Panhandle Nordic Ski and Snowshoe
Club
January 2008
| Added
Jan. 23 The
Rock Soup Ski is this coming Saturday, January
26th.
It starts around 2:30 – 3:00 PM at the
Fourth of July Area.
Bob Conquergood and Geoff Harvey will be “cooking”
this year.
For those of you new to this event, this is the
way it works.
Bob and Goeff will start a fire in the warming
hut, fire up a stove, and get a meat based and a
vegetarian based broth steaming in a couple of
pots.
The rest of you stop by the hut with your
contribution to the pots. Such as a can beans, a
package of pasta, a can of cooked meat, (no raw
meat please), a can of WHAT?
Also bring something else to share, such as
bread, drinks, veggi snacks, crackers, chips,
dessert, etc,
Bring your own eating utensils and bowls.
Then go off to ski the area or snowshoe, while
some stay in the hut to stir the resulting mix.
When it gets dark skiers filter back into the
hut. We light the lantern and candles and serve
up the rock soup with the bread, drinks and
dessert. Good food and friendship is shared well
into the cold dark January evening.
In years past, moonlight skis to the Junction
have followed the food. At very least, you can
expect a night ski to the parking lot after the
event, so it is wise to bring a headlamp or
flashlight to guide your way.
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| This
insert added January 17 1. NIC's Outdoor Pursuits program
offering Avalanche Level 1Certificate
Course. Jan 19-21. Includes 4 hours in classroom and
20 hours in the field in the Lookout Pass Area.
Cost $75. Space is limited. Information 208-
769-7809.
2. Public
Comment Meeting. Forest Service's new draft
affecting backcountry and roadless areas.
Coeur d'Alene -- January 23 6pm.
Kootenai County Courthouse, 451 Government Way,
Rm. 1A/1B
Kellogg -- Jan 24 6pm. Idaho Dept. of Health
& Welfare office. 35 Wildcat Way.
For Information www.wildidaho.org/update.php
Goeff has new maps
with info. of
lesser known skiable areas. Included are Fernan
Saddle, the Lookout Pass area, and the Taft area.
They are in the Maps and Other Info Section. click
here
4. Several sets of kids
size skis complete with bindings, poles and boots
for sale. (Size 100 cm - 160 cm). 75 mm boots in
various
sizes. Will sell complete sets for $30.00; or
skis & bindings - $20.00, boots - $10.00 and
poles $5.00 If interested, contact Dave
at 208-664-0038. Located in Coeur d'Alene.
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Presidents Message
The snow has continued to come our way during December
and the skiing was great over the holiday season. There
was about two feet on the level last weekend in the
parking lot at Fourth of July and much more up on Forest
Road 614, where the powder has been deep the past few
weeks.
The
grooming crew has been hard pressed to keep up with it.
The freezing rain that blew in just before the spate of
snowstorms coated the trees and bent many a mountain
maple over the ski and snowshoe trails. Most of these
obstacles have been removed.
Up at
Fernan Saddle the snow is over four feet in depth. The
trees are coated with a white “spackle” of snow
including the trunks. The wind must have pelted the area
during the storms to create the snow-covered forest. No
doubt why the ridge beyond the saddle is aptly named
Windy Ridge.
Meanwhile
the skiing a Farragut State Park has been terrific as
well. Any veteran skier in this area will tell you, to
ski Farragut when you can, because a thaw may be just
around the corner to wipe it all away.
The soggy
footsteps of that thaw are on us now. A little thaw,
except for its affect on Farragut, will have its
advantages. It will settle and congeal a snow pack that
is currently very light and fluffy. When the snow returns
next week it will fall on an excellent base. That base
should favor us through much of the winter, barring a
warm and dry spell.
Free ski day is Saturday, January 5th.
Skiers and snowshoers can use the Fourth of July and
other state ski areas free of any charge. Volunteers from
the club will man the hut between 9 AM and 3 PM offering
warm drinks, cookies, and advice to the area users. We
will provide some basic instruction to anyone new to
skiing or snowshoe use or wishing to brush up on basic
technique.
Our next meeting is Tuesday, January 8th.
The usual business and reports will be conducted followed
by the program. I had contacted Idaho Fish & Game to
give a presentation on animal sign typically seen on the
snow pack over which we ski. Although fresh in their
minds before the holiday, the message was lost someplace
in the bureaucracy during the holiday season. We will
attempt to arrange that program again at a future date.
As a backup, Skip Truscott and I plan to take you
on a tour of the packs we carry onto the trail or into
the backcountry on a winter trip. Musty and yes,
a bit sweat stained, these packs hold many items. Along
with the items we will impart tips that
can make you at the least more comfortable and, under
certain conditions, could just save your bacon. Some of
you may know many of these tips, but the refresher
can’t hurt and we may just have a trick or two up or
sleeves that you can apply to a real life situation.
Goeff
Harvey
Webmaster's
Note:
The
following have been added to the Maps and Information
Link on the website.
You can print and distribute them as you wish.
2008 Best Hand Fun Ski Flyer
2008 Best Hand Fun Ski Entry Forms
We
Need Help Letter
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