Ski Club. Downhill Times. rollin on the river. February Thursday, February 14. LocaL EvEnts NEXT MEETING:

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1 North Penn Ski Club Downhill Times February 2013 rollin on the river Come on out for an unusual and entertaining Valentine s evening! Yes, you and your sweetheart can spend some special time together with your skiing buddies, and enjoy an evening filled with sweets and exciting stories. Our speaker for February s meeting is John Geiger, a former high school teacher, kayak and rock wall climbing enthusiast, and now teacher of these activities. John s topic will be kayaking. e is very excited to speak to our group, and will have a boat or two on display. ere s a brief intro from John: My first river trip was in a cement tub that we borrowed from a construction site along the Rahway River. Tom Sawyer had nothing on me and my buds! The tub actually floated for a bit before we dragged it from the depths and back to shore. From that I graduated to canoeing with Boy Scouts and the rest is history. (see page 5 for more of John s story.) February s meeting will also feature a 50/50 raffle, details on club events, and membership renewals. So bring your friends and Elk Mountain trip payments, and come join us! And as always, those folks who would rather not truck home and back again between work and the club meeting can join fellow members for dinner at Giuseppe's at 6pm (next to the Fortuna train station, at Broad Street and Cowpath LocaL EvEnts Feb.8 & 20: Danzizen & Quig - ley CAD days, Blue Mountain February 13: Salter s CAD, Bear Creek, get tix at Salters February 15: Buckman s CAD/ Demo day, Camelback, $28 lifts Feb : $25 lift tix and/ or ASIA clinics at Bear Creek, see page 8 for details February 27: One-day NPSC bus adventure, Elk Mtn, page 8 March 3: EPSC Council Day & Cup Race at Bear Creek March 7-10: USASA Mid- Atlantic Race & Rail Jam event series, Blue Mountain March 23-24: Snowmobile drag racing, Bear Creek Roads, Lansdale). Come out to enjoy some reasonably priced, good food with your ski club buddies! NEXT MEETING: Thursday, February 14 7:30pm, Elks Lodge Trewigtown Rd, Colmar Guests & visitors welcome! Inclement weather? Call an officer for any cancellation information.

2 President s Message Oh the joys of homeownership! Friday I woke up to no hot water. Yes, I had to get a new hot water heater. Although the new water heater is smaller and a little more energy efficient than the last, I really didn t need the extra expense. Now where is that home appliance warranty? So I now have the luxury of hot water again. Part of the excessive cost was the same day service when he came to look at the water heater and the fact that the installation occurred on a Saturday morning. Next time, I ll ask to be fit in at a more convenient weekday. I ll deal with no hot water for a while if it brings down the final price. But hindsight is always 20/20. Renovations are set to begin at the house the third week in February a little later than planned but that s OK. First phase is to install the central vacuum cleaner. With that installed first, I at least have a small percentage shot at keeping the dust somewhat in order. The second phase is to President Suzanne artley Vice President Larry Kirschner Secretary Lynn Rothman Treasurer Jenny utchison Board Members Diane Dunn dds @comcast.net Pete Ryan Bob Lorence Ron Shaak Frank Prindle Membership Larry Kirschner Ways & Means Tom Chambers Web Master Larry Kirschner Racing Rep Jeff Moore EPSC Rep Dave Schoneker dschoneker@aol.com Disc. Lift Tickets Larry Kirschner ASIA teaching Les Bucher Scott Landis Trip Committee Tom Chambers Newsletter Editor & Staff JoAnne Landis Gail Shaffer move the existing kitchen to the basement. Third phase is building the kitchen. Fourth phase you know how these things go. When all is said and done (will it ever be done??), I ll have two kitchens an Italian kitchen in the basement and a new one. Our neighbor growing up was Italian. Actually, she was half Sicilian (her father) and half Irish (her mother). Rosie was like a second mother to me growing up. er mother (grandmom) lived in a row home on 5th Street in Lansdale down by the old Moletier s Pub (now under a different name). Anyway she, like many of the other Italian families on the block, had a detached garage in back and a full kitchen in the garage. She would use this kitchen in the summer to do her canning. It was not uncommon for Italian families to have a separate kitchen in their basement or garage mostly used for canning. OK, so it may not be politically correct, but that s what we called them. So in the future when I go into my basement, I will think of Rosie and grandmom who are both now departed good childhood memories. ave you been out skiing yet?? If you missed the Elk trip in January, you missed another great day on the slopes. They needed some snow, but there is never a bad day at Elk. If you re not going to Sun Valley the end of February, consider the Elk trip on Wednesday, February 27th. Get out there and ski! You can t ski in July without spending a whole lot of money. Suzanne ( 2 ) Nat l Federation Benefits Ski club members can receive up to 20% off at a variety of sporting stores and ski resort shops by printing out the coupon/ discount page on the National Ski Council Federation s website. This is yet another benefit of being a club member, as well as being an Eastern PA Ski Council (EPSC) member. Be sure your ski club membership card has the NSCF sticker on the back! (The National Ski Council Federation (NSCF) is made up of ski councils and clubs throughout United States that have a common interest: the enjoyment of snowsport activities including skiing, snowboarding, cross country and telemark skiing.)

3 Ski Resort News & more Every Weekend: Morning tickets at Sno Mountain are only $25 (8:30am - 12noon). Afternoon tickets are $45 for 12-4pm. This is EVERY weekend! The Latest in Ski Graphics: Working with some of the premiere designers and illustrators in the United States and abroad in the action sports industry, Nordica has taken a whole new approach to graphics for its freeski skis and boots. (wow!) ( 3 ) Cochran Ski ill: What to read a really cool story about a famous racing family and their little ski hill in Vermont? Go to and search for: A Vermont Ski ill s Long Legacy of Family Success. There s a short video too! King of Prussia Ski Club trip assistance Sugarbush, VT March $559 per person Includes: round trip motor coach, 3 nights lodging at ski-in\out Snow Creek Condos (4 people to a 2-BR/2 bath unit), 2-day lift ticket. Third day optional for $38. Contact Annette: or happymoonbeam@verizon.net Mammoth, CA March 2-9 $1,639 per person Includes: round trip air Phila-Reno, round trip motorcoach Reno-Mammoth, 7 nights lodging, Juniper Springs ski-in\out condos (4 people to a 2BR/2 bath unit), 5-day lift ticket. Sixth day optional for $58. Local Websites & Snow Phones Contact: Lydia or lydiahill99@msn.com SNOW (montage) GOT-SNOW springmountainadventures.com Stowe, VT February 7-10 $489/pp urry on this one! Includes: round trip motorcoach, 3 nights lodging at Commodore Inn (full buffet breakfast daily and one dinner), 2-day lift ticket. Third day optional for $35. Contact: Barbara Tomedolskey at or btomed@yahoo.com

4 Council (EPSC) News Discount Lift Prices Bear Creek: Evening 4-10pm $21, Weekday (All day) $29 Blue Mountain: Weekday (Full day/twilight) non-holiday $40 Blue Mountain: Weekday Night $28 Blue Mountain: Weekend $53 Bromley, VT: Adult (13 and up) Anytime $49 Bromley, VT: Junior (6-12) Anytime $39 Camelback: Midweek, non-holiday (Open to Close) $41 Camelback: Weekend, holiday (Open to Close) $51 Elk Mountain: Weekday (non-holiday) $43 Elk Mountain: Weekend (Saturday / holiday) $54 Gore Mountain Resort, NY: Adult, Anytime $57 Big Boulder: Night (3pm-close, BBOnly) midweek $24 Jack Frost / Big Boulder: Adult Daily /Midweek16+) $34 Jack Frost / Big Boulder: Student/Youth (5-15) oliday $37 Jack Frost / Big Boulder: Student/Youth (5-15) Midweek $30 Jack Frost / Big Boulder: Student/Youth( 5-15) Weekend $32 Jack Frost / Big Boulder: Weekend Adult (16+) $40 Jay Peak, VT: Adult (19+) Anytime $54 Killington, VT: Young Adult (13-18) $47 Killington, VT: Adult, Anytime (Ages19-64) $57 Mount Snow, VT: (All ages) $58 Okemo, VT: Adult (19-64) Anytime $64 Okemo, VT: Jr (7-12) or Super Sr 70+ Anytime $43 Okemo, VT: Young Adult (13-18) or Sr (65-69) Anytime $54 Pico, VT: Adult $38 Pico, VT: Junior (age 13-18) $31 Stowe, VT: Age 6-12 and 65+, Anytime $53 Stowe, VT: Adult, Anytime $59 Stratton, VT: Adult, Anytime $54 Sugarbush, VT: Anytime, AlI Ages $61 Whiteface, NY: All ages $59 Ski Council / Club Days: Bear Creek Mountain, Macungie PA Every Wednesday (except during holiday periods), lift tickets are just $15 with a showing of your ski club membership card. Discount Tickets: can be ordered online from Council s website: There have been changes made to EPSC s return policy (of unused tickets at season s end). For PA and NY ski areas, a $1 fee is charged for returned vouchers. There is a $5 fee charged for every New England voucher returned at the end of the season. (mountains' policies). Feel free to make use of the discount ticket program offered by Council the prices are better than most other discounts around! Just be sure to allow sufficient time to order and receive them, and only buy what you need and are sure to use. Plus, make sure you bring your membership card when traveling to the ski area to redeem them. Resorts are not tolerating fraudulent use of discount vouchers, so be prepared to confirm your club membership! Ken Foster, EPSC Voucher Chairman epscticketguy1@yahoo.com EPSC Council Day and Cup Race Come one, come all to the ESPC Council Day and Cup Race! Yes, this means you! All club members and racers are invited to the Council Day. Come cheer your favorite team on and enjoy a great day of skiing for you and your friends. The date is March 3, 2013, at Bear Creek Mountain Resort. Lift ticket prices will be discounted, and the rest of the event will be similar to last year where refreshments and food are on your own. The NASTAR race entry fee will be paid by Council. Please preregister to ease the stress on Race Day. More details will follow. Save the date! Paul J. Prutzman, EPSC s Senior Alpine Director (4)

5 Council Awareness Days at Mount Snow, VT Mount Snow is extending discounted dates and rates to members of EPSC clubs this winter: Fri - Sunday, February Fri - Saturday, March 15 & 16 Friday rates: $44 (window: $75) Saturday rates: $51 (window $83) Sunday rates: $49 (window $83) Members must go to the Group Sales office and present club membership card. (Friday - Clocktower Building. Saturday & Sunday in Sundance Base Lodge) Buy tickets on a per day or multi-day basis; for all ages. Rolling on the River My first river trip was in a cement tub that we borrowed from a construction site along the Rahway River. Tom Sawyer had nothing on me and my buds! The tub actually floated for a bit before we dragged it from the depths and back to shore. From that I graduated to canoeing with Boy Scouts and the rest is history. In college I actually tried to do a water analysis of the Lehigh River following storm Agnes in Three of us made it from the put in at Whitehaven to about 50 yards from the put-in at Whitehaven. I did know enough to have a floating rope off the stern. Once we managed to swim to shore, we tied a rope to a tree and it floated in below us. Needless to say we blew the water analysis, but it was my first true taste of whitewater, and really woke me up to what I didn't know about canoeing. Not too many years later I was literally in the same boat, different river. During a release on the Tohickon Creek, I was again swimming next to my canoe. A canoe trip or two later I realized I wanted to be sitting in an eddy below a small falls like those kayakers were. I spent part of the winter in roll sessions, and by spring I was running the rivers upright! Like skiing, you can easily hook up with a club. Philadelphia Canoe Club is one of the best in the tri-state area. After a year or so I was certified as an ACA instructor. Over the years, I have been on a 7-day wilderness trip on the Salmon River in Idaho, spent week long trips in Canada as well as Tennessee and West Virginia. The highlight of my travels was a week of rivers in the mountains of Costa Rica warm water in the middle of February! John Geiger (February s speaker) AND at Stowe, VT Stowe Mountain Resort is also offering discounted dates and rates to members of EPSC clubs this winter: Wed - Sunday, March 13-17, 2013 Adult lifts (age 13-64): 1-day $45, 2-day $66, 3-day $98, 4-day $122, 5-day $152. Child/Senior (6-12, 65+): $36, $40, $59, $70, $87. To purchased these discount tickets, members must go to the Spruce Camp Base Lodge and present club membership card. Contact group sales for complete details at SKI. AND at Whiteface, NY Whiteface Lake Placid is offering discounts on the following ski club appreciation days too! February 4, March 17 & 18, March 31 and April 1st. Show your club and photo ID s and get a lift ticket for just $38. Each person must have their own club membership card. (5)

6 Outdoors Expo... don t miss it! Saturday, March 2nd, 10am 5pm Calvary Church, 820 Route 113, Souderton PA The annual Outdoors Expo is geared toward people who have an interest in a variety of outdoor activities such as: fishing, hunting, kayaking, camping, hiking, climbing and skiing. Browse vendor products, see exhibits, hear speakers and teachers who are leaders in their fields. The Expo has activities for the entire family, from expert level to weekend participant, from kids to adults, Calvary s Outdoors Expo is designed for all to enjoy. Stop by Bucks County Ski Club s table (#69 in the gym) and say hi. Sun Valley participants: The Sun Valley trip the last week of this month is filled and ready to go! A pre-departure party is set for Sunday, February 17th at 2pm at Jenny utchison s house in Pennsburg. Summer Plans: Iron Pigs Baseball Based on favorable feedback from last year, we are again attending an Iron Pigs game at Coca Cola Park in Allentown. The Iron Pigs, a Triple A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, will be playing the Rochester Red Wings. Our "drive yourself" trip is scheduled for Saturday, May 18th at 6:35pm. The cost is $10, which includes a $2 concession credit. (Please be aware that there is a $3 per car charge for parking.) We have reserved 26 field level tickets near third base. Please get your reservation in ASAP. There will be a sign up sheet at our club meetings starting in February. Or, you can your name and the number of tickets you require to Diane Dunn at dds @comcast.net (or call me at ). ope you can join us! Club Cash: Long-time club members know what Club Cash is all about each year if you renew your membership or submit your application as a first-time member before October 31, you are issued $10 in club cash. Redeemable on overnight NPSC trips, each voucher is good for 2 years from the date on the front of the bill, and can only be used once. BUT! In order to keep dues at their long-time, low annual rate, and to save the club a little bit of expense, Club Cash will cease to exist next fall. Vouchers that have already been doled out this year will still be valid for use next season, but no new Club Cash voucers will be handed out from now on. Take note! (6) For Sale... (2) Saddleback tickets Good for the 2013 ski season. We are not going to be able to use them. If you are interested, please contact Suzanne artley or Jenny utchison Mark Your Calendar: Just a reminder to mark your calendar for our annual Spring Fling banquet on Thursday, April 11th. As you ski and travel with fellow club members this season, take lots of photos and jot down any funny adventures that happen. Then of course, share them with everyone at April s banquet. We always enjoy an award winning story! Graphic Design JoAnne Landis (215) joscott49@verizon.net brochures logos flyers newsletters magazine ads ave a creative pro design your promo materials! Samples, resumé, and references are available. New Member David Povenski Welcome to the club! Birthdays! Rich Mazur Feb. 5 Sue Long Feb. 9 Dan Morrissy Feb. 21 Catarina Sacchetti Feb. 21 Joan Bucher Feb. 27 Ron Gottshalk March 6 Anne Moore March 7 Will Lapp March 13 Annette einsheimer March 15 Josh einsheimer March 15 Butch DeBonis March 19

7 Ski-Related News Windham NY: Windham Mountain turned 53 years old and they celebrated in style! On Friday, January 25, TLC's Cake Boss delivered their birthday cake a full replica of Windham Mountain at an estimated 2,000 lbs of cake! Greek Peak NY: Now folks who stay in Cortland can take the Greek Peak Ski Bus to the mountain. Running on Friday evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays only, the bus makes its way through town, stopping to pickup any skier or boarder who puts their hand up as it comes down the road. (Taxi!!) Suggested stops include local grocery stores, Walmart, the Town all, and an office building complex. Greek Peak also offers a Sunday lift ticket special all adult tickets are just $49, junior tickets are $40. Offer is valid on any Sunday, excluding holidays, of course. Snowboarding: Losing Popularity? Is snowboarding no longer cool? A recent article from The New York Times explains that the sport is "sputtering in the United States." The numbers in the article paint a stark picture for the extreme sport. This isn't just anecdotal evidence. According to Nate Fristoe, who monitors winter-sport trends, the number of days that snowboarders go to resorts has fallen from 7.6 days a year 15 years ago to around 6.1 days per year today. Skiing has remained at around 5.5 days per year for the past few years. There isn't one reason behind snowboarding's apparent face plant. The Times writes that a large factor is the age of the participants. When the sport became all the rage in the '90s, the paper writes, many original snowboarders were in their mid-teens. An early 2000s article from ABC News reported that snowboarding was the country's fastest growing sport three out of five years, from 1996 to 2000, thanks in large to young snowboarders. Not anymore. Now, nearly 20 years later, those guys and gals are older with more responsibilities like jobs and families and less time to spend on the slopes. Also a problem, according to the Times: Fewer people are learning to snowboard. "In the season more than 42% of all beginners on the slopes ages 14 and younger started out on a snowboard. The percentage has steadily fallen since then, last season dropping to about 34%, according to the ski areas association." Fristoe puts it like so: Snowboarding lost some of its mojo around 2005, 2006, and we've been running on fumes since then. It's like any kind of trend: It's full of all sorts of energy... until it isn't. A 2004 article from CNN echoes Fristoe's sentiments. Back then, snowboarding was on an epic upswing. Participation in the sport surged 300% from 1988 to Photo courtesy of club member, Pam Jansen. Breckenridge CO (7)

8 Elk Mountain Our remaining one-day Snow Pig Adventure this winter is Wed nesday, Febru ary 27. The trip features transportation by agey Coach, departing from agey s Franconia / Souderton location, with an extra pickup at Quaker town s turn pike park-and-ride lot. Also included are the day s lift ticket (9am - 4:30pm), and OJ, donuts, and snacks on the bus. For more info or to sign up for either trip, contact JoAnne at (215) or joscott49@verizon.net $69 per person (each trip) This reasonable rate is based on 28 or more people on the bus so round up your friends, and let s go! Another Day Off: If you just can t get enough of Elk Mountain, or prefer to go on a Friday, then come join your friends from Bucks County Ski Club on Friday, February 15. Meet at the picnic lodge on the west slope at 9AM. For those that want to carpool, meet at the turnpike carpool lot at 6 6:15AM. Bring something to cook on the fire (burgers, dogs, steaks) or a picnic lunch. Let Don Phy know by the Tuesday before if you are planning to be there. For more info, call Don at Bring your auction vouchers or tickets bought thru EPSC ($43). Ski & Snowboard Improvement Clinics Come join ASIA (Amateur Ski Instructors Association) at Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, PA and sharpen your skiing or riding skills with top teaching pros! On the weekend of February 23-24, 2013, there will be Intermediate and Advanced Skiing Improvement clinics as well as a Snowboard Improvement clinic. It's A Skiing Best Buy! The two-day clinic fee is only $110 you can pay that much for a one-hour private, and this is for a 2-day clinic! Discount lift tickets of just $25 each day are additional and available through ASIA the morning of sign in for the event by cash or check. Clinic Offerings: Intermediate Ski Improvement is for folks skiing somewhat parallel and comfortable on blue square terrain who want to work toward skiing the groomed black diamonds Bear Creek has to offer. Advanced Ski Improvement is an exciting clinic designed to develop your skiing skills at higher speeds on groomed snow. As the snow gets cut and piled up, we'll work on tactics and techniques for managing bumps and crud. Finally, when it's all scraped off in the middle and icy, we'll get some tips on how to hold on that challenging afternoon surface. Snowboard Improvement is for riders comfortable on groomed blue square terrain (already able to turn left and right and come to a stop) who want to take their fun to the next level. Register NOW! All applications MUST be received in the ASIA office by February 8th. No exceptions! Classes often fill before the cutoff date, so be sure to sign up early for great fun and learning. It s easy just complete a Program Application and mail it with your check made out to ASIA. These improvement programs are very popular and fill quickly. Questions? Call Pete Ryan (215) or JoAnne Landis (215) ASIA membership is required to participate in these clinics. To become a member of ASIA, simply fill out a Membership Application and mail it with your dues check of $25 (a year s membership) to the ASIA office. Membership dues are non refundable. To find the required forms and more info about ASIA and all of their clinic offerings this winter, visit: ( 8 )

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10 More Resort News... Spring Brew Fest Smugglers Notch, Vermont March Music, munchies, prizes and micro brews. Sample over 25 varieties of the best local and regional spirits New England has to offer. Your Weekend BrewFest Package includes: 2 nights accommodations, 2-day lift pass, use of indoor pool & hot tubs, entry to Saturday night BrewFest, fabulous BrewFest munchies, and use of indoor pool & hot tubs. Prices start at $139/person for value occupancy, $159 for double occupancy. (Price does not include 15% tax and service charge.) Belleayre Ski Resort, ighmount NY Bring a Coca Cola product with you any non-holiday Wednesday this season to Belleayre Mountain, and you can ski for justs $30! Visit our web site! north Penn ski club 819 Chestnut Street Lansdale, PA happy valentine s day!