Wengen Group Arrives, Sunday March 15

Sunday, March 15

The 2009 Ski Masters Euro group has arrived and settled into snowy Wengen. The group is jelling and acts as if they’ve been together forever. In fact, of the 33 travelers only three are SM Euro rookies.

As for the trip over, it can be considered a success in that 31 of 33 people arrived as planned. And, of the 31 that arrived, only one bag was missing. Robin Callan, the victim, hopes it will be found and make its way to Wengen but….

As for the missing couple, the Geists, their final arrival was a tale of intrigue and adventure involving, as they said it, planes, trains and automobiles. British Air canceled their flight which forced a late arrival. The bus was long gone when they arrived in Zurich so they schlepped their bags down to the train station at the airport and grabbed the last train to Lucerne. Once there it was a short taxi ride to the group hotel where they arrived at 10:30, only three hours behind the bus.

Their quick trip was abetted by the fact that, thanks to British Air, they didn’t have to carry their skis. They have yet to arrive.

The first dinner was “spoon free” as the infamous spoon had not yet been unpacked. But, judging from conduct witnessed the first day, spoon worth candidates should not be in short supply.

Rooky Eva Sabo, for example, was impressed by the giant snowballs stacked beside some of the barns until Claudine explained that they were actually plastic covered rolls of cattle feed or silage.

Tom Naden, a trip veteran, made a spoonish confession at the inaugural dinner. On his last trip to Wengen, clad only in his underwear, he had stepped onto his 5th floor balcony to enjoy the view. To his dismay, a breeze slammed the door behind leaving him stranded in a chilly and awkward position. Risking a tragic fall (as he describes it) he went over the rail, around the partition to the neighboring deck and snuck through that room to the hallway and back to his room. His adventure went undiscovered and thus unspooned on that trip. But his conscience, and a belief that there is a statute of limitation on spoon stories, compelled him to tell the story to us. With his conscience clear he is now ready to be spooned in 09.

So, now it’s on to our first Wengen dinner and then, tomorrow, on to the ski slopes. Both weather and snow look promising.

Wengen Awaits; Ski Masters Departs for Switzerland Ski Country

It won’t be long now. In less than two weeks the 2009 Ski Masters group will lift off for the annual ski adventure. As of March 4th there was snow in the forecast for the Wengen area, the first stop for 2009. The beautiful Beausite Park Hotel awaits our arrival.

Those that cannot make the trip this year are invited to visit this blog on a regular basis and read reports from the “field!” As the resident blogger I will do my best to file frequent reports allowing you to enjoy the trip vicariously. It won’t be as much fun for you but you won’t gain as much weight from the fine food and drink.
So, it’s off to Europe and away from the daily reminders of the latest Dow Jones figures.

Claudeen Lyle; Leading Ski Masters to Wengen and Alpe d'Heuz

Continuing the legacy of her predecessors, Ron and Lenore Lyle, Claudeen Lyle's European ski trips take guests to some of the finest European ski resorts in a seamlessly executed program that maximized the visitor experience.

How does she do it? First, she is a natural leader, giving clear direction and insuring that all the important details are taken care of before the trip begins.

Second, she is a fabulous skier who can help the guest find the right slopes for their level of experience.

Third, she uses her vast knowledge of European cuisine to steer the guest to the finest hill side dining establishments.

Fourth, with a concern for safety and comfort of guests she strives to bring home as many guests as she takes on the trip, however she gets them to the plane.

And finally, she is a consummate professional.

The 2009 trip to Wengen and Alpe d'Heuz promises to be another wonderful experience. Interested? Contact Claudeen at smetrips@gmail.com

Alpe d'Huez France; Second Stop in 2009

After 25 years of European ski trips you would think Ski Masters would run out of new places to go. Not so. For 2009 Claudeen Lyle has added Alpe d'Huez to the itinerary. I can't pronounce it but it sounds like a wonderful area. Here is the scoop on the place, compiled from web sources:

Alpe d'Huez is often overlooked when people think about French resorts, which is a shame as it has all the attractions of doorstep skiing in modern apartments combined with a picturesque old town.

These two areas drift seamlessly into one another with lifts going up in a 360-degree pattern, while a clanking people mover, like a string of dustbins dangling from a wire, connects through the middle.

Alpe d'Huez sits at the top of the most famous stretch of road in the Tour de France, 21 hairpin bends over 14km (9 miles) at a height which tends to counter the effects of the south-facing slopes.

The 245km (152 miles) of runs go up to a glacier and down to a couple of old villages, with much in between for everyone from ski-together families to experts.

Mountain facts
· Resort elevation: 1,860m (6,100ft).
· Top elevation: 3,320m (10,890ft).
· Base elevation: 1,120m (3,670ft).
· Number of lifts: 84.
· Number of runs: 123.
· Average annual snowfall: 7.6m (26ft).

Where in the world?
Alpe d'Huez is situated in the Grandes Rousses mountains in the French Alps, high above the Oisans Valley.

Hit the slopes
The main slopes run in a long line across the resort, the bottom runs ideal for beginners. But go higher and you can find far more - the Sarenne run from the top of the glacier, at 16km (10 miles) the longest black run in Europe, or the off-piste terrain from the glacier which funnels through the legendary Tunnel on to the front face and more steep powder.

Intermediates can cruise for miles, taking long sweeping runs down to the villages of Vaujany, Oz and others. Even only moderate skiers can take the gondolas which criss-cross the slopes, leading to a feeling of achievement. The Signal and Signal de l'Homme areas, almost self-contained, are good for family excursions.

The lift pass also includes skiing in Les Deux Alpes and Serre Chevalier, trips frequently arranged by package tour reps.

Beyond the slopes
Your lift pass also includes entry to the magnificent outdoor swimming pool and Olympic-size skating rink, as well as the exceptional sports centre with indoor and outdoor pools, tennis, squash, climbing wall, golf range and more. You can parapente (parachute off the mountain with an instructor), and try ice driving along with more usual pursuits such as tobogganing.

Resort Facts
Green Runs (Beginner): 31%
Resort Height (m): 1860m
Blue Runs (Easy): 26%
Total Piste: 245 km
Red Runs (Medium): 28%
Lifts: 84
Black Runs (Hard): 14%
Ski Pass (approx.): 192 Euro

Activities
Indoor
Tennis, Squash, Gym, Aerobics, Swimming, Shooting Range, Climbing Wall, Concerts, Cinemas, Library, Museum
Outdoor
Ice Rink, Curling, Walking Paths (cleared), Tobogganing, Snow-shoeing, Microlight Flights, Sightseeing Flights, Ice Cave, Off-Road Vehicle Tours, Hang-Gliding, Paragliding, Ice Driving School, Snowmobiles, Quad-Bikes

About the Resort
"Alpe d'Huez has been growing, since 1936, at 1869 meters above sea level Grandes Rousses massif south face. The Pic Blanc, reaching 3330 meters at it highest point, offer an impressive and reviving panorama, ranked 3 stars in Guide Michelin.

At 1 hour from Grenoble, and only 4 hours from Paris or Geneva, Alpe d'Huez is a multiple activities area to share between family and friends.

In addition to its sportshop, ready-to-wear shops, grocery stores, bars and restaurants proposing, for some, Oisans specialities : crozets, farcis, ganafles, gratin dauphinois, triees, caillettes, and more, Alpe d'Huez has equipped itself with structures completing the site and giving to holidaymaker indoor or outdoor, sport or cultural activities.

For the day after you have finished skiing there are a number of restaurants and bars to keep you entertained throughout the night whatever your taste in cuisine or night life!" - Alpe d'Huez

For snow report, click here.

Lenore Lyle, A Customer Service Phenomenon

Lenore Lyle, the other half of the Ron and Lenore management team, left a mark on the Ski Masters Ski School and European Trips that will be long remembered by those fortunate to have worked and traveled with her. She brought an energy and passion to the business that left her students and fellow travelers coming back for more, year after year.

Lenore has been a fixture in Northwest skiing since the first lifts began grinding up the Snoqualmie slopes. She tells stories of arriving at the mountain early and volunteering to work with the volunteers, side stepping fresh snow on the runs in exchange for a lift ticket. That effort was called “grooming the slope” in the early days.

I first met Lenore back in the 1980’s. My wife, a Thursday ski school bus rider, suggested we sign up for the December “clinics” at Snoqualmie to polish our skills. Little did we realize that the clinics were a farm team for Lenore’s instructor pool. When we finished the clinics it was suggested that we return in January to serve as teaching assistants. That seemed harmless enough and, while we didn’t get paid, I believe we may have scored a modest lift ticket discount. But, by week two, to fill unexpected vacancies we were both elevated to “instructor” status for beginning elementary age kids and were part of the Ski Masters team.

From that “insider” perspective I began to appreciate how Lenore masterfully managed the operation. Lenore applied a “mallard” style of management. When you see a duck on a calm pond they seem to be gliding along with little effort. But, if you could see underwater, you would see lots of action as its busy feet paddle furiously along.

In Lenore’s case, the customer never saw beneath the water. The lesson operation ran with apparent ease as she moved from place to place, addressing questions and issues. During the day she would appear all over the mountain to see how things were going, staying in constant contact with her supervisors by radio. As a novice instructor I confess it made me nervous at first. I had the feeling that, no matter where I took my class, she was watching!

While the customer might be soothed by this calm demeanor, at the same time she would be sorting through the ever present complications of herding classes from place to place while keeping the parents of the smaller kids happy and relaxed. Missing instructors, missing students, broken down buses, lost lift tickets and dozens of other mishaps, some serious and some not, marked each day of lessons. But through it all the customer met a calm Lenore, was given a class A experience and was treated like they were the most important customer of all.

During that era every management consultant was pitching “total quality management,” a customer focused management philosophy made famous by such firms as Toyota, Sony and Honda. Listen to your customer; listen to your staff; constantly look for ways to improve your product was the mantra.

As I looked at Lenore I recall thinking, she could teach this stuff better than any consultant. Whether she took a course or just did it by second nature she had the whole “total quality” thing under control and the quality of her programs spoke to that success.

Then, in 1988, we signed up for our first trip to Europe with Ski Masters and were able to experience the best of Lenore, 24/7. Herding 48 adults to Europe is different from teaching kids but no less challenging. Is everyone at the airport? What did you forget? What, you say, your passport is expired? And so on.

Once again, her mallard management style—calm exterior, busy interior—was at play. Busses would arrive like clockwork, rooms would be assigned, lost luggage recovered all in a way that would put the guests at ease.

Does that mean she is a pussycat? Not on your life. Once the pick-up bus arrived on “Italian” time. Both the driver and bus company management will not forget Lenore. Once a hotel tried to stuff some of her guests in shabby rooms over a nearby barn (yes, there were animals downstairs). That hotel manager will not forget Lenore. One matri’d insisted that the guests dine at the same table each night of our stay. That was their way. It wasn’t ours. That matri’d will not forget Lenore.

As the week progressed Lenore found time to ski with everyone on the trip. Every guest was important and she made them feel that way. While she may have preferred to point her skies downhill and fly, she never forgot that she was in charge and everyone on the trip was one of her customers and guests. And yet, it never seemed contrived. She always expressed a genuine interest in each guest that was reciprocated by the number of repeat travelers. 2009 will be our tenth Ski Masters Trip!


Now the customer service mantel has been passed to the able hands of daughter Claudeen. Lenore is still the most beautiful AARP member on skis and occasionally joins Claudeen on the trips to Europe; now as a guest, not a leader. The current trips often return to places Lenore introduced to many of us years ago. Her legacy lives on in the memory of the hundreds who traveled with her and Ron in the past and were the beneficiaries of her “high touch” approach to guest management. She has clearly left her mark on Pacific Northwest skiing and the thousands that passed through her lesson programs at our Cascade ski areas.

Kathy and I both feel blessed to have known her these many years as an instructor, boss, tour director and, most importantly, friend.

2009 Trip; Space Available!

What’s new with Ski Masters Europe?
· There is space available on the 2009 trip.
· Carol Mast sends greetings

First, Claudeen Lyle reports that a few spots have opened up for the 2009 trip to Wengen and Alpes d'Huez. (Perhaps some former hedge fund managers had previously signed up!?)

Interested? Act fast as they won’t last long. Contact Claudeen at SMETrips@gmail.com or give her a call, the old fashion way, at 206-799-7141.

Second, after reviewing the Wengen report (Nov. 13th post), Carol Mast, a fellow traveler and prolific writer, offered the following:
“ HI Steve, from Carol Mast, who looks on the coming SMETrip with longing and (already!) regret. It seems [our] son… is going to be a Daddy for the first time …so we are again, reluctantly, going to miss out. …we wouldn't miss this arrival for the world...even if the world includes Wengen and Alpes d'Huez. Not without regrets...but....I'll bet you understand.

Which reminds me that in writing that Kitzbuhel/Corvara bit last year, I managed to mention our "Montlake friends" we spent the winter of 69-70 with in Jochberg twice without naming them. It's probably because it's another Steve...Steve Beaudry (who now teaches for Claudeen at Crystal) and his wife, Susan, one of my dearest friends. Mea Culpa...can you repair my ommission by inserting their names into what I wrote on the SkiMasters Blog?
Thanks from Carol
PS. when we manage to do another trip, I'm happy to write for the blog...and thanks for the bidet links [April 15, 2008 post]. After a lifetime of European travel, I have never used it for anything more than sock laundry and wine chilling (wait a minute...FIRST the wine chilling, THEN the sock washing!) and was glad to see the demo done by a fully clothed Italian man. Very educational!

So now the Beaudrys are duly recognized. We will miss the Mast’s but understand the grandparenting instinct.

Wengen, Jungfrau, Grindelwald; First Stop 2009

March of 2009 Ski Masters will return to Wengen for the fifth time, and for good reason. The area offers a wide range of terrain, an incredible setting and a rich history.

Two classic movies added fame to the area; James Bond pursued evil guys on the Jungfrau in “His Majesty’s Secret Service.” Clint Eastwood climbed the towering Eiger in the “Eiger Sanction.” Both are "must see" movies if you are going on the trip. Skiers don’t have to climb the Eiger; a modern train passes through the mountain on its way to the ski areas of the Jungrau region.
Wengen has a unique setting. Travelers leave their bus in the valley town of Lauterbrunnen and board a cog railway for the wind out of the valley to the hillside town of Wengen. From the station it’s a short walk to the hotel (not unlike Zermatt for you seasoned travelers.)

Skiing is available on the Wengen side of the valley via a network of lifts and a train that links to other hillside towns. But the Wengen side of the valley is only half of the adventure; the Jungfrau Region, across the valley beckons with altitude and wide open runs.

To reach the Jungfrau area visitors take the cog rail line back down to Lauterbrunnen, walk a short distance to an incline railway that lifts you out of the valley to the Jungfrau area. At the top of the incline another train awaits for a short ride to Murren, the launching point for a whole new mountain experience.

It may sound like you spend your entire time on trains but that is far from the truth. The train rides are short and scenic and, once you reach your preferred mountain, you don’t need to ride again until the end of the day when you return to the hotel.

Recalling Wengen I’m reminded of a spoon story from the 1998 trip.

A small group was gathered on the hotel patio enjoying the afternoon sun and an adult beverage when we noticed a fellow traveler, we’ll call him Steve, returning to the hotel, skis over his shoulder.
“Where’s your wife?” someone called out.
Steve paused, an “Oh sh**” expression crossed his face. He came closer and, under questioning, explained that his wife, we’ll call her Lin, had gone on ahead to shop and was going to meet him at the Murren train station. In a rush he’d passed through the station, boarded the train and was now three train rides away from the station where his wife (presumably) was waiting.
Steve faced a dilemma. If he retraced his steps he could easily pass her as she went one way and he the other. There was only one thing to do; order a beer.
Some time and two beers later Lin arrived. No words were needed. Her look said it all.

There is no record of their conversation in the room that evening. We do know that Steve earned the spoon that day and, despite the incident, they are returning to Wengen for the 2009 trip.
Wengen will be a worthy first stop for the 2009 travelers.

The resort describes itself this way:

Wengen's ski slopes are located on the slopes of Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg above the resort, which it shares with neighbouring Grindelwald. The regional Jungfrau pass covers all lifts in the area, as well as those at the separate First ski area above Grindelwald and, a train ride down the valley and back up the other side, at Mürren. That same train line continues up to Europe's highest railway station where there's year-round snow and ice, but sadly no ski route back down from the top.

The skiing can be reached either by getting back on the train you took up to Wengen from Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen and continuing up to Wengeneralp, a 25-minute journey that, except for upgraded rolling stock, has little changed for skiers in 80 years, or by a cable car from the village. Both runs open up all kinds of exciting terrain and great runs up to 8km (5 miles) long down to Grindelwald.

Whilst the whole area is open to intermediate skiers, beginners will find good nursery slopes right next to the village. More experienced skiers will wish to pay homage to the legendary Lauberhorn race course at Wengen, where the infamous downhill race is staged each January as it has been since 1930. The course is one of the longest, at 4km (2.5 miles), and toughest, descending over 1,000 vertical metres (3,300 feet).