As colder temperatures approach, we’re all getting excited about snow! Our snowmaker training on the new equipment was a huge success, and we’ll have a make-up session this Saturday, November 18, at 9am at the maintenance barn for those interested. Learn about this event, start planning your winter vacation by taking a look at our holiday alpine skiing & snowboarding hours, get the latest on our Outdoor Exploration program, and more in our November newsletter.
Volunteering
Volunteering is how Blackhawk operates. The instruction at your child’s lessons, the snowmaking, wood splitting, mountain bike trail repair, and countless other jobs are all accomplished by volunteers. Blackhawk is a great place because of the people who help out, so when a call goes out requesting volunteers, please consider lending a hand.
Snowmaking!
We had 20 volunteers attend our snowmaker training 11/4 and are looking forward to training a few more of you THIS SATURDAY, November 18, at 9am. If you’ve already volunteered to make snow this season, look for a sign-up sheet coming your way soon. Questions? Contact board president Rick Hardy at rick.hardy@blackhawkskiclub.org.
Guided Tours
Board members will be available for guided tours for new members on Sunday 11/19 and Sunday 11/26 at 1 pm on both days. A weekday tour will be available on Thursday 11/30 at 4pm. All tours will start at the West Chalet.
Intro to Ski Jumping Lessons
Introduction to Ski Jumping classes are Tuesday evenings at 5:45, Saturday mornings at 10:15, and Sunday afternoons at 12:30. Beginning ski jumpers will learn the basics of ski jumping using their alpine equipment. When athletes are confident on the ski jumps, coaches will help transition kids to jumping equipment that the program provides. New jumpers have a chance to participate in Blackhawk’s home tournament on February 11, 2024. As the young jumpers progress, they can choose to join the Blackhawk Ski Jumping Team. Helmets, tow rope gloves, and a sense of fun and adventure are the only requirements. More information on the program can be found at SKI JUMPING. Questions? Contact Contact Girly Gessner at jumping@blackhawkskiclub.org.
Outdoor Exploration
From new director Jen St.Clair: I am so excited to be running the Outdoor Exploration program this year! My family and I have been members at Blackhawk since 2021, and we love hiking, mountain biking, nordic and alpine skiing. We are a homeschool family, and we love the flexibility to do our schoolwork in and around the Otter Den with breaks out on the trails! I'm looking forward to getting to know the families of Blackhawk this winter, to learn how I can best support your family adventures!
We had our last campout of 2023 on 11/3, and the weather was perfect for a fire, s'mores, a few rounds of Ghost in the Graveyard, and a night hike! Looking forward to more of those in the spring.
Outdoor Exploration Upcoming Events
For more details, and to register for events (or volunteer to help!) visit the Outdoor Exploration page.
Friday 11/17 1-3pm - Outdoor Exploration Homeschool Time (Meet at West Chalet)
Join us for a short hike and some orienteering lessons! All ages are welcome, parents must be present.
Wednesday 11/22 10am-2pm - Family Orienteering Challenge (Meet at West Chalet)
Drop in and take on our orienteering challenge around the club! Use a compass, geo-coordinates, or a map to find ten clues around Blackhawk Ski Club. We'll have supplies (and instructional tips) available from 10am-2pm, drop in whenever it works for you. (Can't make it that day? We'll have supplies tucked away for you to use throughout November.) More details at the Outdoor Exploration page.
Saturday 12/2 5:30-7:30pm - Family Night (Meet at West Chalet)
Join us for bird feeder making, a short night hike, paper snowflakes, and maybe fire + smores!
Friday 12/8 7pm-9pm - Parents Night
Join us for a fire, tea and cocoa, and some winter-y crafty fun.
Friday 12/15 1-3pm - Outdoor Exploration Homeschool Time (Meet at West Chalet)
Join us for a short hike and some orienteering lessons! All ages are welcome, parents must be present.
Monday 1/1 10am-12pm - New Years Day Hike (Meet at Nordic Kids Trailer)
Get your adventure resolutions kicked off with a fun hike/snowshoe (will depend on conditions.)
Friday 1/19 6pm-8pm - Parents Night (Meet at West Chalet)
Join us for a fire, tea and cocoa, and a book chat about Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods.
Parking Tags
Returning members will receive updated stickers for the parking tags and new members will receive their tags in the next few weeks. Please be patient, this is a very labor-intensive process being done by volunteers.
Mountain Biking Updates
Our youth mountain biking programs had another very successful year! All lessons were at capacity, and we added additional sessions to try to meet demand. Our new Bike Patrol logged 300 hours across 150 days . We held two general member trail work days; one NICA-focused work day, and one Boy Scout workday, making much progress at each event. Once snow hits, it will be Fat Biking season, with new trail maps.
NOTE: The Erdman connector trail that connects Blackhawk to the Pleasant View/Middleton Bike Park will be CLOSED from Sat 11/18-Sun 11/26, during this year's 9-day gun deer season.
Cross-Country Skiing Private Instructors Needed
If you are interested in teaching cross-country skiing as a private instructor, please let us know. Interest in lessons exceeds the number of instructors we currently have. Our lessons are an hour each and are either individual or small group. 1:1 lessons are $40/hour, and lessons for up to 4 people are $60/hour. Half the payment is a stipend to the instructor, $5 goes to the coordinator, and the remainder goes to the club. Email xckids@blackhawkskiclub.org to volunteer.
Friendly Reminders
Remember that we're entering freeze-thaw timing on the mountain bike trails, so please pay attention to trail conditions and don't ride if you're leaving tracks.
Also, friendly reminder that once it snows/ices, you must have all wheel or four wheel drive on your vehicle when you drive down to the ski jumping, Nordic skiing, biathlon, maintenance barn, and Otter Den areas, or you will get stuck. Trust us.
Important Dates
Friday 11/17 1-3pm - Outdoor Exploration Homeschool Time (Meet at West Chalet)
Saturday 11/18-Sunday 11/26 - Erdman Connector Trail CLOSED during deer gun hunting season
Saturday 11/18 Snowmaker Training (Meet at Maintenance Barn)
Sunday 11/19 1-2pm – Guided Tours for New Members (Meet at West Chalet)
Wednesday 11/22 10am-2pm - Family Orienteering Challenge (Meet at West Chalet)
Sunday 11/26 1-2pm – Guided Tours for New Members (Meet at West Chalet)
11/30 – Guided Tours for New Members (Meet at West Chalet)
Saturday 12/2 5:30-7:30pm - Family Night (Meet at West Chalet)
Friday 12/8 7pm-9pm - Parents Night (Meet at West Chalet)
Friday 12/15 1-3pm - Outdoor Exploration Homeschool Time (Meet at West Chalet)
Monday 1/1/24 10am-12pm - New Years Day Hike (Meet at Nordic Kids Trailer)
Friday 1/19/24 7pm-9pm - Parents Night (Meet at West Chalet)
2/17/24 Winter Carnival (outside West Chalet)
2/24/24 Hugh Jass Bike Race
Holiday Alpine Skiing & Snowboarding Hours
Regular hours through December 19
Dec 20 - Dec 23: 12-5PM.
Christmas Eve: 12-4PM
Christmas Day: Closed
December 26-Dec 30: 12-5PM
Dec 31: 12-3PM
Jan 1: 12-3PM
Jan 2 12-5PM