President’ Message: March 2008

January is supposed to be the month of looking back and looking forward, but March more fits this bill for the Nordic Club. We look back on a winter season blessed with ample snow and great ski conditions. Fourth of July and Mount Spokane afford great skiing almost every year, but this year Farragut, the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, local golf courses and even the road out front of my house have held consistent snow for skiing. There have been some great overnight trips to the Methow Valley and Rossland and several day trips to Priest Lake, Frater Lake, with one more coming to Settlers Grove. We enjoyed each other’s company at the Rock Soup ski and dealt the cards at the Best Hand.

The use of the Fourth of July area this year has increased. The area has been well signed and well maintained, even though much of the winter went by with one groomer either lame or out of service. Snowshoe use has increased again this year. The two new bridges encouraged the use of the lower snowshoe trail, while use of the 905 and 614 systems was heavy as well. One can tell from the tracks that users are traveling farther out these systems than in years past, possibly because map boards are out there to show them the way.

With the current snow pack we can expect to ski and snowshoe on through March and possibly into April. But in March we start to look forward to the spring, summer and fall seasons of hiking, biking and canoeing. The April meeting to plan this schedule is a little over a month away. So it is not too early to be looking forward and thinking of trips that you would like to take or even lead this summer. Be ready to bring these forward at the April planning meeting.

We can report a little progress on replacing our old groomer. The club received a grant donation of $200 from Tri-states Outfitters. These funds were put away in our savings account specifically designated to help us match a State Parks & Recreation grant to garner the funds to replace the groomer. We are aware of the keen competition for these funds, so offer our thanks to Tri-states Outfitters for this grant.

The March meeting will be held Tuesday, March 4th at 7:00 PM. at the Forest Service Office in Fernan. Park in the rear parking lot and come down the steps to the meeting room. The March meeting is our traditional awards and Liar’s Contest meeting. Those tallying their “Ya I Du Ski or Snowshoe” kilometers should get your sheets to our official score keeper Roberta Truscott by Saturday, March 1st. The March meeting will include the election of officers. The club badly needs somebody to step up and cover the secretary duties. Certificates and awards will be made at the March 4th meeting. After the awards and other business are transacted, our band of storytellers will take the stage. There is no telling what we might hear masquerading as the truth. However, I have heard rumor of a story concerning an inglorious “face plant” and a couple involving close encounters with moose. Who knows that old Norseman, Ole, may show up to spin another yarn and tell a few Norse jokes? Hope to see you at the March meeting.

Goeff Harvey

Note: Goeff has made 5 new maps and descriptions of other places to ski. These are under the Maps and Other Information link on the Home page

The Following are the Prizes and Donors for the Best Hand Fun Ski
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