2007 HANS SAARI MEMORIAL FUND YOUTH SKI CAMP
High School students Mike Asay, Kate Siberell, and Nina Hance were awarded scholarships to attend a five-day ski mountaineering course in the Grand Tetons:
The course led by Exum Guides of Jackson, Wyoming took place in June. The below photos were taken by students and course guides.
2008 HANS SAARI MEMORIAL FUND YOUTH SKI CAMP
Scholarship Recipients:
Duncan Adams, 15, Breckenridge, Colorado: Grew up in Stowe, Vermont. Breckenridge JV Freestyle Team. 4th Place 2008 Taos Freeride Championships. Completed basic avalanche awareness classes
Leo Ahrens, 14, Salt Lake City, UT: Alta born and raised. Alta Youth ski club since 7. Alta Freeride Team, Snowbird Freeride Team., IFSA comps highlighted by 2nd place in inaugural Targhee Tee-off. Backcountry experience including multiple backcountry ski trips.
Mike Gardner, 16, Ridgeway, CO: Telluride Freestyle Team, Numerous Backcountry trips. Completed introductory avalanche education course. 5th Place 2008 Taos Freeride Championships.
Logan Jamison, 17, Salt Lake City, UT: Skiing since 4. Completed Level I Avy Course from Utah Avalanche Center. Exclusively a backcountry skier. Descents include Y-Couloir and Mt Kessler. Very competent climber and mountaineer.
Samantha Willits, 17, Ridgeway, CO: Skiing since 2. Member, Telluride bump team, now on Freeride Team. 4.0 student and mountain off season runner.
Danica Comey, 14, Jackson, WY: Lots of Teton backcountry experience. Dad chief forecaster for Bridger Teton National Forest. Good all-mountain skier.
Evan Barrett, 14, Livingston, MT: Part of Bridger Bowl ‘Team Extreme.’ Learned backcountry in Cooke City, Mt. Numerous avalanche education classes in Bozeman and at Bridger.
Christian Mandahl, 17, Salt Lake City, UT: Snowbird Free Ski Team Member. Intro avalanche education with additional transceiver work. International experience skiing Chamonix, Verbier, Courmayeur. Two time Big Mountain Skier of the Year, Snowbird Team. 1st place, 2008 Telluride Free Ski Open Comp.
Ross Peck, 14, Bozeman, MT: Bozeman’s own alpine and tele skier. Rogers Pass, Canada backcountry veteran. Winter camping experience and intro avalanche education including field pit/ snow pit work.
Andrew Pollard. 13, Sandy, UT: 100 day-a-year Alta skier; folks in hospitality business at Alta. Andrew has been venturing into the Wasatch since 2. Avalanche Safety work with the local experts. Featured in “Prodigy” Powder Magazine October, 2004. 5th place, 2008 Junior Freeski championships at Crystal….among other honors. 2003 Powder mag.com interview: http://www.powdermag.com/onlineexclusives/pollard/index.html
2009 HANS SAARI MEMORIAL FUND YOUTH SKI CAMP
Scholarship Recipients:
Jordon Bernard, 17, Steamboat Springs, Colorado: Alpine Racer from age 4, Junior Olympics past few season. Ultra runner. Basic avalanche education training prior to ski camp.
Madison Crowell, 18, Telluride, CO: Competitive racer since 6, Madison now a regular Free Ski competitor. Skied 120 days in 2008. Taken several avalanche classes including a semester-long course.
Hayden Diffendaffer, 15, Bozeman, MT: Bridger Bowl, born and raised. Avalanche education, Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center and Montana Mountaineering Association’s Junior Mountaineering team. Most admired skier- Avalanche legend Karl Birkeland, Director of the Forest service National Avalanche Center.
Arlie Hoene, 16, Salt Lake City, UT: training under coach and mentor Kerry Miller. Preparing for Free Ski comps and skiing with others in Kerry’s camp.
Max Jannotta,15,Jackson Hole , WY: Midwest boy relocated to Jackson Hole. Skis with the Jackson Hole Ski Club and has expanded skills to include freeriding. Lots of backcountry experience on Teton Pass, skiing classics such as Glory Bowl and Cody Peak descent. A NOLS graduate comfortable with the challenges of wilderness travel.
Nick Malik, 18, Carbondale, CO: Skis for Colorado Rocky Mountain School’s Off-Piste team. Has competed in the renowned 24 Hours of Sunlight Relay. Accomplished telemark skier. No formal avalanche training but lots of backcountry experience with coaches and other knowledgeable partners.
Tom Olson,15, Durango, CO : Junior Olympic racer with backcountry experience around Durango. Informal avalanche education including use of beacons and probes. Goal to be a professional skier.
Drew Petersen, 14, Frisco, CO: Started skiing as a infant in a backpack. Has already visited skied Jackson , Alta, and Whistler Attended Dean Cummings and H20 Heli Guides avalanche presentations.
Max Walker-Silverman, 15, Telluride, CO: Ready for the life of Alpine mountaineering, the inspiration of the mountains and the challenges of difficult terrain. Max’s has taken avy courses from the Telluride ski patrol and has a healthy respect for the unknowns of snow science.
