By Peter Kray

As the saying goes, “You don’t stop skiing because you get old, you get old because you stop skiing.”

And that live-for-the-snow, live-for-the-lesson, live-for-the-learning ethos was buoyantly present in a series of conversations I recently had with some of PSIA-AASI’s most dedicated ski and snowboard instructors – from every generation!

In honor of the association’s annual “anniversary season,” in which instructors receive an honorary pin celebrating a specific decade of membership – whether 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or even 60 years – I reached out to a few to find out what their lifelong adventure through learning has meant to them.

What they had to say made me happy, for students and teachers. For the unique wonders of winter. And for the timeless joy of simply sliding down or around a mountain.

Before we dive into some of the feel-good and fork-in-the-slope moments of some of these storied fellow snow pros, here’s the breakdown of 2024-25 winter season anniversary pin recipients. Anniversary pins honor one specific decade of membership at a time. Thank you and congratulations to each and every one of them!

• 60-year members: 26
• 50-year: 94
• 40-year: 176
• 30-year: 373
• 20-year: 400
• 10-year: 822

Making Great Memories

The biggest takeaway from my conversations is how clearly everyone I spoke to remembers their instructional journey, and how the joy of teaching – and learning – stands the test of time.

Sixty-year-member Susan Congalton (Rocky Mountain, A2) first taught skiing while she was in college in Denver, but still managed to keep up with her clinics and certification exams when she took a job practicing law in Manhattan.

“As my career took me into finance and then running a manufacturing company, I continued to take the required clinics, mostly in Colorado ski areas,” Susan said. “I would always dread having to attend the on-snow clinics in the midst of what was a very demanding work schedule, but every time, the experience of interacting with the lively, fun, helpful professionals I encountered made for a delightful couple of days, which I was always sorry to see come to an end.”

Those early years were a heady time for the ski industry, with the possibility of new ski areas spread out like an alpine buffet across the Rocky Mountain skyline.

Colorado-born Mike Ewing (Northern Rocky Mountain, A3, CS1, SR2) remembers teaching skiing when he was 14 years old at Monarch in Colorado because his scoutmaster was the ski area general manager.

Later, when he was on the ski patrol at the new mountain of Vail, he worked 10 days on and four days off, when he would go to clinic with PSIA co-founder Max Dercum at Arapahoe Basin.

“I got my first certification the spring of 1965,” Mike told me. “Teaching has always been my favorite thing in skiing!”

It’s a sentiment quickly echoed by Mike Bannon (Eastern, A3, SR1, XC1).

“Getting my 60-year pin means I am really old. But more importantly, it also means that I love skiing,” Mike said. “And my experience has provided me with the wisdom to more effectively and efficiently coach others to enjoy skiing.”

Love, Joy, and Teaching

While talking to our esteemed honorees, I realized that words like “love” and “joy” have probably never been uttered at a corporate board meeting. But for this story, I heard those words in almost every conversation.

“This anniversary means 50 years of doing something that I love, teaching thousands of skiers and snowboarders,” said Edward Sigmann (Central, A3, S1). “I have become a Level III alpine instructor, Level I snowboard instructor, examiner, head ski coach, on the board of directors for five years, ski school director, and general manager of a ski resort, and enjoyed many years of camaraderie with other instructors and long-lasting friends.”

“This anniversary reflects my passion for skiing and the joy of teaching,” said Lynda Shenk (Central, A2, CS1). “I love helping others gain confidence in their ability. I am grateful to all those who mentored me, encouraged me, and befriended me. Skiing is much more than just a sport. It is my community.”

That sense of community was another recurring theme, as each instructor reflected as much on what they taught their students, as they did on what other instructors had taken the time to teach them.

“It’s an opportunity to reflect on the many mentors over the years who helped me grow as a teacher,” said John Eisenhauer (Northwest, A3, CS1), noting in particular five magical days on snow at the 1978 National Academy where he got to ski with Stu Campbell, Horst Abraham, Jens Husted, and Chris Ryman, four of the association’s most enduring icons.

Every Day, Something New to Learn

The many dynamic aspects of snowsports – weather, motion, emotion – mean that every lesson can evolve in an instant, providing the student and the teacher with an ongoing source of fresh information.

For 40-year anniversary pin recipient Rob Bevier (Eastern, A3, CS3) those variables are what make the profession so exciting.

“It’s certainly not the easiest way to make a living,” Rob said. “But the ability to change someone’s life by sharing information so they can enjoy sliding down the hill is a feeling I hope I never get tired of. Forty years is a long time to do just about anything, but if it is what you love, time goes by pretty quickly.”

For Kim May (Rocky Mountain, A3), a day on the hill could include working with Olympic medalists Phil and Steve Mahre for 20 years at their training center in Keystone, as well as helping people ski for the first time.

“It is so fun to work in that environment,” Kim said. “I still enjoy analyzing race videos, then going out to Molly Hogan (at A-Basin) to help a beginner discover their first turns. Life is good when you can open someone’s eyes to the beauty and thrill of skiing.”

Bradferd Miller (Central A3, CAE, CS2, FS1, XC3) said his journey began in 1971 on the slopes of the now defunct Mott Mountain, where “The appeal of teaching people via PSIA and GLM (Graduated Length Method), coupled with the professionalism displayed by Mott Mt. instructors and School Director Mark Rupert, became an obsession.”

“Simply summarized,” Bradferd said, “my 40 seasons with PSIA-AASI are the acronym L.S.V. (Learning-Sharing-Validation): a journey I would promote to all new instructors.”

“Forty years really causes me to reflect on my career, which has been long and very fulfilling,” said Telluride’s Debra Willits (Rocky Mountain, A3, CS2, TM3, XC3), whose many teaching highlights include being a member the PSIA Nordic Team three times and attending two Interskis, being National Nordic Committee Chair, involved in writing several Nordic instructional manuals, and being named “Colorado Instructor of the Year” in 2023.

“I just kept skiing and learning and creating and growing,” Deb said. “I’ve met so many incredible and interesting people that I learn something new every day. Being an instructor is a way to ‘see the world,’ even as you live in a small southwestern Colorado town.”