ANSA friends,
Although the truly committed could find a decent stretch or two of snow in the woods today, I think it's fair to call the nordic season over. And what a season! I can't tell you how much fun it is to look out my kitchen window and watch the steady stream of you skiers and snowshoers enjoying the trails all season long.
As members of this volunteer-run organization, you can all be proud of what we created for all the people who got outside for some winter fun on our trails during this noteworthy winter.
- We pulled together and raised funds to add "The Beast" - our new grooming machine - which lived up to its billing.
- We joined together in the fall to prep the trails with new culverts, mowing, and ruthless trimming so we could take advantage of early season snow.
- We took advantage of early snowfall, we suffered through 5 inches of rain, and we got back on the trails when snow came again.
- We upped our signage game with a spectacular snowshoe trail sign project by Ben Lounsbury, and added new trail name signs to nordic trails.
- Our volunteer grooming crew created beautiful conditions on what sometimes was a base of a couple inches of ice.
- Our membership grew by 50% as more friends and community members joined us to come play in the snow.
- We followed CDC guidance and showed that nordic skiing can be done safely even in a pandemic.
- We again hosted the Bill Koch kids ski program in partnership with the YMCA, and the LA Senior College Outsiders club
- Our home team, the Edward Little nordic ski team, won the KVAC championship for the first time in over 2 decades, led by ANSA members Ellis Slover 1st, Ben Condit 2nd, Harry Bigos-Lowe 5th.
- Our tireless Ski Maven Whitney Condit coordinated ski days with Outdoor Afro, and lent over 75 sets of ski gear from her Skill Shed to kids and adults so they could get out to try skiing.
Well done! All should be proud.
Our annual meeting will be via zoom, and all are invited. I'll send an email invitation to you in a few weeks.
During the off season, feel free to walk the trails. Lost Valley does a lovely job of mowing the ski trails during the summer. As you go, toss any stones or branches you see to keep the trails ready for next fall's first snow!
If you're looking for a satisfying summer project, I'd like to add some switchbacks to the Purple snowshoe trail as it descends to Lapham Brook, to make it more accessible to all abilities. Email me and we can take a look together.
Thank you all for being part of ANSA. If you review our vision and mission below, I'd say that we're getting it done.
Bruce Condit, President
