MARMOT BASIN REPLACING TWO SKI LIFTS. New High Speed Quad Chair and Triple Chair Coming in

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1 2010! Issue 8 ROCKY MOUNTAIN SENIORS SKI CLUB! DECEMBER 1, 2010 SKI TRACKS This issue generously sponsored by Pacesetter Ski Shop MARMOT BASIN REPLACING TWO SKI LIFTS New High Speed Quad Chair and Triple Chair Coming in PAGE 1 minutes. The triple chair it replaces had a ride time of approximately 8 UNDER the COVER Pg minutes and a 307 m vertical rise. The base of the Paradise Express 55+ Winter Games 2 will be relocated to a lower position on the mountain making it far more Membership update 2 accessible to skiers and snowboarders than the current triple Pacesetter Ski Shop 3 chair it replaces. The loading station will be on Old Road about 100 Report on Fall Dinner 4 metres above Parking Lot #4. The Triple Chair will be Ski Shop Discounts for 4 moved, modified and renamed as Members The School House Chair and will be located by the lower mountain Accommodation Discounts 5 runs currently serviced by the for Members School House T-bar. It will service 2010 Tour Summary 5 novice ski runs vastly improving the learning experience for those new to skiing and snowboarding. Silver Star Tour 7 Caribou Chair will remain in place for the time being. There is Lake Louise Tour 8 not enough time in one summer to Canadian Rockies Express remove it in 2NEWLIFTS for addition to all the other work planned. Thanks to Dave Gibson and Brian Rode for the information for this article. Hig hs pee dq uad Cha ir fo r Longest High Speed Quad Chair in the Canadian Rockies NEW Marmot Basin ski area has announced that it will be installing another two ski lifts in the summer of A new high speed quad chair named the Paradise Express will replace the existing Paradise Triple Chair in the upper area of the mountain. The Paradise Triple Chair will be relocated to the lower portion of the mountain where it will replace the School House TBar. Both ski lifts will open in November of The project price will be close to $7 million. Marmot shareholders will have invested over $25 million in capital improvements since assuming ownership of the ski area in Marmot Basin was given written approval by Parks Canada to install the two lifts on September 29, 2010, after extensive environmental assessments were completed. This is the direct result of the long term Vision Statement and Site Guidelines developed two years ago by Marmot Basin as required by Parks Canada. Marmot remains the only Ski Resort to have successfully completed their Vision Statement. The Paradise Express high speed quad chair will move more skiers up the mountain faster than ever before. The lift will have 17 towers and will move 2400 people per hour. It will have a vertical rise of 410 m (1,345 ft), and will carry skiers up 1,450 m in only 4.6 submitted by Bob Larson hair le C rip WT for E r/n ool Sch use Ho a T-B Highest Base Elevation in Canada 1698m 5570

2 President s Message The past month has been a busy one. With the opening of Snow Valley, all our on-hill programs are now underway. Also, the Club had two more social events in November and both were very well attended. The annual Fall Banquet, on November 24th, saw over 200 members enjoy an evening of great food and friendship. There were lots of new members in attendance, not to mention a host of longer-term members we haven t seen since last ski season. There were many stories being told and plans being made! The Welcome to Winter and New Members Day get-together at Snow Valley, on November 30 th, was also a success. What a tremendous way to start the season! Speaking of starting the season, I would like to remind our members to re-read their Members Handbook and to pay particular attention to the Ski Safe recommendations on the back cover. To summarize, Ski Prepared (make sure your equipment and your body are prepared for the season), Ski with Attitude (ski within your limits), and Ski Smart (follow the rules and stay in control). We want everyone to enjoy the entire season! As this will be the last newsletter until February, I, and the rest of the Executive, would like to wish all our members a Merry Christmas and all the best for an enjoyable and safe Mike Tansey What s Coming Up? Snow Valley On-hill Programs Now starting! Sunshine Tour #1 December 5 to 8 Sun Peaks #1 January 2 to 7 Sun Peaks #2 January 9 to 13 New Members Day January 18 Marmot Ski Improvement January 23 to 27 Alberta 55 Plus Winter Games Submitted by Bruce Foy! The Alberta 55 Plus Winter Games will be held from February 24 to 27 in St. Albert. All events will be held in St. Albert except the downhill skiing events which will be held at St. Albert. The qualifying races for the Alpine events will be run on December 14 at Snow Valley. Registration for the race will begin at noon and the race will begin at 2:00 pm.! Contestants must be members of the Alberta 55 Plus Association from their respective zones with one exception. Contestants who will be 55 years of age in 2011 will be allowed to enter the qualifying race if they purchase a 2011 membership before competing in the qualifying race. Membership forms will be available at Snow Valley.! The only cost to the competitors, besides the loss of ego if they don't win, will be the purchase of a lift ticket. Those with season passes will not be required to purchase a lift ticket.! Winners of their age group must commit to competing in the Winter Games at St. Albert after the race is finalized. If they do not wish to do so their spot will be offered to the runner up. The entry fee of $ must be paid on December 14, so bring your cheque books please.! It is extremely important that we have a very strong contingent of skiers from Northern Alberta to reclaim bragging rights from the gang in Southern Alberta who defeated us in Lethbridge in PAGE 2

3 Welcome to Winter Our annual Welcome to Winter drew over 110 enthusiastic members to Snow Valley for a day of sun, snow, and socializing. It was great meeting new members and old ski friends. We had another opportunity to review tour information and plan our winter skiing. In the morning, most members were out on the hill testing out their equipment, some for the first time this season. At coffee break, members were able to sign-up for afternoon activities while they were enjoying their coffee and goodies. President Mike Tansey welcomed 6 new members who were able to be us for the day. Members thinking of upgrading their equipment appreciated the advice from Kyle and were able to try out some of the demo skis made available from Snow Rider Membership Message submitted by Art Robinson Snow Valley/RMSSC On-hill Programs submitted by Bob Frizzell Racing Program Registration for the Rocky Mountain Seniors racing/high performance program offered in cooperation with Snow Valley commenced at Registration Night, October 20, with 18 registrations taken. The program will emphasize carving skills and gate training. Three sessions, each composed of 6 coaching classes and one race, are planned from 1:45 to 3:15 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Coaching sessions begin November 23, January 18, and February 17. Enrollment is capped at 20 participants for each session. Participants who are new to the program must begin in the first session. The cost is $78.75 for one session, $ for two sessions, and for three sessions. For more information, or to see if space is available, call Bob Frizzell at If this program is full, consider registering for the Carving Clinics described below. Carving Clinics Our club has joined forces with Snow Valley to offer four Carving Clinics. They are offered from 12:30 to 1:30 pm on Tuesday and Thursday for five sessions. The sessions begin on November 23, December 2, January 11, and February 15. For the Shop. Others had an opportunity to test their bindings to see if they would release properly in a fall. A few members had an opportunity for a first-hand look at tuning skis. Out on the slopes, Snow Valley ski instructors enjoyed the afternoon offering tips to members. There were opportunities for members to find out what 'carving' with their skis meant or to try telemarking. Thanks to Snow Valley staff and Club volunteers for a very successful day. Membership As of November 30, there are 355 members in our Club including 44 new members. last two sessions the skiers will move into shortening the radius of their turns as they progress. The cost is $73.50 for Snow Valley pass holders and $ for non-pass holders. Participants should be able to ski all green runs and groomed blue runs. These clinics have been very popular in past years. To register phone Guest Services at Ski Improvement Programs In cooperation with Snow Valley our Club is offering three programs in which students are assigned to groups according to skill levels. Hence, these programs can accommodate all skiers from beginners to experts wanting to fine-tune their techniques. Most groups have fewer than 8 skiers. These programs run on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 2:30 pm for five weeks beginning November 23, January 11, and February 15. They provide an excellent opportunity for our members to prepare for trips to the mountains. The cost is $73.50 per program for Snow Valley pass holders and $ for non-pass holders. To register phone Guest Services at (See the chart of classes on page 4.) PAGE 3

4 Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club On-Hill Programs at Snow Valley November 2010 March 2011 Seniors On- Hill Programs What level of skier can participate Time of Sessions Dates Carving Clinic Skiers comfortable on Green or Blue groomed runs Tuesdays and Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Clinic 1 (Basic) November 16, 18, 23, 25, 30 Ski Improvement Any skier beginner to expert. Tuesdays from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Program 1 November 16, 23, 30, December 7, 14 Racing / High Performance Skiers experienced in skiing gates or have completed a Carving Clinic Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Session A November 18, 23, 25, 30 December 2, 7, 9 Fees Clinic 2 (Basic) December 2, 7, 9, 14, 16 Clinic 3 (Advanced Carving & Short turns) 1 Jan 11, 13, 18, 20, Feb 1 Clinic 4 (Advanced Carving & Short turns) 1 Feb 15, 17, 22, 24 Mar 1 1 For members who have attended one or more classes of basic carving. SV Passholder* $73.50 (includes GST) Non-passholder $ (includes GST) Program 2 January 11, 18, 25, February 1, 8 Program 3 February 15, 22, March 1, 8, 15 SV Passholder* $73.50 (includes GST) Non-passholder $ (includes GST) Session B January 18, 20, 25 February 1, 3, 10, 15 Session C February 17, 22, 24, March 1, 15, 17, 22 Note: a Slalom Clinic is proposed, but not finalized, for four of the following dates: December 16, January 4, 6, 11, 13. Cost to be determined by participation. (Participants must be SV passholders) One session $ Two sessions $ Three sessions $ Drop in (new) $15/session 2 Include GST Registration Contact Guest Services at Snow Valley * Snow Valley Senior Seasons Pass costs $65 + GST. PAGE 4

5 PACESETTER SKI SHOP SKIS BOOTS ACCESSORIES APPAREL REMEMBER TO USE YOUR $25.00 GIFT CARD RECEIVED AT THE FALL BANQUET. PACESETTER SKI SHOP AN ONGOING PARTNER WITH ROCKY MOUNTAIN SENIOR SKI CLUB. TUNE-UPS MAINTAINING ALL BRANDS IN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADDRESS STREET EDMONTON T5P 3W4 CONTACT PHONE (780) FAX (780) WEB: Built in mitts and face cover in this jacket by Lodi! PAGE 5

6 Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club Fall Dinner submitted by Gayle Houston Over 200 members and guests of the Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club attended the fall dinner held at the German Canadian Cultural Centre on November 24, They shared friendship, fellowship, and excellent food. There were many compliments on the quality of the food. The hall was delightfully decorated. There were three ski shops in attendance; Mud Sweat and Gears, Sundance, and Pacesetter. Their displays attracted the attention of many Members. In addition, many Members were interested in the displays providing information on this season s ski trips and also in the information provided about the Alberta 55 Plus Winter Games. Thank you to our President, Mike Tansey, for taking on the Master of Ceremonies duties. You did a fabulous job Mike! Bicycle Bob Steen was delighted to be the recipient of the Bicycle Bob award. The awarding of several door prizes completed the evening. Lucky Members drawn at random chose from items graciously donated by sponsors including the ski shops in attendance, Marmot Basin and Sunridge Ski Resort.! " # # #?*;9@3/ $%&"'( )! *"+ $,-... +/0 1 3?A3/4.-%&.,"'( )! *##, $,-%,?A=! / -&-3 )! *45 $,-%-%,. 7'// /67' 3 3/ 2-&$3 )! *2%8- $,-,%2 8/ 2166(6( 3 ' 90/.,&,,"'( )! $,-%2$- #66 121! 66' '(&<( 9'# 2%39 )! *2%: $,-,%%- "0 166!/ 393 ( (0;- )! *+<$ $,-%-%.. =5/ 2166!( B CC'( 33/@ -%&$."'( )! *)9$ $,-%$ +!"; 166!/ 3 *3/3 */D* 5!*3 <!0,2&.3 )! *=)$ $,-%%$$ <"' 166!/ -,&,"'( )! *)>- $,-%$$ !/ ( (0;% + *)) $,,2%, = $,,2%2- <B 166!/ *!3/3 -,#' + $,,2%$, 166!/ <3= %%<0' 3/ 9,"%% $,--.-2% ! ' PAGE 6

7 Special Accommodation Rates for Members of the Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club Name, address, telephone, website Dates Applicable R MSSC Rates Banff Aspen Lodge 401 Banff Avenue, Banff or Douglas Fire Resort Tunnel Mountain Road, Banff or Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel 405 Spray Avenue, Banff or Rimrock Resort Hotel Mountain Avenue, Banff Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise 111 Lake Louise Drive, Lake Louise or Amethyst Lodge 200 Connaught Drive, Jasper or Lobstick Lodge 94 Geikie Street, Jasper or Marmot Lodge 86 Connaught Drive, Jasper or Chateau Jasper 96 Geikie Street, Jasper or Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Old Lodge Road, Jasper or Jan 3 May 15, Ski Season Sunday to Thursday: 25% off published rates when under 80% booked. Otherwise 10% off. 10%. Show ID Ski Season Ask for senior rate Ski Season 10%. Mention booking code Alpine 2011 Ski Season Ask for senior rate Ski Season Jan 1 to Jan3 Jan 4 to Jan 31 Feb 1 to Apr 30 Jan 1 to Jan3 Jan 4 to Jan 31 Feb 1 to Apr 30 Jan 1 to Jan3 Jan 4 to Jan 31 Feb 1 to Apr 30 Special RMSSC rate: standard room - $50. Sunday to Thursday, subject to availability. Advance booking required. Show RMSSC card on check-in. As per Nadine LeJeune, manager. Std Deluxe Kitchen $117 $126 $144 $99 $108 $130 $117 $126 $144 Contact Aaron Lewycky Std Deluxe Kitchen $108 $122 $140 $90 $99 $130 $108 $122 $140 Contact Aaron Lewycky Std Deluxe Kitchen $130 $140 $153 $112 $121 $135 $130 $140 $153 Contact Aaron Lewycky Ski Season Ask for senior rate. PAGE 7

8 Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club Tours For Details of all tours are available on our website: Tour Dates Opens Draw Closes Sunshine Village 1 December 5 to 8 closed Sun Peaks 1 January 2 to 7 closed Sun Peaks 2 January 9 to 13 Nov. 12 Nov. 22 Dec. 3 Marmot Ski Imp January 23 to 27 Nov. 11 Nov. 29 Dec. 17 Silver Star February 6 to 11 Dec. 6 Dec. 16 Dec. 28 Lake Louise February 27 to March 3 Dec. 13 Dec. 22 Jan. 17 Marmot in March March 20 to 24 Feb. 4 Feb. 14 Feb. 28 Sunshine Village 2 April 10 to 13 Feb. 7 Feb. 17 Mar. 4 This is a picture of a picture that Bruce McGavin brought to our Welcome to Winter Day. It shows Marmot Basin, circa 1953, before it was developed into the Ski Resort that it is today. Bruce indicated that the skiers of the day would ride a snow machine that could haul about 8 skiers up to a hut near the loading area for Eagle Quad. Then they would walk from there to the top a couple of times each day. Many thanks to Bruce for sharing this picture. PAGE 8

9 Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club October 20, 2010 Silver Star: February 6-11, 2011 Tour Hosts: Mary and Georges Binette (780) Accommodation: Vance Creek Lodge, Silver Creek Lodge and Chilcoot Lodge Room Type Tour Package Cost per Person Single Double Triple Quad Vance Creek (one bedroom) $1131 $776 $657 Silver Creek (one bedroom) $1226 $823 $689 Chilcoot (two bedrooms) $1123 $888 $771 Vance C reek (one bedroom): offers two queen beds, fold-out sofa, living area, full kitchen with microwave and dishwasher, and one full bathroom. 10 units reserved Silver C reek (one bedroom): offers one private sleeping room with a queen bed, a separate alcove sleeping area with a set of bunk beds (69 inches long), a full kitchen with microwave and dishwasher, fold-out sofa in the living area, dining area, gas fireplace, hairdryer and one full bathroom. 10 units reserved Chilcoot (two bedroom): This suite offers two bedrooms. One room has one queen bed and a set of bunk beds in alcove (72 inches long). The second room has two queen beds. There are two full bathrooms with hairdryer. The living area has a queen hide-a-bed sofa, dining area, gas fireplace, a full kitchen. 3 units reserved Included in Tour Package 4-day lift pass, bus transportation, optional day at Big White, Welcoming Party, Club dinner, all taxes and fees. T ravel A rrangements: If RMSSC members from Hinton or Jasper make reservations for Silver Star, we will route the bus via Highway 16 otherwise we might travel. Deductions: Non-skier $205 Self-driver (possible if bus is full) $151 Club dinner $ 35 (If not attending group dinner.) Bus departure point & car parking: South-east corner of Mill Woods Golf Course ( Street). To Reserve Starting December 6, 2010 mail to the Tour Host 1. Your completed and signed Tour Reservation Form. 2. A cheque for the full payment (payable to the Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club) dated no later than December 28, Mail to: Georges and Mary Binette 57 Fair Oaks Drive St. Albert, AB T8N 1P9 PAGE 9 Start Date: December 6, 2010 Draw Date: December 16, 2010 (in case of an over-subscribed tour) Deadline: December 28, 2010

10 Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club October 20, 2010 Lake Louise: February 27 - March 3, 2011 Tour Hosts: Tony Holtner (780) Chris Brennan (780) Accommodation: Lake Louise Inn Room Type* Tour Package Cost per Person (Does not include Park Pass) Single Double Triple Quad (4) Economy Twin $755 $549 Superior Queen $893 $618 Superior Studio Suite $1226 $784 Two Bedroom Suite $997 $779 $670 Economy Twin: Very small, basic accommodation, 2 double beds, full bath, exterior stair access. (Bldg 4). Superior Queen Room: Large room with two queen beds, full bath, balcony, (Building 5). Superior Studio Suite: One queen bed and one double pull-out sofa in living room, full kitchen (dishwasher, stovetop, microwave, mini fridge, toaster), fireplace, balcony. (Building 5) Two Bedroom Suite: 1 king bed (does not separate) in first bedroom, 2 queen beds in second bedroom, single pull-out sofa in living room, kitchen (dishwasher, stovetop, microwave, full fridge, toaster), balcony, gas fireplace, 2 full bathrooms (Jacuzzi tub in one). (Building 5) Included in Tour Package:, 4-day lift pass, bus transportation, bus shuttle to & from hill every 20 minutes Welcoming Party, Club dinner deposit, all taxes and fees except National Park Pass Participants wishing to use their own their own National Parks Pass must bring it with them. Those without passes are asked to bring a cheque, written to RMSSC, to pay the park fee ($28.20 for those 65+ or $33.20 for those under 65). Family passes will cover only the owners of the pass. PAGE 10 Deductions: Non-skier (Lake Louise card or season pass) $209 Self-driver (possible if bus is full) $ 95 Club dinner deposit (if not attending) $ 5 Bus departure point & car parking: South-east corner of Mill Woods Golf Course ( Street). To Reserve Starting December 13, 2010 mail to the Tour Host 1. Your completed and signed Tour Reservation Form. 2. A cheque for the full payment (payable to the Rocky Mountain Seniors Ski Club) dated no later than January 17, Mail to: Tony Holtner 39 Chestermere Road Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2S2 Start Date: December 13, 2010 Draw Date: December 22, 2010 (in case of an over-subscribed tour) Deadline: January 17, 2011.