Comments for Panhandle Nordic Club http://panhandlenordicclub.com Cross-country ski and snowshoe club, North Idaho Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:23:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Home by Geoff Harvey http://panhandlenordicclub.com/#comment-3585 Geoff Harvey Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:23:08 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/?page_id=5#comment-3585 Snow Holding Up Remarkable Well at Fourth of July Pass This second and third week of February has been typified by cool, rainy weather in the Coeur d’Alene Area. Unlike the week before, the warmer moister air and some mist has reached up the mountains to Fourth of July Pass. If you have followed the web camera on the pass, bare wet pavement was observed most of the time. However, skiing or snowshoeing the area, which is a hundred to five hundred feet above pass level in most locations, provided a different picture. You only were required to climb up to the top of Loose Moose or less than halfway up Twisted Klister or Skywalker to have a light snow as opposed to mist settle around you. The groomers were out on Friday preparing the inner loop and Elderberry for the coming weekend. Taking the afternoon off, I skate skied much of the inner loop and then out Skate Away and Skywalker-Moon Runner to the Killarney Mountain Junction. It rained off and on but the snow held up well. On returning to the parking lot down Loose Moose, the newly set track and the groomed skate lane was new and untrammeled. Skiing Saturday off Fernan Saddle, I did not visit Fourth of July, but on returning Sunday morning there was a skiff of new snow on the lot and on the tracks set Friday. After a ski to Killarney Mountain and return via the Eagle Run to Elderberry, I was happy to see Friday’s grooming out to Ian’s Hut. I was happier to see the stove placed there during a short break. With the snow machine track to the benches and the set track from their back to the parking lot, I made the five miles back in full stride and rapid time. As I skied this well groomed track it was little different in condition from two days prior and two thoughts occurred to me. First, the snow and grooming were in great shape given the weather we have seen in the lowlands, but which was obviously not the weather the snow we had seen on the mountain. Second, it was obvious that few were skiing the area. It is easy to look out your window and see the rain and assume the worst for conditions in the mountains, but if the temperature is in the low to mid-thirties as it was most of the weekend, the higher you go, typically the better the snow you encounter. Maybe you had better things to do last weekend like carbo-load Saturday and run the Langlauf Sunday, but if not and you cancelled for the weather, you missed out on relatively good conditions, albeit a little slow. Snow Holding Up Remarkable Well at Fourth of July Pass
This second and third week of February has been typified by cool, rainy weather in the Coeur d’Alene Area. Unlike the week before, the warmer moister air and some mist has reached up the mountains to Fourth of July Pass. If you have followed the web camera on the pass, bare wet pavement was observed most of the time. However, skiing or snowshoeing the area, which is a hundred to five hundred feet above pass level in most locations, provided a different picture. You only were required to climb up to the top of Loose Moose or less than halfway up Twisted Klister or Skywalker to have a light snow as opposed to mist settle around you. The groomers were out on Friday preparing the inner loop and Elderberry for the coming weekend.
Taking the afternoon off, I skate skied much of the inner loop and then out Skate Away and Skywalker-Moon Runner to the Killarney Mountain Junction. It rained off and on but the snow held up well. On returning to the parking lot down Loose Moose, the newly set track and the groomed skate lane was new and untrammeled. Skiing Saturday off Fernan Saddle, I did not visit Fourth of July, but on returning Sunday morning there was a skiff of new snow on the lot and on the tracks set Friday. After a ski to Killarney Mountain and return via the Eagle Run to Elderberry, I was happy to see Friday’s grooming out to Ian’s Hut. I was happier to see the stove placed there during a short break. With the snow machine track to the benches and the set track from their back to the parking lot, I made the five miles back in full stride and rapid time.
As I skied this well groomed track it was little different in condition from two days prior and two thoughts occurred to me. First, the snow and grooming were in great shape given the weather we have seen in the lowlands, but which was obviously not the weather the snow we had seen on the mountain. Second, it was obvious that few were skiing the area. It is easy to look out your window and see the rain and assume the worst for conditions in the mountains, but if the temperature is in the low to mid-thirties as it was most of the weekend, the higher you go, typically the better the snow you encounter. Maybe you had better things to do last weekend like carbo-load Saturday and run the Langlauf Sunday, but if not and you cancelled for the weather, you missed out on relatively good conditions, albeit a little slow.

]]> Comment on Home by Geoff Harvey http://panhandlenordicclub.com/#comment-3584 Geoff Harvey Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:22:41 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/?page_id=5#comment-3584 Expanded Skate Skiing Available at Fourth of July Park N Ski Area For a number of years our groomers at the Fourth Of July Park N Ski Area have created a central skate ski lane along the Having Fun, Swoop, High Road Elderberry, and Skate Away Runs. The traditional Nordic track has been placed at the edge on one or both sides of these runs. Locations along these runs are narrow in places and curves often cause the track setter to wander out into the skate lane. The result is limited skating in tight locations and the 11.4 kilometers available was not sufficient. This year for the first time, the Nordic Club has an agreement with the U. S. Forest Service that allows the Nordic club to close Forest Service Road 614 near its base while the road is being groomed for skate skiing for 6.8 kilometers (4.25 miles) out to Rose Creek Saddle. The new route is typically groomed Wednesday or Thursday to put it in good shape for the weekend, weather permitting. Although the snow was late coming this year, our trail groomers closed the gate in mid-January and began grooming out to Rose Creek Saddle. In the future, the club hopes to expedite access to this route, but currently skaters can use a route from the parking lot around Having Fun, the Swoop, along the High Road and Skate Away to Skywalker (FSR 614). From this point it is 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) to Rose Creek Saddle, 11.2 kilometers round trip. Another 1.2 kilometers (three quarters mile) of Skywalker is groomed down to the lower Twisted Klister Junction. The route provides a 15.2 kilometers (30 kilometers round trip) skate with this new addition. The distance does not count the 3 kilometer run out Elderberry. The Twisted Klister system to the east of Skywalker is dedicated to and receives a lot of snowshoe and skiers with dogs use. This use spills onto Skywalker as an alternate route out or back. Fortunately this is a main forest road and is quite broad. Signs have been posted asking snowshoe and skiers with dogs to remain to the side and out of the skate lane. Hopefully this will be effective. In actual fact, the upper end of Twisted Klister or the Makin Tracks terminus is about at the endurance level of most snowshoers. Beyond this point few currently venture far out towards Rose Creek Saddle. In the future, the club hopes to replace the trail between Elderberry Run and Eagle Run to support skating. This addition will provide a loop that accesses the Skywalker and Skate Away Routes by another route. In the interim, come out and enjoy the expanded skate opportunity at Fourth of July. Expanded Skate Skiing Available at Fourth of July Park N Ski Area

For a number of years our groomers at the Fourth Of July Park N Ski Area have created a central skate ski lane along the Having Fun, Swoop, High Road Elderberry, and Skate Away Runs. The traditional Nordic track has been placed at the edge on one or both sides of these runs. Locations along these runs are narrow in places and curves often cause the track setter to wander out into the skate lane. The result is limited skating in tight locations and the 11.4 kilometers available was not sufficient. This year for the first time, the Nordic Club has an agreement with the U. S. Forest Service that allows the Nordic club to close Forest Service Road 614 near its base while the road is being groomed for skate skiing for 6.8 kilometers (4.25 miles) out to Rose Creek Saddle. The new route is typically groomed Wednesday or Thursday to put it in good shape for the weekend, weather permitting.
Although the snow was late coming this year, our trail groomers closed the gate in mid-January and began grooming out to Rose Creek Saddle. In the future, the club hopes to expedite access to this route, but currently skaters can use a route from the parking lot around Having Fun, the Swoop, along the High Road and Skate Away to Skywalker (FSR 614). From this point it is 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) to Rose Creek Saddle, 11.2 kilometers round trip. Another 1.2 kilometers (three quarters mile) of Skywalker is groomed down to the lower Twisted Klister Junction. The route provides a 15.2 kilometers (30 kilometers round trip) skate with this new addition. The distance does not count the 3 kilometer run out Elderberry.
The Twisted Klister system to the east of Skywalker is dedicated to and receives a lot of snowshoe and skiers with dogs use. This use spills onto Skywalker as an alternate route out or back. Fortunately this is a main forest road and is quite broad. Signs have been posted asking snowshoe and skiers with dogs to remain to the side and out of the skate lane. Hopefully this will be effective. In actual fact, the upper end of Twisted Klister or the Makin Tracks terminus is about at the endurance level of most snowshoers. Beyond this point few currently venture far out towards Rose Creek Saddle.
In the future, the club hopes to replace the trail between Elderberry Run and Eagle Run to support skating. This addition will provide a loop that accesses the Skywalker and Skate Away Routes by another route. In the interim, come out and enjoy the expanded skate opportunity at Fourth of July.

]]> Comment on Post It by Geoff Harvey http://panhandlenordicclub.com/post-it/#comment-3583 Geoff Harvey Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:21:53 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/#comment-3583 Snow Holding Up Remarkable Well at Fourth of July Pass This second and third week of February has been typified by cool, rainy weather in the Coeur d’Alene Area. Unlike the week before, the warmer moister air and some mist has reached up the mountains to Fourth of July Pass. If you have followed the web camera on the pass, bare wet pavement was observed most of the time. However, skiing or snowshoeing the area, which is a hundred to five hundred feet above pass level in most locations, provided a different picture. You only were required to climb up to the top of Loose Moose or less than halfway up Twisted Klister or Skywalker to have a light snow as opposed to mist settle around you. The groomers were out on Friday preparing the inner loop and Elderberry for the coming weekend. Taking the afternoon off, I skate skied much of the inner loop and then out Skate Away and Skywalker-Moon Runner to the Killarney Mountain Junction. It rained off and on but the snow held up well. On returning to the parking lot down Loose Moose, the newly set track and the groomed skate lane was new and untrammeled. Skiing Saturday off Fernan Saddle, I did not visit Fourth of July, but on returning Sunday morning there was a skiff of new snow on the lot and on the tracks set Friday. After a ski to Killarney Mountain and return via the Eagle Run to Elderberry, I was happy to see Friday’s grooming out to Ian’s Hut. I was happier to see the stove placed there during a short break. With the snow machine track to the benches and the set track from their back to the parking lot, I made the five miles back in full stride and rapid time. As I skied this well groomed track it was little different in condition from two days prior and two thoughts occurred to me. First, the snow and grooming were in great shape given the weather we have seen in the lowlands, but which was obviously not the weather the snow we had seen on the mountain. Second, it was obvious that few were skiing the area. It is easy to look out your window and see the rain and assume the worst for conditions in the mountains, but if the temperature is in the low to mid-thirties as it was most of the weekend, the higher you go, typically the better the snow you encounter. Maybe you had better things to do last weekend like carbo-load Saturday and run the Langlauf Sunday, but if not and you cancelled for the weather, you missed out on relatively good conditions, albeit a little slow. Snow Holding Up Remarkable Well at Fourth of July Pass
This second and third week of February has been typified by cool, rainy weather in the Coeur d’Alene Area. Unlike the week before, the warmer moister air and some mist has reached up the mountains to Fourth of July Pass. If you have followed the web camera on the pass, bare wet pavement was observed most of the time. However, skiing or snowshoeing the area, which is a hundred to five hundred feet above pass level in most locations, provided a different picture. You only were required to climb up to the top of Loose Moose or less than halfway up Twisted Klister or Skywalker to have a light snow as opposed to mist settle around you. The groomers were out on Friday preparing the inner loop and Elderberry for the coming weekend.
Taking the afternoon off, I skate skied much of the inner loop and then out Skate Away and Skywalker-Moon Runner to the Killarney Mountain Junction. It rained off and on but the snow held up well. On returning to the parking lot down Loose Moose, the newly set track and the groomed skate lane was new and untrammeled. Skiing Saturday off Fernan Saddle, I did not visit Fourth of July, but on returning Sunday morning there was a skiff of new snow on the lot and on the tracks set Friday. After a ski to Killarney Mountain and return via the Eagle Run to Elderberry, I was happy to see Friday’s grooming out to Ian’s Hut. I was happier to see the stove placed there during a short break. With the snow machine track to the benches and the set track from their back to the parking lot, I made the five miles back in full stride and rapid time.
As I skied this well groomed track it was little different in condition from two days prior and two thoughts occurred to me. First, the snow and grooming were in great shape given the weather we have seen in the lowlands, but which was obviously not the weather the snow we had seen on the mountain. Second, it was obvious that few were skiing the area. It is easy to look out your window and see the rain and assume the worst for conditions in the mountains, but if the temperature is in the low to mid-thirties as it was most of the weekend, the higher you go, typically the better the snow you encounter. Maybe you had better things to do last weekend like carbo-load Saturday and run the Langlauf Sunday, but if not and you cancelled for the weather, you missed out on relatively good conditions, albeit a little slow.

]]> Comment on Home by Tom Burke http://panhandlenordicclub.com/#comment-3479 Tom Burke Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:38:22 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/?page_id=5#comment-3479 Volunteers Needed-Idaho Special Olympics- Regional Snowshoe and XC Ski races-Saturday 2/4/12-10am-Noon@Shoshone Park, Mullan, ID- Please come up to help w/timing and enjoy a great event in a great setting. Shoshone Park is east of Mullan toward the fish hatchery and adjacent to the old railroad bed that runs up to Lookout Pass so bring snowshoes or skis too. I look forward to seeing you Saturday morning. Tom Burke 665-0611 Volunteers Needed-Idaho Special Olympics- Regional Snowshoe and XC Ski races-Saturday 2/4/12-10am-Noon@Shoshone Park, Mullan, ID- Please come up to help w/timing and enjoy a great event in a great setting. Shoshone Park is east of Mullan toward the fish hatchery and adjacent to the old railroad bed that runs up to Lookout Pass so bring snowshoes or skis too. I look forward to seeing you Saturday morning. Tom Burke 665-0611

]]> Comment on Post It by Kim Woodruff - Sandpoint Nordic Club http://panhandlenordicclub.com/post-it/#comment-3409 Kim Woodruff - Sandpoint Nordic Club Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:31:06 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/#comment-3409 PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE Sandpoint Nordic Club Free Nordic Lessons at Schweitzer Welcome Panhandle Nordic Club Members! The Sandpoint Nordic Club and Schweitzer are teaming to again offer free beginner / advanced beginner cross country skiing lessons, and equipment if needed, for both classic and skate style on Sunday, January 22nd. Two sessions are offered, Session 1 beginning at 10am sharp (equipment fitting starts at 9) and Session 2 beginning at 1pm sharp (equipment fitting at Noon). Equipment may be reserved by calling Sandpoint Sports (265-6163) between 8am and 5pm with desired Session, boot size, and style (classic, with legs doing “scissor” motion and skate, with ice-skating motion). Classic is advised for first timers. Drivers License and release forms required for rentals and will be processed during fittings period. Minors will need a legal guardian. In fairness to all sponsors and participants, please only reserve equipment if you are 99% committed to attend as boot sizes are limited. Participants will need to drive to the Schweitzer Fire Station area roundabout (near the top Schweitzer Mtn. Resort). Driving from bottom to top, take the first right in the roundabout and enter the parking area. Consider a car pool with friends as space is limited. The Schweitzer Shuttle will NOT make this stop. Lesson terrain is groomed flat and beginner friendly. Drop-ins for unreserved equipment or own equipment for lessons welcome. Winters in Sandpoint can be long. Consider Cross-Country skiing as a fun, fit, and affordable winter activity. Schweitzer offers miles of groomed trails with day and season passes that are reasonably priced. For more information please call the Schweitzer Activity Center at 208-255-3081. PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE

Sandpoint Nordic Club Free Nordic Lessons at Schweitzer
Welcome Panhandle Nordic Club Members!

The Sandpoint Nordic Club and Schweitzer are teaming to again offer free beginner / advanced beginner cross country skiing lessons, and equipment if needed, for both classic and skate style on Sunday, January 22nd. Two sessions are offered, Session 1 beginning at 10am sharp (equipment fitting starts at 9) and Session 2 beginning at 1pm sharp (equipment fitting at Noon). Equipment may be reserved by calling Sandpoint Sports (265-6163) between 8am and 5pm with desired Session, boot size, and style (classic, with legs doing “scissor” motion and skate, with ice-skating motion). Classic is advised for first timers. Drivers License and release forms required for rentals and will be processed during fittings period. Minors will need a legal guardian. In fairness to all sponsors and participants, please only reserve equipment if you are 99% committed to attend as boot sizes are limited. Participants will need to drive to the Schweitzer Fire Station area roundabout (near the top Schweitzer Mtn. Resort). Driving from bottom to top, take the first right in the roundabout and enter the parking area. Consider a car pool with friends as space is limited. The Schweitzer Shuttle will NOT make this stop. Lesson terrain is groomed flat and beginner friendly. Drop-ins for unreserved equipment or own equipment for lessons welcome. Winters in Sandpoint can be long. Consider Cross-Country skiing as a fun, fit, and affordable winter activity. Schweitzer offers miles of groomed trails with day and season passes that are reasonably priced. For more information please call the Schweitzer Activity Center at 208-255-3081.

]]> Comment on Post It by Kim Woodruff - Sandpoint Nordic Club http://panhandlenordicclub.com/post-it/#comment-3408 Kim Woodruff - Sandpoint Nordic Club Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:24:28 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/#comment-3408 PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE – SCHWEITZER NORDIC COUGAR GULCH RACE Schweitzer Nordic kicks of the first of the 4 event Selkirk Nordic Series on Saturday, January 21st with the annual Cougar Gulch race. Series point racers will ski a 10k skiers choice (skate or classic) for points with male and female divisions. For Cougar Gulch placing, divisions will be split into 5k or 10k, skate or classic, male or female, and age divisions racing for candy bar first place awards. This is a great event for first time racers or novice skiers with emphasis on having fun and cool sponsor donated prizes will be handed out by random drawing. The only mandatory requirement is a smile at the starting line (no kidding – you can’t start until you smile). Registration is from 8:30 to 9:30 at the Hermit’s Hollow Tubing Yurt with mandatory pre-race meeting at 10:15 and start at 10:30. Race fee is $10 plus Nordic event day trail pass of $10 (purchase pass when you register at Yurt). Other Selkirk Series events are Chewelah Peak Challenge on January 28th, Langlauf on February 12th, and Group Health Pursuit on February 18th. For more information on the Cougar Gulch race contact Schweitzer at 208-255-3081 or visit the web site at www.Schweitzer.com/mountain/nordic_center PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE – SCHWEITZER NORDIC
COUGAR GULCH RACE

Schweitzer Nordic kicks of the first of the 4 event Selkirk Nordic Series on Saturday, January 21st with the annual Cougar Gulch race. Series point racers will ski a 10k skiers choice (skate or classic) for points with male and female divisions. For Cougar Gulch placing, divisions will be split into 5k or 10k, skate or classic, male or female, and age divisions racing for candy bar first place awards. This is a great event for first time racers or novice skiers with emphasis on having fun and cool sponsor donated prizes will be handed out by random drawing. The only mandatory requirement is a smile at the starting line (no kidding – you can’t start until you smile). Registration is from 8:30 to 9:30 at the Hermit’s Hollow Tubing Yurt with mandatory pre-race meeting at 10:15 and start at 10:30. Race fee is $10 plus Nordic event day trail pass of $10 (purchase pass when you register at Yurt). Other Selkirk Series events are Chewelah Peak Challenge on January 28th, Langlauf on February 12th, and Group Health Pursuit on February 18th. For more information on the Cougar Gulch race contact Schweitzer at 208-255-3081 or visit the web site at http://www.Schweitzer.com/mountain/nordic_center

]]> Comment on Best Hand Fun Ski / Snowshoe by Webmaster http://panhandlenordicclub.com/2011/12/best-hand-fun-ski-snowshoe/#comment-3382 Webmaster Sat, 07 Jan 2012 02:25:28 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/?p=597#comment-3382 No Snow. Best Hand Fundraiser will Go. Conditions include icy places. Cleats are Strongly Advised. No Snow. Best Hand Fundraiser will Go.

Conditions include icy places. Cleats are Strongly Advised.

]]> Comment on Best Hand Fun Ski / Snowshoe by Alaskaskater http://panhandlenordicclub.com/2011/12/best-hand-fun-ski-snowshoe/#comment-3379 Alaskaskater Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:49:42 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/?p=597#comment-3379 Is there snow? What are trail conditions for skate skiing? Trying to wax for tomorrow:) Is there snow? What are trail conditions for skate skiing? Trying to wax for tomorrow:)

]]> Comment on Post It by Webmaster http://panhandlenordicclub.com/post-it/#comment-3352 Webmaster Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:20:29 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/#comment-3352 Just going to make an educated guess on this one. From the webcam there is not much snow at the pass level. I'd take both to be safe. I'm sure it would depend on how high you go and the nature of the snow (crusty or soft or heavy etc.) High boots or gators would be a good idea. Personally if the snow is less than a foot deep, I prefer just to hike in it. If you go you can report back. Just going to make an educated guess on this one. From the webcam there is not much snow at the pass level. I’d take both to be safe. I’m sure it would depend on how high you go and the nature of the snow (crusty or soft or heavy etc.)
High boots or gators would be a good idea. Personally if the snow is less than a foot deep, I prefer just to hike in it. If you go you can report back.

]]> Comment on Post It by Mike Zagar http://panhandlenordicclub.com/post-it/#comment-3349 Mike Zagar Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:55:50 +0000 http://panhandlenordicclub.com/#comment-3349 We are planning a hike at 4th of July this coming Thursday (Jan 5, '12) and I'm wondering about snow conditions as I haven't been there yet this season. Do we plan on snowshoes or regular hiking gear or both? We are planning a hike at 4th of July this coming Thursday (Jan 5, ’12) and I’m wondering about snow conditions as I haven’t been there yet this season.
Do we plan on snowshoes or regular hiking gear or both?

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