The Northfield Mountain Nordic Ski Patrol (Northfield, Massachusetts) is an organization of volunteer first responders trained and nationally certified in winter safety, outdoor emergency care, cross country skiing, land navigation, mountain travel, search and rescue, and winter survival.

The June issue of the patrol's newsletter, Rattlebone, is now online with dates and places of coming patrol events. As usual, Joannie Duris has done a great job. To view and download a copy, click here.

Put these dates on your calendar. The patrol will hold its CPR re-certification and trails activity on Saturday, October 23. The OEC and nordic refreshers will be held the weekend of December 4 and 5. Details will be forthcoming.

After meeting three years at Northfield Mountain, the Avalanche, Mountain Travel & Rescue, and Nordic instructors of the NSP Eastern Division have moved to a new venue. The AMN annual refresher will take place at Ski Big Bear, Mast Hope Mountain, in Eastern Pennsylvania, Friday to Sunday, September 17-19.

For more information, contact Greg France 570-677-3352 or greg.france@ses.com

Greg France has posted photos from the Winter Sciences and Survival Seminar for Avalanche, MTR and Nordic patrollers held at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, New Hampshire. View the photos here.

The patrol held its annual banquet on May first at Johnson's Farm in Orange, same place as last year. Those attending enjoyed a good meal and convivial companionship.

Bill Schweikert and Bob Duris created the animated maps above and below, using daily goverment maps.

An animated NOHRSC snow map is available, covering the months of December through April. It was too large to put on this web site, but is available to anyone who wants it.

Above is the last map of the season.

The 75^thAnniversary Thunderbolt Ski Race drew 85 competitors Saturday to Mount Greylock. The course, which drops 2050 feet in 1.6 miles, was described as icy, and most skiers fell at some point. Western Massachusetts NSPers, including Bob Presutti of our patrol, provided coverage.

Read about the race in the Western Massachusetts Region's web page and in the Berkshire Eagle.

Race results (places & times) are now online. Take a look at the 144 race photos in a slide show. Visit the Thunderbolt Skirunners and Thunderbolt Ski Run websites.

Brett Marquand Finishes Birkie with Personal Best March 10, 2010

In his eighth try at the American Birkebeiner, Brett Marquand of our patrol achieved his best time yet, breaking the three-hour barrier in 2:55:49. He cruised through the 50 km (31 mi.) skating course at a pace of 5:40 per mile or 10.6 miles per hour, passing 700 other skiers after the 9 km mark. Brett finished strong, improving his pace to 5:21 per mile (11.2 mph) after the halfway point.

The 2010 American Birkebeiner (37th annual) attracted over 5,000 racers to North America's largest cross-country ski marathon. For more on the Birkie, click here. View the 2010 promotional video and aerial footage of the race.

CRREL Winter Seminar Planned for March November 15, 2009

The Eastern Division and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) will be hosting another outstanding Winter Sciences and Survival Seminar on Saturday, March 27, 2010, in Hanover, NH. The facility conducts research and development in materials and equipment for use in cold climates. This has been a popular event, as the speakers are authoritative and the program relevant to our needs. In past programs, national- and world-class presenters addressed avalanches, cold weather injuries and clothing, chronic illness in the backcountry, GPS theory, and search dogs. Field exercises conclude the day. Details are now available in the latest Trailsweep.

The program is open to both patrollers and non-patrollers.

Visit the CRREL web site here

These documents became available on February fifth:

• Information Sheet
• Seminar Agenda
• Registration Form

Patrol Marks 35th Anniversary January 10, 2010

The patrol joined the NSP system 35 years ago. For photos of our 30^th anniversary banquet, click Here.

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Last updated June 12, 2010
by Webmeister Bill Schweikert

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