Volunteer ski patrols have assisted Alaska's ski areas since the 1950's. The Alyeska Ski patrol was founded in 1953 working at Alyeska and Arctic Valley. Through various iterations, the latest being the Alyeska Volunteer Ski Patrol, volunteers have provided aid and assistance to skiers while supporting the professional Alyeska patrol. From the mundane like helping set boundary lines to dramatic like assisting with tram evacuations volunteers have a long history of stories and experience to share. This past fall the resort decided to not use volunteers, thus ending, at least for now, the tradition of the volunteer ski patrol at Alyeska. To commemorate the patrol's history they gathered in December of 2023 to tell stories and reminisce. With the assistance of William Melton Media Outdoor Explorer was able to record some of the stories and present them to you on this episode. Matt Martyn, Patrol Director, MC'ed the event.
HOST: Paul Twardock
LINKS:
National Ski Patrol
Arctic Valley Ski Patrol
Anchorage Nordic Ski Patrol
Skeetawk Ski Patrol
Pioneer Ski Patrol
Alyeska Ski Patrol
"Women Ski Patroller of Alyeska" (Outdoor Explorer 3/13/2020 show)
BROADCAST: Thursday, February 22nd, 2024. 10:00 am – 11:00 a.m. AKT
REPEAT BROADCAST: Thursday, February 22nd, 2024. 8:00 – 9:00 p.m. AKT
