The 2024 FWSA dive trip will be to Marco Vincent Dive Resort in Puerto Galera and Buceo Anilao Beach & Dive Resort in Anilao! A 3-hour drive away from Manila, Anilao is one of the world's best macro photography destinations. It is literally heaven-on-earth for muck diving, blackwater diving, and macro photography. It is considered the Capital of Nudibranchs…colorful mollusks without shells. The Puerto Galera diving area stretches from White Beach right around to Coral Cove. It is part of the Verde Island Passage and named by some scientists as the center of the world's marine biodiversity. There are more than fifty dive sites that are an interesting mix of sloping reefs, coral gardens deep pinnacles, shipwrecks, channel dives, muck diving, drift dives and sea grass beds. The divers who joined us on the 2019 Philippines dive trip not only called it “the best dive trip ever”, but many said, “my best trip ever”. For more information click HERE or contact Randy Lew at: fwsa13randy@telis.net.

We will fly into Kilimanjaro Airport, then head off to our lodge in Arusha. From there, we will travel to Lake Manyara National Park, to see the famous tree-climbing lions. Ngorongoro Crater, considered to be the 8th Wonder of the World, is the next stop. We will have a 2-night stay in Ngorongoro, where we hope to see a spectacular concentration of wildlife and the “big five”, and then it’s off to Serengeti National Park, where we will see herds of buffalo, elephants, giraffes, gazelles, and many other animals and birds. The golden-maned lions, cheetahs, and leopards will be on the prowl. We will stay 2 nights at the Serengeti Serena Lodge. An optional Hot Air Balloon safari will be available for an early morning flight over the beautiful landscape, followed by a bush breakfast, for a real “Out of Africa” experience. Then, just a flight away, is the island of Zanzibar, where we will be taking a tour to see and experience the highlights of the area. We will have a 1-night stay in the 5-star Hotel Zanzibar Stone Town, followed by 2 nights at the Star Neptune Pwani Beach Resort.

For more information on this fantastic trip, click HERE or contact Debbie Stewart: fwsaintltrvl@prodigy.net.

The 2024 North American Mini Trip will be to Copper Mountain, Colorado, March 17-22, 2024.  Sara Clemons with Sports America will be the tour operator.  We have hotel rooms as well as 1 and 2-bedroom condo units in the center village area close to the mountain, as well as to restaurants and village shopping.  Copper Mountain is an IKON pass resort. You don't need to reserve your ski days and there are no blackout days.

 
Take advantage of our early bird trip package price and sign up by October 1 - a discount will be deducted from your trip price when you register. The early bird discount expires October 2nd.

See the flier below with information about the trip and the website for trip information, pricing, and registration. You can preview the trip information HERE prior to registering. When ready to sign up you just click on the button indicating the number of people you are registering for the trip. Pay your deposit by credit card (fee required) or send a check to the person and address indicated. Remember that the Early Bird discount expires October 2nd, so sign up early for the best trip price.  Participants must be a member of an FWSA club or a FWSA Direct Member.  

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW for the BEST Bachelor Blast Ski Trip EVER, March 13-17, 2024!  This year we have moved the Blast earlier to coordinate with our Seattle clubs and to offer a Wednesday-Sunday trip with more midweek skiing days at Mt. Bachelor!  The lodging will be at the Element Bend, 1526 NW Wall St, where every room has a kitchenette!  The hotel offers free breakfast, wi-fi, a swimming pool and hot tub, and hosted happy hours on Wednesday and Thursday nights for all guests.  This year the only group lift pass offered will be a 3-out-of-4 day pass.  Persons desiring to ski fewer days will need to buy their tickets online - earlier rather than later for the best pricing. We will continue to offer flexible lodging dates (choice of 4, 3, or 2 nights' lodging) for those who might only be able to ski on the weekend.  But our spots are limited and you must sign up before February 10 or the rates will go up.  See the flier below and sign up EARLY!  

Greetings Far West Travelers,

It is our pleasure to invite you to join us for next year’s 2024 Int’l Ski Week Trip to Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, and Northern Italy Extension Trip!

We are delighted to be offering such an exciting trip with an incredible price and exceptional value! 

Newly added, the EPIC Pass is now with Madonna di Campiglio:  https://www.epicpass.com/region/europe/italy.aspx

Additionally, the rooms for singles are sold out, but now we have double occupancy rooms available for singles.  If you have any questions regarding single rooms and the single supplement rate, contact Debbie Stewart at:  fwsaintltrvl@prodigy.net or 559/737-0882

The BASIC Madonna di Campiglio Ski Week will include 7 nights lodging at the 4 Star Hotel Relais des Alpes. The lodging package includes daily breakfast & 5 nights’ dinner at the hotel providing 2 nights to dine out on your own in Madonna.

We will be offering an optional day tour during the week if one chooses to explore the local culture.

The extension trip will be in Northern Italy, which will include Milan, Lake Como, Verona, balsamic tasting in Modena, La Specia/Cinque Terra, Portovenere…with day tours included and free time to explore on your own.

If one chooses to not go to Madonna di Campiglio, but wants to do the extension, we will fly you from the US to join us for the extension trip – we call this the “Stand Alone” trip. 

We will continue with our online payment plan:

1.  Initial trip registration will be handled in the traditional method – you will complete the forms and send along with a check payment for your initial registration 1st payment.

2. Subsequent payment may be made by check, cashier’s check, money order OR via our online PayPal  Credit Card Payment process. 

Please take time to review the attached registration packet thoroughly, forward and share with your club & council members, all your friends, and colleagues.

After reviewing all the detailed information, you too will become excited!

Check out the 2022 Solden Ski Week & Black Forest extension videos to see what a great trip we had …

you will be experiencing even more next year! 

Control + click on the links below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbrtFtCVamg

https://youtu.be/3JGd-fRTOgc

Feel free to contact Debbie or me if you have any questions.

We look forward to having you travel with us!

All the best,

Debbie Stewart

FWSA, VP of Int’l Travel

430 S. Church St.

Visalia, CA 93277

559/737-0882

Gloria Raminha 

FWSA, 2024 Madonna Di Compiglio & Northern Italy Trip

Co-Trip Leader

661/800-8229   

Madonna Registration Packet

You’ll want to get in a deposit to hold your spot - and also to buy your Ikon Pass through the tour operator to save $30-$50 on your trip! Revised flier below; sign-up open now online at http://northwest28.sat.tours.  Contact Christine Ciardi for any other information: president@nwskiers.org. 

RESERVE THE DATE AND BOOK YOUR ROOM!

We hope you can join us in 2024 for our annual Sun Valley Trip!

Sun Valley has blocked out a limited number of discounted rooms. Due to increased demand, discounted rooms sell out quickly.  Make your reservation soon to get the room you want!

Check out the Mt. Hood Gang’s 2024 Discounted Lodging & Lift Tickets starting at $86 / day! ($430 for a 5 out of 7 day Ticket Package).

Full details HERE.

Click on flier to go to Altair website.

PAST EVENT - 2023!

Join us for the Bachelor Blast 2023!! DEADLINE TO SIGN UP MARCH 13!! Rooms will be released after that date. Note that the price for an additional night for either Thursday or Sunday has been reduced to $115 per ROOM (not per person).

3 - 6 nights.  2 - 5 ski days. Travel by car, train, or plane.

February 26 - March 1, 2, or 3, 2023. 

Join us for a wonderful adventure.

2-5 days skiing:  February 27-March 3 (Monday-Friday)  Your choice, depending upon your free lift tickets and how many days you want to ski

START DATE: Sunday, Feb. 26 – Drive to McCall & check in.  You can book as many as 5 nights at our group rate. 

Note that this trip (like the Schweitzer trip last year) will be different from our usual ski trips - because of the virus/pandemic:

1. Everyone will be driving their own car or will arrange their own transportation. We will NOT have a bus.

2. For lodging, you can select your own roommate (optional), or simply have a room to yourself. Your choice. We will not assign roommates.

3. You are responsible for purchasing your own lift tickets, either day tickets, exchange tickets (Mt. Hood Meadows (for Brundage), or a pass (Indy Pass or Loveland pass).

HOTEL -  Book your own room under our group rate at the Best Western Plus in McCall, 211 S. 3rd Street, McCall, ID; 208-634-2230.  Your trip leader usually books budget lodging, but this trip is an exception, as we will be staying at a beautiful hotel with lots of amenities (check out the pictures on their website!).  Our group rate is $179.99 plus tax ($206.99 including tax) per night, per double queen room. 

To get this rate, just tell the hotel you are with the Mountain High club.

The hotel offers free parking, wireless internet, premium bedding, non-smoking spacious double queen rooms, a 24-hour indoor swimming pool, oversize jacuzzi tub, spa, sauna and gym.  Enjoy a daily, complimentary full hot buffet breakfast which includes freshly made breakfast burritos, breakfast sandwiches, cereal, fruit, yogurt, juice, pastries (and they will deliver to your room from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m.)  They said they have an omelette chef also! 

The rooms have premium bedding, High Speed Wireless Internet, Refrigerator, Microwave, DirectTV, Hairdryer, Iron/Ironing board, Desk, and Alarm Clock.  Note that there is an elevator! 

Please book your hotel room early – we only have a certain number of rooms.  After January 15 our room block will expire, but you can still make reservations at our rate if there is space.   There is no penalty for canceling up to one week before your arrival. 

The hotel is located 11 miles from Brundage and 20 miles from Tamarack.  The City of McCall operates a mini bus called McCall Transit from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 7 days a week, free public transport to anyone. In the winter time the city of McCall provides free transit for all hotel guests to their activity destination skiing or snowmobiling. 

SKIING AT BRUNDAGE: 2 or 3 days (your choice, depending upon your pass).  Brundage is on an exchange program with Mt. Hood Meadows all access passholders  and Loveland Ski Area passholders, who can get 3 days free skiing midweek.  They are also on the Indy Pass (2 free days of skiing).  Indy Pass holders do not need to pre-schedule visits. Simply bring your valid photo ID to the on-mountain Guest Services office to redeem your ticket for the day.  In addition to the two days included in the pass purchase, you may purchase a third day at 25% off. You can make that purchase the day of your visit.  Like many ski areas these days, Brundage will sell tickets online in advance, at some kind of discount which is not known at this time. 

SKIING AT TAMARACK:  2 free days with the Indy Pass.  Let me know if you don’t have tickets for Tamarack - I have some to share among those on the trip.

KEEP OUR TRIP LEADER INFORMED
Everyone who signs up for this trip, please contact Linda McGavin and let her know the following:

• Did you make your hotel reservations, and for how many nights (2 or 3 or more)?

• Where do you expect to ski, and which pass(es) do you have?  Do you have a pass for Tamarack?

OTHER ACTIVITIES

There are lots of restaurants in the area listed on the hotel website, which also lists many other activities in the area, including:

• HFP Sleigh Rides, a horse drawn sleigh to observe and feed elk in Donnelly (13 mi.)

• The Activity Barn tubing hill (3 mi.)

• Gold Fork Hot Springs (15 mi.) and

• Burgdorf Hot Springs (33 mi.)

Brundage Mountain Resort:  Summit Elevation 7,803 feet; Base Elevation 5,882 feet; Vertical drop 1,921 feet; 6 Lifts (One high-speed quad, four triples, one conveyor lift).  70 Named Trails (Easiest: 21%, More Difficult: 33%, Most Difficult: 46%).  Snowcat skiing is available – ask your trip leader if you might be interested and we’ll check it out.  We did it on our last visit to Brundage.  Wonderful mountain views of Payette Lake and the surrounding countryside. 

Tamarack Mountain Resort:  Summit Elevation 7,700 feet; Base Elevation 4,900 feet; 1,100 acres; Vertical drop 2,800 feet; 7 Lifts (3 express, 2 doubles, 1 poma, 1 magic carpet).  50 Named Trails (Easiest: 17%, More Difficult: 45%, Most Difficult: 38%).   While the original tent at the base area (which used to be the lodge at the time of our very first visit) is still there, a mountain village that looks like Whistler has been built, with HIGH end lodging and dining: the Rendezvous Food Hall, an indoor open venue featuring an eclectic mix of four eateries; The Triple B Diner, El Pueblo Taqueria, Crusty's Pizza and Summit Bowls. Tamarack’s newest offering, The Reserve, features alpine-inspired Northwest cuisine in a mountain modern atmosphere.

Join us for a wonderful adventure!

NOTE:  The club is not collecting any money for this trip.  We will pay the hotel individually and buy lift tickets individually.  And for transportation, we;ll drive our own cars.

Click here for theIdaho trip flyer.

Trip leader:

Linda McGavin,  trips@mthigh.org , 503-652-2840.

To sign up for this trip, simply do two things:

1.  Make your hotel room reservation - online.

2. Contact Linda and let her know your situation.  Did you make your hotel reservations, and for how many nights (2 or 3 or more)?  Where do you expect to ski, and which pass(es) do you have? How many days will you ski? 

See our Mt. High
Trip Cancellation Policy

This is your chance to ski Sun Valley, one of the oldest and loveliest ski areas in the United States. Join the Mt Hood Gang for our great Sun Valley Ski Week, January 28-February 4, 2023. The Mt Hood Gang is not the name of an organization, it is the name of a ski week at Sun Valley. This is a great trip to bring your family and have a great time skiing with or without your kids.

This trip is being organized by Jim Inkster, Kathy McBee and Sue Rimkeit. We have an exciting week planned at discounted lodging and lift ticket prices. Sun Valley offers great Cross Country, Downhill Skiing, and Snowshoeing, and a great atmosphere. We are no longer able to hold hospitality parties at the Harriman Cottage, but we will have a hosted group dinner, various “Meet-ups” during the week, and a no-host group lunch at the Round House. Sun Valley has a free bus service to transport skiers from lodging to lifts to ski, or to town to dine out or shop.

You have a choice of accommodations: hotel rooms at Sun Valley Lodge and Sun Valley Inn; or one, two and three bedroom Condos, all at specially discounted lodging and lift ticket prices for our group. Go to our webpage, mthoodgang.com, to get all the info and prices for the week. You will never be able to ski at Sun Valley at better prices. For Alpine skiing, Dollar Mountain is the best place to learn to ski and then quickly graduate to skiing Mt. Baldy with its legendary runs and 3,000 ft of vertical. If you are a Cross Country skier or Snowshoer, you have choices of the Sun Valley Nordic Center, Galena Lodge on Galena Pass, and the many trails in the wilderness.

Ketchum, Idaho has some of the best restaurants, both in the mountain lodges and in town that you can find anywhere. Shopping at the great shops and fabulous thrift stores is an experience not to be missed.

Come and join The Mt Hood Gang for a never-to-be-forgotten Ski Week at Sun Valley Idaho. Make your reservation by calling Sun Valley Lodge, 1-800-786-8259 and identifying yourself as part of The Mt Hood Gang.

Here are the discounted rates for lodging (per room per night, with savings of $200-300 per night!), and the amazing discounted lift ticket rates!

To sign up for this trip, use THIS FORM.

Remember the NWSCC Bachelor Blast trip? While we haven't been able to run this trip the last two years, we are again putting it together for this year! We have some great pricing! There will be options to arrive early on Thursday night (for Friday skiing) or to stay Sunday night. We will be asking for people to sign up with a roommate of their choice or to pay a single supplement; we will not assign roommates on this trip. Sign up early to get the room of your choice, as we have a limited number of rooms and La Quinta has told us they will sell out of rooms and we may not be able to add more.

To download the flier click HERE.

To download the signup form click HERE.

Stay at Hotel Ruby Ponderay; ski Schweitzer Mountain Resort. Transportation not included.

Stay at Wolf Creek Resort, Eden, Utah; ski at Powder Mountain, Snowbasin, Nordic Valley. Nordic skiing. Transportation not included.

FWSA Ski Week 2022 Aspen/Snowmass registration is now open.

As we are getting vaccinated for COVID and dreaming of new fun adventures, please consider joining us for what is sure to be an exciting Aspen/Snowmass group ski adventure in 2022. FWSA’s 2022 Aspen/Snowmass Ski Week is open for registration. 

Click HERE for the NWSCC Registration Form (a Word document, to be completed now). Click HERE for the FWSA Registration Form, Waiver, Cancellation Policy, and Trip Conduct Policy Forms (.pdf, to be completed later). Note: the cancellation policy has changed from prior years. Be sure you read it. Contact Rod Robinson at rdrobinsonskier@ gmail.com with questions.

See Flier below, Information HERE, and Registration Form HERE.

See details HERE. Nonmembers extra.

See details HERE. Nonmembers extra.

See details HERE. Nonmembers extra.

Mountain High is offering a safe and socially distanced driving trip to ski Mission Ridge midweek. Participants can drive themselves and stay in a single room, or share with someone else at their option. Special rooming prices have been arranged at the Cedars Inn in East Wenatchee, and participants will make their own room reservations. They can stay 2 nights or 3 nights, at their option. For lift tickets, most people will either have a Powder Alliance Pass (3 free days at Mission Ridge) or an Indy Pass (2 free days). Alternatively, people will buy their lift tickets online in advance. See further details HERE.

Only 11 lucky people will get to go on this trip! Ski Ambassador Daron Rahlves usually skis with ADL on their Kitzbuhel trips. He has been talking up the super fun terrain at his home mountain (Sugar Bowl) to us for years and now, with international travel blocked it’s the perfect opportunity to go. He has generously offered to show us around for two days. We will follow in Daron’s tracks to his favorite runs and secret stashes. See ADL website for trip details. Extra charge for nonmembers; it’s less expensive to join the club!

While NWSCC has pulled out of participation in this trip, anyone who would like to go can still sign up through another FWSA Council. Contact us at contact @nwskiers.org to be put in touch with someone who can help you get on the trip.

The Mt. Hood Gang invites NWSCC and MAC to enjoy their excellent group rates on their annual trip January 23-30, 2021.  This year there will be no group activities.  There are great prices on properties that have kitchens if skiers do not wish to eat in restaurants. Note that the prices are per room or condo rather than per person! Contact Sue Rimkeit srimkeit @comcast.net if you have questions. 

See details HERE. Nonmembers extra.

Camp with hike, bike, and paddle options. Further information will be provided later.