Search the Community

This is really just an informative post, but if you feel compelled, please comment. The whole purpose of this post is to inform others about Blue Mountain racing and to inspire them to come out and participate. This is long, so continue at your own peril... Here is my background. I mention it only to give others with a similar story some hope. 1. I raced in High School back in the 1980s when ski racing was a completely different game than it is today. I mainly did NASTAR and local high school races at Chadd's Peak (150' vertical) outside of Philadelphia. In other words, I was just some hack like the rest of you. 2. I had no formal training or instruction, just a lone picture of Phil Mahre that Ski magazine would publish once a year to inspire me. My entire racing technique was based around a single still-frame photo. And people wonder why I still try to shoulder gates. 3. I stopped racing after high school. Heck, I stopped skiing for almost a decade. 4. I wanted to get involved again. What was someone like me to do? I was not brought up through the proper ski racing channels; I didn't know anybody that raced; I didn't even know where the races were held. Heck, I didn't have any friends that skied. I found Masters racing and ASRA, but these looked like they were for people that had raced in college or had been involved with a local youth racing program. I was intimidated and felt that these races were way above my ability level. I found myself wanting to get involved, but not knowing how. Enter Blue Mountain. In 2008 I started skiing on the weekend mornings at Blue Mountain. I saw all the Blue Mountain Racing (BMR) kids practicing on Razor's. I could tell that Blue was serious about developing talent for its racing program. I watched the kids and tried to emulate the turns they were making. Next I tried NASTAR. I hadn't been in a course in over twenty years. I think I may have won a Bronze medal. Then I found out that Blue was offereing an adult racing clinic on Tuesday nights. I signed up and participated for two years. Blue also offers a Monday night race league. Through this very website I was able to find others interested in racing and we formed a team. I went from a Bronze in NASTAR to a Platinum medal. Since then I have beaten pacesetters at Blue, Snowmass and Aspen Highlands. I qualified for the National Championships and went to Winter Park, CO to compete. I made new friends and I constantly challenge myself by racing. It definately adds excitement to my life. After a race I have been known to dream about knocking down gates when I sleep. I come around corners at work trying to pick the fastest line. I think I am hooked. The point of all this is to let others know about my story in hopes of inspiring them to participate in Blue's racing program. Take a clinic, come out for NASTAR, enter the Monday night race and compete against some of the best. If you want it, Blue has it. My final note is that Blue moved their race course to Razor's Edge this year. It is so awesome. You must challenge yourself against this course, it is that worth it. So come on out this year, you can find me up on the course on any given night. As Glen Plake said in the Warren Miller film, Cold Fusion, "You can't evolve...unless you are involved." These words were very true to me and Blue Mountain racing. I hope they find meaning for you too. Johnny 1984 (thirteen years old):