NENSA is celebrating our 30th anniversary in 2025. As part of the occasion, we’re gathering reflections from skiers across New England on the people, moments, and values which have defined the NENSA community. This week Amy Patenaude and Charlie Gunn of the Mount Washington Nordic Ski Club share the story of their involvement with NENSA and what makes skiing in New England so special.
Amy & Charlie: I am sure that most of the skiers that are reading this know that 30 years ago is a long long time ago. It feels crazy to Charlie and me that it was 30 years ago that we decided that we should make a commitment to help get NENSA started by buying life memberships. At the time we rationalized that we planned to ski our whole lives and this could turn out to be a good investment in every way. Charlie had been a member of the Fischer Marathon Team and I was a newly minted Master; we liked racing marathons and the local races. We knew NENSA was necessary if cross country skiing racing was going to succeed in New England.
Our favorites are Bretton Woods’ Greschmossel and Mount Washington Cup, The Jackson Jaunt, Norsk’s Governors Cup, the marathon series–Bretton Woods, Waterville Valley, Craftsbury and of course the Bogburn. We wanted to be able to keep going to these wonderful places to ski and race and to help others join in the fun.
We continue to support NENSA and cross country skiers. Skiing brings us joy and good health and happiness. As Otto Schniebs said, “Skiing is just not a sport, it’s a way of life.”
The Zak Cup/popular racing, Marathons, Women’s Day still continue and grow.
We may not race as much as we did 30 years ago but we ski more.
We want to hear from you! Send in your NENSA 30th reflections using this form HERE.
