Weardale Ski Club

End of Season Knees Up.........
Finally there is an "end of season bash" being organised at the Black Bull pub in Frosterley on Saturday 18 May to which all are invited. This is informal but Will, one of the snowboarders who runs the pub, will be firing up the wood burning pizza oven and there will be special treats for all who attend. Details on facebook but if you do not have access to this I will send out a reminder nearer the time. Some idea of numbers would be useful so could you either let me or Will know if you intend to come. You will find the pub here.

Friday April 12th
Could this be the end of the season? Unfortunately we have no available tow operators for tomorrow (Friday ) but there remains the possibility of one last ski on Saturday before warmer wetter weather arrives on Sunday. Will update this mesage and the answerphone tomorrow night.

Thursday 11th April and Beyond !
Due to a shortage of Tow Operators we will not be opening on Thursday but may possibly do so on Friday and the weekend if the conditions are suitable.
Found - A grey Jig Saw beanie has been found on the slopes - I currently have it if the owner wants to contact me.
Skiing for week commencing 8th April..
Hopefully we will get some skiing in this week but are not planning to open tomorrow (Monday). There is a possibility of skiing Tuesday or Wednesday and suggest you keep listening to the answerphone for updates.
Skiing This Weekend...6th-7th April

We Need A Rest !!!!
So we are ready for the weekend  ...SO. The tows will not be running tomorrow Friday 5th April....BUT, we are all ready to go for Saturday (Members only I'm afraid). Opening times will be posted on the Answerphone/FB/Internet on Friday evening.
Wednesday 3rd April
Another cracking forcast. Cold Air & Blue Sky.....To make the most of the longer days, Give folk a chance to ski after work AND give all our volunteer operators a wee lie in ..We are planning to open Wednesday @1pm and close @7pm (subject to Conditions & Man Power)
So...Let the Good Times Roll...http://vimeo.com/63128030
Update for Tuesday 2nd April


News for Easter Monday April 1st

So for Saturday 30th March..Firstly Members Only Sat & Sunday I'm afraid..There May still be a couple of Full Membership places now..Be Quick

Thursday 28th March

We are planning to open tomorrow (Thursday) from 10am and are also hoping to open Friday to Monday if the weather stays as it. We will accept day members on Thursday, Friday and Monday but Saturday and Sunday will be members only. Day members please print off the day membership form from the website and hand it to a Tow Operator before skiing - they will be pretty obvious with day glow orange jackets on saying Tow Operator!

Tomorrow we also have Channel 4 coming up to do some filming so if you see a camera pointing at you remember to smile!
Update for Wednesday 27th MarchWe are still not sure whether we can open tomorrow. The wind is forecast to drop a bit but there are further snow flurries forecast. The road is our problem. It has been ploughed leaving a very narrow route up which potentially will blow in if there is much wind or snow. There are drifts 6-7 foot deep which have been ploughed through but no turning points or passing places so if you meet another car it is a very long way to reverse. Someone is planning to go up in the morning and assess the road and will update the answerphone as soon as we know but it won't be before 10am. If we do open it will only be accessible to 4WD or 2WD with chains and you will need plenty of shovels to dig in as the parking is likely to be very restricted. Please do not try and to get up the road until the answerphone has been updated as one stuck car could be stuck for a very long time!
The cold weaher is due to last all over Easter so we are definitely hoping to open Friday and over the weekend if possible and this will give us more time to clear the route up

Update for Tuesday 26th March

The winds have persisted and there are still concerns about the road blocking so we are not planning to open on Tuesday but will reconsider as the week progresses and update as soon as conditions beome favourable.

Sunday 24th March

The good news is that we have stacks of beautiful fresh powder snow and it is set to last for some time. The bad news is that the road has completely filled in and the snow plough only managed to get about 100m past Glenwhelt Farm and couldn't get any further due to the drifts of over 6 foot in places.   I have spoken to the snowplough driver and they will try again once the winds drop but it will need to be dug out and if the wind persists it is pointless as it will just fill in again. We are therefore not planning to open on Sunday or Monday but hopefully by Tuesday + Wednesday when the wind is predicted to start easing we may open. If things change in the meantime we will update the answerphone and this email. We may try and walk in tomorrow to get some pisting done as there must be huge drifts behind some of the snow fencing.

Frustrating I know but out of our hands. Yad Moss are hoping to open tomorrow from 10:30 if the roads are open.Currently however I believe all the roads from Weardale to Teesdale are closed so you will have to go the long way round.

When we do finally open can I send a message out to all snowboarders about the tows. Being a snowboarder myself (currently reformed and back on skis) I appreciate that our tows are difficult to master on a board but it is very important to try and keep to the tow line and not veer out too far to the side. There is a real risk of pulling the rope of the runners, especially if there are several boarders in quick succession, so please try and stay as close to the tow line as possible. We will do our best to flatten the towline to make it easier. If the rope does come off it is a big inconvenience at best but at worst is potentially dangerous.

Friday 22nd March

Due to adverse weather forcasts and high winds due to go into Saturday the  tows are NOT planning to open today Friday 22nd March.
Keep checking the Answerphone for up to the minute opening information
Thursday 21st March

Skiing will be ON today.  Club opening @10am.  Please ensure you have a snow shovel & Chains /4x4 if driving up to the Top Car Park
Day Members are welcome today but please bring with you your completed Day Membership Form and correct Payment.......Looks Like a GREAT day

Wednesday 20th March

Looking at the current forcast we are NOT planning to open today....Later in the week looking promising so keep checking the Answerphone for Up To The Minute Info 01388 317 767
KEENO OF THE DAY......  Richard Dobson who cycled up on his mountain bike with blades strapped on and boots hanging over the frame!..Wiggo eat your heart out....Now that's Dedication.

Opening Update for Tuesday 19th March

There are mixed reports for tomorrow so we intend to open but may close early (1pm'ish)  if conditions are not favourable and aim to do a lot of pisting to prepare the slopes for Wednesday and Thursday when conditions are predicted to be better. 

In summary, turn up tomorrow if you wish but please do not turn up late as we may close early depending on conditions. Wednesday and Thursday do look better bets!

Wednesday 13th March

Although good skiing today (Tues 12th)unfortunately the cover is now very thin and so we are not planning to open Wednesday  13th. We do understand that Yad Moss will be Open..So make the most of your Weardale Membership Discount if you fancy a days skiing...Dont forget to take your membership Card

Monday 11th March for Tuesday 12th

There has been further fresh snow today and temperatures are already sub-zero in Stanhope so we areplanning to open the lifts tomorrow, Tuesday 12 March, from about 10am. We are not sure what conditions will be like although the webcam looks to have improved from the weekend when conditions were poor. There is a northerly wind forecast which is not usually pleasant for skiing at Swinhope and if conditions are not great we may close early so do not turn up late (ie get there before 12:00) as we may close early. Day members are welcome - usual rules apply. I will update this message tomorrow night to see whether we can ski Wednesday.
The road was quite snowy + icy on Sunday and with the wind  blowing may be tricky in places so come prepared and ensure you put on your chains before starting if they are needed. 4wd / winter tyres should be ok.

Sunday  24th Feb KEENEST SKIERS OF THE DAY  ( YEAR)

Goes to the ANSELL family who drove up for the day from Essex !  
Well done guys, hope you had a good day....The snow has been better !! but the sun did come out. Anyway , we hope you enjoyed yourselves and had a safe journey home. Next time hopefully there will be even better conditions for you !, and stay a little longer
 

Wednesday 13th Feb

Well, looking at the forcast it's looking a wee bit WILD for today so with that forcast  in mind we are not planning to open today or Thursday and unfortunately  the weather is due to warm up a bit for the weekend...But, as ever if in doubt keep checking the Answerphone  
01388 527527 and web site for updated information .

Update for TUESDAY 12th FEB

We have found 2 tow operators so will be opening up on Tuesday from 10am. Day members are welcome but please download a day membership form and hand it in to a tow operator with the correct day fee and have a great day. The access road was clear today so should be OK tomorrow but always pack a shovel just in case.

Update Sunday 10th Feb for Monday 11th

There has been some fresh snow in Weardale today and more is forecast this evening so we are planning to open up tomorrow (Monday 11 Feb) from 10am. I am not sure what conditions will be like but by all accounts the gullies were good fun on F2 on Friday and Saturday and they should be OK. Cover may be thin on F1 depending on how much snow we get tonight. We are open to day members tomorrow but please print off the day membership form from the website as usual and bring it along with the correct day fee and hand it in to a tow operator before skiing.
Keep Checking.....The Answerphone 01388 527 527, Web Cam and Web Site for Opening Information.
Its Still Cold !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday 6th Feb 2013

It is currently looking very unlikely that we will ski tomorrow (Wednesday 6 Feb) but if you wake up and see snow when you open the curtains then try the answerphone after 8:30am for the latest information.

    I have been informed tonight of the sad news of the death of a former WSC Chairman, Ramsay Dryden, who many of you will remember. Ramsay has been ill for a while and I am sure you will all join me in passing on our condolences to all his family. Ramsay was very involved with the club in the 1980's and 1990's and his brother Richard informs me that he still wears his bright Blue and Red ski suit!

Sunday 27th January 2013

Please check with Answerphone regarding opening...With the current weather forcast we do NOT anticipate opening today......Just Re-live The Memories of Yesterday
What A Day

Thursday 24th Jan for Driday 25th

Due to the forcast for Friday we ARE NOT PLANNING TO OPEN FRIDAY.....But we are planning to open Saturday...Please check all the information points..Web Site, Answerphone,e-mail etc for opening days & times before you set off on your journey...For some of you have travelled FAR !!.  I believe we had some visitors from Oxford today.  We sincerely hope you had a good time . On that note...As part of our Grant Bid for our new Piste Basher (Is'nt SHE Beautiful !) we had to try and reflect on how our activities may benifit the local communitee, B&B's , Pubs etc..So if you have a minute and you have travelled from   far we would love to hear some feed back..  Everything Crossed for the weekend .

Wednesday 23rd January

A Day in pictures  

Big Thanks to James Cummings Photography

SNOW REPORT 22nd JANUARY

IMPORTANT UPDATE
I have just been informed that the snow plough will be coming through late morning on Wednesday and will plough the top car park so PLEASE DO NOT PARK THERE until he has been and ploughed it. Please park in the lower car park and you will need to make sure you have left enough space for the snow plough to get through otherwise I am informed he will tow the offending car out! The plough will be travelling from Teesdale across to Weardale so has no option but to get through.
Back to the slopes !!
Mike has spent the day pisting the slopes and reports masses of snow on some runs. The M1 has 2 feet of compacted snow on now so no rocks showing through and the runs down F1 are said to be great especially the run immediately west of the F1 tow which had over 2 meters of snow on it!. Please take your cameras and if you get any good photos that you are happy for the Weardale Gazette to use then please can you send me a copy?A fell and road inspection has taken place today and Mike has also pisted the runs and reports great conditions. The road has been ploughed but I am told that the last mile or so is comprised of packed snow so chains or 4WD will be essential tomorrow. Although the road has been ploughed the car parking area has not been ploughed so you will need to take a shovel and dig in to park. Please park facing forwards as close to the fence as you can get at a 45 degree angle and ensure you do not block the road. We are planning to open tomorrow (Wednesday) from 10am. Day members are welcome but please print off the day membership form from the skiweardale.com website and bring it along with the correct payment. Please find a tow operator (in  bright dayglow jackets) and pay before skiing. There will be checks on tickets throughout the day so keep hold of your receipt. Members can make this process easier by displaying their membership cards - we have a supply of plastic arm bands to hold them if needed - just ask one of the tow operators if you want one.

Sharing cars tomorrow may be a good idea, especially if you don't have chains or don't know how to use them. Hitching from the bottom of the road is generally very easy and most skiers will offer you a lift if they have space. Another option is to use our facebook site for lift sharing (or twitter). Stuart Marlow from Whitley Bay is hoping to attend tomorrow and is keen to get a lift with someone (either from Whitley Bay or Daddry Shield) so if you can offer him a lif his email address is - stuart.marlow@btinternet.com

If you want to see what conditions are like take a look at todays webcam photo from F2 taken at 13:11. Unfortunately the other camera would not behave and take a picture.

Update For Week Commencing 21st January

Finally we have won the snow lottery. We have had heavy snow all day today in Weardale with about 12 inches in Stanhope. More snow is forecast tonight before drying up a bit. There have also been strong winds so there will be a lot of drifting snow and the access road is likely to be impassable for Tuesday 22nd so at this moment we are not planning to run tomorrow. If we can get acess to the slopes we may try and piste some of the snow for Wednseday when we are planning to open from 10am. However please check the answerphone before travelling as conditons can alter very quickly.

Due to the drifting snow it is quite likely that you will have to dig in to park so please ensure that you have a good shovel at least in your boot and if possible try and share lifts.
Keep checking the Answerphone for  up to the minute opening info  01388  527527

Weekend 19th -20th January

Despite missing the major snow fall an excellent weekend was had by all.  Ski Report
...Just a couple of reminders........The Road - the trip up to WSC is part of the adventure and the road has claimed many victims over the years. Today a Freelander got stuck in a ditch when he tried to pull over to allow someone to pass. Fortunately he was pulled out and Mark passes his thanks on to those who helped him.This is a not uncommon scenario and it is often the larger 4wd vehicles that pull over to allow another car past. The road is very narrow and has few passing points and the ditch is often hidden by snow so it is always sensible to reverse one of the cars until you find a gate or farm entrance where you are guaranteed solid ground. Even the local farmers wife, who knows the road as well as anyone, ended up with her quad bike in the ditch last year (with me on the back) much to her husbands amusement, purely because there was so much snow we could not see where the road was.

The parking - Sorry to harp on about this every year but the parking space is very limited, even though we extended the parking last year. There are a few rules to parking that you should have all received when you joined which should be followed by everyone please. Firstly park at an angle to the fence as close as possible to avoid blocking the road. DO NOT REVERSE in as this can cause chaos, especially if cars behind you have to stop and then can have great difficulty getting going again. Do not worry about getting stuck, we will not leave you there and there is always someone that will help you get out if you have problems. Secondly park close together to maximise the use of the limited space. Thirdly do not block the fell entrance gate as this is the emergency vehicles only way onto the fell, and for that matter do not block any other gates as the farmer needs access to them all. Finally please ensure you are prepared for the worst and have snow or winter tyres on as a minimum, snow chains can be bought for as little as £19 from Lidl I am told and always remember the shovel and a few old blankets. Unfortunately one person failed to park sensibly today and created a lot of hassle by blocking the road. This meant that several members could not get past and had to take long diversions and one car tried to squeeze past and ended up in a ditch and causing quite a bit of damage to his car. Attached is a photo of the offending car and there is a marker post showing the edge of the road. I am told there was plenty of space behind the car to reverse further. I don't know whose car it was but please try and be more thoughtful in future.

Finally - Reynolds outdoor have some good offers on for some ski equipment at very good prices - attached is a spreadsheet of skis and boots they have for sale - if interested please contact them directly.

Update Friday 18th 20.45hrs

Sadly the heavy snow seems to have missed us so far with only a light covering so far in Weardale but with the possibility of more later tonight. It may be enough to freshen up the runs and the ground is certainly hard enough but if the extra snow is very thin then it may well get worn quite quickly. We are planning to open tomorow, Saturday,  at 10am so if you are intending to come up do not leave it too late as we may close early. Please remember that weekends are for members only so please do not turn up and hope to be allowed to ski as a day members. We will be running regular checks on membership cards so if you can display your cards on the outside of your jacket that would make life a lot easier for the tow operators and stop you having to fumble around for them!
Hopefully the road wont be too bad but always be prepared. It might be worth checking the webcam in the morning before travelling once it updates at about 8:30am.

Breaking News...Weardale Ski Club  Hits the BIG Time !!

http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/article/53076
Hope you are all set for the heavy downfall of snow that the weathermen have been going on about for days - I do hope it is not another red herring like we have had so many times before. If it does arrive then conditions could be good for the weekend. To wet your appetites Sky TV dropped in on Wednesday and took some footage of WSC and interviewed a few of us - it can be watched on http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/article/53076
LOST...PLEASE FIND
A pair of dearly loved ski poles were lost on Tuesday by Lyn - blue and silver with black grips and no straps. She left them by the car park - if anyone found them please can you let me know. They are 30 years old but close to her heart I am told!

Well...

Wednesday 16th Jan. saw yet another great days skiing up on the Fell..Full Report
We are how-ever not planning to open tomorrow Thursday 17th....Also please note that come the weekend it is MEMBERS ONLY. We hate to turn non members away but we also have a commitment to give quality skiing to our members without totally crowded pistes and huge lift ques.....It's not all about the money !
BUT...There is a glimmer of hope for those non members out there. We still have around 50 membership places. They are on a first come first served basis so don't delay if you would like to JOIN.

For a report on todays skiing please take a look at our Snow Report Page

However.......One important point from today please NO DOGS ON THE FELL.
This is a very important part of our Lease Agreement. As we are sure you are aware apart from being A Premier English Ski Club. Weardale is also a working fell with stock out on the hill. It is therefore very important that NO Dogs are taken onto the hill.
We will accept day members tomorrow but as previously stated please print off the day membership form from the membership page of the website and complete it before travelling and bring along the correct money. Please do not ski until you have seen one of the tow operators (we stand out in bright orange jackets!).

On a positive note, heavy snow is forecast on thursday night and all day friday with dry weather over the weekend which is looking very promising indeed

 Monday 14th January 2013 for Tueaday 15th and the week ahead

Happy New Year to everyone and hope you all had a lovely Christmas even though we had no snow. Fortunately we are back in favour with the snow gods and snow has fallen on + off all day today with more forecast tonight. We are planning to open tomorrow (Tuesday 15th January) from about 10 to 10:30am. We are uncertain what the skiing or road conditions are like so come prepared with snow shovel, snow tyres/chains etc and take care on the road. We will open to day members but please print off a day membership form from the website (http://www.skiweardale.com/membership.html) and complete it before travelling and please bring the correct money. 

Snow and cold temperatures are forecast for the foreseeable time spreading into next week and beyond so we could be in for several days skiing and currently intend opening on Wednesday 16th January as well. As always the snow and conditions are variable and it is always worth checking the answerphone(01388 527527) before travelling and please always anticipate the worst and travel prepared.

Happy skiing

Update Thursday Evening 6th December

There has been a fair bit of snow at Swinhope today and more is forecast overnight. Unfortunately it has been accompanied by strong winds which may have blown a lot off and strong winds are forecast tomorrow. At this time it looks unlikely that we will open for skiing tomorrow but we will review the situation tomorrow and hopefully we may get some skiing in this weekend. If the situation changes we will update the answer phone message. Yad Moss are in a similar situation but I gather Raise still has good coverage with excellent powder snow reported a day or two ago. However again gale force winds are predicted there tomorrow which is likely to hamper any chance of skiing.

Looking better all the time

Snow Alert !!!  2/12/2012

Snow is forecast tonight and also Monday but the amount varies depending on which report you read. We currently have a thin covering but insufficient for skiing, however the ground is very cold and the temperature well below freezing so any snow that falls is likely to hang around. There is an outside possibility of skiing tomorrow or later in the week so keep an eye on the webcam and if it looks good check the answerphone (01388 527527). I will try and get emails out if we do open but sometimes it is a last minute decision and if I am at work then I won't get a message out until the evening.So far this season, to my knowledge, there has been no skiing at Yad Moss or Weardale but the Lake District ski club have had at least 4 or 5 days so far and even managed to get 3 days skiing in before the Scottish resorts had opened - hopefully we will follow soon. The long range forecasts are for very low temperatures for at least the next month or so which looks very promising.

Message from the membership secretary - all the membership cards have been posted out with the exception of those who have joined in the last few days. There have been one or two that seem to have gone astray in the post so if you have not received yours then please contact Alison onajlumb@hotmail.co.uk

November 21st - Membership Reminder

Membership is still open to new members, how-ever with the first flurries of snow we expect remaining availability will very quickly disappear. Todays top tip..Get in early before they go Please see details on our membership page.

November 19th - Discounts

A quick reminder that this next weekend (24 + 25 November) both Nevisportand LD Mountain centre in Newcastle are offering WSC members discount off the RRP of anything in their shops on production of a valid WSC membership card. Nevisport are offering 20% discount and LD 15%. On top of this both shops offer a 10% discount all year round to WSC members. Both shops have supported us over the years so if you do make use of the offer please mention WSC and show your card - you could save more than it costs to join in the first place! Many other shops will offer discount if you produce the card and our membership secretary is liaising with North Face to offer us some discount - watch this space.

November 19th - WSC AMG

The WSC AGM was well attended last week with over 40 members watching and listening to a fascinating slide presentation by Stuart Gallagher on his trip to the Antarctic and also a short video by Kevin Moore on his recent skiing trip to the Arctic circle. Everyone seemed to like the new format so we hope to reproduce it at next years AGM - if any member is interested in giving a talk/slide show/film etc please contact me.

November 19th - Only 100 Places Left

Membership is nearly full - we have approximately 100 places left before we close. I suspect that will be as soon as we get the first decent snowfall.

November 19th - Snow Chains

Have you got your snow tyres on and chains ready yet? The Lake District ski club has already had 3 days skiing so far before any official skiing has taken place in Scotland. We nearly had enough to ski on but cover was deemed too thin. However if you believe the following Express article - forecasters are predicting the coldest winter for 100 years - they say that blizzards are expected in the North with temperatures down to -20 degrees and widespread disruption. The worst (or best depending on your view) weather is predicted in December and January but could start as early as this coming weekend -http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/358717

November 19th - Chillfactore Worl Record

Finally for those snowboarders who fancy some early snow there is an attempt on a world record at the Chill Factor in Manchester next week (20 November). You have to be a competent snowboarder (able to do an ollie!) and details are in the link below -they are still after as many snowboarders as possible. If any of you do take part please email me with a report. All the relevant information is available here:http://www.chillfactore.com/events/world-record

November 1st - Membership

Membership is now OPEN to new members. Please see details on our membership page.

October 29th ...Wise Words From Our Leader....

Winter has arrived and the fells of Weardale have already had a couple of light dustings of snow. Time perhaps to think about putting the winter tyres on and checking the snow chains still work? The slopes have been prepared for the season and everything is in order for when we get enough snow to get the skis out. More snow is forecast - my son's girlfriends sister has a friend in the Met Office which has forecast a significant dump of snow in the near future so there you have it!!

There are only 2 days left for existing members to rejoin without having to pay the late/joining fee and we are filling up fast with approximately 150 places left before we close membership. We will still allow day members through the week but weekends are reserved for members only. If you have procrastinated in rejoining now is the time, just follow the link to join online https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?event_id=812

AGM

A reminder that the WSC AGM is being held on Tuesday 13th November at 8pm in The Honest Lawyer, Croxdale, Durham DH1 3SP. All members are welcome to this and we have changed the format to make it more interesting. The AGM will be kept fairly brief and will be followed by an excellent slide show and talk by Stuart Gallagher on his recent trip to Antarctica, a slide show that has already received great acclaim.

Discounts

Both Nevisport and LD Mountain Centre in Newcastle have agreed to offer members of WSC discount once again and we do really appreciate their support. They offer 10% discount all year round on production of a valid WSC membership card and on the weekend 24/25th November Nevisport will double this to 20% discount and LD to 15%. This can save a significant amount if you are planning to upgrade your equipment or clothing but to ensure they keep offering us this discount we must be seen to be using it so please go that weekend and wave your WSC card around.

Improvements

You should all notice several improvements this season. Apart from repairing and maintaining all the equipment, snow fencing, cutting the grass etc we have installed a second webcam to give you a better idea of the snow conditions, have upgraded the website which I am sure you will find a great improvement, have fitted solar panels to try and keep all our batteries charged up and are in the process of installing a new composting toilet system in the lodge which has also had a "deep clean". Thanks to all those who have contributed hours of blood, sweat and occasionally tears to ensure this work has all been done.

08/10/2012 - 20% OFF Ride Bansko Apartments in Bulgaria

One of our members owns a couple of apartments in Bansko, Bulgaria. Each apartment sleeps up to 4 people and Weardale Ski Club members get 20% OFF. Visit www.ridebanskoapartments.com for more info.

07/10/2012 - Membership

Membership is now OPEN to new members. Please see details on our membership page.

01/10/2012 - Weardale Ski Club AGM

Weardale Ski Club AGM... Tuesday 13 November at the Honest Lawyer, Croxdale, Durham

09/09/2012 - Work Party Update

We had a successful work party today with about 15 of us there and managed to get all the hangars put on in preparation for winter, got the bulk of the pistes mown and a few other small jobs done. The weather was superb and the ground finally has dried out a little. There is still a lot to be done and the work planned for the next work party includes 1, Bricklaying around the base of the new garage 2, Rush cutting 3, More grass cutting 4, Snow fence repairs 5, Repairing the Rolba track 6, Preparing the lodge for the new toilets. There are many other jobs also needed to be done so if you feel that you can help out with any of the above please come and join us.

09/09/2012 - Silksworth Ski Slope

Sunderland snow sports centre at Silksworth have currently got some promotions on. Check their Web Site. They also are doing a ski and board service for £10....grind,edge and wax

09/09/2012 - Skiing in Bulgaria

One of our members who wrote an article in our newsletter about skiing and boarding in Bulgaria has asked me to recommend this as a reasonably priced holiday and suggests looking at the link below. Could be an option for a cheapish main holiday or perhaps for that last minute second trip! http://www.balkanholidays.co.uk/winter_ski_holidays

08/09/2012 - Work Parties

Work parties are planned for Sunday 9th September (Tomorrow), Sunday 23rd September and Wednesday 26th September and there is lots of work to be done (some semi-skilled and some simple manual work - fence repairs, drainage, stone-picking etc). Anyone with mechanical skills would be especially useful as there is work to be done repairing the tracked vehicle amongst other machinery. Carpentry skills will also be useful as we are preparing the lodge to install a new toilet system.

04/12/2011 - Ski & Snowboard Helmets

Helmets seem to be being used by more and more skiers and boarders and if you want to try a basic helmet that won't break the bank Decathlon are selling some for @ £20 - I cannot vouch for them and I believe Aldi also had some pretty cheap helmets in recently.

04/12/2011 - Ski & Snowboard Helmets

Helmets seem to be being used by more and more skiers and boarders and if you want to try a basic helmet that won't break the bank Decathlon are selling some for @ £20 - I cannot vouch for them and I believe Aldi also had some pretty cheap helmets in recently.

01/12/2011 - Weardale Membership Renewal

I am pleased to say that membership is now 4 short of closing so by the end of this week we will be full for the year. Thanks to all those who have joined, both new members and longstanding members who have supported us for years. Lets hope you get great value for you membership fee this year. 2 days skiing and it has paid for itself. Remember however that the snow doesn't generally last long when it arrives so make the most of it when it does and get your kit prepared in advance. I have to repeat the age old reminder about snow chains or snow tyres if conditions require them and the need to pack a shovel and dig in at an angle to the fence and not to block any gates, especially the one by the car parking. I know many of you will have heard the same message for years but for those newer members it is very important for all our safety and enjoyment