William Morris Sr.

Action Brings Global Change, Group Says 
Local Branch Of Worldwide Group Sees 
Grassroots Incentive Fueling Positive Change

Monday, January 09, 1995 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





Wind beneath his skis &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 There's man and there's mountainAnd when man -- Bob Rosen -- meets mountain
-- Montage --there's magic. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rosen commandeers ski slopes, slicing through stiff winds in a rhythmic
zigzag down Cannonball run. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For Rosen, skiing is more than sport, more than recreation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It's the cold core of his existence. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's almost an art," he says, "a way of self-expression." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 His official title is assistant director of the ski school at Montage Ski
Resort. Unofficially, he's a ski nut. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With the help of two thin strips of waxed Fiberglas and a pair of skinny
aluminum poles, Rosen snow-soars at least five days a week. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When he's feeling especially zippy, he'll strap on the headsets and ski to
the music of Jethro Tull or Edgar Winter. When he's feeling mellow, he'll slow
down with reggae. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "When I'm in a bad mood it makes me feel better," says the 40-year-old ski
buff. "When I'm in a good mood it helps me celebrate. It's even fun when it's
raining or 10 below because then the snow is so different." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 While he enthusiastically touts the virtues of Montage, his favorite place
to ski is New Hampshire, home of some of the oldest -- and coldest -- resorts
in the country. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rosen skied Mount Washington as late as Memorial Day weekend, when he hiked
two hours up to Tuckerman's Ravine for a raw encounter with the elements atop
a 2,000-foot vertical drop. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 No lifts. No lines. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Hike up. Ski down. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Ecstasy. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 While speed racing, he's reached top speeds of 60 mph. He can take a
2,200-foot run in 28 seconds. A recreational skier might take 45 seconds to
get down the same hill. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "You just fly," he says. "It's a total adrenalin rush. You're on the verge
of being scared." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He's been skiing 28 years and still takes lessons. There's always room for
improvement. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Take it slow, he advises novice skiers. Take lessons. Expect some
frustration. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Beginners might start off mastering the simple wedge. More advanced skiers
might be looking to refine their dynamic parallel turn. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The phrase I hear the most is `What am I doing wrong?' " says the
instructor. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "But there's no wrong way to ski as far as I'm concerned. You just have to
learn to ski more efficiently." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Three years ago, he took up snow boarding. Runs he could easily maneuver on
two slim skis now looked foreboding on a fat single board. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I was intimidated," he says with a laugh. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Despite his advanced skill level, he's had a few crashes. Knees into trees.
Neck fractured on moguls. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "It's tremendous fun," he still insists. "There's no bad conditions -- only
different challenges." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rosen got hooked on the white stuff at age 12 when he joined a junior high
ski club. Back in the 1960s, ski boots were leather with laces. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He stuck with the sport through high school and Penn State, bypassing good
grades for great runs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After graduating in 1976 with a biology degree, he got his first ski job at
Lake Ariel. Hasn't looked back since. He's now a member of Professional Ski
Instructors of America and has skied throughout the country. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He lives with his wife and two kids in Scranton, one mountain over from
Montage. Getting a job five minutes from a ski resort was a dream come true.
Trouble is, snow -- and the job -- only lasts so long. Last summer, Rosen
installed iron railings. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 This summer, he hopes to supplement his income by forming a construction
crew with some fellow ski bums. They plan to call it Four Guys Construction
Co. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Ideally, he'd like to take his family south every off-season, to Chile,
Argentina or New Zealand, where the snow flies during the Northern
Hemisphere's summer months. Because his wife is a teacher, the plan could
work. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the Rosen household, skiing is a family affair. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The children started on the slopes at 18 months. Allison is now one of the
fastest 9-year-old ski racers around. Robbie, 13, loves freestyle. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Rosen sells, and uses, Salomon equipment that matches his 6-foot-1,
200-pound frame. To keep in shape, he lifts weights, works out in a home gym
and mountain bikes whenever he can. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 His favorite time to ski is spring, when the snow is soft and heavy and the
slopes nearly empty. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Most people are golfing," he says. "I'm in shorts having a ball." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wind Beneath His Skis There's Man And There's Mountain.