Saturday January 20, GO for Dryland 1 PM

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January 20, 2024 10:20 AM

Dryland Training this afternoon, Saturday, January 20th is a GO at 1 PM. Dan says so. It is winter out there. A bit of wind and hopefully the snow makes an appearance. Come on up if you are a new support member and need some orientation time or a kid that has never been on snow. Dryland gives new people a head start on Week It is not a requirement, just a help.

Don't be late. Follow the parking instructions below.

SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE, DRYLAND 1PM Saturday. Newbies come once is all it takes. Don't be late! Instructors do their best to get the show started right on time!

Dryland is an extra time for kids who are just starting. This is the first lesson taught to kids new to skiing and boarding. We need all the instructors to be here showing the kids the right way to do this and make their first day a positive one. We used to hold this in Idlewild Park. Mine (1967) and my kid's (2000) first turns were down the little hill by the baseball field, skiing on grass covered in goose poop. A few years ago we decided there might be a better first experience to be had. Now it is on snow at Sky Tavern.

While the kids are learning the basics, the new support members will be learning where and how they are part of the TEAM that runs the mountain. This is when you find your first Sky Tavern "job". All the department heads will be here to answer all the questions and get you into the Sky Tavern family.

You only need to be here one day! Saturday members, we'll see you Saturday. Sunday members, we'll see you Sunday. This is not written in permanent ink, just a guideline. We are splitting the start because trying to keep the ratios way down of instructor to kids.

January 20-21:1 PM Start . Repeats each day The new folks only need to pick one to attend.

Dryland

(Level 0 beginner, have never been on snow)

This is not a requirement, just extra help and kiddos get into the groove faster. This is for ALL new to the sport kids. SkyKids, Grommetts, regular program. All kids, skiing and snowboarding.

You will need helmets, skis or snowboard, boots, and poles. Kids will be on the snow. Instructors teach the basics. Gear on, gear off, walk, fall, get up. safety and your first run down the beginner slope.

Make sure those boots still fit. If not, come up earlier to see Colin about gear.

No bus service this week. That starts up Week 1.

New Support Member Orientation

1 pm -3 pm

This helps people find their positions and roles to help run a ski area for the season. Parents and support members, this meeting is for you while the kiddos are in their lesson. This is class organizing, parking lot, kitchen, lodge help, front desk, etc. Bring all your questions. We don't toss you out to run a ski hill until you are ready.

We get everyone's name on a signup list so we have an idea who is where, and when. Yes, people change positions. Yes, we need to run the area all day. Yes, it is fun.

More below about jobs but first we need to get here. Sky Tavern is not where Google and Apple say it is. Head up the Mt.Rose highway past the Tannenbaum Event Center. Two more miles and around the 180 turn that ends in a big uphill. It will be slippery even in summer. The road maintenance station is on your left. A few hundred yards ahead is the Sky Tavern sign. Don't turn there. That is the OUT. Go to the next entrance 100 yards further ahead, Top of the Mountain Sports building. Turn right and follow the road into the parking lot.

Parking is a big task at Sky Tavern and how it goes sort of sets the mood of the day. Please come in the second entrance, by Top of the Mountain Sports, park close, and follow instructions. Dryland is about 60% of the number of cars on opening day so practice, please. The Lodge may seem small, but the parking lot is small.

KEY POINTS for Dryland:

• First-time kids and instructors bring your skis and boards. Time to get on snow.
• Your car is your lodge. Please keep bags in your car.
• Arrive early. We will be starting at 1 on the dot with the kids.
• The biggest limiting factor is the parking lot. Please come in the second entrance by the rental shop and follow your neighbor directing you.
• Park tight. Do it quickly but safely.
• More instructors mean more fun for kids. Even if you didn't sign up as an instructor come give it a try. Sky Tavern needs more instructors!
• The kitchen will be open with a simple menu!

This is where you fall if instructing is just not right for you even after you tried. The real power here is the Moms and Dads of Sky Tavern, not unlike the rest of the world. They have put together a list of jobs and tasks. There are lots more and most of you returning parents have a pretty good idea of where you fit in. There are Dads that have been in the kitchen for years and Moms that have run Class Organizers equally as long. Go there even if the list is full. We need experience this season. Yes, you can move around. Talk to the front desk Mom with ? on her vest.

All of these positions are vital and nothing is written in granite except for this, everyone helps! If you hide in your car or in the lodge on your computer, you will be called out to help. Stuff goes on all day. Helping Brenda clean the kitchen in the afternoon is just as important and needed as checking lift tickets at 9. There is no such thing as someone else's problem and please treat all the kids as your own.

Going over all this is what Dryland time is for the adults. The signup link is below. You can add your name now or after getting all your questions answered this weekend. Spots on the signup sheet may say it is full but we will still need help. Returning people know this sheet is just a "guide". We need to start somewhere and it usually takes a few weeks for people to find their place, get comfortable, and make new friends. Most returning members know where they are going so sign up.

When you are at Sky Tavern during regular days and have a question find the Ambassadors with the ? on their vests. They are the go-to people for everything. We need lots of returning members to become Ambassadors BTW.

Have fun. Make it fun. If it's not fun, try again.

Examples and not all the tasks needed.

Indoor Jobs Front Desk, Speciality Sales, Kitchen, Lost and Found. Keeping the Lodge picked up from all those kids.

Outdoor Jobs Lift Line, Class Organizers, Scanners (those two work together). Parking lot. Instructing. Moving a Support Member to an Instructor is a goal. If you have a Grommet or SkyKid you are an instructor in that program.

-No Buses this Weekend, 1/20 and 1/21-

If your pass says "BUS STUDENT OR BUS SUPERVISOR" you will get an email with more info about tickets and processes.

January 27-28 Tentitive. Weather, weather, weather. Snow, Snow, snow

Week 1 - This is when all the fun starts!

I say it every year and truly mean it. You are about to create the coolest thing ever. It is just not done like this any longer anywhere in this sport. The age of pay and play is here to stay, but the acts and efforts of building, and creating have so much more value. By the end of the season, you will believe that your making Sky Tavern go is so much more than if you "bought" Sky Tavern. It is going to be amazing.

Bill

The bullet points of survival vs. flourishing.

• There is a huge amount of moving parts. It will seem like chaos just exactly like Week 1 for the previous 75 years. Everyone finds their way and place. Don't Panic to quote Douglas Adams.
• Do not worry if the badges have not shown up in your mailbox yet. We have a way around it for opening weekend. Passes can be picked up in the lodge throughout the day. We would rather see kids in class than wait for a pass in a line at 9 AM. We can deal with this. Go to class.
• We start lining up classes at 8:30 after we raise the flag. Go to the blue signs for your level and sport. (Level1 Skiing)
• Lifts start at 9:00.
• Classes last for two or more hours. Make a meeting spot for your kids.
• Buses Load at 2:30. Being late back to the bus gets around at school on Monday.
• Lift close at 4:00. We work really hard to stick to these times.
• The biggest limiting factor is the parking lot. Please come in the second entrance by the rental shop and follow your neighbor directing you. Get here early. Park tight. Do it quickly but safely. Drew needs help in the lot. 7 AM start time. Coffee is free that time of day because I made it.
• More instructors mean more fun for kids. Support members. Even if you didn't sign up as an instructor come give it a try. Sky Tavern needs more instructors!
• If you want to instruct, Dan is the mentor of instructors and he can be found in the back room usually. A little loud, camo pants, and big whiskers. Love him. Find him. What we do is have you follow someone for the first day. It is easy. There are more support members than needed to run and fewer instructors. This is a community effort. Stretch a bit. Get kids on snow. Why we are all here! Sky teaches to teach.
• Please no hoarding of tables in the lodge. There are timers on the tables. They are for real.
• Smile and laugh and remember to tell me that too. This is FUN. Keep it that way.
• Helmets on everyone skiing or riding
• No snowplow parents out on the snow. Please let instructors do their thing. Go ski, go help SkyKids or the kitchen. Adriaan setting up the BBQ has more stories than a Greek philosopher. Meet him.
• If you have not signed up for a job there will be a list of things to do on the whiteboard by the lunchline. It is going to expand and contract as the day goes on. Just check it out, and listen to the announcements of where we need help. Again parking is the first place we need help. Do it and call it good for the day.

.

Our new to us snowcat thanks to the Santo Family. We added fuzzy dice in memory of Tony who was a gaming giant. It has a winch to pull it up the mountain. So amazing! It is going to change how we groom.

There was a lot in this email. Maybe a mistake or two. Click the picture to see our Risk Manager Tom in his acting debut, Sky Tavern Safety Video. Actually, we need everyone to watch it says the insurance people.

Bill

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