Hey ski friends! The fall rains seem to have settled in…so instead of complaining, we are saving our energy to gear up for a great ski season! The snow hasn’t fallen yet, but ski club elves (i.e. volunteers) are readying the lodge and trails and rental shed for the start of our winter recreation wonderland out at Onion Lake Ski Trails. We have three things officially on our calendar for the fall, and then the newsy other bits of information will follow.
First thing on the calendar: memberships!
Exciting news from Pat, our membership director:
It's that time of the year again when we start to dust off our skis, register for SVNSC season passes and start thinking snow! Registration opened October 12th and can be done online or by mailing the printable form. As always, our Early Birds get lots of chances to win some cool prizes, including a free membership for the 2024-25 season. Be sure to register by December 1st (at midnight) to get in on the fun! Starting December 2nd, the rates will increase and there are no more draw prizes to be won.
Once you have registered as a ski club member, your passes will be mailed out on December 8th.
Also….. We are looking to the membership for some draw prizes for our Early Bird draws.
Goods, services, arts/crafts, food items...anything is appreciated! Please contact svnscmembership@gmail.com if you have something that you would like to donate.
Second thing on the calendar: ski swap!
46th Annual Ski Swap on Nov. 4th at Kitsumkalum Hall
If you are looking for used Nordic gear, or have Nordic gear you might want to sell at this event, the details for shopping and for consignment are on the poster.
Bart and his crew at Shames Mountain Ski Patrol organize this event every year and even our cross country club benefits from their expertise and first aid equipment.
SVNSC will have a table at the ski swap, so stop in to say hi, and enter our draw for a package of stroopwafels.
We are also looking for volunteers to sit at the table for a few hours, to talk with the people, and to answer questions about Nordic gear. If this is something you would like to do, email snowvalleynordic@gmail.com
Third thing on the calendar:
In case you think you’ve missed out on a fall work party, you haven’t!
Sunday, November 5th, starting at 10 a.m., meet at the lodge.
Dean has a few projects he’s dreamed up, including the construction of a small covered wood storage structure near the new shelter on the Moose Highway, and some trail pruning, and the perpetual need for bucking, hauling, and splitting wood for our lodge, shelters, and fire pits. We will provide lunch.
On that note, are there any volunteers for making soup or sweets?
Email Cathy: snowvalleynordic@gmail.com
NEW TROLLS COMING SOON TO THE TROLL TRAIL FOREST! Twenty-four wood troll heads are being prepped to have faces painted on them. After completion, the troll faces will be mounted in the trees for skiers to find. If you are aged 11 to 100, and interested in painting a troll face, this is a chance to display your artistic talent! If the Jackrabbit and Track Attack programs gave you your start in skiing, this is an opportunity to help encourage the next generation of young kids to ski. If you would like to participate, please email Colleen at colleensports@citywest.ca. The exact date for painting faces this fall is still to be determined.
Calling all coaches:
Lesley and Dara are looking for more coaches to help with the Jack Rabbit program this winter. If you already are a coach and haven’t been in touch with Lesley, please email her. If you aren’t a coach yet but would be interested in becoming a coach (we provide training), please email Lesley: lesley.snowvalley@gmail.com
You won’t regret helping out with these keen little skiers! To quote one of our young skiers who was interviewed for a local news broadcast a few years ago, “I can feel the energy!” Come out and feel that energy! The Jack Rabbits program runs 10 weeks on Saturday mornings, January-March.
Many of you have benefited from cross country ski lessons. Over the years, volunteers from the club have stepped forward to learn how to teach cross country skiing to beginner skiers, taking the courses offered by the Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors (CANSI). Would this interest you?
We are offering, once again, the CANSI XC Level I course, at Onion Lake Ski Trails, February 16-18, 2024. It’s a three-day course for those new to XC ski instruction. It will give you the skills and resources to teach classic and skate technique to beginner skiers using CANSI’s teaching methodology with a focus on safety and skill progression.
Participants will have to pay the course fees, but the club will reimburse half the amount if you try out your new teaching skills in this ski season, and the other half will be reimbursed if you instruct in the 2024-2025 ski season. (You will always be paired with a more experienced instructor as a beginner instructor.) For information on prerequisites and the skiing standards that participants should have, and to sign up for the course, here is the link.
And for further information, Cheryl and Julie are the ones to talk to!
And for all of you already-certified instructors, most of you are due to attend a refresher course, which will be held on Monday, February 19, 2024, at Onion Lake Ski Trails. This is free, but you need to sign up. There are 10 spots available.
See you on the trails!