Meetings

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Cascade Drift Skippers Snowmobile Club
CDS Minutes: Wednesday February 9, 2011
Held at 6:00pm at the Issaquah Elks, 765, Issaquah, WA
Membership & Budget Meeting

Meeting called to order by President, Pete Beaupain.
Minutes taken by: Secretary, Sheri Hyytinen & Trina Martin
Board Members Present:
President: Pete Beaupain
Vice President: Kurt Zeutschel
Treasurer: Bob Posey
Secretary’s: Sheri Hyytinen & Trina Martin

Vice President: Kurt Zeutschel
Finance Report given by: Bob Posey

WSSA report given by: Kay Lloyd
Brought brochures:
The Blue Ribbon Coalition:
Encouraging everyone to read up on how this organization helps to preserving our natural resources & protecting you public access for all kinds of trail sports. They are a very worthy organization & since CDS will not be able to contribute this year to their fund to please consider individual contributions if possible. Please also see www.sharetrails.org for more information.
The Snowmobiling Upper Kittitas County brochure:
Containing information on local businesses, coupons, deals & information on where to get trail maps & understanding sno-park permits. There is also a handy snowmobiler quick reference & emergency guide on the back.
Yellowstone Snowmobiles brochure:
Great information on tours, prices, & types of rides. Also see www.seeyellowstnoe.com for more information.


Kay also reported on Olympia Days:
The topics were to keep legislators from using our dedicated account moneys like they did to the ORV money & addressed the gas tax issue. They also reminded our legislators that sledders contribute by volunteering time to clear trails, hold fundraisers, & while we are on rides, we have a significant economic impact on small towns that are supported by our business.

Kay also passed out onsite sno-park evaluation cards to submit.

If you are not going to the WSSA Winter Rendezvous Kay asked members to fill out a proxy forms for voting purposes.

Safety Report given by Mick Steinman:
Mick brought is some wonderful colored copies from the NWAC Northwest Weather & Avalanche Center website of the “Avalanche Danger Rose”. It shows how the different danger areas could change according to the different exposures to the sun during the day. The danger rose can be visualized as a conical mountain within the forecast area that is divided into elevation rings. It showed examples of how the directional aspect of weather can strongly affect the danger zones. Most avalanche problems occur in the afternoon due to warmer conditions. He also passed out the NWAC current snow avalanche information cards showing the phone numbers for Oregon & Washington, website www.nwac.us & levels of danger listed on the back. He showed us how to use the Avalanche Danger Rose w/ the card information to determine what level of danger might be present for any given day so that we “know before we go” out on our rides.

Most avalanche fatalities happen when the avalanche warnings are at “Considerable & High” because conditions can change drastically in a short period of time. Washington fatalities run approx. 2 out of the 38 people (on average) killed in the USA each year. Out of all the North American fatalities in a given year, 50% are snowmobilers, 10% backcountry skiers, 10% back country boarders.

Safety guidelines:
Check Avalanche forecast & modify ride to stay in safe areas.
Avoid avalanche zones based on the ‘Avalanche Danger Rose’
Call NWAC to get current avalanche info.
Use levels on card to determine level of danger for the day.
Watching the area you are riding. If melting snow starts occurring on the trees around you, this is a sign that the danger zone in your riding area is changing & caution should be used.

The “Pineapple Express” causing warm fronts to melt areas has also been a factor for concern.

Lastly, NWAC is supported by State Parks & DNR but also by fundraisers. Friday 4/15 at St. Demetrious Church there will be a Banquet/Auction. Mick encouraged everyone to attend who could for this worthy cause. The tickets are $65/per person. The event will run from 6-10pm. He will bring us invitations when they are available.

Old Business:
Wounded Warrior Ride:
Pete Beaupain reported that there are 10 sleds scheduled for 2/26/2011. He asked for volunteers for:
1. Checking into & organizing cold weather gear. Kay volunteered to check with the Mohler’s because they have a military ride & may have clothing available to borrow.
2. Cooking equipment to help the Elks out with. Tim volunteered whatever may be needed that he could provide by having his RV “party barge”. Tim let everyone know that he will be spending the weekend at the park & suggested we have some fun making it into a fun overnight camping trip.
3. Mick will contact Tim Foss at the Forest Service to see if we need any permits.
4. Pete will call Jim Fossett, reporter from the NKC Tribune to see if we can have a story written.
5. Any available fire pits, easy-up tents, or awnings would be very helpful.

Dues increase:
The Board decided it that in the future if there are any requests for moneys to be contributed for any reasons that we will discuss fundraisers at that time. Due to raising the dues being an unpopular subject and the lack of enthusiasm, we will not raise the dues at this time. Our budget is to be emailed out to members to review. At this time if anyone wants to contribute moneys to any cause, we will pass the hat or discuss a potential fundraiser if needed at that time.

Elections of new Board Members:
Pete reminded everyone that we would be nominating a new President, Vice President & Treasurer at the next meeting. Mike Hyytinen, as past President is assigned duty to lobby for next board members. Mike said he had some potential possibilities and will be working on it.

Banquet:
Kenny VanAssche volunteered a place in Monroe that he has been landscaping & the owners have graciously offered to CDS to have a camp out. It has 20 acres of land w/ 7 acres mowed lawn around a pond w/ a water feature perfect for tents. There is also an area for RV’s and a covered area to hold the banquet if it rains. There is also an outdoor area to have dancing & music. Since the house looks like a castle, the theme may be Princesses, Kings & pirates…or maybe Masquerade party, or Mardi Gras…or we are still working on it. Tentatively scheduled 5/21/2011. Kenny will still be throwing his river party in Chelan Falls on 7/23/2011.

Horse’s Patoot Vest:
Kenny explained that the orange vest was started before he joined CDS but that the one that was found started in 1982 when he joined. A frilly pink one was specifically given to the girls. Back in the day, the sleds were not as powerful & the tracks were shorter and if a ride went out with10 sleds at least 3 of them would come back broken down or had to be towed.

Ride Reports:
Kenny also added that Darrel might need to get the vest this time because his sled was upside down when there was no snow. Darrel suggested it go to Sheri for running into the only rock in the road & then a tree later…the vest is still in limbo…I think we will photo it & enter it in the Winter Rendezvous & ask people to add stories they might know about the signers on the vest.

Lee said we started the Whistling Jack Ride with 40 people signed up to go & ended up with 12. Some who had rooms have already either gotten refunds or traded their rooms for next year same time 1/28-1/29/2012. All in all it wasn’t that bad a ride. There was snow all the way to Whistling Jack’s, we had some fun dancing the night away & then a pretty decent ride back…except for Sheri’s broken ball joint on her A-arm & tree incident.

Shane’s friend Darrel got a round of applause for spending 3hrs in the last 2 days trying to get to the meeting. Apparently, he was waiting for Shane on the day before thinking the meetings were on Tuesdays & then again waited for him on Wednesday to actually come to the meeting. Both of them coming from Olympia! Yeah for Darrel!

Calendar Schedule:
2/12/2011
Sno-Jammers Fun Run at Gov’t Meadows
2/19-2/20/2011
WSSA Winter Rendezvous Spokane
2/18-2/20/2011
John Budig Priest Lake

3/26-3/27/2011
Steak Overnight Ride. Need 2-3 Leaders for different skill levels.
4/24-4/30 /2011
Whistler Week Ride. 70+ miles Mick Steinman Leader. Need to be intermediate rider & bring your own extra gas, avalanche beacon & radio. Provide your own meals.