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September, 2025
EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
–
Toby Kravet – 808-224-1065
Vice President - Michiro
Iwanaga
Treasurer - Jonathan Carr
Secretary - Sandra Robbins
Michiro Iwanaga
Alan Teramura
Caroline Sluyter
Mike Tsutsui
Karl See
Nicole De-Witt
Larry Thurston
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Newsletter Editor
Toby Kravet
(Click on Contacts for e mail addresses)
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Every Monday evening (except on holidays and, of course, during Hawaii Ski Week), at 4:30 PM, a group of ski club members and their friends play tennis at Keehi Lagoon Courts, off Lagoon Drive. Stay in shape and enjoy a "careful social hour" afterwards.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
The Newsletter is a bit late this month
because I just returned from Queenstown on the South Island of New
Zealand where I was doing some "summer" skiing. It was somewhat warm this year with the temperature
going, I think, into the 40s around noontime and snow quality like dust
on crust except for the one day after it snowed. It looks like
they are getting snow now. What timing! On the "home front,"
we have had as many as four, previously unacknowledged, new members these past few weeks:: Sandy Kiyomura from Alameda, California, Linda Moran from Richmond,
California, Jonathan Reis from Kailua, and Jeff Lackey from Paia.
Welcome all. All members who have joined since April 1 don't have
to renew this month of September. Your membership will run through September of
2026. All others have to renew for the new membership year
beginning October 1, and you can do so by going to our website, clicking
on the Join/Renew link on the left side of the opening page, and
completing the form that appears. The form,
itself, is secure so please ignore the statement which says
our website isn't. As I mentioned in the May
newsletter, long-time members (over 5 years) age 80 and over will not
have to pay dues. You will, however, have to submit the renewal form
because we want to know you are an active member, and we need you to
consent to the hold harmless agreement in the form. If you check
"existing member paying dues", the "over 80" box will appear. After a
few more selections check "submit form and payment", though no payment
is required. We are aware of most of you who are over 80. If you
just turned 80 or you don't think we know you are 80 (because of your
youthful appearance), please send in a proof of age (e.g. picture of
your ID) to Jonathan, Jonathan@hawaiisnowskiclub.com . By the way, you
ski free at Mammoth. As of this Newsletter, we only have 26
members signed up for the Mammoth trip so "let's go guys." If you
are an older member "tripee" and have streamers from previous trips,
please bring them to the General Membership Meeting on Thursday,
September 4th (this coming week) or
to the Kick Off at Rainbow Bay Marina on October 2: We are going
to try to recycle them this coming year. Also, don't forget to
wear a nametag from a previous trip to help introduce yourself to
others. Hope to see many of you next Thursday at Mangiamo.
Finally, we may be seeking volunteers for an event in mid September,
prior to the next Newsletter, so watch your email.
TOBY
UPCOMING SKI CLUB ACTIVITIES:
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
MANGIAMO BY 604
NAVY MARINE GOLF COURSE
943 VALKENBURGH ST.
September 4 (Thursday), 5 pm
Come to Mangiamo on September 4 for our regular, first Thursday of month, General Membership Meeting. Look for us either on the Diamond Head end or on the ocean side lanai over the putting greens. Don't forget to wear your nametag and bring streamers from a previous trip if you have them.
TOBY
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP YEAR KICKOFF
RAINBOW BAY MARINA
57 Arizona Memorial Drive
(next to Restaurant 604)
PEARL HARBOR (Thursday), 5:00 PM
October 2, (Thursday), 5 pm
The first Thursday in October is the annual
kickoff to our new membership year, October 1 - September 30,
where the food will be
free at Rainbow Bay Marina, Pearl Harbor. This is kind of
a reprise of our July 3 General membership Meeting at the same
venue. This is Rainbow
the outdoor picnic area with cabanas on the right hand
side (facing towards the ocean) of Restaurant 604, Pearl Harbor.
We have held our October Kick-Off Meetings and, at
least, a couple of Pre-Trip Packet Pickup Parties here in the
past. For those of you who unfamiliar
with the area, enter Pearl Harbor off Kamehameha Highway as if you
were going to the Arizona Memorial, take a right on the inner road
(Arizona Memorial Place), and drive approximately 1/4 mile.
You are still outside any area where you would go through security. As
soon as you go under the Ford Island viaduct, you are there. Restaurant 604 is facing
the ocean and we are on the picnic grounds right beside it. This
is BYOB, and please carry out
your drink containers rather than depositing them in the refuse
receptacles at the venue or we will forfeit the return of a
$100.00 deposit we gave them for cleanup. Please
email me pres@hawaiisnowskiclub.com
SKI TRIPS FOR 2026:
HAWAII SKI WEEK, 2026
MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN
Mammoth Lakes, California
January 23 - January 31
Hawaii Ski Week, 2026 will be at Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Lakes California which is in the eastern Sierras towards the Nevada border, a 5.5 hour drive northeast of LAX and a 3.5 hour drive southwest of Reno. If you take the air part of the package offered by our travel agent and which we recommend, we will be flying from Honolulu to San Francisco and then on to Bishop, which is just 28 miles from Mammoth, and taking a 28 miles bus ride the rest of the way to our hotel, the Mammoth Mountain Inn, where we stayed in 2018. We will be steps from the lift and a short 15 minute bus ride to town. The mountain tops out at 11,053 feet with the base at 7, 953 feet and a vertical drop of 3,100 feet. There are 25 lifts and 175 named trails with 19% novice, 48% intermediate, 24% advanced, and 12% expert over 3,500 acres of skiable terrain.
Our travel agent, again, is Ski.com, and you can sign up for the trip online,
https://meetups.ski.com/
TOBY
JAPAN
The much anticipated HSC Japan ski trips is now open for reservations.
The first trip to Sapporo and Otaru is scheduled from February 13-22,
2026. We will spend the first 5 nights in Sapporo, where we will have a
full day guided tour of the city and its surroundings. On the second day
we will ski at the nearby Sapporo Tiene Ski Resort famous for hosting
the bobsled competition in the 1972 Winter Olympics. For those
interested in signtseeing and shopping the next two days are free days.
For those more interested in skiing/boarding we have the option to visit
several nearby ski resorts such as Sapporo Kokusai or Niseko. We will
spend the last 3 nights of the trip in Otaru, a small fishing port and
artisan village located on Ishikari Bay approximately 1 hour west of
Sapporo. On our first day we will enjoy a full day of guided sightseeing
of Otaru and its surroundings. The next 2 days we will take a private
shuttle bus and ski at nearby Kiroro Ski Resort, famous for its abundant
snowfall.
The second ski trip is to the legendary Hokkaido
resort, Rusutsu from February 21-March 1, 2026. It is a ski in ski out 4
star resort hotel combined with a mall-like mix of shops, restaurants
and entertainment. The resort is spread over 3 mountains, with long wide
runs which are separated by powder filled tree runs in the valleys.
Therefore it’s no wonder why 2/3 of those who go to Rusutsu are
returnees. Rusutsu is ranked as among the best resorts in all of Japan
for intermediate skiers due to its long, wide groomed runs, its also one
of the best resorts for skiing in the trees, and is ranked for having
the best lift system in all of Japan. Additionally the daily breakfast
buffet is awesome having a variety of Japanese and Western food options.
It also has one of the best onsens of any ski resort in Japan.
For the past 4 years approximately 25% of HSC members who went to Japan
booked both trips, taking advantage of the famous dry powder and
excellent dollar to yen exchange rate. Because of the savings on the
second airfare, the second trip is only $2600-$2700 more. Airline seats
and hotel rooms are limited so send in your $350/person deposit and the
application as soon as you have decided to go. Last year we sold out by
September.
Call Shannon or Joey at Air and Sea Travel Center at
(808) 951-9800 for questions and to make roommate arrangements. Please
note: No reservations will be accepted after the October 31 deadline due
to contract requirements. Also please carefully read the cancelation
policíes. The HSC strongly recommends purchasing trip Insurance of you
don’t already have.
For more details and a copy of the reservation form, please go to the Trips section of our website, www.hawaiiskiclub.com .
ALAN
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
HAWAII SKI CLUB IS ON FACEBOOK
Facebook is the best way to keep current on the Hawaii Ski Club. On your Facebook page on your computer, type "Hawaii Ski Club" into the search box on the top left. On your mobile device, tap the magnifying glass at the top to get the search box. Pictures from Ski Club activities and other items are posted as they are submitted. You can submit your own Ski Club pictures and other items you wish posted by emailing them to nicole@hawaiisnowskiclub.com .
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Contributions from the membership to future newsletters are encouraged and will be greatly appreciated: Please e mail them to Toby (see Contacts) no later than 12 calendar days from the end of the month. Thanx much.
Updated club info available at http://www.hawaiisnowskiclub.com and on our Facebook page.