MIKE DIBERARDINIS, PA. SECRETARY OF DCNR, VISITS WITH PACCSA AND FAY-PENN AT THE LAUREL RIDGE XC CENTER

Michael Diberardinis, the PA. Secretary of the Department of Conservation of Natural Resources (DCNR), recently made the trip from Harrisburg, PA and paid a visit to the Laurel Ridge XC Ski Center to meet with representatives from the Fay-Penn Economic Development Group and PACCSA.  On Tuesday, May 1, 2007,  Mr. Diberardinis , who was joined by a large group that included  Cindy Dunn, Director of the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation; Kathy Frankel, DCNR-BRC  – Pittsburgh Regional Office; Tracy Stack, DCNR – Pittsburgh Regional Office; David Woodwell, Western PA (Pgh) Vice-President of the PA Environmental Council; Anna Breinich, also from the PA Environmental Council; Ted Eubanks, Austin, TX; Frances  Stein, DCNR State Parks, Region 2 Office; John Hallas, DCNR Ohiopyle State Park; Douglas Finger, DCNR Linn Run State Park; and Jim Juran, DCNR Laurel Hill Complex, made time in his busy schedule for a tour of the Laurel Ridge area and afterwards a viewing of a short PACCSA presentation.

Bob Mazur, PACCSA’s trail-clearing and webcam coordinator, prepared the slideshow and pass-outs for the presentation and handled the spokesman duties. Rick Garstka, PACCSA’s president, and Mike Krajovic, president of the Fay-Penn Economic Development Group, offered their assistance. The presentation focused on PACCSA’s long-time involvement at the Laurel Ridge Ski Center, its well-established working relationship with the DCNR, the improvements (including the trail work) at the Ski Center, and the recent  Fay-Penn/PACCSA/DCNR application for a DCNR state grant for trail extension and parking lot enlargement work.

The group is shown below standing in front of the garage area of the warming hut at the Ridge.

General Labor  - Red Trail Construction:               305 hrs. @ $12.00/hr:        $ 3,660

General Labor – Parking Lot Expansion:               100 hrs. @ $12.00/hr:        $ 1,200

Chainsaw Operator  - Clearing & Grubbing:           105 hrs. @ $22.00/hr:        $ 2,300

Backhoe and Operator – Red Trail Construc:          300 hrs. @ $35.00/hr:       $10,500

Cash Donation:                                                                                               $ 4 ,000

                                                                                                      Total:      $  21,660

Because the grant application had to meet the submittal cutoff date of April 13, 2007, much preparation was needed to be completed in a very short period of time (about two weeks). I'd personally like to thank Mike Krajovic (former PACCSA president and current president of Fay-Penn), without whom this grant application wouldn't have been possible; Bob Hufman, Park Operations Supervisor at the Laurel Hill State Park Complex; Bob Mazur, PACCSA's Webcam / Trail Work Coordinator, and especially Tina Wargo, Fay-Penn's Contract & Asset Manager, who collected all pertinent information, prepared and coordinated the voluminous grant application. She did a super job!

Now, we must wait until September to find out if the State approves the application. Stay tuned for the result!!

WEB CAM

  Thanks for all the WEB CAM/Trail donations you have made.  These funds will be used to operate/maintain/upgrade the CAM as well as  trail improvements and possibly help with the installation of the DSL line.

The problem is the cam is on a phone modem and the phone company said the Concession phone line near the end of the line so is not too reliable. I look at the web site and pictures are only half downloading then modem hangs up because of noise. The modem is new. The ranger that lives down the road has the same service and he said he gets kicked off all the time too. I notice when its icy out near freezing its worse. Been like this every year. So that is why the pix are not every hour sometimes. The fix is DSL which phone company said should be available in summer because they plan on pulling fiber up the road. Then there will be no problem if we subscribe to it. Part of the grant is for digging the line from road to concession for the DSL line. There will be some other benefits if we get DSL next season that I can get into later. Of course we have to hope phone company does pull fiber up the road like they say they are, if they do not there are some other possibilities we are working on with the park. Anyway its good enough to get us through this season

Trail Work

Laurel Ridge State Park Summer 2007

Some new drains were added out past the field on the Orange trail where have been trying to dry up the trail more year by year.

The Garstka loop at the top of the first hill off the Red trail was changed along with leveling some, widen in some places, and lengthen a little. The loop now will be combined with the green trails across from the Garstka loop. This will make for easier grooming as well as on continuous level loop that will be good for skating and classical.

Widen at 2k on Red Trail

Widen at 1k Red trail

Pix 2006

SKI Trips

If you want to post any group ski trips you are planning throughout the winter or want to post any pictures or write-up of ski trip you took this winter e-mail us and we will post.

PACCSA SKI SUIT UPDATE.....March 25, 2007

Three PACCSA suits and 20 hats are still available for purchase.

Call Rick Garstka if interested at 412-462-7493 or send an email to garxcski@verizon.net

WARMING HUT

The warming hut is now locked and except for the trail clear  will not open daily till buck season is over in mid December. If we get an early snow there is a possibility someone could be there with key.

Some Additional Information on the Warming Hut:

 The building (which houses a bathroom) will be open during the week starting mid December till the end of March for any skier using the Laurel Ridge trail system. While PACCSA members will oversee the general maintenance and overall condition of the building during ski season, there are several responsibilities that the week-day skiers must assume......

 WOOD-BURNING STOVE- Inside the building is a wood-burning stove, and a bin of firewood is located just outside the main doorway. Filling the stove with wood and starting a fire will be the skiers' responsibility. Please remember to keep door closed on wood burner. (It might not be a bad idea to keep some extra matches in your car or jacket pocket if you're going to ski during the week). Ok to leave stove burning when you leave, again just make sure door in closed on the stove.

WAX BENCH Any skier may use the waxing bench / waxing iron in the new building. However, to ensure that the iron is TURNED OFF and the PLUG PULLED from the electrical outlet after it has been used. The receptacle on the waxing bench is controlled by a manual timer as an added safety feature. Also, clean up any loose wax, papers, containers, etc. that has accumulated on and around the bench with vacuum under table.

TRAIL FEES- There is no fee for trail utilization during days when the main concession is closed (generally Monday through Thursday). However, when the concession is open (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and Christmas break), please make sure that you remember to pay your trail fee at the main concession. Trail grooming will be performed when the concession is open, as in previous years.

GENERAL APPEARANCE OF THIS BUILDING & BATHROOM- It is the skiers' responsibility to keep the room clean, with trash placed in the supplied receptacles, and everything in its place when you leave. The Park does not clean this building; Skiers are responsible for cleaning the floor and bathroom. So please pickup after you’re self. Any sweeping of the floor by anyone would be appreciated. Lights/Bathroom door The main light in the skier’s room will turn off automatically so no need to turn it off. Please make sure all outside lights are turned off when you leave, as they do not turn off automatically. Also make sure the bathroom door is closed when you leave.  When Warming Hut not to be used The Park closes at dusk and warming hut is not to be used after dusk. Also the warming hut is not to be used after 5pm on the days the concession is open.  Thanks for you’re cooperation

Also would be help if skiers brought firewood in from outside when the bin is low. The wood is a little damp if put in stove directly from outside.

PACCSA

Note: Any help in cleaning of the building & bathroom inside or outside is very much needed in order for us to keep access of this building open during ski season. Mainly need trash picked up and floors kept clean.

PACCSA Purchases G2 Tidd Tech Tracksetter

 Because of the generous donations to PACCSA's Webcam / Trail Improvement Fund, PACCSA was able to recently acquire a new Tidd Tech G2 Tracksetter at a cost of $1383.45. The G2 tracksetter, which sets tracks for diagonal striders, will be used with the Generation 2 Tidd Tech groomer presently in use at Laurel Ridge. Now, both striders and skaters will have state-of-the-art grooming equipment to prepare the trails at Laurel Ridge. Technically speaking, the tracksetter is close-coupled and semi-rigidly attached to the rear of the groomer's compaction bed. An electric actuator applies up to 200 lbs. of down pressure through two constant-pressure gas-filled cylinders. Because of the G2 tracksetter's unique attachment design, this down pressure is applied much more effectively than conventional designs that let the tracksetter float on a center pivot. The stability and efficient application of down pressure allow the G2 to set track at much higher speeds than a conventional machine. The Tracksetter is easily positioned anywhere across the width of the G2 groomer without tools. The track cutter (which sets the tracks) is a pair of 45 deg. angled teeth which are highly resistant to collecting debris, yet provide good protection for the track shoes in low snow conditions.