· Skate lesson for Level 3 skate, Level 4s and advanced skate group; Classic lesson for all other groups
· Meet instructors in the Biathlon Stadium in front of Biathlon Building for 10:00 am start.
· Trail passes $4 for sale at Biathlon Building

Sports Day
· Remember your family’s contribution to the communal lunch table- vegetables, chips/pretzels, fruit, or cookies/squares. It must be something that can be eaten with your fingers; this is a no-utensil event! The Club supplies hot dogs, veggie dogs and drinks (juice & water).
· There is bleacher seating in the Biathlon area; you may wish to bring a foamie or something similar to sit on.
· Parents, Sports Day is an “on skis” event

*If the weather is poor we will eat in the Biathlon Bldg meeting room

Mar 13^th - BWJR Sports Day - Canmore Nordic Centre

This Sunday is our combined final lesson & sports day. The format for the day is:

9:35 onward – stow gear & buy trail pass @ the Biathlon Building
9:55 – Lessons start…. Meet your instructor in front of the Biathlon Building
11:30 - Lessons finish & Games begin in the Biathlon Stadium.
12:30 - Hot dog lunch outside* (adjacent to the Biathlon Stadium).
1:00 – Cookie Medal Presentation & Group Photos

We ask each family to bring something for the communal lunch table- vegetables, chips/pretzels, fruit, or cookies/squares. It must be something that can be eaten with your fingers; this is a no-utensil event! The Club supplies hot dogs, veggie dogs and drinks (juice & water).

There is bleacher seating in the Biathlon area; you may wish to bring a foamie or something similar to sit on.

*If the weather is poor we will eat in the Biathlon Bldg meeting room

Mar 8^th - Submit Photos for AGM by Easter Sunday

For all the photographers in the group:

Peter Maas has kindly offered to coordinate the year-end slideshow. Please send your jackrabbits & touring group photos to him: spmaas@shaw.ca .

Please get your photos in by Easter Sunday.

Mar 8^th - Bring your skills book.

For children in levels 1 thru 4, please bring your CCC Jackrabbits Skill Development book with you to the lesson tomorrow. They need to be updated to reflect your child’s progress this year. Please drop them off in the meeting room upstairs.

You should have a skills development book if you skied with:
· BWJR last year (if you did not attend the AGM last year we have your book)
· U of C
· Were in Level 1 or above for the 2006/07 season.

Please ensure your child’s name is on the front cover.

The books will be updated and presented to the kids at our end of season wrap-up on April 5th.

Mar 8^th - Lesson is a Go

The Canmore lesson is a go tomorrow. There is plenty of snow there and trail conditions are good to excellent. Remember to put your clocks ahead one hour tonight!

Trail passes are $4 per person (no charge for instructors and kids under 6) – Exact change please. Trail passes will be for sale in our usual meeting room upstairs in the Day Lodge.

This is a skate lesson for the Level 3 skate, Level 4 and the Advanced skate group. Please prepare your skis accordingly - no kick wax. For Level 4+ please remember chin height poles if you have them.

Bunnies, Bryan’s group and Level 3 Classic please wax for a classic lesson.

Mar 7^th - Slide Show For AGM

One of the highlights of our wrap up event is the slideshow of BWJRs skiing throughout the season. This very popular slideshow needs a creator!

Reply soon if you are willing to put this together. After sports day we will canvass club members and ask them to submit their digital pics to you for possible inclusion in the show.

The slideshow is slated for Saturday evening April the 5th.

Feb 28^th - Lake Louise Weekend
A few details,
· In addition to skiing there is skating, and often a hockey game on Saturday afternoon. So if you are so inclined bring your skates and gear.
· On Saturday morning there are usually a few family ski trips. Check in the kitchen/at breakfast for details
· Board games can be a lot of fun, and a healthy change from the activity. Bring your favourite(s). There will be plenty of other folks to play with
· Pack extra mitts, socks and pants for the kids. There is often quite a lot of playing in the snow, including after the loppet.
· The hostel has a communal kitchen with large fridges. Bring your own food for breakfasts, lunches and Friday supper.
· Bring a towel(s) for showering.

The Family dinner is at 5:30 Saturday night in the hostel kitchen. We expect to be staying & eating in the smaller hostel building but won’t know until we arrive. Please come by early to help with food prep (between 4:00 and 4:30) or plan to stay after and help with clean-up. We expect that everyone will help with the prep, serving and clean-up. Kids usually set the tables and older kids often wash/help wash the dishes.

Feb 23^rd - Sports Day Volunteers Needed
Our annual sports day event is scheduled for March 16th at Canmore Nordic Centre. There will be a ski lesson from 10:00 until 11:30 that morning, followed by fun activities and lunch. We expect to be finished by 1:30 pm.

We need your help. If you have not yet volunteered for our club this year, this is your opportunity! It’s a great way to get to know other people in the club while fulfilling your volunteer commitment. We need to fill the following roles:

Event organizer – we need 1 or 2 more people to plan the event and oversee the running of it. Debbie Hall, who has run it for a number of years, will assist the organizers with the planning. This role involves planning 3 to 5 fun activities for the kids (we have 5 or so from past years; it would be good to come up with a couple of new ones this year) and coordinating with the food crew, the station managers and the baker(s).

Food Crew – 3 people to coordinate the food. We usually provide a hot dog lunch, with drinks and chips for the kids and have families bring veggies/appetizers and deserts.

Station Managers – 6 to 8 people to man the event stations. You will be instructed as to what to do.

Baker(s) – One of our traditions is presenting the kids with BWJR cookie medallions at Sports Day. So we need a baker or two to bake and ice the cookies. We will furnish the recipe and the diagram for icing the medals. We need about 6 dozen cookies.

Photographer for the event

Please contact me this week with any questions and let me know which role you are prepared to fulfil.

Regards,
Nancy

Feb 23^rd - Tomorrow's Classic Lesson is a Go!
Please remember the following:

1. Wax for changing conditions
2. Sunscreen
3. Kevin Hall will be collecting the Lake Louise Loppet forms & fees in the hut at lunchtime tomorrow. This is your last chance to get 10% off the earlybird pricing!
4. Lake Louise Hostel Weekend – group dinner…. If you have not paid you must do so tomorrow. Rob Elliott will be collecting dinner money (or cheques payable to S. Duska please) in the hut at lunchtime tomorrow. Cost is $8 per person over 6.

Have a great ski

Feb 9^th - Lake Louise Loppet
Kevin Hall has run out of Lake Louise Loppet forms, but if you would still like to register and get 10% discount you can go to the Calgary Ski Clubs website (Entry Form PDF) to print the form. Please bring them by Feb 24th if interested.

Feb 9^th - Tomorrow's Lesson is a GO!
Tomorrow’s lesson at the Canmore Nordic Centre is a go. It is often windy at CNC in the morning so dress accordingly.

You must come upstairs to buy trail passes. Passes are $4 for adults and kids 6 and over (correct change please). No charge for instructors and kids under 6.

We have the upstairs meeting room all day & the heating and ventilation system seem to be working again. The cafeteria is now open. Please do not leave your gear downstairs in the day lodge.

Please have your kids in the Cross Country Stadium in front of the day Lodge with skis on and ready to go at 5 minutes before 10:00 am.

Have a great ski

Feb 6^th - Goat Creek Trip Filling Up
Dave reports that the Goat Creek trip is filling up nicely. Currently there are 27 skiers registered so it should be a great time. We need just three more skiers to break even on the shuttle bus.

Please contact Dave @ dave@lindsays.ca if you are interested in participating. Details are below in the January 20th posting.

Feb 6^th - Adult Lesson Sunday
I'm planning on giving a ski lesson for parents this coming Sunday at Canmore after lunch. For those of you who don't know me, I was a Jackrabbit instructor with the club for many years.

This lesson will cover classic (stride and glide) technique. We'll meet at 12:45 and go for about 2 hours. If you're skiing on heavier 3-pin gear, I suggest that you think about renting lighter gear at Trail Sports (across from the main building) - $15 for a recreational package for 2 hours, or $20 for the full day.

The lesson would be particularly useful to parents who are thinking about instructing next year. I'd like to limit the group to 10; if I get a greater response, priority will be given to parents who are instructing or have expressed interest in instructing. If there's an overwhelming response, I may be able to get another former BWJR instructor and we'd be able to take more people.

Please email me @ jurick@telus.net if you're interested.

Rick Badgery

Feb 6^th - Volunteers for Sunday
We may be in need of a parent or two to help us with the skate skiing lesson this weekend at Canmore. You would be paired with an instructor or two depending on the size of the group. Duties include keeping track of the kids, helping with the games and drills and acting as sweep for the group whenthey go out on the trails for a ski. If you have a little one to be taken care of or skied with, we ought to be able to arrange for that, if your child would be comfortable with one of us rather than their parent.

If you can help please let Kevin Hall (e-mail @ kwhall@ucalgary.ca) & I know as soon as possible. We will try to get back to you before Sunday to let you know if your assistance will be required.

Feb 2^nd - Tomorrow's Lesson is a GO!
The February 3rd lesson at the Canmore Nordic Centre is a go. It is often windy at CNC in the morning so dress accordingly.

You must come upstairs to buy trail passes. Passes are $4 for adults and kids 6 and over (correct change please). No charge for instructors and kids under 6.

We have the upstairs meeting room all day & the heating and ventilation system seem to be working again. The cafeteria is now open. Please do not leave your gear downstairs in the day lodge.

Bunnies & Bryan’s Group (Level 1 – 2)

The Bunnies and Bryan’s group will have a classic lesson.
Please make sure children have something to drink and a snack with them for level 1 & 2.
Extra mitts are also a good idea.

Debbie & Kevin’s Groups (Level 3 & 4)

Skate lesson Sunday. Please ensure your child/teens skis have glide wax but no kick wax on them for skating. Skate skis are not necessary, but if you have them, wear them of course.

Please have your kids in the Cross Country Stadium in front of the day Lodge with skis on and ready to go at 5 minutes before 10:00 am.

Jan 26^th - Tomorrow's Lesson is a GO!
The January 27th lesson at the Peter Lougheed Visitor Centre (PLVC) is a GO!

We will meet for a classic lesson at 10:00 sharp on the trails, between the main road and the PLVC Parking Lot. Once you reach the parking lot, look for kids playing in the snow and you will find us!

Level 1&2 group – Nigel Bankes will be leading the lesson as Bryan M. is away this week.

Reminder

1. Goat Creek - Bring your money - $14/head- for those going on this trip. Either cash or a cheque payable to the trip coordinator, Dave Rempel, is fine. Dave won’t be there tomorrow, so please give $ to Nancy Stapley.

2. Group Supper Lake Louise Hostel Weekend – For those attending, please pay Susan Duska, weekend coordinator, or Nancy Stapley, for the supper. It is $8 per person; no charge for children 6 and under. Either cash or a cheque payable to Susan Duska, the coordinator, is fine.

Jan 26^th - Lake Louise Loppet Entry Forms
Kevin Hall will have entry forms for the Lake Louise Loppet at tomorrow’s lesson. The Calgary Ski Club will give us a 10% discount on loppet entry fees if forms are in by the early bird date. See Kevin for your entry form(s) tomorrow. Competed forms & payment must be returned to Kevin by Sunday Feb 24th.

- We receive 10% off the early bird price……so BWJR price is $31.50 per adult (15 yrs & older as at Dec 31.08); $18 for a tween/teen that will be 11-14 on Dec 31.08;$4.50 for children who will be 4-10 at Dec 31.08

- Cheques for entrance fees should be payable to Calgary Ski Club

Thanks to Kevin Hall who arranged for and has kindly offered to coordinate this for the club.

Jan 25^th - Lake Louise Loppet Volunteers Needed
Are you skiing in the loppet this year? If not please consider helping to stage the event!

The Calgary Ski Club has asked BWJR members not skiing in the event to help out with the Lake Louise Loppet this year. They are expecting fewer volunteers from CSC than usual (there is another event on) and it takes a lot of volunteers to put on a quality event.

There are a variety of volunteer positions including timing, handing out refreshments, registration, and running on race day, as well as jobs that could be filled on the Saturday or Friday prior. Volunteer info is on their website - http://www.calgaryskiclub.org/files_generated/xc_race.htm.

Please consider lending a hand.

Jan 24^th - Lake Louise Hostel Weekend Group Dinner
On the Saturday night of the Lake Louise Hostel weekend, we are hosting a group dinner. This is generally lots of fun, with families helping with meal prep, kids sitting together for the meal, and older kids/teens doing dishes while adults linger at the table after supper. There can be as many as 50 for dinner.

The menu is soft beef tacos with all the trimmings or vegetarian chilli; salad & raw veggies; cake; some munchies beforehand. There will be juice and water for the kids to drink. Adults are welcome to bring something to sip on - wine or beer is fine. The cost is $8 per person, free for kids 6 and under.

If you would like to attend the group dinner, please do the following:

1. RSVP - e-mail Susan Duska and let her know how many from your family will be attending; # of vegetarians or those preferring veggie chilli to tacos; # in your family 6 and under. Sue’s e-mail is sbduska@shaw.ca.

2. Pay for Your Dinner – at the upcoming lesson or one in February. Please bring either cash or a cheque payable to S. Duska. You can pay Susan or Nancy Stapley. Cut-off for RSVP’s and payment are February 24th.

Jan 20^th - Goat Creek Trip Feb 17^th
The details for the annual Goat Creek Trip are below. To register - send a note to Dave Rempel (dave@lindsays.ca) with the names of your family members who are planning to take the bus to the Goat Creek trailhead. Deadline for payment and registration is February 10th. Seats on the bus will be allocated in the order registration is received.

This trip is open to members of Bow Waters Jackrabbits only.

Goat Creek to Banff Ski Trip

An 18 km nordic-style tour starting from the Goat Creek trailhead, which is above Canmore on the Smith-Dorrien road. The trip ends at the Banff Golf Course, near the Banff Springs Hotel. A bus will pick up our group at the Banff Golf Course parking area (see attached maps for location). Then the bus will take us to the trailhead above Canmore, where everyone will start the trip.

Note that seats on the bus are limited, so please reserve your spot(s) early!

Optional: For those jackrabbits who prefer not to do the entire 18-km trip, they can instead start at the Banff Golf Course trailhead, and just ski on the Spray River trail as far as they like, then return.

Duration: Most jackrabbits should take approximately 3-4 hours, depending on snow conditions. Some may take 4-5 hours.

Meeting place: Banff Golf Course trailhead - turn off Spray Avenue on to the golf course road and park at the Bow Falls viewpoint. See attached maps.

Start time: 9:00 AM, the bus will depart for the Goat Creek trailhead at 9:30 AM

Cost: $14 per person (for the bus). To sign up for the bus, please send a note to Dave Rempel (dave@lindsays.ca) with the names of those who plan to be on the bus. Also, please bring a cash or cheque payable to Dave Rempel to one of the upcoming Bow Waters Jackrabbits trips and give the payment to Dave or Nancy Stapley.

Deadline for sign up is Sunday February 10.

More info...
Since the trailhead at the Canmore end is It is downhill for some of the way, with little or no elevation gain. According to Parks Canada, as of today are good and double trackset.

Where the trip starts; a more detailed map follows...

Detailed Map (note that North points left)

Jan 19th - Tomorrow's Lesson Cancelled
January 20th cancelled due to cold weather. See you on the 27th!

Jan 14th - The Schedule Has Been Updated
Please have a look at the updated schedule.

Jan 13th Ski is a go
We will meet for a classic lesson at 10:00 sharp in front of the Peter Lougheed Visitor Centre (PLVC). We meet on the trails, between the main road and the PLVC Parking Lot. Once you reach the parking lot, look for kids playing in the snow and you will find us!

Thank you to those who were on time last weekend. We will start the groups off at 10:00 am starting with the Level 3/4s and working our way down to bunnies. If you are late it is up to you to accompany your child until you find his/her group and can hand them off to the instructor. Please make sure your child(ren)s skis are properly waxed and they have all their equipment.

If your child’s equipment is not functional (missing or broken poles; ill-fitting equipment) they will hold their group back. Your child’s instructor may place your child with a lower level group until equipment problems are resolved or have your child ski with you for the day rather than hold others in the lesson back. If you have questions about equipment ask another club member or your child’s instructor.

Jan 6th Ski is a go
This Sunday’s lesson is a go for Pocaterra. Please meet your instructor in front of the Pocaterra hut by the ski racks; be ready to ski at 10:00 am.For families that are skiing for the first time this week, please find Nancy Stapley in the hut or Bryan McKenney (lead instructor) in front of the hut and we match your child(ren) with their instructor(s). Your kids need a snack and a drink with them during the lesson.

Dec 30th Family Ski
For those who wish to ski tomorrow, there will be a family ski outing leaving from Pocaterra Hut at 10:30 am. Bring snacks, something to drink and a lunch. We will do a longer ski, so families with smaller children may want to join us for the first part of the ski or find others with young kids and select an alternate route.

Dec 16th Classic Lesson is a Go
Tomorrow’s lesson at Canmore is a go!

Please come 10-15 minutes early to wax skis for a Classic Lesson. The Meeting Starts at 10:00 am in the large conference room upstairs.

Please bring exact change for day passes - $4 per person. They will be for sale in our meeting room; not at the front counter. Everyone who is skiing, including parents accompanying their children, requires a pass.

While the forecast looks good; it is often windy in the morning at Canmore. Please dress your children accordingly.

See you tomorrow.

Dec 16th Lesson at Canmore Nordic Centre
We are holding our first lesson at Canmore Nordic Centre this Sunday. Please wax your children’s skis for a classic lesson. We will have a brief family meeting starting at 10:00 sharp, immediately followed by ski lessons. We will wrap up lessons at noon.

Please send a snack and a water bottle with your child, along with extra mitts. The older groups will generally stop for a snack on the trail, the youngest group (bunnies- 4 & 5 year olds) will likely come into the lodge. Children 6 and under must be accompanied by a parent during lessons.

We will be selling day passes to BWJR club members for $4 per person. A pass is required for every child, teen and adult on skis. Please bring correct change for your family passes; Cash only. Do not go to the ticket wicket for your passes; they are only available at our meeting at this price.

Most families eat lunch as a group after ski lessons in our meeting room. Note: the café is still under renovation. Be sure to bring snack and lunch food and beverages with you.

Where Do We Meet

We have reserved the large conference room on the second floor of the Nordic Centre for our meeting. We have the room booked until 5:00 so you can leave your lunch and extra gear there while kids are in lessons/you are out skiing. Please do not leave valuables in the room; it will not be locked. We have received confirmation that the room is open, despite the fact that lodge renovations are ongoing.

What Happens At the First Lesson?

Please plan to arrive 10 to 15 minutes before the meeting so you can wax your children’s skis and place them in the racks in the ski stadium before the meeting starts. The lessons will be starting immediately following the meeting, so kids, instructors & assistants, as well as skiing parents need to come to the meeting dressed for skiing (skis boots on please). We don’t want to spend precious ski time waiting for people to get dressed.

Lesson Confirmation

On the Saturday morning before each lesson I will review the weather forecast and snow conditions. I will send out an e-mail confirming, moving, or possibly cancelling the lesson (none cancelled last year!) by noon on Saturday. We will also post a message in the Snow Phone Box on the Home Page of the BWJR website.

See you Sunday @ Canmore!

Dec. 2007 - Skis for the Little Ones
Children in Level 1+ require proper X-country skis and poles. If your child is a Bunny (generally new skiers age 4 - 6 and returning 4/5 yr olds), it is ok for he/she to wear skis with the universal bindings that fit onto their snow boots.

Dec. 2007 - Lake Louise Hostel Weekend 2008
The BWJR annual hostel weekend will be held at the Lake Louise Hostel Feb 29^th thru March 2^nd. This is a fun, family oriented weekend with ski touring on Saturday, a group supper Saturday night and the loppet on Sunday morning. The Lake Louise loppet is a friendly classic race; it’s a particularly good first race for the kids under ten who ski either a 1 or 2 km race on the Lake. One of the beautiful things about the kids races is u do not have to register them until the morning of the race.

Susan Duska, the hostel weekend coordinator (sduska@shaw.ca) has made a group booking for BWJR’s at the Lake Louise hostel the week-end of the Lake Louise Loppet. 50 beds have been set aside and there is the option of dorm beds or booking a private room. If you would like to attend, please call Hostelling central reservations (contact info below) and indicate you would like to make a reservation for the Bow Waters Jack Rabbits @ Lake Louise and the dates. Most families opt to come both the Friday & Saturday night, but if you can only join the group for the Saturday evening that is just fine.  

A visa # is required to book your beds/room. You must reserve before January 15.  Cancellations can be made up until February 2.  If all the BWJR beds are gone when u call, you can try reserving your own room at the hostel or staying at the Lake Louise Inn across the street.

Lake Louise Hostel    2007 Lake Louise Loppet Info

Reservation Contact Information: 
Betty Jo Klein
Central Reservations
HI - Canada - Pacific Mountain Region & Manitoba
bettyjo.klein@hihostels.ca
Toll Free 1(866) 762-4122
Direct (403) 670-7580