January 2010 President’s Message

Here it is late December and some snow is promised for later in the week. I visited Fourth of July last Saturday on my way to Lookout Pass. The area had a skiff of snow.

There is skiable snow at Fernan Saddle, Mount Spokane, and Lookout Pass. At Fernan Saddle and Lookout Pass, you will have to put up with snowmobiles, but the trails are broad with plenty of room for skiers and the snow machines. Even at Lookout, the snow depth is not great. Down at the Copper Basin Trailhead on the Montana side only ten inches of snow are found out in the woods. The snow there was rained on and refrozen with just a half inch of fresh snow atop it. It made for some "dodgy goin' " out in the woods off the prepared surface.

It is high time to receive some snow. Last season at this time, we were unable to open are gates for all the snow, but easily skied over them. Keep checking the web-page and we will attempt to post conditions as these improve. Hopefully snow will come later this week because we have some events planned.

Saturday, January 2nd is free ski day at all Idaho State Parks and Park N Ski Areas. At Fourth of July we plan to have warm drinks and cookies at the warming hut. We plan to man it from 9AM to 4 PM to welcome in any skiers, snowshoers or other folks. Those of you who signed up for two hour shifts, hopefully remember your times. If not, check with Janice Purdy. She has the signup sheet. We are arranging for lessons, but the location is in question given the poor snow conditions. We may have to postpone ski lessons until the snow is better at lower elevation where the flatter ground can be found.

Later in January on the 23rd at 2:30 PM, the annual Rock Soup ski and dinner is planned at the Fourth of July Area. Plan to bring your fully cooked contribution to the pot and any drinks or bread. Once you have contributed to the soup pot, you are free to ski the area while dinner cooks. At dark we will all assemble at the Panhandle warming hut for dinner and friendly talk as the fire warms us up. After dinner some have made moonlight skis to the junction should the clouds oblige and allow the moon to shine. Do remember a headlamp or flashlight, for the ski from the warming hut to the parking lot should the night be dark.

On Tuesday, January 5th the club will meet at 7PM at the Fernan Ranger District Office at 2502 East Sherman in Fernan Village. During the break, those participating in the ski trip to Nelson will make final plans for the trip. After a short meeting, Darrell and Maleka Haarr will present a program on the Nepal portion of a trip they recently completed around the world.

I hope to see you at the January meeting where hard core skiers will rejoice in the prospect of new snow to ski or commiserate about the snowless start of the 2009-2010 season.

Geoff Harvey