Happy midsummer, Blackhawk members! We hope this email finds you enjoying all that summer at Blackhawk has to offer you. Here are the latest updates from the club.
New Weekly Group Mountain Bike Ride
Interested in meeting other mountain bikers? Join us for a weekly members’ group ride Mondays at 10am, starting July 19 and going into the fall. Ride time: 1.5-2 hours. We will plan to ride to Pleasant View and on the Blackhawk trails. If enough people show up, we can split into groups, per rider interest/pace. Meet at the East Chalet ready to ride at 10am. Rides will not take place if trails are closed, or if thunder/lightening or heavy rain are imminent during ride time. Skill level should be at minimum comfortable going down Howling Wolf. Questions? Contact Nancy at tsedeth@gmail.com
East Chalet Work Day July 17
Join us at 9am to remove mildew in the East Chalet and get it ship-shape for fall! We’re also looking for a dehumidifier donation.
Blackhawk to Host Summer CORP Fundraiser July 24
Join the fun for CORP’s fundraiser July 24, 6-9pm. Beer, door prizes, a food truck, and great riding. $20 admission (cash or check only) gets you beverages and one door prize ticket. Children under 17 free! More details here.
News from the Otter Den
All ages welcome for the grand opening of our new nature observation center, “The Otter Den” on Sunday, September 12, from 2-3:30pm (Bottom of Hill 6, by the big pond). Walk our new story trail, try out letterboxing, enjoy a nature craft, and use our new selfie stand! To volunteer to help with this “grand” event, contact Jill Stevenson at jill.stevenson@blackhawkskiclub.org.
Sept. 26: Meet at the Otter Den at 2pm to participate in a stream/pond exploration and/or fairy house building. All ages welcome.
Ecological Restoration at Blackhawk
Many thanks to Blackhawk director and arborist Joe House, who led members of all ages on an informational hike focused on ecological restoration plans and volunteer opportunities at Blackhawk. We all look forward to spring planting of native trees and shrubs!
Avoid Wild Parsnip
Do not touch this plant! Although this striking plant is quite beautiful this time of year at Blackhawk, the wild parsnip contains sap that makes our skin more sensitive to UV radiation. Brushing up against or breaking the plant releases sap that can cause a severe burn within 24-48 hours. It is found in several places at Blackhawk, and we intend to begin eradication efforts in the spring.
Club Program Spotlight: Winter Sports Summer Training
Summer Nordic Ski Training
Nordic skiing in the summer? WHAAAT? It’s true! The Blackhawk Nordic Ski Team trains two days a week in the summer, mostly on rollerskis. You may also run into our skiers hill bounding on Hill 6 or enjoying the spring pond after practice!
Summer Ski Jumping Training
The Blackhawk Ski Jumping Team kicked off the spring with 6 weeks of dry land training starting in April. This prepared the team for their Tuesday and Thursday night summer ski jumping practices on the new 8- and 18-meter jumps, along with the 30-meter jumpers. The athletes were able to get many jumps during May and June, and we are looking forward to starting again in September. The summer and fall ski jumping training is instrumental to the team’s success during the competitive winter season.
Summer Biathlon Training
Youth and Adult Biathlon trains all summer long with shooting practice, running, roller skiing and sometimes all of the above! We had a weekend camp in June with 12 athletes from the Midwest region. The camp included two nights of camping, meals at and unlimited swimming in the spring pond!
Blackhawk Composite Mountain Bike Team Update
The Blackhawk Composite Mountain Bike team held its first practice on June 21 at Blue Mound State Park, with 61 of the 109 registered riders in attendance. Photos by Coach Dirke Horne.
Get Your Vehicle Tag!
Mountain Bike Ambassadors and volunteers are available to hand out vehicle tags to you at Blackhawk on the following dates/times:
This Saturday at the work day: 9-12, East Chalet; 4-6pm (find Aimee Walsh out on the trail)
Mondays, 4-6pm, East Chalet
Tuesday, July 20, 4-6pm, East Chalet
Thursday, July 22, 6pm, East Chalet
Saturday, July 24, 10am-12pm
Or, mail us a self-addressed stamped envelope to P.O. Box P.O. Box 628094, Middleton WI 53562-8094, and we will send it to you.
Blackhawk Hosts Eagle Scout Ceremony
Scout Troop 640 held their Eagle Scout Ceremony at Blackhawk on July 11 on the Hill 2 platform. The beautiful day set the stage for recognizing the achievements of all the Scouts. Several of them completed projects at Blackhawk as part of their Eagle Scout achievement: Patrick Madigan created the Butterfly Garden near the pond and the new Otter Den nature center, to help butterflies and other pollinating insects; and Kevin Chang built all the newer picnic tables around the club. Jacob Nicolas-Jensen, who has been an Eagle for a while, built the bat houses to foster Blackhawk’s bat population (and reduce the mosquitos!). Other Scout projects at Blackhawk include painting the East Chalet and the wooden signs in front of the club. Thank you to all the Scouts who contributed to projects and congratulations on your achievements!
Upcoming Special Events at Blackhawk
THIS SATURDAY, July 17, 9am, East Chalet Work Day
July 19-October, 10am, Monday Group Mountain Bike Rides
July 24, 6pm, CORP Summer Fundraiser
August 14-15, Ninja Mountain Bike Skills Camps
August-October, 6-7:30pm, Blackhawk Composite Mountain Bike Team practices
Save the Date for Fall Registration
Exact date TBD, but Fall registration will take place in September.
Please Join Us as a Volunteer
We encourage every family to volunteer at Blackhawk. Please contact board@blackhawkskiclub.org if you are interested.
Help Us Make Great Snow Capital Campaign
Help us take our snowmaking process to the next level with a donation to our snowmaking capital campaign! Donate here.
Lost and Found
Check out the East Chalet Lost and Found if you’ve misplaced something on the mountain bike trails or elsewhere.
COVID-19 Guidelines
Our current COVID-19 guidelines can be found here: https://blackhawkskiclub.org/news/covid-19-precautions
Have an Item for the Newsletter?
To share Blackhawk-related news with our membership, email Katie Ginder-Vogel (katie.ginder-vogel@blackhawkskiclub.org) with your name/role, program (if applicable), audience (all-access members, mountain biking members only, etc.), and the details. Thanks!
Enjoy the dog days of summer!
Warmly,
The Blackhawk Board of Directors