South Star Spring

If there are any patches of snow left here and there in the forest, they are few and far between. We are aware that there is some clean up required on the trails and we have scheduled that for June 19th at 10. We meet at the main gate and divide into work teams to get as much as possible done. The priority is always to make sure all the trails are cleared for hiking, biking and horse back riding. We hope to see lots of volunteers on our Saturday Clean Up so we can also tackle a kiosk installation and some heavier work. Most people are aware by now that we did not win the EKCU grant and therefore cannot buy the full range of ski trail grooming equipment we had hoped for. Dave Basaraba remains on the hunt for funds though so stay tuned. The board remains committed to as much maintenance as possible of the ski trails, which have proven to be very popular during good snow years. For now, spring has returned to South Star so get out there and enjoy the spring flowers and blue skies. Don't forget your bear spray and remember to use caution, especially when biking. Spring winds fall many trees and certain trails (Peavine) are hazardous and will remain so until June 19th when they are cleared. Happy Trails to all!!

Spring in South Star

Dave Basaraba has taken the snowmobile to its' spring through fall storage cave and thus winter is officially over in South Star, for ski purposes anyway. The amazing storm we had just after the snowmobile left,  provided the small crowd of skiers who turned up, a wonderful opportunity to try un-groomed powder. That snow now has a hefty crust on it and is hardening up, so if you continue to ski, please do so carefully. Snowshoeing conditions are still excellent. It's important to remember that South Star is a year round trail system, so this is the time to dust off your bike and hiking shoes. South Star remains non-motorized but once trail grooming is over, dogs are welcome on all trails. Please keep your dogs under control - there have been some unfortunate incidents and it ruins a good walk to have your dog involved in a scrap with other dogs. Horses are also now welcome on the trails. This winter, several horses rode up Easy Street and the Dog Trail, which was frustrating for the groomers and very difficult for skiers as the droppings make the tracks unsafe and hard to restore to good condition.
     Al Freeze and Don Cain have finished their work, felling the pine that are dead and hazardous. They removed 220 trees and left the remains on the forest floor to rot. The Pine Beetle carries the Blue Stain Fungus, with which it inoculates the trees. The fungus accelerates the rotting process so we should see some rapid decomposition over the next few years. We also expect to see considerable tree death over the next decade due to Pine Beetle, however, if the trees are not a hazard to our trails or structures, then they will be left to fall and contribute to the humus.

January update & snow report

Excellent snow cover and continuing cold (following some warm spells)  have guaranteed good trail coverage to date. The base is still a little thin in some patches and those warmer days has meant some icing in the tracks but new fresh snow has upgraded the whole system. The continued line of cars at the entrance is a good sign that the community is getting their fresh air and exercise! Please remember that we are fundraising for new grooming equipment as we have been using Al Freeze's for the last few years. Thank you Al!  For the fundraising drive, your generosity at the donation/membership box at the main gate or at the envelope at High Country Sports is most appreciated. We will all benefit from new equipment. Also of note is continued success with snowmobile compliance on our restricted trails. Particularly noticed is the still pristine condition of Meadow Pond - last year this quiet habitat was laced with snowmobile trails. We improved signage and are prepared to gate if necessary but this is a hopeful sign that respect is on the increase! Happy Trails to all....

December 10 Snow Report

A good base was laid down at the end of November and some excellent skiing was available right up until a day ago when it started to drizzle and melt. Hopefully, the freezing overnight will provide a hard base and keep everything in place, but it's anyone's guess. That's the story at South Star - there has always been inconsistent snow cover and variable conditions. Cross your fingers for dropping temperatures and some fresh cold snow! Happy trails to all....

SNOW REPORT November 20, 2010

After a week of endless snow and below freezing temperatures, South Star is blanketed with a thick cushion of dry fluffy snow. Our trail crew, Al Freeze and Dave Basaraba have been out packing the base - be forewarned - that base is thin in places with classic early season hazards. We had our moments this morning going up the K9 trail where a stump or rock would show through and scrape the ski. In spite of these occasional rough spots, the snow was fabulous and it is a winter wonderland out there. We came across Al on the Yamaha snowmobile, attaching the groomer so he could set some track up Easy Street - that should be all set for skating and classic skiing, right to the top, by this evening. He will try and roll all the rest of the trails if he has time and since Rocke Robertson turned up to lend a hand, let's hope it works out that way! Don't forget though, the base is minimal, so keep your eyes open and ski safe.

Change of focus for GPS Event

With the sudden appearance of winter, we would like to change the focus of the day from a GPS adventure to a trail preparation day.  With the colder conditions, all keen enthuisiasts are invited to come out for a snowshoe and trail clean up session to get the ski season off to a good start.  

 

Same time and place as indicated in the previous e-mail:

When: Sunday, November 21, 2010

Time: 10am - 1pm Trail maintenance

Where:  Parking lot at the end of 38th Ave South (or see South Star for directions) 

 

The recent snow is bound to have revealed the 'leaners' on the trail that need to be dealt with and packing out the base at this point in the season will go along way to setting up good skiing conditions for the rest of the season.  Bring your pruners, swede saws and hatchets and we'll get the trails in top shape.

 

We'd like to thank John Przeczek for sharing his GPS files with us that will help us produce a great ski orienteering map for an event later in the season.  There are a couple of additional trails that still need to be covered, if folks are keen to assist on that, although I think we'll have it covered.

 

For more information on the Kootenay Orienteering Club, check out: http://koc.kics.bc.ca/Home.html. 

Other activities locally also be tracked on the Facebook link on that page.

 

Chris Bullock

GPS Workshop session in South Star Nov. 21st, 2010

Could you forward this notice on to the other KOC (and South Star Recreation Society) members?

 

In preparation for a future 'ski - orienteering' event, we are hoping to prepare a map of the South Star trails.  In an effort to beat winter, we would like to carry out a group GPS session to try and cover all the trails in a single day.

If you have a GPS, but are not sure how to use it, this will be a good opportunity to practice using it.  We will have a session figuring out the GPS's prior to delegating various groups of runners, hikers and mountain bikers to cover all the trails.

 

When: Sunday, November 21, 2010

Time: 10am GPS session  10:30 - 1pm Trail mapping

Where:  Parking lot at the end of 38th Ave South (or see South Star for directions) 

 

Bring your GPS and any download cords/software to allow transfer onto Jim's laptop at the end of your trip. 

Chris Bullock