Check out the real estate market update for Seven Springs! This monthly summary of what’s happening at Vail’s newest resorts will keep you in the know!
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Hidden Valley, 7 Springs, Laurel Highlands, PA, Real Estate, News
Check out the real estate market update for Seven Springs! This monthly summary of what’s happening at Vail’s newest resorts will keep you in the know!
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Take a look at the real estate market numbers for May! Limited listing inventory is only offering a few properties for buyers to consider. See what’s up!
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In the past week I have heard MULTIPLE TICK stories! PLEASE enjoy the outside but understand that ticks carry serious side effects. Here’s a super short video from the DCNR recent newsletter about taking pre-cautionary steps and how to protect yourself!
I can remember the markets where we had over 100 listings and they would sit for a year or two! Times have changed and now listing inventory is almost non existent, buyers are waiting for properties, and many sellers are sitting on a ton of home equity! See what’s up with the April market!
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Same story, very low listing inventory, buyers waiting for properties, and sellers sitting on a boat load of home equity! Check out the April market report!
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How long will this sellers market last?? No one can say for sure but we do KNOW is that listing inventory is still at historic lows, buyers our waiting for properties, and there’s a very good chance that as a homeowner at the resorts YOU are sitting on a ton of home equity!
As reported in the Tribune-Democrat Johnstown, the Somerset County Treasurer is catching up with those NOT paying their 5% hotel tax! In a past post I shared the forms and more details but basically if you are renting your home part time you are responsible to pay up! According to the article one home owner owes 16,000 in back hotel taxes! Here’s the story.
One of our favorite adventures in the Laurel Highlands was taking the time to enjoy the wonders of the 70 mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail! We did it in sections and there was one overnight stay. The trail winds through a section of Seven Springs. Below is picture (GO LH) of one of the fern beds, such an amazing sight and there are many! Especially if go in a season when the trees have shed their leaves. Anna Weltz from GO LH put together a FAQ specifically for this trail. Sure hope you check it out!
YOU are going to want to see these first quarter numbers! We have MORE EXCITING NEWS! The Josh Crowe TEAM welcomes Sarah Greiner Brown as a buyer’s agent. Selling or buying, on or off the resorts we are here to help you with your real estate needs! Sellers know that you may be sitting on an unexpected windfall of cash! Catch up to see what prices properties similar to yours have sold for recently!
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YOU are going to want to see these first quarter numbers! We have MORE EXCITING NEWS! The Josh Crowe TEAM welcomes Sarah Greiner Brown as a buyer’s agent. Selling or buying, on or off the resorts we are here to help you with your real estate needs! Sellers know that you may be sitting on an unexpected windfall of cash! Catch up to see what prices properties similar to yours have sold for recently!
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If you see it REPORT IT! According to DCNR, the map below shows the few counties that this pest has yet to be found! Read the newsletter here. It was first found in Berks County, PA in 2014 and has a preference for grapevines, maples, black walnut, birch and willows. Read more on HOW it can impact our economy and quality of life!
Here’s a follow up link to an editorial about the pay increase from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
According to Sierra Sun “The new base pay will apply at all the company’s U.S. resorts. Canadian resorts will also increase base pay to 20 Canadian dollars per hour. Those in skilled positions — including ski patrol, drivers and others — will start at $21 per hour. Vail Resorts CEO Kirsten Lynch said salaried employees will see wage increases beyond the current rate of inflation. The company made the announcement in a press release on Monday in advance of the company’s 2022 second quarter earnings call.”
Hmmm the employment page on 7S is currently showing $13.50 per hour for most of the open jobs. The article does say “for the 2022-23 ski season” time will tell!
This year Abe celebrates 40 years of working the resort markets! From 1982 till 2002 she advanced from agent to Broker of Record for the Villages at Seven Springs. From land development, new construction, marketing, and all of the real estate paper work she has had incredible experiences. One of her favorites was lobbing for the new construction company of Kettler Forlines Inc to open their first real sale division. She shared how life long friendships evolved from many of her 1st time meeting consultations. Here’s a quick review!
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Sellers YOU could be sitting on a TON OF CASH! With very little listing inventory it is indeed a sellers market! Take a look at the February numbers and catch up with me to discuss your options!
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Sellers YOU could be sitting on a TON OF CASH! With very little listing inventory it is indeed a sellers market! Take a look at the February numbers and catch up with me to discuss your options!
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![]() So the other day, I was riding my mountain bike at our local park trying to get back into some semblance of shape after a tough winter on our trails. Once the snow came and the thaws and freezes, the ice on the trails was too tough for me because I don’t have studs. So with the recent spring like weather, I figured I would go out again and start riding. I was making my way up a hill when a guy who was hiking with his wife said, ” Hey!………..good job”. I kind of chuckled at that comment and said thank you and kept riding. It kind of reminded me of the old mountain bike racing days when I would be killing myself up a hill and some kind soul observing on the side of the trail would look at me and say………..” Hey- good job.” Those kind of comments kind of spurred me on to the top of the hill and then helped me make my way enthusiastically to the finish line. It is amazing how a little positive commentary can spur you on. I always returned the kindness at the World Cup Mountain Bike Finals in Snowshoe, West Virginia with my cowbell. When the pros would be making their way up a heinous climb, I would encourage them with my cowbell. Many of them were so focused that they they never wavered in their concentration. Others like American Haley Batten would smile and enthusiastically say “thank you” and keep riding spurred on by the pro-American spectators wishing her well. ![]() Affirmation is usually the result of the acclaim of a job well done. At Snowshoe, you can see the result of hard work of the world class athletes, and the support they got from their home team and trainers. We cheered them on- affirming their hard work. Affirmation comes after the support of someone trying to do something positive. Support them first- then affirm them. We all have the opportunity to support people on their way up or maybe on their way back. For instance, I have a neighbor who had a severe stroke and is making his way back. He has been through a lot along with his supportive wife. The guy is a noted, retired orthopedic surgeon who has had some tough breaks with his health. I have tried to support him as well as his wife in different ways, but the other day- I saw Dr. Tim out on a walk using his walker encouraged by his ever supporting wife, Joyce. I looked at him and said, ” Good job, TIm.” You could see the smile on his face because I affirmed the hard work he has done to make it back. When I was at his house the other day, he showed me his strength by pulling me with his arms. The guy is a big strong guy and although he is in his 80s, he has made a remarkable come back. He deserves affirmation and we give it to him. I have another friend who has had a stroke as well and he is making his comeback. Although he is younger, he has worked hard to come back. He is an avid mountain bike rider, skier, backcountry adventurer, snowmobiler, and traveler. He has his moments of despair, but I always affirm his hard work and tell him that he will be back stronger than ever. People need support when they have difficult times and we all can give that support. And when they make their way up over the hill metaphorically, we can give them the affirmation that they deserve. ![]() There are a lot of people today that can use our help. Friends who have had a death in the family, are having health issues, maybe are going through a divorce or other personal issues, or people that just need a boost up that hill. We can make the effort to support them and when they make progress, we can affirm that progress with a kind comment like- ” Good job- keep up the good work.” You may not need to use a cowbell to affirm them, but you can certainly recognize that people go through a lot and can use a word or support, a kindness afforded to them, and affirmation that gives them that boost that they need. To have a friend is to be a friend. Thanks for reading. patmccloskey | March 21, 2022 at 6:35 pm | Tags: Haley Batten, Snowshoe Mountain Resort, UCI World Cup Finals, West Virginia | Categories: Friendship, Inspiration, Motivation, Mountain Bike Racing, Mountain Biking, outdoor activities, outdoor sports, Outdoors | URL: https://wp.me/p31Q99-1wZ
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Did you rent out your primary or 2nd home in 2021? If so some of you may be wondering just IF and WHAT your deductions may add up too. First YOU should discuss this information with your tax advisor as I am only SHARING information directly from the IRS. This information discusses “Topic # 415 Renting Residential and Vacation Property” There are multiple links to help you file in April.
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Dear Reader, For all the years we lived in the Laurel Highlands this organization did the most to maintain and improve the natural beauty and assets of the Laurel Highlands. We encourage you to JOIN and CONTRIBUTE. Although this past year presented challenges, our dedication to advocacy, conservation, and clean water led us to new accomplishments. A few examples include: – Fundraising efforts for the Steyer Bridge were successful; we will begin construction this year. We’ll continue to fundraise to resurface the trail leading to Steyer Bridge in 2022. – We completed installation of the pilot phase of the Rondell-Correal Pilot Mine Drainage Treatment System. It is expected to remove 262 lbs. of acid, 97 lbs. of iron, and 6 lbs. of aluminum from the Indian Creek Watershed each year.– We completed the Indian Creek River Conservation Plan: The Sequel, a document loaded with information that will guide our work in the watershed for years to come. You can read the full document here. – Eric, our Youghiogheny RIVERKEEPER, hosted multiple river cleanups in the Spring and Fall, removing hundreds of old tires along with metal and other trash. Spring cleanup dates are:
– As a direct result of MWA’s advocacy, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection altered the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for MAX Environmental, the only permitted hazardous waste landfill in Pennsylvania. This is merely a drop in the bucket when it comes to the hard work and dedication shown by the MWA team last year. Our 2021 Year In Review covers the work done in advocacy, conservation, biodiversity, trails, and more. To showcase the diligent work done by our advocacy team at MWA, we have created a video, “Year in the Yough”, to point out threats to the Youghiogheny River watershed and the actions our team is taking to make sure our beloved land and water is protected from pollution. You can view the video and the annual report on the homepage of our website: www.mtwatershed.com. If you don’t already receive our monthly emails, sign up on our website to be added to our mailing list. The monthly email blasts contain calls to action, recent blog posts, upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and other announcements. We hope to see you around the Yough watershed this year. Together, we can fight for clean water and a healthy environment.
With deep gratitude, ![]() Ashley Funk Executive Director
![]() Meet Taylor Robbins Taylor is stepping into the new role of Conservation and Recreation Manager at Mountain Watershed Association. You’ll see Taylor throughout the watershed, monitoring water quality and managing the Indian Creek Valley Trail and Yough River Water Trail. Mountain Watershed Association PO Box 408 Email not displaying correctly? |
More Exciting Things happening in the real estate markets at Hidden Valley and Seven Springs. See for yourself!
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More Exciting Things happening in the real estate markets at Seven Springs and Hidden Valley. See for yourself!
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Predictions are it will not be going back down anytime soon! 2019 was the last time we saw 4%. More info on mortgage rates from MONEY. Seller’s, consider the higher the interest rates go up the the number of eligible buyers for your property gets lower.
According to Ski Area Management, beginning Feb 14th, Brett Cook is the new GM for Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, and Laurel Mountain. He’s been involved at Roundtop, Liberty Mountain, White Tail and then back to Roundtop as GM when Vail purchased the “Peak Resorts” in 2019. WELCOME Brett!
Here at Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, and Laurel Mountain we are all accustomed to man made snow. But for the Olympics’? Here are two stories that feature the how it was done process. NPR and the New York Times
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It’s the last real estate market report for 2021! Lot’s of great numbers and news included! I’ve even included the Vail deed for you to see.
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According to HospitalityNet, Vail announced on Jan 3 that they had closed the deal. Read the story here. Somerset Court house records indicate that 392 acres were purchased for $67,730,667. on the 7S side and 230 acres for $13,300,000 at HV. Watch for my next market update as I’ll link the deed transfers. Google Maps show the resorts below
As of Jan 1st, I am an official associate of the Josh Crowe Team!
My extensive knowledge of the resort markets and his of the local market allows us to provide our clients with details into past, present and possible future real estate market conditions. He is a long time resident and is involved within the communtiy with a BA in Business from the University of Pittsburgh. We are able to offer buyers and sellers insight into this current competitive seller’s market ON or OFF of the mountain. Our clients include those who are looking for their 1st or 2nd home and those who are transitioning elsewhere.
Combining our years of experience of the resorts and local markets allows us to provide very unique services. These offerings have resulted in multiple 5 star ratings with local, state, and national awards. We may be reached by phone, text, email, and yes, the mail too.
We hope if you are looking to buy or sell property in the Laurel Highlands you’ll catch up with us!
Say What??? For the Federal Housing Finance Agencey appraisals conducted remotely (NO appraiser going through your property) will be accepted in 2022 for Qualifying Fannie and Freddie Loans. Read More
Thanks to GO LAUREL HIGHLANDS for this compilation of scary places to visit for Halloween festivities. Some are family fun and some are for those with strong hearts! Enjoy! Image from Haunted Hollow
Who doesn’t love trees and what they offer us! One of our favorite places to enjoy Mother Nature is Hemlock Trail in Laurel Hill State Park. Six acres of old growth natural hemocks run along Laurel Hill Creek, 1.2 miles. Here’s a link for some other eye cathing trees around the world.
The quick back story is that there a ton of PRIVATE ROADWAYS in PA. When the sellers go to sell, the buyers financing was able to walk away from the transaction if there was NO agreement as to how the road was to be maintained. Now the GENERAL ROAD LAW – REPAIR OF PRIVATE ROADS AND DEFINITIONS Act 25 provides a minimum standard.
From my National REALTOR Association comes these tips on avoiding future fondation problems! There are tips to help you NOT to have expensive issues while you are residing there OR for when you go to sell! Click here for the story!
Pa has over 130 native tree species! “Beginning September 30, weekly fall foliage reports can be found online and will be updated every Thursday. Fall foliage typically peaks for several weeks near the beginning of October across Pennsylvania.” Check out the DCNR website for more details!
Did you know, “One of the seven major recommendations of the State Outdoor Recreation Plan is to “Close priority trail gaps in Pennsylvania’s statewide land and water trail network with the overall goal of having a trail within 10 minutes of every Pennsylvanian.” Inside the Pennsylvania Land and Water Trail Network Strategic Plan (PDF). You’ll find a ” blueprint for state and local governments, trail providers, and other stakeholders to guide Pennsylvania’s trail stewardship and expansion for the next five years.” Read more
This year in PA, for certain species hunters may now carry a digital hunting license! Check it out here!
Wolf Rocks at Laurel Mountain with the Paturday Crew- Photo by John Cassucio
My friend Jeff Chetlin calls my rides Paturday rides. Kind of a reference to the fact that my mountain bike rides as of late are more relaxed and the theme is to enjoy the ride. I also refer to my rides as PPPP. Pat’s Pleasant Park Peddling. You see, I have chased people on road bikes and mountain bikes for 40 years. This year I decided to just bring it back a notch and ride at my own pace. When my pals come on a Paturday ride, they know they will have a good ride, good mileage, good route and a good time. We don’t have to kill each other, we just need to enjoy the ride. Ride to ride another day, don’t get hurt, and well……………have fun. Nobody is going to the Olympics.
Take this weekend for example. The Paturday ride was at my favorite place locally to ride a mountain bike- Laurel Mountain. I don’t know what it is about the Laurel HIghlands but I feel truly relaxed up there. I like the Laurel Mountains at all times of the year, and I have a couple of good mountain bike routes that challenge the best and allow for the more casual to also enjoy. Paturday means when we come to a particularly tough rocky section- I let the tough guys go and I meet them at the end of that particular section. They have had a challenge, and if I don’t feel like killing myself, I just ride an alternate trail and meet them. They are all smiles and breathing hard and getting what they need. I have a more relaxed section and that is just fine with me. The people who ride with me get their share of the rocks and roots that make a Laurel Mountain ride classic. But I/we don’t have to do all of them. The tough younger guys on the Paturday ride do them all and I admire them for sure. But I get enough skipping the real killer sections. Paturday- something for everyone.
Enjoying the ride.
One of the benefits of the PPPP pace is the ability to look around and see things that I really never saw before. I see the huge ferns that line the trails at Laurel. I take the time to go out to Wolf Rocks Overlook and see the Laurel HIghlands in all their splendor. In a couple of weeks, that overlook will yield spectacular views of the gently rolling ridges with the leaves blazing with color. I never took the time to notice that before. I was too busy chasing the guy in front of me. I also notice that when I ease into a ride instead of blasting out of the parking lot and redlining my heart rate, I do much better on the ride. It takes me a good 45 minutes to warm up. I guess that is a function of getting close to 67 years of age. I am like a diesel. I am not fast anymore, but if I can warm up, I can ride for longer periods of time. If I try to follow the tough guys and blast out of the parking lot- my ride is basically over. Ease into it, enjoy the flora, the things you can see on the trails, and the ride is much more enjoyable if you just take it down a notch.
I have been blessed with a lot of fun friends who ride. The cool thing about mountain bikers is that they are relaxed and the emphasis is fun on the trails. Sure, there are some that still race, or ride race pace, and want to use the rides for training. That is great. But even those guys like the ” chill” atmosphere of a Paturday ride and know that every ride does not have to be a training ride. Mountain bikers are fun people where the apres ride is as important as the ride itself. People bring snacks, beers, chairs and a general state of comradery exists.
So, I guess the point here is no matter what you do, run, ride, hike, or walk, – try a PPPP pace or make it a Paturday pace. I think you will enjoy yourself and see things that you never allowed yourself to see before. Thanks for reading. Fall is coming. A wonderful rime of the year here in Western Pa.
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There has been a lot of talk about global warming lately and the ski areas are concerned about shorter ski seasons and the revenue concerns that are a result of this weather phenomena. A lot of areas have been promoting summer activities like golf, conventions, hiking, lift served mountain biking, bike parks and other ways of bringing the public to the mountains in the summer to boost bottom lines at resorts.
Back in the day, my buddy Mike Smith, who I have referenced in this blog as my ski buddy from Lake George, NY, was the mountain manager at Seven Springs Resort in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands. Mike was instrumental in designing and installing one of the first Alpine Slides in the country and Anni Dupre Santry and I were his crash test dummies during the installation. The slide basically was a concrete slide which made its way down the mountain and the rider would utilize a cart with wheels and a brake lever for speed control. By leaning left or right, one could ride the slide and control the cart at a speed that was dictated by the bravado and the skill of the rider. During installation, Mike would ask Anni and I to try different sections and see how fast we could go without flipping out of the concrete track. Based on our success or failure, he would adjust the bends and reduce the amount of straightaways. Anni and I ended up with some amazing crash rash on our elbows, thighs and various other body parts due to this experimentation and Mike would laugh hysterically at our failures which resulted in some colossal crashes on the adjacent ski slope. ” You better put a bend in there Mike”, I would yell out as I tended to my wounds while riding the chairlift up the mountain for another run at it. Mike would make an adjustment and tell Anni and I to go for it again with “no brakes”. Like the dummies that we were, we would comply and either make it or fly out of the track rolling in the grass down the hill with another failed attempt. Mike would put another bend in the track until we all could ride it successfully at high speed. I was never sure whether this type of testing was in the installation manual but it worked for Mike, and Anni and I had a blast doing it weathering the bleeding, scrapes, and blunt force trauma of it all.
Another form of summer carnage was the sport of grass skiing. These tank treads which had ski bindings mounted to them were an accident waiting to happen at picnics, and other weekend afternoons on grassy ski slopes. I had some of the first ones and many a friend at a picnic nearly killed themselves trying to maneuver these grass skis by physically making baby steps in the direction of the turn. Even with ski poles, the turns were not pretty and if you hit a rock or a stump, you went flying into the pucker brush with crash rash galore. You could get your bell rung real well with grass skiing. At Ski Liberty in Pennsylvania, they even had giant slalom courses set up in the summer for grass skiing and at the top of the mountain was a large pan of soapy water to lube the grass skis for your attempt at the course. As the competitiveness of summer skiers heated up, the crashes were spectacular with many an ending in the local clinic tending to rashes and broken wrists and arms. I was fortunate enough to only secure cuts and bruises but the thrill of downhill skiing in the summer was intoxicating enough to bring us back for more and more at our local areas and parks as well as the mountain resorts. The grass skis were eventually given to some poor unsuspecting younger friend as I got older and wiser, but I sure got good use out of those ungodly machines of destruction.
Mountain bike crashes, road bike crashes in criteriums and road races and behind leaky garbage trucks have come and gone. In the winter, there have been many an edge caught with a resulting crash of spectacular form. But nothing like the raw egg beaters of working the Alpine Slide or racing on the grass skis. As I get older, some of those old egg beaters have begun to take their toll in stiffness upon waking. But I always look back and laugh at the bravado and the sheer insanity of utilizing the slide and the grass skis. No wonder I got clots and have to take a blood thinner. When you have no respect for your body and hurl yourself into the abyss, things happen and they aren’t always pretty. But you have to have some fun in your life right? Nowadays, I take it a little easier. Not sure about Anni. Thanks for reading.
The 24-year-old is one of the first U.S. women to qualify for climbing as an Olympic sport, but her career nearly ended before it started.
OCT 13, 2020 Sports Illustrated
There is a version of the Kyra Condie narrative that reads a bit like a superhero origin story.
First, you have a baby who climbed—on her family, on furniture, everything. Her parents had to take her out of her crib early because she wouldn’t stop climbing out of it. A bit later, in one of her more memorable climbs as a toddler, she ended up on top of the refrigerator. So when 10-year-old Kyra learned that climbing could be a sport, rather than just a free-range activity, it felt like destiny.
But it became clear that something was wrong shortly after she joined her first climbing team. Her back hurt. Some positions on the wall seemed impossible for her. And a visit to the doctor showed that it was more serious than anyone had guessed: Her spine had a 70-degree curve, like an S, due to severe idiopathic scoliosis that would require surgery. The first doctor who examined her did not leave any room to negotiate on what this meant for her future: No climbing ever again.
She begged her parents to seek a different medical team, and eventually, they found second and third opinions with a different vision: Her back would not be able to bend or twist at all from the bottom of her neck to the base of her rib cage, but if she wanted, she could still climb.
In 2010, a few months before she turned 14, Condie underwent surgery to fuse 10 vertebrae. She was able to start climbing again later that year—and she quickly became better than she’d ever shown the potential to be before the procedure. As she advanced, she outgrew the coaching that was available by her home in Shoreview, Minn., so she coached herself with hours of solo sessions.
At 23, she became one of the first U.S. women to qualify for climbing as an Olympic sport.
A child whose abilities were obvious as an infant grew up to be marked by a physical difference that she embraced to become stronger than ever before: Greek myth, superhero origin story, shades of all of that.
But, of course, the full version is a little more complicated.
Her surgery was indeed an inflection point in her climbing career—the months that she had to spend without the sport showed her how much she loved it and didn’t want to live without it. But her intense pushback on the idea that she would never climb again and her dedication to the craft after she was able to return were shaped less by the situation itself and more just … who she already was.
“I was a pretty stubborn kid anyway,” she says, laughing. “As soon as they said something I didn’t like, I was just, nope, nope, this isn’t the one, I just stopped listening.”
And her striking ascent through her teen years felt much more gradual than it might seem looking back.
“She wasn’t a standout youth star,” says her mom, Cathy. “There are some kids that are, but hers was like this slow, steady, continually improving progress. It kind of snuck up on us.” (Asked whether there was a moment when her talent crystallized, her father, Tom, jokes, “Probably when she qualified for the Olympics?”)
But as Condie prepares for Tokyo in 2021—where sport climbing will make its debut in the Olympics—you could be forgiven for holding on to the superhero story line. After all, just watch her climb, and it’s clear how it seems to fit.
Condie’s style was described once by a commentator as “reckless abandon”—somewhat frenetic, systematically intense, with daring moves that could look impossible until she actually pulled them off.
She never consciously tried to affect such a technique. But after years of climbing uncoached, copying what she admired and figuring out how to make it work for her, it was just how she grew.
“I think what sets me apart in my climbing style is actually the lack of coaching,” says Condie, now 24. “The way I really learned to climb was by watching all the older guys at the gym. I was 12 or 13, and I would try to mimic the style that these twentysomething guys were doing. So I think my style’s really kind of burly and dynamic, for sure—a little bit frantic, but not always in a bad way.”
This took her far. But after she graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2018, as she looked at trying to qualify for the Olympics in 2020, she figured that she might have to leave her home state to pursue serious coaching for the first time. As her climbing had gotten more advanced, it had become trickier to label and fix her weaknesses on her own, and it didn’t help that the more difficult climbs were often more position-dependent, which entailed figuring out workarounds to accommodate her back. And she didn’t have access to a speed climbing wall in Minnesota, which represented an entire discipline to master for the Olympics. So in November 2019, she left her hometown for Salt Lake City, home to the headquarters of USA Climbing.
The transition required an adjustment. She’d been climbing on her own for so long—and retained enough of that childhood stubbornness—that her new environment, for all its benefits, was difficult to assimilate to. “I don’t think I’m the easiest to coach,” she admits. “It’s something I really put a concerted effort into this year, because that’s never been something I’ve been great at. I’ve always been really good at solo sessions, but now, I almost always have a training crew, which is crazy to me—like, I’d basically always climbed alone for the last four years in Minnesota.”
Her coach, at least, thinks that her concerted effort there has paid off.
“If you asked me a year ago, I would have said she was challenging,” USA Climbing head coach Josh Larson says with a laugh. “But our relationship has really grown, and we’ve been able to understand each other and respect each other in all different ways.”
Condie qualified for the Olympics shortly after her move last winter—by making the finals at an international tournament in France—and she prepared for what she expected to be an intense few months of training leading up to Tokyo. The coronavirus, of course, suspended that plan. But now that she’s able to practice more or less as usual again, the postponement has revealed itself to be a potentially important opportunity: an extra year to train on a flexible schedule, without any international tournaments on the calendar, and her qualification locked up.
That extra time is useful partially because the Olympic climbing format is unique. It will combine three disciplines for one set of medals: speed (racing another climber side-by-side), lead (going as high as possible within six minutes) and bouldering (completing as many routes as possible on one wall in four minutes). Generally, those formats are kept separate, and the IOC has already voted to change it for Paris in 2024, with two sets of medals instead of one. For now, however, climbers have to figure out how to balance their strengths for all three at once.
Trying to succeed in all the disciplines requires a balance of speed, power and endurance. “It’s really difficult, because fundamentally, those are just usually antonyms,” Condie says. She’s now training five to six days a week, with frequent double sessions, and has tried to use the extended time between international competitions to experiment with different routines and structures.
“I think for her, it’s been a big thing to go, O.K., this is going to be hard for me, and I’m going to get through it and force myself to work on it,” Larson says. “She’s just putting herself in uncomfortable positions more.”
Her move to Salt Lake City has also allowed her to climb regularly with other women, a first for Condie. After honing her style by watching men, and then spending years on her own, it’s been a welcome change. Canadian climber Allison Vest is now not only a training partner but also her best friend and roommate.
“I’ve never gotten to train around girls a lot,” Condie says. “Especially other strong girls. So having somebody there like her who can push me to be better at basically everything is irreplaceable.”
Vest, like Condie, was largely self-trained before she moved to Utah; they’re similarly intense, which is part of what led them to first become friendly with each other at competitions years ago. In that way, Vest sees Condie’s climbing style as a reflection of her personality.
“She definitely moves quickly, that’s for sure,” Vest says. “But for me, it’s less of a reckless, chaotic sense of things, and it’s more just that she moves really confidently and with authority—like, if she’s going for a hold, she’s going for 100%. It’s not going to be tentative and it’s not going to be super-controlled a lot of the time, but she’s giving it 100% of what she has 100% of the time, and a lot of the time, that pays off for her.”
There, again, is an echo of that superhero origin story. Which is fitting, her parents say, because her approach then is the approach she’s had for everything since.
“I don’t think it really ever registered to her that maybe she wouldn’t come out the other side,” says Cathy. “She looks at what she needs to do, and she does it, and works really hard at it. She’s just like that.”
For more from stories on the most powerful, most influential and most outstanding women in sports right now, check out Sports Illustrated’s series The Unrelenting.
Lowest interest rates, lowest listing inventory, COVID-19 mix them together for the most incrdible first half performance I have ever seen at the resort!
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Factors that have created this once in a lifetime sellers market include, lowest iterest rates, lowest listing inventory, AND COVID-19. The picture tells the story!
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If you are considering buying property at Hidden Valley or Seven Springs there are multpile factors that should be evaluated BEFORE signing that offer! A big one is real estate taxes. Here we have County, Township. and School property taxes. The County (will have the same millage for both resorts) and Township (HV is Jefferson Twp, 7S is Middlecreek) are based on the calender year. School Taxes (HV Somerset 7S Rockwood) are fiscal running from July 1 through June 30th and those bills are just NOW being sent out.
HV millage for the 2021 year school tax has gone up to 43.24 mills. 7S millage is 21.89 mills. That’s a big difference.
IF the assessed value (the number used to find the tax) were the same say $50,000 th HV tax would be $2,162.00 and the 7S tax would be $1,094.50
Here’s a link to the 2021 Millages for Somerset County
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So far no one has been able to figure out why birds are dying in at least 9 states. The PA game commission and Audubon Society of Westeren PA is recommending the removal of ALL bird feeders including those for humming birds. Image by Brent Connoly
Enjoy a 4 hour float trip on the Yough River from Dawson to Layton July 11, 10 am. Find out more about the adventure,tickets, and more here! Picture from Sharon Speelman, Laurel Hill State Park
From Governer Wolfs update today 75% of those 18 and older have had at least ONE COVID-19 vaccination. Check out the story.
Listing inventory continues to decline so expect multiple offers! Not seeing any signs of a slow down yet. Check out the update!
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Laurel Hill State Park is offering a Birding By Boat experience, Sat 9am to 10:30am! YOU NEED TO REGISTER AND BRING YOUR OWN GEAR! Enjoy a morning paddle surrounded by birdsongs and meet some new friends!
The outdoors have many pests! Ticks are one of the worst! They are sooo small YOU have to really look for them or deal with the possibility of Lyme disease. Here’s more from the DCNR resource newsletter,
Be Prepared and Proactive to Avoid Ticks
DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Patrick McDonnell, and Pennsylvania Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam reminded Pennsylvanians that tick-borne diseases are present across the state, and encouraged residents to seek treatment if they have been bitten by a tick and provided tips to prevent tick bites from occurring.
Pennsylvania residents and visitors can take simple steps to reduce their chances of being bitten by ticks by:
“Taking these precautions and safeguards are important in ensuring an experience free of tick-borne diseases. DCNR remains committed to informing the public and equipping our employees with the necessary tools to address tick bites,” DCNR Secretary Dunn said.
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The numbers continued to climb in 2020. This will end being a year like no other. Check these out NOW as the year end numbers! The SELLERS MARKET continues at MOST price points at both resorts. With the population wanting some escape from dense urban living and record low interest rates we are seeing an unbelievable amount of transfers and VERY LIMITED listing inventory.
If you have a property you have been thinking of selling now is the time to MAXIMIZE YOUR BOTTOM LINE. Catch Up with Abe 412-897-8535! The end of 2020 market review will be like no other year we have seen in our lifetime.
Open the links below for the reports.
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This is the most recent real estate market report. This includes resort sales for last month. Just look at the numbers, you will not believe them. We checked everything twice so this is the actual sales recorded at the courthouse.
The SELLERS MARKET continues at certain price points at both resorts. With the population wanting some escape from dense urban living and record low interest rates we are seeing this sellers market continue. If you have a property you have been thinking of selling now is the time, I probably have a buyer for it. Contact me at 412-897-8535.
Agents within BHHS The Preferred Realty are still permitted to list and sell properties within the current guidelines for COVID-19! Sellers can still sell and buyers can still buy and YES we can get to a closing. Now there are even more factors added into the process, social distancing and using all safety protocols! These are some really good reasons WHY selling or buying with a REALTOR will help to make the transaction much more predictable. Catch up to find out more on how you can buy or sell property and meet all the COVID-19 protocols.
These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more detailed information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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Opening Day!
by patmccloskey
Signs of the Times.
We didn’t quite know what to expect. The forecast called for rain and highs in the upper 50s for opening day of the local ski season. But the folks who showed up were the regular enthusiasts who don’t allow weather to spoil their fun especially on the opening day here in the Mid-Atlantic. All of us were clad in Gore Tex in anticipation of the foul weather but to our surprise, the sun came out and the atmosphere in the parking lot was electric. I looked at the lady next to me and asked, ” Excited?” She smiled and said,” look at all these grins in this parking lot.”
Melissa Thompson had her mask- don’t worry. Margaret and Barry Boucher- opening day stalwarts.
Most people were masked and compliant with the social distancing rules in the chairlift lines. Everyone was respectful but anxious to make those first turns including me. I was shortchanged my last trip out west in March when everything shut down. It was a little disappointing for me to end the ski season that way. But understood seeing the circumstances of Covid.
The Pandemic has added an additional bit of uncertainty to the opening of the new season, but outdoor exercise along with restrictions in food service and time in the lodges allow for safe skiing for all of us. Our local area- Seven Springs Mountain Resort, was well prepared with signs, restricted lodge time, take out food options, and other anomalies that were accepted by the skiers. Heck, we all wanted to ski so if we had to wear a mask, try to social distance, and eat and boot up outside, no big deal. This is the way it is all over the country this year and I am prepared when I try to ski west this year. For the moment, my Jeep is my lodge.
But back to our opening day. One of the things I try to do when I first start is to concentrate on making nice rounded turns with both feet spread out a little bit and on the ground throughout the turn. No lifting the inside ski as per my old school technique. I watched a lot of video this fall in anticipation of my first turns and noticed the World Cup racers stance and several You Tube videos on carving that gave me a mental image of where I wanted to be. The good thing is that the snow was good and our local area made a good effort to make snow, groom, and open what they could, despite the fickle weather conditions. Things are starting to look up this coming week with a snow storm that might be significant.
My friend Scott Dismukes- a true hard core My Jeep- My ski lodge
It is always good go make those first turns of the season. You build the confidence with each run and the effort to get to the parking lot early and on to the lifts, is well worth it. My smile was wider with each run and the excited conversations in the chairlift lines, although muffled by masks, made me thankful that the opportunity to ski had once again returned. This is my 59th season and I was as excited on opening day this year as I was as a kid all those many years ago. I couldn’t sleep well the night before thinking about it.
Yes – the terrain was limited but the conditions were great. I always say that you can’t be out west or in New England every week if you live here. So why not ski locally and then you are prepared when you do go. I have to tell you that if you like to ski like I do,, you will take every opportunity. The seasons are getting shorter so make the best of it. The folks at Seven Springs made it happen as they do every year for us. I am appreciative. Thanks for reading and think snow.
This time of year when I was a kid, I used to sit by our phone and wait for Bob Rose , our wonderful friend and neighbor, to call and tell me when he was picking us up for the weekly trip to the mountains. My mother would make an early dinner for my sister and me and we would pile into the Rose’s station wagon for the weekly ski season trip to the Rich’s house on County Line Road near Seven Springs The first outing of the weekend was night skiing and oftentimes it was brutally cold weather at night.
Dixon Rich and I still skiing together 59 years later Seven Springs Mountain Resort at Night
In the early days, there was no snowmaking and the grooming was slim to none. We had to negotiate frozen slopes and trails with wooden skis, cable bindings, and leather boots. But all of us kids didn’t care because we were skiing and that is all that mattered. Seemed like more trips to the fireplace in the ski lodge than during the day, but as long as we could get a hot chocolate and thaw out in front of the roaring fireplace, we were fine and back out we went.
As we became teenagers with better equipment, the benefit of snowmaking and grooming became appreciated. But usually on Friday nights, the groomers were not out yet and night skiers had to deal with frozen moguls and deteriorating conditions until the groomers did their magic overnight for us to have perfect conditions the next morning. Didn’t think much about visibility in those days, just where we were going to build a jump so we could hit it all weekend long.
Fast forward and night skiing took on a new meaning as we included it in the itinerary for trips to Holiday Valley in Western New York with wicked snowstorms blowing in off Lake Erie. Night skiing there was at a whole different level. It was at that time that visibility became a little more important to me as we charged down the slopes making sure to stay near the edge to have the best lighting. Skiing at night is fun but you have to be able to see fairly well because the lights are limited in their range and you can ski in and out of dark spots. And again, it is really cold at night in a ski area. One of the more interesting signs that I have seen was on a chair lift stanchion at Killington and also at Whiteface that said” These slopes are as cold and lonely at night as they were during the 1700s. Don’t ski alone” Wise advice especially if you night ski.
Now in my 59th year of skiing and having skied in 111 different ski areas, night skiing is not a priority with me. Now don’t get me wrong. I still will include a night skiing session when my buddies and I venture northward to Western New York in the early season. We will take anything early on and if it includes a session at night, we do it. I have also night skied in Keystone, Colorado with my friend Norm which was an adventure. Keystone makes it their business to light some black diamond slopes which can be a challenge if the visibility at night it compromised by weather. But the same rules apply to when I was younger. Stay near the edge and take advantage of the best light coming off the stanchions. Norm and I got some extra skiing by venturing out at night. We loved to pack it in and that extra cold session in Colorado always will be remembered.
The bottom line to all of this is that at 66 years old, I still get as excited for skiing as I did as a kid. My first outings are local and then on to the scheduled trips out west and to the Adirondacks. But if someone said to me, ” Pat- lets go night skiing” – I would not hesitate, if it meant more time on the hill. I love to ski and will kick, claw, drive through brutal conditions, ski in the rain, sleet, blinding snow, and work real hard to get my time in. How about you? I close my eyes and think back to this time of the year when after all day Saturday and Saturday night skiing, Bob Rose would find me passed out in front of the fireplace in the ski lodge. ” Get up dummy. Time to go.” I laughed and poured myself into the station wagon. What I would give to do it all over again. You don’t quit skiing because you get old. You get old, because you quit skiing. Thanks for reading and enjoy the winter. It is upon us.
Editors Note, Having been on Ski Patrol at 7 Springs for 15 years and closed the back side at 10:00 I can attest that mountain is just as cold tonight as it was in 1700.
patmccloskey | November 30, 2020 at 6:47 pm | Tags: Holiday Valley Ski Area, Keystone Resort, Seven Springs Mountain Resort | Categories: Aging, outdoor activities, outdoor sports, Outdoors, Skiing, Uncategorized, Winter, winter sports | URL: https://wp.me/p31Q99-1ev
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This is the most recent real estate market report. This includes resort sales for September 2020 AND the third quarter of the year. Just look at the numbers, you will not believe them. We checked everything twice so this is the actual sales recorded at the courthouse.
The SELLERS MARKET continues at certain price points at both resorts. With the population wanting some escape from dense urban living and record low interest rates we are seeing this sellers market continue. If you have a property you have been thinking of selling now is the time, I probably have a buyer for it. Contact me at 412-897-8535.
Agents within BHHS The Preferred Realty are still permitted to list and sell properties within the current guidelines for COVID-19! Sellers can still sell and buyers can still buy and YES we can get to a closing. Now there are even more factors added into the process, social distancing and using all safety procedurals! These are some really good reasons WHY selling or buying with a REALTOR will help to make the transaction much more predictable. Catch up to find out more on how you can buy or sell property and meet all the COVID-19 protocols.
These reports give you the inside information based on courthouse records as to what has sold at Hidden Valley and 7 Springs Resorts. If you are thinking of selling or buying you need to review these reports and contact us for more information to determine the highest price that will be successful in the market place. Open the links below for a quick look at how sales are going this month. Keep in mind this is just a small window of information we share with the public. If you want the UNBIASED facts of what is happening in your community and property contact us. We tell you what factual research indicates and not what a marketing department wants you to believe. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. Choose an experienced TEAM with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the Laurel Highlands. We help our clients successfully buy or sell at both resorts. Contact us today at 412-897-8535. Open the links below for the reports.
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My local ski buddy and my western ski pal also got new boards this season and we are all excited to try them in hopefully a short month or two. New Lake Tahoe Stocklis New Heads for my local pal To me, a new pair of skis is like a jump start to the season. I get a little bummed at the end of the season when the last turns are made and I have to wait another 8 months to ski again. With a new pair of boards, the anticipation is increased among the changing leaves and the falling temperatures . It makes the 8 months seem to race quickly as I anticipate the first turns of the season, especially excited to try a new pair of skis. November comes quickly with You Tube Ski TV and vicariously I begin the season in advance of the first tracks around here. Wooden skis, cable bindings, leather tie boots. Back in the day My passion for this sport began when my folks first took me skiing. ( They didn’t ski but wanted my sister and I to get started). I will never forget my first pair of wooden skis , and my excitement then is no different than it is today embarking on my 59th season. Anyone who skis remembers his or her first pair and can probably name most of the skis that they have used since then. I remember my dad subsequently buying me my first season pass and also a pair of Head 360s for Christmas. My job was to earn the money for my first pair of buckle boots and boy was I excited when I first tried on my Koflachs. No more bloody knuckles tying ski boots. But the important thing was that my dad was teaching me to earn money so that I could buy what I wanted. It meant more to me and is a lesson that I carry with me today. Any trips, equipment, and lift tickets were my responsibility from that point on and I mowed a lot of lawns, shoveled a lot of driveways, hauled a lot of steamer trunks caddying at my dad’s club. Working in the box factory in college helped pay for a lot of things and the lesson was being ingrained with every pay check. It still is today when I budget for trips, ski equipment, and ski passes. I think a lot about my dad when ski season starts. Especially when I tune my skis on the bench that he built for me some 40+ years ago. Every time I add to my quiver of skis and get a new pair, I think of him and the message that he taught me to earn the skis that will earn my turns. So many memories of ski seasons past, but the anticipation of what is to come is only accentuated by the vision of a new pair of skis, waiting to be mounted. Think snow and think safety in the coming ski season. Wear your mask, wash your hands and make sure that skiing is there for all of us this season. Thanks for reading patmccloskey | October 26, 2020 at 6:18 pm | Tags: Head Skis, Stockli Skis | Categories: Exercise, Fatherhood, Inspiration, Motivation, outdoor activities, outdoor sports, Outdoors, recreation, Skiing, Uncategorized, Winter, winter sports | URL: https://wp.me/p31Q99-1db
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I have to say that this time of year is my favorite among the seasons. The temps are changing and the leaves are turning colors- somewhat blazing this year. I love to hike at this time and my interest in that pursuit all started when I was a kid. I loved being in the woods. The first five human beings I knew outside my parents, were my five backyard neighbors- Richard, John, Ron, Glen and Cliffy. We lived in the woods – playing Army, catching crawfish and salamanders, and basically being there until my dad rang the dinner bell from our back patio. My parents didn’t worry about us much in those days. We were gone all day and would come running in for lunch, dinner and stay out as long as possible. We even drank from garden hoses and nothing ever happened to us. Imagine that? Slept out under the stars. We loved the woods and I still do today. This is a picture of Richard, John and me at Arapahoe Basin a couple of years ago. They both live in Colorado now. Even with the fact that we had not seen each other in a while, it seemed as if we left off right where we were the last time we were together. Isn’t that the way it usually is with good friends?
Fast forward from childhood, I hiked and back packed a lot in the fall right after college. The woods in the mountains seemed like a good place to reflect and try to figure out what the heck I was going to do with my life at the time.
I would either set up my tent or make arrangements to sleep in a ” lean to” shelter provided by the state. I would look up at the stars in the middle of the night while stoking the fire and try to figure out a path forward – like many of us at the time. Hiking was a relaxing way to reflect, take in the change of seasons, and breathe in fresh air. A walk in the woods was always therapeutic and still is today.
Moving on, to today’s world, hiking is a great activity for my wife and me to enjoy. As empty nesters, we love to get our gear together, strap on our boots and packs, and take that proverbial walk in the woods.
We either go to the Laurel Mountains east of here, or locally to one of our favorite routes in Sewickley. We often remark in our local hike that we could easily be anywhere with the scenic forest and well built trails .
It looks a lot like Vermont or New Hampshire with the rocky trails and hardwood forest, but it is only a 15 minute drive from our house. We don’t have the dramatic backdrops of the Green Mountains or the Whites of New Hampshire, but for a local hike, the scenery is pretty good here in Pa. A nice way for my wife and I to connect without any pressure of keeping up with anyone or keeping some sort of time schedule. Time moves slowly when you take a walk in the woods.
My folks never understood my need to be out in the wilderness, either locally or when I traveled near and far to basically camp, hike, climb, ski, and otherwise enjoy what is out there. Their idea of camping was sleeping at a Holiday Inn with the windows open. Me? I like that tent where I can see and smell the night. The stars, the planets, and the general feeling that the woods are embracing me. I feel like I belong there. That is why it irks me to no end when I see people deface rocks and overlooks with graffiti. All of us who love the outdoors need to protect what we all enjoy. Public lands, trails, National Parks, are all part of our heritage and if we want to leave ” a walk in the woods” for our kids and grandchildren, we always must pay attention to protecting our outdoor places of recreation.
A final suggestion, if you are looking for an activity this fall, maybe try hiking? There are so many places to go and aside from a rucksack filled with water and snacks, and some good sturdy hiking shoes or boots, the investment is minimal and the rewards are great. My love for the woods and the outdoors stems all the way back 55 years with my old buddies playing Army in the woods behind the Zankey’s house. For all we knew, we were in the Rocky Mountains or as far as our imagination led us at the time. Take that walk in the woods. It will restore you and give you needed perspective in our world today. Thanks for reading.
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES
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Awagner@TPRSold.com
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