Snowboard Examiners & Clinic Leaders

Why you became, and are, involved in PSIA-AASI? I was inspired by a member school Clinic with Earl Saline. That started me down the path of becoming ed staff.

Home Hill? Mt. Spokane

What’s your favorite NW resort when you’re not at your home hill? Stevens Pass

What are your snowsports goals? To continue to grow and share my snowboard knowledge with other instructors. Hoping to inspire them like I was.

What is your favorite way to spend some down time? Movies and cars

What are your hobbies/interests outside of snowsports? Movies, cars, one wheeling, stand up paddleboarding

Who or what got you into instructing snowsports? A newspaper ad saying get paid to snowboard.

If you weren’t teaching snowsports, what would you be doing to fulfill the itch to help others grow new skills? Coaching kayaking

Favorite ski/snowboard film? Optimistic

Current go-to skis/snowboard Salomon Huck Knife

Favorite Animal Sharks

Favorite place you’ve traveled to? Freeport Bahamas

Why did you become, and are, involved in PSIA-AASI? I never viewed myself as a teacher of anything until I moved to Lake Tahoe in 2014 and was hired as a teaching assistant with the ski and ride school. During new-hire training, I was asked to transition into a regular instructor role, which ended up changing my life. Creating positive experiences for people and having the ability to introduce others to something I love while providing insight and confidence was the greatest thrill and most fulfilling experience I had ever encountered. Later on, I found that providing these same things for aspiring instructors is arguably even more fulfilling than doing so for students. This is why I ultimately decided to pursue becoming a trainer and examiner with PSIA-AASI.

Home Hill? My home hill is now Schweitzer.

What’s your favorite NW resort when you’re not at your home hill? The only NW resort I’ve been to is Timberline in summer 2018 while coaching for High Cascade Snowboard Camp (just transferred here from Northern Rocky Mountain).

What are your snowsports goals? My personal, short-term snowsports goal is to pass the FS-3 exam, while my long-term goal is to serve as the general manager of a ski area.

What is your favorite way to spend some downtime? My favorite ways to spend downtime are watching football and spending time on boats.

What are your hobbies/interests outside of snowsports? My other hobbies are camping and golf.

Who or what got you into instructing snowsports? I never really intended to get into snowsports instruction, but I found myself working as an instructor my first year at Kirkwood after being hired as a teaching assistant.

If you weren’t teaching snowsports, what would you do to fulfill the itch to help others grow new skills? I work in leadership positions year-round, so that is primarily how I fulfill the itch to help others grow new skills.

Favorite ski/snowboard film? My favorite snowboard film is Transworld’s “Origins.”

Current go-to skis/snowboard?Salomon Huck Knife with Salomon District bindings and Burton Ion boots.

Favorite Animal? My favorite animals are dogs…. particularly my black and white Australian Shepherd named Moo!

Favorite place you’ve traveled to? My favorite place I’ve traveled to is Whitefish. The western Montana landscape is truly awe-inspiring and my absolute favorite.

Why you became, and are, involved in PSIA-AASI? I started to get more involved with PSIA-AASI so that I could reach a wider audience and help instructors deliver a better lesson experience for their clients.

Home Hill? Alyeska Resort and Hilltop Ski Area in Alaska.

What’s your favorite NW resort when you’re not at your home hill? Ooo, tough one. Either Bachelor or Stevens Pass.

What are your snowsports goals? Tryout for national team, backflip, tele level 1, alpine level 2, fs 2, switch backside 5’s, improve my bs lipslides, have fun, and avoid injuries.

What is your favorite way to spend some down time? Traveling.

What are your hobbies/interests outside of snowsports? Playing music, mountain biking, onewheeling, skateboarding, rock climbing, tv/movies and video games.

Who or what got you into instructing snowsports? Initially, I just needed a season pass. I started to fall in love with it though when my guru Eli Hoffman showed me how fun it can be to connect people to snowboarding.

If you weren’t teaching snowsports, what would you be doing to fulfill the itch to help others grow new skills? I would likely be teaching music or making youtube videos.

Favorite ski/snowboard film? Ooo, another tough one. Probably Think Thank’s Patchwork Patterns.

Current go-to skis/snowboard. Right now I’m diggin Jones or Rossignol boards, burton bindings and Van’s boots.

Favorite Animal: Dogs. Especially my dog.

Favorite place you’ve traveled to? Scotland or New Zealand. Both super rad!

Steve Muise is the Director at Timberline Ski and Ride School, is an AASI-NW Examiner, Divisional Clinic Leader and is always ready to go out and put the fun in teaching snowsports!