EXECUTIVE CORNER
Your CORE executive continues to work on projects to improve the club experience and promote safety.
Wilderness First Aid Course:
CORE is sponsoring a Wilderness First Aid Course to be paid for by the Peterman Education Endowment (money that was bequeathed to the club from the estate of one of our former members). Planned date is from 9 to 5 p.m. on April 22.
The course will be taught by Nicole Elder who also teaches first aid courses to the Calgary Police. There will be two assisting instructors in addition to Nicole, so we will have lots of resources. Activities will include some class room time as well as outside demonstrations and practice; the course does not include any certification. Note that the cost of the course is covered by the Education Fund, and therefore there is no charge to CORE members. There will be the option for attendees to purchase a handbook from the instructor for $45. Participants should bring their back packs with gear (summer / winter) and any first aid kits/items you normally carry. Nicole will access what can be used as first aid items and provide further advice.
The course is limited to 25 people, and a waiting list will be maintained. If you sign up and find you cannot attend, you must let the event coordinator know as soon as possible. That way, people on the waiting list can be accommodated.
Please check the CORE Calendar for location and signup details.
And now, on with the show……
January/Febuary 2017 ACTIVITY SCOREBOARD
We’ve had full Winter season with numerous day-outings as well as a week-long back country ski trip to Wells Gray park in BC .
A few highlights:
Jan 22 – Chester Lake Snowshoe
……………………………………………….
Jan 28 – Bowness Park Skating
……………………………………………………………………………….
Jan 28 – Mt Norquay Snowshoe
……………………………………………………………………….
Feb 10 – West Bragg Creek x-c Ski
………………………………………………………………….
Feb 11 Confederation Park Urban Outing
…………………………………………………………………………………..
Feb 12 – Spray Lakes Snowshoeing
…………………………………………………………………..
Feb 12-18 – Fight Meadows Lodge Back Country Ski Trip
………………………………………………………………………………….
Feb 25 – Bowness Park Urban Walk
……………………………………………………………
Feb 25 – PLPP x-c Ski
………………………………………………..
Mar 5 – Kananaskis Village
……………………………………………………..
February 2017 Club Meeting
The February members meeting featured mountaineer Andrew Brash talking about his life and experiences climbing some of the world’s highest peaks. Andrew is also a local Calgary high school teacher, so some very lucky students get exposed to more that just the 3 R’s.
If you don’t already know his story, in May of 2006, Andrew took the final step towards his life-long goal of climbing Mount Everest. Just two hundred meters from the Everest summit, Andrew’s dream was cut short for a noble cause. Andrew and his team called off their final ascent to assist an Australian climber, Lincoln Hall, who had been left for dead by his own team. They spent many hours helping Lincoln to recover and organizing his rescue. His Everest climb and rescue is summarized here: http://www.andrewbrash.com/climb.
Some pictures from Andrew’s presentation:
Andrew Brash – Everest 2006 |
Andrew Brash – Mt Makalu from Everest |
Andrew Brash – First Climbs |
CORE Presentation Coordinators and Mountaineer Andrew Brash |
March 2017 Club Meeting
The March club members meeting will be held at the Scarboro Community Centre TUESDAY. 28 March, 7:00 pm. Presentation by CORE members David and Edna – Walking the Camino Portuguese 2016.
Wells Gray and Fight Meadows Backcountry Ski Trip
Forty centimetres of snow had fallen over the last few days and there was not a sign of human beings having been in the huge meadow. The helicopter had settled into the snow, so we got out carefully, not knowing how far down we would sink. Turns out we were thigh high in powder. Once the helicopter left there was only silence.
We waded though the snow carrying our boxes of food, and our skis, to the door of the chalet. Someone had skiied in a few days ago to turn on the heat, so it was warm and cozy inside.
Over the course of the week, we made trails all over that meadow and through the woods into the alpine. As the weather warmed up, we switched to touring lower down and skiied amongst the trees to avoid avalanche risks.
In the evenings we tried out the sauna, and sampled scotch on icicles. Two hearty skiers braved the long, tough ski out, while the rest flew out with the supplies. All in all it was a relaxing week, and fun was had by all!!CORE Photo Albums
In case you didn’t know, any CORE member can create a photo Album attached to the CORE website and upload your favorite photos from an outing. Instructions are provided on the website the “Guides” menu dropdown.
You can also download the hi-res version of any of the photos posted in an album. Just click on the “Download File” arrow above any picture you select, then (for PC users) right-click on the original image to download it to your computer.
Special Events Program
In 2012, the CORE Executive Committee implemented a limited financial guarantee program for special club events. The purpose of the program is to help coordinators to proceed with organizing events which could have a significant up-front cost to the coordinator, a cost that might not be fully recoverable if a sufficient number of members do not sign up for the event or if signed-up participants fail to pay their share of the up-front costs and/or fail to attend the event. If you as a club coordinator are thinking of organizing such an event, please read over the Special Event Program guidelines and submit the downloadable form to the CORE Executive.
A few points to consider for organizers and participants:
8. A participant who has signed up for an Event, or who has otherwise committed in writing to participate in an Event, is responsible for payment of their Participant Fees and those of their guests.
They will also be requested to pay their share of any non-refundable deposit at approximately the time such up-front costs must be committed to by the coordinator.
9. The coordinator at all times remains fully responsible for the collection of and accounting for Participant deposits and fees, and shall endeavor to minimize the cost to CORE of the Event, including making the decision to cancel the Event or revise its conditions due to changing participation levels.
Random Stuff
Members Survey
In January the CORE executive issued a survey with questions regarding the interest in and timing of CORE meetings. We actually received about 70 responses out of a core membership of 150. The survey showed that about 70% of the membership attend CORE meetings from time to time, and there was a fairly even split in a preference for Tuesday or Thursday evening meeting nights.
Given hall availability and pre-arranged presenters over the next few months, we’ve decided to continue holding CORE meetings on Tuesdays.
Thank you to all who participated in the survey.
Contacting your CORE Executive
Members are welcome to contact your Executive via email. Our email addresses are available on the Executive Contact Info page on the CORE website. Use your Member password to access.
Cross Country Skiing – Some History
HERMAN “JACKRABBIT” SMITH-JOHANNSEN (1875-1987)
You must feel the tug of your muscles as you near the top of a long grade, and know the joy of making your own track down an unbroken expanse of powder snow. This is skiing. This is adventure!
Jackrabbit Johannsen, circa 1946.
Often when I have been out with “younger” skiers, or those who have not experienced the trails in Ontario and Quebec, I find they think that childrens’ Jack Rabbit ski programs have something to do with bunnies hopping through the woods. In fact x-c skiing in Canada and the US was pioneered by Jackrabbit Johannsen, who spent many years in the Laurentians carving out trails and popularizing the sport. You can find this statue of “Jackrabbit” in the Sports Hall of Fame at COP, right here in Calgary. Check out this slightly dated NFB film featuring Jackrabbit and the Canadian Ski Marathon.
In 1972, Jackrabbit Johannsen was awarded the Order of Canada. In the 1970s, he was a patron of the Canadian Ski Marathon and became involved in the Jackrabbit Ski League, a national ski program named in his honour and responsible for training thousands of young skiers. In 1982, at the age of 107, he was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.
Here is a YouTube video where he is interviewed (en francais) by a reporter from Radio Canada. At one point he says (my translation): “Canada in February and March is much better than Florida.” Wouldn’t you agree?
You can find the complete story of his life and accomplishments at this link.
……………………………………..
See you on the the trails…
ANnIE
