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Hey There, Hi There, Ho There,

Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

Dear brothers and sisters of the Chattanooga Ski Club,

Soon after we read in our newsletter today, the calendar flips to September. The air is crisp, the leaves are beginning to turn, and yet, the slopes remain bare. For those of us who love the thrill of skiing or snowboarding, this can be a bittersweet time. We long for the powdery snow, the exhilaration of carving down the mountain, and the camaraderie of fellow winter enthusiasts.

However, as we patiently await the return of winter, let us remember the wisdom of the Ecclesiastes: "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens." This includes a season for skiing and a season for waiting.

In this off-season, we are invited to cultivate patience. Patience is not merely about waiting; it is about trusting in Nature’s timing and finding joy in the present moment. It is about recognizing that even in the absence of our favorite activities, there is beauty and purpose to be found.

Let us use this time to deepen our connection with everyone in the Chattanooga Ski Club, to spend quality time with loved ones, and to explore new hobbies and interests. Let us remember that the joy of skiing is not solely about the physical experience, but also about the spiritual and emotional rewards it can bring.

As we wait for the snow to fall, let us pray for a safe and enjoyable winter season. But let us also pray for the grace to embrace the present moment, to find joy in the journey of our lives.

For everyone with the ski club, you are richly blessed,

See you at the next meeting,

ASHLEY

As I sit here typing this, it's near 90 degrees in Chattanooga. I bet I am not the only one of the 24 members that wish we were back in Alaska.

Our trip started out by getting to Seattle to board the Discovery Princess. Most came in the day before, but a few came in earlier to enjoy Seattle. Regardless, we all made it aboard on sail day. The ship was beautiful, being only two years old and equipped with the medallion technology which made so many tasks on ship and on boarding easy. The ports we visited were incredible. There were up to six other ships there at the same time we were there. The only downside was the last stop in Victoria BC was only for two and half hours.

Princess is of only a handful of ships that get to enter Glacier Bay National Park, and it was like entering another world. The scenery was awesome.  All I can say is it's a must see for everyone.

There was never a shortage of things to do on the ship. We all were doing our own thing, but you would still run into people in our group from time to time. The weather was outstanding: very little rain and temps were in the mid 60's most days. You should have been there! We all made it back home, but it seems like those seven days flew by. Hopefully we will try to head back up there in the future.  i know I will be on that one! 

Thanks to everyone who went,

Mike 

Hey There, Hi There, Ho There,

Yes, it is hot and yes winter seems light years away.

Here are a couple of things that you should note about cold weather and winter:

• Earth is actually closest to the sun in December in the Northern Hemisphere during winter. (That is why I wear flip-flops all winter long);
• Many animals have incredible winter adaptations. Some, like bears, hibernate to conserve energy. Others, like arctic foxes, grow thicker fur and change their fur color to white for camouflage.
• I feel humans adapt by drinking more alcohol to keep them warm and to conserve food during the cold; and
• Cave paintings from the Ice Age give us a glimpse into how humans lived and thrived during a time of extreme cold and glaciation. ( Wow, what would they have done if Telluride was around?)

We should all take a moment and remember the passing of a great person, and lady of amazing insight who will always be remembered as saying the best line about skiers in the universal college of quotes being:

"Skiers make the best lovers because they don't sit in front of a television like couch potatoes. They take a risk and they wiggle their behinds. They also meet new people on the ski lift."  Dr. Ruth Westheimer

Now that is a quote.

Obviously, like someone drinking a Pabst Blue Ribbon, she knows what she is talking about, and a great impression was left with her.

Secondly, what about the wiggle stuff!!!? Can we all agree that there are at least a thousand things that skiers wiggle other than their behinds? (Like the prominent judge that refused to take medication that decreased his libido explaining to others, ”Why I do not take my meds?  Oh, I’d better not say.") Some things are better left to the imagination.

Lastly, I do not know if she was saying ski lifts were hook-up spots, but I guess in these uncertain times, that might be something to shoot for in the future.

I think that for the upcoming winter and ski season that we should all take a pledge to the ski club by staying  busy, staying  away from the TV/telephone, and wiggling our you know whats off!!!

SEE YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING,

Ashley

Hey there, Hi there, Ho there,

It's officially July, which means one thing: the slopes are as inviting as a lava pit and the only thing carving turns is your air conditioner. But fear not, fellow snow ski fanatics, for summer doesn't have to be a total drag.

Here's your official guide to surviving the off-season:

• Channel your inner penguin: Hit the beach with your fanciest goggles and a pool float shaped like a snowboard. Bonus points for attempting a belly flop with maximum tuck.
• Embrace the water (minus the freezing part): Trade your skis for water skis or a wake board. Just remember, these require actual balance, unlike that time you "shredded" the bunny hill.
• Retail therapy (the healthy kind): Stock up on sunscreen instead of overpriced ski socks. Your wallet and your skin will thank you.
• Hallucinate snow: Blast wintry scenes on your TV and crank the AC. Maybe even throw some fake snowflakes in the air for good measure. Just don't blame us when your significant other questions your sanity.
• Support your local brewery: Channel your après-ski spirit and pretend every happy hour is a mountain lodge celebration.

Remember, the mountains will be waiting (hopefully with fresh powder) when winter rolls around. Until then, stay cool, stay crazy (in a good way!), and for the love of all things holy, please don't wear your ski boots to the office.

CLUB STUFF

Remember the Hiwasee in August, and maybe the Biltmore in September.

Also, the Lake Party was the best this year and I know everyone is looking forward to next year.

TRY AND STAY COOL,

See you at the August meeting,

Ashley

Hey There, Hi There, Ho There,

LAKE PARTY, LAKE PARTY, LAKE PARTY!!!!!!!

The social event of Hamilton County is next month, June 22,  please sign up on the website.

We are expecting a very big crowd so sign up sooner rather than later. Any details as usual will be on the website.

If you missed the last meeting, you missed the Adamzs from Soddy Daisy speak about Finland and their time spent in the country. Remember, the club is about eight months away from being in the land of ice and snow in January.

Also, Jim Mullenix and Scott Cramer have done a yeoman’s job in sending out an email regarding the lift tickets for our trips next year. Highly recommended reading and thank you Jim and others for sending it out.

Yes it is getting hot but always think cool!!!!!!!

 

See you at the next meeting and Lake Party,

Ashley

Hey There, Hi There, Ho There,

Well, as I write this article, the first since becoming president for 2024-25, spring has sprung, and summer will soon be in full swing.

Remember, the lake party is coming up June 22, so mark your calendars and make sure you do not miss the Hamilton County social event of the year. Sign up will be on the website soon.

Skiing may not be top of the mind for many people, but as you take off your sweaters to put in the attic and began slathering on the SPF30, remember we have trips to Winter Park, Beaver Creek, Tahoe, and Finland with an Ireland excursion that need to be filled and are filling up right now. Look at the website for trip signups.

Also, we will soon have the trips for 2026, hopefully before the next couple of months so everyone can have their calendar full and ready.

As you know, elections were held last month, and we are still in need of filling a couple of Board member posts.  I would encourage all of you to think about getting more involved with the club administration and letting the Board know of any activities you like or even would like to see the Club offer.

Getting involved with our club is so easy.

TRUE STATEMENT OF THE MONTH:

Question: What do you call an avid Chattanooga Ski Club member instructor whose boyfriend or girlfriend breaks up with him or her.
Answer: Homeless!!!!!

See you at the next meeting,

Ashley

Hey There, Hi There, Ho There,

Well, all of our trips are done, the days are longer and warmer and what do we have to look forward to now in April — you guessed it  -- ELECTIONS, ELECTIONS, ELECTIONS, for the Ski Club.

Man, feel the tension and the movement of people’s emotions!!!!!! It is intoxicating.

Remember at the April meeting, $10 dollar bills and half-pints for everyone attending and voting. It is just as good as it gets!!!!

Seriously, please attend the April meeting and vote and support  next year’s leaders for the club. If you wish to run for an office, contact any Board member or Jim Bates and submit your name before the election.

Looking Ahead:

We're already working on planning an epic season for next year. If you have any suggestions for destinations, events, or activities, be sure to let us know!

See you at the meeting.

Ashley

After some last minute shuffling, we ended up having 48 members join the Chattanooga Ski Club trip to Snowmass. The trip was February 3 - 10 and began with a very early flight out of Atlanta. Several members opted to stay overnight at the Drury Inn to get a few extra winks in and others chose to stay with family or friends in Atlanta or made the drive from home to Atlanta in the wee morning hours in order to make the 6:15 AM flight.  We had 29 on our flight from Atlanta to Denver and six more joined us in Denver to share the shuttle from Denver to Snowmass. We were very fortunate that our flight was on time because shortly after our shuttle left Denver the weather took an abrupt shift, turning from rain into snow, causing travel delays while the Denver airport became gridlocked with flights diverted from Aspen.  Unfortunately, a few of our participants who chose to make their own travel arrangements were unable to fly into Aspen as they had intended, and their flight was either diverted to Denver where they had to find last minute transportation to Snowmass or was rescheduled for the following day resulting in a slightly shortened trip.

On the way out of Denver we made a brief stop to gather groceries and other supplies at King Soopers and Applejacks before continuing our four hour journey to The Crestwood in Snowmass Village. Even though we arrived a couple of hours before check in time, we were fortunate that they had most of our rooms ready, which allowed us to get settled in. Later that evening we met in the banquet room for a wine and cheese welcome party and got ready for some great skiing the next day.

Our accommodations at Crestwood were ski in/ski out and offered several amenities, including: three hot tubs, an outdoor heated pool, free shuttle service, and onsite ski concierge.  Several mentioned how great the ski concierge service was.  I did notice most of the comments were coming from the ladies but I’m sure that had nothing to do with the reportedly handsome young men who were employed there. Skiers enjoyed around 144 inches of snow with 18 out of 20 lifts being open. With close proximity to Snowmass Village, Snowmass Center, and Snowmass Mall there were plenty of shopping and dining opportunities available. Unfortunately, we had to make a few trips to the hospital for non-ski related incidents, mostly just to verify nothing was seriously wrong after a couple of shuttle fender benders, and happily nothing that ended anyone's skiing for the week.

We ended our week on Friday with a leftover potluck party in the banquet room and enjoyed lots of fellowship and heard some great ski stories from both past and present club trips.  It was an enjoyable evening before heading home on Saturday. Overall, the trip went well and we were blessed with good weather, made new memories, and enjoyed time with great friends (old and new). 

The 28 members of the Chattanooga Ski Club just returned from Mammoth Mountain, California where the snow was good, the weather was great, and the comradery was fabulous.  25 members of our group flew out of ATL on a very early morning Southwest Airlines flight to Reno via Las Vegas.  We then boarded a bus, went to Walmart Super Center for groceries, and then enjoyed a 3.5-hour bus ride to Mammoth, finally arriving around 6p.  All flights and bus transfers both going out and returning were on time.  Three trip members flew into Bishop Airport, and met the rest of us at the Juniper Springs Resort. 

The Juniper Springs Resort is conveniently located right next to the Eagle Lodge and Eagle Express Lift, and also has 3 outdoor hot tubs, a heated pool and a small exercise gym.  On Sunday, the Resort provided us with a welcome breakfast, and gave us a general overview of the resort, and the mountain.  We then split up into small groups of about 8, and were given a very nice 4-hour skiing tour of the mountain. 

We had a decent base of 30+ inches of packed snow at the base.  Mid mountain and peaks had much higher snow totals, though some areas of the mountain had less snow due to the way the winds blow across the mountain.  We received new snow on Saturday night, and again on Tuesday night which helped with the overall ski conditions.  Unfortunately, three people had injuries while skiing.  Two were reasonably minor, while the third one will require patella knee surgery. 

On Tuesday night, the group went to The Mammoth Brewing Company BrewPub for beers, dinner and Trivia.  We were split into three different teams for trivia, and one of our teams took 3^rd place out of about 20 teams total!  It was a fun night for sure!  On Friday we held a potluck get-together in two different condo rooms.  Lots of good food and drinks were shared and enjoyed!

A number of people rode the gondola up to the top of the mountain for a 360 view of the mountain and surrounding valleys.  All-in-all, it was a very good trip!