Downhill Day Trips – Page 6 – High Park Ski Club Blog

2019-12-282019-12-31

Happy New Year!! Book your January ski days now!!

The New Year means the ski season is moving into full swing with four HPSC alpine day trips scheduled each week (Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday).

Caution – Don’t risk not getting on the daytrips you want. Sign up early and often!

The full January schedule is available for registration, so go in and book all of the daytrips you plan on going on. As we did last year, we are guaranteeing to run at least one bus (except due to extreme weather conditions) for all scheduled trips in January and February. A second bus will only be added if there is strong interest and we have filled the first bus, so it is best to sign up as soon as possible. Our club is growing quickly, which means more sold out buses, so sign up early and sign up often.

Alpine Daytrip highlights in January:

January 11 @ MSLM: Member Appreciation and Double Double Lessons. You can take lessons both morning and afternoon with our own HPSC Ski Instructors, and then stay for a special Pizza après event for HPSC Members only. This is a Member only trip. The bus will depart at 6:15pm allowing for additional time to socialize and get to know your fellow HPSC members.

January 25: Alpine/Nordic Cross-Over Day – Downhill skiers and boarders are encouraged to try out cross-country skiing or snowshoeing with our fellow Nordic HPSC members at Scenic Caves. At the end of the day is the annual Nordic Wine & Cheese event. Nordic skiers are encouraged to cross-over and try downhill or boarding for the day at Mount St. Louis Moonstone. As always, all HPSC members can take free lessons with our own qualified ski school instructors.

January 26@Blue Mountain: National Ski and Snowboard Day and free HPSC Pizza Lunch. Join the HPSC Sunday@Blue Crew to celebrate National Ski and Snowboard Day with one of our special pizza lunch events.

Also open for registration is the special members only day trip to Holiday Valley on February 15. This is the only daytrip we will be running over Family Day weekend. No drive up option is available for this trip.

Don’t delay and risk not getting on the daytrips you want . . . sign up early, and sign up often.

https://hpsc.ca/downhill-trip-registration-page

2019-12-282019-12-31

What is a Walk-On and how do you pay for a trip? New Walk-On Procedure

When there are extra spaces on the bus, members are allowed to show up (usually at 400/7 only) and ‘walk-on’ the bus.

However, there is a cost to this privilege – the club has reinstituted the $10 walk-on fee for all downhill daytrips to encourage members to not wait and to sign up before the regular deadline.

And in response to requests, you can now pay electronically when you walk-on.

Please follow the ‘walk-on’ procedure outlined below:

Check the Downhill Trip Status Page (link below) on the website to see if Walk-Ons will be allowed, and at what stops. If the status is No Walk-Ons it is because the bus has sold out . . . please do not try to be a special walk-on.
Allow all registered members to get on the bus first and find a seat. If you are at 400/7 please wait outside the bus until the Bus Captain indicates the number of available Walk-On seats.
Walk-On spots are on a first come, first service basis. We cannot have more people on the bus than the number of seats. If there are more potential walk-ons than available seats, please discuss amongst the other potential walk-ons and the bus captain a fair and equitable process.
When allowed on the bus, find a seat and store your gear appropriately (no boots in the overhead bin). The bus cannot leave until everyone has a seat and is seated. You can socialize with your friends when the bus gets underway.
The bus captain will make his/her announcements and will also state that the Walk-On module on the website and app is enabled (it will only be available when the bus is on the highway). At this point you can go online on your smart phone to either the Wild Apricot for Members App or to the HPSC website and go to the event for the trip that also says WALK ON in the title. You will be asked to pay for the Walk-On fee, your lift ticket option, and the bus fee (bus vouchers are not allowed for walk-ons). NOTE: You can still pay by cash if you choose.
When the Bus Captain comes around to check you in, please let them know what your lift ticket option is and show them your proof of payment (either from the app or the confirmation email).
Enjoy your day!! And remember to be back on the bus and in your seat at least 5 minutes prior to departure time. (If you are not coming back on the bus, please let the bus captain know at some point during the day.)

https://hpsc.ca/Downhill-Day-Trips-Status

2019-12-142019-12-17

Fantastic Kick Off to the HPSC Downhill Season!!

HPSC Kick Off and Test Drive MSLM December 7 2019

Hurrah!!! The ski season has begun!!!!!

It was a superb first day for our two buses to travel to Mount St Louis Moonstone on Saturday December 7! Sunny day, hero snow, lots of friends from High Park and many guests, skiers, snowboarders, beginners, experts. December 7th was also our first Test Drive trip of the season with over 25 guests checking out the club.

On the following Monday, December 9th, a group of dedicated skiers and boarders also initiated the Blue Mountain season for HPSC. Despite the light rain, it was a fantastic day! And a little après at the Irish Pub in the village to top off the day, as well as some seasonal music on the bus ride home.

There are still a number of trips scheduled before the New Year, including this coming weekend to Mount St Louis Moonstone on Saturday and Blue Mountain on Sunday. Our instructors will be back from their training weekend in Tremblant. So get your shopping done early and avoid the crazy crowds at the mall . . . come skiing instead!

After Christmas and Boxing Day if you want to test out your new equipment sign up for MSLM on December 28th or come on a special trip to Mansfield Ski Club on Monday December 30th.

All of the January alpine daytrips are open for registration!

https://hpsc.ca/downhill-trip-registration-page

2019-12-022019-12-02

Some Small Changes on Downhill Daytrips

Each year your Downhill Daytrips team attempts to improve the overall process of trips. This year we have a couple of small tweaks to let you know about.

Liberty Village pick up: As previously announced, on two bus trips we will also have a pick-up location in Liberty Village on the west side of Lamport Stadium. Please see https://www.hpsc.ca/Day-Trip-Pick-Up-Locations

Cashless Buses: Starting this year, Bus Captains will no longer be responsible for collecting cash on the bus for walk-ons or any other money. Any money owed will be recorded and will be billed onto your HPSC account. You will need to pay the invoice prior to booking for another trip or paid event.

Dedicated Bin for Ski School Instructors Equipment: We have always asked that you allow our Instructors to get off the bus first so that they can get started at arranging for ski assessments and lessons. However, most times they end up pulling off all of the skis from the bus to get to their own. We are requesting that all Ski Instructors put their skis in a dedicated marked Instructor bin (usually Bin 4). Members can put their equipment in any of the other available bins on the way to the resort. On the way home, all skis/boards etc. (including Instructors) should be in the bin for their desired drop off location as is currently done.

Rowan’s Law – concussion protocol:– In Ontario there is a new law regarding concussion protocols for young adults that all sports programs and sports clubs (such as HPSC) must follow. All participants in HPSC (members and guests) 25 and younger must sign a waiver indicating an understanding of what they need to do in case of a possible concussion and ways to prevent concussions. This is the reason that in registration we are asking if you are 25 or younger – it is especially important when you register any guest on a trip that we know if they are under 26 so that we can get them to sign the additional Rowan’s Law waiver.

2019-12-022019-12-16

Get some skiing in prior to the New Year!

Can’t wait to get on the hills – Neither can we! After our kick off on December 7, we have scheduled six more trips in December to choose from.

Midweek Skiing: For those who like to ski mid-week and want to get some extra days in on their 5X7 or Ikon pass, we have a couple of trips to Blue Mountain (Monday December 9; Wednesday December 18).

Get the Rust Off/Sleep In Days: Do you really want to do a ski assessment on your first run of the year? For the weekend of December 14 and 15, while our instructors are off on their annual training excursion to Mount Tremblant, we are offering a couple of sleep-in “Get the Rust Off” days to Mount St. Louis and Blue Mountain respectively. These are combo trips with our Nordic members, and since the entire day will be free skiing we have agreed to use the slightly later Nordic pick-up times (starting at 7:50 from Bloor/Indian Rd.) Because we are leaving the city off a little later in the morning, we get to stay at the hills a little longer, allowing for more Après time!

Avoid the Crazy Mall Crowds – Go Skiing Instead: Get your shopping done early so you can avoid the crazy crowds at the mall on the last weekend before Christmas and instead enjoy the fairly empty slopes at Mount St Louis and Blue Mountain. December 21 and 22 our instructors will be back, so we are back to our regular trip schedule.

Can’t Wait to Try Out Your New Equipment?: For those who just got new equipment as a gift or on Boxing Day and just can’t wait to try it out, we have scheduled a trip to Mount St Louis on Saturday December 28.

Avoid the Crowded Holiday Slopes – Ski with Us at Mansfield Ski Club Instead: Our last trip of 2019 is on Monday December 30 when we are off to Mansfield Ski Club for a special treat during the holiday break. While the other resorts may be crowded with everyone else who just got new equipment, we will be skiing at a private club which prides itself on having fantastic conditions for it’s members and guests. And due to it’s closeness to the GTA we will be starting off a later than normal (first pickup is 8am from Bloor/Indian Rd.), which means of course more Après time in the afternoon. Celebrate an early New Year with your HPSC friends!

https://www.hpsc.ca/downhill-trip-registration-page

2019-11-262019-11-26

Two Bus Test Drive on December 7th Means Additional Pick Up Locations at Queen’s Quay and Liberty Village

We have two buses for this the first daytrip of the season, which means that we have added the two additional pickup points of Queen’s Quay, and the new spot in Liberty Village.

As a reminder, even if you didn’t sign up for these pick-up spots, you can use any of the locations that best suits your needs! To find out exactly where all of our pick-up locations click here: https://www.hpsc.ca/Day-Trip-Pick-Up-Locations

Registration deadline is December 4^th by 6pm!

https://www.hpsc.ca/downhill-trip-registration-page

2019-11-192020-01-11

Special Family Day Weekend Day Trip To Holiday Valley Now Open for Registration

Holiday Valley resort, just outside of Buffalo, has been a very popular destination for the High Park Ski Club for a long time. The weekend trip sells our very quickly each season. This year you too can experience the magic of Holiday Valley for yourself . . . if just for a day

On the Family Day weekend, we will be running just this one day trip – Saturday February 15. Much like the weekend trips, we expect the day trip will sell out quickly so please register as soon as possible. The day also includes a pizza après at the resort.

Since we are heading west instead of north, the last pickup location for this special daytrip will be in Oakville at the commuter lot at Winston Churchill and the QEW, in place of 400/7. All of the other regular pickup locations will be used.

This is a Member Only event. No “Bring a Friend” nor drive-ups allowed.

Registration is now open. To find the trip, go to the Downhill daytrips registration page and go to the calendar at the bottom. Forward the calendar to February and the trip will be there on February 15.

2019-11-152019-11-29

DRIVING UP to the hill? A few reminders to help us provide you with the best experience!

#1- If you drive-up, you need to register on-line before the deadline in order to take a lesson !

Before each day trip, your instructors diligently review the numbers of on-line registrations in order to best organize the different STEP classes. .

This is why if you drive-up, and want to take a lesson, you need to register on the HPSC site before the deadline. We want to ensure we arrange enough instructors to allow for manageable class sizes. On some Saturdays we can have between 20 and 40 members driving up, and consequently, we need to add an additional 4 to 8 instructors to ensure a valuable learning experience for all of our members.

With increasing numbers of members both on the bus and driving up, we can only provide instruction if you register before the deadline. If you do not register before the deadline, you will not be counted in during lesson planning, and consequently we may not have enough instructors to provide a safe, fun, and challenging experience for our members. Drive-ups who do not register before the deadline cannot join a class.

Follow the drive-up instructions to join a class!!

#2- Get your own lift tickets!

Since you arrive on your own, you will need to buy your own lift tickets, unless of course, you have a pass. You will not be able to take advantage of the HPSC group rate. Make sure you give yourself enough time to do this and be ready for the lesson line-up!

#3- Cancel if you change your plans.

If you have registered as a drive-up before the deadline and then cannot make it, we ask that you follow the same cancellation procedures as if you were on the bus:

For Saturday, Sunday and Monday trips, email cancellations@hpsc.ca before 8:00pm the previous Wednesday. For Wednesday trips, email cancellations@hpsc.ca before 8:00pm the previous Sunday.

If you are still registered by the deadline, we assume that you are coming and will include you in our planning and will send enough instructors to teach you and all other registered members.

#4- Read the Trip Status Email You Receive Prior to the Day Trip

A day or two before the trip, you will receive a Trip Status email which will include important information such as where and when ski assessment will be, where and when classes will meet. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY!! Times might change depending on the bus arrival, so check with an instructor (green and blue stylish jacket) in the chalet or on the hill.

#5- Limited Number of Drive-up Spots – So Sign up early!

In order to offer safe, fun and challenging classes for all, and to ensure that communications and safety are maintained throughout the process, the number of drive-ups are limited to approximately 1 drive-up spot for every 2 members on the bus . In order words, we will initially limit drive ups to 25 spaces for the first bus. As soon a second bus is added, an additional 25 drive-up spaces will be open. So, sign up early!!

Once again, the bottom line is: If you are driving-up and want to join a class, make sure you register early and before the deadline! If you forget, you can ski on your own or with your friends when others are in class; just make sure you register next time!!

Thank you for following these guidelines which will really help the club volunteers who strive to provide all members with a great day trip experience. See you on the hill!!

From your Day Trip and Snow School Directors

2019-11-122019-11-19

Come Test Us Out!! – Experience a HPSC Ski Day for Yourself! Test Drive Day – December 7th @MSLM

Have you wanted to learn to ski or snowboard? Or get back into the sport? Or don’t have anyone to go with? Or just don’t want to drive all the way up to the resort yourself. You are who HPSC is made for. Come test us out!!

On December 7^th we want to welcome all potential members (and of course members) who would like to find out what an HPSC downhill day is like. This is the first of our two annual Test Drive days which means registration is open to one and all.

In addition to a discounted group lift ticket, as on all of our daytrips, all who register (including non-members) can participate in our free lessons by our CSIA qualified ski instructors.