Dear Fellow Skiers and Snowshoers: As this newsletter is published

Bioski Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe Club – December 2012
First snowfall of the season at Bioski - November 2012
Dear Fellow Skiers and Snowshoers:
As this newsletter is published, we’ve experienced a snowfall – lost it − and have
just had another! We’ll let you know via email when the Club’s ski trails have been
groomed. The snowshoe/hiking trail is open of course.
This fall has seen maintenance on the ski trails with a crew of volunteers, as well as
enhancements to the snowshoe trail. Our website at www.bioski.ca will have its first
full season in 2012-13. You can follow us on Twitter or just view the feed on the
bottom of the home page. Our links with the new Friends of Lake Laurentian and
the Nickel District Conservation Foundation have grown very strong, as we share a
commitment to what we call “a jewel in our city.” Read on for details about our
preparation for the season and the things you need to know about membership,
volunteering, and events.
Ski Cottage Hours and Volunteering:
Christmas Holidays:
As in years past, the Becketts will have the Ski Cottage open during the Christmas
holidays, with or without the ski trails being open. This year’s dates are Friday
December 28 to Tuesday January 1 inclusive, from 1-4 pm. If there is not skiable
snow, you can still come up and buy memberships or hike.
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Bioski Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe Club – December 2012
(Those dates may be extended later into the week if there is good snow. Call ahead
to the Ski Cottage number at 705-674-5202 or check the website’s home page.)
Regular Ski Cottage Hours:
While you can ski any day, depending on conditions of course, the Ski Cottage is
open Saturday and Sundays beginning January 5-6. Hours are 10 am-4 pm.
Trail Conditions Recorded Message:
Call 705-674-5202 for a recorded message giving a status update on the ski
conditions.
Ski Cottage Volunteering:
It’s a role sometimes referred to as “chalet duty.” Members and non-members
using Bioski trails really appreciate the hospitality we offer. Staffing the Ski
Cottage means acting as a host for a 3-hour shift on a Saturday or Sunday during
the ski season. Volunteers will receive written instructions on the procedures and
the code to the lockbox and security system. Duties include selling memberships,
day passes, & hot drinks and offering a friendly place to change and adjust
equipment. Shifts are from 10 am-1 pm and 1 pm-4 pm.
We are pleased that this year Pat Jackson has again volunteered to organize chalet
duty, so if you can host any shift please give her a call or send an email. Her home
number is 705-806-0598; cell is 705-665-5633. Email: jackp20@hotmail.com. Pat
will be assisted by Doreen Pagnutti who also worked on chalet duty last
season.705-929-2187 dpagnut@hotmail.com
Potlucks:
The Ski Cottage doors open at 6:00 pm. There are usually appetizers first, with
the actual dinner starting at about 7:00-7:15. Lots of great food and camaraderie!
Dates:
December 7 – last Friday, and it was a great kick-off
January 25 (Full moon/ ski and special Robbie Burns celebration)
February 22 (Full moon/ski)
March 22 (Full moon/ski)
New Year’s Eve Gathering:
Monday December 31- indoors/outdoors. Cottage doors will open at 6:00 pm.
Appetizers first and potluck dinner to begin at 7:00-7:15. We will keep our custom
of moving the clocks to East Coast time, so our count-down under the stars will
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Bioski Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe Club – December 2012
actually take place two hours before midnight!! Call Ursula at 674-5348 or Kathy at
522-1556 if you need more information.
Membership Application:
The membership application is attached on this email and will be posted on the
website. Rates are similar to last year. Don’t forget that your membership entitles
you to ski without cost on the Laurentian University Trails, as we are sister clubs in
the South Rim Trail system.
An insurance premium is added through Cross Country Canada and every person joining
or their Guardian needs to sign a CROSS COUNTRY CANADA INFORMED CONSENT
AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT which is attached to this email.
Day Ski Passes:
FYI, day passes are available at the Ski Cottage. If the Cottage isn’t open, money
can be deposited in the secure box at the ski trailhead.
Single Adult: 9:00
Family $16.00
Child 12 and Under $4.00
Full-Time Student $4.00
Members of local ski clubs play a half-price for their pass as it is understood that
they have already paid membership elsewhere, i.e. Adult $4.50 and Family $ 8.00.
Snowshoeing and Snowshoe Social Membership:
There is no fee for snowshoeing, but you can make a voluntary donation in the
box at the skiing trailhead, or at the Ski Cottage.
There is a category in the fee schedule called Snowshoe Social Membership. That is
for those who snowshoe only but would like to would like to support the club, get
our newsletters and emails, and be part of the social aspect of Bioski. But you do
not need to join or pay that fee in order to snowshoe.
Snowshoeing:
Signage:
This fall Sheilah Arena coordinated a review of signage on the 5 km snowshoe
trail, and adjustments have been made, especially to make it more user-friendly
when approaching from either direction. And a close liaison with Conservation
Sudbury has been established in regard to hiking and snowshoe trails: new colour
coding has been put in place and a coloured snowshoe trail map will be available at
the trail head or at the Cottage.
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Bioski Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe Club – December 2012
Snowshoe loans:
Again this year we plan to have an arrangement with Ramakko’s Source for
Adventure whereby they loan our Club some high quality snowshoes. So if you
have friends or family members who might like to try snowshoeing for a day, there
will be no charge, but those signing them out will be asked to leave some item they
value at the desk eg. car keys, as collateral.
Trail Work:
Tree-planting of
400
trees
by
volunteers
took
place
on
a
beautiful evening
in May [photo left].
Preparation for the coming season on the trails began in the heat of summer when
the Idylwylde Golf and Country Club made available a large quantity of wood
chips following removal of several trees on the edge of the golf course. Don Mills,
an avid golfer and BioSki member, got the ball rolling and with help from Graham
Swan and Gerard Courtin, and with the use of a half ton truck from the
Department of Active Living at Laurentian University, the material was
transported to the Ski Cottage for use on the trails. We will spread chips in late
September and early October 2013.
Also during the summer, and under the aegis of the Nickel District Conservation
Authority, now Conservation Sudbury, a group of Junior Rangers brushed out the
snowshoe trails. Photo and more details are given in the “ Friends” article below.
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Bioski Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe Club – December 2012
With Gerard Courtin injured, the annual brushing of the ski trails fell entirely on
the shoulders of Peter Beckett, Graham Swan, Will Kershaw and Rick Reynen [See
hand brushing machine, below right]. Gerard who as president, believes in leading
from the front, is most grateful that others shouldered his load without complaint.
Three bridges had to be rebuilt because of deterioration of the timbers owing to
rot [Below left, bridge re-build at start of Kurt’s trail].
.
Will has begun to open up the K1/K2 loop again for the first time in several years
in anticipation that we get a good snow winter. For those who have never skied
that loop it is not for the faint of heart!
Friends of Lake Laurentian Conservation Area:
By Sheilah Arena [Sheilah is a member of the Friends of Lake Laurentian Steering
Committee and a Director of Conservation Sudbury Foundation .]
Note: The Friends of Lake Laurentian is a community based initiative working with the
Nickel District Conservation Authority (NDCA)[ soon to be Conservation Sudbury] and the
Nickel District Conservation Foundation (NDCF) to encourage, develop and promote
various programs, as well as, to promote membership opportunities, increase public usage
and enhance awareness of the Lake Laurentian Conservation Area, where Bioski is located.
This summer we had the good fortune to have the Killarney Junior Rangers attend
our conservation lands for 3 full days. This energetic and wonderful group of 17
year old young ladies, brushed all of our snowshoe trails, Perch Lake trail, and the
small trail from the parking lot up to the bench which overlooks our huge wetland
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Bioski Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe Club – December 2012
to the east. They went on to forge our new NASA trail from the nature chalet
parking lot, as well as brushed the 10 km Lake Laurentian Loop and self-guided
ones behind the nature chalet. These gals rocked!!
Friends of Lake Laurentian have had a very busy season! Highlights include the
marking and mapping of all the trails within conservation boundaries. The back of
the map includes descriptions for the assorted trails, referencing length, colour
code, difficulty etc. This map is at its final draft and we are hoping to go to print
very soon. This map, as well as specific ski trail and snowshoe trail maps, can now
be downloaded on Conservation Sudbury’s website, click on Friends of Lake
Laurentian! (as well as at Bioski.ca)
The Joseph Thibault memorial bench and white pine tree were installed and
dedicated this past May. It is in a lovely spot located just off the Lake Laurentian
Loop trail, most easily accessed via Ida St. entrance.
We have been working on a comprehensive signage plan for the entire
Conservation land with assistance from a retired Parks Canada Planner and
landscape artist. Most areas have also been scoped for required improvements, ie
bridges and boardwalks, education/interpretive signs, trail re-routing,
signage/kiosks etc. We are costing these out and looking to fundraise through
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Bioski Cross-Country Ski and Snowshoe Club – December 2012
Capital Campaigns and grant applications, besides membership sales and
donations.
On our first anniversary celebration, we launched our new NASA trail, which leads
folks from the Nature Chalet parking lot to the old telescope site. We also proudly
announced our latest patrons who are Tessa Bonhomme, Olympic Gold Medallist;
Alan Nursall, Scientist and TV Personality; Major Meagan McGrath, adventurer,
aerospace engineer; and Mike Grandmaison, Acclaimed Photographer! The
afternoon was filled with all kinds of fun family activities, highlighted by the
dissecting of owl pellets with Alan Nursall, enchanting music by Lena, and
awesome baking by one of our members!!!
Folks, we at Bioski are great benefactors of Friends of Lake Laurentian. Your
support is greatly appreciated!
IN MEMORY OF JANE SCHMIDT – June 6, 1954 – Oct. 2, 2012
“The Blessing of Friends” –“ Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until
they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born” - Anais Nin
Jane arrived in Sudbury from Toronto in the fall of 2011. She chose Sudbury because she loved the
outdoors of Northern Ontario – this is where she wanted to start her new life. Although her time here
was very short, she lived every day to its fullest.
Jane always marvelled at how friendly and welcoming Sudburians were and how quickly she was able
to make countless new friends. She joined many organizations such as the YMCA, Community
Gardens, Eat Local, Rainbow Routes, Hikers for Life, Friends of Lake Laurentian, the Native
Healing Circle, the Naturalist Club and of course BioSki. Jane was a naturalist at heart. She loved
canoeing on Manitoulin Island, spending time in Killarney and hiking and snowshoeing around
Sudbury.
Jane found profound pleasure hiking our trails in the Conservation area and participating in our
delicious and easy-going full-moon potlucks , New Year’s Party and the tree-planting sessions. [Fourth
from right in photo, p.4]
Our friends are the jewels in our crown of contentment . May Jane’s spirit find peace in our great
outdoors. Happy trails Jane.
- By Ursula Sauve
If you have any questions or suggestions for the Club, call any of the Executive
below. Looking forward to seeing you on the trails and at the Ski Cottage.
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Bioski Cross-Country
Country Ski and Snowshoe Club – December 2012
Thanks for your participation and support!
From the Bioski Executive, for 20
2012/13:
Gerard Courtin, President. 522
522-7967. Email: gerard@courtin.ca
Sheilah Arena, Vice-President.
President. 671-9286. Email: tarena@sympatico.ca
Graham Swan, Secretary. 693
693-1692 . Email: grahamswan@primus.ca
Evan Hoar, Treasurer. 523-2610.
2610. Email: evan.hoar@sympatico.ca
Kathy Brankley. Newsletter. 522
522-1556.
1556. Email: brankley@personainternet.com
Peter Beckett, Adviser & Member at Large. 566
566-8732.
8732. Email: pbeckett@laurentian.ca
pbeckett@laurenti
THE LAKE LAURENTIAN CONSERVATION AREA IS A JEWEL IN OUR CITY AND WE
ARE PRIVILEGED TO
HAVE THIS NATURAL PLAYGROUND AT OUR DOORSTEPS
LET’S USE IT
LET’S ENJOY IT
AND SHOW IT OFF TO OTHERS
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