How to Join

U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership renewal notices for the 2024 season were sent to all current competitors in July. New and renewing racers can obtain their 2024 masters license through the Online Registration service on usskiandsnowboard.org.
The Far West Masters membership information for the 2023-2024 season is now available - see the Far West Membership section below for details.

For adult, NASTAR, club racers, and good skiers in general, Masters ski racing is a new challenge. It's U.S. Ski & Snowboard sanctioned alpine racing - more competitive and more fun. We welcome racers of all levels - from beginners who enjoy exciting race courses, to former Olympians, U.S. Team Members and everyone in between. The competition is exhilarating! Click here to learn more...

Briefly, competitors MUST have a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Master membership for the current season in order to compete, or a Short-Term Alpine Master membership purchased on a daily basis for one event - this is essential for insurance purposes. Competitors MUST provide proof of primary medical insurance coverage to obtain a U.S. Ski & Snowboard competitor membership.

Competitors who race more than one event per season must also join Far West Masters, which provides benefits such as a permanently assigned stretch bib, a subscription to our regularly-published newsletter, and eligibility for season awards.

Eligibility

Men and women ages 18 and over may compete in the Far West Masters Ski Racing Series. A U.S. Ski & Snowboard masters or short-term membership is required; membership in the Far West Masters is required if you race more than one weekend. Details are provided in the following sections.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard Masters Membership

A U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Master membership must be obtained by all competitors participating on a regular basis in Far West Masters division races. A full-season masters membership is required in order to compete in Regional or National championship events as well as for international masters competitions. A U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Master membership for 2023-2024 costs $135.

For racers who wish to compete only in a specific Far West Masters division event, a Short-term Alpine Master membership may be purchased on a per-day basis for one event. A short-term daily membership is $35/day. It's a good way to "get your toes wet" before deciding to commit to a full-season membership and the short-term membership payment will be credited towards your masters membership.

For more information about U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership and competition licenses, visit the US Alpine Masters membership info page (recommended!!) or the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Membership information page on the usskiandsnowboard.org site. Additional explanations provided below in explanation of different licenses and dues..

Recommended choices for U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership:

  • membership type Alpine Master
  • Club: most of us should NOT select a club (e.g. Mammoth and Palisades masters programs are NOT part of the USSS club at those areas)
  • do NOT select Alpine Master with requirements membership type unless you are working directly with junior athletes in a USSS club; NOT needed if you have Coach or Officials license
  • members with an Officials license will be required to pay Far West division dues (this is NOT Far West Masters)

IMPORTANT: all U.S. Ski & Snowboard memberships MUST be purchased online on the usskiandsnowboard.org site.

IMPORTANT: You will need to provide proof of primary medical insurance coverage to purchase a U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership, so have your insurance card with carrier and policy number available when you fill out a U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership application.

Far West Membership

Membership in the Far West Masters is required if you race more than one weekend in the season. Your Far West Masters membership includes a permanently assigned stretch racing bib, detailed race schedule, our regularly published newsletter, and eligibility for season awards, along with access to members-only offers and features on this web site.

You can join or renew your membership in Far West Masters online at masters.AdminSkiRacing.com. This is a new registration site starting in the 2022-2023 season, so all new and renewing members will need to create an account. Select "Far West Masters" for your home race series. Renewing members: please renew by by November 15, 2023 - thanks!!

About Membership Types

The separate memberships for the Far West Masters and U.S. Ski & Snowboard is a perennial point of confusion for both our Far West competitors and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership staff in Park City. Many's the time that a competitor has arrived on race morning and forlornly declared "But I sent in my membership months ago, why don't you have me on the membership list?!". Here's why that can happen and what YOU can do to prevent this tragedy!!

Far West Masters - we're the volunteer group that organizes masters races in the Far West, assign your permanent stretch bib, and produce the regular newsletter The Forerunner and this web site. Your membership enables us to put together our division program of racing. Send your FWM membership to Mary Feddis, our membership chairperson, in Mammoth Lakes, CA. (See the Contacts page for her contact info) or send an email to membership@farwestmasters.org.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard - U.S. Ski & Snowboard is the sanctioning body for organized ski competition in the US. By operating as part of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, we hold our races under rules and standards consistent with regional, national, and international ski competition. U.S. Ski & Snowboard race sanctioning provides the foundation for the quality and standards of our events. U.S. Ski & Snowboard also provides the liability and secondary accident insurance which is absolutely critical to being able to organize our events. You MUST have a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Master membership (or a short-term daily membership) to compete in any Far West Masters event. Get your membership online at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Member Portal on usskiandsnowboard.org.

What you need to sign up for on your U.S. Ski & Snowboard application: You want a U.S. Ski & Snowboard Alpine Master membership. You do NOT need a Competitor license or to pay Far West division dues UNLESS you intend to compete in non-masters races in the Far West. Some of our racers do compete with the juniors in their events, but those people know who they - most of us masters don't want or need the general U.S. Ski & Snowboard competition license.

Notes for Officials: if you are a licensed official, you DO need to pay Far West division dues and attend Far West officials clinics. If you definitely will be officiating only at masters competitions and are receiving your officials training solely through clinics organized by the masters, you will still be required by the U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership system to pay the additional Far West division dues along with your officials dues; you may request a refund from Far West Masters so that our officials are not unduly burdened by additional costs.