News

Ski season is in full swing with two of our three western trips completed.  Be sure to read the trip reports written by trip leaders Roy Brunner and Beverly Cleek, who both did an excellent job running the trips.  We still have one western trip, Park City, and our European trip to Austria and Scotland to go!

In my January article I mentioned the money we raised for charity at the Christmas Party.  Later that month, the Board of Directors voted to round up that amount to $500 and that it be donated to Area 4 Special Olympics.  Last week I received a very nice letter from Judy Rogers, the Director, thanking us for helping their athletes.  I would also like to add my thanks to our membership for being so generous.

At the upcoming March Membership meeting (Tuesday March 7^th, social at 6 pm, business meeting at 7 pm) at the Enclave Subdivision Clubhouse (950 Channel View Lane, Hixson) we will have a special guest speaker, Savana Keeton, Director Cumberland Trail Conference (https://www.cumberlandtrail.org/).  As you probably know, the Cumberland Trail is an extensive foot trail constructed and maintained largely by volunteers. The Trail is managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC).  When completed, the Cumberland Trail will extend more than 300 miles from its northern terminus in Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Kentucky to its southern terminus at the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park located on Signal Mountain.  Currently the trail has 210 open miles and 50 trail heads.  I’m sure you’ll want to hear and see Savana’s presentation and ask questions.

As has been mentioned before, at the April Meeting we will have the election of officers for the 2023-2024 year.  If you are interested in running for President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer, please contact our Membership Chairman, Jim Bates at jimbates18@gmail.com or 706-537-6331.

Did you buy an Ikon Pass for the COVID shortened 2019-2020 ski season?  If so, you may be in for credit that can be used for a 2023-2024 Ikon Pass.  The amount of the credit varies based on how many days you used your 2019-2020 pass, with a maximum credit of $150 for passes there were used for only one day.  The total value of the credits is about $17.5 million.   This came about from 12 skiers who brought lawsuits against Alterra Mountain Company.  Those were consolidated into a class action lawsuit that went to mediation.  The parties came to an agreement and last month a federal judge approved it.  The firm representing the skiers, Dovel & Luner, will receive $2.9 million in attorney’s fees and costs.

https://coloradosun.com/2023/02/17/alterra-mountain-co-settles-class-action-lawsuit/?utm_source=The%20Colorado%20Sun%20Newsletters&utm_campaign=SUNRISER_20230219&utm_medium=email

Unfortunately, we don’t have any new members to report this month. 

Stay safe everyone,
Bob

Event Listing   

Park City Ski Trip – February 25 – March 4, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4813189

March Membership Meeting @ The Enclave, 950 Channel View Lane, Hixson - March 7, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-5178570

Kitzbühel / Scotland Ski / Touring Trip – March 16-30, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4818156

April Membership Meeting & Election of Officers @ TBD April 4, 2023  

Virginia Creeper Bike Ride & Barter Theater Trip- April 27-29, 2023    https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3168543

Crescent Ski Council Spring Convention @ Myrtle Beach – April 27-30, 2023  

May Membership Meeting @ TBD May 2, 2023  

Day Trip to Gibbs Garden - TBD

June Membership Meeting @ TBD June 6, 2023  

Lake Party @ TBD - TBD

Lookouts Baseball Game @ AT&T Field’s Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air Lounge – August 25, 2023

Bourbon Trail @ Jailers Inn Bardstown, KY – September 29 – October 1, 2023     https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3753468

Len Foote Hike Inn Trip – October 20-21, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3235020

Crescent Ski Council Fall Convention @ Gatlinburg – October 27-29, 2023  

As a first-timer to Telluride, the description of the resort by a friend rings very true.  “The skiing is great, but the views are what keeps us coming back.”  Also, the town has a great “vibe.”  I thought the skiing was phenomenal, while the views were simply incredible.  During the trip, we found out that Coors uses the view from the top of the Prospect lift in their advertisements.

Most of the trip went without a hitch.  After a festive night at the Drury, Team Chattanooga hit the Atlanta airport early Saturday morning.  The early bird arrival didn’t exclude us from long security lines, but once through, everything fell into place.  Arriving in Montrose, a quick baggage claim, and we were on the road to Telluride.  It is worth pointing out that between our bus driver and Mickey Hardeman, the luggage was loaded quickly.  After last year’s fiasco at Breckenridge, the bus company sent the A-team.  Dave Connors and Gary Farmer took a leisurely three-day drive and our Raleigh connection of Ernie Braasch and Rod Davis also drove.  Ernie and Rod used their car for ultimate flexibility and added another slope delay on their return trip home.

Bear Creek Lodge was ready for us, and we quickly found our way to assigned rooms.  Most of the accommodations were spacious and comfortable, although there were two or three mattress complaints coupled with a few bed assignments that didn’t match their website descriptions.  Our welcome wine and cheese party was quite nice and gave everyone a chance to meet virtually everyone on the trip.  While we didn’t have slope access, the lodge was very efficient in transporting us the approximate two-minute bus ride to the slopes.  I didn’t hear any complaints of long waits to or from the slopes.

As far as the skiing was concerned, Telluride didn’t disappoint.  It seemed like all of the lifts serviced a variety of terrain to match every skill level.  And once upon the summit, the views were 360 degrees of “oh my God” beautiful.  Monday and Thursday were powder days that had everyone smiling.  The snow conditions were really good throughout the week.  Thursday saw the opening of the brand-new replacement lift for “Plunge,” and several CSC’ers managed to make history as riders on the lift’s inaugural day.  Scott Kramer continued his reign as the Bump Run King adding tree and double-black run bumps to his repertoire.  David Cole’s exuberance at talking about his ski day on the bus was pretty infectious.  It was fun and enjoyable to hear a little guy expound on what a great time he was having.  And it seemed like every day ended at the outdoor hot tubs where the water had us sweating after just a little while.

Our trip experienced no injuries despite Hilda Jones’ best effort.  There were a couple of pre/prior-trip leg injuries (one Whistler related, one luggage related) that resulted in last minute changes and near cancellations.  But troopers trooped and shops replaced slopes and the show went on.  There was one report of seriously chapped lips, but thankfully, no hospitalization was required.

Our group gathered at the Crazy Elk pizzeria in Mountain Village for our group meal.  The Crazy Elk restaurant was conveniently a short walk from the gondola.  The pizza, salad, and service there were all fantastic.  Our hosts went the extra mile to make sure we never had to wait on food.  Every single trip participant made it to the dinner (and the married ones too).  And kudos to our trip leader for negotiating beer and wine with the meal.

Jinksie, Sonya and Scott Harris along with Hilda Jones, JoAnn Stellar, and Becky Fine managed a day of horse-back riding and from all reports had a spectacular time (although there were rumors of a tree incident).  The Connor clan, Dave, his daughters Heather and Tracy their husbands and kids managed a snowmobiling trip, but they will have to tell the tale, and there were no rumors of tree incidents.

A trip into town revealed a quaint village with an Old West feel.  There were plenty of restaurants, but one anomaly was that the shops tended to close down around 5:00 pm.  We did find the Mahr building, which at one time housed the bank that was the site of Butch Cassidy’s first bank robbery.  The city itself is a convenient gondola ride from Mountain Village with some more spectacular views.

Thanks to Bill Coolidge, Jim Kapsho, and Clinton and Connie Cavett for hosting our end of trip pot-luck dinner.  There was food galore and still some Crazy Elk leftover pizza on the menu.  All things considered, the spread was pretty impressive and we didn’t come anywhere near to eating it all.  The host condo was spacious enough to accommodate everyone and really, we had a great time socializing.

Finally, the return trip started out pretty uneventfully.  Again, our ace bus driver, Mickey Hardeman, and a few others made short work of loading the luggage, and we were on our way.  Fortunately, trip leader Bev made sure the bus arrived about 30 minutes earlier than planned since about three ski clubs converged on Southwest airlines’ queue at about the same time.  The serpentine line extended around Southwest’s area, in front of Delta’s and right on outside.  This was followed by another spectacular line to security.  Followed by another long line boarding a full flight to Denver.  With a three-hour layover in Denver, there was plenty of time for Southwest to get our baggage correct, but about eight of us experienced the joy of finding one of our bags was sent to St. Louis.  Another layer to the adventure delaying our midnight drive back to Chattanooga.

But otherwise, this was a spectacular trip.  I hated for it to end.

Written by Kevin Cleek

Remember the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes”?  Well, those were some of the body areas that took a “bounce” or two this past trip at Whistler; along with hands and thumbs.  Even with some of the injuries it did not damper our spirits at all. 

Out of the 31 scheduled to go on the Whistler trip, 29 actually went.  Some hiccups occurred on the flight going but once the next day came everyone was ready to hit the slopes or just get themselves familiar with the village.  We all will agree the Whistler Village was indeed a fun place to be.  I can assure you there is probably still Chattanooga Ski Club laughter bouncing off the walls surrounding the village.

Snow conditions weren’t the best and the mid mountain fog on several days prevented some from skiing long hours or at all.  But there was much to do in Whistler with our group from snowmobiling, going to yoga, hitting the hot tub, riding the Peak to Peak Gondola, shopping and bobsledding on the Olympic track (which I can attest is FUN).

Our group dinner was held on Tuesday evening at Pizzeria Antico and the food was “off the chain” (to quote a friend of ours).  They served us family style where each table was served two or more different appetizers, two salads, two pasta dishes and four pizzas.  Don’t think anyone went away hungry!

I want to thank everyone that went and made it a most joyful ski trip!  Your personalities are what make up this club and the fun times we have with each other………..Thanks for the memories!

Roy Brunner

By the time the newsletter is emailed to you, our first ski trip of the season will be underway with about 30 of our members at Whistler-Blackcomb in British Columbia.  It is our club’s first out-of-country trip since the pandemic began almost three years ago.  Then, the first full week of February, we have a big group (50+) going to Telluride.  Let’s all have fun in the snow!

Because we will have so many members on the Telluride ski trip the first week of February, we WILL NOT have a February membership meeting.  Rest assured that we will be getting back together in March.  Then, at the April meeting, we will have the annual election of officers.  Jim Bates, Membership Chair, has agreed to run the election, so if you are interested in running for President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer, please contact Jim.

Will you be skiing with an iPhone 14 this winter?  If so, you need to be aware of a feature that is causing some problems.  Both iPhones and Apple watches have a built-in safety feature called “crash detection."  The device automatically calls 911 when it detects a sudden stop, thinking that you have been in a car crash, unless you cancel the automated call within a 20 second window.  Unfortunately, many skiers/boarders don’t notice the alarm and message on their device when they fall, so the emergency call goes out.  Some 911 call centers near ski resorts are reporting 20-30 of these non-emergency calls a day, which ties up resources that might be need for a real emergency.  

https://coloradosun.com/2022/12/26/skier-iphone-crash-detection-calls/?utm_source=The%20Colorado%20Sun%20Newsletters&utm_campaign=SUNRISER_20221226&utm_medium=email

Are you going to Colorado this season (i.e. our Telluride ski trip)?  If so, be aware that since January 1, Colorado businesses are required to charge a 10 cent fee for each plastic or paper bag that customers carry out of the store.  Think about how many bags you normally use leaving the grocery store.  (Then starting 1/1/2024 there will be a complete ban on all single-use plastic bags.)  So, you probably will want to carry some reusable bags with you.  This also helps when we put groceries on the bus, to be able to tell which bag belongs to which person (another helpful hint is to put a paper airline name tag on the reusable bag).  Some individual counties and towns have more restrictions, and some businesses are also going further.  For example, Walmart stores in Colorado have already stopped using disposable bags (both paper and plastic); if you go there, bring your own or you’ll have to buy one or more reusable bags.  https://coloradosun.com/2022/12/22/colorado-plastic-bag-fees-walmart-fort-collins-recycling-reuse/?mc_cid=5dc4cbe78f&mc_eid=4ad3802761

Here is the latest (as of 1/17) snow report for our 2023 ski trips:

Trip                              Dates                           Trip Leader       Snow Depth Base

• Whistler BC                  January 21-28              Roy Brunner            74”
• Telluride CO                  February 4-11              Beverly Cleek          40”
• Park City UT                 February 25-March 4   Scott Kramer          105”
• Kitzbühel / Scotland      March 16-30                 Jim Mullenix             23”

We have six new members to report: Al Brown, Dennis Priebat and the Ogburn family: Julie, Patrick, Jamie, and Gabe.  Let’s all welcome them.

Stay safe everyone,

Bob

Event Listing   

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

February Membership Meeting @ TBD February 7, 2023   CANCELLED due to Telluride Trip

Park City Ski Trip – February 25 – March 4, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4813189

March Membership Meeting @ TBD March 7, 2023  

Kitzbühel / Scotland Ski / Touring Trip – March 16-30, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4818156

April Membership Meeting & Election of Officers @ TBD April 4, 2023  

Virginia Creeper Bike Ride & Barter Theater Trip- April 27-29, 2023    https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3168543

Crescent Ski Council Spring Convention @ Myrtle Beach – April 27-30, 2023  

Lookouts Baseball Game @ AT&T Field’s Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air Lounge – August 25, 2023

Len Foote Hike Inn Trip – October 20-21, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3235020

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone.  If you didn’t attend the Christmas Party at the CHI Memorial Stadium a couple of weeks ago, you missed a great time.  Hilda and Jinksie did a truly outstanding job organizing everything: the facility was decorated beautifully, the food was great, the DJ played wonderful tunes, Bobbie “The Grinch” Witt worked the room providing entertainment, everyone had a good time, and we raised just under $300 for our charities.  In case you missed the results of the “How many M&Ms are in the jar?” contest, the correct answer was 747, and Kathryn Fortune nailed it.  Maybe she would be willing to help you out the next time you’re buying lottery tickets.  Honorable mention (aka close-but-no-cigar) goes to Sonja Harris who was only 11 short.

Our members who went on the annual Crescent Ski Council Race / Ski / Ride Camp at Steamboat in December may have noticed that two lifts were still under construction, a 10-passenger gondola from the base area and a high-speed four-pack.  Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case this winter.  As of the first of December, supply chain issues have resulted 40% of lift projects still unfinished across the Rockies (25 of 60).  Also contributing to the delays are the increased number of orders for chairlifts in North America - for the 2019-20 ski season there were 30, that increased to 45 for 2020-2021, then for the current year there were 60 new chairlifts ordered.  One delayed project is Telluride’s Chair 9 replacement with a new four-pack detachable.  It should be running before we arrive on February 4^th.  At Whistler/Blackcomb there are two new lifts, both on Whistler Mountain, that were to be running by opening day, that were delayed - the new Big Red Express and the replacement Creekside Gondola.  The Big Red Express just opened, but the opening date for the Creekside Gondola is uncertain (and it is the only lift out of the Creekside area, fortunately we are NOT staying in that base area).  To help the situation, “the resort will offer free and frequent bus service from Creekside to Whistler Village until the new lift opens. Guests arriving from Creekside will be offered priority access to both the Whistler Village and Blackcomb Gondolas”.  https://coloradosun.com/2022/12/19/supply-chain-issues-delaying-new-chairlift-openings/?utm_source=The%20Colorado%20Sun%20Newsletters&utm_campaign=SUNRISER_20221220&utm_medium=email

Have you ever wondered why some snow is light and fluffy (i.e. Steamboat’s legendary “Champagne Power”) and some is heavy as a brick?  An article from the Steamboat Pilot & Today (https://www.postindependent.com/news/whats-happening-in-the-colouds-to-make-steamboats-champagne-powder/) explains what combination of temperature and humidity makes the perfect snowflake.

By the time you read this, the shortest day of the year will be behind us, which means it’s time to go skiing!   I hope you are on one of these trips, because, with apologies to Bruce Springsteen, tramps like us, baby we were born to ski:

Trip                              Dates                           Trip Leader       Snow Depth Base (on 12/20)

• Whistler BC                   January 21-28               Roy Brunner                 49”
•  Telluride CO                  February 4-11               Beverly Cleek                20”
• Park City UT                  February 25-March 4     Scott Kramer                 48”
• Kitzbühel / Scotland      March 16-30                 Jim Mullenix                 22”

Speaking of ski trips, Scott Kramer is already hard at work looking into trips for the 2023-2024 ski season.  We are having to do this much earlier than we did just a few years ago because some accommodations we like are already filled for 2023-2024, and are taking bookings for the 2024-2025 season.  So, we are looking for trip leaders, while it is some work, it is also rewarding.  Contact Scott or myself if you are interested in running a trip before or at the January membership meeting.

We have several new members to report: Al Brown, Tom Edwards, Frank Flinn, Bill Lytle, and Connor Moore.  Let’s all welcome them.

Stay safe everyone,

Bob

Event Listing   

January Membership Meeting @ TBD January 3, 2023  

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

February Membership Meeting @ TBD February 7, 2023   CANCELLED due to Telluride Trip

Park City Ski Trip – February 25 – March 4, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4813189

March Membership Meeting @ TBD March 7, 2023  

Kitzbühel / Scotland Ski / Touring Trip – March 16-30, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4818156

April Membership Meeting & Election of Officers @ TBD April 4, 2023  

Virginia Creeper Bike Ride & Barter Theater Trip- April 27-29, 2023    https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3168543

Crescent Ski Council Spring Convention @ Myrtle Beach – April 27-30, 2023  

Lookouts Baseball Game @ AT&T Field’s Metro Plumbing, Heating & Air Lounge – August 25, 2023

Len Foote Hike Inn Trip – October 20-21, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3235020

As I started writing this article, I just realized that December is upon us and the end of another year is approaching quickly.  But we will close out the year’s activities with our highly anticipated annual Christmas party.  This year we will return to an indoor venue, and a relatively brand new one at that, the CHI Memorial Stadium Executive Club.  If you aren’t sure where it is, you can reach it; 1) from the north by taking Spring Creek Road south (either by crossing over I-24 or by turning right off South Terrace), then turning left onto N. Mack Smith Road (this intersection is across from Parkridge East Hospital); or 2) from the south by turning north off Ringgold Road (US-41) onto N. Mack Smith Road.  Since the cost is the same for members and guests, this is a great opportunity to introduce your friends to the Ski Club.  Be sure to go online and pre-register, as we must have an exact count of the number of people.  Eighty-five of your closest friends already have.

At last month’s membership meeting, we were entertained by a special program organized by our own Rich Wilson, with four other members of the Choo-Choo Chorus singing as a barbershop quartet.  Be sure to look at their website for other chances to see and hear them.

Our winter ski trips are almost on us.  On Thanksgiving Day Whistler Blackcomb is scheduled to open (they have a 28” base).  Telluride is scheduled to open two days later.  Park City is already open with 19% of the terrain accessible and a 32” base.  Kitzbühel has 2 lifts open, and the webcams are showing a lot of snow.  Although our winter ski trips are all set, but you might want to get on a wait list for one of these great trips (as we frequently have last minute cancellations):

•  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

We have several new members to report, Monte & Deborah Matthews, Carol Neal, and Wencke-Eileen West.  Let’s all welcome them.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, I’m thankful that after a couple of years of the pandemic, that life is returning to normal.  I also hope that we are all thankful for the people that make up our ski club

Stay safe everyone,

Bob

Event Listing   

Crescent Ski Council Race & Learn to Ski/Ride Camp @ Steamboat – December 3-10, 2022

Christmas Party (& December Membership meeting) @ CHI Memorial Stadium – December 13, 2022 https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-5024829

January Membership Meeting @ TBD January 3, 2023  

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

February Membership Meeting @ TBD February 7, 2023   CANCELLED due to Telluride Trip

Park City Ski Trip – February 25 – March 4, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4813189

March Membership Meeting @ TBD March 7, 2023  

Kitzbühel / Scotland Ski / Touring Trip – March 16-30, 2023   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4818156

April Membership Meeting & Election of Officiers @ TBD April 4, 2023  

Crescent Ski Council Spring Convention @ Myrtle Beach – April 21-23, 2023  

Virginia Creeper Bike Ride – May 2023

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 18^th, 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 22^nd 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 13^th 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 13^th will also be the membership meeting for December, so there WILL NOT be a meeting on December 6^th.

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  

Fall will officially arrive on Thursday September 22 at 9:04 pm EDT, so we are getting closer to ski season.  It also means we are getting very close to the dates when we must drop unsold slots on our trips, so if you are considering going on one of our trips, the time to act is now:

• 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

As you can see where I’ve scratched out Telluride, it is SOLD OUT.  Also, our trips are shown on the Crescent Ski Council website and we are getting inquires from members of other clubs (they have to join our club to go on our trips).  But that is another reason to call Roy, Scott, and/or Jim before it is too late.

At the end of October, while many of you will be enjoying the Halloween Party at the Flat Duck, Mike Hood and I will be representing our Club at the Crescent Ski Council Fall Conference.  One event we will attend is the Trade Show where we’ll get the latest news from the resorts and tour operators.

The board of directors is still investigating potential locations for our monthly membership meetings.  In the spring and fall, Hilda and Willis’ Flat duck farm is great; but it would be nice to be able to provide an optional meal and to be indoors when the weather isn’t as comfortable as it is right now.  None of the following stipulations are required, but we would like to meet at a place that has a private room that holds at least 60 people, has plenty of parking, is centrally located to our area, is near a major highway for easy access, doesn’t cost too much, and ideally it would be a restaurant where people could order a meal during the social hour (although we could have food catered like we were doing at the Enclave pre-pandemic).  If you know any location that meets some or all of the above, give me a call (423-827-2779) or send me an email (rjtram@gmail.com) and we’ll look into it.

Our European Ski/Touring trip this year is to Kitzbühel Austria, followed by touring through Scotland.  You may be asking yourself, where is Kitzbühel?  It is in the Austrian state of Tyrol, about 70 minutes east of Innsbruck and 75 minutes south-west of Salzburg.  Its population is under 9,000, but there are over 10,000 guest house beds.  You may have heard the name before because each year Kitzbühel hosts a World Cup alpine ski race, the Hahnenkammrennen, which is the world’s second oldest ski race, having started in 1931.  It is also famous because the downhill course, the Streif, is the most famous on the circuit as it is considered the most difficult (the 2.1 mile long course has a vertical drop of 2821 feet or an average grade of 27%, with a maximum grade of 85%).  The current record of 1:51.58 minutes was set in 1997, but I’m expecting someone for the CSC to break that.

While the mountains that surround the town are part of the Alps, the elevation of the town is 2,441 feet (not much higher than Lookout Mtn.) and the tallest peak is at a comfortable 6,574 feet (slightly lower than Clingman’s Dome).  The historic town center has a car-free area with shops and restaurants.  We will be staying at the Hotel Kaiserhof which has been run by a single family for generations.  Our package there includes a buffet breakfast and a five-course dinner every day.  For the people that aren’t skiing, there will be optional excursions each day.

For those of us that will be skiing, the Hahnenkammbahn gondola is about 150 feet away, and there are both Blue (easiest) and Red (intermediate) runs back to the hotel.  The mountain has 57 gondolas and lifts, 145 miles of downhill runs, 188 of which are marked and groomed: 47 blue (66 mi), 32 red (41 mi), 17 black (12 mi).  KitzSki, Kitzbühel's main ski lift operator, defended the title of “World's Best Ski Resort Company” for the eighth time in a row at the 2021 World Ski Awards.  Lastly, when you need a break, there are over 60 mountain huts and restaurants to choose from. 

Trivia Question, what world famous writer went to school in Kitzbühel briefly?  In 1927, he went to the Tennerhof, a small private school in Kitzbühel.  On a return trip in 1935, he began a long term relationship with Muriel Wright while skiing in Kitzbühel (unfortunately she was killed in a bombing raid in 1944).  In 1939, he became the personal assistant to the UK’s Director of Naval Intelligence.  In 1942, he formed “30 Assault Unit” that included about 150 men from other commando units, and trained in unarmed combat, safe-cracking and lock-picking.  He worked with Colonel "Wild Bill" Donovan on intelligence co-operation between London and Washington, and also in creating a blueprint for the Office of the Coordinator of Information, which became the Office of Strategic Services and eventually the CIA.  After WWII, he would write 12 novels and two collections of short stories whose central character was named James Bond.  The writer was Ian Fleming.

Whistler Update:  Vail Resorts Inc. has announced the opening dates for their resorts, including Whistler/Blackcomb which is scheduled for November 24.  This matches NOAA’s prediction of a fall and early winter with cooler than average temperatures and higher precipitation in the Northwest.  Second, the company is saying they are on schedule to complete two Whistler/Blackcomb lift upgrades before opening day.  The current six-person Creekside Gondola is being replaced by a high speed 10-person gondola; and the Big Red Express chair lift will go from a four-person to a high speed six-person chair.  The third Vail announcement concerns their lift ticket sales. At each of their resorts, they will be limiting the number of lift tickets that will be sold each day; fortunately this will not affect people with Epic passes. 

I ran across an interesting article a few days ago.  The next time we ski Vail, Aspen, and/or Crested Butte, we may be sharing the slopes with wolves.  In 2020, Colorado voters narrowly passed a proposition requiring the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to create and carry out a plan to reintroduce and manage gray wolves on the Western Slope by the end of 2023.  A study to determine the best location has identified an area the includes the three resorts mention above (Telluride is just south of the area and Steamboat is just north, but the wolves will be protected anywhere they roam).  Before you get too concerned, the article does state that “wolves generally avoid humans and attacks are extremely rare”.  See the entire article at Colorado wolves could be released in areas with ski resorts (coloradoan.com)

Stay safe everyone,

Bob

Event Listing   

October Membership Meeting @ Flat Duck Event Venue (7742 Three Notch Rd., Ringgold, GA 30736) – October 4, 2022     https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4978082

Len Foote Hike – October 21-22, 2022    https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3235020

Crescent Ski Council Fall Convention @ Gatlinburg, Glenstone Lodge – October 28-30, 2022  

November Membership Meeting @ TBD – November 1, 2022

Crescent Ski Council Race & Learn to Ski/Ride Camp @ Steamboat – December 3-10, 2022

Christmas Party (& December Membership meeting) @ TBD – TBD

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 – TBD 2023    

The club held two games that raised money for the Warrior Freedom Service Dogs group. Although we had a winner in the chicken s*** bingo game, the winner generously donated his winnings as well.

From Bobbi Witt: The Chattanooga Ski Club has really come through with their generosity for such a wonderful cause. Saturday at the lake party, we really pulled together for our veterans and beloved warrior dogs. The total collected on Saturday is: $1058.22 ($227 in merchandise sales and $831.22 in donations). Thank you all for your support of our veterans and for giving to a non-profit organization that truly helps our wonderful four-legged friends and our veterans who have always supported us.

The group also sent us a thank you note:

Dear Chattanooga Ski Club, I want to thank you personally for your recent summer event contribution to our veteran's mission and our Warrior Freedom Service Dogs Team! Your intentional efforts and giving is not just about making a donation, it's about making a difference! Thank you for making a difference in the lives of veterans and rescue pups too! You're PAW-some!

Sincerely, Diane McDermott

We’ve had three great events this month, all around or in the water.  First was the lake party at the Blue Springs Hunting Club, organized by Jinksie Harris, Bobbi Witt, and Hilda Jones.  Personally, the highlight of the afternoon was the presentation by the people from Flintstone, Georgia’s 501(c) nonprofit organization “Warrior Freedom Service Dogs," and one local veteran who received a service dog from them. Thanks to your generosity, they left with over $1100 to continue their work helping our veterans who have served us.

Next was the Hiwassee River float trip, organized by Barb Wise.  We had a great day to drift down the river as the flows from Apalachia Dam were much higher than normal, so we didn’t have any trouble getting stuck on rocks or going over the rapids.  We were led down the river by Janet Brooks and Paul Shoun was our sweeper making sure we didn’t lose anyone.  After our time on the water, we retired to Firewater Grill, just across the river from Webb’s store, for dinner and to only slightly exaggerate our exploits on the river.

Last, we had a fun time at our annual SUP/kayak party at the Harbor Heights subdivision Clubhouse on Chickamauga Lake, organized by Jan Wyant. The crowd was a little smaller than previous years, but it was a quality group. We even had one person doing handstands on their SUP (in case you are wondering, it wasn’t me). 

The next time you see Jinksie, Bobbi, Hilda, Barb, and/or Jan be sure to thank them for their hard work and time spent in making these fun activities available to our membership. 

We still have activities to enjoy.  I hope to see everyone at the Membership meeting on Tuesday September 6, at Hilda & Willis’ Flat Duck Farm.

We have a group going to Bardstown, KY over the September 9-11 weekend to cover part of the Bourbon Trail.  As of now, the trip is full, but sometimes there are last minute cancellations, so let Barb Wise know if you’d like to be on the waiting list.

Last, on September 28^th from 1 to 4pm we will again be volunteering at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank (2009 Curtain Pole Road, between Amnicola Hwy and the Tennessee River).  We will be doing some light work (like sorting items donated by local groceries/restaurants or packing food boxes).  This group activity is an easy and fun way to give back to our community.  Afterwards, we (whether you were able to volunteer or not) will go to a local eatery for a get-together. Be looking for an announcement about where we will be going.

With Labor Day, and the unofficial start of fall, just around the corner, I start thinking of cooler weather and our winter ski trips.  Our third ski trip this winter will be to Telluride, Colorado, one of our club’s favorite destinations.  This is obvious as this trip is almost sold out.  The last I heard there were only a few slots left.  If you haven’t signed up for this trip, you really need to move fast.  There are two areas to stay when skiing in Telluride, the historic town of Telluride, and the newer Mountain Village.  While staying in town is nice, the ski runs down to the town are mostly black (with a blue cat track that crisscrosses the mountain down into town).  Because of this our club normally stays in the other location, the Mountain Village, which is a home rule municipality with a mayor, town council and about 1,300 residents.  While it is small, it does have a grocery store, food, beverage, and retail shops.  All levels of terrain (green, blue, and black) are accessible from the Village.  But what makes staying in the Village really nice is the FREE gondola that connects the Mountain Village to the historic town of Telluride.  The gondola, which has been running since December of 1996, is the only public transportation system of its kind in North America.  It takes 13 minutes to go up and over the 10,540 foot peak between the two towns and there are incredible views during the ride, during the day and at night.  Going into town for dinner, shopping, or sightseeing is enjoyable and easy as the gondola runs from 6:30 am to midnight.

Besides the great downhill skiing, you can also go cross-country skiing, ice skating, dog sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, horseback riding, and ice climbing,

Telluride Trivia: 

1)  Telluride wasn’t always called Telluride.  When the town was established in 1878, it was called Columbia.  But another town in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California had been using that name for 20 years, so in 1887, after nine years of the post office losing their mail, the town renamed itself Telluride.

2)  Butch Cassidy robbed his first bank in Telluride on June 24, 1889, taking between $21,000 and $24,000 (depending on who is telling the story, either way that was a huge amount of money back then).  The building still stands at 129 W. Colorado Avenue, and is now a shop that you can visit.

3)  Last, for my fellow nerds, the world’s first long-distance transmission of alternating current electricity was achieved in Telluride two years later in 1891.  It was done using a Westinghouse generator and a motor custom-made by Nikola Tesla, to transmit AC electricity to the Gold King mine.  Telluride was also the first city in the world to have an electric streetlight.

Immediately after the lake party, we were going to place our ski trips on the Crescent Ski Council’s website to help fill-out our trips (and we already have some people from other clubs join us and sign up for our trips).  However, Crescent is having problems with their website, so our trips aren’t shown on there yet, but it could be any time.  We expect that there will be members of other clubs that will want to go with us (after all, we are the best club in the Council) so if you want to guarantee a spot on one of our trips this coming winter, you need to sign up right away.

• 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

We have several new/returning members to report: Ernest Braasch, Lorraine Burnam, Heather & David Cole, Justin Crawford, Paul Davis, Collin Hamrick, Dee & Gary Harwell, Kim & Robert Hood, Elaine Kiger, Carolyn Newsome, Benjamin Nelson, David Pavel, Jean & William Smith, and Mary & William Summer.  Let’s all welcome them to our club.

Stay safe everyone,

Bob

Event Listing   

Nightfall 2022 Promotion & Social @ Miller Park – August 26, 2022   https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4914893

September Membership Meeting @ Flat Duck Event Venue (7742 Three Notch Rd., Ringgold, GA 30736) – September 6, 2022      https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-4940041

Bourbon Trail @ Bardstown, KY – September 9-11, 2022 https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3753468 

October Membership Meeting @ TBD – October 4, 2022

Len Foote Hike – October 21-22, 2022    https://chattanoogaskiclub.org/event-3235020

Crescent Ski Council Fall Convention @ Gatlinburg, Glenstone Lodge – October 28-30, 2022  

November Membership Meeting @ TBD – November 1, 2022

Crescent Ski Council Race & Learn to Ski/Ride Camp @ Steamboat – December 3-10, 2022

Christmas Party (& December Membership meeting) @ TBD – TBD

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 – TBD 2023