Have a question or comment for me? I love emails, expect when they’re junk. Those are yucky. As long as you’re not a robot, I’d love to hear from you. Email questions or just say hello at kimjkircher (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Have a question or comment for me? I love emails, expect when they’re junk. Those are yucky. As long as you’re not a robot, I’d love to hear from you. Email questions or just say hello at kimjkircher (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Hello I’m a Ski Patroller from a small hill in Fairmont BC and i was just wonder if you are going to be doing the week ski patrol training anytime soon because i would like to participate. I love my job and want to continue to get better at it.
Chris,
Isn’t patrolling a great job? What training are you referring to? At the beginning of each season we conduct an in-house training for our own team. Could this be what you are talking about? Also, the ski patrol director at Crystal offers avalanche courses through Northwest Avalanche Institute. They are well worth the time and money.
Yes i love patroling it is an awesome job and i won`t ever give it up. and i`m acually just looking to go to whistler and maybe get some tips and what not to better myself at my job. Whislter would be a good place to go cause im sure there the best and i know some people there so i would not need a hotel. as for avalanche courses i don`t require that cause there is no alalanche threat at the hill where i work. So if you know of any kinda of course or something in whislter that i can be part of that would be awesome cause i want to be the best i can be at what i do
Chris,
I suggest contacting the Whistler ski patrol. They might be offering a seminar. Other sources are the National Ski Patrol http://www.nsp.org and the Assoc. of Professional Patrollers at http://www.propatrollers.org. Good luck!
Kimmer, loved reading your reply in Off Piste Mag. your words were sharp and to the point and I liked the way it read. Your choices of words at time reminded me of the snap of a whip. Well done.
See you in the hills.
BillB
Bill,
Glad you liked it. You can imagine my reaction to the original article.
Best,
Kim
Hey Kimmer, Diane and I would like to get (buy) two books for the kids (Nicole, Peter) and would like you to sign them to them. Whats the best way to do this? I’ll be up this weekend? Cheers
B
Perfect. I will have two copies for you this weekend. See you soon!
Kim:
I just had two women in my wine store in Truckee, CA, visit me and talk about what you and John have accomplished at a mountain where I left a good part of me. When they found out I had been a former Patrol Director and Mountain Manager there, they thought we may have known each other. In any event, carry on with the many things you are doing in improving the Mountain, and the patrol, but do me one favor please, “no chairs in the South Back”. Thanks
Jim,
Not to worry about a chair in South. As I have told my husband, that one is not an option! I love it just as it is. So you live in Truckee? Do you still work in the ski industry at all? The wine business isn’t too far away…Glad to know that our influence at Crystal extends beyond our little valley.
Best,
Kim
Kim, I used to work at Crystal too. I ran the Kid’s Club. I moved to mammoth and now working in Tahoe as a ski instructor. I have met you and John many times, once even in Mammoth. My son Michael Heinz is an instructor at Crystal now, following in Mom’s footseps.
My prayers will be with the search for Melby and the vollies who are searching. God Bless, and my best to John. MO Jacoby
Mo,
Of course. Thanks for your well wishes. We are praying for the best.
Kim
Hey Kimmer, good write and read in Off P, enjoyed it.
Thanks Bill. High praise indeed!
Hi Kim, really love your blog. I am a Patroller at two hills in Southern California, Mt Waterman and Mountain High. My base is Waterman which has a long and storied history going back to 1939. It is also the steepest terrain in SoCal and where Warren Miller learned to ski. Tons of side/back-country. Anyway, I am stunned by the beauty of Crystal and its lines. Will definitely stop by on the next ski tour up there. Do you guys do the guest patroller thing? Check out our powder on the web site (in LA?) and join us if you are in Southern California. / Mark-NSP#236864
Mark,
So glad Crystal is on your list! Let me know if you make it. We can arrange a patrol exchange.
Best,
Kim
I have no problem with the extended season included in the new pass. Question is, do you have to pay the gondola upgrade also? If so, then I have some issues. Keep up the good work.
Hello Kim,
I received my clarification back from Liz that since Crystal has kept our Silver pass cost the same for 2 years, we have indeed received enough compensation already, and why don’t we upgrade to a bronze if we want to keep skiing the Spring season. But it appears to me that Crystal is changing the rules. We pay early, we buy the gondola, yet are not included in the midweek days of Spring skiing, without actually paying the additional 99.00$. Crystal is supplying the attitude, and expecting our gratitude. Please reconsider this. We have been loyal skiers since 1974 and I was even on Patrol in ’76. We are only talking about a few days. Liz also states that the Bronze would give us weekends! We don’t ski weekends as it is way to crowded for us, and every ski friend I know, has been hit during the midweek, so why increase this risk on the weekends. But it is the principal of the change that seems to smack of Corporate policy. I’d like to hear from you personally and hope that this would change to include us on the midweek days, as it has always been in the past.
Thank-you.
Jan,
I forwarded your message to Tiana (not Liz, I think you’re showing your years at CM there) as I felt she could best answer your question. I’m not entirely sure I understand what you’re asking. Are you asking for your current season pass to be included for the spring season? If so, do you understand that all passes, not just Silver, end this Sunday?
Are you asking us to stay open this spring during the midweek? If so, it doesn’t take much imagination to understand how risky that would be for us. Traditionally, as soon as the sun shines around here, most skiers and riders start golfing or gardening or riding their bikes or a million other things they’ve waited all winter to do. Just by extending our season these two months on the weekends, we are taking a big risk. We have our fingers crossed that skiers and riders will still come up and choose Crystal over other activities.
Or are you wanting to buy a Silver for next season and wishing this spring was included in the price. If that’s the case, Tiana answers that well. Silver passes are kept low in gratitude to our midweek customers. And ironically, midweek skiing is not only the best deal going, it’s the best skiing as well. I can’t tell you how many people I talked to this season who skied for the first time midweek and realized what they’d been missing all these years. Each one of them vowed to ski more midweek days next year. In your extensive history at Crystal, you’ve certainly figured out the system–ski midweek when it’s cheap and the crowds disappear. You definitely get your money’s worth Monday through Friday.
That’s why I’m not sure I understand your question. You seem to suggest that we don’t appreciate you or undervalue our midweekers in some way. Do you honestly believe that? We’ve always felt you guys were the lucky ones, the privileged ones getting all the goods. If only everyone could adjust their work schedules to ski midweek, they certainly would. Quite a bit of thought and risk has gone into our spring season pricing. There’s even a chance that it doesn’t work. If we can’t make enough money to cover our costs, it won’t work. That’s just business.
Our greatest hope is that we are able to keep it going for a few more months. We want people to continue to enjoy the mountains, including the new gondola, for a few more months, extending the experience as long as we can. That’s our biggest goal here. We just want to keep the lifts turning as long as possible. Isn’t that what we all want?
Hey Kim (and John)… Just had to make a comment on your last post when I noticed that you listed Bali as the first place to further your surfing prowess. Not saying it was intentional, BUT… you know you got at least one friend here, at least for a little longer. I’ve been missing the snow and the extended family at Crystal. Let me know if you guys do plan a trip and hopefully see you in this hemisphere or the other soon. Keep up the good blogging as well, I enjoy your writing and think your book will be fantastic. Ciao!
Aaron,
Thanks for checking out the blog and thanks for the offer in Bali. Watch out. We might just ask you for a little tour–JK has been researching Indo online since we got back from Costa Rica. It’s been a good season at Crystal this year. The gondola has really changed this place. The walk-on traffic exceeded our expectations and the Summit House has grown. We have apres ski and first tracks breakfast on weekends. Now John is envisioning a new building up there someday that could have both a nice restaurant and a more casual bar with apres menu. The old Summit House could be turned into small euro-style rooms. I used to spend weekends up there as Jack, and I can attest to how cool it is. If we could ever get that done, the waiting list would be a mile long.
I will be in touch if we decide to go to Bali next month. Where are you? We want to surf, dive and check out the culture. Any recommendations?
Best,
Kim
Kim,
That would be an amazing idea and you are right, there would be a waiting list like no other for rooms at that place. The beauty of having a bigger facility up there would also be the groups that you could host for private events. A friend of mine who works for the tourism board was inquiring about how big of space we had up there. Can you imagine the groups that would come!? We might have to build a proper heli-pad in the base to add even for allure. Ha Ha… I’m located on the southern tip of Bali, a place called Seminyak, which is a “suburb” of Kuta. The whole Island of Bali can be driven North to South in 3-4 hours and east to West in about the same. There are amazing breaks right down the street from me and they pretty much run the whole coast. Talk with Gerry and Andria about great diving spots, I’ve only been snorkeling at a few places and they were fantastic. I would happily play tour guide and can even set up lodging and some fun little getaways…. You guys will fall in love with the laid back, yet everything in reach lifestyle that is Bali. Keep me in the loop and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. Make a few extra turns for me and have a good spring season.
Willis
Aaron,
This is getting serious. We’re coming. Are you around next month? Is the surfing going off right now?
The surfing is ok right now, but picking up daily…. the winds are changing and the breaks coming back to this part of the island. Next month should be a sweet time to come down, I have a good friend who use to work with all the locals down here setting up surf excursions and finding just the right spots. As long as you dont mind being seen in a Rip Curl or Billabong van you will be sweet. Haha… I’m “locked” out of my crystal email right now, hopefully back online this weekend, so can happily communicate better through regular email when that is back up. How long you guys thinking of staying?
Hi Kim,
Sorry if my communication was so confusing. The issue is this: ( hopefully I can state it more clearly) If we buy a Silver pass now, it does not cover any of the midweek days of operation for this new Spring season. This is a new change, not having ever occurred, to my knowledge. So we do not get to ski the Thurs. or Fridays of the Spring season. We are excluded. I realize that the logical thing to do would be to buy the Bronze, which is what I think is intended, bringing greater early revenue to Crystal.
As to us mid-weekers getting the goods for a lower price. I made that my lifes principal, to structure my life around more free time, and the many years of work at Crystal reflects that. Needless to say, this has not made me rich! But it is a lifestyle choice, which most will not do. But because of this choice, I am listed as privileged. Yet my car, my home, also reflects my choice. Nothing new, just old and cherished!
I am excited about the extended season, having skied till August back in the early 70′s. And yes, the ‘Liz” slip certainly dated me!
Thanks for the outlet to express concerns and opinions. It’s appreciated.
Jan,
Thanks for clarifying your question. Indeed Tiana did as good a job fielding that one as I could have. I wholeheartedly support the guiding principal in your life to eschew money and ski more often. I, too, made a similar declaration when I quit my teaching job and became a full time ski patroller several years ago. Before I met my husband, my only “home” was the back of my pickup truck. So I get it. The good news is that if you buy the Bronze in order to ski this spring, you can also use it next season on those odd, non-busy weekend days early season and late season. At 100 bucks, it’s the equivalent of 1.5 day tickets, so between the two months ahead of us and the weekend days next year, you can most likely make it work for you.
Alternately, if you still can’t afford to buy the Bronze, I have another option. This Saturday is the Bikini Downhill, and the motto is “skin to win”. The fastest man and fastest woman win a bronze pass for next season!! This could be the answer!! Check out the website for details.
Well, I still have a problem with the fact that this is an exclusion to any Silver pass holder and it is a new policy change. There probably aren’t that many of us, and you want us to pay more. This is why I state that midweekers aren’t valued when they are the cheaper pass holders. This exclusion validates the statement.
Hello there,
I was wondering if you had any upcoming competitions which we could get involved in?
I am in the Business Development Team of Habilis, a provider of virtual assistance services. We have a few customers who are readers of your blogs and many who read blogs such as yours and I thought we could offer our My Hab 40 plan, which is a dedicated Virtual Assistant for 80 hours a month to the competition winner on your blog. That’s a prize of $350.00. you can learn more about this plan at http://www.ihabilis.com/your_services_priceplan.php
We have been covered in Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, PC World and many more. You can read these reviews on our site – http://www.ihabilis.com.
Thanks for your time and look forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Rachel Shirley
rachel@ihabilis.com
Thanks for your article in the latest NSP magazine. I appreciated it and enjoyed reading it!
Larry Ward
Hurricane Ridge SP
Thanks for reaching out Larry. So glad you like the article.
Dear Kim, I found your blog by accident (always nice when that happens) and admire you and your writing. I got the Kindle version of your book and am looking forwarding to reading it. Is there a difference to an author whether the consumer buys a real book or Kindle version? I hope not too much if any.
Best,
Vicki
Vick,
So glad you found me. Thanks for buying the book (either kindle or paperback works the same for the author). I’d love to know your thoughts once you read it.
Best,
Kim
Comment on helmet legistlation: I think that word of mouth should be sufficient. My ski bus Good Time Skiers had a picture taken of about 20 of us a few years ago to promote helmets. We all have stories of how wearing a helmet has saved us, we share them very readily. We still have holdouts but slowly but surely we are getting everyone we know to wear the helmet of safety. Judy
Thanks Judy. I agree that word of mouth is best. Let’s keep the legislation out of it.
Just a qjuick note to let you know our interview will air in just a bit (11:01 AM CST), WEd Oct 12, 2011, streaming through http://www.kfmg991.org on my show, The Culture Buzz. Many thanks for a great interview, Kim. Best,
John Busbee
Thanks John. It was such a pleasure talking with you. Your support and friendly tone made the interview one of my best.
Hello Kim. I enjoyed listening to your interview with Bill Kenower at authormagazine.org. Congratulations on the publication of your memoir. I am writing a memoir and seeking representation. It is always encouraging to read of a writer’s success and to know our stories have a space in the world. All the best to you and your husband.
Nikki,
Thanks for stopping by, and good luck on your memoir. I love your blog: Investigating what the souls knows. How wonderful. I found my agent and editor at a writer’s conference (PNWA in Seattle). Have you been to one? I suggest choosing one based on the agents and editors present as well as the opportunity for participants to mingle and pitch to them. It’s much better than trying to break through the slush pile. Best of luck. Now I’m off to explore your blog.
Thanks for visiting my blog. I have not been to a writer’s conference yet, but I will begin looking for some in my area. An author friend is helping me with my pitch and may recommend me to their agent- as I see this is one way to get to the head of that slush pile.
Again, congratulations and enjoy the journey your book will bring you.
Nikki
Hi Kim
Here is the link to the frightening video of the tree well rescue. It is at the bottom of the page.
http://www.ridgeexplorations.com/component/content/article/55/96-tree-well-rescue-strap.html
Hope you are carrying your strap and I hope more people carry them. We are working on a photo/video shoot demonstrating its uses.
Please have a good day.
Don Langlois
Hi Kim,
When will I get my book I ordered on Dec 2, 2011?
Nikki,
I sent it already. Let me check my records. Seems like it should have been there by now.
Happy Valentine’s Day Kim:
Your site looks great. Thought you might like to the article about the snowdance phenomena. Also have some insites a tribal Elders about why the Pacific Northwest has the most snow! Congrats and Blessing, Suzy Chaffee
http://www.sportsfeatures.com/presspoint/pressrelease/53087/valentines-day-can-help-restore-snows-to-hurting-u.s.-ski-areas
Hi Kim,
This is Maria Cepa from the WoW backcountry clinic. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to talk with you last Saturday. I have been following your blog for a while and I know all the passion and love you invest on keeping the slopes safe and enjoyable for the rest of snow fans. And this is also true to all the amazing ski patroller ladies that kindly took us out for a unforgettable touring day. Lot of fun, learning and good new friends.
Thank you and hoping to see you all very soon!
xoxo
Maria
Maria,
I so enjoyed meeting you, and I’m glad the day was fun and fruitful. I look forward to seeing you again up at Crystal.
Kim,
I just ordered one of you books for a friend and co-worker whose husband is battling bile duct cancer here in Amarillo. I hope that you do not cut and paste the inscription request verbatim? I noticed on my e-mail confirmation that what I typed appeared there and it got me thinking. Please tell let me know if I need to make a change to my request or if you will take care of it?
Thanks,
Marshall