Skier Profile: Heidi Bergmeyer

Ms. Heidi Bergmeyer newly joins us from New England, where she works at Mass General Hospital in the development office, raising money for breast, GYN and brain cancers. Ms. Bergmeyer started skiing when she was four, and gave it up for about 22 years, only returning to the sport about two years ago. She is enjoying her re-acquaintance with skiing and all the fun new gear. Ms. Bergmeyer met Ms. Kim Lamb while working at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and they live close to one another. Welcome Heidi!

Snowboarder Profile: Tyler Gee

Mr. Tyler Gee newly joins the ranks from the mean streets of San Francisco CA. Tyler G has no relation to Warren G other than having a similar amount of street cred. Tyler is a northern CA local, shredding Sierra Cement for close to 3 decades. This will be his first time riding somewhere that does not rhyme with "Alifornia", "Olorado" or "Regon." Mr. Gee does it all: surfs, wakeboards, spearfishes, freedives, swims, bikes, runs. When not involved in various social movements, such as "Occupy Chairlifts" or "Occupy Skin Tracks", Tyler spends his time vigorously protecting the intellectual property rights of inventors, artists, and other innovators.

Snowboarder Profile: Katy Downey

Ms. Katy Downey is a Ski Holiday LEGEND. Katy can't wait to hit the French Alps on her vintage snowboard. She is looking forward to the Euro apres-ski, and plans to consume a lot of French wine, French fries, and French toast. When not on her snowboard, Katy is often performing on a stage, or on a table, or in the street. Ms. Downey gets to play a State Trooper in real life, which she loves. She has absolutely no jurisdiction in France but might try to handcuff someone anyway. Welcome back Ms. Downey!

Burpees: The New Pain-Gainer

Training is important. Here's something to add to your gym workout: the Burpee

Skier Profile: Chris Tjoa

Mr. Chris Tjoa is stoked about being initiated into Ski Holiday, and excited to spend his 30th birthday in such great company. Though not a coffee drinker stateside, he has already looked into a Camelbak espresso dispenser in case of avalançhe (the French word for avalanche). After growing up an East Coast skier, he is most comfortable on a slanted plank of ice, but he has spent the last three years learning to ski real snow, and hopes that climate change delivers the 30th birthday present he has spewed so much carbon for.

Skier Profile: Holly Valerio

Ms. Holly Valerio is also making her Ski Holiday debut. Ms. Valerio (soon to be Ms. Valerio-Tjoa/Tjoa-Valerio/Valejoa/Tjerio) is a woman known for her piston knees and lightning hips. Though she has never left the bunny slope, Holly loves alpine France and is stoked to make a pilgrimage to the home of The Melting Pot! Having spent the majority of her life in Florida, Holly hopes it's going to be sunny.

Skier Profile: Julie Chilton

Ms. Julie Chilton is also a Ski Holiday greenhorn. Julie is from Anchorage, but not the one you're thinking of (Kentucky). Ms. Chilton joins us from New Haven CT where she works at Yale University. She got her smarts from her parents and from studying Medicine at University of California, San Francisco. Bienvenue Julie!

Snowboarder Profile: Simon Pham

Mr. Viet "Simon" Pham is brand new to the Ski Holiday circuit, joining us from Washington DC. Mr. Pham enjoys big green runs and big air in baby terrain parks. Although telemarking is part of his skill set, Simon claims to be 100% snowboarder for this trip. Mr. Pham is currently growing facial hair for Movember and it's unknown if he'll be clean shaven for the Euro-clubs of Chamonix. In addition to his duties of protecting American innovation at the U.S. Patent Office, Simon works at Meridian Pint, and plays multiple instruments for the DC music scene. Welcome Simon!

La Neige!

Winter wonderland atop Mont-Blanc summit.

Tele-Skier Profile: Susan Brockway

Ms. Susan Brockway returns to Ski Holiday after a stellar showing on our trip to the Great White North in 2009. Ms. Brockway lives and works in Los Alamos ("The Alamos") New Mexico with her daughter and cat. Susan claims to have owned a ski pass every year since 1972. When she is not tele-schussing Pajarito Mountain, Susan enjoys biking, hiking, swimming, dancing. Welcome back Susan!

Snowboarder Profile: Elliot Reed

Mr. Elliot Reed is back! Elliot was the driving force behind the amazing 3 Vallées France in 2006. He survived the '07 injury-prone trip to Verbier Switzerland. Elliot brought serious karaoke skill to Jackson Hole in '08. He kicked it at Kicking Horse & Lake Louise Canada '09. And he après-skied it up in St. Anton Austria 2010. Elliot was born in the Netherlands, raised in Phoenix, and lives in Cleveland. He serves as management at a medical device startup. Fun facts: in 1993 Elliot was a pineapple picker in Maui; he is also color blind and routinely buys purple things believing them to be blue.

Skier Profile: Andrea Oettinger

Ms. Andrea Oettinger is back for another Ski Holiday! The youngest sister of Marc, she has concluded that skiing is more important than being in debt. Andrea is a former teacher and is pursuing a doctorate in Education in Philadelphia. She has spent the last 12 years of her life trying to improve city public schools. Welcome back Andrea!

Snowboarder Profile: Nikki Tiano

Ms. Nicole "Nikki" Tiano and neighbor of the Oettinger family since her early years. She is rarely in the States, spending the greater part of her time working in Africa and the Middle East working in the public health industry. When she is in the US, you can find her riding her bike to and from JP (home to significant portion of Boston's Emerald Necklace) and exercising her fluency in Spanish and Portuguese.

Snowboarder Profile: Chris Blizzard

Mr. Chris Blizzard joins us again, this time from the Left Coast, California. Mr. Blizzard is a Johns Hopkins alumnus, lives in San Jose, and enjoys the law student life. He began snowboarding in 8th grade while living in Japan. Fun facts: Chris saw Arnold Schwarzenegger on his last visit to Sun Valley. We hope Chris' last name breeds good snow fortune for us in March, as it did for us in Park City .

Tele-Skier Profile: Denise Abdoo

Ms. Denise Abdoo is a 100 percent Ski-Holiday-blooded veteran. She hails from Denver, Colorado, where she works as a pediatric nurse practitioner in Emergency Medicine and Trauma at The Children's Hospital. Denise is a flexitarian which means she only eats flexi, a flexible, fibrous, organic foodstuff which I bet is made by Kashi and sold at places like Loving Hut .

Tele-Skier Profile: Marc Oettinger

Mr. Marc Oettinger is the marketing director for this year's Ski Holiday. Marc is a Scorpio who enjoys fine dining, dancing, art history, language, sunsets, exercise, and delightful conversation. Marc has drawn upon the good and the bad in planning, and he again hopes [expects] this to be the best snow trip ever.

Skier Profile: Kim Lamb

Ms. Kimberly "Kim" Lamb is 5th-year Ski Holiday caliber, joining the group from Boston where she works research contracts for the pharma industry. A native of Massachusetts, she did a stint in the Midwest for grad school that extended into 13 yrs of living the good life. Kim maintained her varsity stripes with ease last year in Park City UTAH, and we look forward to her enthusiasm again this year.

Euros to 1 USD

Ski Holiday Retrospective

A 4-minute slideshow looking back at our trips (with soundtrack):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrPu8LD6W6s

Enjoy!