Ski season in the US is officially here! Usually a resort in Colorado is able to claim “first resort to open in the US," but on October 18th, Andes Tower Hills, a 290’ vertical ski hill in Minnesota was the first resort to open this season. Last year it was the better-known Wolf Creek resort in Colorado and in 2019 it was Keystone. While this opening is probably temporary, in Austria the FIS Word Cup Alpine Racing Season started with a women’s GS race on October 22nd and a men’s race the next day.
I want to thank Lulu Copeland for organizing our volunteer afternoon at the Food Bank on Wednesday September 28. She was not able to be with us, but I also want to thank our members who were able to be there: Pat Caldwell, Bill Cesan, Melanie Lindgren, Lyn Marvil, Patty Richardson, and Barb Wise. Some of our group sorted items that had been donated by groceries and restaurants while other of us packed food boxes. We then retired to Stevarinos for dinner and were joined by Larry Richardson, Joe Wilson, and Steve Hicks. I’m sure we will do this again in the spring, so if you can spare an afternoon, please join us as we give something back to our community.
This month’s trivia question is: Where will the 2029 Asian Winter Games be held? (The Asian Winter Games are held about every 4 years. Events include Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Ski Jumping, Biathlon, Curling, Figure & Speed Skating, Hockey, and more). Continue reading to get the answer.
This weekend 13 of our members enjoyed hiking to the Len Foote Hike Inn, between Amnicola Falls State Park and Springer Mountain (where the Appalachian Trail starts). For three people, this was their first event with the ski club. The weather was perfect for hiking, the fall colors were beautiful, the food was wonderful, and Barb Wise did her usual outstanding job of organizing the trip.
At our last Board meeting, the venue for the December 13th Christmas Party was approved. Be watching for an email from Hilda and Jinksie for details and information on how to RSVP. You MUST RSVP to attend, and there will be a small charge to help offset the cost of what I’m sure will be the social event of the year. Note that the party on December 13th will also be the membership meeting for December, so there WILL NOT be a meeting on December 6th.
Speaking of membership meetings, you won’t want to miss the November meeting at the Flat Duck as we will have a program featuring our own Rich Wilson. Rich is a member of the Choo Choo Chorus. He is also part of a subset of that group, a barbershop quartet, and they will be performing at our meeting. The chorus sings for Memorial Day and Veterans Day at the National Cemetery, at nursing homes and retirement centers, for special events, mostly for free. If this is something you’d be interested in, talk to Rich.
Last month I wrote about the first half of this year’s European Trip (March 16-30), the skiing or touring portion of the trip at Kitzbühel, Austria. This month we’ll discuss the second half of the trip that is just touring, through Scotland. If you have ever wondered what a Scotsman wears under his kilt, you might find out if you go on this trip. Also, trip leader Jim Mullenix has assured me that Nessie will make an appearance the day we visit Loch Ness. On this half of the trip all meals except for one lunch and one dinner are included. We’ll make a loop around the country starting in Edinburgh. From there we’ll cross the Firth of Forth (or the estuary where the River Forth meets the North Sea) and go north to Aberdeen, then NW to Inverness, SW to Fort William, and finally SE to Glasgow. This trip will be closed out very, very soon, so contact Jim if you are interested.
With November arriving, the holiday season is also upon us. Wouldn’t a ski trip be a great present? But you’ll have to act immediately as Telluride is sold out and we have to drop unsold air and hotel slots in the next few days (we have already had to drop all but a couple of unsold air seats for Whistler).
- Whistler BC January 21-28, 2023 Trip Leader Roy Brunner
- Telluride CO February 4-11, 2023 Trip Leader Beverly Cleek
- Park City UT February 25-March 4, 2023 Trip Leader Scott Kramer
- Kitzbühel / Scotland March 16-30, 2023 Trip Leader Jim Mullenix
While many, if not most, of you are enjoying Hilda and Willis’ Halloween Party at the Flat Duck, Mike Hood and I will be working for the club at the Crescent Ski Council Fall Conference in Gatlinburg. Our primary focus of the weekend will be meeting with tour operators and representatives of the resorts at the Trade Show on Saturday evening.
We have several new members to report, Charles Hall, Nancy Robart, Clint Stone, John Stone, Valerie Daniel, Fiona Richardson, Jeffrey Renner, and Clark Lancaster. Let’s all welcome them.
The answer to this month’s trivia question is, believe it or not, the futuristic city of Neom, Saudi Arabia; and specifically, the year-round ski complex named “Trojena”. Why do I say “futuristic”? It is because today neither the ski complex or even the city exists. However, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), whose delegates voted unanimously to award the games to what is now a sandbox, said "The deserts and mountains of Saudi Arabia will soon be a playground for winter sports,". The ambitious $500 billion project was announced in 2017 and is planned to be complete in 2026. The mountainous Trojena area does get winter temperatures below freezing with occasional snow. Also, according to the project's website “year-round temperatures are generally 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the region". Maybe our Trip Coordinator should put this destination on his radar?
Stay safe everyone,
Bob
Event Listing
Crescent Ski Council Fall Convention @ Gatlinburg, Glenstone Lodge – October 28-30, 2022
Flat Duck Halloween Party @ Flat Duck Event Venue (7742 Three Notch Rd., Ringgold, GA 30736) – October 29, 2022 6:30pm (hosted by Hilda & Willis Jones, Joanne & Charlie Peek, and Bobbi & Chris Witt))
November Membership Meeting @ Flat Duck Event Venue (7742 Three Notch Rd., Ringgold, GA 30736) – November 1, 2022 https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-5006606
Crescent Ski Council Race & Learn to Ski/Ride Camp @ Steamboat – December 3-10, 2022
Christmas Party (& December Membership meeting) @ TBD – December 13, 2022
Whistler/Blackcomb Ski Trip – January 21-28, 2023 https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4813143
Telluride Ski Trip – February 4-11, 2023 https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4813162
Park City Ski Trip – February 25 – March 4, 2023 https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4813189
Kitzbühel / Scotland Ski / Touring Trip – March 16-30, 2023 https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4818156
Crescent Ski Council Spring Convention @ Myrtle Beach – April 21-23, 2023
Virginia Creeper Bike Ride – May 2023