June 20th - Maintenance activities on Roaring Run Trails. Tasks will
include brushing back and blazing trails, filling in wet spots. Meet
at the parking lot on County Line Road at 10:00 AM and finish about
3:00 PM.
Participants must sign a document that will insure them and give them
workers compensation if they are injured. Persons under 18 must be
accompanied by a guardian and signed for by the guardian. Meeting
times and places are subject to change so check just before you go.
Aug 22nd - Maintenance activities on Roaring Run Trails. Tasks will
include brushing back and blazing trails, filling in wet spots. Meet
at the
County Line Road parking lot at 10:00 AM and finish about 3:00 PM.
Participants must sign a document that will insure them and give them
workers compensation if they are injured. Persons under 18 must be
accompanied by a guardian and signed for by the guardian. Meeting
times and places are subject to change so check just before you go.
Oct 17th - Maintenance activities on Laurel Mountain Trails. Tasks
will include brushing back and blazing trails, filling in wet spots,
staining and reroofing the warming hut. Meet at the warming hut at
10:00 AM and finish about 3:00 PM. There will be a catered Fall picnic
in the downhill ski lodge after the work session. Participants must
sign a document that will insure them and give them workers
compensation if they are injured. Persons under 18 must be accompanied
by a guardian and signed for by the guardian. Meeting times and
places are subject to change so check just before you go.
This Summer at Laurel Ridge Cross
Country Ski Area
We will be replacing 150' of
drain pipe that has been clogging on the red trail. The pipe is being
funded from the Web cam
fund.
Dirt will be hauled to the red trail to
raise the center of the trail in some areas that would not hold snow
during warmer wet weather.
The Park might expand the parking lot
this summer which would expand parking by 15-20 car spaces.
The park will be trenching from the
road to the concession and installing conduit for the new DSL line for
the WEB CAM.
This will ensure the cam pictures being
posted on the web site every hour . PACCSA will then fund the DSL line
6 months out
of the year. So if things go well
we may be turning the cam on late October.
We might have a day or two of trail
work later in the summer if and when the dirt gets hauled to the red
trail. I'll post if we have a work day or you can e-mail
mazurrj@paccsa.org and I'll
e-mail you on the set date.
Wilderness Lodge
We will be contacting Wilderness
lodge in August to see if we can set up another trail clearing weekend
in late September or early October.
Cross Country Skiing @ Kooser
State Park
This past ski season Kooser State Park located just east of Hidden
Valley started to groom some of the trails at the park for classical
Skiing.
The the set tracks on some of the trail went over well so this summer
the park plans on widening some of the narrow bridges in the park so
the whole trail can be tracked with their snowmobile and groomer. Some
of the wider sections will be double tracked.
The next issue
of PACCSA's newsletter is a special 25th anniversary one, and I need
your input. Please send me (garxcski@verizon.net)
your comments about PACCSA, and I'll include them in the newsletter.
(I won't print names if you don't want it printed). This is your
newsletter, so this is your chance to speak up. There is no space
limitations, so you can make it long or short, whatever you'd like.
1st Annual DCNR Public
Meeting
Laughlintown,
PA
March 10, 2009
The first Annual DCNR meeting(Forbes State
Forest/Linn Run Complex) took place
on March 10 in Laughlintown. The agenda: DCNR overview, Overview of
Forbes State Forest/Linn Run Complex, Budget overview, Recent
projects, Planned projects, Volunteer opportunities, Friends group,
Department wide issues, Conservation landscape initiative, Ask the
ranger.
PACCSA members in attendance were:
Bob Mazur, Jason Zimmerman, Sandy Cline, Stokes and Nada Clark, Dennis
and Patty McDonough. All members put in their two cents worth of
trying to bring xc skiing back to
LigonierMountain or vicinity.
Groomed trails were the prime concern, but not at the expense of
existing back country trails.
The Northwoods area the DCNR thought
would be a better fit. Needless to say, we are still trying to
explain what we are trying to accomplish in grooming trails as they do
in other XC centers in the north and west. Anyone who has traveled to
the north-country can testify as to what many states do in their park
systems with XC trails.
If we want more venues to ski,
then it really will take
the voices of many to make our needs heard.
The DCNR and Forestry budgets have been
slashed tremendously, and at a time when park use will probably go up.
But, as a group, we can still make groomed- trails, xc skiing a reality
on Laurel Mt. or Northwoods.
Also if Seven Springs can finalize, with the
state, the concession at Laurel Mt. (not a done deal, yet), that might
be a plus for us, as they would, hopefully, want to add xc to their
menu.
With positive results at
LaurelRidge
and more skiers enjoying groomed tracked trails we feel the need to
have another option for trails groomed for skating and tracked for
classical skiing.
Let’s ban together to get more xc skiing for our area and
Pennsylvania and this will result in more
trails as well and more people enjoying the sport we all love.
We need to promote our sport as other groups have in the area.
The seed has been planted, so let’s hope
the state will listen, and then the seed will grow. But it takes
numbers.
Dennis McDonough.
Minutes of PACCSA meeting
7.30pm 5 March 2009
309 W Marion St, Munhall,
PA
Present
Rick Garstka (President), Bob
Mazur, Linda Bollenbacher, Alice Cottone, Naomi Jarvis, Dave Jenkins
Event schedule for season
2009-10
Rick Garstka (RG) read a letter from Bob Ruppel where Bob said
that he was in favor of all the planned PACCSA events at Laurel
Ridge for the next season (race, picnic, kids program and trail
clears) except for the volunteer grooming which must take place
only under his direction. This was discussed. It was agreed
that PACCSA would obtain its own race bibs.
Volunteer
grooming for 2009-10
Bob Mazur, who has
occasionally helped groom the trails at Laurel Ridge, informed
the meeting that he felt is was best he does not assist in
grooming there next season. He plans to hold discussions with
DCNR personnel responsible for the Laurel Mountain and Hidden
Valley areas to determine if PACCSA can help develop a second
option for groomed cross country ski trails for next winter. He
felt that since the North Woods area near Hidden Valley already
has some groomed trails, it may be the best option for a second
groomed venue. He will talk with them to determine if PACCSA can
help in any way.
Trail work
for summer 2009 and beyond
It was agreed that
Bob Mazur will meet with the manager of Laurel Ridge State Park
to discuss potential work projects for the Laurel Ridge trails
during this coming off season. Several projects were suggested,
including, 1) installation of a DSL line into the concession for
the web cam, 2) replacement of some clogged drains on the red
trail, and 3) hauling of dirt to the red trail.
Website snow
reports/Laurel Ridge page
Bob Mazur described
his plans to change PACCSA's website's menu listing. Two menu
links were focussed upon - “Laurel Ridge” and “Ski Reports”.
The “Laurel Ridge”
page would be removed (since Laurel Ridge already has a snow
report on the "Ski Reports" page). This should eliminate any
confusion where people have interpreted skiers' reports as
Laurel Ridge concession reports.
The “Ski Reports”
page will be retained and will be called the “Skiers Report”
page and will be expanded to cover the popular local ski areas
where skiers can post for each ski area.
Website Ski Post
tolerance limits In
the light of some recent offensive ski posts it was decided to
require a registration and subsequent log-in to post onto the
“Ski Post” page next season.
Kids program and funding for purchase of kids rental gear
Naomi Jarvis (NSJ) outlined her
plans for the Yellowjackets kids' skill development program and
the sequence of coaching courses for the Jackrabbit program. It
was agreed that PACCSA could fund the coaching course fees for
potential coaches. The availability of kids rental skis and the
possibility of PACCSA buying a number of sets were discussed.
Estimated prices (for Madshus skis, obtainable through Hilltoppers
at wholesale rates) for skis, bindings, poles and boots were $150
for the youngest skiers, $220 to $290 for older skiers and $375
for advanced skiers (budget level race skis). Action NSJ
to contact Thrifty to find what they charge for a season rental.
Action RG to enquire at Hardwood about used skis.
Liability insurance (coaches and ordinary members)
NSJ described the liability
insurance that is included with CXC membership. Fees are $35 for
coaches and $7 for children. It was agreed that PACCSA would
cover CXC membership for its coaches for both the adult free
lessons and the kids program, and that liability waivers would be
required for participants.
Nonprofit status
The necessity of PACCSA obtaining
501c3 status was discussed. Action RG and NSJ to look
into this.
PACCSA committee posts (volunteers to share organization
of certain PACCSA functions)
Dave Jenkins and Alice Cottone
volunteered to co-chair organization of the picnic.
Naomi Jarvis, Nancy Barnes and
Alice Cottone volunteered to liaise with the Concession/DCNR as
required.
The meeting
was adjourned at 10.15pm.
PACCSA Well Represented at The 2009 VASA
Races in Traverse City, Michigan
Fifteen PACCSA members made the trip north to
Traverse City, Michigan to participate in the 33rd Annual North
American VASA cross country ski races held on February 14th at the
Timber Ridge Ski Center. The members, including Rick Garstka, Dave
Jenkins, Naomi Jarvis, Patty and Denny McDonough, Dave Artis,
Terry Sitar, Linda Bollenbacher, Jason Zimmerman, Jon and Kelly
Kruper, Diane and Scott Rugh, Robert Kaschak and Sally Smales, all
closely watched the VASA website for the week prior to the races
for continuing updates about the trail conditions on the race
course. Their concern arose because the week saw unseasonably warm
weather and intermittent rain linger in the Traverse City area.
However, the weather eventually cooperated (in the form of snow
showers the two days before the event), and with numerous hours
from the VASA staff and groomers to help prepare the trails, the
races went off as scheduled in ideal conditions. Everyone had a
great time, with personal bests achieved in some cases, and eight
members winning age group awards for their efforts. The race
results are shown below.
Naomi Jarvis
1:14:28 40/51 1st in 40-44F Age Group
12K Classical Winning Time - 1:08:29 44
Racers
Patty McDonough 1:23:19 17/44
3rd in 50-59F Age Group
Dave Artis 1:24:52
20/44 5th in 50-59 Age Group
Terry Sitar 1:34:07
33/44 6th in 50-59F Age Group
Linda Bollenbacher 1:38:11
36/44 3rd in 30-39 Age Group
27K Freestyle Winning Time - 1:22:21 183
Racers
Jason Zimmerman 1:29:04 11/183
3rd in 35-39 Age Group
Jon Kruper 1:39:32
52/183 7th in 55-59 Age Group
Robert Kaschak 1:53:33 114/183
14th in 50-54 Age Group
Kelly Kruper
2:08:54 154/183 8th in 45-49F Age Group
Sally Smales 2:16:14
166/183 3rd in 50-54F Age Group
27K Classical Winning Time - 1:45:39 73
Racers
Denny McDonough 1:59:22
8/73 2nd in 50-59 Age Group
Diane Rugh 3:01:06
57/73 9th in 50-59F Age Group
50K Classical Winning Time - 3:17:33 21
Racers
Scott Rugh 3:56:28
5/21 1st in 60-69 Age Group
Kids XC Ski Program
Yellowjackets XC - PACCSA Youth Ski Group
This year PACCSA is launching a skill
development program for kids 4 and up, to share the fun of xc skiing
and enjoying the winter. The program is based on the Canadian
Bunnyrabbit and Jackrabbit programs and develops xc ski technique
through activities and games, with the kids grouped by age and
ability. The coaches are PACCSA members and parents. We are planning
two 1-hour practice sessions most Saturdays, and encourage
participation in events with other local clubs. Kids and parents of
any skill level are welcome to join the program and can register by
emailing
PACCSA "Ski Your
'S' Off" Long-sleeved T-Shirts
The initial shipment of PACCSA "Ski
Your 'S' Off" Long-sleeved T-Shirts has arrived.
The following shirts are available
White : 1M, 1L
Grey : 1S, 1M, 1L, 1XL
Lt Blue : 1S, 1M, 1L, 1XL
The cost is $20 apiece...they are 50%
cotton, 50% polyester, long sleeved, 4-color Ski Your "S" Off
picture on the front , large PACCSA Logo (Blue/Gold) on the back.
Email Rick Garstka at
garxcski@verizon.net, or
call 412-462-7493 for ordering information.
Feb. 12 -
16 (Thur. – Mon.) – PACCSA trip to VASA races in Traverse City,
Mich.
Feb. 21 (Sat.)
- Free PACCSA Ski Lessons
Feb. 22 (Sun.)
– Pa. Nordic Championship Races - No Snow Makeup Date
Two Trips to
Hardwood Hills,
Barrie, Ontario, Canada - Snow Dependent
The Cross Country Skiers'
Responsibility Code
The following list of "rules" have
been collected from numerous cross country venues....they are listed
here as a reminder to all cross country skiers.
1. Always check
posted trail conditions and obey all signs and posted warnings.
2. No pets on groomed trails (unless specific trails are so
designated). They ruin tracks and are a hazard to other skiers.
3. Always maintain control of your speed and direction. Ski in such
a manner that you can stop or avoid other skiers or hazards.
4. Ski within your abilities and time allowances.
5. Don't block intersections and avoid stopping in the middle of
hills. Do not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible to
others. Move off the trail quickly if you fall or during rest stops
and equipment adjustments.. If you fall, fill in sitzmarks.
6. Move to the right to yield the track to a faster skier or to a
skier coming downhill. On two-way trails, faster skiers and
descending skiers have the right-of-way. To pass another skier, call
"Track".
7. Always ski to the right when meeting on-coming skiers and when
skiing on double track.
8. Don't walk in the set tracks or on the groomed trail. Keep to the
side of the trail.
9. Don't litter - take out what you bring in.
10. Pay trail fees when applicable.
In case of an accident: place a pair of crossed skis in an "X"
position close to the injured skier. Do not attempt to move them but
ensure they're warm. Look around for trail markers, intersections or
any distinguishing landmarks to aid in pin-pointing your location.
If a cell phone is available, call for help and/or enlist the aid of
a fellow skier. If skiing alone, ensure that others know your
whereabouts.
SKI Trips
If anyone wants to post a group ski
trip that you are planning this coming winter or any pictures or
write-ups of a ski trip that you took, please e-mail PACCSA
and we will post it for you.
PACCSA SKI SUIT UPDATE.....March
25, 2007
Two PACCSA suits @ $120
apiece and 11 hats @ $26 apiece 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.
By PACCSA president
Rick Garstka 
