January 12th 2011, Summit West -- WAC program

It was the first night of the six week Washington Alpine Club / Mountaineers telemark/randonee program and despite the rain we had pretty good session with a total of about sixty skiiers braving the conditions. Which actually were not that bad -- there was a lull in the storm right around the start of classes at 7:30PM and only intermittent precipatation for most of the evening -- with it being more snow like later on.

The Summit did a great job of grooming the Summit West slopes just before opening at 4PM -- making teaching begginning and intermediate skiiers feasible. -- Off the groomed runs the top shin deep gunk with the ice crust on top was less than pleasant skiing.

The Summit did a great job of grooming the Summit West slopes just before opening at 4PM -- making teaching begginning and intermediate skiiers feasible. -- Off the groomed runs the top shin deep gunk with the ice crust on top was less than pleasant skiing.

Perhaps less than pleasant, but good test of skills for those who consider themselves excellent all terrain, all conditions skiers.

60!!!!!!
Wow, our sport is experiencing incredible growth.
Is that in line with past years or an increase??????

60!!!!!!
Wow, our sport is experiencing incredible growth.
Is that in line with past years or an increase??????

This years numbers are about inline with the last several years -- the peak season was in the late '90s when there were about 80 students in the WAC program on Wednesday nights and about 60 students in the Mountaineers program on Thursday nights.

About three years ago the WAC and Mountaineers programs were consolidated onto Wednesday night.

A few years earlier was when Randonee sections were added -- Randonee students are now about 1/3 of the students. Essentially the randonee lessons are alpine lessons -- except the instructors do have at least some randonee experience and the students are folks interested in randonee skiing.

Some of the instructors are TAY posters.

Some of the instructors are TAY posters.

As well as some of the students 

How are the tele class sizes\skill ranges?

I was considering trying to get on the program this year but opted to teach at Summit Central Freeride Friday's instead (where I teach a great group of 6 kids all level 5ish alpine).