Month: October 2021

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President’s Report – Optimistic news regarding the upcoming season!!

October 27th, 2021

Dear HPSC Friends!

Since the last SnoBiz there have been some major positive public announcements that impact our upcoming season!!

The American government has finally announced the re-opening of the land border for non-essential travel as of November 8th for those fully vaccinated (including mixed vaccinations).  This means we will be able to run our bus trips to Holiday Valley (NY), Killington (VT), and Jay Peak (VT)!!! And on a personal note, I will finally be able to visit my best friend Tricia and her family in Pittsburgh for American Thanksgiving next month! 

Long trip sign up is this coming Thursday October 28th at 8pm sharp and I am hoping to get on the Holiday Valley trip! (I have already used my one Front of the Line privilege as President for the St. Mortiz trip in March).   There are a lot of great trips to consider. 

The vaccination passport system is now in place with the Ontario QR code document now available for download; please do so ASAP.

The Ontario government has announced plans for further opening up, with the aim to have all COVID restrictions lifted by the end of March 2022.  This week, capacity limits are being lifted for restaurants and bars, which means that we can finally start planning for some indoor social events hopefully in November and December.  Please stay tuned!

With this announcement, our local resorts have a much better sense of how they will need to operate this season.  This means that we will also be able to provide you with a better sense of how we will be running daytrips shortly. 

Given these announcements and the high level of vaccination rates in Ontario, finally, there appears to be a light at the end of this extremely long tunnel. I am very optimistic that this will be a great season for HPSC!!   

Cheers!

Justin Graham, President

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Membership fee goes up November 1st

For those who did not renew last year due to concerns over COVID we understand and your seniority in the club was maintained. However, for it to continue you will need to rejoin this season. 

For returning members the current early bird fee is $150 (+HST) until October 31st.  As of November 1st the rate increases to $170 (+HST).  For new members the rate remains at $150 (+HST) for the enter season.

As of October 22nd, Ontarians have been required to provide the new QR code vaccination document for most non-essential locations.  If you haven’t done so, please download yours ASAP. 

This new document includes only the information we need to see, we are hoping to have all members vaccination status verified by November 6th.  If you haven’t provided your vaccination proof yet to the club please send it in to vac@hpsc.ca . 

If you have already sent in or shown your proof, we do not require to see your new QR document. 

See you on the snow!

Ruth Schefter, Director of Membership

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Long Trip Sign-up Night on October 28th

After the success of our charter trip signup nights (there are still a limited number of spots available), our long trips sign up is this Thursday, October 28 at 8pm sharp. 

Only those fully vaccinated are qualified to register for any trip.  If you register and cannot provide your vaccination proof to our Membership team by November 6th, you will be removed from the trip and will lose your $100 non-refundable deposit.

If you still need to renew your membership, or send in your vaccination proof, and want to sign up for one of the long trips, please do so by Tuesday October 26th.  This allows the time for our membership team to process your materials prior to the trip signup on Thursday night.

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGE:  The first weekend trip in December to Tremblant, that is the instructor training weekend, has been changed from a bus trip to a U-Drive trip, with a corresponding decrease in cost.  Regular members are still welcome to register, however, please note you will need to arrange your own transportation to the resort.  Also note that there will be no reception on this trip as originally planned. 

We have arranged eight bus trips for the upcoming season, including three mid-week trips, and a specific weekend cross-country/snowshoe trip (and a cross-country option for the mid-week Tremblant trip).  Three of the trips are cross-border, including the return of our very popular weekend trip to Holiday Valley, just outside of Buffalo. 

Members have been asking questions about what the rules will be on the bus.  At this point, since all members on the trip will be verified as fully vaccinated, we plan on running the buses at almost full capacity. Similar to when flying, members will be required to wear masks while on the bus and remain in their seat as much as possible. Eating and drinking should be limited, and food should not be passed around. For this year, there will be no ‘party’ table seats at the back    

We understand that this is much different than our normal bus trips, but please recall that last season we were not even entertaining running long bus trips at all.  Our greatest hope is that by this time next year we will again be back to worrying about trips selling out too quickly!

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What we currently know about the rules for cross-border and international trips

As of November 8th, we will be able to cross over the U.S. land border.  This is fantastic news for the club since we have planned three bus trips to U.S. resorts. 

What we know at this point is that crossing into the U.S. will require both your passport and your proof of full vaccination.  On October 15th the U.S. also announced that they will accept mixed vaccination of WHO approved vaccines. 

When flying (including domestically) you will require your QR code vaccination document (and a photo ID/Passport). 

However, currently, when returning to Canada, all travellers need to provide the results from an accepted COVID Test result taken within 72 hours of arrival at the Canadian border.  (Rapid tests are not accepted.) If your trip is less than 72 hours (i.e. our Holiday Valley weekend trip) you can get a test done at home prior to leaving and use it on your way back home. 

For longer trips, if the same rules still apply, you will need to have a test done while out of the country. Please remember that most of our international trips are not running for another 4 to 5 months, in late February or March 2022, so the requirements when returning to Canada may have changed by that point.    Just think back to the quarantine requirements that were in place five months ago last May.  

Club Med has indicated to us that they will be able to arrange these tests for our members (at a separate cost to members.) For our U.S. trips we have not been able to confirm exactly how the process will work.  With the border closed last season, the resorts did not have to deal with this issue, so this is something new for them, and therefore still in flux.

The Long Trips Committee and those who have stepped up to be Trip Leaders already have a lot of responsibilities and things to keep track of even in a normal year for trips. While the club tries to provide as much information as possible, ultimately, it is up to the individual to understand what the travel rules and requirements are for their personal situation. 

If there is anyone who would like to volunteer to help out the club by researching and tracking this topic it would be greatly appreciated.  Please contact longtrips@hpsc.ca.

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President’s Report – Many things to be thankful for!

October 13, 2021

Happy Thanksgiving to all in the HPSC community!

As we move into mid October, it really does feel that things are slowly returning back to normal, or at least as close to normal as possible right now. 

On September 30th we held the club’s Annual General Meeting virtually.  A thank you to the 70+ members who logged in, and to Kerry Kupecz for acting as the Chairperson for this year’s meeting.  The club Annual Report is available to members on our website under About Us/Club Documents. 

This past Thursday we had a successful Charter trip sign up, with three trips reaching initial capacity!  We honestly were unsure about how enthusiastic members would be.  While some trips are full, if you are interested, please put your name on the wait list – sometimes additional spots can be negotiated, and frequently people’s plans or situations change opening up spots.  Also please consider the other available trips – all are to great resorts!

I personally want to say thank you to the members of our Long Trips Committee for all of their hard work over the last two seasons. It really has not been easy.  And a thank you to all the members who have stepped up to be Trip Leaders this year.  Without each one of our volunteers our club could not function. 

As a reminder, you must be fully vaccinated to sign up for any of the trips, so please send in your vaccination proof (vac@hpsc.ca) as soon as possible; or at least as a first step please go into your membership profile and click on Edit and acknowledge your vaccination status, (as well as the Code of Conduct, and waiver). At this point about half of our current members have provided or shown their vaccination proof.  You must do at least one or the other prior to long trip signup on October 28th in order to register for a trip.  You will eventually need to show us your vaccination proof.

I will be available in person to review your vaccination proof after SkiFit for the next two Saturdays, in High Park (just north of the Maple Leaf by Grenadier Pond) between approximately 10:45 to 11:15am.  If you would like to arrange a different time and place, please contact me and we can try to work something out. 

If you didn’t join last season due to COVID we understand and would really like to see you back as a member. Just a reminder, the early bird rate of $150 (+HST) for returning members ends on October 31st.  As of November 1st, the fee increases to $170 (+HST).  (For all new members the $150 rate continues for the entire season.)

And personally, this week my 2021/22 Ikon pass arrived in the mail which always lifts my spirits in anticipation of the coming season.  Hope to see as many of you on the hills and trails this coming year!

Justin Graham

President, High Park Ski Club