Cazenovia Ski Club

Welcome to the latest incarnation of “View from the Ridge”, the Cazenovia Ski Club Newsletter, back after a year’s absence. In editing the newsletter, I follow in the footsteps of Dennis Harrod, who seemed to turn out informative and witty issues effortlessly throughout his tenure. Hopefully, my transition from wise-cracks and one-liners to literate writing that might compare favorably with Dennis’s won’t prove to be a quantum leap.

The plan is to post a newsletter monthly throughout the ski season and occasionally during the months before and after. Besides emailing to the membership, we will look at the possibility of posting issues on the website, Andy Johnson’s informative and professional looking effort (if you haven’t been able to access the website, try using Google as a search engine). Hard copies will be available at the A-frame.

The membership is invited to forward comments, concerns or information about upcoming events to me at pataneap@twcny.rr.com.

Tony Patane

A Memorable Winter:

We would all be remiss if we did not offer up a belated toast to our favorite mythical deity, Ullr, God of Snow, who visited us often this winter bringing lots of “gifts”. It was a winter from olden days. You knew it was going to be a great one when all of your non-skiing friends began wailing a Greek chorus about the snow, the cold, and “Why didn’t we go to Florida?”- and it was only Christmas Eve!

If Christmas road conditions kept you from traveling to visit your families, your disappointment would be quickly forgotten a few turns into your first run through bottomless powder the next day. From the Cat Track to Claude’s, the skiing was sensational. Truly fortunate were the earlybirds who got in a number of “Spiritual Descents through the Great Untracked” before everyone else arrived.

Volunteers made snow around-the-clock through the four and a half day January cold snap. Thanks to airless guns, Sno-max and the movement of tectonic plates, “Mound Everest, a corpulent snow pile of Himalayan proportions, rose from the ground just above mid-station. Younger skiers used it as a two story terrain park. Barclay Talbot used it as a kicker to launch “The Mother of all Gelandesprungs”.

Later in the winter, unusually deep snow expanded the club’s ski-able terrain. The rarely skied glade between TNT and the ravine saw tracks as did the glade between the t-bar and Claude’s, starting from the cat track.

A winter's worth of nature’s bounty melted away in a surprisingly short time in late March. Unlike the previous spring, die-hards were denied the pleasure of two-stepping up the t-bar line over foam pads and synthetic carpet to ski the main hill’s discontinuous islands of snow. A small patch that was the last vestige of “Mound Everest” could still be seen from the deck at the Kentucky Derby Party. After that - “no mas”.

So at some quiet moment in the near future - perhaps you’re relaxing after a game of golf, sailing or a long bike ride, - please take the time to reflect upon our memorable winter . Hoist a flaggard of ale, a glass of wine or a soda, and toast our friendly deity Ullr. Invite him to return to our club as a welcome guest as often as he likes. If we don’t do this –who knows? He may not visit us next year!

Numberology:

31	Number of new club members for 2002-03. Welcome to each of you from all of us!
53	Number of days the club was open this winter.
56	Number of hours we made snow this winter (way less than last year). Thanks to the volunteers who hauled hoses and stumbled from bed to check the guns!
120	Number of hours the new cat spent grooming. Thanks Tom Talbot, Jim King, Rich White and Matt White!
TOO MANY	Number of times the membership of the Greasy Gore-tex Gang ascended the hill bearing ladders, ropes, come-alongs and an abundance of angst to “re-rail” the derailed t-bar cable. Thanks to each of you for keeping the boarders boarding and the skiers skiing!
16,000	Number of reasons the bank account says it was a great year.

The Mad Cat:
Let’s be frank. The Mad Cat saved our butts during the storm-less, snow-less winter of 2001-02. Our “freshies” were mixed with Sno-max and fell from tall, skinny guns. The Mad Cat ground up frozen clumps with its tiller and filled in thin areas with its blade. If not great, snow conditions were far better than they would have been had we only been able to roll the hill.

Nature gave us real “freshies” this past winter. The Mad Cat was on the job for 120 hours tilling and moving snow. Although it wasn’t called upon to rescue our season, the Cat certainly enhanced our experience, especially for cruisers and intermediates.

The point, I guess, is that purchasing the cat was money well spent. Now we need to build it a home.

A Mad Cat House:
Plans are underway to start construction of a pole barn to house both the Mad Cat and the “Geriatric” Cat. The pole barn will be sited next to the snowmaking garage at the lower parking lot. Grading, framing and roofing will take place sometime this summer. Siding and doors will be left for another year. In the interim, we will use tarps as walls. The pole barn will protect our investment in the Mad Cat by getting it out of the weather. Moving the older cat and the shop to the pole barn will free up space in the current shop for ski storage and lockers to be added at a later date.

Work Parties:
Work parties will be scheduled at various times during the summer and fall. Check your email for scheduling notices. Your help is always appreciated. Volunteers have already repaired ice storm damage to the t-bar line, removed limbs downed during the storm, taken the t-bars off and oiled the cable.

Rookies of the Year:
Whitney Denison, Stewie Falso and any other youngsters who made their initial foray down the hill on their own boards this winter. No points deducted for being harnessed to Mom or Dad. Congratulations! You’re the club’s future!

Best extreme ski run not filmed by Warren Miller:
Chris Cote’s impromptu, warp speed, double ejection launch near the phone booth. He fell to earth somewhere "downabout" but stuck the landing in his ski boots (or so he claims). Chris was not nearly so shaken by his heart stopping flight as he was to learn that none of the membership in residence on the deck bore witness to it! Apparently, all were busy waxing rhapsodic about beer and telling lies about their ski runs. Bummer about the lack of audience, Chris! Glad that you survived intact, though!

New Board Members:
The names of Russ Brownback and Doug Falso have been proudly added to the venerable membership of the Board..

Highlight of the Year, Without a Doubt:
Tom Talbot, back on his feet looking svelte and healthy, at the Kentucky Derby Party! If you hadn’t heard, Tom suffered a heart attack in March and was taken by ambulance to St. Joe’s. Happily, he is recovering nicely and is currently alternating his time between work and his rehabilitation program.