Attending this meeting were 15 members. President Tim announced that there was to be no prepared program so he suggested we just eat and socialize. Before we ate, however, many members came prepared to extract some coins from Dan Dalquist for the blatantly self-promoting article in the Daily Mining Gazette (sorry, Dan, I couldn't resist): one came suggesting an apt amount to atone; another brought the article in case there was any disagreement. But Dan, good fellow that he is, had his $40 Happy Dollars ready in hand to add to our treasury. Here is a copy of the feature story iu case you missed it.
HANGING UP HIS SKIS
December 24, 2010 - By Kurt Hauglie DMG Writer
RIPLEY?- Part of Dan Dalquist's regimen for getting ready to go on ski patrol duty in the service's building at Mont Ripley Ski Hill is putting on a brace for the missing anterior cruciate ligament in his right leg.
Dalquist, who damaged his knee during one of his ski patrol duties, said the brace is the only thing that keeps him on skis.
"The alternative is not skiing," he said. "That would be unacceptable."
Dalquist, who graduated from Houghton High School and Michigan Technological University, will be retiring as an active ski patrol member after 40 years at the end of the current season in March or April. He'll continue to be an instructor for the rescue service, however.
In January 1971, when he was an 18-year-old student at Tech, the 58-year-old Dalquist said he began his career as a member of the Mont Ripley Ski Patrol.
"It seemed interesting," he said. "I just stuck with it."
When he started at the ski hill, Dalquist said it was much less developed than it is now. There were only a few rope tows rather the T-bar and chairlifts there now. There were many more trees, also, which were eventually cut down to make room for more ski runs.
When he started in the ski patrol, Dalquist, who was already a skier, said part of the training was learning Red Cross emergency care, but it was a bit different than it is now.
"CPR didn't exist," he said.
Dalquist said his ski patrol career didn't get off to a very auspicious start.
"I failed my first first-aid exam," he said.
He passed the exam the next year, however, Dalquist said, and ironically, he became a teacher of the first aid course.
Other training included rescue skiing techniques and learning to use the rescue sled, Dalquist said. Much of those techniques are still taught to new members.
As a trainer, Dalquist said he instructs members on chairlift rescues.
"That's been my area of expertise since 1972," he said.
Training for local ski patrol members is based on methods created by the National Ski Patrol, Dalquist said, but they can be adapted for local needs.
"The local patrols are autonomous," he said.
Dalquist said in the 40 years he's been in the ski patrol, many things have stayed the same, but some things have changed.
"One of the things that have changed over the years is the emphasis on interacting with our (injured or rescued) guests," he said.
Making a personal connection with the people they help is part of each rescue, now, Dalquist said.
Mont Ripley is a steep and fast ski hill, Dalquist said, and that leads to some very serious accidents.
"We've had some tremendous speed-related incidences," he said.
There were no jumps on the hill 12 years ago, but there are some now, Dalquist said.
"That has consequences," he said.
Many people use the jumps, some of whom really shouldn't, but Dalquist said there's no way to stop inexperienced skiers from using them.
"You really can't," he said. "You can make suggestions."
The emphasis now is on "extreme" skiing, including spinning in the air, Dalquist said, but he leaves that to younger skiers.
"I don't do that," he said.
Dalquist said one incident on Mont Ripley actually involved a ski patrol member, who got injured in a part of the hill not used for skiing. The rescue squad, which he wasn't a part of that particular time, sent to help the ski patrol member, became disoriented and rather than taking him downhill to M-26, took the much more difficult uphill route.
That incident provided a valuable lesson for ski patrol members.
"It's something we still work with and bring up in training, to go downhill," he said.
During his ski patrol career, Dalquist said equipment, including boots and skis, have changed tremendously. The skis he uses now are shorter than when he started, and they have a parabolic curve on the edges which make turning much quicker. It took him an entire ski season to learn to use the new skis.
Besides working at Mont Ripley, Dalquist said he also worked at Cliffs Ridge in 1977, and Mount Holly near Flint for the 1979-80 ski season. He returned to Mont Ripley in 1980, and has been there since.
Over the 40 years he's been in ski patrol, Dalquist said he's earned some awards and appointments, including national runner-up as a Silver Merit Star Outstanding Instructor, the national Distinguished Service Award, national, regional and local Certificates of Appreciation and others. He's also been a leader or advisor in many areas for the Mont Ripley ski patrol.
Dalquist said the national ski patrol appointment is something for which he's particularly proud.
"National appointment is not something you can apply for or request," he said. "You must be recommended by your peers."
Although he'll be retiring as an active ski patrol member in spring, Dalquist said he'll stay on as an instructor, maybe for as many as 10 more years.
Besides the memories of the experiences he's had during his career in ski patrol, Dalquist said the people he's met and worked with are very important to him.
"The friendships over the years are awesome," he said.
Thanks for the money, Dan. It is a great story and was great career on skis. We'll see y'all next year.
1 comment:
nice eork in the year sir
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