November 2018 meeting


The days are getting short, the mountains are getting white, and it’s time for the first club meeting of the year. The November meeting will be held on November 8 at 7pm, at the Presbyterian Church, 1220 West Main Street, Hamilton, MT.
Jesse Crocker give a slideshow and tell stories about the 2018 Tour Divide bike race, a 2700 self supported mountain bike race down the continental divide.

Feburary 2018 Meeting

The February meeting will be held on February 8 at 7pm, at the Presbyterian Church, 1220 West Main Street, Hamilton, MT.
Mel Holloway will show slides from two separate trips he and Mary Alice made to Scotland in 2017.
They visited Orkney to see Skara Brae and other Neolithic sites, the Culloden
Battlefield, Urquhart Castle overlooking Loch Ness, the northern coast, Glen Core, the northern coast, Glen Core, the
Glenfinnan Memorial, and Aarvrech Castle to mention a few points.

January 2018 Meeting

The January meeting will be held on January 11 at 7pm, at the Presbyterian Church, 1220 West Main Street, Hamilton, MT.

The Bitterroot Land Trust presents our program this month with a showing of “On the Shoulders of Giants: The Story of Montana Private Land Conservation.”

If you love Montana and appreciate its wide, open spaces and beauty, you won’t want to miss this phenomenal film. The film is a stunning and inspiring 21-minute story about the value of conservation easements to Montana’s landscape, economy, and way of life. Several significant scenes are in the Bitterroot. The film will be followed by a short presentation by the Bitterroot Land Trust.

December 2017 Meeting Minutes

Meeting Date: December 14, 2017

Call to order: 7:00PM

President Norm Singley was unable to attend the meeting. Past-President, Mike Hoyt, opened the meeting with announcing that Jesse Crocker has offered to take on the position as Vice-President and to continue serving as Web Master. This was approved by membership. Congratulations and Thanks Jesse! Jesse stepped up to conduct the meeting.

Membership: Earl Phillips gave the membership numbers and reiterated this will be his last turn as membership coordinator. He asks for someone to train before he steps down. Membership may now be pay through Pay Pal.

Youth Ski Lessons: The first lessons begin in January 10 with Corvallis Public School students. Please call Richard Stone at 642-9648 if you are able to assist. The other dates are tentatively Jan 24- Victor, Jan 30- Darby, Feb 6 -Salmon. Also, donation of ski equipment would be greatly appreciated.

Treasurer: Reine Hilton said combination of savings and checking total $40,500.

Grooming Report: Conditions have been great for a few weeks now. Grooming has been taking place with snowmobiles. Soon there will be enough snow to use the Pisten Bully.

Program: The December potluck meeting was a rocking success. A chance meeting resulted in the perfect pairing between Raptors of the Rockies founder, Kate Davis, and the members of the Bitterroot Cross Country Ski Club. More than once Kate expressed delight in the members’ instantaneous reaction to her endless sense of humor. Laughter ruled during the 90 minute presentation. And, it continued generously during Colleen Powell’s retelling of her episode with rescuing an injured red tail hawk this summer. Without the necessary protection, the hawk’s talons pierced both of Mrs. Powell’s hand. Mrs. Powell and the hawk, now named Simone by Kate, were treated by, suitably named, Dr. Pearce at the Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. The number of attendees was boosted by members from Bitterroot Audubon who came out to see the four raptors and lively presentation. Thanks bunches Kate, Simon, Simone, Sibley and Owen for the informative and entertaining visit. A special thanks also goes to Kay Fulton for facilitating this presentation.

The meeting adjourned at 8:30pm.

December 2017 Meeting

The December meeting will be held on December 14, this is our annual Potluck meeting, so bring a dish to share! Potluck starts at 6 and the meeting starts at 7. Everyone welcome.

Kate Davis Educator, Photographer, Author, Artist, Speaker and founder of Raptors of the Rockies will be presenting. Presentation includes live birds!

November 2017 meeting minutes

November 2017 Board meeting and general meeting minutes.

Bitterroot Cross-Country Ski Club
Board Meeting

Meeting Date: Thursday, November 9, 2017

Call to Order: 6:15

In Attendance: Norman Singley, President; Michael Hoyt, Past President; Reine Hilton, Treasurer; Marrea Mathews, Secretary; Richard Stone, Lessons; Earl Phillips, Membership; Tony Neaves, Annie Crighton, Grooming; Karla Schiever

Membership: Earl Phillips reported membership is 73 membership with 99 members, he reviewed procedures purging members who have not kept up their contact information- 2 years for members, 1 year for businesses. Earl needs to turn the membership office over to someone else by next year. He is seeking someone to train.

Finances: Reine Hilton stated the balance in savings and checking combined is $40,195, that includes the RTP Grant of $26,000, arrangements are being made to switch from our account from the Riverside Conoco Station to Lone Pine Conoco for ease of access to the groomers.

Grooming: Tony reported we may get an earlier start this year, since it’s hunting season, the grooming may begin after these rains. He is working on checking out the snow machines and needs the owners manuals to the Arctic Cat and Scatic. There is concern with the age and condition of the truck and trailer. Tony is going to check out the brakes and will report back.

The bench and the sign in boxes need repair.

Grants: Mike reported that during the season names, phone numbers, dates that the groomers are on the snow machines are needed for the volunteer hours.

Out-house grant- Another year extension was granted to the forest service on installing the out house. Hopefully, it will be installed next year.

RTP Grant- it looks like purchasing equipment with RTP Grant is difficult. This in not a problem for now.

President: Norm met with the forest service. The fs wants to make sure everything is by the book, proper documentation and permissions granted first. They were concerned about the trees that were cut in the last trail maintenance. Norm sent them a letter asking what needs to be done. So far there has been no response. Another concern is the donation boxes. It needs to impart the donations are going to the club for grooming and maintenance, not the forest service.

Signage needs to be accurate and proactive to prevent conflicts with other users. Gibbons Pass Road may be confusing. Hopefully, a new gate will be installed at the far end of Broadway to keep it closed during the non-snow season to automobile traffic.

The slash piles will be burned in the next couple of weeks, hopefully. Tony was concerned the roads would be torn up with machinery. The burn crew may be sent in on foot.

Jesse Crocker asked to serve the club as vice president as well as keep up the web site.

A sawer training class is needed. We may partner with backcountry horsemen. Earl mentioned the fs is moving to certifying trainers.

Maps: They are late but they are coming along.

The meeting adjourned at 7pm

Bitterroot Cross-Country Ski Club
General Meeting

Meeting Date: November 9, 2017

Call to order: 7:00pm

Membership: Earl Phillips announced this will be his last year handling membership. A replacement is sought. Membership is going well- 73 membership with 99 members, he reviewed procedures purging members who have not kept up their contact information- 2 years for members, 1 year for businesses

Youth Ski Lessons: Richard Stone passed around the sign up sheet. He also ask that we bring used ski equipment to the next meeting for donation to the Salmon group.

Treasurer: Reine Hilton stated the balance in savings and checking combined $40,195, that includes the RTP Grant of $26,000.

Grooming Report: Tony reported the snow is ahead of this time last year. With it still being hunting season and the warmer weather, they will hold off on grooming until the snow settles. Dec. 1 is the start of the contract.

President’s Report: The floor was installed in the hut and looks great, the turn out for trail maintenance was excellent, a lot was accomplished, Bill Sweet improved the ski rack, the fs rangers in Wisdom are new, the trail map will be coming out soon, those who help with distribution will be contacted shortly, the program coordinator position needs filling, should anyone know of potential presenters, contact Norm for now, December meeting is potluck- dinner 6pm, meeting 7pm, Kate Davis of Raptors of the Rockies will present.

Program: Mark Witherington presented his trip on the Loowit Trail which circumambulates Mount Saint Helens, 30 miles. Part of the stratovolcano devastated the mountain 37 years ago, because of this, the trail is very interesting with part passing through old-growth, wild flowers, waterfalls, views of other volcanic peaks, glaciers, and the rebuilt section is post apocalyptic rubble, no permit needed, no camping in the recovering stretche.

The meeting adjourned: 8:00pm

November 2017 Meeting

It’s that time of year again! The weather is getting colder, snow is starting to show up on the mountains, and it’s time for the first meeting of the season.

The meeting will be on November 9, at 7pm, at the Presbyterian Church, 1220 West Main Street, Hamilton, MT.

Speaker to be announced soon.