CMSP Named 2025 Central Division and the National Runner-up Outstanding Large Patrol

Picture: “Cascade Mountain Ski Patrollers attending the Central Division Awards Banquet, 6 Sep 2025.
Front row (L-R): Keith Poulsen, Chris Schelm, Brian Small (current PR), Jenni Snavely, Gretchen Girard (PD).
Back row (L-R): Jim Riedemann, Jeremy McPherson, Dani McPherson, Dick Wolkowski (past PR), Lynn Thornton, Cody Jones, Eric Gesteland, David Sisco

The Cascade Mountain Ski Patrol was recognized the 2025 Outstanding Large Patrol for the Central Division and was also honored as the national runner-up for the same award. The awards were announced September 6^th at the Central Division First Tracks Conference held in Milwaukee.

Cascade Mountain, located near Portage, Wis., operates about 100 days per season and offers skiing and boarding seven days per week across 48 trails. It Is serviced by 11 lifts, including two high-speed detachable quads. The Patrol is staffed by 152 patrollers (142 primary and 10 secondary) and provides coverage for day and night shifts. The patrol has 35 Senior and 4 Certified Alpine patrollers, of which 14 have National Appointments. Over the past four seasons Cascade patrollers have held 22 Regional and 4 Division leadership positions.

The patrol has a unique administrative setup that includes a NSP registered patroller who serves the Patrol Director and is an employee of the ski area, and a volunteer Patrol Representative who is elected by the Patrol to a two-year term. This setup appropriately divides the PD workload between management issues such as incident reporting, scheduling, and liability concerns.  The PR focuses on education and training, patroller development, and interaction on various issues with the National office. The Patrol also has a Board of Directors, two assistant Patrol Representatives, and a Treasurer to complete the administrative staff.

Other aspects of the Patrol that contributed to the recognition include the fact that for the past 9 seasons the Patrol has offered its own OEC class. This allows new patrollers to efficiently integrate their recently learned skills into the Patrol’s protocols and equipment usage. The Patrol has five American Heart certified CPR instructors that offer the class and refreshers to its patrollers, often as part of the annual OEC refresher. The Patrol invites the local Fire and Rescue Department out to the hill early each season to go over its operational procedures. Patient transfer to their care is also discussed as it may occur at several locations across the ski area due to its geography. The Patrol trains approximately 30 hill staff in chair evacuation, which will provide readily-available on-site teams in the event such an evacuation is called. Hill staff have also been trained in basic first aid and a tourniquet has been placed in all Cascade vehicles. The Patrol and ski area have been very active in sponsoring programs such as Women’s Clinics, Senior training and evaluation sessions, and other skiing/boarding/patrolling enhancement seminars. Finally, several of its patrollers have become PSIA and AASI certified to add to the OET instruction capabilities for new patrollers or those needing to annually refresh toboggan handling skills.

Dick Wolkowski, Past CMSP Patrol Representative