Hello, members! On behalf of the Board of Directors, a warm welcome to all of our new members just getting started at our club and to those of you who have been here for season after season. This past weekend, I was reminded what a special place our club is when I stepped out of my tent in the middle of the night and saw Orion over hill #2, where so many of us have been challenged on skis, heard coyotes in the distance and thought of our new nature center and the exploring kids have been doing there, and felt the first chill of the season, a hopeful note in this otherwise too-warm autumn that winter is on its way. It is a special place, but it wouldn’t be that without its members. Thank you for joining the club!
This year we have seen remarkable growth in all of our programs, as well as the addition of a nature exploration program. Please come out to the club and familiarize yourself with the space before it is transformed into a winter wonderland. There is the Otter Den to visit, trails to hike and bike, and work to be done (lots of work; see below for how you can help).
We are looking forward to a snowy season and have much to be excited about! Our full family memberships have nearly filled in October, which is helpful financially and to ensure timely communication with all members. If you know someone who is thinking of joining, send them our way soon! Limited memberships do not have a cap; people are always welcome to join at that level. Winter Fat Bike memberships are also on sale now. For those of you who purchased a “summer” membership, just a reminder that the quotes are real – summer biking and hiking memberships now include winter fat biking and snowshoeing. Please note, there is always an in-between season from frost till heaps of snow when we ask bikers to wait until conditions transition. For hikers, trails are limited to snowshoeing only (no boots) after first snow.
Our board meetings are open to all members; just click on the link on the calendar on our website. Meeting minutes can also be found on the website. And as always, if you have questions, reach out to us; we are happy to help: board@blackhawkskiclub.org.
Again, a warm welcome to all!
Amy Grunewald Mattison
President, Blackhawk Board of Directors
Important Dates at a Glance
Read on for more details and exciting club news!
October 4-ongoing, New Member Registration
Nov 7, 10am-12pm, New Member Tours
November 19, 7:30pm, Full Moon Hike
Now-November 7, Alpine Ski Hill Winter Prep
Upcoming Events
Help Prep the Alpine Ski Hills for Winter!
This year, we are asking members to sign up to complete tasks that fit with their schedules. Work can be done anytime before Sunday, November 7. Contact Kelsey Berg with questions: kelsey.berg@blackhawkskiclub.org
Campout Update and Full Moon Hike 11/19
The inaugural family campout at Blackhawk was a huge success. Families enjoyed a beautiful evening with the moon rising over the 60 m ski jump. We played running games, went for a night hike, and enjoyed a campfire. We made new friends and enjoyed old friends--a delightful way to celebrate Autumn!
Please join us for a full moon hike November 19 at 7:30 pm. We’ll begin our hike at the West Chalet parking lot to enjoy the moon (and the owls!). Return to West Chalet anytime that is convenient for you or your family. Hope to see you there! For questions or to help with programming nature exploration activities, please contact Jill at jill.stevenson@blackhawkskiclub.org.
News from Around the Club
Order Blackhawk Nordic Clothing by 11/1!
All club members and teams are welcome to order Nordic clothing online through Mt. Borah. 2-piece suits (3 types: Unisex Pro, Women’s Pro, and Team; all can be purchased as separate pieces), jackets, vests, hats, headbands, and buffs are available. Order by midnight Nov. 1. Items will ship direct to you about 6 weeks later. The link to the store is: https://blackhawknordic.itemorder.com/
2021 updates:
The name on all clothing is now “Blackhawk Nordic,” to encompass all ages of Nordic skiers and all disciplines, and there is one store from which to order (no more separate clothing and stores/ordering for the HS/MS team vs. club members).
Redesigned logo! After 10 years, we’ve refreshed our logo to a more modern design that’s reproducible on Mt. Borah's new printers. The new logo complements the legacy design, so we encourage members and HS/MS team members to mix and match clothing, rather than ordering all new items. Feel free to reach out to Blaise Nemeth with any questions: blaisenemeth@gmail.com
Reminder: Please Complete the Mountain Biking Survey
Please remember to complete the short survey about mountain biking at Blackhawk. Thanks to the more than 250 members who have already responded! This survey is part of a public health quality improvement project at the UW Preventive Medicine Program, and asks about information for all the members of your family who use the trails at Blackhawk. It will only take a few minutes to complete, and the information that you provide will help us improve the quality and safety of our trails. Please click here to complete the survey.
Thank you for your help in improving the member experience at Blackhawk. If you have any questions, please contact:
Lin Zhao, MD, MPH, UW Preventive Medicine Resident, lzhao72@wisc.edu
Patrick Remington, MD, MPH, Professor Emeritus and former Blackhawk President, plreming@wisc.edu
New Parent-Tot Nordic Kids Class!
We’ve added an additional Nordic Kids Parent Tot class on Wednesdays. Registration available now.
Volunteer Needs
Please Join Us as a Volunteer
We need every member to volunteer at Blackhawk. Please take a look at our volunteer needs below and contact kelsey.berg@blackhawkskiclub.org to let us know how you would like to help.
Alpine ski and snowboard instructors: Like being outside and working with kids? Join us to hear more about volunteering as a ski or snowboard instructor at Blackhawk Ski Club this winter. You don't have to have teaching experience, we provide training! We will go over plans for the season, what to expect as an instructor, and any other questions you may have.
Membership tag hand-out
Chalet checkers: Sign up for a day of the week to check on the chalets. Tidy up when needed, empty trash and recycling as needed, place items in lost and found, alert Board to out of stock items.
Fire Pit checker: Sign up for a day of the week to check the fire pit at West chalet. Start fire for open ski, monitor wood pile, tidy up as needed, move fire pit out of way for snowplow at end of the day (if snow is likely).
Open Ski Sign-up Coordinator: Using a sign-up application, set up times/days/numbers for open ski times. Works closely with Board to make adjustments as needed.
Tow Rope Monitor Coordinator: Using a sign-up application, set up times for rope tow monitoring on Hills 1&2.
Mowing/Trimming Coordinator: Work with Facilities & Operations committee and volunteers to mow trails, outruns and trim building, tow lines, etc. Coordinate pre-winter mowing of all Alpine and Nordic trails.
Snowmaking Volunteer Coordinator: Set up times/days for take-down of snowmaking equipment. Works closely with Lead Snowmaker.
Events: Work with Board to coordinate special events for members.
Membership Check Coordinator: Work with Board to arrange times/dates and volunteers to check for memberships at open ski times and on Nordic trails.
Capital Campaign Committee: Join the committee to improve snowmaking, safety, and so much more at Blackhawk.
Winter Ambassadors: You’ve seen our new mountain bike ambassadors on the Blackhawk trails in their yellow shirts, and now we're recruiting for ski ambassadors! This is an opportunity to share your knowledge of the club with new people and get to ski at the same time. We are looking for both Alpine and Nordic skiers to be at the club during open ski hours.
Snowplowing Coordinator: Operate the Kubota and plow in areas not reached by the snow removal service and for light snow in between service and monitoring shoveling of steps/walkways. Arrange for volunteers to cover days/weekends through the winter.
Nordic Work Day Recap
Nordic ski families worked diligently in community, learned new skills, and ate apple pie at their work day on Saturday Oct. 16. They split and stacked wood, cleared an area for a fire ring near the base of hill 6/Otter Den, and cleared brush to widen some trails. Many thanks to Chris Lawn for his leadership and to the adults and youth skiers who helped out.
COVID-19 Guidelines & Chalet Use This Winter
Our updated COVID-19 guidelines and details about this winter’s chalet access can be found here: https://blackhawkskiclub.org/news/covid-19-precautions
Get Your Vehicle Tag!
Pick up your vehicle tag at a work day, tours, 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. Tags that are not picked up will be mailed to you, along with 2022 sticker, in November.
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. To learn more or volunteer, contact rick.hardy@blackhawkskiclub.org
Lost and Found
Check out the East Chalet Lost and Found if you’ve misplaced something on the trails.
Have an Item for the Newsletter?
To share Blackhawk-related news with our membership, email Katie Ginder-Vogel (katie.ginder-vogel@blackhawkskiclub.org)!
Enjoy the fall!
Warmly,
The Blackhawk Board of Directors
