We recently held our annual spring banquet and meeting at the Sherwood Forest Restaurant. Club President Mark Stadem and wife, Becky, presented an interesting and inspiring report from their tour of Norway this past winter. We hope you can join us for next year's meeting!
The 2016 Lumberjack Jaunt was another huge success! Thanks to all who came out, raced, and volunteer to put together this fun event. The weather did not disappoint! A sampling of the action below:
Please support our sponsors who supported the Lumberjack Jaunt:
❄ Select Therapy http://www.selecttherapymn.com
❄ Cycle Path & Paddle http://cyclepathpaddle.com
❄ Lakes Printing http://lakesprinting.com
❄ Jack Pine Brewery http://www.jackpinebrewery.com
❄ Lakes State Bank https://www.facebook.com/LakesStateBank
❄ Brainerd Ace Paint and Hardware https://www.facebook.com/brainerdacepainthardware
❄ Essentia Health http://www.essentiahealth.org
❄ Gear West http://www.gearwest.com
❄ Revolution Cycle and Ski http://revolutioncycleandski.com
❄ Martin's Sport Shop http://martinssportshop.com
❄ Lakes Dental Care http://www.lakesdentalcare.com
❄ Cycle Path & Paddle http://cyclepathpaddle.com
❄ Lakes Printing http://lakesprinting.com
❄ Jack Pine Brewery http://www.jackpinebrewery.com
❄ Lakes State Bank https://www.facebook.com/LakesStateBank
❄ Brainerd Ace Paint and Hardware https://www.facebook.com/brainerdacepainthardware
❄ Essentia Health http://www.essentiahealth.org
❄ Gear West http://www.gearwest.com
❄ Revolution Cycle and Ski http://revolutioncycleandski.com
❄ Martin's Sport Shop http://martinssportshop.com
❄ Lakes Dental Care http://www.lakesdentalcare.com
A dozen-plus club members patched bare spots on the Arboretum trails in anticipation of the big racing week. Thanks much to everyone who came out!
For grooming reports please see our Facebook page link above.
Get moving, enjoy winter, and socialize with our new Leisure Ski Group meeting Thursdays at 1:00 at the Arboretum. Please contact Shirley Lintner for details: 218-829-3601 or lslintner@charter.net
Wednesday night Ski Socials are back! Snow conditions have improved (not perfect but skiable) so come on out and join your fellow skiers at 5:30 on the trails. Snacks and hot cocoa available in the Arboretum building. Midweek temps have been decent but keep an eye on the weather and dress appropriately.
This past fall club members worked on the French Rapids trail system which was heavily damaged during the July storm. Here Bruce Weinke and Dan Fundingsland spread out bails of straw over freshly seeded trail slopes. Photo by Roger Landers.
Our annual Brainerd Lakes Area Ski Swap was held at Forestview Middle School on the second weekend of November. Huge thanks to Shirley Linter, our Ski Swap Director, an energetic team of club volunteers, and participating ski businesses for putting on another great event! Photo by Roger Landers.
French Rapids Cleanup. About 40 energetic x-c skiers helped clean up the French Rapids Trail system on Halloween. Most of the trail work was a result of the massive July wind storm that paralyzed the Brainerd area. Pictured below are crews at work during the final stage prior to snow fall. Troop 45 Boy Scouts served lunch to all volunteers. Photos by Roger Landers.
Arboretum Trail Clearing Day. As a result of the summer storm, 14 volunteers representing the Brainerd Nordic Ski Club, Brainerd High School Ski Team and past ski team member and coaches cleared approximately 50 trees from the North Star Trail. The crew braved the heat, humidity, bugs, and some of the pesky leaning trees that resisted falling. A special thanks goes to Pat Lanin for providing a portable winch and a 4x4 utility vehicle (Mule) that made the job go smoother. Volunteers in the picture are: Eric Storbakken, Kent Montgomery, Mary Clair Ryan, Bruce Weinke, Faith Watson, Will Schultz, and Pat Lanin. Photo taken by Roger Landers who was part of the crew.
Summer roller ski lessons began in late June. Contact Mark Stadem at: mbstadem@charter.net or call 218-839-1900 if interested in seeing what the fun is about.
Last year's MYSL ski lessons continued despite lack of snow! The Minnesota Youth Ski League met at Whipple Lake a few Sundays this past season where students, parents, and coaches found a few precious inches of snow along the east shore. The skiing was decent and the flat terrain actually helped with beginner instruction and practice. Our club arranged to have a 1/4 mile of Classic and kate lanes created in preparation of the classes. We would like to thank our volunteer coaches and Camp Vanasek Director, Vicki Foss, for making these events happen despite bare ground conditions across much of the surrounding area in January and February.
The BNSC would like to recognize and congratulate one of our young club members on an incredible achievement this past season in the world of Nordic Skiing/Biathlon. Cam Christiansen, from Pequot Lakes, training with Nisswa NW / MN Biathlon and coach Bill Meyer, was the top ranked athlete in the Youth Men (under 19) category at the US Biathlon Youth / Junior World Team Trails. There were 45 athletes that participated in the Youth/Junior World Team trials this year in both the Youth & Junior levels, men & women.
Early Grooming...Board member and volunteer ski coach, Kent Montgomery, is shown below grooming the Arboretum trails over Thanksgiving break. Kent was using the club's new 2014 Artic Cat Bear Cat Utility Snowmobile that is designed specifically for grooming ski trails. This kind of workhorse is a club first and comes equipped with an engine and transmission built for heavy pulling at slow speeds, front-end winch, a rear light bar with flood lamp for night grooming, and several other accessories. A 4-stroke engine sports better gas mileage, is quieter, and has less emissions.
Biathlete Training: Video below from Youth and Junior Trials at Mount Itasca:
BNSC's Annual Trail Clean Up Day 2014 was another success! Dozens of volunteers showed up to prepare the French Rapids Trail System and partake in a chili feed in what some said may be the most beautiful setting in Brainerd.
The trails (French, the Arboretum, and Forestview) have been mowed. It took 23 hours of operating time to mow all three. A BIG thanks to new club member (and his wife Sue) Jim Natwick who helped club president, Mark Stadem, with the mowing. If you hike the trails please feel free to remove the small branches and debris that may have been scattered on the trails while mowing. If you should feel so inclined, bring a long handled pruner with you on the hike and cut back any overhanging branches, brush, etc. Think "snow load" when looking at branches. Watch for those "hat catchers"!!! Some of the mowing action:
The club is dealt with plenty of trail and lights damage from summer storms. Some photos from our repair crews:
More trail-clearing action below:
Photos of the big storm damage to Forestview taken by Committee Member James O'Hearn:
Last winter's Youth Ski League was another huge success! Check out the action below. More information on this great family activity under "Youth Skiing" heading.
- 2014 was also another great biathlon season! See photos below but please also check out our Biathlon page under "Youth Skiing".
