Feb Newsletter

Hope you all have been enjoying the generous helping of sunshine we have been receiving in January. Although we have not received much new snow in the latter part of January, our Fourth of July Pass ski & snowshoe trails have actually held up pretty well due to the consistent below freezing temperatures and our diligent grooming team. Things are definitely looking-up in the snow department for early February. Our annual Rock Soup Event will be held on Saturday February 1st. This event includes participants contributing vegetables (canned or fresh), pasta, or whatever you think makes a good ingredient for a Mulligan Stew. We will have both a vegetarian and a meat containing pot. Cooking (inside the warming hut) will begin around 1:30 PM. Folks are encouraged to go skiing or snowshoeing before or after the start of the soup cooking. Soup serving will begin around 3:00 PM and go until approximately 5 PM or when we run out of soup. Bowls and plastic utensils will be provided. You will need to bring your own beverage of choice (BYOB). You can also bring chips, snacks, cookies to share with the group around the fire (both inside and outside fires) if you choose. If you plan to stick around in the late afternoon, you might consider bringing along a flashlight for your return to the parking lot. Hope to see you all there! Our next club meeting will be held on Tuesday February 4th at the CDA United Methodist Church (starting at 7 PM). This meeting will include guest speaker Mark Stambaugh from the Kootenai County Sheriff Volunteer Search and Rescue organization. The Panhandle Nordic Club will begin hosting a XC Group Ski Meet-up on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday's of February (weather permitting). Meet in the Fourth of July Pass-Panhandle Nordic Club-Warming Hut at 10:30 AM. Bring your own lunch or snack to enjoy out on the trail. The planned group ski will be ~5 miles on the trail network with a stop at the peaceful view picnic shelter (we will adjust the route and distance depending on the abilities of the group). All abilities are welcome. If we geta decent turn-out we will continue this in the month of March. Please note that our March Club Meeting will be held on March 12th (NOT our normal 1st Tuesday of the month) at the CDA United Methodist Church (starting at 7 PM). Our Panhandle Nordic Club-Events calendar is also included with this newsletter. If you wish to participate in any of these special outings, please email the Trip Leader, or register via the event signup sheet at one of our club meetings. Once the trip leader has been notified of your intention to participate, further details about the trip and logistics will be provided via email.
Look forward to seeing you all again on February 4th .