Have big fun, win cool prizes! Really!

As mentioned in an earlier entry, The Chicken Creek Cross-Country Ski Area will be the organization benefitting from this year's Millwood Follies.
Saturday, April 2
Doors open at 4:00 PM
Fun starts at 5:00 PM

This year Joan Brind'Amour (with some help) is doing an outrageous job of gathering up all kinds of great door prizes and silent auction items.  Here is a sampling:

• $220 pair of new Fischer skate skis from Pine Needle Mounteering
• 2 new packs from Osprey Packs, Cortez
• $1000 septic engineering job from Cap Allen
• $230 value lunch for 2 and soak at Dunton Hot Springs
• New Goggles from Kokopelli
• New set Pyrex bake ware from Slavens
• $115 new Camelback from Gardenswartz
• Gift certificates from "The Farm" restaurant in Cortez
• Gift basket of coffee from Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters
• 2 Stained Glass window stars from Lalu Stained Glass
• Gift certificate for full hour massage from Chyrise Bay
• Enameled Beaded Pin by Marilyn Kroeker
• Gift Basket from Singing River Farm, soaps, lotions
• Black on Black signed Santa Clara Pueblo pottery from Picaya Cortez
• Gift basket from the Beehive in Mancos
• Gift Certificate from the Absolute Bakery in Mancos
• Gift Certificate from the Dolores Food Market
• Handmade necklace by Christie Smith
• Two day passes for Trimble Hot Springs
• Handmade Necklace and Earrings by Patty Russell
• Four Rib Eye steaks, grass fed beef by Burk Beef, Mancos

Crazy, isn't it?
The thing is, there's a lot more!  I'll be updating with another post in a few days as we get more items in hand.  I hope you've saved the date, and please tell your friends.

Hurray for Hank

OK, just disregard yesterday's entry.  Hank got out there this morning and groomed all of the Bauer loops, the Rush Connector, one pass around Rush Creek, and a single pass down the road.  He reports the snow is in excellent condition.  Go forth, ski.

Chicken Creek Update

Some folks are wondering why the new snow wasn't groomed, so let me do my best to explain.  As fabulous as the fresh snow we got was (is), we need always to look beyond the day in which it falls to determine if it will still be there in two days before we get too fired up about grooming it.  Time, equipment resources, and gasoline are all required to make this work.  Almost all of our volunteers have full-time (or more) jobs.  Our equipment is old and cantankerous.  And gasoline is expensive!  So it becomes difficult to justify spending all that time and energy when we know the snow will be gone - or seriously compromised - in a couple days.  The high temperature forecast for tomorrow is nearly 60 degrees.  Already a great deal of the fresh snow is already gone, or in really crummy shape.

So we ask your forbearance in this situation.  No one stepped forward to groom, despite a request to the volunteers.  I would suggest that there are always opportunities for more groomers to join our ranks.  It is a marvel what we accomplish with a small group of dedicated volunteers.  And we are always receptive to newcomers with the time, energy and ambition to offer their services.  Feel free to reply to this entry if you think you qualify.  I'll be happy to contact you and we can include you in our pre-season groomers meeting next year.