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Are we afraid of the winter?

Well kids, it’s coming our way! We had wonderful trick or treat experience! Treats, no tricks… So many of us have scored the overnight bus trips seats! We still have couple of trips open, so check it out and book before they are gone. Sign up to the wait list for Tremblant 3 trip in March for the Mega Apres season party. We have a rare opportunity to add the second bus, if we’ll have more than 30 in the waitlist. Everyone is welcome! Snowboarders of the club – unite in Tremblant! Cross country skiers – join the party and bring or rent the snow shoes or just use your hiking boots to climb Tremblant mountain. This trip is especially great for the new and new to the winter sports members. Finish your first season with the club strong!

We were able to add seats for some charter trips, including the most desirable trip this year – Aspen! Do you know that there is an active archeological site outside of Aspen, where they have recently found mammoth’s and even prehistoric human’s remains? Before we become a history – enjoy every opportunity to live your life to the fullest! Make your winter dreams come true this season! We are making
everything possible to add more trips opportunities for you, our amazing members!

We’ve climbed Blue Mountain again to prove that WE ARE WINTER AND APRES SKI READY!

Stella
HPSC Volunteer President

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Gear talk: Wait, what? I need to wax waxless skis?

Congrats, you just bought waxless classic skis! But wait. Yes, we need to talk about waxing.

Traditionally, classic skis needed to have two types of wax applied – grip wax and glide wax. Grip wax is applied to a pocket underneath the foot (the size of which is dependent on the skier). When the skier puts their weight on their foot, the wax grips the snow and the skier can push off the ski and glide on the other foot. You need to apply the correct temperature of grip wax for the snow temperature otherwise you will not get good grip. There are a wide array of temperatures that are colour-coded (red and purple are warmer waxes and blue and green are colder waxes – and there are a bunch of variations within). Hardwood and Highlands conditions page will tell you what they think the “wax of the day” is. There could be more than one as conditions change through the day.

Hot waxing skis….requires equipment and well ventilated space. Do not attempt in your city apartment!

The other part of the equation – glide wax – is applied above and below the grip wax zone (the “tips and tails” of the ski). This wax helps you to glide faster. There are different types of glide wax. The more traditional one comes in hard blocks of wax that are melted onto the ski, ironed in, and then the excess is scraped off. Racer will use this method as it is considered the most effective. Like grip wax, racers will glide wax every time according to the conditions of the day. Glide wax also comes in a variety of temperatures from warm to cold to match the snow temperature.

However, we are not racers and we don’t need to make it so complicated! Plus, we don’t all have the facilities to “hot wax”. Read on fellow recreational skiers for some glide wax guidance.

If you have waxless skis, you do not need grip wax. You achieve grip on the snow with a scale pattern etched in the base of the skis or, a more recent innovation, skins (a strip of mohair/nylon that is applied to the grip zone). This is where the term ‘waxless’ comes from – because there is no grip wax used.

BUT, you still should use glide wax to achieve a good glide.

You can hot wax your skis yourself if you have the right space and want to invest in all wax tools (or you can use the wax hut at the resort and waste…ahem, spend…ski time waxing). Then you can fine tune your skis to the conditions of the day. Or, if the resorts offer waxing services you can ask them to do it (but then you won’t have your skis for a while). Also remember that whatever wax they put on will be good for the conditions of that day – and that may not work the next time you go out.

An example of liquid glide wax. Cheap and easy route and the quality of them has improved immensely.

The other option is liquid glide waxes. These come in a broad temperature ranges (so you won’t have to own so many bottles). You apply these every time you go out to ski. It’s very easy – you dab the liquid on the ski and spread it around. Then let it dry. Then buff it in with a nylon brush. And off you go. Liquid waxes are very good these days. Swix and Vauhti are the most common glide waxes.

I will often get my skis hot waxed at Highlands a couple times/season (to help keep my bases healthy), but I use liquid glide wax every time I go out.

Waxless skis have taken much of the waxing mystery out of skiing. Is it a blue day? Violet? Red? I don’t know! If you don’t want to deal with grip wax in the highly changeable conditions we find ourselves in Southern Ontario (and really, who does?), waxless skis are a great option. But use glide wax on the tips and tails and you might find yourself gliding along a bit faster.

Updated 2023

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Long Trips

New Trip – Holiday Valley

New trips has been added to the schedule, W9 Holiday Valley-2. The interest in Holiday Valley was exceptional this year so we have put on a new weekend trip to accommodate those on the long waiting list and also provide seats for many more members for this attractive location.  Holiday Valley is a great resort to ski and quite close to Toronto. If you have never been there before you’ll really like the skiing and enjoy the pretty town of Ellicottville on Saturday night. On this trip you will leave after work on Friday and return early Sunday night.

Trip Sign-Up Night #4

Trip Sign-Up Night #4 (TSUN) will occur this week on Thursday, November 7, 2019 starting at exactly 8:00 PM. W9 Holiday Valley-2 go on sale for the first time. Login, go to the trip page and scroll down to the “Register” button. Don’t look for the button now; the “Register” button will appear only after 8:00 PM. Registration will continue 24 hours a day until each trip is sold out. Note: previously announced trip to Banff-2 in March is cancelled due to the low interest.

Getting on a Trip

The procedures for registering on TSUN are on the webpage, TRIP SIGN UP PROCESS. Only those who have paid the membership fee for 2019-2020 are able to register.

Open Trips

There are still a number of seats open on several trips: Two overnight trips, W4 Mt Ste Anne on Family Day weekend (12 seats), and W7 Lake Placid a mid-week trip in March (23 seats). Two charter trips, C6 Silver Star BC which is combination of downhill and X-country (4 seats), and C7 Les Arcs France which is the second Europe trip of the season (2 seats). You can register for these seats at any time. Seats on the 2 charter trips have definite deadline dates where unsold space must be released.

Join Waitlist Button

If you see a “Join Waitlist” button instead of the “Register” button, do not think that you have missed out. We try our best to get a place for everybody on the waitlist. You may not hear from the Trip Leader right away because it takes some time to arrange for extra seats. If your name is on the waitlist, you will be contacted in the order you signed up. So go ahead and add your name to the waitlist; there is no cost to do so. If you later change your mind and are no longer interested in that trip, you could send a courtesy email to the Trip Leader so your name can be removed from the waitlist.

Cancellation Insurance

HPSC strongly recommends that you have trip insurance for any long trip. If you are injured or get sick either beforehand or while on the trip you will want to have insurance so you can recover the cost of the trip. And here is an important reminder, “Put a photocopy of your insurance information in your ski jacket.” If something happens on the hill, you will want to have your OHIP card and insurance information at hand and not back in a hotel someplace. 

Bill Bates, Director

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Gear talk: snowshoe edition

Snowshoeing is a wonderful way to enjoy winter in the woods! Photo: Michael Connor

At HPSC, we also snowshoe. Snowshoeing is less complicated than skiing in terms of gear. Basically, you need snowshoes and a good pair of winter boots. While the basic idea of snowshoeing has remained the same (create more surface area to spread out your weight so you don’t sink in the snow), snowshoe technology is much different now than in the days of the wooden shoes. They are now made of lighter materials, such as aluminum (and we’re sure carbon fibre ones probably exist!) or plastic (durable and inexpensive, but will not have as much flex), they have various binding systems, and features like crampons to help you up icy slopes.

Like skis, the snowshoes you want will depend on the type of snowshoeing you plan to do. Are you going to be on well-packed terrain? Deep snow? Flat terrain? Hilly? Are you going to be doing something crazy like running in them? Snowshoes will have different features appropriate to different terrain.

To size them, you need to figure out the weight the snowshoes will be supporting (i.e. you + all your gear). For HPSC daytrips, the weight won’t be much more than your body weight, but if you are headed out on a backcountry trip fully loaded with camping gear, you are going to be much heavier. Snow conditions also play a role; for well packed snow, you can get by with a smaller surface area. But don’t get too caught up in this; any snowshoes will work, they just might not be the most effective for the conditions of the day. Get something that will work for the majority of snowshoeing you will do.

When you are ready to buy, bring the winter boots you plan on wearing and try on shoes. Different binding systems will feel more or less comfortable.

There are also accessories to consider such as heel lifts if you are going to be doing a lot of climbing, or tail extensions to give you more surface area if you need it. Many also snowshoe with poles, especially if you are in hilly terrain. Gaiters are also useful to prevent deep snow from getting inside your boots (speaking from experience…wet socks aren’t fun!).

You can see the use of snowshoes, poles, and gaiters! Photo: Michael Connor

For more information on snowshoes, check out this handy guide from MEC: https://www.mec.ca/en/explore/how-to-choose-snowshoes

Stay tuned for articles in November on waxing and clothing.

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Downhill Day Trips

Management of Daytrips for 2019-20 Season

As you may be aware, Erika Clark, the Director of Downhill Day Trips, resigned in late August.  In the meantime we have been searching for a new Director to take over the portfolio.  In late September, long-time member Justin Graham agreed to take over the logistics and management of Downhill daytrips for the upcoming season.  However, for personal reasons, he has chosen not to be the Director.  His title is Assistant Director of Day Trips.  Christine Bellerose, the Director of Ski School has agreed to also represent Day Trips on the HPSC Board of Directors. 

Erika is not going away but needed to step away from the Board to concentrate on her new job.  You will still see her on the bus, and she has agreed to help out where and when she can.  We would like to sincerely thank Erika for her fantastic leadership of Day Trips, and her extensive contribution to the club, over the last year and a half.  Good luck Erika and see you on the slopes!

Downhill Day Trips Schedule

The downhill day trips schedule is now finalized and is currently available as a downloadable PDF on the website under Our Trips – Downhill day trips – Downhill day trips registration.  You need to be logged in to the site. https://hpsc.ca/resources/Documents/Day%20Trips/Downhill_Day_Trip_Schedule_2019-20.pdf

We are working on adding all of the trips to the calendar but wanted to make sure that you have the schedule to start planning out your ski season.   The first trips will be open for registration by early November.   

Our first scheduled day trip is the annual Test Drive day to Mount St. Louis on Saturday December 7. 

As we have in the past few seasons, most Saturdays we are scheduled to go to Mount St. Louis; Sundays and Mondays to Blue Mountain; and Wednesdays to the variety of private clubs in the Collingwood area.  We have also added in a few new resorts – Mansfield Ski Club and Caledon Ski Club in Ontario; and Holiday Valley in New York.   

Some highlights for the upcoming season:

  • December 7 – First scheduled day trip and first Test Drive Day to Mount St. Louis.
  • December 30 – A special Holiday Week trip to a location the club has not gone to in a very long time – Mansfield Ski Club. 
  • January 11 – Member Appreciation Day and Double Double lesson day at Mount St. Louis.  This is a Member Only trip.
  • February 15 – Special Family Day Weekend day trip to Holiday Valley NY. Note this the only daytrip we will be running over the Family Day weekend.  This is a Member Only trip.
  • February 29 – Test Drive #2 at Mount St. Louis
  • March 21 – Sleep in Saturday.  We will also be going to a new resort for weekend skiers – Caledon Ski Club. 
  • Numerous Pizza days throughout the season at Mount St. Louis and Blue Mountain.
  • Almost every day trip is a Bring a Friend trip – please see the schedule for Bring a Friend trips.

New Pick Up Location Approved by the Board – Liberty Village

We are happy to announce that the HPSC Board of Directors has approved the addition of a new Downhill Day Trips pick up location. 

When we have enough registrants for a second bus, we will now be using a new pick up in the Liberty Village area to accommodate the growing number of members in that part of the city.  The pick-up location will be to the west of Lamport Stadium on Fraser Avenue.  This will be the second pickup after Queens Quay. 

For those using public transit, the King streetcar goes right past, and the Dufferin bus is just a couple of blocks away.  The Exhibition GO station is also within walking distance. For those who drive, there is a Green P paid parking lot on the south side of Lamport Stadium. 

NOTE – This location will only be listed and used (along with Queens Quay) when we have added a second bus to a trip after we have filled the first bus and have sufficient members on the wait list to justify a second bus.  

Information on all of our pick-up locations is located on the website:  https://hpsc.ca/Day-Trip-Pick-Up-Locations

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Membership

Early bird Prices expire on October 31st for membership renewals. But you may want to get in earlier as Thursday the 24th is the Overnight Bus Registration. 

Referral Program

When someone mentions your name as having referred them to the club (on the registration form), you get a bus voucher!!! This will be mailed to you in a short while. 
All bus vouchers currently in circulation must be used by MAY 2020. Check the bus daytrip schedule and plan your winter and use those vouchers!https://hpsc.ca/downhill-trip-registration-page EventViewMode=1&EventListViewMode=1

Membership Director

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Long Trips, Oct 22, 2019

Long Trips

Trip Sign-Up Night

Our third Trip Sign-Up Night (TSUN) happens this week on Thursday, October 24 starting at exactly 8:00 PM. Eight overnight bus trips go on sale for the first time. Login, go to the page of the trip you want and scroll down to the “Register” button. Don’t look for the button now; the “Register” button will appear only after 8:00 PM. Registration will continue 24 hours a day until each trip is sold out.

Getting on a Trip

The procedures for registering on TSUN are on the webpage, TRIP SIGN UP PROCESS. If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, do it right away because only those who have paid the membership fee for 2019-2020 are able to register.

Important about Wait Lists

If you see a “Join Waitlist” button instead of the “Register” button, do not think that you have missed out. Go ahead and add your name to the waitlist; there is no cost to do so. You will likely get on the trip in the coming weeks. This is why. Two seats are automatically held back so the Trip Leader can match roommates and deal with single room requests. Some people who have registered change their minds and bail. Some people have to cancel for a variety of reasons. If your name is on the waitlist, you will be contacted in the order you signed up.

Registered Attendees

When you register for a trip you can decide if you want your name added to the list of attendees. The list is not public and can only be seen by members after they login. If you don’t want your name shown, click on the flag and you will show up as “Anonymous”.  If you are already registered and want a change, contact the TL.

Charter Trips

TSUN for charter trips on October 10 was a frenetic evening. We had an overwhelming response as soon as the trips opened at 8:00 o’clock. Several trips sold out immediately and by the end of the evening almost every available seat was taken. The Long Trips Committee began working that same night to get our tour operators finding additional space for those on the waitlists. This was not something that could be done easily or quickly. Airlines had to be contacted, hotels contacted, new contracts prepared and then signed, website updated, etc. Our hope was to get a space for everybody on a waitlist. The rub is that the airlines will charge a higher price for a new block of seats. And the hotel may not have available rooms necessitating a different hotel. This will increase the price of the trip for any new registrants. While we will hold the same price wherever possible, the good deals we originally negotiated are going to be hard to repeat for additional participants.

Trip Leaders

Trip Leader names and contact information are now posted on a webpage. The page is open just to members so you must login to see it. If you have a question that isn’t answered in the detailed description, contact the TL.

Cancellation Insurance

HPSC strongly recommends that you have trip insurance for any long trip. If you are injured or get sick either beforehand or while on the trip you will want to have insurance so you can recover the cost of the trip. And here is an important reminder. Put a photocopy of your insurance information in your ski jacket! If something happens on the hill, you will want to have your OHIP card and insurance information at hand and not back in a hotel someplace. 

Parking for Overnight Trips

We are still searching for a new parking lot for our 2020 overnight bus trips. We need the help of our 1,100 members to locate a new lot. The lot would accommodate approximately 25 cars for the duration of each trip. If you know of a possible location or can assist us, please contact Kevin Chabot, Parking Coordinator, kchabot@ican.net .

Bill Bates, Director

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Trip Sign-Up Night

Trip Sign-Up Night (TSUN) happens this week on Thursday, October 10 starting at 8:00 PM. Six of the 2020 charter trips will go on sale for the first time. Login, go to the page of the trip you want and scroll down to the “Register” button. Don’t look for the button now; the “Register” button will appear only after 8:00 PM. Registration will continue 24 hours a day until the trip is sold out.

How to Sign Up

The procedures for registering on TSUN are on the webpage, TRIP SIGN UP PROCESS. You must be a paid up member for 2019-2020. If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, do so right away because membership approval takes a day or two.

Wait List

If you happen to see “Join Waitlist” button instead of the “Register” button, do not think that you have missed out. Go ahead and add your name to the waitlist; there is no cost to do so. You will likely get on the trip in a few days time. Here’s why. We automatically hold back a couple of seats to allow the Trip Leader time to match roommates and deal with the single room requests. Then we order more air seats and hotel space to accommodate the names on the waitlist. If there is a greater number on the waitlist than we can fit, we will arrange another trip. Last season we created a 2nd trip to Banff when the first trip was filled and all those on the Banff waitlist were able to sign up for it.

Deadlines

When you read over the detailed descriptions you will see that each charter trip has a deadline date. At that date, we must release all unsold air seats and hotel rooms. Even though a trip maybe later in the season, we still have a deadline imposed on us that is quite soon. For example our last trip to Taos, NM doesn’t depart until March 21. But the deadline date is Nov 26. Thus you have to look at the whole season when you are considering TSUN so that the season doesn’t slip by and you missed it.

Trip Leaders

Trip Leader names and contact information are now posted on a webpage. The page is only open to members so you must login to see it. If you have a question that isn’t answered in the detailed description, contact the TL.

Parking for Overnight Trips

This is important. If you want to help your club, you can assist us to find a new parking lot for our 2020 overnight bus trips. No one responded to our request last month so it is repeated this time. We need the help of our 1,100 members to locate a new lot. The lot would accommodate approximately 25 cars for the duration of each trip. If you can suggest a possible location, or want to assist us, please contact Kevin Chabot, Parking Coordinator, kchabot@ican.net .

Bill Bates, Director

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It’s ski swap time!

Highlands Nordic Ski Swap! 15% of proceeds goes to the Trailblazers (the race team).

Need new-to-you ski gear? Of course you do! Head on over to a couple of our favourite resorts for their annual fall ski swaps.

What’s a ski swap? People bring in their used ski gear and sell it to people who need used gear. There are two ski swaps in October…

Head on over to Hardwood Ski and Bike first on Oct. 19/20. If you don’t find what you’re looking for there, head on over to Highlands Nordic Oct. 26/27. Then show off your new-to-you skis when the snow flies!