Who skis cross-country with a shovel
Around ten years ago I saw Mark Ruoff on the Upper Awosting trail near the powerline, shoveling snow to restore cover on a bare spot. There was not a motorized vehicle in sight. I guess a former biathlete would be familiar with having a long heavy object slung across their back while skiing.
In any case, I stopped to thank him, both for the impromtu trail maintenance and because I knew at that time he was starting a ski club in order to promote cross-country skiing in the area. Mark is a co-founder of the Shawangunk Nordic Ski Association. While many people travel from rar away year-round to Minnewaska, the Gunks, and Mohonk Mountain House, I think locals can and should enjoy it all just as much. SNSA takes action to make that so for cross-country skiing in the New Paltz and Gardiner area.
Why him, and why now?
It turns out Mark Ruoff has leukemia and is undergoing treatment. His family set up a funding page for people to help out with their expenses. Everybody has to deal with tough breaks but I think Mark’s dedication to skiing, his family, and the local community deserve some attention and upport if you can manage it. As Bill Withers sang: ‘For it won’t be long; ’til I’m gonna need somebody to lean on’
There’s two ways to help out:
- Doneate via the Gofundme page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/mark-ruoff-fundraiser
- Enter the ‘Ski for Mark’ race on Feb. 8: https://ccendurance.com/mark-ruoff-fundraiser
More about SNSA and the Mountain Brauhaus
Background info in case you want to know more.
SNSA and skiing in the New Paltz area:
- https://gardinergazette.com/article/skiing-the-gunks/
- https://hudsonvalleyone.com/2017/01/05/shawangunk-nordic-ski-association-revives-activities-as-snow-accumulates/
- https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/02/21/new-paltz-wins-girls-and-boys-section-9-nordic-skiing-titles/6878669001/
The Ruoff family has a century of history in the area and have always owned the Mountain Brauhaus, a well-known restaurant outside New Paltz at the foot of the Shawangunk ridge. Mark and his sister Ilka along with their spouses currently own and run the business.
More about the Mountain Brauhaus:
Across the Snow Line 