Club St. Bernard will be going to the wonderful resort of Beaver Creek, CO January 13 to 20, 2024. This is a Texas Ski Council trip, so be prepared to meet and mingle and ski with people from all over the great state of Texas, a club from Oklahoma, and some who have moved away, but have kept their club memberships active so they can continue to ski and play with us!
We had a very quick sell out of twenty participants… with a wait list in case of any cancellations. If you would like to join the wait list, please get your name in as soon as you can.
We will be staying at The Charter Condos. Ski in and Ski Out! Contact the trip leader John Bearor JRBearor@ [email protected] to get on the wait list.
Whitefish Mountain Resort is calling your name… Listen for it: It is a whisper!
It is time again to return to the far northwest corner of Montana, to the Flathead Valley and The Big Mountain, home of snow ghosts, open bowls, wooded trails and good times. The mountain has 3,000 skiable acres, divided 50/50 between beginner/intermediate and advanced/expert. The longest run is 3.3 miles (yes, miles!) and the area gets an average of 25 feet of snow each year. It is not uncommon for the ski area to close for the season with 100 inches of snow still on the ground. At a relatively low elevation (base is at 4,460 feet and the summit is at 6,800 feet above sea level) there is little likelihood of altitude sickness paying you a visit during your trip.
September 2023 Pawprints
But the trip isn’t all about skiing. The non-skier has a wealth of possibilities as well. Often, (it varies year to year depending on the forest service’s mood) there are winter tours of Glacier National Park (approximately 45 minutes away), tour the Charles E. Conrad Mansion in Kalispell (the 1892 home of a shipping magnet and banker), spend some quality time in the onsite spa, do some ice fishing, or stroll/shop the picturesque town of Whitefish (whose origins are in logging and the railroad). There will be a full moon while we are there and if the weather cooperates, we will have the opportunity to dine at the top of the mountain and skiers can ski down by moon and starlight while non-skiers can ride the lift back down.
We will be staying at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake in 2 bdrm/2 bth units with full kitchens, boot and ski storage adjacent to the pickup point for the ski bus, on site restaurants, heated pool and hot tub. https://lodgeatwhitefishlake.com/winter-adventures The trip is offered without air so you can make air arrangements that suit the times you like to travel and the airline miles you have banked. Ground transportation has been arranged from the Kalispell airport to the lodging.
Contact John Koone @ [email protected] or 210-844-9073. Need only a couple plus a single woman and a single man to fill the trip!!
We had a great trip of 21 St. Bernards, and some of the best skiing conditions, as to be expected, in beautiful Snowmass, Co.
The trip started off with a hiccup, with 2 clubs sharing the bus from Denver to Snowmass. Consequently, all the luggage and skies did not fit on the bus, but we arranged to get a short bus to pick up the overflow.
Our Wednesday night condo club party enjoyed King Ranch Chicken that Joanna Wolf pulled together. Thanks, Joanna! We had fun playing the “Who Am I?” game during which we discovered many new things about each other. The highlight of the evening was presenting Kip Kipling an engraved plaque to celebrate his skiing at 90 years old. (And, he’s fast!)
Although the Tuesday club races were canceled due to the conditions, 2 of our members managed to get the late notice to run the gates on Wednesday and managed to win First Place, Division 2 for our club. Half our group took a day off from skiing on Wednesday and did a day trip for lunch at the famous Jerome Hotel and French Alpine Bistro in Aspen.
It was a Smooth transition to Denver for our on-time flights. Unfortunately for Los Amigos ski club, one of our members found a tiger tail left in a TSA bin (which is a no, no to leave behind anywhere!). I took the liberty to ask a flight attendant to hold it up and announce it on the plane’s intercom before the flight. The whole flight erupted in boos and laughter. If you’re unfamiliar with the Tiger Tail’s significance, feel free to ask!
Twelve fine folks enjoyed the beautiful mountains and champagne snow of Steamboat Springs. We are looking forward to an incredible trip!
We will be stayed at Trappeur’s Crossing Resort. The complimentary ski area loop shuttle delivered us to the slopes. The on-call valet shuttle will took downtown to shops and restaurants, as well as to grocery stores. And there were 10 hot tubs for those of you who, like me, enjoy relaxing after skiing hard all day. Many other amenities were also included.
Steamboat Springs almost 3,000 acres of terrain, 170 trails, 17 lifts, and 3 terrain parks so there’s something for everyone on the slopes! They have lots of great runs whether you like skiing trees, cruisers, bumps, glades, or chutes. Remember that they boast having Champagne Powder in the trees. Come see what they have that you’ll enjoy!
The Steamboat Springs area has much to do other than skiing. There are many restaurants and bars including some new ones, as well as wonderful shopping. For outdoor non-ski activities, there are snowmobiling, ice skating, dog sledding, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, horseback riding, and others from which to choose. There are also the natural hot springs which I’m told are clothing optional after dark. A great way to relax those muscles after skiing!
There was something for everyone on this trip, whether you ski or not! What could be better than a fun trip filled with great CSB members?
Trip Leader – Melissa Wight, 210-381-5139 or [email protected] if you prefer to email.
Considered one of the World’s Best Ski Resorts, and Club St. Bernard’s #1 pick of the TSC trips offered for 2122… fabulous terrain for skiers of all levels, and so much to enjoy about the Telluride area for non-skiers, as well!
This trip was a great success: we had 22 of 24 due to emergency cancellations. Icy conditions delayed our departure from SA by one day, so we got out one day late.
There was no new snow, but trails were great!
We enjoyed two “fine dining” evenings and a lively condo party with takeout pizza and homemade spaghetti sauce (thanks, Pam!). We were intertained with Joe’s now-famous snow-boarding poem, and Doc’s story song.
As Trip Leader, I took the opportunity to “roast” each skier… but I think everyone is still speaking to me!
Our club won 1st place in Division 2 races. Kip and I won individual medals and Mark and Sonny won NASTAR pins.
It was so refreshing to get back on the slopes again, as COViD issues seem to be behind us now! Looking forward to a great 2023 ski season!
If you’re interested in leading a trip to one of your favorite destinations, contact our Travel Director, Lizzie Fisher: [email protected] or 210-710-0258
This trip has been enjoyed by all who participated, so click on the about link about all the fun and comparison between pre-Covid and post-/covid Park City and Deer alley. Spoiler: Guess who won a Silver in the races!!! In the most “senior” division, yet again!!! Stay tuned for all the scoop! And be sure to look at the February issue of Pawprints for trip photos!
Trip description: Trip included 7 nights at Town Pointe Condos, 3 bedroom, 3 bath condos with private Hot Tub! Also air transportation, San Antonio to Salt Lake City, and ground transfers. This was a Texas Ski council trip, so the TSC Welcome Party and Farewell Dinner were part of the deal, as well as a club Pre-Trip Party and a a club Mid-Week on the Mountain Party!
Trip Leaders: Anne Emshoff 210-846-3180 Amy Kuharich 210-373-1285
By Amy Kuharich
Due to COVID, this was different than any other ski trip. Masks were required in the condo area as well as the ski lift lines. If you didn’t follow the protocol, you were called out over the megaphone for all to see. The restaurants that were opened were at 50% capacity and many of the sight-seeing excursions, such as the magnificent train ride in Durango, were only available on the weekends and didn’t go the full route. That being said, we were able to see where Robert Redford and Paul Newman, as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, jumped off the majestic rocks (much bigger in the movie) into the water below in the movie, in addition to some hot springs and lots of mule deer. Nearby downtown Durango has several impressive historic hotels such as the Strater and Palmer. There are lots of fun boutiques for those shoppers and a 15 mile riverwalk for those who just want to bask in beautiful scenery. My recommendation is to visit the fascinating railroad museum which includes much more than railroad history. The skiing offered something for everyone; from beginners to experts and was mostly packed groomed snow. Although some fresh powder would have been nice, we were blessed with sunny weather the whole week. All in all, we had a wonderful time and it was great being so close to the lifts and be able to go the condo for bathroom breaks and lunch. Anne and I also took a snowmobile tour which was probably the highlight of our trip. Anne did the driving while I managed to take some videos. We climbed up to 12,000 feet and saw some incredible views. It was wonderful being in the company of other humans since we have been hunkered down for a year. We had wonderful conversations sipping wine with the fireplace crackling and had fun trading off making dinner, from spaghetti to tacos. Our one big night out was to the Sow’s Ear restaurant, which came highly recommended by locals. Wonderful atmosphere and delicious food; the people who had elk said it was the best ever! So, a different experience but happy we were all able to enjoy it and remain healthy. Something I will never take for granted.
We St. Bernards are travelers at heart, and are looking forward to some fabulous trips through the Texas Ski Council. We encourage you to submit your Membership Applications and pay your club dues. It’s almost time to make trip deposits, so be sure to watch for the announcement with names of Trip Leaders and contact the Trip Leaders listed for each trip, and save a spot!
It’s time to start planning your 2024 and 2025 dream trips with your ski and travel pals! Lizzie, our Trips VP, is accepting applications from members to lead these trips. Contact her at [email protected]
2024 Trips
TSC Traditional: Beaver Creek, CO, Jan. 13-20 Sports America
How about a ski vacation in the land of Europe’s highest peak and the world’s first Winter Olympics? Chamonix, France, practically invented our favorite sport. This area is home to Europe’s highest peak, Mont Blanc. Today this fantastic area attracts skiers, hikers, tourists, and, need I say, shoppers, from all over the world.
Chamonix is in the French Alps on the border with Italy and Switzerland. In fact, in addition to enjoying the four resorts right in Chamonix, you may find yourself skiing at nearby resorts in these other Alpine countries. This will be an international experience of a lifetime!
This area boasts everything from beginner to expert ski runs. Our hotel, located right in the heart of Chamonix within minutes of some of the world’s greatest terrain, boasts its own ski school, guides, and pro shop. The full price includes not only air, lodging, and great amenities, but, also breakfast and dinner in one of the hotel’s four restaurants.
So, you want more adventure? Consider dog sledding, fat tire bicycling, paragliding, Nordic skiing, paragliding, and more. So much awaits the adrenaline junkies amongst us.
How about culture? Many museums and art galleries await your curiosity. History buffs will enjoy touring old churches and homes. Our tour operator will be offering day trips to Annecy, France; Montreaux and Lake Geneva, Switzerland; and Aosta, Italy. You may arrange your own transportation – buses and trains abound! – around town and throughout the area.
Après ski is a way of life in winter in the Alps. Chamonix is well known as THE place to play after hours. Our hotel offers nightly shows, there’s a casino right in town, and the village’s discos and bars offer lively fun times each evening.
Finally, in addition to the world’s best peaks and glaciers, Chamonix offers the world’s best shopping! The village is stocked with high end jewelry, clothing, and designer boutiques. And, for serious adventurers like us, we can shop to our heart’s content at some of the world’s greatest outdoor adventure stores. This is the place to find the best ski equipment and clothing.
After a week in the mountains, how about a week in the Mediterranean? Holidaze is offering a six day post-trip to Sicily.
Contact me at [email protected] or 210-846-3180 to find out more about the Alpine adventure and Sicily post-trip. This truly was an adventure of a lifetime!
Mayflower Tours offered us a a lovely club trip! Contact trip leaders Melissa Wight [email protected] or Anne Tarr [email protected] for information and a link to a webinar prepared for us.
9 Days • 11 Meals! We stepped into history and discovered a place where the mythical Greek Gods ruled the world. Spent three nights in Athens and visit the Acropolis with its crowning glory, the Parthenon. Traveled by high- speed ferries across the Aegean Sea to the islands of Mykonos and Santorini where we could immerse ourselves in the relaxed lifestyle during our stay. Friendly islanders were eager to welcome us to their picture-perfect paradise of whitewashed houses, seafront promenades and flower-filled lanes lined with quaint cafés and shops.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
11 Meals(7 breakfasts and 4 dinners)
Airport transfers on tour dates when air is provided by Mayflower Cruises & Tours
Included:
Panoramic city tour of Athens
Visit the ancient Parthenon with a local guide
Discover antiquities at the Acropolis Museum
High-speed ferries between Athens and the islands of Mykonos
and Santorini
Included orientation tours on the islands of Mykonos and Santorini
Free day on each island for relaxation or independent exploration
