Eldora Mountain Safety Team Members

Niwot residents Amy Cramer and Skip Wehner are new members of the Eldora Mountain Safety Team (MST) this season. Their passion for skiing, desire to keep everyone safe, and delight in being part of the small nearby ski resort make their role, in Cramer's words, "the best job in the world." As the season enters its final weeks, they each shared their very different personal backgrounds, and their shared enthusiasm for their new roles, along with their overflowing joy of living in Niwot.

Cramer and her family moved to Niwot 14 years ago. Raised in the East, she learned to ski in the Berkshires before moving to the Midwest, where she lived for many years. She and her husband, Ken Cramer, live in the Legend Ridge neighborhood. They have three grown children and a dog named Peyton Manning.

Cramer is a successful culinary entrepreneur and a proponent of a vegan and gluten free diet. She prepares meals and runs a catering operation at her company, Plant Based Boulder. She also runs a manufacturing operation producing plant-based soups which are offered at supermarkets in Ohio and Illinois. Ever since the Marshall Fire she has led one of the volunteer food preparation teams at a charity kitchen supported by the Jewish Community Center.

Skip Wehner grew up in Colorado and learned to ski in the "big mountains" at an early age. He lived in the Jefferson County school system during the time of year-round schooling.

Parents stood in line to register their children for their preferred break term. Some parents wanted their children to have the traditional summer track off. Wehner's family of ski enthusiasts chose the winter. His father slept in the car by the registration line overnight to make sure the family could ski at Summit County's Copper Mountain, Breckenridge, and Keystone all winter.

Wehner attended University of Colorado and worked in commercial lending for over 25 years. Also a serial entrepreneur, he moved from Austin, Texas, back to Colorado when he acquired a business called Wobble Wedge.

Wehner was familiar with Niwot from his CU days. He and his wife, Sheri Nordstrom-Wehner, moved to a home near N. 79th Street and Meadow Lake Road. Wehner's sister and her family are long-time Niwot residents and the Wehners' three adult children all live nearby as well.

Cramer and Wehner met before the current ski season when they were both hired at Eldora Mountain as new members of the 20-person Mountain Safety Team. Only candidates who demonstrate that they are expert skiers or snowboarders are considered. Once hired, team members undergo rigorous and ongoing training.

Cramer and Wehner only recently began patrolling without a mentor alongside them. All members continue to receive daily training before heading up the mountain for six or more hours of patrolling. Cramer and Wehner both work two days per week, nearly always on different days from one another.

They each repeatedly emphasized the team's top priority, "Safety #1, keep everyone safe." The MST is responsible for non-medical safety and assistance, such as assisting "over-terrained guests" (OTG's) who chose or inadvertently found themselves on slopes beyond their skill level.

When medical assistance is required, Ski Patrol members, who are stationed at the top of the mountain, are notified and quickly ski to the site of the incident. One or more MST members remain at the scene to alert other skiers to avoid the area, transport any equipment to the bottom of the mountain and assist others in the group.

Cramer and Wehner's enthusiasm extends to the resort itself. Both are experienced high mountain skiers, yet prefer Eldora for its convenient location, vibrant but laid-back atmosphere and friendly staff.

Their energy level remained high and their words became tender when the conversation turned to living in Niwot. Cramer said, "I cannot overstate my joy of being in this wonderful town. People who self-select Eldora are the same type who self-select Niwot. This is where I want to come home to." Wehner added, "I love my neighbors, I love my neighborhood. My soul is filled by living here."