On Friday, Dec. 12, the Fitzhugh went on assignment to Marmot Basin to observe sit ski rescue training with Marmot’s ski patrol crew.  

With the local Wilderness Access Fundraising Committee acquiring two new sit skis to be stored and used at the hill, Marmot patrollers learned how to lower a person in a sit ski from a motionless chairlift.  

Volunteer Geoff Findlay, who works for Edge Control Ski Shop in town, was the guinea pig for the demo.  Eight locals, including Findlay, had spent the previous two days learning the ins and outs of assisting those riding sit skis.  These eight volunteers will be on the hill all winter as assistants for sit ski users.  

Findlay volunteered for the opportunity to be lowered off the chairlift by rope.  “It was scary at first,” he said.  Findlay said he felt a “little bit helpless, but you trust the people, the professionals at the bottom holding you up.”

These professionals were Peter Caputa and rookie ski patroller, Nik Pavlov, who according to ski patrol director, Dave Gibson Jr., has caught on quickly.  Planted firmly on the ground and wearing harnesses, Caputa and Pavlov lowered Findlay without incident.  

Jamie McCulloch, a six year veteran instructor from the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing (CADS), came up from Sunshine Village to run the training and seemed very pleased with the Marmot team’s capabilities.