Idaho Falls Ski Club Newsletter www.ifskiclub.com February 2016 President’s message I hope everyone is having a fantastic snow season! Thank you for joining the ski club. I hope you have been able to take advantage of some of the great activities and benefits offered through the club. If not, it is not too late! There are plenty of events and activities left this year. The Ski Club offers something for everyone who is eager to get out on the slopes and trails! Volunteers Needed– The Ski Club will be having elections in March and we would welcome candidates interest- ed in helping plan our events, sign up members, organize the ski sale, and developing relationships with ski resorts and merchants in our area. If you can help, please give me a call or drop me a line. Kelly Canyon Nordic Area – The conditions at the Kelly Canyon Nordic Area great. I am pleased to report that the trails are being groomed and are ready for skiers to enjoy. The hut at Morgan Summit is available for day use. The Forest Service has been helping with the grooming, and we appreciate their support. If you go, let us know what you think! Grand Targhee Instructionals – these lessons are a fantastic way to learn or brush up on your technique. This year, we are excited to add terrain park lessons! The kids should love this, so sign up to reserve a spot by March 1 There is just one more weekend scheduled for the Instructionals, on March 5 and 6. Pomerelle – this fun day trip offers a great price for lift ticket and lesson. You will enjoy exploring this hill, and I hear the snow is great! Sign up by February 22. Big Sky – sign up by February 12 for this weekend trip that includes lots of food and fun, plus the convenience of a bus! Sun Valley – you have your choice of lodging and days to ski at this world famous resort at fantastic rates. Sign up by February 14. Share your photos – Do you have some great photos or videos from seasons past or maybe already some from this year? Post your photos and videos on Instagram #downhilltherapy. Member benefits and discounts – we have great discounts and benefits for this year. You will be able to save on lift tickets, gear, lodging, food, drink, and services. Check out the member benefits at www.ifskiclub.com I look forward to seeing everyone on the slopes. If you have any comments or questions about the club or are in- terested in the Ski Club board, please contact me at [email protected] or 520-3064. Peggy HInman President 2 Jackson Hole Weekend 2016 Clarene and Creed Law, owners of the Antler Inn in Jackson Wyoming, went all out again this year to welcome the Idaho Falls Ski Club for our annual Jackson Hole Weekend. The Antler provides rooms at reduced rates for our group, along with a fantastic barbeque elk dinner and the Mountains provide the excellent conditions and scenery. Barb and Glen Hayes did an outstanding job making the arrangements for the weekend and getting all the goodies for the wine and cheese party. Whether you were riding “Big Red” to the top of Rendezvous Bowl and Corbert’s Cabin, quietly gliding past the Teton Range in Grand Teton National Park or enjoying a beer at the Snake River Brewery, the weekend in Jackson is outstanding, and don’t forget the Cake for dessert. This year’s weekend saw the largest number of members in attendance in several years, many being first timers on this trip. New this year at the Village is the Teton Lift high speed quad chair. This lift opened up 1,650 vertical feet of terrain, which has been open to those that wanted to hike it in the past. The lift is located between Casper Bowl and Apres Vous Mountain. Although much more terrain has been opened for lift skiing, you still need to climb if you want to ski or ride Shot’s 7, 8, 9, and 10. Jackson Hole Ski Resort has a five year plan for further expan- sion, but there is no indications of a lift going to the top of the Head Wall coming anytime soon. However, they will be starting a second gondola, starting somewhere near the current gondola and climbing up into the Casper Bowl near the Casper Lodge. Thanks to Clarene and Creed Law for another fantastic stay at the Antler and we are already looking forward to our January 2017 Ski Club Trip. 3 Alpine Trip Updates: by Don Rasch This winter has been fairly kind to the downhill enthusiasts. The storms have been continuous since early No- vember and the area resorts are well covered. In December, over 100 members attended the first Targhee Instructional. The slopes were well covered and the lessons were excellent. In mid-December, over 40 members took the long drive to Pomerelle for the low cost lift and lesson program that the Club has to offer. With approximately 6 inches of fresh powder, the members enjoyed great instruc- tions and super conditions. In mid-January, over 100 member drove to Jackson, Wyoming in a snow storm for the great snow at either Grand Targhee or Jackson Hole. While many of us were enjoying the fresh powder at the Village, others were enjoying the well groomed trails in Teton National Park. Saturday evening brought us all together for a wine and cheese party at the Antler Hotel prior to a wild game diner provided by the Hotel’s owner. This was a won- derful weekend and a great chance to meet up with old friends or to meet new people. For everyone looking for additional instructional events, there will be another chance in February (signup by February 22) to ski at Pomerelle and in March for Targhee (signup by March 1). The last trip of the season is in late March at Sun Valley. We will be staying at the Sun Valley Resort, where the local shuttle bus will take us to the hills (Baldly and Dollar Mountain). The sign-up deadline is February 14. At this time, Sun Valley has more snow than both Targhee and Jackson Hole. Spring skiing can be the best skiing of the season, with warmer temperatures and some of the snowiest months of the year. Hope to see you on a future Club Trip. Sun Valley Harriman State Park March Board Elections 2016-2017 Anyone wanting to become a member of the Idaho Falls Ski Club Board of Directors, come to the March 7th Board meeting to be nominated to the 2016-17 Ballot. If you have ever wondered about what the Board does and how we operate throughout the year, or have ideas that you would like to see the Club do in the future, this is your chance to be heard by becoming a mem- ber of the Board. If you cannot make the meeting on March 7th, contact Don Rasch at 529-5880 to express your interest in a Board position. Sign up for these great trips!!!! 4 Alpine Trips: Dates: Deadline: Contacts: Pomerelle Instructional 2 Feb. 27 Feb. 22 Kevin Skinner: 521-9636 (after 7PM) Grand Targhee Instructional 3 March 5&6 March 1 Moira Solle: 524-6323 Big Sky/Moonlight Basin March 11-13 Feb. 12 Leslie Roberts: 520-6106 Sun Valley March 29-April 4 Feb. 14 Don Rasch: 529-5880 Nordic Trips: Nordic trips are being offered in conjunction with the Grand Targhee Instructional 3, Big Sky/Moonlight Basin, and Sun Valley trips. All trip information is the same as for the Alpine trips noted above. Kelly Canyon Nordic Area TBD None Aaron Crary: [email protected] Hut Removal Since many of these are at or past their sign-up deadline, you will need to contact to trip coordinators to see if space is still available. All specific trip information can be found on the Ski Clubs web site under trips. Challenges, rewards of skiing with kids by Jacie Coleman I was an avid skier before my husband and I started •Pack fun lunches and take breaks often. our family. Now, everyone enjoys the sport. Here are some great tips about getting your kids learning and •Ski with friends as often as you can. loving the sport of skiing. Cold temperatures can be a •Buy good quality ski clothing and socks. We love challenge. Obermeyer outerwear and Burton base layers. Buy Last weekend we were skiing Targhee with our chil- hand and toe warmers in bulk. dren ages 9 and 6. We had some beautiful blue sky days, but it was cold, very cold. We had to get a little •Always be positive, no matter the weather or snow creative on the chair lift to keep our minds off the conditions. numbness in our toes. We played number games and word games and even had a contest on who could find I received a pro tip from my uncle: “Always quit ski- the nicest snowflake falling from the snow covered ing for the day when the kids are still asking for one trees onto our mittens. more run.” Skiing with kids is a fun family activity, but also very It helps to end a day on a positive note. During the challenging. week, our son asks “how many more nights before he At first, we would take turns watching the children in gets to ski again”. the lodge while the other hits the slopes. Now, the whole family skis, making it more enjoyable for every- (Jacie’s article appeared in the Post Register under one.