The National Ski Patrol has over 4,700 Alumni Members, including over 200 Alumni in the Southern Division. They represent a wealth of experience, talent, knowledge and dedication. While the Alumni Program is certainly an excellent way to "retire" from active patrolling, it also offers numerous opportunities to supplement the efforts of the "active" membership.

There are many reasons to become an Alumni Member other than retirement. Often "Life Issues" such as family responsibilities, health or medical concerns, a move to the South Seas, new additions to the family, job responsibilities, etc. prohibit continuing as an active Patroller. Therefore, many Patrollers choose to maintain their OEC certification and "temporarily" join the ranks of Alumni until they are able to resume active patrolling.

To become an Alumni Member, contact Cheri Overton NSP Alumni Manager (303-988-1111, Ext. 2646).

For annual dues of only $50, you will receive many benefits, which include:

• An annual subscription to Ski Patrol Magazine
• The ability to purchase all NSP Online Store items, except NSP uniform-specific items.
• Access to all Pro Deals, excluding Scarpa, Black Diamond and including limited (20%) Patagonia discounts
• The ability to participate and be credentialed in an NSP training or education programs such as annual OEC Refreshers
• Comprehensive support services
• Online resources
• Annual updates
• Continued years of NSP service
• Voting rights in board elections

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If you are planning to visit an area where avalanche terrain regularly exists, you may want to enroll in the eight-hour Introduction to Avalanche Safety and Rescue course to learn the fundamental principles of avalanche hazards, safety, and rescue. This is particularly true if you are planning to ski/board outside of the controlled ski areas, where avalanches are more prevalent. This course also qualifies as an elective requirement for the NSP Senior Program.

The potential for avalanches exists wherever snow lies on steep slopes. It's not only an issue in "big mountain" areas. Avalanche problems are widespread in geography and degree of hazard. To meet the varying challenges represented by this avalanche danger, the NSP has established several avalanche training courses.

The NSP's avalanche courses fulfill all of the requirements of the Level I and Level II curricula adopted by the American Avalanche Association with one exception; the NSP courses include additional topics related to organized rescue. Please note that actual avalanche control work and rescue operations are under the direction and control of ski area management or other authorized agencies.

The NSP program includes the following courses:

• Avalanche Awareness (About 30 to 90 minutes): If sufficient students and an instructor are available, this course can be taught just about anywhere at any time of the year. The current limitation is the availability of qualified instructors. This course is designed to expose its audience to the nature of avalanche hazards and the kinds of things they need to know before venturing into avalanche terrain. It serves primarily to develop respect for avalanche hazards and to encourage people enroll in an Introduction to Avalanche Safety and Rescue course. This course does not qualify as an elective requirement for the NSP Senior Program.
• Introduction to Avalanche Safety and Rescue (About 8 hours). If sufficient students are available, this course is intended to be offered twice a year within the Division. Once at the Southern Division annual conference in Kingsport, TN in August and possibly at Massanutten or other northern patrol in the Spring of each year. This course introduces fundamental principles of avalanche hazards, safety, and rescue. This course does qualify as an elective requirement for the NSP Senior Program, but it does not meet Level 1 avalanche course standards and does not qualify as a prerequisite for enrollment in the Level 2 avalanche courses.
• Level I Avalanche (Minimum of 24 hours with at least 60% taught in the field). This course is typically not available in Southern Division, since we currently do not have the instructors or equipment to teach the full curriculum. Please see the Eastern Division and Central Division training calendars for training opportunities.
• Level II Avalanche (Minimum of 28 hours with at least 60% taught in the field). This course is definitely not available in Southern Division, since this course can only be taught in terrain that is prone to avalanches. Please see the Eastern Division training calendar for training opportunities, when it is held every other year at Whiteface Lake Placid, NY in an area appropriately called "The Slides".

Division Program
	Other Avalanche Senior Elective. This is the on-line portion and will be 7-9pm each evening. The field sessions will be on 2/15 and 2/16 at Ober Gatlinburg, Whitegrass Touring Center on 2/16 and at Massanutten on 2/22. Each student will one of the field sessios. Class is open to all patrollers interested in learning about avalanche safety.	Avalanche Senior Elective	2-11-2025 to 2-13-2025	Rob Mayer
High South Region
	Ober Patrol Field session for the Avalanche Senior elective class located at Ober Mountain. Times TBD. Note: on-line portion on 2/11-2/13 is required before taking the field session.	Avalanche Senior Elective	2-15-2025 to 2-16-2025	Rob Mayer
West Virginia Region

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Certified is a program that demands "...the highest level of proficiency from patrollers through training and testing and would promote a level of patrolling in which there would be no compromise with excellence in skiing, first aid, patrol management, administration and leadership."
- George Wesson [1921-2010], who developed the Certified Program for NSP and subsequently for Southern Division.

Visit the Southern Division Certified Program Page

Division Program
	Bryce Patrol Topics to be covered: OEC ORM LARR	Certified Clinic #1 OEC/ORM/LARR	2-1-2025	Nate Wageley
	Ski Beech Mountain Patrol Topics to be covered: OEC ORM AVI	Certified Clinic #2: OEC/ORM/AVI	2-23-2025	Nate Wageley
	Snowshoe Patrol This is a 2 day evaluation .	Certified 2 Day Evaluation	3-7-2025 to 3-8-2025	Nate Wageley
	Snowshoe Patrol Certified Evaluation on snow all modules	Certified Evaluation	3-7-2025 to 3-8-2025	Nate Wageley
Blue Ridge Region
Virginia Region
West Virginia Region

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Nothing is more important to the success of NSP's education programs than the cadre of hard-working instructors who deliver those programs. The NSP Instructor Develoment Programs consists of two components that provide training in course management as well as instruction, the Instructor Development course and a mentoring program.

This program includes the following courses:

• Instructor Development Course
• Instructor Mentoring Program

More Information

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Attendees taking Mountain Travel and Rescue (MTR) courses will learn a variety of skills, including nutrition and how the body performs in a wilderness environment, weather patterns, survival skills, working with group dynamics, an introduction to search and rescue, rope rescue skills, improvised toboggan construction, and land navigation with map, compass, and GPS. The MTR courses are taught in classroom and field sessions, including mock scenarios to ensure the attendees can apply what they have learned to real life situations.

Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast looking to expand your survival and travel skills in the backcountry environment or a ski patroller preparing for one of the worst possible scenarios a parent can face at a ski area (a lost child), the MTR courses can help you get prepared.

This program includes the following courses:

• Mountain Travel and Rescue Fundamentals
• Mountain Travel and Rescue 1 (MTR1)
• Mountain Travel and Rescue 2 (MTR2)

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"The diverse nature of the Nordic classification lends itself to be a unique program within the NSP. The variety of equipment types, the extended patient care knowledge required, the needed backcountry survival skills, all contribute to defining what Nordic patrollers are."
- NSP Web Site

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Visit the Southern Division OEC Program Page

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"The Senior Program is designed for NSP members who aspire to the upper levels of skiing/snowboarding and outdoor emergency care proficiency. It provides a forum in which patrollers can enhance personal skiing/snowboarding and toboggan-handling proficiency, improve their ability to manage OEC scenarios, and expand their patrolling knowledge and skills. The Senior Program is also excellent preparation for patrollers looking to move into leadership roles in the NSP."
- NSP Web Site

Core modules differ by discipline, but may include:

• Senior OEC
• Senior Skiing
• Senior Toboggan Handling

Forms and addtional informaion is available in our Library Section.

Division Program
High South Region
	Cataloochee Patrol Senior OEC clinic will be held at Cataloochee and will start at 8:00am.	Senior OEC Clinic	1-25-2025	Chris Polhemus
	Ober Patrol Senior Alpine OET evaluation. Must have attended OET clinic and contact Jimmy Kuneman at drjkuneman@gmail.com before attending	Senior OET Elvaluation	2-1-2025	Jimmy Kuneman
	Cataloochee Patrol Senior OEC evaluation will be conducted at Cataloochee and will start at 8:00am	Senior OEC Evaluation	2-22-2025	Chris Polhemus
Blue Ridge Region
	Sugar Mountain Patrol Senior OET clinic. One day will focus on skiing and riding skills and the second day will focus on toboggan skills	Senior OET Clinic	1-25-2025 to 1-26-2025	Tom Gantt
	Sugar Mountain Patrol Skiing and riding evaluation will take place on one day and toboggan skills on the second day.	Senior OET Evaluation	2-22-2025 to 2-23-2025	Tom Gantt
	Appalachian Patrol Sr. OEC Evaluation	Senior OEC Evaluation	3-1-2025	JoAnn Ehinger
Virginia Region
	Wintergreen Patrol Senior OEC Evaluation	Senior OEC Evaluation	2-8-2025	Geoff Stagg
	Wintergreen Patrol Senior OET Evaluation Location Wintergreen	Senior OET Evaluation	2-9-2025	Dave Carroll
West Virginia Region
	Winterplace Patrol Pre_ Admission required from Patrol Representative and WV Senior Coordinator , Tom Wagner .	Senior OEC Clinic	1-26-2025	Tom Wagner
	Snowshoe Patrol Senior OET Clinic , Pre Admission Required from Patrol Representative and WV OET Supervisor , Ted Cady . Clinic begins at 8:00 AM	Senior OET Clinic	2-2-2025	Ted Cady
	Snowshoe Patrol Clinic begins at 8:00 AM	Senior OET Evaluation	3-2-2025	Ted Cady
	Winterplace Patrol Evaluation begins at 8 AM	Senior OEC Evaluation	3-9-2025	Tom Wagner

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This program encompases Introduction to Ski Patrolling, the Senior Program, and the Certified Program—those programs that affect the registration categories of NSP members. As well, you will find information on the Mountain and Avalanche Awareness course, a multi-discipline introduction to backcountry awareness.

This program includes the following courses:

• Introduction to Patrolling
• Mountain and Avalanche Awareness
• Senior Program (Alpine, Nordic, Auxiliary)
• Certified Program (Alpine)

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Unique to the National Ski Patrol, the Transportation Program offers guidelines for area management to use to set the standard of training for its patrollers who operate toboggans. From training of basic candidates to honing the skills of Transportation instructors, this program ensures training opportunities for members of the NSP.

This program includes the following courses:

• Skiing Enhancement Seminar (Alpine/Nordic)
• Toboggan Enhancement Seminar (Alpine/Nordic)
• Ski Trainer's Workshop (Alpine/Nordic)
• OET Alpine Toboggan Senior Trainer/Evaluator Clinic

Division Program
	Ober Patrol Senior Alpine Trainer/Evaluator Clinic at Ober Mountain Resort 2/3/2025 (Monday)	Senior Alpine Trainer/Evaluator Clinic	2-3-2025	Randall Rumer
Blue Ridge Region
West Virginia Region
	Snowshoe Patrol Workshop begins at 9 AM	WV Region Toboggan Trainers Workshop	1-22-2025	Ted Cady

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"The National Ski Patrol supports the establishment of a Young Adult Program at every NSP registered Ski Patrol. You don't know what you missing until you have experienced the benefits that a young adult program can provide. Click on the "establish a program" link to download the resources that you need to establish a successful program."
- NSP Young Adult Program Site

NSP members and patrol candidates must be 15 years of age to qualify as Young Adult patrollers. Young Adult patrollers (age 15 through high school graduation) must meet the same requirements and fulfill the same patroller training and responsibilities as any other member of the patrol with the same skill set.