Practicing Safe Skiing and Snowboarding Behavior

Jeffery Fraser has served as owner of the Tsaina Lodge since 2011. Prior to taking on his current role, Jeffery S. Fraser spent nearly two decades as chief executive officer at NIC, Inc., in Olathe, Kansas. Away from his work in the software and hospitality industries, Jeffery Scott Fraser enjoys staying active by training bird dogs and snowboarding.

Avoiding accidents and injury on the mountain should rank as the top priority for all skiers and snowboarders. In order to limit the chances of a negative interaction while enjoying a run, individuals should familiarize themselves with and adhere to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) Responsibility Code. The complete NSAA Responsibility Code can be found online at www.nsaa.org.

Understanding right of way rules on a mountain is one of the most critical aspects of the NSAA Responsibility Code. Any skier further down the mountain has the right of way, meaning that individuals higher up the mountain must maintain controllable speeds and practice safe maneuvering as they descend and pass other skiers. However, individuals at any place on the mountain must avoid stopping in areas that may pose a risk to others. Lastly, skiers engaged in a run always hold right of way over skiers and snowboarders preparing to merge with a trail. Before merging, individuals must carefully survey the slopes and wait for a safe opportunity to enter a trail.

How Snowboarding Improves the Body

Apart from being the owner of the Tsaina Lodge in Valdez, Alaska, Jeffery Scott Fraser is also invested in a new company called Job Pose, which is geared toward creating innovative methods to match employers and job seekers. When he is not working, Jeffery S. Fraser spends his time snowboarding.

Snowboarding is one of the latest fitness trends among groups of friends. It helps them keep the motivation to stay fit during the winter season, while also creating a fun way to spend time together. 

Snowboarding inevitably strengthens the legs and abdominal muscles, which improves the body’s core balance. It also provides a good cardiovascular workout. Yet another health benefit, snowboarding can aid in weight loss by burning up to 480 calories per hour.

Those who are interested in learning the basic skills can sign up for snowboarding camps and workshops before attempting to go down the slopes. Not only will they learn the basic moves, and other skills like jumping and twisting in mid-air, they will also meet like-minded people they can connect with.

Classes of Rock Climbing Difficulty

With considerable experience, including at Foot Locker, Webber Real Estate, and AT&T, Dr. Jeffery Scott Fraser functioned for several years as the CEO of NIC Inc. in Olathe, Kansas. He now splits his time between Wyoming and Alaska, where he owns and operates the Tsaina Lodge. An outdoorsman, Dr. Jeffery S. Fraser spends his spare time on activities that include paragliding and rock climbing.

Rock climbing can be categorized as a sport or hobby in which athletes scale indoor or outdoor rock formations. Outdoor events typically take place on natural rock formations while indoor events feature artificial walls. Rock climbing includes a variety of styles, such as bouldering and top roping, and utilizes the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) to assess the difficulty of climbs.

The YDS consists of five classes, with the fifth class being applicable to rock climbing. The other classes measure other outdoor formations such as trails or bike paths. The fifth class of the system ranges from a 5.0 to 5.13, with the lower number indicating an easier climb. A 5.13 rating represents an extreme level of difficulty, as it reflects a smooth-as-glass rock wall with overhanging rock formations. Alternatively, rock formations at the lower ends of the scale generally include a large number of footholds for both hands and feet.

Thompson Pass - Destination for Generations of Sports Enthusiasts

Since their purchase in 2011, Jeffery S. Fraser and his wife have enjoyed rebuilding a luxury winter sports lodge in the spirit of the historic Tsaina Lodge near Valdez, Alaska. The old Tsaina Lodge had served as a popular low-key roadhouse for generations of sportsmen. Jeffery Fraser and his wife preserved as many components of the historic structure as possible, incorporating them into an upscale, contemporary Tsaina Lodge designed to welcome today’s adventure travelers.

The lodge is situated in an avalanche-safe area in the north shadow of Thompson Pass, the snowiest location in the state. On average, more than 550 feet of snow falls in the pass annually.

Thompson Pass is also the gathering point each spring for many of the world’s most accomplished and daring helicopter pilots, skiers, snowboarders, and other lovers of extreme winter sports. The 2,800-foot-high pass serves as their only land entree to the rugged glories of the Chugach Mountains beyond.

For generations, Thompson Pass has drawn legions of anglers to the lakes, rivers, and streams that crisscross the lands around it. The Tsaina River is particularly known for its wild rapids.

In 1899, Army Captain William Abercrombie named the area in honor of Frank Thomson, a native of Pennsylvania. While Thomson spelled his name without a “p,” Abercrombie’s map gave it the added letter, and this is the spelling currently in use by the United States Geological Survey. The pass had already been long known to the native Ahtna people.