant rock hard icy conditions with frozen lumps of snow from the previous afternoon's slushy conditions (aka frozen chicken heads - which is exactly what they look and feel like) however, the chutes were both still nice and soft as they're on the upper portions of the mountain. Day two skiing was also in the morning for me which meant 7 inches of fresh powder!! So all those same runs we did on day one were made much easier and nicer with a fresh coat of goodness.
The second half of each day was Tobaggon training which entailed running the tobaggons down both groomed and bumped runs unloaded and loaded. Skiing with a 65 pound sled behind you is interesting to say the least - now try to imagine that in bumps - and then - try stretching your imagination and add a person to that sled. Bumps with 225+ pounds behind you are not such an easy task... gravity and momentum are and are not your friends. It took the majority of the first afternoon to learn the ropes of how not to dig your tobaggon into the next mogul while not tipping it or making it an uncomfortable ride for your injured passenger. A subtle art of pushing, pulling and lifting makes the world go around.
Now try all of these tasks while being graded for your communication skills, line choice, placement, stability and smoothness of the tobaggon, and just your plain ol' ability to ski. Not easy. Mildy stressful. Hugely entertaining.
Liz and I both feel that we did well - they are posting the top 10 candidates tomorrow on the locker room door... assuming we both make it in the top 10 - the next step will be to wait and see how many positions they have available for next season... and they won't know that officially till late fall. Let the waiting begin.
Meanwhile - we are officially registered for our EMT/WEMT course given by
www.medicalofficer.net in
Crested Butte.
It was a great weekend - we're both exhausted. Oh, and did I mention, during my lunch break today I skied Fish Creek Falls with a few other Steamboat locals... mmmm knee deep fresh powder - 20 foot cliff drops - 2 ski length-wide chutes.... ahhh so nice. It's good to be in love, in the mountains, and in deep deep snow.
Let me also tell you - it's fun to introduce Liz as my fiance!
