The view from the top in Mountain Division

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

Across the CSP Mountain Division members and leaders are staying busy as we transition into the heart of the skiing, snowboarding and winter patrolling season. A sample of the events, milestones and achievements happening are:

• The CSP Yukon Zone is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024. Based in Whitehorse, the zone held a celebration event at Mount Sima on Saturday, February 3. Our patrollers in the land of the midnight sun have an active (and revered) alpine patrol at Mount Sima, as well as a Nordic patrol, and an active avalanche education presence. Mount Sima has been a host venue for a variety of international events, including the Canada Winter Games and the Arctic Winter Games. Mountain Division President Mike Palamarek was in attendance at the anniversary event, and also visited Watson Lake Zone, about five hours down the road to the east.
• Also celebrating a major milestone this year is the CSP Pembina Zone, which operates in and around the Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill in Tawatinaw, Alberta. This is an area of Sturgeon County, about an hour and 15 minutes by car north of Edmonton. Led by zone president Courtney Muller, the CSP Pembina Zone is celebrating its 50th anniversary during the 2023-2024 winter season. Congratulations!
• The CSP Mountain Division has a very active critical incidence stress management program, led by Sandra Williams out of Calgary. On January 27 and 28, Sandra organized and held a course in CISM group debriefing for roughly 12 individuals from across the division. The course was led by Maggi Mcleod (a long-time national CISM leader and trainer, based in the CSP Gatineau Zone) and along with Sandra was facilitated and organized by Elizabeth Oldfield. The course was held at Calgary EMS headquarters, thanks to Terry Abrams. Everyone involved enjoyed learning more about delivering peer support to colleagues who experience extraordinary events. Among the exercises was an interesting episode of drawing while wearing blindfolds, to heighten self-awareness. A fun approach to a serious topic. Thanks Maggi, Sandra and Elizabeth.
• Patrollers from across the CSP Mountain Division (11 zones across the Yukon and Alberta, from the Arctic Circle to the Canada-U.S. border with Montana) are readying for the 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.
• Week 1 of the 2024 CSP Mountain Division Ski Improvement Clinic at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort wrapped up successfully in late January with about 90 participants in attendance. Week 2 is slated for February 4 to 9, and Week 3 will unfold February 25 to March 1. At the time of writing there were a handful of spots available in Week 3. Reach out to Geoff Scotton at geoffscotton@skipatrol.ca for more information or check our event webpage at https://cspnational.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2023/06/07115905/2024-Canadian-Ski-Patrol-Mtn.-Div.-Ski-Improvement-Clinic-at-Kicking-Horse-Info-Sheet.pdf.