November 16th Grooming Report
Welcome Back!
What a start! Never--in the past few decades at least--has the Pisten Bully been able to make its initial appearance on the very first day of the official Trail Creek ski season. Hopefully this is a sign that the winds of change are blowing in a very good direction--snow in; virus out!
In case you haven’t noticed, we are still in the grip of a pandemic, which means that, on the one hand it is an awesome time to safely Nordic ski, but on the other hand some changes have had to happen. The main thing you will notice is that, for the time being, the cabin is closed except for emergencies, (Trail Creek fee box is still OPEN--Remember to purchase your membership!) The toilet is available; remember to use the hand sanitizer. no matter how chilly. The Trail Creek Covid Policy is available through the link and is below.
And now about the skiing: The Pisten Bully has carefully ventured forth, grooming the close field, Homeward and Outward Bound, Moose Loop, Armin’s, and Lower Homesite. Today’s plans include the addition of Woolsey Woods and the rest of the National Forest trails except for Black Hole/Boiler.
For the foreseeable future, the trails close to the end of the Old Pass Road will not be groomed in hopes of decreasing dog walking pressure during this challenging time.
While the cabin is closed, the grooming report will be posted in the morning with anticipated actions and conditions for the day. In general, the schedule this year will be having grooming done by noon on school days, with grooming beginning at first light on weekends.
Groomer’s choice for today is to get those skis out of the closet and come check out some Pisten Bully grooming at Trail Creek today. Armin’s could be your best bet if your quest is for a great Nordic ski!
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Nordic Families:
It's winter! After all the snowfall this week we have been working hard to make sure Trail Creek is groomed and ready to go! Steve the Groomer brought out the Pisten Bully today and the coverage is looking great. Expect midwinter conditions out there.
One reason we were so eager to get out on the trails is that it allows us to all space out in the woods and get exercise without being too close. However, with Juniors, Devos, and Prep/Comp all at Trail Creek starting Monday there will be a lot of kids. We need to ensure that from Day 1 we all follow certain guidelines to hold practice safely. When you are dropping your child off or driving to Trail Creek yourself, it is MANDATORY that every one of us follow these guidelines:
1) Wear a mask or face covering at the start of practice and whenever you cannot maintain at least 6 feet of distance, such as during a team meeting. Maintain at least 6 feet of distance between athletes and parents wherever possible. Trail Creek is expansive, so when it is not mandatory we can spread out.
2) The Cabin is OFF LIMITS to all athletes unless in the case of an emergency. Coaches will provide wax for classic skiing if necessary away from the cabin. Please come to practice ready to ski! If you need to wait after practice for parent pickup, make sure you have a warm coat to put on while standing. The bathroom is in the usual location between the cabin and junior cabin and is fully accessible if needed.
3) No gear storage at Trail Creek. This includes the Junior Cabin, the prep/comp lockers, etc. We are trying to minimize dense congregation zones. I understand this is difficult for some athletes and parents, but with the move to virtual school it may be easy to take gear with you.
4) To spread out teams even more, we will be using multiple meet-up points and entrances to reduce mass congregations. Please see the attached photo to see where your athlete should meet and be picked up at the end of practice:
Prep/comp will meet in front of the Cabin. Juniors will meet near the trees across from the Cabin. Devos will meet down the road at a new access gate and trail. This gate is just after the speed bump further out the Old Pass Road. A sign and coaches will be there marking the spot.
5) Please try and maintain social distancing while out on the trails. We have a lot of room to spread out, use it!
Parents: It is important when dropping off and picking up your kids that you go to the proper location and that you do not turn around or idle right in front of the Cabin. Go all the way to the end of the parked cars before turning around. Idling and picking up your child in front of the cabin creates congestion that can block entry to the Old Pass Road and block traffic on the highway. Smooth and safe meeting and pickup are contingent on these guidelines.
If we all follow these rules, we can just get back to what it is really all about.....going skiing!
I am very stoked to see all of you out on the trails and ski with everybody at Trail Creek this winter! We are extremely lucky to have such an early opening at Trail Creek this year. It is definitely a bright spot in these fraught times.
Please contact me or your team head coach if you have any questions, concerns, or comments.
See you out on the trails!
Will
