Allison Dean, known to most as Alby, is everywhere at Palisades Tahoe: She is a Masters Ski Coach for the Palisades Tahoe Masters Program, a teacher for the Women of Winter Clinics and Women of Winter Camps, and the athletic trainer for the Employee Wellness Program. She has been with the resort for 13 years and just recently, she celebrated her 69th birthday.
What brought you to the Tahoe area?
Originally, I came to take on a coaching position for the U14s at Diamond Peak (located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe) back in 2010. Before that, I was in Bend, Oregon running the Willamette Pass program for a couple years. I started ski racing when I was a teen and then eventually started coaching. As I got older, I decided to step back from coaching. I decided to start teaching women’s clinics.
I’ve been involved with skiing since I was eleven. When I got out of high school, the following year, I moved to Crystal Mountain. At Crystal, I ran the rope tow during the week and then went ski racing during the weekend. I was kind of a ski bum when I was in my 20s.
After that, I decided to go to college and pursue an Athletic Training degree. I got a job at a physical therapy clinic and then it evolved from there to a Physical Therapy Assistant degree and now I have a private practice doing Rolfing. (Rolfing is a type of deep tissue bodywork).
Photo: Alby stands with one of her students who she taught in Willamette Pass in Oregon.
What does a typical day here look like for you in the winter?
Usually, we arrive at 7:30am, set up courses for the Masters* in the morning, and then we ski until about noon, either coaching on the gates or free skiing. I have a few hours off after that and then I start working with employees in the Wellness Program from 3-6pm.
*The Masters Program at Palisades Tahoe offers advanced adult skiers the chance to elevate their skills and confidence through gate training and free skiing, led by professional coaches with extensive experience in alpine racing and performance-oriented skiing, aiming to refine techniques and foster long-term development.
You are also an instructor for the Women of Winter programs, which meet less frequently than Masters. What do you love about those camps and clinics?
I enjoy coaching for the camps more because we get to work with people for longer periods of time. I have more of a chance to help them progress and I like getting to witness that progression. The clinics are great, too, but I always wish I had more time with people! Sometimes I feel like my students have to leave right when we’re really getting started.
Overall, though, these are wonderful programs. They give women the opportunity to discover community and to feel less intimidated by the sport. I see my students finding camaraderie and cheering other people on. Honestly, I think it’d be great if we could do more camps because we have a huge waiting list. The two camps we had this year sold out in 8 minutes!
Of all the things you do in your jobs here, which parts are your favorite?
I love the snow. I love the mountains. It’s just been part of me. I also love how tight-knit the groups I’ve been a part of in the industry have been, whether coaching or racing. They’ve been like family. It’s pretty cool. We have each other’s backs no matter what. We’re kind of like siblings.
You’ve been in the industry a long time. How have you seen the culture of skiing change?
It’s changed, especially in Tahoe. I’ve only been in Tahoe for fourteen years, so some would consider me a newbie. However, I come with a love and respect for the mountains. These days, post-pandemic, it sometimes seems that people don’t have as much respect for the area.
Have you worked anywhere else in Tahoe? Or done other ski resort jobs?
Yes, I’ve been a groomer over at Tahoe Donner Cross Country. I have also operated lifts and been a member of Ski Patrol. I pretty much spend most of my time in all seasons in the mountains. I work through the Winter and part of Spring and then I go backpacking for the rest of the year.
Photo: Alby shovels her way out of the snow after a massive fifteen-foot storm. This photo was taken at her home in Tahoe Donner.
Tell me about when you were a groomer.
I loved grooming. It was fun, but it was just really hard on my body. The hours were difficult. In a big storm cycle, we’d go out at two or three in the morning. But it was so cool. I’d see bobcats and little fresh animal tracks everywhere. I’d see coyotes chasing each other down the hill and I’d be chasing them in my snowcat. There’s been some pretty amazing things that I’ve seen that most people probably will never get to. I got to see the mountains in a whole different way.
It’s the simple experiences I’ve had in the mountains that have made me love them so much.
What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced in the industry?
In coaching, I have been treated differently because I am a woman. Especially in ski racing, it’s been a male-dominated industry. It’s not as bad now, but when I first started coaching, I asked the head coach of the Western region, “What do I do to be a good coach?” He said, “Do what you can. Pull your weight.” You have to just jump in and do what you can. I’ve worked in a lot of male-dominated industries. I land surveyed for a while, and it was pretty chauvinistic.
As women, we are often too humble. Tell me something amazing that you’ve done.
When I was ski racing, we had a downhill at Brundage Mountain Resort in Idaho. It was the last year they ran it because the fastest guy went 86mph at the bottom of this pitch and the fastest girl went 84mph. And, I was that girl…
Tell me about when you go backpacking.
I usually go solo. One of the other Masters coaches asked me if I ever get lonely when backpacking. Nope, not after a season working…Get me out of here! I like to be on my own. I see enough people and talk to enough people for the whole year during the winter.
Earlier, you mentioned that you do Rolfing. What is Rolfing and who might it benefit?
Our bodies get into these habits based on how we use them. So, whether you’re a professional skier or you’re sitting at the computer for 8 hours a day, your body tends to take on that positioning and get stuck there. If you have had any physical trauma, such as car accidents or even if you’ve taken a fall, Rolfing can help your body reset.
There’s also an emotional component to it. We’ve learned from research that there are a lot of sensory neurons in the fascia. So, if you’ve been sexually abused or experienced any kind of emotional trauma, you’re holding that in your body. The body keeps the score.
The manual work that I do helps. It helps reorganize those tissues and release that heavy stuff. There are stories of people breaking down on the table and wondering where all of the emotion came from. It’s really cool stuff.
This sounds like a really helpful practice that people could take advantage of. Can I share your information and practice?
No…then I won’t ever be able to go backpacking…haha. Ok, sure, a soft plug.
