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Anniversary of the Snow Train

By Bill Schaefer

This the anniversary year of the first SnowTrain in 1934.  February and March brought us a great look into SWC’s past and how much we as a club shaped the skiing industry as we know it today. SWC sponsored a series of 4 talks at Wolf Hollow Brewing and collaborated with the Tannery Pond Center in North Creek on several more. Wolf Hollow programs were attended by approximately 400 people and combined with those in North Creek, close to a thousand may have attended. A display of the SnowTrain assembled by Jim Schaefer is on display through the spring at the Rotterdam Town Hall in the 2nd floor display area.  

Some highlights from the SWC program series:

• Wolf Hollow - This was the location of our clubs' earliest skiing adventures. An easy trolly ride or drive from Schenectady and folks were able to carpool to the hilltop and ski down. Now a brewery of the same name is located there. Our thanks to Wolf Hollow for hosting us and making the SnowTrain’34 Ale ! 
• • https://www.wolfhollowbrewing.com/about

• The first SnowTrain - March 4, 1934 has been recognized as a major historical event.  SWC received great coverage by regional Newspapers; The Daily Gazette, The Times Union, The Adirondack Explorer all provided front page or feature articles. 
• • https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/snow-train-events

• SWC members were Pioneers of the Ski Industry - The stories of Freddie Andersen, for a lifetime of ski instruction, Dot Hoyt-Nebel for her Olympic racing and leading the ski schools in North Creek and Belleayre Mtn, Lois Perret who formed the First Aid Committee which developed the principles now used by the National Ski Patrol, Vincent Schaefer, club founder and visionary for the Snow Trains and Carl Schaefer who built the first rope tow in NY an first Ski Ski School. The lasting impacts of these folks are remarkable. 

I would like to thank the SWC Board for supporting the program series (financially and with personal effort) and for providing public relations so important to making this a successful club recognition. Special thanks to Karen and Bill Simmons for personally attending each meeting and being sure we were well nourished. 

(SnowTrain program presenters Bill and Jim Schaefer)

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March 4 2024 10:30 AM

By Karen Simmons

Below is a photo taken on 03/04/24 at the North Creek Train Station at 10:30am. The significance is that 10:30am is the exact time that the first Snow Train arrived at that location with the bell rung to announce the arrival that  permanently impacted skiing in the East. On hand to celebrate the 90th anniversary at the North Creek Train Depot were family members of Vince and Carl Schaefer - the force behind The Snow Train.

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Family Memberships

The club has grown a lot over the past winter, and we thank you for your membership!  We would like to remind folks of the Membership Policy related to Family memberships.  The club definition for taking advantage of the Family price is:

“Family memberships may consist of up to eight related family members, including children under age 18.  This membership is only available to a MAXIMUM of 2 related adults(spouses or partners), along with minor children or grandchildren, under age 18.  Examples: Parent(s) and minor children, or legal guardian and minor children, grandparents and minor grandchildren or couples/ partners.”

There are several memberships where this policy is not being followed, and we plan to send emails asking folks to review who they have listed on their membership in order to make corrections. See instructions below on how to find your Profile and review those listed on your membership;  the bundle coordinator (main user) can make changes.

If you have questions or need help, please email Membership.

Thank you for your help and cooperation!

Submitted by Brenda Streed

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How to update your Profile! And find your Bundle Coordinator

1. Log in to the swcweb.org website

2. Click the new button “UPDATE YOUR PROFILE” found on the Home page

1. This opens YOUR profile. Example below.

1. Scroll down the page to view the Bundle Summary section.  If you are the Bundle coordinator, then you will see something like the example below:

If you are not the Bundle coordinator, then you will see this message on your profile:

“"You have a bundle membership. Your bundle coordinator is ...". 

1. Only the Bundle coordinator can view or make changes to all Members in the Family membership.

1. For more detailed information about Profiles, please see the Help document loaded on the website:  https://www.swcweb.org/Site-Help

Submitted by Brenda Streed

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New Reservation Software for Clubhouse

Great news! SWC is implementing WebRezPro, new reservation software replacing the BEDS24 platform during the months of April and May 2024.  The change will improve the user experience in making reservations, and improve the process for the volunteers who monitor bookings. The implementation is being led by Brenda Streed and Rick Cobello.

WebRezPro will allow our members to enter their requests more easily, and also be able to modify or cancel their bookings on their own.

The current BEDS24 booking form will not be shut down until 4/16/24 in order to minimize the impact to members booking the clubhouse during the ski season.  After 4/16, Rick Cobello will be the point of contact for all emails related to bookings and requests for new reservations. More information will be shared in April on how to connect with Rick.

Rest assured that as part of the transition to new software, we will convert any prior existing reservations into WebRezPro. We will also plan to hold User Training Sessions via ZOOM to help members see how the system works, guiding them through reservations and how to make changes.

We expect the project to be completed by May 31, 2024. Stay tuned for more info.

Submitted by Brenda Streed

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Spring Work Weekend May 16 - 19

Announcement of Spring work weekend. Members only, you must login to access the signup.  Please sign up using the form found on this page.

The Clubhouse is only as good as our volunteers make it.  Many people have been contributing these last few months with bringing supplies up to installing a new toilet in the 3^rd floor half bath.

Now, we are asking for participation in the major work events.    

These extended weekends are planned to be a combination work and play event.  There is time for work in the mornings through lunch time and time for recreation in the later afternoon.  I will be bringing my bike up to tune up my legs for the next ski season.  The meals will all be prepared by Chef Earl Lahna.  

Clubhouse Fall Work Weekend is scheduled for October 24 to 27

Submitted by Bill Kornrumpf

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Why is Skiing so Cheap?

By John Bidell

I drive Ellen crazy with my cost benefit analysis of many of our activities. Why can’t you just enjoy yourself? I do, and I do it on a budget. So here is a quick summary of what my boarding season cost me, with a little planning: Northeast, midweek, over 65 y/o -  Epic pass for $349. This includes unlimited visits at Hunter, Okemo, and Mt Snow and five days at Stowe, midweek only. 

What about weekends with the crowds? Don’t you miss that? Yes I do and that is why I purchased the Indy Pass for $299. The Indy gave me two days at West, Magic, Bolton Valley and my favorite, Jay -  all include weekends.

You can purchase additional days at the Indy Mountains, but Bolton has a $39 Monday, and Sugarbush still has a discounted Thursday at Mt. Ellen. Meals, two PBR’s at Mansfield Lodge and other than coffee, I brown bag it. I drove almost 3500 miles on my 25 days of skiing and that came to 100 gallons in my Honda Civic, or $350 out of pocket.

While stays at the house are only $40, I stayed for free because I earned vouchers from work weekends in the past. 

Total without coffee? Under a grand, or $40 a day for my 25 days on the mountain. So start thinking how you can ski cheap in 2025!

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The Season in One Chart

Submitted by Bill Kornrumpf

While this has been an interesting ski season, it really has been pretty average measured by the snowpack on Mt. Mansfield. The chart shows that big dumps have been following warm rainy days bringing the snow pack back up to the average on Mt. Mansfield. We will see what April brings. I am hoping for one last big dump of snow on the mountain. April 14 will be last day of lift operations at Stowe.

The chart is found at https://matthewparrilla.com/mansfield-stake/

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The Clubhouse Fireplace

Another hot button issue, the fireplace in the lodge. The board is exploring replacement of the wood burning fireplace with a propane unit. Oh, I love the smell of wood and the crackling flames. The problem is the 50 year old existing fireplace is left unattended and also over loaded. Some say put up more signage. If I read every sign in the lodge I would need to take notes.So what do we do? We have a safety issue that involves the existing unit and the usage. I travel over 150 days a year, and I rarely see a wood fireplace anymore. They exist, along with the dirt and scorch marks on the mantle. Recently members have confided that they select rooms in the lodge based on egress. The reason why you need to sign in is so the fire department can check your room to see if you got out in an emergency.

So, maybe the rustic charm of a propane fireplace isn’t quite up to what you want in a ski lodge, but with the current heavy usage of the house without a high degree of confidence that members know how to use a wood fireplace, I am voting for the propane replacement so I can continue to use my vouchers and ski cheap.

Submitted by John Bidell