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January, 2013
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President – Toby Kravet – 808-224-1065
Vice President – Kevin Okawa
Treasurer - Geoff Chu
Susan Murata
Jon Kleinschmidt
Momi Kleinschmidt
Jonathan Carr
Roy Manzoku
Sandy Herron
-----------------------------------------
Club Historian
Jo Yee
Newsletter Editor
Toby Kravet
(Click on Contacts for e mail addresses)
ATTENTION: FOLLOWING THIS NEWSLETTER, THE EMAIL LIST FOR NEWSLETTERS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND REMINDERS WILL BE UPDATED TO INCLUDE ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE RENEWED OR NEWLY JOINED FOR THE 2012-2013 MEMBERSHIP YEAR.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
January 3 (Thursday) 6:00 P.M. General Membership Meeting at Seven Palms. Although the meeting starts at 6:00, members usually start arriving from 5:00 to 5:15 P.M. to order drinks and dinner and begin socializing.
January 11, (Friday) 4:30 P.M. Pau Hana and packet pick up for the Hakuba trip at Nico's at Pier 38 (1133 N. Nimitz Highway on the pier between Alakawa St. and Waikamilo Rd). All members invited. First round of pupus will be on the Club.
January 18 - 26 Hawaii Ski Week in Hakuba; "Team Hakuba," the adventure begins.
February 15 (Friday) 5:00 P.M. Pau Hana at Soho Mixed Media Bar, 80 Pauahi St., Honolulu.
February 22 - March 2 Ski Trip to Sun Valley; the adventure continues.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
Did you know that more people are injured on toilets than by skiing or snowboarding? That's what it says in the 2013 edition of the Statistical Abstract of the United States. So the next time someone (and we all know one or more) questions your judgment as you are about to leave for the snowier climes, you can, in good conscience, tell them to "hold it."
With a new location and not the best of weather, I was pleased to see so many members and guests show up for our annual Christmas party this past weekend. While I've given credit below in the "post mortem" article, I, again, want to especially thank Todd and Malia (Orque) Withy for inviting us to their home and to Anita who envisioned and coordinated much of the activity.
Many of you may not know this, but Susan created a Facebook page for the Club a few years ago and has periodically posted pictures of events, including our Christmas Party, on the page. Just "Friend" Hawaii Ski Club or use the Search function at the top of Facebook to access our page.
I just looked at some of the ski area reports on the Internet and see that Hakuba, where a number of us will be going only a month from now, is showing a foot of snow in town and up to 70 inches on the mountains. Sun Valley, where a large group of us will be going in late February, is showing 60 inches on the mountain. For those of you interested in Canada, Whistler is reporting up to 69 inches, Big White 62 inches, and Panorama 37 inches. Big Sky has up to 60 inches, the Cottonwood Canyons in Utah up to 66 inches, and Park City 52 inches. Colorado, I'm afraid, needs a bit more snow.
I know this may seem a little early, but you might want to start thinking, and talking to your Club friends, about where we should go in 2014. We are currently planning to take "straw votes" at the ends of the Hakuba and Sun Valley trips to come up with a list of three potential sites for a vote of the entire membership in mid March.
Also in March, we will need to come up with a ballot for Club officers for the 2013-2014 year. Of our current Board of nine, Sandy, as I mentioned in last month's Newsletter, has already re-located to the Mainland, another Board member has indicated intention to leave mid-term, and five of us have terms expiring. (The President is year to year and other Board members have two year terms). Some of us may be back and some not. We need people on the Board to run the club and people, whether or not they are on the Board itself, to help plan and run the monthly activities, compose the Newsletter, update our website, and, most importantly, plan and coordinate the ski trips. None of these things happen automatically: They happen because of a few committed people who have jobs, and/or families, and/or other personal interests and obligations but are still willing to put in a few hours a month to keep the Club going because they think it's worth it. Like you, they want to ski at new areas, where they might not otherwise go, at a decent price with like-minded people, and participate with these people in some of the other activities, social, physical, and volunteer, in which we become involved. If you would like to help out next year, and/or think that you can do it better than it's being done now, don't be shy: Let me or Kevin know. We NEED YOU. Without people willing to serve on the Board and help in other capacities, we can't have a club.
Don't forget the General membership Meeting coming up on January 3rd, our last, formal General Membership Meeting until April, and the pau hana/packet pickup at Nico's on January 11. After that, if I see you at all before March, it'll be on the slopes.
Aloha,
TOBY
UPCOMING SKI CLUB ACTIVITIES:
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Seven Palms Bar and
Grill (formerly Sam Sneads)
Navy-Marine Golf Course Club House
943
Valkenburgh St., Honolulu, Hawaii
January 3 (Thursday) 6:00 P.M.
Come to our next General Membership Meeting at the usual location on December 6. Although the meeting doesn't "officially" begin until 6:00 P.M. many members start coming at 5:00 for drinks, dinner, and "talking story."
TOBY
JANUARY PAU HANA
WITH
HAKUBA PACKET PICKUP
NICO'S AT PIER 38
1133 N.
NIMITZ HIGHWAY
January 11 (Friday) 4:30 P.M.
We seldom return to a previous Pau Hana location within a twelve month period, let alone three, but everyone seemed to have a good time at Nico's in October, parking is free and ample, and the location is central, just what we needed for the Hakuba packet pickup party, so----------. Since the Club has historically provided the food for the Hawaii Ski Week packet pickup, the Club, this time, will provide the first round of pupus at Nicos, so be on time for the free eats. ------And this is a Pau Hana for everyone: Not just for those going on the trip. From downtown Honolulu, go west on Nimitz Hwy, pass the intersection with Alakawa Street (The Costco/Best Buy turn), go one block & turn left at the traffic light into the pier next to Nico's. From the Ewa side, go towards Honolulu on Nimitz Highway, pass the intersections of Kalihi St. and then Waikamilo Road, and start to look right for the large sign directing you into Pier 38 with Nico's and other companies. The parking spaces are next to Nico's and also in areas between The Ice Plant and Nico's.
TOBY
PAU HANA AT
SOHO MIXED MEDIA BAR
80 PAUAHI ST.
DOWNTOWN HONOLULU
February 15
(Friday) 5:00 P.M.
Known for it's late night crowd when most of us are at or going home to get ready to turn in for the night this new spot starts to rock.
However one of the best kept secrets is their Happy Hour from
5-7 PM. One of the owners is from Chicago and his upside down deep dish pizza is
extraordinary along with his Italian Beef and Italian Beef/Sausage Combo
sandwiches that remind you of uniquely Chicago fast food. There's no audio at
that time but there's a lot of seating and other good appetizers including steak
fries with a garlic aioli or chipotle sauce and buffalo wings.
Have been
there a few times, it is located adjacent to the old Blaisdell Hotel/HPU on the
Mauka End of Fort Street Mall. The entrance is on Pauahi Street. There are quite
a few private parking lots in the area but I have always been able to park on
the street in loading zones and parking stalls which are free after 5:30 PM.
See you there!
GEOF
HAWAII SKI WEEK 2013
Team Hakuba!!!
We have 31 signed up who will be heading to Hakuba, Japan
for our annual Hawaii Ski Week, January 18-26, 2013.
The majority of the
group will depart on United 879* that leaves Honolulu at 10:00 A.M. We arrive at
2:25 P.M. the next day. If you are catching your own flight, please meet at the
United baggage area by 2:30 P.M. to get on the private bus. Luggage transfer is
included, and we will be met by an English speaking guide.
The bus is a 5
hour ride to the Mominoki Hotel
http://www.mominokihotel.com/index-e.html at the base of the Happo One ski
in/walk out resort. The closest lift is the Kokusai lift.
http://www.happo-one.jp/english/mountain/. The ski rental facility is
located in the hotel. Your 5-day lift ticket will be good at 8 different
resorts. There are ski resort shuttle buses that can pick you up from the Wadano
visitor center, across the street from the Mominoki hotel.
Upon our
arrival, we will have a welcome orientation at the hotel. Rooms are western
style with a private bath per room and a daily breakfast buffet is included. Tipping is not required in Japan for service including hotels, restaurants,
concierge, and bell service. The hotel has coin operated laundry rooms and wifi
access.
For non-skiers, there are several restaurants in the Mominoki
hotel and there is also a shuttle that can take you to the town of Hakuba for a
nominal fee. If you walk, it is about a 20-minute walk. There are also natural
outdoor onsen (hot springs) in the hotel. If you’ve never gone to an onsen
before, please read the onsen etiquette.
http://www.onsenjapan.net/onsenbasics.php
Optional Day tours – you can sign up with the hotel
concierge for either of these day tours.
Snow Monkey Hot springs
The world
famous Jigokudani wild monkey hot spring is home to about 200 wild monkeys who
spend their days soaking in the natural hot springs keeping warm from the harsh
winter. You will be taken to the site and take a short hike to the hot springs
(about 20-30 minutes) each way. Afterwards, you will visit the historic town of
Obuse, home of the famous Japanese artist Hokusai (Ukiyo-e painter and
printmaker) and the museum dedicated to his works. Enjoy a traditionally cooked
Japanese lunch at the Masuichi club restaurant. You will also stop at Nagano
City, home to Zenkoji temple that has a history of over 1400 years. It is one of
Japan’s most revered temples and housed the first image of Buddha brought to
Japan in the 7th century.
Matsumoto Castle and Daio Wasabi farm
tour
In Japan, there are only 4 castles that have been designated
as “national treasures,” and Matsumoto castle is one of these. Construction of
the main donjon began in 1592 when warlords around the country struggled for
dominance. Matsumoto Castle is one of the few great castles of the feudal era to
survive in its original form. On the way to the castle, you will stop at the
Daio Wasabi farm, the largest of its kind in Japan and the perfect place to
taste many of the various different wasabi products, like Wasabi Ice Cream! After the guided tour of the castle, enjoy a Japanese set menu lunch. There will
be free time to explore the city and shop after lunch before departing back to
Hakuba.
Snowshoe tours – at the Evergreen Outdoor Center
across from the Hotel: You can sign up via this online link for a half day or
full day snowshoe tour
http://www.evergreen-hakuba.com/wintertours/snowshoe.php On
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, there are evening snowshoe tours with chocolate
fondue that starts from 7:00 pm. You will usually see badgers, rabbits, fox,
mink, and mountain goats while walking.
http://www.evergreenhakuba.com/wintertours/eveningsnowshoe.php
The
daily breakfast buffet is a great way to make friends, decide where to ski for
the day, or where to meet for après ski! On Friday, January 25, we will have a
closing pupu party – place to be announced once we get to Hakuba.
Our
return flight is United 880* at 7:25 P.M. from Narita airport. I will get the
information on when the bus departs from the Mominoki hotel to everyone. *Flight
schedules subject to change at the whim of United.
Should be a fabulous
trip! Pray for more snow~
SUSAN
SUN VALLEY IDAHO
February 22 - March 2
SUN VALLEY'S BUCKET LIST
Below is a sampling of the most memorable and iconic Sun Valley winter
experiences to check off your list! There are still a few
spaces left for the Sun Valley trip!!!!!
· Hop in a helicopter and head out to get some of the lightest powder in the
Rocky Mountains while Heli Skiing
with Sun Valley Heliski Guides
www.epicquest.com/trips/snow/rockies/sun-valley
· Wake up with the sun for an early morning “first tracks”
· Take an
evening sleigh ride to Trail Creek Cabin for a barbeque
· Take in a moonlit
ski or snowshoe and a savory dinner at Galena Lodge
www.galenalodge.com/
·
Participate in world-class Nordic skiing
· Take up ice hockey with free
equipment at Christina Potter's Ice Rink
www.visitsunvalley.com/things-to-do/christina-potters-ice-rink
· Experience the stoke of heli-skiing with 50,000 untracked vertical in one
day
· Soak in the largest outdoor hot tub where waiters bring you a hot
toddie
· Get a bird’s-eye view and take a tandem paraglide flight off of
Baldy www.flysunvalley.com/
· Find your own masterpiece in the local art galleries during a Friday night
gallery walk
www.svgalleries.org/gallery-walk-dates/
· Put on some skates and carve figure eights at Sun Valley’s year-round ice
arena
www.sunvalley.com/things-to-do/iceskating/
· Get literary and check out the local stomping grounds and resting place of
Ernest Hemingway
· Soak in Frenchman’s Bend hot springs in a snowstorm
·
Go for some classic “star”-gazing of the celebrity photos in the Sun Valley
Lodge
· Get some ten-pin glory and bowl at the Sun Valley Lodge
www.sunvalley.com/things-to-do/family/
· Ride the gondola for views and a cocktail at Averell’s at the Roundhouse
www.sunvalley.com/things-to-do/dining/mountain-dining/
· Travel back in time and tour the Ketchum Sun Valley Ski and History Museum
http://ksvhs.com/
· Saddle up and head ‘em out on a trail ride in the local mountains
·
Feel the glow of a great day skiing or boarding with the quality après Sun
Valley is famous for.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR A SUN VALLEY SLEIGH RIDE
A sleigh ride to Trail Creek Cabin for dinner has traditionally been one of the
most memorable and fun Sun Valley winter experiences. The last time we took this
Sun Valley sleigh ride, a full moon was bright so we watched foxes run across
the snow near the sleigh! If you are going on the Sun Valley ski trip, you are
welcome to join our group on Tuesday, February 26, 2013.
For dinner at
Trail Creek Cabin, horse-drawn sleighs leave the Sun Valley Inn at 6 pm for a
family-style dinner. The ride lasts about 1/2 hour each way and dinner lasts
approximately one hour. Dress should be warm and blankets are provided. Because
of the wild popularity of the sleigh rides to dinner at Trail Creek Cabin,
reservations are required.
Additional information regarding price and
menu will be provided soon via email to all Sun Valley participants.
SNOW TUBING SUN VALLEY
by Mike McKenna
If you have never been snow tubing, well then I’m sorry to report that you’ve
lived an unfulfilled life. Sure, most folks who’ve never tried snow tubing might
not think they’re missing much. But whoever said, "Ignorance is bliss,"
obviously has a serious misunderstanding about the word "bliss."
Bliss
actually means "a perfect untroubled happiness," which pretty much sums up how
you feel while spending an hour or two snow tubing. And the best part of the
blissful act of snow tubing is that it can be done by anyone from four to 84.
Basically, if you can sit and giggle at the same time, you can enjoy snow
tubing.
Not to be confused with its watery, warm weather cousins of boat or
water-ski tubing, snow tubing is basically sledding in style. Participants ride
a large "Magic Carpet" up to the top of the snow covered hill, pick a run, then
hop on the glorified inner tube and with a shove from a friendly attendant it’s
time to slide on down the hill. There’s something about the sensation of
sledding down a snowy slope that just makes you smile–and makes youngsters laugh
unabashedly. Snow tubing sort of makes you feel like you’re riding a frozen
water slide.
For obvious reasons, the sport has been growing in popularity
nationwide and it’s now tough to find a ski area from little mom-and-pop places
in New Hampshire to the largest resorts in California that don’t have a snow
tubing park. The ski industry is now calling snow tubing, "the rising star of
the slopes."
"It’s a great alternative for people who don’t ski or snowboard
but still want to have a fun winter experience. It’s also a fun thing to do if
you just want to take a break from skiing or as a fun thing to do après skiing,"
said Jon Golden, who’s worked at Sun Valley’s Tubing Park for a couple years.
"People from all ages and all walks of life have fun when they come here."
No wonder snow tubing is growing in popularity. It’s the type of simple outdoor
activity that can put a smile on anyone’s face. It also offers kids (and the
kids in all of us) an opportunity for a few gloriously blissful moments. The
type of boundless joy that kids remember their whole lives. [The Sun
Valley Snow Tube Park is open daily from 11am to 5pm. Warm hats and gloves are
recommended, but there are no other clothing requirement.]
You and your friends had until September 15th to sign up
for this HSC trip to Sun Valley but, due to cancellations and other issues, some
"slots" may still be available. Please contact Anita (
anitah@hawaii.edu ) or Sandy (
Sandy@hawaiisnowskiclub.com )
to determine if this is the case.
SUN VALLEY TRIP COMMITTEE
PAST SKI CLUB ACTIVITES:
CHRISTMAS PARTY IN KAILUA
December 16 (Sunday)
Although Mother Nature refused to cooperate, giving us cool temperatures, high winds, and periodic rain squalls instead of the idyllic walk on the beach and magnificent sunset we had been expecting, a good turnout of members and guests found the location without difficulty (but a couple didn't), enjoyed the food, drink, comeraderie, caroling, and gift exhange at the Club's annual Christmas party which lasted from 4:00 to 9:00 P.M. or thereabouts. A majority of the members (excepting "Your's Truly" who had left his jacket at home) even braved the somewhat inclement weather to stay outside in the beachside backyard where 2 tents had been erected to cover the food tables and even roasted s'mores over an open fire. "Mucho Mahalos" to Todd and Malia, our gracious hosts, to Anita who organized the occasion, to Bill and Anita for bringing tables, tents, and other miscellaneous necessities, to Sam's friend, Barbara, who played piano for the caroling, to Bill, Geof, Steve (Spielman), Craig (Shaffer), and others who helped with set-up and tear-down/cleanup duties, and to all the partiers for the food, gifts, humour and friendship. You can view some pictures of the party on Facebook. Just "friend" Hawaii Ski Club or use the Search function at the top of your Facebook page to access our page.
TOBY
SNOWBOARD FOR SALE
Craig Shaffer still has an unused size 141 snowboard for sale. $250.00. Craig may be contacted at 261-5989.
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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 9 calendar days from the end of the month. Thanx much.
Updated club info available at http://www.hawaiisnowskiclub.com/