Just a few photos from the picnic.  The weather was great, we enjoyed hiking, talking, eating, and sitting in the shade on a warm day with a very light breeze.   Our next group activity will be the LMVG workday on September 28th. 

We'll be holding our summer picnic at Laurel Hill State Park on Sunday August 25th. 

Members - please RSVP using the link in the email sent out on July 20th (and again on August 24th).

We will meet at 9:30 am, at the Warming Hut on Laurel Summit Road.  

We will be re-armoring the flat section of Spruce Run on top of the ridge where it connects to Towhee Trail, and we also need to install a few water bars on the steeper section of the trail. 

Wear long pants, boots, leather gloves, hat or hardhat, eye protection, and ear protection. Please pack a container for water, and bring snacks or a lunch and sunblock.  Also, please register as a DCNR conservation volunteer if you have not already done so.

Congratulations to this year's successful Nordic Challengers: Mike, Jason, Javier, Annelise, Bridger, Liliana, Heidi, Riccardo, Jim and Naomi.  Together, the challengers covered 1644 km in 244 hours.  The leaders in total distance were Riccardo (363 km), Javi (257 km) and Jason (152km), in skate skiing: Riccardo (225km), Javi (217km) and Sam (99km), in classic skiing: Heidi (139km), Jason (126km) and Annelise (82km); in ungroomed skiing: Annelise (57km), Bridger (25km) and Javi (18km).  The most popular skiing activity was classic skiing, while in the snowless days just two of us resorted to rollerskiing, two to ski-erg, two to nordic trak and seven to nordic walking.  

A group met at the Laurel Mountain warming hut at 9:45am on Sunday 18 Feb to ski the Kind-a-hard course (or some of it) together.  There will be a Fluoro wax collection for responsible disposal.  If you would like to join our events committee, join PACCSA, join our chatter email group and let us know.  

Information about PACCSA's group ski lessons is on the lesson page, linked here. 

The PA Nordic Challenge starts on Jan 1st.  The challenge itself is to complete 8 or more cross-country ski-themed training sessions of at least 30 minutes each, during the key winter months of January and February, consistently exercising throughout the winter, as no more than two sessions per week count towards the challenge, to win a special embroidered patch.  See the challenge page for more details - sign up before February!  Read more

Thanks to the small but mighty crew who redistributed 2 large piles of dirt to fill in many damp recesses on the ski trails at Laurel Mountain this morning (Dec 9). 

Thanks to the crew of volunteers who helped with the trail work at Laurel Ridge last Sunday (Dec 3) despite the ominous forecast.  We were lucky, the rain held off, and we got the work done.   

PACCSA members should have received an email from their favorite nordic ski club on Tues Nov 28th around 10pm.  if you didn't see it, please look in your spam folder!  

Please join PACCSA and Yellowjacket Ski Team member Matthew South for a work day at Laurel Ridge on Sunday, December 3rd beginning at 10:00 AM.  The work will focus on completing Matthew’s Boy Scout Eagle Project:  The new Red Loop Hill #1 Bypass.    

Please meet up at the Warming Hut at 10:00 AM on Sunday, December 3rd.   The goal will be to put the finishing touches on the new Hill #1 Bypass trail and to permanently close off the old bypass hill.  Please make sure to wear hiking boots, dress appropriately for the weather, and wear work gloves and bright colored clothing (since it’s hunting season).  If you have them, please bring shovels, pry bars and/or breaker bars. 

The work site is 1.5 miles up the Red Loop, so you must be able to hike at least 3 miles to participate in this project.  In addition, if you are not already signed up as a DCNR Conservation Volunteer, you must sign up in advance by clicking here.

Matthew will be providing donuts for breakfast, snacks and water at the worksite, and a weinie-roast lunch at 1:30 PM.  If you have any kids who need Community Service Hours, this is a great opportunity!  See you all on December 3rd!!

A big thanks to all of the volunteers who helped Matthew with this project in August, and to DCNR, which helped Matthew in the fall with the “heavy equipment” portion of the project!   

Save the date! Volunteer trail work is being planned for 10am Sunday Dec 3 (reserve date Sunday Dec 10).  Details TBA. 

Those attending must be registered as DCNR Conservation Volunteers - please sign up in advance. 

The second event of the Linn Run Rollerski Series took place on Sunday, September 17, in Rector (PA). We met at the bottom of Linn Run road at 8:45 am, but decided to postpone the start due to rainy conditions.  By 10:15 am we had two cars at the top, three skiers at the bottom and no more rain. After a quick warm up and few pictures, we were ready to begin.

Continued here

PACCSA's 40th birthday was celebrated with lots of action and a big cake at the picnic at Laurel Hill State Park on August 13.  About 30 people attended and enjoyed hiking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, games and conversation. 

PACCSA turns 40 this year, and to celebrate, we’re having a big picnic on Sunday, August 13th at Laurel Hill State Park.  We’ll be gathering at the “Willis Pavilion” near the lake/swimming area (look for the PACCSA banners).  This is a family-friendly event open to all PACCSA members and their families.  The schedule of events is as follows:  

10:00 AM – Group hikes within Laurel Hill State Park (5.5 miles or 3 miles)

12:00 PM – Picnic lunch with hamburgers, veggie burgers, hotdogs, and a Pulled-Pork Cookoff.  Please bring a side-item to share with your ski buddies!!    

1:00 PM --  Special 40th Anniversary Cake will be served!!  

1:30 PM --  Games and events, including kayak races on the lake, CAT-ski time trials, cornhole tournament, and volleyball!!  

We’ll see you all on August 13th!!  Don't forget to bring a picnic side-item to share, and your NNN or Prolink classic boots & poles if you wish to use the CAT-skis (these are classic all-terrain skis that work well on grass).

Members - please RSVP using the link in the email sent out on August 1st.

Please save the dates for

Saturday, June 3 (9:30AM/Laurel Mountain)

Saturday, June 24 (9:30AM/Route 31), and

Saturday, September 23 (9:30AM/Laurel Mountain). 

Kind-a-hard to hold a race with no snow.  We'll try again next year. 

Thanks to our volunteers, racers, Ski Patrol, DCNR, SmileyMiles and sponsors for supporting this event.

After a warm and wet start to the year, snowy pictures are starting to appear in the training logs.  Join the challenge! The last date to sign up is Jan 31st.

The Nordic Challenge is back for 2023.  Read all about it here and sign up before Feb 1st. 

Thanks to Forbes State Forest for this reminder: statewide black bear, regular firearms season begins this Saturday, November 19 thru Tuesday, November 22.  Stay safe, be seen, wear blaze orange, and be courteous to others.

For more information on Pennsylvania hunting and trapping laws, please check out the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Hunter's Digest available online here

The 2023 Kind-a-hard classic cross country ski race is cancelled due to lack of snow.

Join PACCSA for our summer picnic on Sunday, August 14th!  This year we'll be returning to North Park in the Henderson pavilion located off of Babcock Blvd. near the swimming pool.  Look for our bright PACCSA and Fischer signs near the Henderson pavilion parking area.  We'll kick off at noon (12:00 PM) with hotdogs, hamburgers and veggie burgers for everyone.  After eating, enjoy fellowship, fun games, and everything North Park has to offer with your PACCSA friends.  This event is open to all PACCSA members and their families.  If your PACCSA membership has lapsed, please renew by clicking here so you can join in on the fun!

Please feel free to bring a food item to share with your ski buddies!  Also, North Park has lots of trails and playgrounds for the kids.  It's a great place for mountain biking, and you can canoe or kayak on the lake.  In addition, the Lake Shore Drive loop is a great place to rollerski, so bring 'em if you got 'em!      

The 2022 edition of the PA Nordic Challenge is happening!  Use it to train for the Kind-a-hard or just to keep motivated and have fun throughout the winter.  Changes from 2021 are that training log entries should be made within 7 days, we'll have an automatic leaderboard online, and the challenge rewards will be simpler.  The essentials are unchanged - total of 8 workouts in Jan and Feb, 30 minutes or more each time, and only 2 per week count towards the challenge, although you can log every single one.  Sign up here before Feb 1. 

Registration for PACCSA's Yellowjackets youth skiing program is now open!! 

Registration will remain open through January 6, 2021 and our first session is scheduled for January 8, 2021.  

Don't let your kids miss out on the fun!

More Information Here

Thanks to Bob Mazur and Jim South for getting the PACCSA webcams up and running again, and to those whose donations make this possible. If your browser is still showing the 'back next winter' pictures, look up 'clear cache and hard reload'.   

Join PACCSA on Sunday, November 14th for some pre-season fun!  We'll be kicking off the day at 10:00 AM with an all-day Ski Swap in the upper warming hut.  If you have ill-fitting ski equipment/clothing that needs a new home, or are hunting for some reasonably priced gear, this is your chance!  This Ski Swap is a totally free event for anyone interested.   

After you check out the Ski Swap, help PACCSA and DCNR get the Laurel Ridge trail system ready for snow!  We'll be doing trail work from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM with a focus on clearing the trails of fallen debris, cleaning out culverts and drains, cutting back invasive saplings, and stacking firewood.  There are a lot of trails at Laurel Ridge, so we can use all of the help we can get!       

Please bring work gloves and hand tools such as loppers, clippers, bow saws, and rakes.  Spade shovels are also useful for clearing drains.  If you don't have any of these tools, don't worry! There will be plenty of extras.  Dress appropriately for the weather, and since PACCSA work days take place during hunting season, it's always wise to wear bright, visible clothing. Finally, if you're not already registered as a DCNR Conservation Volunteer, please do so online by clicking here.    

With everyone's help, we'll have all of the trails clean and clear for the season's first big snowfall!     

This is Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group’s final group work day of 2021, and coincides with Public Lands Day. 

Plan to meet at the Laurel Mountain warming hut at 9:30AM to work within the Laurel Mountain division of Forbes State Forest. If you’re a new volunteer to Forbes, please sign up online to be a DCNR conservation volunteer.

Projects for this work day include:

Rearmoring wet sections of Fish Run Trail (between old gas well and Linn Run Road) ~200 yards
Remove small amount of graffiti from Beam Rocks
Brushing back Darr and Brant Trails (entire trails)
Firewood cutting
And more!

Please come prepared to the work day with sturdy boots, long pants, work gloves, eye protection, and any other comfort items you may need. Please note that we will not be hosting a volunteer appreciation dinner this year, however, we will instead have volunteer ‘snack bags’ for you to grab and take with you out onto the trails. These snack bags will include prepackaged trail mix, cheese, meat sticks, granola bars, etc. As always, water and gatorade will be available. Our friends at REI have graciously donated several prizes to be raffled off at this work day as well.

If you have any questions please reach out to either Rachel Mahony or Ed Callahan at Forbes District Office, 724-238-1200

Join PACCSA for our summer picnic on Saturday, August 14th!  This year we'll be returning to North Park in the Henderson pavilion located off of Babcock Blvd. near the swimming pool (click HERE for an interactive map of North Park).  Look for our bright PACCSA and Fischer signs near the Henderson pavilion parking area.  We'll kick off at noon (12:00 PM) with hotdogs, hamburgers and veggie burgers for everyone.  After eating, enjoy fellowship, fun games, and everything North Park has to offer with your PACCSA friends.  This event is open to all PACCSA members and their families.

Please feel free to bring a food item to share with your ski buddies!  Also, North Park hos lots of trails and playgrounds for the kids.  It's a great place for mountain biking, and you can canoe or kayak on the lake.  In addition, the Lake Shore Drive loop is a great place to rollerski, so bring 'em if you got 'em!      

Join PACCSA and the Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group this Saturday, June 12th, 2021 for some summer tail work.  We'll meet at the Laurel Mountain Warming Hut (1120 Laurel Summit Road, Boswell, PA) beginning at 10:00 AM.  On tap for the day are projects consisting  primarily of trail re-amoring and brushback.  Dress for the weather and bring work gloves, personal bug repellant, water and a bag lunch.  Also, due to COVID-19, please bring a mask (vaccinated people will only need to wear a mask if they are working in groups of m

At the end of the PA Nordic Challenge we have the following: 

• 583 activities logged
• 4,480 km logged (2783 miles) -- the distance from Pittsburgh to San Francisco!
• Cumulatively we skied for 40 days!
• 40 people completed the challenge.  
• Classic skiing on groomed was the most popular activity overall, with the most km, minutes and workouts logged.  However, classic skiing on ungroomed snow became more popular for the days immediately after each major snowfall. 

Look for a fuller update next week.  What a great winter!  

#PANordic2021

Thanks to those who were out clearing fallen branches from the ski trails.  The first two photos were taken on Wednesday, one at Laurel Ridge and one at Laurel Mountain, and the third was taken at Laurel Mountain early Thursday morning.

Click on the photo or the title to see the full article.  

Laurel Mountain suffered a massive ice storm last night.  Summit Road is closed shortly after Summit Ski Rd (which leads to the downhill resort), with fallen trees and wires down.  As a result, the grooming team hasn't been able to get to the trails to assess the situation, but they're assuming the trails will be covered with fallen trees and limbs.  They're going to need all of the help they can get to clear the trails before Thursday's storm, which is predicted to bring 8-12" of new snow to Laurel Mountain.  
If you are available to help out at Laurel Mountain tomorrow, please come up.  The snowmobile parking lot is accessible from Summit Rd, and is only a short walk away from the Warming Hut.  Do not use Linn Run Rd!  We plan to start from the Warming Hut at 10 AM.  We're assuming the trails are ice-laden, so bring hiking boots (and showshoes, if you have them) in case skiing isn't possible.  Also bring bow saws, loppers/clippers, work gloves, etc.  

After 5 weeks, 11 people have now completed the challenge!  The distance leaderboard is still led by Alan (416 km), followed by Riccardo (215 km), Naomi (180 km) and Lilianna Hug (150 km), while on the time leaderboard Naomi leads with 40 h (7 h teaching beginner lessons), followed by Alan with 38 h, Lilianna (27 h) and Brent (22 h).  The challenge combined total is 2383 km.  

Ski on!

#PANordic2021

The lesson instructors are completely booked up.  The fantastic conditions allowed us to fit in small group lessons for a total of 39 people during January, and we have even more scheduled for February.  Our team of instructors is small but dedicated; they are all volunteers.

There are 23 unique challengers that have logged activity, the total so far is 564 km.
Saturday 16 Jan was the busiest day, with 9 people logging a combined 67 km of skiing (skate plus classic).

At the end of week 2 Alan Hough was leading the total distance chart with 147km, chased from afar by Naomi Jarvis with 74km and then the main pack, Mike Lubich with 39km, Jim Anglin with 37km and Deb Lubich with 31km.  Naomi leads the time rankings with 827 minutes, followed by Alan with 714 mins, Brent Lahaie at 645 mins, Mike Lubich at 458 mins and Deb Lubich at 427 mins.  The totals are combined from all of the activities, skiing, Nordic Track, running and hiking with poles, etc, one of us only discovered the resistance adjuster on the Nordic Track last week(!) and it's all for fun, training and the love of xc skiing.  

Jan 31st is the last day to sign up for the PA Nordic challenge

#PANordic2021

The PA Nordic challenge has 25 participants registered, and of those 15 collectively logged 262 km of activity in just 11 days of 2021.  A lot of people logged activity on Saturday; it's great to see the photos from so many different parts of PA.  The last day to sign up for this is Jan 31st. 

#PANordic2021

For 2021 PACCSA is hosting the PA Nordic Challenge, as the pandemic has made the usual PA Nordic Championships format unworkable. 

The Challenge will keep us all entertained, busy, training for xc skiing and ready to snatch the chance to ski on snow whenever there's enough of it in the right place. 

All the details are here.   #PANordic2021   

Registration for PACCSA's Yellowjackets youth skiing program is now open!!  Registration will remain open through January 4, 2021 and our first session is scheduled for January 9, 2021.  Like other youth sports, there will be COVID-19 precautions this year and we'll be following the apropriate CDC, state, local and DCNR guidelines to keep everyone as safe as possible.

Don't let your kids miss out on the fun!

More Information Here

Chip from White Grass posted our first snow report of the year, and it's a good one, with skiers out enjoying the powder.  Read it here.  Heck yeah!
There's a link to the most recent snow reports on our front page, beneath the webcam pics. 

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, PACCSA will be holding it's "Annual Meeting" online tonight (August 13, 2020) beginning at 6:30 PM.  Agenda topics will include the election of Board members for the 2020/2021 ski season, a discussion of current DCNR COVID-19 guidelines, and what to expect for the upcoming ski season.

All PACCSA members are encouraged to participate in tonight's online "Annual Meeting."  To join the meeting, simply click on the following link:

meet.google.com/hqq-wecx-qyp

Despite one of the worst snow seasons in Pennsylvania history, 73 enthusiastic skiers from the Keystone State, Ohio, New York, Maryland and Minnesota gathered at Wilderness Lodge on Sunday for the 2020 edition of PACCSA’s Pennsylvania Nordic Championship races.  Click on this article for a full recap of the exciting races! 

from FastWax, Swix and Toko, which have been added to the race webpage (click here) 

Registration for the PA Nordic Championship races is open!   

Plan ahead, help the race organizers and save yourself some cash by registering ahead of time.   

Join in with all the fun by helping out on the day.  Volunteer here.  

PACCSA is offering a series of 3 progressive lessons which aim to give a complete beginner the skills necessary to take on the 5k classic race at the PA Nordic Championships. These will be taught by Naomi Jarvis and Charlie Nash. 

Click here for more details on the Hut to 5k program.

Regular PACCSA lessons will be scheduled on Sundays as usual - watch the events page for these.

The webcams are up, showing the first snow for this season!

It's time to renew your PACCSA membership, dust off your ski gear and get ready to join the fun next weekend.

Thanks to Bob Mazur and Jim South for getting the cams up and running once again, and thanks to everyone who has contributed to the webcam expenses (hardware, phone connection, website hosting).  

Here's a big white blast from the past

Oil Creek State Park ski trail workdays are set for Sundays Oct 28, Nov 17 and December 1.  We will be painting blazes, trimming, doing ditch work, clearing downed trees and branches, etc.  Bring gloves and trail tools if you can. Some are provided.  Meet at the ski hut at 1pm.  More details here

The last trail work day at Laurel Mountain for 2018 is coming up soon - Sept 28th, starting at 10am at the warming hut.  Plans for the day include trail trimming, re-armoring, graffiti removal and the annual volunteer appreciation picnic! 

Click here for more details

Join PACCSA for our summer picnic on Saturday, August 24th!  This year we'll be gathering at North Park in the Mars pavilion located on Lake Shore Drive (click here for a map of North Park).  Look for our bright PACCSA and Fischer signs near the Mars pavilion parking area.  We'll kick off at 11 AM with a brief Board meeting to elect officers for the 2019/2020 ski season.  After that we'll be grilling up some hotdogs and hamburgers, playing some games and enjoying everything North Park has to offer.  This event is open to all PACCSA members and their families.  

Please feel free to bring a food item to share with your ski buddies!  Also, North Park has lots of trails and playgrounds for the kids. It's a great place for mountain biking, and you can canoe or kayak in the lake.  In addition, the Lake Shore Drive loop is a great place to rollerski, so bring 'em if you got 'em!

After suffering a cancellation in 2018, the February 3, 2019 edition of PACCSA’s Pennsylvania Nordic Championships went off without a hitch!  For 2019, the races returned to Wilderness Lodge in Wattsburg, PA and drew skiers from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maine, Maryland and Virginia!  

Click here for the full story!

The course at Wilderness is in excellent shape and we expect good conditions for Sunday's races.  Register NOW to avoid the $10 same-day registration surcharge!  

Register Here

More Information About the Races is Here

PACCSA ski lessons take place at Laurel Ridge State Park throughout the winter, usually on Sundays at 1pm, conditions and volunteer schedules permitting.  Keep an eye on the lesson page for more information, and the up to date list.  The lessons are also shown in the events calendar.  

Other lessons

There are a few DCNR ski lessons in other PA state parks, and some of the managed ski areas offer private lessons - call ahead to be sure.

The hut to 5k progressive lesson series starts on Saturday - last chance to sign up is today (Thursday).

Ski-orienteering at Laurel Ridge is on for Sunday - if you can, preregister today     What is it?  Read this

Charlie Nash will give the first of PACCSA's ski lessons for this year at Laurel Ridge on Sunday at 1pm. 

The PA Nordic championships are scheduled for Feb 3 at Wilderness.  Please support your club by participating or volunteering.  We will need lots of help. 

This year PACCSA is offering a short series of progressive lessons which aim to give a complete beginner the skills necessary to take on the 5k classic race at the PA nordic championships.  Moved back a week - register by Jan 10.  More info here

Regular PACCSA lessons will be scheduled on Sundays as usual - watch the events page for these.

Please be advised that the work day & ski swap planned for this Sunday, November 18th, has been POSTPONED.  There is currently groomed snow at Laurel Ridge and the Ski Concession plans to be open this weekend.  PACCSA still plans on having the work day / ski swap in the near future and will send out notices as soon as a new date is confirmed.       

'Tis the season for trail clean up! 
Friends of Oil Creek State Park will be doing maintenance on the hiking/ski trails on Sundays, October 14 and 28, and November 4 at 1:15pm.  Meet at the ski hut and bring gloves and your favorite tools for trimming brush and trees. 

Oil Creek State Park has some lovely hiking and biking trails: more info.  

The annual picnic on August 25 was well attended and less well photographed.  Approximately two dozen PACCSA members enjoyed a variety of activities in Laurel Hill State Park, from grass skiing with classic all terrain skis to hiking and stand up paddleboard, and lots of good conversation around a delightful picnic.  Missed the fun?  Join us next summer.

Get outdoors with PACCSA and the Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group for some summer trail work near the Northwoods ski trails!  We will meet on Saturday, August 11th at the Route 31 pole building parking area (located off of Route 31 at Camp Run Rd., just east of Donagal, PA near the Hidden Valley Ski Resort).  Work will start at 10AM and end around 2:30PM.  Projects will include the construction of a new foot bridge, brushing back trails, reblazing and more.    

Please come prepared for the work day with gloves, protective eyewear, water, and a lunch – be sure to dress for the weather as well. There will be some water and Gatorade provided, as well as granola bars.  DCNR will have a large selection of tools on hand for us to use.  See you Saturday! 

PACCSA members make an enormous contribution to the Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group's work. The Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group is formed of several outdoor organizations who enjoy recreation at Laurel Summit and Laurel Mountain and are willing to help to maintain and improve those places for everyone to enjoy.  

The work days planned for 2018 are 

• Saturday June 2
• Saturday August 11
• Saturday September 29

Register as a DCNR volunteer to save time on the day and receive email updates.

Spring is here, the webcams are on vacation and it's time to get your favorite skis cleaned and put away for the summer!  Here are some instructions on summer ski care from Madshus.  Recently people have been advising against cleaning by warm-scraping skis as many skiers have been over-enthusiastic with this, resulting in base damage.  Using a medium-hard wax for storage is a good choice in PA as it's often the wax of the day for the first snow of the next season.

There's still good skiing in PA and for some it's the last day of the season.  Check out the snow reports here  

Already enthusiastic supporters of the US (and in some cases, British) cross country ski team(s), some of the PACCSA rollerskiers are also rooting for a second or third team at the 2018 Winter Olympics: Mexico! 

Click here to read more and see a much better photo

at REI on Southside, Pittsburgh, Wed 31 January. Free! Registration is required.

The first lesson of 2018 is set for 1pm on Sunday at Laurel Ridge.   See the events page and the ski lessons page for more info.

If you are interested in sponsoring the 2018 PA Nordic Championship Races, please contact Charlie Nash asap.   We have sponsorship levels available from $50 to $200 and there are also other opportunities to contribute, eg donating to the swag bags or the door prizes.  Funds raised from race sponsorship will help to offset the race expenses and keep the entry fees affordable.  The sponsors will be recognized by printing their logo on the back of the race shirt, on the PACCSA website, and on any printed literature.  Thank you to those who have already joined in. 

The photo shows Charlie at Wilderness Lodge preparing to check out the trails following a race organization meeting.
 

Kick off the ski season with PACCSA this Sunday, November 19th at the Laurel Ridge Cross Country Ski Center!  From 10 AM to 2 PM, we'll be having a Ski Swap in the upper warming hut.  This will be a great opportunity to sell your old gear, or maybe find something new.  Come take a look to see what's on offer!  There is no fee for sellers and admission is free.     

Also beginning at 10:00 AM, we'll be teaming up with the Laurel Ridge Ski Concession and DCNR for a Trail Clear.  There's a lot to do, so we need as many volunteers as we can get!  We'll be focusing on stacking firewood for the warming huts, cleaning out drainage pipes and culverts, and clearing the trails of any fallen limbs or debris.  All volunteers for the trail clear will receive one free ski pass for Laurel Ridge.  There will also be random prize drawings for everyone who helps out.  At noon, the Laurel Ridge Ski Concession and Lucky Dog Cafe will be providing lunch with soup and warm drinks.       

Notes for all trail work volunteers -  We'll be working rain or shine...or snow!  Please bring work gloves and hand tools such as loppers, clippers, bow saws, and rakes.  If you don't have any of these tools, don't worry!  There will be plenty of extras.  Dress appropriately for the weather (it looks like it might be snowing on Sunday).  With everyone's help, we'll have all of the trails clean and clear for the season's first big snowfall!     

We set a new record for attendance at the PACCSA annual meeting and summer picnic - 20 PACCSA members and friends were present on this occasion, which was held at Laurel Hill State Park on August 5. The weather was unusually cold (in the 60s) and the park was almost deserted. After an efficiently short meeting and a picnic lunch, we enjoyed the picnic and then some more energetic activities - volleyball, hiking, rollerskiing, and three hardy Yellowjackets went for a swim.  Thank you to everyone for coming.  

2018 races canceled

The PA nordic championship races are canceled for 2018.  We hope for more favorable conditions next year. 

More details here

Join PACCSA for our annual summer picnic!  This year's picnic will take place at Laurel Hill State Park on Saturday, August 5th in the groves adjacent to the beach area.  Look for our bright PACCSA and Fischer signs!  We'll be starting at 11 AM with a very brief Board meeting to elect officers for the 2017/2018 ski season.  After that we'll be grilling up some hotdogs and hamburgers and enjoying everything Laurel Hill State Park has to offer.  This event is open to all PACCSA members and their families.  

Please feel free to bring a food item to share with your ski buddies!  Also, Laurel Hill has a beach for swimming and many playgrounds for the kids. It's a great place to canoe, kayak or paddle-board and there's a concession where you can rent boats.  There are also interesting hiking and and mountain bike trails, and the fishing is great.  Some of us might also go for a rollerski, so bring 'em if you got 'em!

Saturday, June 3 is National Trails Day!  To celebrate, PACCSA is teaming up with the Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group (LMVG) to work on the cross country skiing trails at Laurel Mountain.  Everyone who helps out will be entered in a raffle for prizes generously donated by REI.  We plan to repair and armor wet areas and erosion damaged segments of the Bill Alberts and Towhee trails.  

Meet us at the Laurel Mountain warming hut beginning at 9:45 AM.  DCNR will have light snacks, water and Gatorade for all participants.  Make sure to bring work gloves and a bagged lunch.  Tools will be provided by DCNR, but feel free to bring loppers, hand pruners and trimmers if you have them.   

Your volunteerism and hard work during the off-season ensures that we'll have the best possible trail conditions when the snow returns! 

The Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group workdays planned for 2017 are: 

Saturday, June 3 (National Trails Day) at Laurel Mountain
Saturday, July 29 - Route 31 pole building
Saturday, September 30 (National Public Lands Day) - Laurel Mountain warming hut

We have some extra race shirts available for $15 each in sizes S to XL.   They are lightweight, tech wicking fabric, and a nice high visibility green which will stand out in traffic - ideal for rollerskiing or cycling etc.  Here we have Naomi and Matthew modelling size S.  If you'd like a shirt, contact Jim.

Check out the race reports from Go Erie and Erie News Now

Course preparation has begun for Sunday's Pennsylvania Nordic Championship races.  As predicted, Wilderness Lodge has received additional snow this week.  The trail base is currently 8-10 inches with nothing but below-freezing temperatures in sight.  The forecast is calling for a race-time temperature of 31 degrees with cloudy skies.  It will be an great day for skiing!  

Erie NBC television affiliate WICU is planning to be at the races, with live interviews taking place between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM during their Sunday morning news program.  Also, for anyone needing help with ski preparation, Findley Lake Sporting Goods plans to have a race-day waxing station on site at Wilderness.  

Lastly, for those who haven't yet made lodging plans for this weekend's race, please consider staying at the Erie Wingate by Wyndham.  The Wingate is offering a special rate for racers and spectators planning to attend the races of just $79/night.  The Wingate will also make a donation to PACCSA for each room reserved.  Call the Wingate at (814) 860-3050 and mention the Pennsylvania Nordic Championships to get the special rate!          

The NWS weather forecast for Wilderness Lodge  looks great!  As of today (Thurs) it predicts snow, with a high of 31F.

Wax recommendations for race day are linked below

• Swix
• Toko - classic
• Toko - skate

We will be ordering new suits and jackets in early Jan 2017 from Borah Teamwear, using these great designs from our talented designer, Colin Burch.  

More info here

On November 9 the weather was not ideal, it started off warm and breezy, became windier still and then the temperature dropped by 30F as a light rain started to fall and became progressively colder and heavier as it changed over to wet snow.  Despite the nasty conditions, a dozen hardy PACCSA volunteers showed up to help.  We first replenished the wood rack inside the main warming hut before turning to the trails.  Our crew managed to clear out every drainage ditch and culvert on the Red, Blues, Greens and some of the Orange.  We also cleared limbs and debris from those same trails, as well as the Yellow.  A number of downed trees were removed by our chainsaw crew.  Afterwards, as we dried off in the warming hut, we enjoyed burgers, hotdogs and fellowship, looking forward to a snowy winter.  When we left, the trails were in good shape and ready for the season. 

A few photos from a PACCSA rollerski outing near Ligonier, PA.  No group pic, we were in too much of a hurry to get to the Pie Shoppe.  If you would like to receive invitations to future outings, contact us. 

Drive for 25 is the National Nordic Foundation's grass-roots fundraiser to support US cross country skiing.  Most of the athletes on the US Nordic Ski Team are or have been supported by the NNF, read Caitlin's story to learn more.

If you can help, any amount is welcome.

The fundraiser ends on Dec 1.

Thinking of getting a few days early season skiing with some expert coaching too?  If you're prepared to travel, then check these out

What did you do as summer training? 

So far we have evidence of Dave Helwig and Mark Spear cycling to Mars to find a flying saucer, Nancy and Addy Barnes getting a SUP workout, Carlton Ketchum striding along the Eliza Furnace trail in Pittsburgh, beach skiing from Naomi Jarvis (there wasn't enough snow in PA last winter), Jim Anglin on a gut-busting bike race in WV, Robert Kaschak with his medal from the Pittsburgh Adventure Triathlon, and James Fenn in the start lines for a rollerski race.

PACCSA set a new record for the number of rollerskiers on one Pittsburgh street after yesterday's picnic.  Thanks to Alan Hough of Skike PA and PACCSA Board members Jim South and Naomi Jarvis for sharing their rollerski gear.

If you are interested in rollerskiing, let us know!  We have email and garmin connect groups for PACCSA rollerskiers, and a few of us meet in or near Pittsburgh most weeks.

Please join PACCSA in Pittsburgh this weekend for our annual picnic on Saturday, August 27th beginning at 12:30 PM. Come meet PACCSA's Board of Directors, learn about future projects, and enjoy a lunch of sandwiches, salads and other summer favorites.  If you've ever wanted to try rollerskiing, we'll have skate and classic models on hand with both NNN and Salomon bindings.  Just bring your boots, poles and a helmet to give them a whirl!  Some of us will also be mountain biking the trails in in Frick Park, so bring your bike if you have one!  We'll also be holding PACCSA's "annual meeting" to elect this season's Board of Directors.  

All PACCSA members and their families are invited.  If you're interested, meet us at the Law Offices of Frischman & Rizza, 7300 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208 (just up the road from the Frick Museum) beginning at 12:30 PM.  See you there!           

There's still time to join the National Bike Challenge - look for team PACCSA.  We are currently team #351 nationally and #7 in Pittsburgh, with over 2000 miles logged.  Your bicycle miles can be entered on the challenge website directly, or synced automatically from Endomondo, MapMyRide and Strava.

PACCSA members Elizabeth Beech, Mike Blessington, Bruce Cox, Jim Logan and Bob Mazur worked hard at the Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group work day on June 4, splitting an enormous heap of logs into firewood to keep skiers warm next winter.  Elizabeth said, "It was a great group of people to work with and we made a pretty good team. I'm so glad to get the chance to contribute to the places I get to play in.  I had a blast." 

Join the fun at the next LMVG workday on August 13.

This year is the Laurel Mountain Volunteer Group (LMVG)’s 10th year anniversary, making it an especially important work season!  Please mark your calendars for the 2016 volunteer trail work days:

Saturday, June 4

Saturday, August 13

Saturday, September 24

More detailed information will be available closer to the trail work dates.  Register as a volunteer to receive email updates.  

It's been a strange winter, and with the poor snow conditions, we know that many of you have held off on joining or renewing your PACCSA membership.  However, the snow has returned and PACCSA is pleased to announce a special LATE SEASON BONUS for anyone who joins, renews their membership, or donates to PACCSA between now and April 1, 2016!  Click here for more details!   

PACCSA recently sponsored two very successful trail clearing events.  On November 6th, twenty-five PACCSA volunteers attended a trail clear at Laurel Mountain.  The following weekend, seventeen PACCSA volunteers helped get things ready at the Laurel Ridge XC Ski Center.  Read more about these successful volunteer events!    

Your membership fees and donations make PACCSA's webcam program possible. 

Thank you for your ongoing support!     

For the second year in a row, PACCSA is teaming up with the Laurel Ridge Ski Concession for pre-season trail work.  The Laurel Ridge trail clear is scheduled for Sunday, November 15th from 10:30 AM until 3:30 PM.  The Ski Concession is giving everyone who participates one trail pass for the 2015/2016 season and will be throwing a free cookout with soups and warm drinks. Participants will also have a chance to win free ski garb.  If you plan to attend, please send an e-mail to Jim South at south2027@hotmail.com indicating the number of people in your party.  This will let the Ski Concession know how much food to prepare.     

For all trail clears, please bring work gloves and hand tools such as loppers, clippers, bow saws, and rakes.  If you don't have any of these tools, don't worry!  There will be plenty of extras.  Also, since it will be hunting season, DCNR asks that everyone please wear bright, visible clothing.  With everyone's help, we'll have all of the trails clean and clear for the season's first big snowfall!     

Unfortunately, Wilderness Lodge does not have enough snow for the 2016 Pennsylvania Nordic Championships, which were rescheduled to occur on March 6, 2016.  PACCSA thanks all of our sponsors and apologizes for this inconvenience.  Participants who pre-registered through SkiReg.com will be receiving a refund. Hopefully excellent snow conditions will return in 2017.  

DCNR held a public meeting on October 28th in Monroeville for public comment on the 2015 State Forest Resource Management Plan (SFRMP).  The Bureau of Forestry develops this document as the primary reference governing how Pennsylvania’s numerous state forests may be used.  Numerous PACCSA members attended the meeting to comment on issues related to cross-country skiing and trail grooming in the State Forests.  

Citizens may still submit written comments related to the SFRMP until November 30th.  If you would like to submit a comment to DCNR, there is an online survey available that makes the process easy.  You can also submit comments via e-mail to StateForestPlan2015@pa.gov.  If you still haven't taken a look at the SFRMP, click here and pay particular attention to the “recreation” sections, pages 166 through 183.  

Thank you for doing your part to ensure that DCNR’s state forests remain a great place for cross-country skiing! 

There's just one day left for the NNF's campaign to raise money to support US cross country skiing - this will help many of the national team and the junior teams get to races.  If you are able to contribute, any amount is welcome. Thank you.

Mark your calendar with the PACCSA trail work days:
Saturday Nov 7 at Laurel Mountain
Sunday Nov 15 at Laurel Ridge

Friends of Oil Creek State Park have work days planned for Sundays Oct 25, Nov 8 and Nov 22.  

White Grass have work days every weekend in November - RSVP to join the fun.

Skiers are made in the summer - well, summer is on the way out, what have you been doing?  Let's see some training photos here (use the contact form to ask for our email address).  Here's Jason Zimmerman on his way to winning the ACA Master's Crit Series with the Freddie Fu Cycling Team - congrats, Jason!  Click on the photo or the title to see more PACCSA members' antics and maybe get some inspiration for your own.

There are two summer biathlons coming up - June 27 in Altoona, and August 8 at Oil Creek State Park.   No experience is necessary, equipment will be provided, and there will be safety training for first-timers.   More info on PA biathlons

*** The Oil Creek biathlon is FULL! ***   Volunteers and spectators are welcome.

Do you ride a bike? Log your cycling miles for the National Bike Challenge and join Team PACCSA. Our 2014 bike challenge champion Mike Blessington is at the top of our leaderboard once again, and after the first week, Team PACCSA is in 18th place locally. Miles can be logged using Strava, Endomondo, Mapmyride, or directly on the bike challenge website. The bike challenge awards 20 points for each day with over 1 mile pedalled, plus one point per mile, so regular short rides can build up points more easily than less frequent longer rides. There is also a friendly competition between the bike advocacy nonprofits Bike Pittsburgh and Bike Cleveland for the Rust Belt Cup  - and a free beer in June for each mileage target reached.

Have you put storage wax on your skis yet?  If not, don't panic, but follow the instructions in the Toko summer storage manual  The Toko guidelines also work for Swix wax, use yellow/BP/CH10 for cleaning and red/CH8 for storage.  Summer ski care from Madshus suggests purple/CH7 for storage.  If you're lucky, that same red or purple wax will be just what you need for the first ski outing of next season - just scrape, brush and go! 

The 2015 Pennsylvania Nordic Championships were held at Wilderness Lodge for the second year in a row on February 8, 2015.  In the end, PACCSA held one of the most exciting races in recent memory, with Nancy Herbst and Sheldon Degenhardt being crowned the 2015 Pennsylvania Nordic Champions.  For a full recap of all the races, click on the title above.    

Thank you to the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation for the Young Skier Development Grant which was awarded to PACCSA Yellowjackets in 2014. Yellowjackets have enjoyed the plentiful snowfall at Laurel Ridge - 2015 has been our snowiest season ever! The photos show the team enjoying an agility session disguised as a game of 'fire and ice' tag.

REI, a long time partner of PACCSA, has graciously provided us with FOUR fantastic bags to be used as fundraisers - two duffel bags, and two ski bags (one in each color).  These will be awarded to the lucky winners on February 28, 2015.  Everyone who joins or renews their membership by 2/28/15 will be eligible to win.  The winners will be randomly selected, please encourage your friends to join and support our club.  Thank you to REI for this generous gift.

The lucky winner of the Top Gear swag bag is Louis D.

Thanks to Norb Duritsa, Bob Dezort, Robert Kaschak and Mike Lubich for instructing the PACCSA ski lessons on Jan 18 and Feb 1.  There are several more ski lessons scheduled - see the events calendar

A can't miss outing of outdoor enthusiasts, skiers, snowshoers, hikers.
Saturday January 24, 2015 10AM at Laurel Mountain Summit Road warming hut.
More info here

Registration for the 2014-2015 season is open, see www.paccsa.org/yellowjackets. 

Don't miss your chance - registration will close on Dec 16.

This year we have a grant from the Birkie Foundation to help people with ski rentals - contact us for details.  Thank you, Birkie!

'Buy a 12 time use pass for $75 ($21 savings).  Pass is good through March 2015.  Offer ends November 30th.

Call Andy at 724-880-4384'
 

The second trail clear at the Laurel Ridge XC Skiing Center will occur this Sunday, November 16th, from 10:30 AM until 3:30 PM.  Everyone who participates will once again earn a free trail ticket for the 2014/2015 ski season.  Also, the Lucky Dog Cafe will be providing a delicious lunch for every volunteer. 

If you can attend, please e-mail Jim South at south2027@hotmail.com.  Make sure to indicate how many people will be coming with you so the Lucky Dog Cafe knows how much food to prepare.  Also, please bring work gloves and hand tools such as loppers, clipper, bow saws and rakes if you have them.  If not, we'll have extra tools on hand.  Lastly, deer hunting season starts this week, so DCNR asks that you please wear brightly colored, high-visibility clothing. 

Join PACCSA or renew your membership by December 19, 2014 to be entered into a drawing for snowtubing for two, compliments of Seven Springs Mountain Resort.  Drawing will be held Dec. 20th. - UPDATE - the winner is Barbara B.  Another prize draw will be announced soon.

Last Saturday was a bit of a dreary day at the Laurel Ridge XC Skiing Center, but the heavy rains stopped just before the trail clear got underway.  Eleven hearty PACCSA volunteers braved the wet and chilly conditions to remove fallen trees, large limbs and other debris from the trail system.  In the end, virtually every trail was cleaned up and readied for the 2014/2015 ski season. 

Andy Smith and Bob Ruppel from the Ski Concession provided all of PACCSA's volunteers with a delicious lunch which included homemade chili, grilled burgers, hot dogs, and warm apple cider.  In addition, everyone earned a trail ticket for helping out.  PACCSA extends a special thanks to the following volunteers who braved the weather to help accomplish this back-breaking work:

Kevin Craig, Norb Duritsa, James Fenn, Kate Fissel, Naomi Jarvis, Brian Joly, Gene Parsons, Jim South, Matthew South, Traci Torrence and George Wolf.   

For those who couldn't make it, there will be another trail clear at the Laurel Ridge XC Skiing Center on November 16th from 10 AM until 3 PM.  We'll provide more information on this event in the coming weeks. 

Think snow! 

PACCSA is teaming up with the Laurel Ridge Ski Concession for two pre-season trail clears this year.  The first trail clear will occur this Saturday, October 18th, from 10 AM until 3 PM.   

The Ski Concession is giving everyone who participates one free trail ticket for use during the 2014/2015 season.  You'll also be entered into a drawing for prizes from Patagonia, Swix, Atomic, and others.  Since clearing trails tends to work up a hearty appetite, lunch is being provided for everyone by the Lucky Dog Cafe! 

If you plan to attend, please send an e-mail to Jim South at south2027@hotmail.com indicating the number of people in your party.  This will allow the Lucky Dog Cafe to know how much food to prepare.  Also, if you have them, please bring work gloves and hand tools such as loppers, clippers, bow saws, and rakes.  If you don't have any of these tools, don't worry!  We'll have plenty of extras.  Lastly, since it is small-game season, DCNR asks that everyone please wear bright, visible clothing.  

With everyone's help, we'll have the Laurel Ridge trail system clean and clear for the season's first big snowfall!  See you on Saturday!   

Laurel Ridge XC Ski Center are planning 2 trail clear days for 2014, Oct 18th and Nov 16th.

For more information see the Laurel Ridge XC Ski Center on facebook or contact luckydogcafe@gmail.com

Check out this new Pittsburgh cross country skiers meetup group (sponsored by PACCSA). 

"Let's get organized so when we're skiing at the same place at the same time, we can ski TOGETHER!"

This year we have a PACCSA team for the national bike challenge!  If you ride a bike during the summer, please join the team.  Log your miles and watch your place on the PACCSA leaderboard and the team's place on the national team leaderboard.  It's all in fun, and if you pass through Pittsburgh you can stop in at OTB cafe and pick up a free beer, thanks to their pedal for pints program, if you've earned one (the first one is easy).  You'll need to create an account on nationalbikechallenge.org, but if you already log your exercise using endomondo or mapmyrun, the bike challenge site can sync with those automatically.

As the first day of spring arrives PACCSA reminds you how to properly store your skis in the off season. When ski season is over, make sure that you properly prepare your skis for summer storage. If you don't, the bases may dry out, which will decrease their performance. You also want to have your ski equipment ready to go next winter when the snow starts to fall. For skate skis, wax the entire base; for classic skis, wax the glide zones. For the kick zone, you can cork on a soft kick wax .

Cold, very cold conditions and a foot of snow in 24 hours did not stop PACCSA members David Bozak, Greg Harkay, Naomi Jarvis, Robert Kaschak, Hop Kruper and Sally Smales from finishing the 2014 American Birkebeiner, and Jim Anglin from finishing the Korte!!

The conditions were slow, the temps around zero at the start made for a brutal beginning and a brutal day.  But that did not stop the team from PA !!

Robert Kaschak finished the 54 K classic !!  David Bozak, Greg Harkay, Naomi Jarvis, Hop Kruper and Sally Smales finished the 50 K Skate !!

PACCSA has been chosen to receive a portion of proceeds from sales of Snakeguy's Pepper Mix for the month of February, 2014. View the order form here.  Add a bite to any meal!  Thank you, Robert (Snakeguy) Habegger.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye, the PACCSA PA Championship Race was a great success. We had almost 150 racers, a beautiful day, tremendous conditions, and lots of fun was had by all. Look for complete results and more pictures to be posted soon. Thanks to all the volunteers and The Wilderness Lodge for making this race a huge success.

Race results

PACCSA could use volunteers to help with various tasks at the Pennsylvania Nordic Championship, to be held this year at Wilderness Lodge near Erie on February 1. In exchange for a few hours of your time, we'll pay your trail fee at Wildernees Lodge, worth $15! Please contact racedirector@paccsa.org right away for more information.

PACCSA needs your help!  We're trying to raise $3000 to replace our ageing fleet of webcams and pay for their associated internet service.  
 
Everyone who joins PACCSA or renews their membership before 26th March 2014 will be entered into a weekly drawing for an oil change at any branch of #1 Cochran, and a gift from REI.  Memberships taken out or renewed since 1st September 2013 are eligible for the weekly drawings; no more than one prize per membership can be awarded.  PACCSA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.  Please renew your membership today and be sure to ask your friends to join.

The winners are Peter E, Mark M, Jack H, Dana D, Donald B, Barbara B, Keith J, Patrick S, Brian J, Jim S, Linda L, Kathy S, Thomas B, Brandon P, Jack M, George H, Christopher S, Kingsley G, Lora W, Alan K, Bernie R, Kelli M, and Neal D.

Thank you for supporting PACCSA. 

The winner of the Seven Springs Dinner is Peter E.  Thankyou to all of you who have supported PACCSA.  The next fundraiser will have a weekly prize draw during January and February - more details will be announced soon.

The PA Nordic Championships will be Wilderness Lodge in Wattsburg, PA, on Saturday, February 1st.

Please register online, today.  Online registration will close on Friday. 

Late registration will be from 8am - 10am on Saturday at Wilderness Lodge, Wildcat HQ.  There will be a late fee of $10 added to each race fee.  The number of racers will be capped at 100 adults + 100 kids, so to reserve your bib number, register online.

Bib pickup will be from 8am - 11.30 am on Saturday at Wilderness Lodge, Wildcat HQ.  The entrance is behind the trail fee building, which is the smaller building to the left of the main lodge.  As you enter the parking lot, it is straight ahead.

Race schedule:

10.00 5.5k classic

10.25 Kids assemble outside the Wildcat HQ. 

10.30 Kids leave for start locations, skiing in a group led by Wildcats Coach Ned.

11.00 Kids races - 1k and 2k classic, 2k and 3k skate

12.00 8.5k and 17k skate.

2.00 Kids activities start, meet outside Wildcat HQ.

Race fees online are $8 for the kids races, $40 for one adult race, $55 for two adult races (same racer). These include the trail fee for the day.  Late fees for on-site registrations are $10 more for each race.

Course maps for the skate races are at http://thewildernesslodge.net/conditions/  The 5.5k classic race is two laps around North and South fields.  The kids races are along shorter sections of the classic race course, finishing near the Lodge.

There are prizes and awards for overall winners and age group categories.  For the adult racers, there are long-sleeved tech shirts for the first 50 to register, and fruit courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

Glide wax recommendations from Swix

PACCSA needs your help!  We're trying to raise $3000 to replace our ageing fleet of webcams and pay for their associated internet service.  
 
Everyone who joins PACCSA or renews their membership between September 1st and December 31st, 2013, will be entered into a drawing for a dinner for two at the Slopeside Dining Room, courtesy of Seven Springs Mountain Resort.  Please renew your membership today and be sure to ask your friends to join.  The winner of the drawing will be announced the first week of January, along with details of a special incentive for all members. 
 
Thankyou in advance for your continued support of PACCSA.  Your generous donations have given PACCSA the tools necessary to enhance the cross-country skiing experience throughout our region.    

Last Saturday was a perfect day for a trail clear.  More than a dozen PACCSA volunteers participated in backbreaking trail work at the Laurel Ridge XC Ski Center on a sunny and seasonable fall day.  Crews worked from 9:00 AM until 3:30 PM to remove fallen trees, large limbs and other debris from the trail system, most of which came down during the powerful Halloween-night storm.  Additionally, clogged drainage ditches and culverts were cleared of leaves and other debris.  Afterwards, everyone had a great time telling their favorite skiing stories during the BBQ.

Just a reminder that PACCSA's annual Laurel Ridge trail clear is tomorrow morning starting at 9:00 AM (details can be found in the previous post).  The extended forecast says a storm coming up the east coast might bring accumulating snow early next week.  Since the Halloween-night wind storm dropped a ton of new debris on the trails, we need everyone's help to get them ready for the 2013/2014 ski season!

See you on Saturday!

Saturday November 9 is PACCSA's annual trail clear day at Laurel Ridge.   Mark your calendar now and check back later on for more details.

Friends of Oil Creek State Park are sponsoring a clinic on xc skiing and ski waxing by Russ Myer from Albany, NY, on Nov 16th at Oil Creek State Park, PA.  It will include discussion of types of skiing and techniques, injury prevention and safety, fundamentals of waxing and ski prep, lunch will be provided, and there will be a ski prep session after lunch.  Pre-registration is required by Nov 8th - 40 people max.  More info here.

Who's interested in forming a rollerski group?  When and where do you like to rollerski?  Let us know! We have email and garmin connect groups for PACCSA rollerskiers.

LMVG will be using DCNR's new online volunteer database in future.  If you wish to receive emails from them, such as the workday invitations, you will need to register at https://www.volunteers.dcnr.state.pa.us/VolunteerApplication.aspx and select Forbes State Forest under Forestry Locations.

Thanks to a grant from REI and the cooperative efforts of DCNR, the LMVG, and TMR Roofing, the Laurel Mt warming hut has a shiny new metal roof. A special thanks for all the volunteers that helped to make this project a success. Thanks everyone, see you at the warming hut. 

Join PTAG (Pittsburgh Trails Advocacy Group) to celebrate the trails in Allegheny County Parks with mountain bike rides, trail runs and hikes during the weekend of July 12-14.  More details here.

On June 8 volunteers will be replacing the roof on the warming hut, thanks to a grant from REI, amongst many other smaller tasks.  New volunteers are always welcome!  More details here

Cycling during the off-season?   Here's a fun way to log your miles, see how your friends/rivals are doing and win free beer - the National Bike Challenge.  It started on May 1st and runs all summer.  Want to form a PACCSA team?  Let me know.

Many thanks to the team of snow conditions reporters and Charlie the weatherman for providing updates throughout the season.

Yellowjackets, race stories, poster contest and more - hot from the press in the latest PACCSA newsletter.  If you are not a member, you can join online and use the contact form to request your copy by email.

Where did you ski this winter?  Where would you like to ski again?  What was your favorite item in your ski bag, and why?  The deadline for submitting content to the next PACCSA newsletter is midnight Tuesday April 2.  Race reports, ski trip reports and product reviews are all welcome.  Please send contributions by email to newsletter@paccsa.org

Congratulations to Kikkan Randall! First American woman in history to break into the top three overall in the FIS Cross Country World Cup. 

http://nordic.usskiteam.com/news/randall-third-overall

Thank you to the National Ski Patrol, Laurel Mountain Division. We are very fortunate to have this group of patrollers providing their volunteer service making cross country skiing safer on Laurel Mountain. Please let them know how appreciated they are and thank them for their valuable service. To read more about this group please visit their website at http://war-nordic.org/laurel_summit_nordic

 Several PACCSA members are racing at the Vasa this weekend. We wish them good luck. Make us proud! http://www.vasa.org/race.php

Great news! Thanks to everyone on the search committees.
Observer-reporter breaking news report.

SOMERSET COUNTY, Pa. —Pennsylvania State Police said they are still looking for Bruce Maust, who left his home Sunday on a red/black Polaris snowmobile.

The first of PACCSA's series of free ski lessons is scheduled for Sunday, January 6 at Laurel Ridge.  More details here. Watch the events page for more lessons in the weeks to come.

The PA Cross Country Skiers Association(PACCSA), in cooperation with DCNR, Rolling Ridge Snowmobile Club, and the Laurel Mountain National Ski Patrol will again be providing limited grooming on some of the trails at Laurel Mt. This will include Loop, Interstate, Lippo’s Loop, and parts of Towhee and Albert’s trails. Grooming will primarily be for classic skiing with a set track and 4 foot flat corduroy section for other trail users. Volunteers will be using equipment rented by PACCSA. Some generous donations have been received but additional funds are needed to keep this program alive.

The all-volunteer Laurel Summit Nordic Ski Patrol needs your help this winter at the Warming Hut and on the trails of Forbes State Forest (on Laurel Summit Road just off Route 30 between Laughlintown and Jennerstown). Your assistance is very important, as it will give the Patrol more time to maintain the trails and provide aid to those who use the trails.

The Laurel Mountain webcam is up and running. Thanks Bob, Sheila, and Bruce for getting this installed. The cam is mounted on the warming hut on Summit road about 4 miles south of Rt. 30 near Ligonier facing down Summit trail. Remember, your PACCSA dues and donations help support this and other cams. Thank you. 

 
The trail improvement project at Laurel Ridge is now complete.  Two new trails were constructed, and two existing trails were improved.  All of these trails are within a quarter mile from the warming hut.  They are ready for the snow!

Trail Clear! Saturday, October 27 at Laurel Ridge. Meet 9am at the upper warming hut. We will be trimming branches that are encroaching on the trails. Bring loppers, pruners and other trimmers (no tools provided), lunch or a snack. This could be your last chance to take a look at the new red trail extension before it has snow on it.

There are only two race suits left for purchase, one small, one medium, $120 each, and several hats at $26 each. If you are interested in any of these, contact Rick Garstka at 412 462 7493 or garxcski@verizon.net

Registration for Yellowjackets 2013 is open! Be quick - places are limited. Registration will close on Dec 2, or earlier if the groups are full.  For more details, visit Yellowjackets.