December 2024 happenings...

This message has been sent to you {Organization_Name}
If you no longer want to receive these letters, you can unsubscribe at any time 

{Organization_URL}
 

CONC December Newsletter

President's Corner

Our Annual Meeting and Potluck last Friday was a fantastic success, thanks to Eileen Woodward and our amazing volunteers! The festive atmosphere and delicious food created the perfect backdrop to celebrate a year of fantastic outdoor activities and community engagement.

Volunteers are the Heart of CONC!

A huge shout-out goes to all our dedicated volunteers who make this club what it is. You keep our trails in great shape, lead fun outings and ski clinics, and advocate for the club at all levels. We wouldn't be here without you!

Thinking of joining the volunteer team? Simply check the relevant boxes in your WildApricot profile settings under "I am interested in getting notified about."

Incoming Leadership and Farewell:

I'd like to thank John Fertig and Linda Frost for their work on the Elections Committee. Our new slate of officers was voted in at the meeting:

  • President: Warren Preston

  • Vice President: Sue Sullivan

  • Secretary: Gary Elnan

  • Treasurer: Eileen Woodward

  • Co-Treasurer: Charlene Newman (appointed by the Board following the election)

A special thank you to Jan Cigoy, our outgoing secretary, for her dedicated service over the past five years.

See You in the New Year!

Looking forward to our next social event: an after-hours visit at Webskis on January 8th! Stay tuned for registration details.

Beyond Webskis, there's plenty to look forward to in the New Year. Keep an eye on the club's event calendar and your emails for exciting opportunities to get outdoors and connect with fellow members.

Don't Miss Out!

Ensure you receive all CONC emails by checking your Wild Apricot profile settings and adding conordicclub@wildapricot.org to your contacts. We don't want you to miss out on any fun!

Stay Connected, Stay Active!

Thank you for being part of the vibrant CONC community! Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, or suggestions at wppreston@yahoo.com.

Happy Trails!

Warren Preston

President

Upcoming Events

News and Announcements

New to XC skiing?  Got questions?

Attend the following CONC social and we will address your questions and help direct you on your quest to glide with confidence over snow:

WebSkis after hours shop visit

Jan. 8, 2025, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Ski Clinics

The first ski clinics, two sessions of Basic Beginner, have already happened!

And now the rest of the season's clinics are posted on the Events calendar, and registration is open.

There are seven different clinics offered, some with multiple sessions, throughout January and February.  The full list is available here, with dates and links to the events where you can register.

Use the App!

What's the easiest way to renew your membership?

What's the easiest way to register for an event?

What's the easiest way to cancel from an event?

Use the App!

CONordicClub.org is powered by software called Wild Apricot, and the Wild Apricot for members app is the easiest way to manage your membership and events.

The app is available for both Android and iOS.  Click below for guides to each.

Android app: A Guide for Members

iOS app: A Guide for Members

Give it a try!  There's an event scheduled for April 1, 20205 called Practice Event that exists solely for you to practice registering for and cancelling from.

How does this year’s snow depths compare with that of prior years?

To help answer that question, we can turn to data collected by the National Resources Conservation Service in the US Department of Agriculture. They measure snow across the US to help predict water availability for farmers. In Central Oregon, daily measurements of snow depths, water content, and temperature are recorded at automated, snotel sites. We have three of these nearby, near Three Creek, Santiam, and Walton Lake Sno-Parks; a link to these sites is available on the Resources page on the CONC website. The automated snow measurements are supplemented by manual measurements at Snow Survey sites. 

The following poster was displayed at the CONC winter party and some folks asked that it be included in the newsletter so it could be examined in more detail. As shown on this poster, three Snow Survey sites are located along the Cascade Lakes Highway: at Hungry Flat, Tangent, and Dutchman. Measurements of snow depth and snow water content are taken monthly. At Dutchman, monthly measurements at the beginning of April extend back 94 years to 1930. Measurements at the beginning of February and March for each of these Snow Survey sites extend back to the late 40’s or early 50’s. The graphs show the snow depth (blue bars) on February 1st, March 1st and April 1st for each site. The red line is the average through time. I’m not a snow scientist – but will toss out some observations:

  • There is considerable variability in snow depth through the years

  • Peak snow depths at Dutchman occurs with the April 1st survey

  • More variability in snow depth is observed at Tangent and Hungry Flat. Peak snow depths at these sites occurs earlier.

  • The change in snow depths through the years is indicated by the inclination of the red line. The greatest change, steepest inclination, is at Hungry Flat, followed by Tangent. 

Questions, drop me a note at bobtimmer@yahoo.com

CONC appreciates anything submitted to our account and we use all proceeds for our trail development and maintenance program. The CONC account number is 12958. Many thanks to all who have donated over the years!

Recent Events

Nov. 23: Snowshoe to Swampy Shelter

Eight snowshoers met at Skyline Park on a Saturday morning to head up to Swampy Sno Park. The drive up the Cascade Lakes highway was uneventful but there was already a steady stream of cars heading up to Mt Bachelor. Later weekend snowshoes will have to meet up earlier in order to beat traffic up to the mountain. 

We met up with two additional participants at the Sno Park and the whole group met up at the kiosk for introductions. As we headed out, the sun was peeking out and no snow was falling. We found the first part of the trail to be well-trod with a light layer of new snow over the top--easy walking. The trip leader demonstrated the important concept of avoiding walking too close to trees as one of her legs broke through the snow into the empty space around the tree. She needed a little help getting out and sheepishly reminded the group to avoid tree wells. 

We got to the first junction and discovered that the trail had not been broken from there. Participants started taking turns being the leader and breaking trail for the group. Everyone was enthusiastic about the additional effort required and we soon found ourselves at the Swampy Shelter. We stopped inside for a snack break and discussed whether we wanted to complete the loop or head back the way we came in order to avoid having to keep breaking trail. The group decided to continue breaking trail to complete the loop. Snow was now falling continuously as we headed out again, making for beautiful surroundings as we slowly worked our way around the loop. We made it back to the original junction and previously trod trail. It was easy-going to get back to the trailhead and we passed the only other snowshoers we saw all day. We let them know that we had kindly broken the trail to the shelter for them. 

We made it back to the trailhead a little over 4 hours after we started. Everyone was happy to get back to their cars after the morning's exertions. 

Dec. 5: Todd Lake Snowshoe

Six snowshoers, including several Bend newcomers, completed the Todd Lake snowshoe loop on this beautifully sunny day. The lake was frozen over, and the sun-exposed flats had a topping of large, shiny crystalline flakes that must have formed during the recent freeze-thaw cycles.

Unusual and pretty cool!

"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold."

— Aristotle