By Andrew MinierThe sport of skiing over the

years has really changed verylittle. Not unlike the non-ski-ing world, trends in fashioncome and go. It’s also true thatsome things will remain forev-er cool; like Glen Plake’smohawk, certain things juststand the test of time. Skis,boots and bindings are verysimilar to what they were 20or even 30 years ago, but ifyou take a closer look you willsee that equipment hasevolved and in many casesbecome more specialized to fitthe needs of specific terrainand snow conditions. A gooddeep powder ski is not likelyto inspire confidence if youare trying to knife your waydown a narrow icy Vermontblack diamond trail. On theother hand, a narrow-waistedrace ski will leave you at theback of the pack when theropes drop on that big powderday out west. The following isa brief overview of choices askier today may be faced withand where each ski type willshine.Race Skis

Race skis are built to excelin a controlled environmentin a specific event. That said,for resort skiing on hard packsnow those wanting to archigh speed short to longradius turns need look no fur-ther. A consumer (beerleague) GS ski is the choice ofmany eastern skiers who liketo run wide open, carving arcsin the snow and ice with con-fidence. Blizzard and Fischeroffers some hard chargingrace skis.Front Side Carver Skis

Not unlike a race orientedski, most all mountain skishave an hour glass shape andare built to hold an edge onhard snow. These skis,however, offer an over-all wider platformenabling them tofloat in powderand breakthrough inconsistentsnow. These skis will

take you wherever you wantto go, but they excel ongroomed runs when put onedge.

Rossignol makes an aggres-sive model called the Avenger82 ti. The ti stands for titani-um and the ti layer gives theseskis little more horsepower onhard snow with minimaladded weight.Park Skis

Park skis are built to take abeating. They have turned uptips and tails for backwardsskiing and little shape com-pared to a carver. Thesedesign features enable parkriders to transition from for-ward to backward skiing, hopon and off rails and boxes andland off axis aerials withoutcatching an edge.Powder Skis

There are a few divergentthoughts on powder skis,however everyone agrees onone thing. In the pow, fat isphat. They may be reversecamber (rockered) or evenhave reverse sidecut. A reversesidecut allows snow skiers tocarve like a water skier indeep light powder. If you havethe coin for a quiver of skisand like to ski steep and deepyou should have a dedicatedpowder ski in your bag. If youare looking for one ski to doit all you may want toconsider the next bigthing! The Next BigThing

All Arearockeredskis willbe fill-i n g

u pshelves

at localr e t a i l e r s

this winter.These skis are

designed to

inspire confidence in a varietyof conditions. Like most dedi-cated Powder skis they arerockered. A rockered ski israised upward slightly towardthe tip and tail. Unlike a pow-der ski, an all area rockeredskis will have some “shape”and be capable of carvingturns on firmer snow.Essentially, the skis are madeto achieve correct mid turnflex and edge contact beforethe skier applies pressure tobend the ski, making it mucheasier to initiate the turn. Theadded benefit is that the skisare less likely to catch an edgeand are equally capable in thepark and the pow. If you arelooking for one ski that willperform well in most condi-tions, one of the new rock-ered all area skis may bethe choice for you. Thisseason every majormanufacturer willfeature theseskis. K2 hasgone so faras to offerr o c k -e r e d

tech -

nology intheir entire

line this season.One of my

favorite skis headinginto this season is the

Blizzard Bushwacker,built just wide enough to

float powder but withenough shape and rigidity tohandle tighter tree skiing andgroomers.

One ski I am very excited toget on again is the newSalomon BBr. This unique skirefuses to follow any trends; arenegade in a world of cookiecutter shapes the BBr com-bines a cartoonishly wide tipwith a pin tail and deep hour-

glass shape. These elementscome together to deliver a skithat blasts through unevensnow, hooks up and hard packand floats in the fresh like noother. It takes some gettingused to, but rewards skierswith an experience that ismost commonly referred to as“Surfy”!

Now you have your newskis it is time to load up andgo skiing! Local resorts focuson family fun and offer a userfriendly and affordable plat-form to introduce new skiers

to what can bea lifetime ofw i n t e r

adven-

ture. KissingBridges’ Snow

Sport School staffis on the lookout for

new trends and adaptsto keep up to speed with

the ever changing land-scape. The rental fleet hasadded new rockered ski tech-nology, giving beginningskiers a confidence inspiringplatform as they embark ontheir adventure. Keeping thenext generation of skiersengaged and excited is theplan. Kissing Bridge has youthprograms like Gate Bustersand Extreme Team whichoffer a high level of instruc-tion to aspiring racers andpark skiers alike.

Skiing has seen some fairlyrevolutionary changes in thepast 20 years. The influence ofsnowboarding has forced ski-ing to adapt and at a timewhen much of the innovationin the sport has moved insidethe terrain park. It is clear thatskiers have not only adaptedto the park environment, butin many cases, are drivinginnovations that fuel progres-sions in park design and ath-

lete expression. WesternNew York ski areas maybe vertically chal-lenged compared toour friends inColorado andVermont, but skiersand snowboarderswho favor park ridingwill find all they can han-dle at local resorts!

While skiing mayh a v eb e e nreen-

ergizedby embracing thesnowboard culture anotheraspect of the sport has seen atremendous resurgence inrecent years. Jr. ski race pro-grams are seeing teams growby leaps and bounds. KissingBridge’s Jr. race team hasgrown by over 200 percent inthe last three seasons. Thisgrowth is occurring with theaddition of a large influx ofvery young racers. Ninety per-cent of the racers at KB areunder 12 years old with a sig-nificant number being age 10and under. Nationally, thesport is growing, especiallywith parents seeing the bene-fits of children learning strongfundamental skiing techniquein an environment that is wellcoached. The kids just like togo fast! Head on over to KB’sSlalom Run any Saturday andyou are likely to see some ofthe top young racers in thestate as they train for the nextbig event! More informationis available at KBACSKIRAC-ING.com

Skiers of all types share atleast one thing in common,we look forward to enjoying alittle après ski action when theday in done. Be it a hot cocoawith the family in front of aroaring fire or a frosty adultbeverage at the slope side barto reflect on the day and telltall stories is valued by skiers

around theworld! Après ski fashion is thesource of much debate andoften ridicule. It reallydepends on where you are.Like they say, when inRome… You can pull offthings in Aspen that justmight get you thrown out thedoor at Mad River. One fash-ionable item that has made atriumphant comeback is theoriginal Moonboot fromTecnica. Outrageous, func-tional and fun, you can rockyour moonboots from MadRiver to Mammoth!

My favorite thing about ski-ing locally is that we have avariety of skiers and boarderssharing the slopes all winter.In the race course, the park,cruising the groomers orenjoying some freshly fallenpowder everyone is outdoorsand making the most of ourstoried winter weather. Thebig thing is not what skis youhave or if you are sporting thetrendiest parka. What mattersis that you’re out there, enjoy-ing good times in a healthyenvironment with friends andfamily. That will never go outof style my friend.

The products mentioned areavailable at Snow Ski andBoard on Transit Rd. inWilliamsville, NY.

So much skiing, so little time

Despite the low snowfall totals inWestern New York in December, it isnever too early to start looking up thenew boards and gear for the slopes.Below is a list of some items to grabbefore heading out this winter, especial-ly for those who like to be catching eyeswhile cutting down the mountain.Men’s Boards and Apparel

Burton Sherlock SnowboardThe most popular Burton board of the

year, but also the easiest to control. TheSherlock board leaves no mystery aboutits path, and leaves riders wanting more.It comes in several standard sizes (154,157, 160, and 163) and can be found forunder $500 locally. It is very forgivingand is one of the best new freestyleboards on the market.

K2 Panoramic Split-boardThis eye-catching creation is the ulti-

mate downhill board. This 2012 board isnow in its third year and its third editionhas only gotten better. It is now fasterand cleaner, not to mention that it iseven lighter than it was in the previouswinters.

Nike Vapen BootsThe Vapen Boots are the newest cre-

ation from the Nike ACG laboratory. They havea sole that keeps heat inside the boot, and hasone of the most creative lockdown lacing tech-nologies ever created. These are the mostsought after boots, and will be a hot commodi-ty come Christmas for any boarders in the fam-ily.

Oakley Shaun White Signature SeriesAirbrake Goggles

These are the some of the nicest shades onthe mountain, and riders can forget about glarefrom the sun with the signature Oakley lens.More importantly, they adhere to the three-Pprinciple: Practical, Presentable, and Phat!Women’s Boards and Apparel

Burton Feelgood SnowboardThe Burton Feelgood board has been the

bestselling women’s board, consistently, sincebeing created in 2004. The board, as usual,comes in a variety of colors and sizes, and

remains the best female freestyle board on themarket. The psychedelic look will draw muchattention while sliding down the slope and willbe one of the hottest boards all winter.

K2 Lunatique SnowboardThis somber looking board has been a huge

hit in the last couple months. It is gearedtowards the intermediate rider, but has theextra durable frame to be able to handle anykind of terrain. It comes in three different sizes(146, 149, or 151) and is one of the smoothestrides on the scene.

Burton Sterling BootsThe top boot from Burton is a mix of their

old styles, but have a retro-style faux fur look.The boots are very sturdy, and are completelywater-resistant. They are the number one fash-ion pick this winter, but more importantly, area great way to keep your feet warm.

Simon Dumont Signature Series Polarized

Splice SnowGoggles

These gogglesare the brightestthing on the trails, withhighlights of purple, black, and white. Theymay carry a bit of a heavy price tag, but visibil-ity on the slopes is the most underrated aspectof riding.Girls

Rossignol Scan SnowboardA very popular snowboard for young female

riders and is currently very reasonably priced.The Scan is a perfect find for beginners or ado-lescent pros looking for a deal. It has a classicRossi design and is very forgiving to help riderskeep their balance.

Roxy Broadway GogglesThese goggles are very affordable, and

favorites every year. They have scratch resistant

PVC

frames,p l u s

come inblack or

s n o wwhite.

BoysB u r t o n

Mini ShredC h o p p e r

SnowboardThis new

board has been allover the slopes

already this season.It is the perfect board

for young rippers,and, more importantly,

comes in seven differ-ent colors to match

every kid’s favorite.Oakley XS O Frame

GogglesThe flexible URETHANE frame

makes these goggles help fit growing riders.They have the patented Oakley lenses, andrarely seen O frames; a bonus as the technolo-gy is only available to youth sizes.Kids Boots

Burton Zipline Snowboard BootsThese boots are very easy to get on and off,

plus they are as multi-colored as a rainbow.Burton is known for making climate friendlyproducts, and these boots are no exception.

Snowboard photo courtesy of Kissiing Bridge.

Hot snowboarding finds for this winterBy Adam McGill

By Rich Davenport

With Nov. 30 marking theclose of statewide seasonsfor black bass and muskel-lunge, anglers start lookingforward to the hard waterseason. While we wait notso patiently for old manwinter to bring safe ice sur-faces across area ponds andlakes, we can look back at asuper season just passed.2011 Highlights

Baitfish TransportCorridor Established

The discovery of VHSback in 2006 brought trans-port restrictions on the mostpopular and arguably mosteffective emerald shiners,putting anglers and baitdealers in a bind. After sev-eral years of effort, and care-ful study of the pathogenitself, NYS joined the GreatLakes states and provincesby establishing separateGreat Lakes baitfish trans-port corridors for Lake Erieand Upper Niagara River,the Lower Niagara River,Lake Ontario and St.Lawrence Seaway, and forthe Hudson River upstreamof the marine district.Uncertified bait may onceagain be collected and trans-ported, or sold at area baitshops, strictly for use in thewaters they came from.Although inland anglers stillcontend with certified bait-fish requirements, theimpact this has had oninland waters was nowhereas profoundly negative as itwas for Lake Erie anglers,especially those in pursuit ofyellow perch. This change inregulation, made official lateJune 2011, is a testament tothe solid working relation-ships between NYSDECfisheries and the organizedsportsmen and women.

Chestnut Ridge ParkCommissioners Lake

A coordinated effortbeginning in early 2010between the Greater NiagaraFrontier Council, ErieCounty Federation ofSportsmen’s Clubs, ErieCounty Fisheries AdvisoryBoard and Erie CountyParks Department to re-open the Commissioner’sLake at Chestnut Ridge Parkto public fishing became areality during ColumbusDay weekend 2011 whenthe Boy Scouts held theirLegacy 11 Project, thelargest community service

effort of its kind in WNYhistory. With the tremen-dous support from SafariClub International, abrand new 15-by-75 fish-ing pier was built, offer-ing anglers young andold a place to enjoy thispublic treasure. The lakeoffers catch and releasefishing only, and fishingis limited to the pier inan effort to keep erosionof the shoreline to a min-imum.

Grand IslandFisherman’s Park

Another new shore accesssite, near the base of thesouth Grand Island Bridge,has been completed andoffers anglers yet anotheropportunity to access ourtremendous fisheryresources. Plenty of parkingis available and anglers willfind easy access to bass,northern pike and panfish,with even the occasionalmusky lurking within cast-ing distance.

Great Lakes TroutRainfalls during October

and November have mostGreat Lakes feeders sportingample water to draw fall andearly winter-running troutinto upstream stretches.Lake Erie streams showmuch better trout prospectsthan last year, with top pro-ducing streams beingCattaraugus Creek, 18-MileCreek, Chautauqua Creekand Canadaway Creek.Smaller streams likeDelaware and Big Sister alsoshow improved steelheadnumbers, promising excit-ing outings while watersremain open.

Lower Niagara anglersenjoy strong runs of browns,rainbows and lake trout(lake trout season is closeduntil Jan. 1), with an occa-sional Coho or Chinooksalmon mixing in. Egg sacspresented along bottom inevery popular drift con-nects. Weather is certainly afactor, but steady flow fromthe falls seems to keepwaters at the right clarity foraction.

Ice WatchAlthough still over a

month away (or more) fromsafe ice surfaces, anglerscannot help to eagerly antic-ipate this year’s hard waterseason. Chautauqua Lakeshould continue its yellowperch bonanza, as fall sur-

veys show this lake is infest-ed with perch, with manynow rivaling sizes of LakeErie jumbos. Walleye, too,show improvement overyears past, with the largerproblem now being theover-abundance of foragethese prized game fish haveat their disposal. Work smallperch imitation lures forbest results around the 30-foot depth for best results.

While we wait, manysporting goods stores andtackle shops have the latestice fishing gear now on dis-play. The latest ice shantiesfrom ClamCorporation/Dave Genzsport cushioned seats, ther-mal insulated walls and aspacious fishing area. TheIce Cube shelters offer light-weight, quick-to-set-upshanties, although anglerswill need to bring a chair orbucket to sit on. With shan-ty pricing ranging from$100-$650, perhaps theinvestment is well worth themoney, as nothing beats icefishing in comfort, shelteredfrom wind and chill.

Remember, take a kidfishing, and give the gift thatlasts a lifetime.

Rich Davenport is co-founder ofWeLoveOutdoors.com, anavid Outdoorsman and mem-ber of the NYSOWA. Hisworks are also published inNY Outdoor News,Walleye.com and the BuffaloNews. Rich is also theRecording Secretary for theErie County Federation ofSportsmen’s Clubs, Secretaryof the Western NYEnvironmental Federation,member of the Erie CountyFisheries Advisory Board andis the Co-Chairman andRegion 9 Rep NYSCC BigGame Committee. Emailrich@weloveoutdoors.com.

Open water fishing ending, come on ice!

Photo courtesy Rich Davenport

Get ready for the ice, forwinter is upon us and thefish are waiting!

DOWNHIILL/SNOWBOARDINGBristol Mountain, 585-374-6000www.bristolmountain.com

Holiday Valley, 716-699-2345www.holidayvalley.com

HoliMont, 716-699-2320www.holimont.com

Kissing Bridge/Colden Tubing, 716-592-4963www.kbski.com

Peek ’n Peak, 716-355-4141www.pknpk.com

Swain, 607-545-6511www.swain.com

X-COUNTRY/SNOWMOBILINGAllegheny State Parkwww.nysparks.com

Art Roscoe, Allegany State Parkwww.buffaloaudubon.org

Byrncliff Resort & Conference Center,585-535-7300

www.byrncliff.com

Cummings Nature Center, 585-374-6160www.rmsc.org

Holiday Valley, 716-699-2345www.holidayvalley.com

HoliMont, 716-699-2320www.holimont.com

www.monroecounty.gov/parks

Peek ‘n Peak, 716-355-4141www.pknpk.com

SKI CLUBS

Adirondack Mountain Clubwww.adk.org

Niagara Frontier Chapter, 716-564-2106,

Genesee Valley Chapter, www.gvc-adk.org

Buffalo Nordic Ski Clubwww.buffalonordic.org

Buffalo Ski Clubwww.bscskiarea.com

Huggers Ski Clubwww.huggersskiclub.org

Lederhosen Ski Clubwww.lederhosenskiclub.com

Monroe Y Ski Clubwww.monroeyskiclub.org

NAR (Niagara Adult Racing)www.narracing.com

Rochester Nordic Ski Clubwww.rochesternordic.org

Rochester Ski Clubwww.rochesterskiclub.com

Schussmeisters Ski & Snowboard Clubwww.schussmeisters.com

SCOL (Ski Club of Lockport)http://skicluboflockport.com

SNOWMOBILE

NYS Snowmobile Association (NYSSA)www.nyssnowassoc.org for a listing bycounty of NYS snowmobile clubs888-624-3849

Cattaraugus County SnowmobileFederationwww.enchantedmountains.info/what_to_do/snowmobiling.asp

www.snowmobilingWNY.com

Chautauqua Countywww.tourchautauqua.com/where_to_play.aspx

New York State Office of Parks Snowmobile Unit518-474-0446http://nysnowmobilewebmap.com

OTHER INFORMATION

www.weather.com

Genesee Region Trails Coalitionwww.grtcinc.org

Monroe County Sports Commissionwww.monroecountysports.org

www.monroecounty.gov/parks

www.nysparks.com

www.IloveNY.com

www.snowcrystals.com

If we missed your club, please contactus and we will be sure to include younext year.

Chills andThrills

Community Sports ReportWith lake effect snow

averaging over 200 inchesannually, the Chautauquaregion in southwestern NYis a winter lover’s paradise.

Near the Village ofFindley Lake, Peek’n PeakResort & Spa offers slopesfor the novice to the expertwith ski/board programs aswell. The resort lists 27slopes and trails, eightchairlifts, three progressionterrain parks and a halfpipe.With state-of-the-art snow-making technology plus natu-ral snowfall, the Peek providesa solid, groomed base untilMarch.

For those who prefer toride, five local snowmobileclubs groom and maintainover 400 miles of regionaltrails that traverse old railroadbeds, former trolley lines,open farm fields, heavilywooded areas, seasonal roadsand everything in between.Some trails stay close to civi-lization while others are moreremote. Weather permitting,trails officially open a week orso before Christmas and maystay open until mid-March.

For the best experience,snowmobilers should plan therequired NYS registrationahead of time or join a snow-mobile club, save half off the

registration fee, and supportthe efforts of volunteers whogroom and maintain the trails.Registration forms are onlineat the NYS Department ofMotor Vehicles website.Riders should always checktrail and snow conditions witha snowmobile club or call800-242-4569 for updatedinformation.

Accommodations, dining,and festivals fill the timebetween the slopes and trails.Visit Jan. 15 for a Currier andIves Sleigh Rally on theVictorian grounds ofChautauqua Institution wherehorsemen bring their sleighsfor a competition of skills andattire while spectators comefor the splendid sights of hors-es and sleighs moving alongthe historic streets. Regularweekend sleigh rides run fromJanuary through the end of

February. Fortickets andi n f o r m a t i o n ,stop at theC h a u t a u q u aBookstore onBestor Plaza.

On Feb. 4, theJ a m e s t o w nAudubon Centerhosts aS n o w f l a k eFestival withindoor and out-

door activities. Outdoorevents feature Liberty, the res-ident Bald Eagle, snowshoe-ing, cross-country skiing,sleigh (or hay, depending onthe weather) rides, and wintercamping and cooking demon-strations.

The President’s WeekendI.C.E. Festival in Mayville’sLakeside Park is Feb. 17-19.The annual festival alongChautauqua Lake features iceand snow themed events andactivities, including an IceCastle when weather permits.Fireworks light up the wintrysky on Saturday night.

For a full schedule of eventsand winter attractions and afree trip planning guide to theChautauqua region, visit theChautauqua County VisitorsBureau’s website at www.tour-chautauqua.com or call 866-908-4569.

Play and learn in Chautauqua County, New York’s Snowbelt Region

Photo: Chautauqua County Snowmobile Federation