SKI TRACKS
Newsletter of the Bitterroot Cross Country Ski Club
Box 431 • Corvallis, Montana 59828
NOVEMBER 2011
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NOVEMBER MEETING
Thursday, November 10 @ 7 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church
1220 W Main Street, Hamilton
Program:
Outdoor enthusiast and author Blake Passmore from the Flathead Valley will show us what it’s like to stand on the peaks of Glacier National Park in a power point program on his many climbing adventures in the park. Come and see his wonderful pictures and hear some great stories. He will also introduce us to his new book, several copies of which he is donating to our fund raising Silent Auction held also at the meeting.
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SILENT AUCTION
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH
BRING YOUR DONATED ITEMS
AND YOUR MONEY!!
More Items are needed!! Please call Kay Fulton at 642-3794. Remember that this is a fund raiser for the Ski Club and not a yard sale!!
============================================================================ELECTIONS FOR VICE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY WILL BE IN DECEMBER. Both Earl and Kay will be retiring (Kay says that 9 years is enough!!)
And WE NEED YOU! Please contact Kay at 642-3794 or at kayinmt@cybernet1.com to nominate someone or to volunteer yourself.
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President’s Message
Most of you know that, after many years of service, Mel Mooers has decided it’s time for him to stop grooming and begin skiing. The amount that Mel has contributed to the Club over the years, grooming and many other activities, is probably not fully appreciated by many Club members. I know he didn’t do all that work for recognition, but because it needed to be done. I hope all of you join me in thanking him for everything he has done and, I’m sure, will continue to do. Thanks, Mel. I, along with everyone else, appreciate it!
This is the year when, at the December meeting, we elect people to the positions of Vice President and Secretary. President and Treasurer will be up for election again next year. The folks who are, and have been serving in those positions, Secretary Kay Fulton and Vice President Earl Philips are not standing for re-election. That is not to say they will no longer be active in the Club, but that they are handling other responsibilities. Again, our many thanks for the contributions these two long-time members have made to the longevity of the Club.
So, we’re looking for Club members who are willing to give a little of their time and skills to the Club over the next couple of years. The duties of the Secretary include recording and keeping the minutes of all Club meetings and keeping the historical records of the Club. The duties of the Vice President include assuming the duties of the President when she/he is absent or incapacitated, acting as an aide to the President, working with the President to set and reserve dates for Club use of the Hut and working with the Hut Coordinator to schedule required maintenance or repairs to the Hut.
Don’t forget to attend the November meeting. We will be holding the Silent Auction. Don’t forget your checkbook so you can contribute to the funds needed to keep the Chief Joseph trails groomed for another season.
Blake Passmore, mountain climber and author of the book series Climb Glacier National Park, will be giving a slide presentation of his exploits during the past year. He’s a dynamic speaker. You won’t want to miss it!
Michael Hoyt
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OCTOBER 2011 MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
by Kay Fulton
President Mike Hoyt called the meeting to order at 7:15 P.M. There were approximately 80 in attendance.
SIGNING UP FOR THE HUT WAS THE MAIN FEATURE OF THE EVENING. NATE, ARLEE & LORI, stayed until everyone had a date for the Hut. They did the sign-ups with high tech, projecting the calendar and filling it in as people signed up. This made it easy for those in line to keep track of what was still available. Thanks to the Wisdom District for all their efforts. The public will be able to call in on October 20th. They are limiting the sign-ups to one night per person and asked Club members with nights to not call in on October 20th.
Membership Report: No report yet this year.
Treasurer’s Report: None this meeting but Mike stated that the fiscal year, which is July 1 to June 30 of last year, showed that the Club spent $100 more than it took in.
Items of Interest: Nate reported that the Forest Service has issued a scoping notice to remove beetle-killed trees at Chief Joe. They are proposing tree removal up to 100 feet on both sides of most trails. It will be a while before they know the final decision and then how it will be handled.
Mike reported that he has applied for a RTP Grant to help with the cost of operating the three machines and to put a non-slip solution on the floor of the hut.
Upcoming Events:
The Silent Auction will be at the November meeting. Kay passed around a sign-up sheet for those willing to donate items. Please contact Kay at 642-3794 if you can help out.
Extravaganza will be in February again. Earl Philips announced that Carol Batcher, the coordinator for the last two years, will not be able to help this year. He asked for volunteers to assist him. Tickets will be available soon and will be placed in businesses from Missoula to Salmon, as well as at the Hut. This has been a very good fundraiser for the Club, so please help Earl.
Trails Report: No snow yet but every indication is that we are in for another La Nina year. Mike reported that he and others have put a new waterproof covering under the edges of the metal roof which will keep the snow from melting through the wood. It should not be necessary to shovel the roof anymore!!
Mel Mooers has retired from being the Lead Groomer for several years as well as for many years as a groomer. THANKS, MEL, FOR ALL OF THE GREAT WORK YOU HAVE DONE. IT NOW LOOKS LIKE WE WILL NEED 10 PEOPLE JUST TO REPLACE MEL!!
Mel Holloway and Jim Aronson have volunteered to lead two teams of groomers who will alternate weeks grooming. They will still groom on Fridays.
The Cancellation Program to Continue: Earl Philips will keep an e-mail list and inform those on it of cancellations. Give him your name, phone number & e-mail to be on the list. Send it to skihut@montana.com Let him know if you can’t keep your hut date.
TOILET CLEANING AT THE SKI AREA: As in the past, we still need volunteers to clean the toilets at the parking lot and the hut on Fridays throughout the season. Kay Fulton passed around the sign-up sheet and still needs people. Her number is 642-3794 or see her at the meeting. It really is not all that bad, you work in teams and it doesn’t take much time out of your ski day, plus we all benefit!! See details on the Club website.
New Business: Mike and Jim Greenfield have been working on a new, full color map (18 x 24) which will include the ungroomed trails, as well. It has 50 ad spots plus coupons. They have already sold the majority of the spaces. The cost for printing 3,000 maps and shipping from a place in California will be $1,800. Mike asked for approval from the membership. Earl Philips made a motion to do so; it was seconded and passed unanimously. They are also working on a brochure.
A slide show that Mike had put together of pictures from the ski area was shown throughout the Hut Sign-Up process.
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