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Honouring Our HPSC Volunteers!

Without our volunteers HPSC could not function!

On September 29th we were very happy to host our volunteers at the reinstated Volunteer Dinner at The Hot House Café.  The purpose of the event is to honour our volunteers as well as build excitement for the upcoming season. 

As part of the evening I was very please and excited to present our Volunteer of the Year awards to the following members:

Rookie

Sheila Moshomas – For taking on the role of Monday daytrip co-ordinator

Bronze level

Apolonija Battiston – For work on the Long Trips Committee (LTC) and leading the Snow School Instructor uniform committee

Fran Burgess – For work as the Wednesday Daytrip co-ordinator during a difficult season

Paul Dover – For extensive work for the Cross-country portfolio during a difficult season

Caroline Thompson – For work as the Downhill daytrips Bus Captain co-ordinator

Silver level

Michael Hardke – For work as the Sunday downhill Daytrips co-ordinator and for training Sheila as the new Monday daytrips co-ordinator

Lisa Philpott -For work as the bus company co-ordinator

Lisa Ziegler – For work programming the downhill daytrip events and making on-going changes as procedures were revised

Gold level

Christine Bellerose – For work as liaison between Snow School and the Downhill daytrips team

Linda Lavallee – For work as the long-term head of the HPSC New Member Ambassador program

Monica Sauer – For work within the cross-country team and as the cross-country representative on the Long Trips Committee

Special Projects

Kevin Chabot – For work on finding a new east end parking location for long trips

Ephraim Fernandez – For extensive work creating a Long Trips COVID protocol

Russ Harding – For work researching COVID testing options on long trips to fulfill the Canadian government’s requirement of a PCR test prior to returning to Canada. And for work investigating the co-ordinating our Ikon group sales program.

Jeff Stainsby – For extensive work as part of the cross-country team

Lifetime Achievement

Bishu Basuroy – For his long time contributions to the club in a multiple roles over the years

Catherine Basuroy – For her long time contribution in responding to emails to Downhill daytrips portfolio

Bill Bates – For his long time role as Director of Long Trips.

In addition to a certificate each winner also receives a dollar credit on their HPSC account in appreciation of all of their work.

Congratulations and thank you to all of the winners!

And again thank you to all of our volunteers! 

Justin Graham

President, High Park Ski Club

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I’m a new XC member – where can I find information?

Welcome! We’re happy to have you in the club and looking forward to skiing and/or snowshoeing with you this season. We’re planning a relatively normal season, pending procedures at the resorts (which will not be clear until later).

We know that being a new member comes with a lot of questions – and we’ve got you covered. Below find website and blog links where you should find all the information you need. The cross-country pages are kept updated; if the information isn’t yet there, we don’t yet know it! Information is updated as it becomes available. Given the ongoing COVID situation, it is taking time to confirm information with the resorts.

You should also be contacted by a HPSC ambassador – sometime this fall – who can answer your questions. We will also be holding a new member info virtual session in November.

We would appreciate it if you would take the time to see if your question is answered in the following resources before reaching out. We’re busy planning the season (and with our day jobs!). But if you can’t find the answer online, we are happy to help.

The most detailed information (on day trips and lessons) can be found on our FAQ page: https://hpsc.ca/Cross-Country-FAQ

Here is a XC ski/snowshoe 101 resource sheet I created last year, with ski tips (since we weren’t able to offer trips and lessons yet): https://blog.hpsc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Cross-Country-Skiing-101-Resource-Sheet.pdf

The schedule will be posted when ready (later November) here: https://hpsc.ca/Cross-Country-Day-Trips-Registration

Curious about what happens on a day trip? This was written in 2019, but should be largely applicable, with maybe a few tweaks, this year. But, it will give you an idea: https://blog.hpsc.ca/2019/11/what-to-expect-on-a-xc-day-trip/

While no one can give you a definitive answer, here is some advice how to choose between classic and skate skiing: https://blog.hpsc.ca/2020/10/classic-vs-skate-whats-the-difference-and-what-do-i-choose/

Looking for ski gear? This is my most comprehensive advice for what and where to buy: https://blog.hpsc.ca/2019/10/gear-talk-skis-poles-boots-edition/

Questions about waxing those new skis? Check out this: https://blog.hpsc.ca/2019/11/gear-talk-wait-what-i-need-to-wax-waxless-skis/

Looking for snowshoe gear? This is my most comprehensive advice for what and where to buy: https://blog.hpsc.ca/2019/10/gear-talk-snowshoe-edition/

Wondering what to wear when skiing and snowshoeing? Look no further than here: https://blog.hpsc.ca/2019/11/gear-talk-clothing-edition/

Want to ski in the city? It’s possible when we have enough snow! https://blog.hpsc.ca/2021/02/yes-you-can-ski-in-high-park-or-any-other-park/

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Our Fresh New Logo – a perspective from the designer

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“In 2022, logos will be colorful, but minimalist, created of simple shapes and thin lines” – Merehead

With the pandemic mostly behind us and the anticipation of getting back to a normal ski season, it was felt that now was the best time to update our club’s image. On average, organizations change their corporate identities once every 10 years, and HPSC was long overdue.

To survive, HPSC must continually attract new generations of members. Why is it important to change the logo? To keep it current. The logo just looked old, making the club look out of touch and outdated.

In the winter of 2022, David Manning, the Director of Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding (Snow School) asked if I could come up with some ideas for a new club logo.

My inspiration came while watching the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. The snowflake theme ran throughout the opening ceremony and continued for the closing ceremony. The snowflake motif was used to symbolize global unity. I saw that it could also be used to represent all the different winter sports. It was the one symbol that we could implement to represent all the winter sports the club does.
The next step was to make the snowflake distinctive, simple, and scalable. The logo had to be memorable, impactful, and recognizable as soon as people see it. After numerous iterations and with the feedback of our board of directors, I believe we have achieved this.
Rocco Romeo
Logo designer and current HPSC Director of Marketing
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Overnight Bus Trip Sign-up is Coming!

Detailed descriptions and pricing will be posted any day now on the web site in preparation for sign up on Thursday, October 13 at 8 pm sharp.

Members on last year’s cancelled mid-week Tremblant trip have been contacted by email and can sign up early (front of the line) for this specific trip, but they will need to confirm their FOTL spot by October 3. Remaining spots will be opened to the rest of our members on October 13.

Overnight Bus Trips – opening on Thursday October 13 at 8pm:

W1 Tremblant, QC – Dec 16-18, 2022

W2 Holiday Valley, NY – Jan 27-29, 2023

W3 Tremblant mid-week – Jan 29 – Feb 2, 2023 (downhill and cross country)

W4 Killington, VT – Feb 12-17, 2023

W5 Orford, QC – Feb 17-20, 2023 – Family Day (XC/Snowshoe)

W6 Jay Peak, VT – Mar 5-9, 2023

W7 Tremblant, QC – Mar 24-26, 2023 (Downhill, Snowboarding, XC)

Spaces are still available on the following charter trips:

C1 Jackson Hole WY, C3 Whistler BC, C7 Jasper AB

COVID update – If you sign up for a long trip (charter or bus) you will be required to be meet the government guidelines in effect at the time of travel in Canada and at your destination country. This may mean providing proof of vaccination and booster status. Masks will be required on the bus portion of trips. HPSC recommends that you ensure you have adequate medical and cancellation insurance and carefully review the dates and limitations on refunds.

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A unique opportunity to try out roller skiing!

Looking for a way to get in shape for ski season or work on your technique in the off-season? Roller skiing is cross-country ski specific dryland training that will achieve both goals! It’s also a fun sport in its own right.In conjunction with Ski Fit, HPSC is offering members a chance to try it out in High Park. In small groups (we have four pairs of roller skis), we will cover safety, the basic manoeuvres, how to slow and stop, how to cross uneven pavement, and point out hazards and how to avoid them. We will also cover equipment and where to get it and good places in the city you could ski.

Lesson options:
October 1, 9:30 – 10:15 am
October 8, 9:30 – 10:15 am
October 22, 9:30 -10:15 am

Location: High Park. Meet at the Grenadier Cafe parking lot.

Equipment:
Bike helmet (mandatory)
Ski boots (mandatory – see below under booking)
Gloves (any kind, mandatory)
Optional, but highly recommended: knee and elbow pads. Spills on concrete can happen leading to scrapes. But we will be doing slow manoeuvres on flat pavement.

To book your spot: email crosscountry@hpsc.ca with the date you are interested and the type of ski boots you will bring (skate NNN, classic NNN or classic/skate SNS with the older Profil bindings that have one metal bar. If you have SNS bindings with two bars, we don’t have skis for you). If you have your own roller skis, you are welcome to attend. Heather will confirm your participation prior to the first session.

Heather SteelDirector,
Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing
crosscountry@hpsc.ca 
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HPSC Annual General Meeting 2022

The Annual General Meeting is an important and legally required event for the club. This is the chance to discuss the past year, review our financial position and find out plans for the upcoming year. There are a number of standard motions that are required to be passed for the club to function, as well as any proposed changes to our club By-laws. So I personally want to thank all of the members who took the time to attend our AGM on September 20 at the National Yacht Club in person or virtually. With those in-person, online, and with a number of proxy votes we were able to reach the required quorum and therefore proceed with the meeting.

Just some highlights . . .   

After two years of the pandemic, we are in very good shape financially, basically breaking even, due in part to cost containment, a shortened season, as well as windfall revenue from a couple of investments that came due this past year. For specific information, please read the AGM Report available on our website under About Us/Club Documents. You need to be logged into the site to access this file.

We were also able to pass a number of by-law changes regarding member meetings. The pandemic forced upon us the use of virtual meetings for our AGM and Election over the last two years. Now that things are opening up and we are able to resume in-person meetings, we wanted to update the By-laws to recognize the use of virtual or hybrid meetings and how voting during such meetings should be done. In addition, the definition of what constitutes quorum was made clearer; as well adding clarifications regarding the use of proxy votes. 

Justin Graham

President

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President’s Message – Welcome to Fall!

I have always loved the fall!! Last week we officially moved from summer to autumn with a very distinct change in the temperature. The fall also means moving closer to the ski season and more activities of the club. 

Over the last month or so, many of you have expressed your faith in HPSC by renewing your membership or joining for the first time. Thank you!  We have also held a successful social pub night and there have been two very successful long trip sign-up nights – some spots are still available on a number of charter trips. SkiFit has resumed every Saturday morning in High Park with a good number of core participants as well as some new and potential members each week. We held our Annual General Meeting last week as a hybrid meeting with members attending both in person at the National Yacht Club and virtually on Zoom.

Over the next couple of months, the long bus trips will open for registration (October 13), we will be releasing our day trips schedule (as they are finalized with the resorts), holding information nights for members and potential members (TBD), communicating what the procedures will be for day trips and for the first time in many years, we will have a booth at the Toronto Ski + Snowboard Show (October 28-30).Finally, since the next edition of SnoBiz will not be sent until after the holiday weekend, I want to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving! 

Cheers!
Justin Graham
President
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Long Trips Still Available!

Our members want to travel!  The August sign up night was a success. I am happy to say that within a few days of selling out the first trip to Club Med Serre Chevalier in France, we were able to add a new trip the week before the first trip.  Members on the waitlist were given first choice on the trip and this trip is also now full.  For the Whistler trip, our tour operator opened an online payment portal to simplify the payment process and keep your data secure.  HPSC worked with the tour operator to test out this new process.  Adding a new trip with Merit Travel and implementing a new payment portal for Skican trips would not have been possible without the close partnerships we have with our tour operators. 

Don’t miss the upcoming dates for sign up:

Open now – Jackson Hole, Whistler, and Club Med Charlevoix, Quebec – some spots still available.   Look on the website for the detailed descriptions of these awesome destinations. 

Thursday, September 22 – 8 pm – Registration opens for charter trips to Banff, Sun Peaks and Jasper

Thursday, October 13 – 8 pm – Registration opens for bus trips to Tremblant (3 trips), Holiday Valley, Killington, Orford, and Jay Peak.

Once trips are open for registration, they will stay open until they are full or until the space must be released.  Sign up early so you don’t miss your chance to enjoy your mountain adventure! 

Reminder – to register for any trip you need to be a current member of the club.  If you registered for one of the trips in the first sign up in August, if you have not done so yet you MUST renew your club membership by tomorrow, September 15, to retain your spot on the trip. After September 15 if you have not renewed your club membership your spot may be released and you will lose your deposit. Do You Have a Ski Pass?

The ski pass world that has evolved over the past few years has resulted in higher demand for some destinations and unfortunately high lift ticket prices.  The good news is that requiring registration for some destinations and increasing the lift ticket prices, will result in a better experience on the slopes without huge crowds.  

If you already have a ski pass that covers the destination, you do not have to pay for lift tickets.  With the lift ticket component removed, below is a quick comparison of our remaining HPSC charter trips, all in CAD$ (including all taxes and fees).  

Trip costs without lift tickets (Lift ticket costs and Land only options available) 

Jackson Hole: $1,705 (Single supplement add $515)

Whistler:        $2,060 (Single supplement add $1,160)

Sun Peaks:    $1,920 (Single supplement add $615)

Banff:             $1,555 (Single supplement add $749)

Jasper:           $1,740 (Single supplement add $595) 

Full prices including lifts tickets, and land only pricing are available on the website. 

COVID update – If you sign up for a long trip (charter or bus) you will be required to meet the government guidelines in effect at the time of travel in Canada and at your destination country.  This may mean providing proof of vaccination and booster status.  Masks will be required on the bus portion of trips.  HPSC recommends that you ensure you have adequate medical and cancellation insurance and carefully review the dates and limitations on refunds.

Kim Wiebe

Director of Long Trips

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President’s Message – The season of renewal


Dear HPSC friends,

September has always been a time of renewal.  When we were children, September was the beginning of the school year (and still is for many of our members who are teachers).  It is also the time when our HPSC memberships come due.  If you have not yet done so, please take advantage of our early bird rate of $150 until October 31.  

Over the last week, I was very happy to meet up with many of you at our first social event of the season on Thursday September 8 at The Swan, and at the first SkiFit of the year on Saturday.  The turnout for both events clearly shows there is pent up demand for social connection and makes me very optimistic for the upcoming season.  

I was also pleased to meet so many new members. Thank you all for coming out.  We are planning more socials for over the fall and winter.  And of course, SkiFit happens every Saturday morning in High Park – registration opens each Tuesday prior to the session.  

One of the new members asked me what makes HPSC different, and I mentioned what I have said many times, that HPSC is a community.  That people may join the club for a sport, but what keeps them returning is the friends they make, the community of fellow members.  

You should have also received the official notification regarding the Annual General Meeting to be held on Tuesday September 20.  We are once again holding a hybrid meeting with an in-person option (at the National Yacht Club) and a virtual option (via Zoom).  The AGM is an important event for the running of the club at which we present the financial results of the previous season, as well as discussion of what the club accomplished.  The AGM also is when changes to the by-laws are approved (or rejected).  All those registered to attend will be able to vote (both in-person and on Zoom).  If you have not yet done so please register to attend the AGM here.   If you are not able to attend, please fill out a proxy and send to president@hpsc.ca.

Justin Graham
President, HPSC
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Club Med Serre Chevalier – New Trip Added!

Our early trip sign up night was popular with members. We’ve been able to add another trip to Serre Chevalier in France and have contacted the members on the waitlist first. Please check your email and respond before 7 pm on Sept 1 to confirm your spot if you were on the waitlist.

On Friday Sept 2 at 8 pm, any remaining spots will be offered to the rest of our members.

A reminder of the upcoming dates for the rest of our trips…

Now – spots still available for Jackson Hole, Whistler, and Club Med Charlevoix, Quebec. Look on the website for the detailed descriptions of these awesome destinations. Lift ticket prices will be going up for Whistler and Jackson Hole so lock in your pricing now.

Thursday, September 22 – 8 pm – Registration opens for charter trips to Banff, Sun Peaks and Jasper

Thursday, October 13 – 8 pm – Registration opens for bus trips to Tremblant (3 trips), Holiday Valley, Killington, Orford, and Jay Peak

Once trips are open for registration, they will stay open until they are full or until the space must be released back to the tour operator. Sign up early so you don’t miss your chance to enjoy your mountain adventure!

Reminder – you will be able to register if you are were a member this past season, but MUST enew your membership for the upcoming season by September 15 to hold your early registration spot on a long trip. After that date, your spot may be released after that, and you will lose your deposit.

COVID update – Unfortunately many of us have learned the hard way that we are still dealing with the realities of Covid. If you sign up for a long trip (charter or bus) you will be required to meet the government guidelines in effect at the time of travel in Canada and at your destination country. This may mean providing proof of vaccination and booster status. As always, HPSC recommends that you ensure you have adequate medical and cancellation insurance and carefully review the dates and limitations on refunds.