Otter Ski Patrol is Dead

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SellVT
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Otter Ski Patrol is Dead

Post by SellVT »

It is with a saddened heart, I feel obligated to report that the Otter Ski Patrol, after 77 years has been killed.

This will be the first year that the oldest continually registered ski patrol in the National Ski Patrol system, does not register with NSP.

After Powder bought Killington, and promptly decided to take away benefits from the patrollers, a number of the existing patrollers decided it was no longer worth it. In fact, the paid patrol director at the time, Tait, got all the Otters together, and told them that they were no better than the patrollers at Bromely, and therefore do not deserve the benefits they had. (Compare 2-5 codes a year to 2-5 codes a day)The fallout was, that the current Otter Patrol director quit in short order because he wasn't interested in dealing with the stress, while the rest of the patrol tried to get together and lobby for their benefits. They even fired, by email no less, the x-patrol director of the Otters, because he stepped up to try and organize the Otters to stand up for their existing benefits. This is called managing by intimidation, something Temple is famous for, hence the expression, "getting templed".

Killiington had already been talking about trashing the Otters, and turning it into the "Killington Volunteer Patrol". In colusion with paid director Tait, (yet another Temple yes man) Joe Kulina, (government contractor employee from out of town) ascends to the Otter Patrol Director position, and it has been downhill, ever since.

From a once proud group of around 40-50 on the hill patrollers every year, they were lucky to end up with 10-15! I guess it was inevitable, but Killington wins, and a long standing tradition going back to the beginning of skiing in America, goes away.

Killington was always jealous of the Otters, mostly because of the dedication to patrolling and the patrol. Mostly locals, and those that weren't always felt as welcome as anyone, the patrol was an integral part of the growth of Pico.

Feel free to read some of the history on their web site, before it goes away.

http://otterskipatrolvt.org/history.htm
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spanky
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Re: Otter Ski Patrol is Dead

Post by spanky »

What were the benefits that were lost? I was always under the impression it was volunteer.

I know if the benefits of being part of the NSP. Was there something else?
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skibumetteone
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Re: Otter Ski Patrol is Dead

Post by skibumetteone »

In the 70s, I was very involved with ski patrol at Pico. Tight knit group. Those that worked with otter patrol., Came back year after year. They did a great job. Especially in search and rescue off the bucklin trail . It was run later years by a man who was incredible. He actually would bring venison to the peak, and we would BBQ , and all have cookouts up there. There were lots of good times. The camaraderie was incredible. And yes it was all volunteer.
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Guy in Shorts
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Re: Otter Ski Patrol is Dead

Post by Guy in Shorts »

Guess Powder no longer wished to be a friend with benefits.
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flatnhard
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Re: Otter Ski Patrol is Dead

Post by flatnhard »

Sad, thanks to all of the Otter Ski Patrollers over the many years at Pico. Had the great chance to work with many and be friends with many. Other than Birdeye's, Pico is where I learned how to ski, it was my daycare center when my dad went to work and later worked there myself. Hat's off to all of the Otter Ski Patrol for your service. It was once the Friendly Mountain where the locals was it's business.
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