This Page Contains:

• Minutes from the November 14 Club Meeting
• November Newsletter
• Minutes of the Board Meeting, November 7

Note: Links to the Latest Trip Info will be Posted on The Calendar. Click Here for what I have so far.

Minutes from November 14, 2006 Meeting
United States Forest Service
Fernan Ranger Station
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
7 pm

The meeting was called to order by President Geoff Harvey. Old members and newcomers were welcomed. The treasurer’s report was given. Club officers who were present, were introduced. Some of the new expansion efforts at the 4th of July Ski And Snowshoe area were outlined. The new snowshoe trail will be 15 miles long. Ski trails have been extended out Road 1575 and 614 to Skateaway and will be groomed. It’s not flat, however. The Parks and Recreation Department has requested that the club provide a detailed map. Geoff and Glenn will be working on GPS for the area and creating a new and more accurate map.

There is a new shelter A frame 2.5 miles beyond the new outhouse. It was built by Ian Truscott with help his fellow scouts. We are currently looking for a new, very small wood stove to serve this shelter. Next year, the club would like to build a porch shelter so that the door will always open when the snow is deep.

New Warming Hut at 4th of July - Story and Pictures.

Someone sawed off the gates leading to the ski area. This is a serious crime involving federal property and the USFS is taking this seriously. Other USFS gates in other areas were also cut. The club’s wood stove was stolen over the summer and Don St. George has made a new one for the original warming hut. From now on, the stove will be removed at the end of ski season.

More work has been done removing berms alongside the ski trails. Work day went well, although the turnout was light.

The USFS Access Trail plan is still in planning stages. Until a plan is adopted by the USFS, the club probably won’t receive a final decision on expansion for the 4th of July area into more non-motorized trails.

Park and Rec’s Leo Hennessey informed Geoff that all the recreation areas have an advisory and that the Panhandle Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club is the advisory group for 4th of July. Therefore, votes must be taken and notes must be kept as to decisions affecting the ski and snowshoe area.

Roberta Ricb made a motion to purchase a stove for the new hut. Jackie McNamara seconded the motion; the motion passed.

Dwight McCain made a motion to place signs on the ski and snowshoe area. Betty Schneider seconded the motion; the motion passed.

Vera Taggart suggested the club color code the signs or use a symbol to direct people to the various trails so that skiers and snowshoers can tell if they are on the correct trail. Glenn Truscott and Van will think this suggestion through and report back to the club at a future meeting.

Van Bennett said that there are plans to build a bridge for the gap on the snowshoe trail. Judy Waring made a motion to purchase lumber for the bridge. Roberta Rich seconded the motion; the motion passed.

Jackie McNamara made a motion to raise the dues to $15 per household per year. Dwight McCain seconded the motion; the motion passed.

Geoff reminded the membership to be sure to designate Area 11 on their Park n Ski permits. That way, the money comes back to the club for improvement of the 4th of July Ski and Snowshoe area.

Some early trips are planned: Lost Trail near Darby, Montana is planned for the three day Martin Luther King weekend, January 13-15. That area has both cross country and downhill ski areas. There is a little cabin-motel where club members could stay. There is a sign up sheet for this trip on the table. Old and new members were encouraged to bring trip suggestions to the next meeting and sign up sheets.

Geoff would also like to do a day trip ski to Frater Lake in NE Washington State near Usk.

The Ya I Du Ski program was explained and the prizes were displayed. 200 kilometers (k’s) for a mug, 500 k’s for a bigger mug, 1000 k’s for a tee shirt, and 2000 k’s for a vest. The members explained to the newcomers that one need not ski the entire number of k’s in one season; k’s were cumulative from season to season.

The December meeting includes the cookie exchange. Members and visitors are encouraged to bring cookies to exchange. If you bring 12 cookies, you may take 12 cookies brought by someone else. However, the club encourages members and guests to bring extra cookies. These cookies are collected for the Idaho Transportation Department snowplow crew. They plow our parking lot at 4th of July for us and they are much appreciated. The club likes to put together a gift basket each year. Jackie Beery delivers the basket.

Club special events were outlined:
January 6 is Free Ski Day and the public can ski at 4th of July Ski and Snowshoe area without a park and ski sticker. Also other areas, such as Farragut, are included in this Free Ski Day. The club hopes to have some ski instruction for beginners. Many club members are experienced skiers and would like to teach others to enjoy the sport.

Feb 3 is Rock Soup. Members and guests bring a can of something to put in the soup or bring bread or cookies or hot chocolate. One club member is appointed to bring soup stock and someone stays to watch over the soup while everyone else skis out and meets at dusk back at the warming hut for soup, bread cookies and hot (or cold) drinks.

Best Hand Fun Ski is February 24. This is the biggest money making project of the year for the club. This project funds many club activities and helps to maintain the ski area and to improve it. People pay to get their poker hand. Members pay less than non members. The event is well advertised and the turnout is usually very good if the weather is good. Participants ski around the course and receive a card at each stop. The best hands get to pick the top three prizes. Usually everyone goes home with a prize. The club members either donate prizes or solicit prizes from local businesses. Some past prizes were skis, a night at a bed and breakfast, a gift certificate to a resort, outdoor equipment of all sorts or clothing. Other prizes include dinner certificates, gourmet foods, winter hats, gloves, free ski waxing, health club passes, and many other types of prizes usually related to outdoor activities.

Hiking meeting: The April meeting is the meeting that is held to decide which hikes the club members will do over the summer. Some members only hike; they don’t ski. Everyone is encouraged to participate and to bring their ideas for hikes to the meeting. Proposals are listed on the board and the members decide by consensus which hikes they will do. Besides hiking, the club also plans canoe and bike trips, or a combination of hiking, biking, and canoe trips. Hikes can range from a short hike of 3 miles to overnight weekend or longer backpacking trips into wilderness areas and anything in between.

The meeting was adjourned.

November Newsletter

For November, 2006

President Message

November has arrived with a marked change in the weather. An end has come to the summer and fall dry spell. As heavy rains have wetted the area, an early five inches of snow up on the high ridges tantalized us skiers. It is that time of year for our thoughts to turn to the ski and snowshoe season just ahead. You could feel that sense of anticipation at the ski swaps last weekend. It’s time to cross our fingers and pray that we are blessed with a good snow year.

Thanks to the dedicated crew that nurtures the Fourth of July area, the trails and facilities are ready for the winter. The trails have been cleared. A new warming hut sits two and a half mile out the Elderberry trail as a lunch destination. Although some have used it for nearly five years, we hope to groom a five mile loop extension that will run out Elderberry from Peaceful View to the new warming hut, up the hill to 1575, back to Road 614, down to the Skate Away Trail to the top of Loose Moose. A new snowshoe trail has been cut as well, linking the 905 Loop south to Road 918 near its junction with Road 614. These are new skis and snowshoe trails to explore at Fourth of July. Thanks are owed to Skip, Robertta, and Ian Truscott, Van Bennett, Don St. George and Bob Conquergood for their efforts to improve the area.

The Panhandle Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club will meet for the first time this season on Tuesday, November 14th at 7:00 PM at the Fernan Forest Service Ranger Station, 2502 E. Sherman Avenue, Coeur d’Alene. The meeting is in the downstairs room. Use the back parking lot and enter the basement door.

After we conduct some business, including the sale of Park & Ski Stickers and a call to set up winter ski trips, the program will cover that delicate balance all of us experience on winter outings between keeping warm and keeping dry. The latest innovation in winter ware designed to keep you warm and dry while you exercise in the cold will be demonstrated.

Have your License Plate Number for buying Park and Ski Stickers.

I hope to see many of the long time club members at the November meeting and ask you to invite new acquaintances interested in experiencing fun and active sports of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in north Idaho’s winter landscape.

Calendar

November 14 - Regular Meeting, Demonstration - Winter Ware to Keep You Warm and Dry

December 5 - Regular Meeting, Cookie Exchange And Bring Cookies for Road Crew

January 2 - Regular Meeting

January 6 - Free Ski Day

February 3 - Rock Soup

February 6 - Regular Meeting

February 24 - Best Hand Fun Ski

March 6 - Regular Meeting, Ya-I-Do-Ski Awards, Liars Contest, Elections

April 3 - Summer Hiking Meeting

Panhandle Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club Board Meeting Minutes
November 7, 2006
Hayden, Idaho

In attendance: Hilma Volk, Bea Christopherson, Glenn Truscott, Geoff Harvey and Donna Harvey in for Carol Ridge who couldn’t attend

The Board decided to put to a vote by the membership, an increase of fees to $15 per household for a year’s membership in the Panhandle Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club.

Leo Hennessy of Idaho Parks and Recreation said that Idaho Ski areas have advisory boards and that the Panhandle Board serves as an advisory board for 4th of July recreation area.

It was decided to send out postcards with a short note about the first meeting and the website address and a message to bring car license numbers to the first meeting. Geoff will do that.

A calendar was set for the ski year:

Meetings will be: Tuesday, November 14, Dec 5, Jan 2, Feb 6, Mar 6, and April 3 (the summer hiking meeting). All will be at USFS building at Fernan Ranger Station.

January 6 is Free Ski Day. The Board talked about having ski instructors to instruct newcomers to the sport. Various areas were discussed. 4th of July is an intermediate to difficult ski area, not a good area for beginners. Depending on snow, Farragut and the Coeur d’Alene Trail would be better areas to use to instruct beginners.

February 3 will be Rock Soup Ski. Best Hand Fun Ski will be February 24. Board meetings will be held the Thursday before the regular meetings, probably somewhere ein Coeur d’Alene. However, the board meeting for the December meeting will be Monday, November 27th due to conflicts in scheduling. At regular club meeting in December, members will be encouraged to bring cookies for a cookie exchange and to bring cookies also for the snow plow crew.

Costs for doing some work will run in the area of $600. This work includes, a porch for the new warming hut, a bridge for the snowshoe trail, and a small stove for the new warming hut. Don St. George has made a stove to replace the stove that was stolen from the old hut. Signs are also needed. The State of Idaho will reimburse us for some of these costs.

It was suggested that the membership come up with a name for the new warming hut, now called the “Eagle Hut” or “Ian’s Hut” after the project—it was an Eagle Scout project or after Ian Truscott, whose project the hut was.

The expansion of the area was discussed. A decision from the Forest Service is needed before plans can proceed.

Geoff and Glenn will work on a new type of shelter, possibly a wigwam type.

There is a need for an accurate map of the area. Geoff will work on a GIS map of the area that can be superimposed on aerial photos, or orthophotoquads.

The meeting was adjourned.

Links of Interest

For information about Mt. Spokane x-country ski events,
trail maps, permit information, trail conditions etc. go to
www.selkirknordic.org

Cross country skiing in British Columbia
http://www.canadatrails.ca/xc_ski/xc_bc.html

Priest Lake ski conditions www.priestlake.org
208-443-3191

KYRO Ice Skating Arena (West of CDA on Seltice Way) 208-765-4423