By Geoff Scotton, VP External CSP Mountain Division geoffscotton@skipatrol.ca

Patrollers across the CSP Mountain Division are fully into the winter operations season, with some areas having opened in the first week of November 2023. The division executive met virtually December 13 to review operations and developments in the 11 division zones across Alberta and the Yukon and a few highlights are standing out:

  • It’s open arms for the newest patrol in the division (and the CSP) at Blue Ridge Mountain Resort, near La Crete, Alberta. (About 700 km north of Edmonton.) The patrol and the hill are both brand new, part of Powâkan Zone (formerly Peace Zone). Blue Ridge Mountain Resort is the newest ski area in western Canada. The six new CSP members (Sharai Pohl, Jason Pohl, Gregg McNeil, PL Dave Schellenburg, Franz Friesen and Caleb Siemens) had to travel four hours to Peace River to complete their training. Powâkan Zone President Camille Ducharme is one proud leader!
The CSP’s newest patrol at Canada’s newest ski resort: Blue Ridge Mountain Resort, near La Crete, Alberta. From left to right are: Sharai Pohl, Jason Pohl, Gregg McNeil, Dave Schellenburg (PL), Camille Ducharme (ZP), Franz Friesen and Caleb Siemens. Photo courtesy of Camille Ducharme
  • It’s the end of an era: On January 1, newly named CSP Life Member Jenny Skelton starts stepping away from the job of zone president in Watson Lake Zone, in Watson Lake, Yukon. Jenny is a legend in the CSP Mountain Division and across all of the CSP. She has been zone president for … 36 years. Yes, close to four decades. Congratulations and thank you, Jenny. You rock.
  • Also in the longevity file, two CSP Mountain Division executives are celebrating a combined 100 years in the CSP. Husband and wife Dave Harrison and Lauree Harrison of Drayton Valley Zone (near Edmonton) are amazing leaders of, and contributors to, the CSP. Dave is the long-time VP of operations for the CSP Mountain Division and a national life member, who started patrolling in Edmonton Zone in 1969. Drayton Valley split from Edmonton Zone in 1971, and Dave was Drayton Zone president until 1994. Lauree, the current Drayton Valley president, joined the CSP in 1979. So the 2023-2024 season is Dave’s 55th season and Lauree’s 45th. (Both Dave and Lauree are life members of the CSP Mountain Division.)
  • Planning is underway for the 2024 CSP Mountain Division First Aid and On Snow Training (FAST) event, to be held April 5, 6 and 7 2024 at Sunshine Village in Banff, Alberta. A training seminar, judged first aid scenarios and loaded toboggan descent with a stopwatch, as well as a banquet and lots of fun are all on deck.
  • The 2024 CSP Mountain Division Ski Improvement Clinic is completely sold out in all three weeks in late January, early February and late February. Registrations have topped 300 people.
  • Shout out to the CSP Yukon Zone. The land of the midnight sun gang are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding of the zone in February 2024. A major celebration is planned for Mount Sima.
The top watch view from the CSP Mountain Division

This post is also available in: French