A conversation with Allison Gannett

We can learn a lot from Allison Gannett. In addition to being a world champion Free Skier, a ski film star, a ski designer, and a master instructor, Alison has dedicated herself to championing environmental causes,  tirelessly working to make our planet a better place. She's worked on the environment with Al Gore, started the Save Our Snow Foundation and The Office For Resource Efficiency, teaches environmental awareness with the Global Cooling Tour, and been named one of the Green All Stars by Outside Magazine.

Alison is also member of TheSkiDiva.com forum for women skiers, and she kindly consented to answer some questions for us.

Q: Many athletes are involved in supporting various causes, and I know you’re extremely involved in the environmental movement. Tell me what led you to become so active in this. When and how did you begin? Was there some sort of epiphany?

A: I have been involved in the environmental movement since childhood and especially college. I was an environmentalist, and worked on consulting for global warming for the last 20 years. My professional freeskiing career came afterwards. I did have an epiphany to blend my two careers when I injured both my knees at the X Games. I realized then that the ski industry was pretty shallow, and that I was just a number. I needed more, so I sought sponsors that cared about doing good for the planet, and that had ideals like my own. Everyone said I was crazy, but it turned out to be the best desicion I ever made. Seems like if you follow your heart and not the masses, things work out better!

Q: As part of this, I hear you’ve built a straw house in Crested Butte. Why did you build it? What were you trying to demonstrate or accomplish? How is it different from living in a conventional house, and is it something you see as really taking off? 

A: I've always been determined to walk the talk, so building my home was a natural place to show what is possible. Showing is always better than preaching. I built it in 1997, and it was the first straw bale home in a National Historic district - in Crested Butte, Colorado. I designed it and general contracted it. I wanted to show that being green doesn't have to cost more or look weird. That you can have your cake and eat it too - a beautiful non-toxic home, with super energy efficiency and insulation, built with local materials, and solar electric, solar hot water, and passive solar heating, also.

Q: Tell me about your Global Cooling Tour. What does it involve, where have you been, and where are you going? Does it take up a lot of your time? 

A: I started my official Global Cooling Tour two years ago. My aim is to educate the world on solutions to global warming, but doing it with exciting images and movies from my crazy adventures around the world. I work with individuals, businesses, events, communities, trade shows, and governments, teaching my four-step CROP framework for solutions to climate change. I work to show solutions, such as my Ford Escape SUV, converted to a plug-in hybrid vehicle that gets 100 miles per gallon, and the first SUV in the world powered also by solar power. I do many presentations around the US and all over the world.

Q: What led you to choose freeskiing over other types of skiing? What skill sets do you find most valuable for it? 

A: I was a bad ski racer as a kid, and also a mountaineer, so both gave me great technical skills. Many years later, I was discovered by Warren Miller's film crew, and that is how my ski career started. I never could stay inside the gates racing, so it was a natural fit to express myself more freely.

Q:  I’ve seen videos of you skiing down some incredibly hairy stuff in Alaska. Can you tell me what goes through your head when you’re doing something like that? 

A: The really hairy stuff takes some work, but I think my mountaineering background really enabled me to adjust to Alaska uber steeps easier than most. I could read terrain really well, and knew crevasse rescue and avalanche safety, and I was comforable being alone on top of a remote peak. It still is one of the craziest rushes in the world, but like anything, if you are prepared, it comes naturally. It still is weird having terrain so steep that you can't see your next turn, with all the snow pouring down around you, and literal free-fall between turns. I also loved showing the boys that women can really rip just as hard as the men!

Q: Is there a particular run or place that really scared the stuffing out of you? If so, what was it and why? 

A: I would get the most scared when the people I was filming with did not have avalanche training or big mountain skills, which was pretty much all the time. You are only as safe as your crew to save you if things go wrong, and that drove me nuts filming the sick stuff. When the avalanche conditions would get creepy, I'd get a sick feeling and I learned that it meant to pull the plug and hop a plane home. Lots of bad stuff usually went down when I left. But I also had some close calls with avalanches, and almost complete burials, when I wasn't paying attention to my gut, knowledge and intuition.

Q: I know you’re involved with Head skis. What do you like about them, and what do you ski on? 

A: I am on the Head Women's team - there are 14 of us, each from a different country around the world, and we get together to design the Head skis, inside and out. I don't think there is another company in the world that actually has skis designed for women, by women, and I love that. I like that they are easy to ski, yet fun, and the graphics are really cool. I usually ski on the Head Sweet One, which a fat skis that rips on the groomers, and of course is fantastic in powder and crud. Fat skis make me a hero skier, and will do the same for any woman wanting to expand her horizons. We are working on a super fat ski called the Head Bitchy One, and I can't wait!! It will be 110mm under the foot, but can also ski groomers amazingly well.

Q: What clinics will you be doing this year? When and where? 

A: Right now I'm doing the Head Rippin Chix Steeps Camp on Feb 14-15 in Crested Butte. It is open to women who tele or alpine ski black runs and goes up from there in seven levels. I sell out every year, and it was chosen as one of the three best camps in the country. I have special guest champion freeskier instructors, like Wendy Fisher, Carrie Jo Cheroff, Jill Sickles Matlock, and Susan Medville. I'll be working on several other camps also - check www.alisongannett.com for more info.

Q: Between your skiing and your environmental work, you've accomplished so much. What’s next? 

A: Well, saving our ecosystems such as our snow and water is a tough job, because it never ends. This year I had some great honors, such as training Al Gore's staff, and being selected as a Green All-Star next to Leonardo DiCaprio and Arnold Schwarzenegger, but the planet is in dire circumstances. My goal is to bring the message of solutions to climate change to Hollywood and the world, working to brand my four-step CROP solutions framework so that people are not so confused in what to do to make a difference. My athletics such as skiing and biking give my life real balance, as my enviro job can be pretty depressing. We are also launching a film on my adventures to document glacial recession in Pakistan this year, and that will be fun going to the big film festivals, while also getting the solutions message out there. I'm also working on educating politicians on solutions, because Washington seems pretty clueless on climate change. I also want to have some fun, by teaching more Rippin Chix camps. And I also work hard to prepare my life for what I predict will be a tough future - rising oil prices, more extreme weather, decreasing food availability, overpopulation, etc. I am working everyday to make my own life more sustainable.

Don't forget to CROP your life! remember my four east steps to greening your life:
C - calculate your carbonfootprint - www.carbonfootprint.com
R - Reduce your carbonfootprint - eat organic - Clif Bar, and local when possible, support companies making a difference such Patagonia, Osprey, and Smartwool, get an energy audit on your house by contacting your electric company, inflate your tires, take your roofrack off and by a high mileage vehicle.
O - Offset your carbonfootprint - www.carbonfootprint.com
P- Finally, after you have reduced your footprint, produce your own power with wind, solar, etc.

Q: What's your idea of the perfect ski day?

A: A remote hut in the woods, deep powder, tons of great food, my boyfriend, friends, or family.

Q: What's your favorite apres-ski meal? 

A: I have to say that pizza is my favorite apres meal, but I love chocolate chip cookies, also.

To find out more about Alison Gannett, visit her web site at www.alisonganett.com

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, the online home especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Save Our Snow!

Anyone who loves skiing should know about the Save Our Snow Foundation -- for obvious reasons. Lose the snow, and you lose something we skiers feel passionately about. After all, if there's no snow, there's no skiing. Just last year a ski area in France actually closed due to lack of snow (Abondance),

But as they say, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Nearly 50% of the world's drinking water comes from glacial and snow melt. No snow, and a lot of the world goes thirsty. Conversely, glacial and snow melt can drive up ocean levels, sinking low lying areas and submerging islands. 

There are other problems, too. Global warming can cause more extreme, unpredictable weather, leading to more severe, frequent droughts and storms. And it can allow warmer weather insect species to invade and devastate our northern forests and crops. 

As snow lovers, we can't just sit idly by and allow this to happen. Save Our Snow is a good place to start. The organization was formed to educate people on the problem of global warming. Believe it or not, there are some people who still don't believe this is a reality. Even the CEO of General Electric, whom I saw on the Stephen Colbert show the other night, remain unconvinced. (I'm shaking my head even as I write this; it boggles the mind.)

You can check out Save Our Snow or donate to the cause here. Every little bit helps.

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Do you wear make up when you ski?

Generally, no.

With my helmet, goggles, gaiter, and sometimes even a face mask, it's hard to tell if I have a FACE, let alone if I'm wearing any make up.

Still, I am getting older. So sometimes I'll cave in and put some on. If I know I'm going to skiing with a bunch of friends -- just so I don't scare them away. I know it's vanity. I know it's futile. But I'll do it, anyway.

Far more important than makeup, however, is sun screen. You can get a mean burn from the sun reflecting off the snow. Make sure it has a high SPF, and be sure to re-apply. And when you get off the slope, moisturize. The wind and cold temps can dry out your skin. Definitely worth it.

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Saving money on ski gear.

I don't know about you, but I'm always on the lookout for ways to save a buck with ski gear. So imagine my delight when the same folks who brought us SteepandCheap.com opened up Tramdock.com. It's just like SAC, except it's all about skiing.

How does it work? They sell one item at a time at a deep discount until it's gone. Then they introduce something else. Could be skis, jackets, sox, ski boots -- anything ski related.

Forgive me if this sound like a commercial, but it's too good not to spread the word. Check it out!

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

A talk with a boot expert.

Want to know what's new with women's boots? I did, too, so I went to talk to Shon Racicot, owner of Bootpro, a new shop opening in late September in Ludlow, VT.

Shon is one of the great bootfitters in the industry. He's been working with boots since 1986, and is a 15 year graduate of Masterfit University. He previously worked with Northern Ski Works in Ludlow, VT.

Q. Why is bootfitting so important?
A. I've always felt that the boot is the key component to comfort. You can buy any brand of boot, but you have to tweak it to adjust it to an individual's biomechanics and anatomy. That's key. Just like a ski; if it's not tuned correctly, it doesn't work, no matter how much it costs. The last 10% of adjustment is 90% of performance.

Q. Can you describe the difference between men's and women's boots?
A. It's driven by anatomy. Women typically have a narrower heel and foot, so women's boots tend to grip the heel a little tighter. Many women come in and say they have big calves, so their calves hurt in their boots. The truth is that women's achilles tendons are shorter, so the calf is farther down in the boot, and that makes it seem like they're larger, even though they're not. A men's boot is going to fit higher on the calf. So for women's boots, you want to make sure you have a scalloped calf.

Women also have a different hip angle than men. The new women's skis have the mounting point more forward because a woman's hip structure is farther back. This centers the hips over the skis. This can cause a woman to crouch, pushing the calf forward and really working the quads. It's like doing wall sits all day; your quads end up killing you. Women need to stand up straighter to support themselves skeletally rather than muscularly. The trick is to let the calf go out the back of the boot and maybe even elevate the toe. That can help you stand stronger.

Q. That's interesting. I've always heard that a lot of women need heel lifts to make them more forward over the ski.
A. Heel lifts can definitely work. But I've noticed that reducing ramp angle in a ski boot can help you stand taller. Everyone is different. It could be driven by the new shaped skis, too. You're very upright, and you want to lead into that turn with the shovel of the ski. With the old skis, there was a lot of dynamic motion where you had to start at the shovel, work to the middle and end at the tail. Now it's a very stable position with more subtle movements. Then again, heel lifts may work for some women. Everyone is different, depending on anatomy and biomechanics of the skier.

Q. So what's the latest in women's ski boots?
A. One of the biggest innovations in ski boots is the co-molding of plastics where you can have a soft plastic co-molded with a stiff plastic. So in the zones of the boot where you need rigidity and edge transmission you put the hard plastic. Then you put in softer material where you need the flexibility that allows the skier to suck up terrain and make subtle changes without throwing the ski. Women's boots can now be made softer, with easier flex.

Atomic has a very good program with its new Hawk series of boots. These have a suspension-like system in the forefoot that allows the boot to really steer the ski. It's softer, so it allows better edge transission. It's like an accordian in the forefoot.

We're also seeing new materials in the liner, so the boots are warmer than they've been in the past. Some are actually using wool in their liners. Lange is even using quilted down. Some boots have it just in the toe, and some in the whole liner.

You can get in touch with Shon at his new shop, Bootpro, by phoning 802/228-2776 or by emailing info@bootpro.net

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

The Ski Reviews Are Coming Out!

And that's a sure sign that ski season is coming, too.

All the same, pardon me if I don't get too excited. The reviews in SKI and SKIING magazine, for example, are hardly reviews at all. Not one negative comment about any ski (can't upset the advertisers!), and some lines are completely left out (where are the Head skis in SKI magazine? I LOVE Head skis!!!) To be accurate, they should really call it a Gear Listing; more accurately, a Partial Gear Listing, since they left out so much.

For better reviews, go to RealSkiers.com. You have to pay to sign up (I think it's twenty bucks for the year), but you get much better reviews. Or women can check out the Gear Review section on TheSkiDiva.com, where real live skiers like you and me talk about skis they've tried out.

Of course, the best way to determine whether a ski is right for you is to try it yourself. No review in the world can be a substitute for that!

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

We're almost at 1,000 members!

It hardly seems possible, but TheSkiDiva.com, the internet home for women's skiing, is nearly at 1,000 members.

This is especially exciting, because on September 4, the site celebrates its second anniversary!

If you haven't visited or registered at TheSkiDiva.com, now's as good a time as any (but please, women only). It's a great place to talk about all things related to women's skiing -- travel, gear, technique, and so on -- in a setting where you can be entirely comfortable. There's nothing else like it on the web, and it's a wonderful community made up of women who share your love and addiction to a fantastic sport.

Stop in and register. Maybe you'll be our thousandth member!

Appreciating the Summer Olympics.

Yes, I am capable of appreciating summer sports. Michael Phelps is amazing. And Dara Torres has become a personal hero of mine (41 years old! She rocks!).

So here are some of my random thoughts about the Olympics:

Wasn't that the most amazing opening ceremony ever???? Stunning. Incredible. Eye-popping. These don't even begin to describe it. If you haven't seen it, find a way to. You won't be sorry.

Michael Phelps is incredible! Probably the best swimmer of all time! That said, I wish NBC wasn't turning its coverage into the Michael Phelps Show. I mean, there are plenty of other athletes there, too. It's a bit much.

What's with women's beach volleyball? Why do they wear bikinis and the men wear shorts and t-shirts???? Am I the only one who finds this odd???

How does one get to be an Olympian in some of these sports?

The American women had a clean sweep at fencing: Gold, Silver, and Bronze! Go USA!!!

Those synchronized divers are amazing. How do they do it???

Some of the Chinese women gymnasts look like they're 8 years old.

All in all, the summer Olympics are an amazing display of what talent, ability, and incredible hard work can do. Every athlete there should be congratulated. I salute them all. And I'll keep tuning in.

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Summer camp: It's Not Just For Making Potholders

To most people, summer camp brings to mind sing-a-longs, doing arts and crafts, and toasting marshmallows over a campfire under the stars.

Not the case for rippin' skiers. For them, summer camp means time to hone their skills at Mogul Camp.

One of the women who participates in TheSkiDiva.com just got back from the Momentum Adult Mogul Camp in Whistler, BC, where she spent a week working with some of the ski world's best coaches. The camp is run by John Smart, a 13-time World Cup medalist, 2-time Olympian, and Canadian Ski Hall of Fame member. You can read about her adventure here. But be prepared to turn green with envy -- it looks like an awfully good time, especially if you're as ski-starved as I am right now.

Mount Hood has a summer mogul camp, too. It might be too late to sign up for this year, but how about next?

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Women's Ski Reviews: '08/'09

Check out my articles on About.com!

There are two. The first, "Selecting Skis for Women", explores the differences between men's and women's skis and discusses things you should keep in mind about when you're looking for a new ski. The second, "Women's '08/'09 Skis," reviews some of the skis you'll see in the new season.

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Do you make your kids wear a helmet?

A lot of people do. Yet some of these same people refuse to wear one themselves.

I've heard all the arguments: I don't fall much, I don't ski fast, I'm very careful, It's not comfortable, etc. etc. etc..

Look, whether or not you wear a helmet is a personal choice (though in my opinion, a misguided one). But it doesn't set a good example for your child if you don't wear a helmet and you make them wear one.

This past season my husband fell in a very easy area -- he just caught an edge and went down -- and his head hit so hard that his helmet cracked. I shudder to think what would've happened if he didn't have one on.

All kids should wear helmets. All patrollers and instructors should wear helmets.

In fact, I think everyone should wear helmets.

They're not just for kids.

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Ski the Fourth!

The Fourth of July weekend may seem like an odd time to think about skiing, but here are some random thoughts to help you make it through the summer:

Loveland Ski Area starts making snow in just over two months. Go here for an actual countdown to the big day.

Snowbasin is celebrating the Fourth with a ski and snowboard race. You can sign up and race, if you like. Go here for more information.

You can always get your ski fix satisfied at some of the great internet ski forums, where they talk about skiing all year long. If you're a woman, try this blog's sister site, TheSkiDiva.com, the premiere internet community for women who love to ski. A terrific forum for everyone is EpicSki.com. And if you're European, try Snowheads.com.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Give me some leeway here....

It's the off season. So permit me to brag a bit:

My husband's novel, Finn, has been named a Notable Book of the Year by the American Library Association. They only name about ten books for the year, and of those ten, invite maybe three authors to address their annual convention.

Jon is one of them.

He's off to Anaheim, CA, this weekend to receive this tremendous honor. And I couldn't be more proud.

Finn was also named one of the year's best novels by The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and The Christian Science Monitor. And it was a finalist for the John Sargent Sr. First Novel Prize, and the recipient of Philadelphia's Athenaeum Literary Award.

So if you're looking for a great read, look no further. Hey, you gotta fill up those off season hours somehow, right?

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Raise your hand!

Want to volunteer at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics?

The Vancouver Organizing Committee is looking for up to 25,000 enthusiastic, dedicated volunteers who can help out before, during, and after the Olympic Games. A couple things to keep in mind, however. You must be 19 years old before September 1, 2008. It's strongly recommended that you have your own accommodations. And you'll have to pass a background check and numerous security clearances, before you're accepted.

Still, imagine the opportunity to be right there, in the midst of all the athletes, the games, and the glory!

Anyone interested must register with VANOC (the organizers of Vancouver 2010) before the end of June this year. Go here for more information.

Do we have any takers?

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

It's always ski season somewhere.

I know an instructor here in Vermont who spends half the year instructing at Okemo, and the rest of the year teaching in Australia. For her, it's endless winter.

It is possible. You could ski all year round, if you like. While we're sweltering in the heat, ski season is getting underway in New Zealand and Chile.

But if you're looking for something really exotic, how about Africa??

One doesn't usually put skiing and Africa in the same sentence, but this morning I read about Afri-Ski, a ski area in Lesotho, an African kingdom surrounded by South Africa. The area features a single slope a kilometer long. It's been open since 2005, and bills itself as the largest in Africa. Some 10,000 guests visited Afri-Ski in 2007, and 15,000 are expected this year.

So how about a trip combining a visit to one of Africa's Game Parks and some African turns? Would that be cool or what?

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Will The High Cost of Gas Put A Crimp In Your Skiing?

A very good question, indeed, with gas already over $4. a gallon in many areas of the US.

I live within five miles of my home mountain, so for me, the high cost of gas won't keep me away. But most people don't live that close. For them, it could push skiing out of their reach, especially when you combine it with the high cost of the sport, in general -- equipment, lift tickets, and so on.

The effect this will have on the ski industry can't possibly be good. Ski areas depend on ski visits for profits. And if people cut down on their visits, it'll make it harder than ever for resorts to make money. What's more, ski areas need fuel, themselves, for basic mountain services. Could we be seeing more cutbacks? Even higher lift tickets? Forced closures?

I shudder to think.

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Women's Ski Jumping Takes A Fall: Part 2

There may be hope yet.

Last week a lawsuit was filed in the British Columbia Supreme Court on behalf of some of the women ski jumpers.

“Women ski jumpers meet all the technical and universality requirements,” said Deedee Corradini, Women’s Ski Jumping-USA (WSJ-USA) President. “There are certainly more than enough qualified women jumping from more than enough countries. The women are ready and we have tried to communicate that to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but to no avail. We were forced to conclude it is a matter of discrimination and decided we had no choice but to launch a lawsuit.”

The lawsuit names the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) as respondent, Corradini said. The statement of claim asks the Court to allow women’s as well as men’s ski jumping events to go ahead in Vancouver in 2010. The individual plaintiffs include six of the top 10 internationally ranked female ski jumpers in the world, including athletes from Norway, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and the United States. Marie-Pierre Morin, a retired Canadian Ski Jump National Champion and Karla Keck, a retired American National Champion are plaintiffs as well.

We'll have to keep an eye on this. Not to allow these women to compete is beyond the beyond. Good luck, ladies! We're rooting for you!

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Women's Ski Jumping Takes A Fall.

When I first posted about women's ski jumping almost exactly two years ago (see Jump for Joy), it seemed like its inclusion in the next Olympic games was imminent.

Boy, was I wrong!

Instead, the IOC has recently decided NOT to include Women's Ski Jumping at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, even though in 2006, the FIS voted to add an individual event in the 2009 World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic -- a necessary step to the sport attaining Olympic status.

IOC President Jacques Rogge said, "We don't want the medals to be diluted and watered down, that is the bottom line." He argues that the international sport only has 80 competitors worldwide, and that allowing them to participate in 2010 would dilute the value of the medals. But according to the president of Women's Ski Jumping USA, Rogge's numbers are wrong. She says the US has at least 150 jumpers nationwide and that Norway has between 500 and 600 female jumpers! That gives ski jumping more seasoned competitors than women's bobsled and skeleton had when those sports were added to the Games in 2002.

You can sign a petition to help get these deserving women a chance to compete. Go here

And for more info on Women's Ski Jumping in the US, go here.

Let the women jump!

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Are you still skiing?

Sadly, I'm not.

My season here in the Green Mountain State ended on April 15.

But some lucky people out west still are.

Still open:

Snowbird, Utah til June

Araphahoe Basin, Colorado

Mammoth, California

Squaw, California

Timberline, Oregon

Mount Bachelor, Oregon

Brundage, Idaho.

Some of the women from TheSkiDiva.com were out at Araphahoe Basin this past weekend, and had phenomenal conditions.

So if you're still taking turns, take one for me.

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.

Here's to you, Ski Moms....

.......for all you do. Making sure everyone has the hats, goggles, ski pants, boots, etc. etc. they need on the slopes. Dressing and undressing the kids. Assembling the lunches. Hauling the equipment. Harboring a secret stash of tissues/sun block/chap stick/energy bars for that unavoidable emergency. Accomodating multiple bathroom breaks and all the dressing and undressing that go with 'em. Providing encouraging words after a fall. Driving to and from the ski slopes. Attending ski races. Wiping noses. Wiping tears. Administering first aid. Putting on and removing boots/jackets/gloves/helmets. Making sure nothing gets left behind. Arranging ski lessons. Making sure the kids wear helmets.

For all you do, ski moms, for all your unwavering love, devotion, and support -- we salute you!

And to my own mom, who doesn't ski and never did, here's to you, too. Thanks for supporting my skiing when I was growing up, and for continuing to support it -- without ever asking 'why' -- now that I'm an adult.

Happy Mother's Day!

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.