Month: October 2023

Posted on

Ever thought about trying roller skiing?

Roller skiing returns to SkiFit! XC Instructor Andrew will be offering intro lessons Saturday mornings in High Park during SkiFit. He has two pairs of roller skis – one classic and one skate. Both fit NNN boots. He has some extra used NNN boots – sizes 37, 40, 42, 46. There is space for two people per session for those who don’t have their own skis. Registration is mandatory. Email andrewym27182@gmail.com to register or ask any questions. 

Safety first: you must wear a helmet, gloves, and ideally have knee and elbow pads. Concrete is hard and it is hard to balance on roller skis at first. We recommend that you are already a decent XC skier and if you are going to use the skate roller ski, already know how to skate ski. At the very least, we recommend a good sense of balance.

Posted on

Trip Sign-up #4 – Overnight Bus Trips

Our overnight bus trip sign up night is tomorrow, Thursday, October 26 at8pm sharp. We have an exciting line-up of HPSC favourites including a March break trip to Quebec City with 4 days of downhill skiing at local resorts. Many of our trips will also appeal to our Cross-Country crowd. Be logged onto the HPSC website at 8pm sharp for the best selection of trips. Please note that these trips have been set up as group travel with special rates for the types of rooms listed, so other modifications are not allowed. You can choose a ‘No Lifts’ option and single supplement (limited availability), but there is no reduction if you do not take the group bus  Please read through the trip details in advance so that you choose the trips that are right for you. The $100 non-refundable deposit guarantees your spot and we will make every attempt to match you with a same sex roommate, if you sign up to share a double room. 

2024 Overnight Bus Trips

Mont Tremblant QC – Holiday Inn – Dec 15-17, 2023

Holiday Valley NY, USA – Microtel – Jan 12-14

Mont Tremblant QC – Holiday Inn – Feb 4-9

Gatineau /Ottawa XC – Holiday Inn – Feb 16-19

Quebec City QC ski around– Manoir Victoria – MARCH BREAK – March 10-15

Killington VT, USA – Killington Grand – studio kitchenettes and hotel – March 17-22

Mont Tremblant QC – Holiday Inn – March 22-24

Le Massif QC – Club Med Charlevoix – March 24-29

Good luck to everyone!

Posted on

President’s Message – Aloha!

As I write this, I have just returned to my room from a sunset cruise off of Kaanapali Beach, Maui. But even as I finish up my bucket list trip to Hawaii, I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks for our club. This coming Thursday is our overnight bus trip sign-up night. The great thing about our overnight trips is that there are many more spaces than on charters. I plan on personally registering for the Holiday Valley trip!

This weekend myself and other volunteers will be representing the club at the Toronto Snow Show at the International Centre. If you are at the show, please stop by the HPSC booth and say hello! I personally feel that it is important for the future of our club that we continue to be seen as part of the Ontario snow sport industry. One of the best ways to gain new members is through direct interpersonal communication and that means being at the show.

As we get closer to the actual season, I am looking forward to meeting many of you at club activities including the last few weeks of SkiFit, at an upcoming New Member/Information night in November, as well as the Holiday event in early December. Please keep reading SnoBiz for all updates and  announcements.

Just a reminder that our Early Bird renewal price of $155 (+tax) ends next Tuesday. Starting on Wednesday, November 1 the renewal rate reverts back to the full price of $170 (+tax). Please don’t miss out!

If you were wondering, in place of my usual photo, this is the Tiki of Happiness. According to the note “Keep the Happiness Tiki by your side, it will bring happiness and joy to you and others around you.” After the last three years, we finally appear to be getting back to a normal season. I am hoping this Tiki will bring all of us Happiness and Joy this coming season.

Mahalo

Justin Graham

President, High Park Ski Club

Posted on

A time to celebrate our HPSC Volunteers!

Volunteers are the backbone of our club.  Without the volunteer work done by your fellow members the club could not function. 

For this reason, once a year, the club treats our volunteers to a special invitation only event to say thank you and to announce the winners of the Volunteer of the Year Awards!

On October 12, we gathered at the Hot House Café to socialize, eat and celebrate.  A total of 11 awards were announced.

Lifetime Achievement Award: “Awarded to a long-time member for outstanding and long-term volunteering and leadership in the club.  A member can only receive this award once.” 

Awarded to Monica Sauer

Volunteer of the Year – Gold Award: “Awarded to a volunteer for outstanding and increasing volunteer contribution and leadership in a portfolio or the club over a number of years.” 

Awarded to Peg McPhedran

Volunteer of the Year – Silver Award: “Awarded to a volunteer for outstanding contribution to the club during the current season.”

Awarded to:

  • Ed Bezeau
  • David Flowers
  • Kerry Kupecz

Volunteer of the Year – Bronze Award: “Awarded to a volunteer for a high level of contribution to a portfolio during the current season.”

Awarded to:

  • Jeff Misumi
  • Mike Romano

Volunteer of the Year – Rookie Award: “Awarded to a first-year volunteer for a high level of contribution to a portfolio during the current season.”

Awarded to:

  • Andrea Palmy
  • Jason Tsang

Volunteer of the Year – Special Project: “Awarded to a member for any special project that is beneficial to the club or members.”   

Awarded to Janice Matheson

Volunteer of the Year – Special Team Award:  A special award to recognize the outstanding work done by the financial refunds team as a whole during a challenging season due to issues with our payment system and a high number of cancelled trips. 

This award recognizes the following members:

  • Hilary Childs
  • Lisa Philpott
  • Richard Kinread
  • Steve Jonjev

Congratulations to all the winners!

Posted on

Ski School Announces New Instructors!

Downhill Ski School is pleased to welcome seven new instructors joining the roster for the 2023-24 season! Today we introduce you to Matt Dimond and Lisa Price. Watch for more announcements in subsequent issues of SnoBiz.
Matt Dimond

Very happy to have returned to High Park (2022/23 season) where I first started my ski journey with Peg Mc Phedran at Blue back in 2018. I was coming from 10 years of snowboarding.

I decided last season I needed a bigger challenge than just skiing for myself and hoping for small improvements. So, I started on the instructor training development opportunities with CSIA and within HPSC ski school.

I am looking forward to this next chapter in my ski journey as I continually develop my teaching skills to best serve the High Park club members. My home base hill now is Mount St Louis.

My other activities on the snow are trying to get in a few days of XC skiing and snowshoeing when in Quebec.

My off snow activities are mainly focused on stand up paddle boarding (SUP) and refining those skills with some novice races. I recently obtained a Paddle Canada Instructor certification.I look forward to connecting with High Park members every week.
Lisa Price

I am thrilled to be joining the High Park Snow School as a Ski Instructor this year. I recently achieved my L3 certification, and I am excited to share my skills and knowledge with the High Park Ski Club community.

I have been skiing since my early teens and absolutely love the sport, the environment and meeting like-minded people who love to ski. Winter is my most favourite season!I have taught for many years at Devil’s Glen and Snow Valley.

See you all very soon!
Posted on

Trip Sign-up #4 – Overnight BusTrips

Charter trip sign-up night was a great success with virtually all members getting onto the trip of their choice that night. Our strategy of doubling up on the most popular destinations and offering multiple trips on the same weeks worked.

Overnight bus trip sign-up night is coming on Thursday, October 26 at 8 pm sharp. As the bus company has just finalized pricing, we will be re-working and finalizing our prices for these trips this week. Don’t forget that you must be a member to sign up and participate on a trip, and be logged onto the HPSC website at 8 pm sharp for the best selection of trips. These trips have been set up as group travel with special rates for the types of rooms listed, so modifications are not allowed. As with charters, you can choose a ‘No Lifts’ option and single supplement (limited availability), however unlike charters there is NO price reduction if you do not take the group transportation to the destination (by luxury coach). Please read through all of the trip details in advance so that you make the choice that fits your needs. The $100 deposit guarantees your spot, but note that it is non-refundable once it is paid.

2024 Overnight Bus Trips

Mont Tremblant QC – Holiday Inn – Dec 15-17, 2023

Holiday Valley NY, USA – Microtel – Jan 12-14

Mont Tremblant QC – Holiday Inn – Feb 4-9

Gatineau /Ottawa XC – Holiday Inn – Feb 16-19

Quebec City QC – Manoir Victoria – MARCH BREAK – March 10-15

Killington VT, USA – Killington Grand – studio kitchenettes and hotel – March 17-22

Mont Tremblant QC – Holiday Inn – March 22-24

Le Massif QC – Club Med Charlevoix – March 24-29

There are still a few spots left on some charters, so do not hesitate to sign up before they are gone!

Posted on

President’s Message – A time of thanks!


First off, I would like to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!  And I would like to say thank you for being members of our club.

The fall is a very busy time for your club directors, who have been busy over the last months preparing for the upcoming season. We will be announcing schedules over the next month or so, so please continue to read SnoBiz and check our HPSC Facebook group for updates.

The club will again be participating in the Toronto Ski & Snowboard show at the International Centre the last weekend of October (October 27-29).  Please mark your calendars.

One thing that I would like to announce for the upcoming season is that we have been able to negotiate with the bus company so that the deadline for midweek trips will now be Sunday night at 6 pm. For downhill trips on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the registration deadline will remain Tuesday night at 6 pm prior to the trip.     

One of the best ways for recruiting new members to the club is word of mouth.  So please continue to let your friends, family and even strangers you meet know about the club. As a thank you to members who refer someone that joins the club, we will send you a bus voucher. We now have business cards that you can hand out to potential members with club information as well as a place you can put your name to recall who referred them. Please let me know if you would like some.

Justin Graham
President, High Park Ski Club