Prepare for 2021 Trip Sign Up Nights (TSUN)

TSUNs for 2022 trips will take place on three Thursdays, September 23, October 7 and October 28, 2021. Take a few minutes to read over how to register for a long trip on the website because the instructions have changed from last year. TRIP SIGN UP 2022.

Get ready for the early sign up in mid-September for the first charter trip of the season.  We are going to the Club Med Serre Chevalier in France.  Serre Chevalier is a new destination for HPSC and is a true ski-in/ski-out resort located in a vast larch forest close to the medieval walled town of Briancon.  If you have never been to a Club Med, you find it is a truly all inclusive experience and the food in France never disappoints!

The rest of our charter line up will go on sale on October 7. Panorama is a popular and affordable trip on the Powder Highway in BC.  We’ve again booked some 1 bedroom as well as 2 bedroom condominiums with access to the expansive hot tubs facing the mountains.

A club favourite, the Banff Aspen Lodge has been newly renovated in 2021.  Located in town on the bus route to Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mt Norquay with a hot breakfast, two outdoor hot tubs, this trip is always popular.  This year we are going in peak season in the 3rd week of February.

Another perennial favourite, the next trip is to Sun Peaks staying at Sun Peaks Lodge. A full hot breakfast and central location make this resort a sell out time and again.

It’s been a few years, but we are going back to Club Med St Moritz Switzerland and this time on MARCH BREAK!  Great skiing, sunny days, glamour and history are all part of the experience at this iconic resort.

The final trip of the year will be to the Snakedance Condos in Taos, New Mexico.  Both bedrooms in the unit have a split King bed (= two twins). This high altitude section of the Rockies is a unique blend of Native North American and Spanish charm and includes a BBQ dinner evening at the home of the owner.

Charter trips for 2022:

C1 CM Serre Chevalier, Jan 29-Feb 6, 2022         $3,220

C2 Panorama, Feb 5-12, 2022                             $1,710

C3 Banff, Feb 12-19, 2022                                 $1,750

C4 Sun Peaks, Feb 28-Mar 7, 2022                  $2,010

C5 CM St Moritz, March 12-20, 2022              $3,160

C6 Taos, March 19-26, 2022                               $2,385

President’s Report – Anticipation for the new season!!

Dear HPSC Friends,

As we approach the end of the summer, my mind turns back to when I was growing up.  This time of year always brought both the excitement of the CNE and visiting cousins, and the anticipation of returning to school. As a member of HPSC the end of the summer means renewal time, finding out about the trips planned by the club for the upcoming season, and the start of SkiFit.  For all of this to happen, your club volunteers have been busy over the summer working, arranging, and planning for the upcoming season. 

In the next couple of weeks, you will be receiving an email from our Membership team regarding confirming your membership for the upcoming year.  For those who did not join last year due to COVID concerns, we truly hope you will rejoin this year.  For those who had their membership deferred, we will still require you to read and acknowledge the HPSC Code of Conduct, club waiver, and Rowan’s Law statement.  And for those who graciously invested their membership fee back to the club, we thank you and hope you will choose to renew your membership for 2021/22. 

As we announced last month, to participate in almost all in-person club activities this year you will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Please read the full article for further information on this policy.

Moving into the fall, in upcoming editions of SnoBiz (and subsequently via our social media channels) we will be making a number of important announcements regarding the season so I urge you to read the all of the articles in each SnoBiz and click on the longer articles in the club Blog.   

We all look forward getting back to somewhat normal over the next few months and building excitement for the 2021/22 season!

Cheers!

Justin Graham, President, HPSC

So you are vaccinated . . . now what?

As announced earlier in the summer, the HPSC Board made the decision that to protect the health of other club members and volunteers, in order to participate in most in-person club events this season you will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID.  

The first step will be to attest to your vaccination status on your member profile page, at the same time you acknowledge the Code of Conduct, Waiver, and Rowan’s law declaration after September 1st when membership renewal occurs.  Any falsification of vaccination status will be considered as a breach of the HPSC Code of Conduct and will be subject to disciplinary review

However, without confirmation of vaccination status the Long Trips Committee will not be able to arrange roommates or run close to full buses, that allow us to control the costs of trips. Or allow other portfolios to ensure only those fully vaccinated are participating in events. 

Therefore, as a second step at some point during the fall, we are asking that members provide our membership team with proof of your vaccination status (i.e. 2nd shot vaccination certificate or federal vaccination passport announced last week) by emailing it to vac@hpsc.ca.  Only those on the membership team will have access to these emails and once they confirm your status by reviewing your document, all of your documents and emails will be deletedThe club will not be storing your private vaccination record.

PLEASE HOLD OFF SENDING YOUR DOCUMENTATION UNTIL AFTER SEPTEMBER 1 WHEN RENEWALS OPEN. 

For those concerned about privacy, on the vaccination certificate, we only need to see the following information: Name; Date of 2nd vaccination; Agent (COVID-19); Dose – 2 of 2.  All of the rest of the information can be blacked out. 

If you feel uncomfortable in emailing your documentation, we will also be arranging for numerous in-person events (i.e. after each week’s SkiFit; other nights during the week at locations around the city) when you can show the membership team your proof, and they will note your status.  If you cannot meet in person and are concerned about emailing your documents, we can arrange for a personal Zoom call where you can show your document.  We will NOT be recording or taking screen shots.

Please note that to register for charter or long trips at our signup nights in September and October you will need to have at least attested on your member profile that you are fully vaccinated. As with all members you will also need to provide your vaccination document at some point prior during the fall. If you are not fully vaccinated by trip signup night, you will not be able to register for trips until you are (if spots are still available).  If you have not had your second shot yet and want to sign up for charter or long trips, please arrange for your second shot so as soon as possible. At that point you can update your member profile page and send in/arrange to show us your vaccination proof document.

As mentioned earlier, you do not have to send in your vaccination proof right away.  If you feel more comfortable doing so when the Federal vaccination passport becomes available that is fine.  We just need to review your document prior to your first in-person event (please allow at least 5 days for our team to review and confirm your status – we are all volunteers so it might take time to get to).  If you are signing up for a long or charter trip it should be before full payment.

For charter trips, you will likely be required to provide the newly announced federal vaccination passport to our tour company partners. As well, last week the Federal government also announced that proof of vaccination will be required for travel, including domestically, by plane, train, etc. And it makes sense to assume that long distance bus trips should also be included. 

If you CANNOT be vaccinated due to a medical condition, and can provide a doctors note to our membership team simply stating this (without any medical diagnosis information) you will be able to have limited participation in club events this year, (i.e. drive up for a day trip and participate in lessons).  However, as announced earlier you will not be able to register for any long or charter trips, or to go on the bus for daytrips.

We acknowledge that members have the free choice to not be vaccinated; however, we as the directors of the club have the duty to protect the health and safety of our club members and volunteers to the best of our ability.  Until the pandemic is declared over in Canada, the best option for protection and moving to a more ‘normal’ environment is vaccination.  If you are dissatisfied with this policy, we are truly sorry.  We can, upon request, if you choose, to defer your membership for another year or refund your membership fee (however, your club seniority would be maintained), and we will welcome you back once pandemic measure are lifted.     

Justin Graham

President, High Park Ski Club

Appointment of HPSC Ombudsperson

I am pleased to announce that long time member Kerry Kupecz has agreed to take on the role of HPSC Ombudsperson.  The role of the Ombudsperson is to be the first point of contact for members who wish to report a breach of the club Code of Conduct.  The Ombudsperson role is separate from the Board of Directors to ensure independence and when required confidentiality. 

Each year all members are required to read and acknowledge the Club Code of Conduct.  If you notice a member whose behavior does not meet our club code of conduct, please contact the HPSC Ombudsperson by email at Ombudsperson@hpsc.ca with the person’s name and a brief note on his or her behavior. Your concern will be handled with discretion.

As a reminder, the main points of the HPSC Code of Conduct are:

1. Club members are responsible for respecting the integrity and dignity of each and every club member, as well as our suppliers including tour operators, resort personnel, and bus drivers.

Members maintain a companionable environment that is free of profane, sexist or sexually explicit language, threats, violence, or hurtful actions.

Members are committed to making HPSC an inclusive organization. We do not promote or perpetuate discrimination based on race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status or disability. We are accepting of all, within the limits of our skills, abilities, and resources. We are open to learning from others.

2. A member’s behavior at club events and on club-related social media reflects upon our club. Members are required to abide by local laws; our club code of conduct, policies and by-laws; and the policies of our venues, resorts, transportation providers and other partners.

3. Members are responsible for providing accurate and honest information. A member shall not share his or her login information or disclose any personal information about HPSC members to others, outside of the tasks necessary to run the club.

4. Members are responsible for paying any fees associated with trips or events they have committed to, regardless of whether they attend the event. Each member assumes full responsibility for any damages he or she may cause while participating in a club event. Each member is responsible for the safety and security of his or her own health and belongings.

FAILING TO UPHOLD OUR CODE OF CONDUCT WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION UP TO TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP WITHOUT REIMBURSEMENT. IF A VIOLATION OF THIS CODE OCCURS WHILE TRAVELLING, A MEMBER MAY BE ASKED TO LEAVE AN EVENT IMMEDIATELY AND AT HIS OR HER OWN EXPENSE. THEY WILL NOT BE ENTITLED TO A REFUND OF ANY MONIES PAID.

Become a 2022 Trip Leader

Trip Leaders are very important volunteers for the club. This season we’ll need 15 TLs to lead our 6 charter and 9 overnight bus trips. If you have been on a long trip, you’ve seen a TL in action. If you want to contribute to the club in this way, now is the time to consider it. If you feel it might be too much work for you alone, you can team up with a friend and share the task. Despite the work involved, it is a very rewarding experience and you’ll have fun doing it. You’ll get training, lots of support and a generous honorarium for your time and effort.

Here is what you need to do. Send an email to: Ephraim Fernandez, ephraim.fernandez@gmail.com requesting an application form.  Complete the form and submit it by the deadline of Friday, Sep 3, 2021.

Selection is based on the following criteria:

  • Duration and extent of recent contributions as a volunteer to the club
  • Leadership skills
  • Previous trip experience
  • People skills
  • Business skills
  • Computer skills – Excel & Word
  • Special emphasis on Excel skills
  • Skiing experience

Every HPSC member is eligible to apply. Don’t delay, request your application now as the time is short.

Bill Bates, Director

It’s Time to Reconnect and Get Social Again

Do you follow the club on social media? If you are not a member of the private HPSC Facebook group please request to be one. And please follow us on Instagram and Twitter as well! Remember to stay connected via our different communication channels and contribute as much as you can in order to help reinvigorate HPSC when this pandemic finally ends.

Recently on the Facebook group a member conducted a short poll to find out how many different languages our members speak. So far, we are up to 20! Check out the alphabetical list and let us know if we are missing any language that you personally are fluent in.

Arabic

English

Estonian

French

German

Irish/Gaelic

Italian

Korean

Laotian

Lithuanian

Mandarin

Polish

Romanian

Russian

Serbian

Slovakian

Spanish

Tagalong

Turkish

Ukrainian

We’ve also asked our members to translate the club’s key messages into their language – so that we can promote our club and attract more winter lovers to join us.

If we have missed your language, please help us out by translating the following phrases: Learn to love winter! We ski everywhere! Please share your translations on Facebook. 

Remember that our club is fully managed by volunteers.  By volunteering, individual members make a difference. Volunteer contributions have and will positively impact the lives of thousands past, current and future club members. Together we aim to inspire and enable our members to enjoy winter snow sports in a fun, friendly and supportive community. And by travelling as a group and being run by volunteers we are able to control the cost of our trips.

Please remember to invite your friends and members of your various social communities to learn how to love and appreciate winter as much as you do – in many different languages and ways. People may join for their chosen winter activity, but they stay for the friendships and community they develop! 

Stella Rossovskaia

Position Open for Job Shadowing

As my directorship will end at the end of the 2021-22 season, I would like to ask for applications to be the next Membership and Volunteer Director.

I would like to ask this person to job shadow me for this coming year (mostly online).

Duties include:

-Monthly and AGM board meetings and reports,

-Monitoring the membership stats and as people join etc. and answering queries. almost daily mid-season,

-Organizing with the team for some events and attending,

-Monitoring the volunteers with a team.

Qualifications- people-friendly, tech-savvy, organized and accountable.

This is one of the lighter portfolios of the board. Thanks for considering.

Contact membership@hpsc.ca if you are interested.

Ruth Schefter

Could You Be Our Next Downhill Instructor?

Snow school is a crucial part of the HPSC experience, with lessons and instructors consistently cited as the most common reason members love our club. If you have passed your level 1 CASI or CSIA instructor certification and have completed HPSC instructor training, or if you already have your level 2, you are eligible to apply to become an instructor and become part of our team!

As a club instructor, you receive ongoing development through afternoon sessions and our instructor development program. You’ll make a new group of friends, plus you get bus transportation to the hill and defray some of the costs involved in skiing or riding. You also get to wear our prestigious and trendy uniform! But even more importantly, you get to help a ton of your fellow High Parkers to improve their skiing or riding and give back to your community.

If you are interested in applying to the Snow School for either Downhill or Snowboarding and you meet the prerequisites above, please e-mail David Manning, director of downhill skiing and snowboarding at downhillsnowschool@hpsc.ca to express your interest. Applications will be accepted until September 3, 2021.

If you don’t yet have your level 1 or 2 but you’re excited at the idea of becoming an instructor, you might be a candidate for our Instructor Training program. More details on Instructor Training to come in future SnoBiz issues.

President’s Report – Moving Ahead!

“Towards the Future”, High Park, August 2020 Photo by JK Graham

Dear HPSC Friends

This past weekend I was lucky enough to sit in the sunshine at a Blue Jays game, and I am really looking forward to later this month when my beloved Argos again play at BMO Field.  The point I am trying to make is that the province is slowing starting to re-open (figures crossed).  And the more people who are fully vaccinated the quicker the province will be able to move forward. 

With reopening and returning to a more ‘normal’ environment, the work of your HPSC Directors and volunteers continues on to plan for the upcoming season.

The Long Trips Committee is hard at work finalizing the details for our schedule of long and charter trips. Details of the trips should be posted by early September.  By the way, we are also looking for a new east end long trips pick up location since the one at U of T Scarborough will not be available to us.  If you have any suggestions, please contact Director of Long Trips, Bill Bates, at longtrips@hpsc.ca .

Both the Cross-Country and Downhill teams are busy working with their resort partners in planning for the upcoming year.  And we are very hopeful we will be able to host some in-person information events and different social events throughout the season.  And the return of our traditional year-end Last Tracks dinner-dance in April 2022 to celebrate our 70th+2 Anniversary. 

As well, with a more normal season, we also anticipate once again returning to providing you with a regular schedule of SnoBiz starting with this edition.  Please read through the articles in this edition and click on the links to the longer articles in the club Blog.

Cheers!

Justin Graham, President, HPSC

Fitness Assessment Opportunity for HPSC Members

HPSC is happy to provide a special opportunity for members to access a professional fitness assessment and snow-sport-specific fitness program led by Stefan Overgaard, former member of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team, Under-16 race coach at Osler Bluffs Ski Club, and owner of SXS Fitness in midtown Toronto.  Stefan provides fitness testing for Alpine Ontario, is a fitness trainer for athletes from a variety of sports, has his CSCF Level 3, CSIA Level 2, NCCP and a number of other certifications.  Stefan and his team also lead the Ski-Cross-Fit series for HPSC members.

This special opportunity involves a 2-hour fitness assessment on Saturday August 14th and a 1-hour fitness session on Sunday August 15th (both afternoons) with a specific focus on proper form.   The program is one part of a pilot project for the HPSC Snow School, but we wanted to make this available to all interested members.

If there is room and you would like to join us on the August 14-15 weekend, please register your interest at the following link:  HPSC – Interest in Professional Fitness Assessment

If there is enough interest, we may run a second session in September.  Note: At this time, you are indicating your interest only.   You will NOT be charged for the assessment and program until we determine capacity limits and the final price. 

We anticipate the cost per participant to be approximately $75 for the three hours and will also include a weekly exercise plan focusing on such aspects as strength, power, endurance, agility, coordination, mobility and injury prevention.  After you register your interest, you will receive an e-mail of timeslot availability and the final cost, which will depend on the number of participants. 

Whether you are an elite athlete, weekend warrior or getting back into a routine while working on rebuilding your fitness foundation, make this a part of your plan to get ready for the upcoming ski/snowboard/ snowshoe season.