2013 (see also Events & Volunteers Calendars)
► Sunday, March 24, 2013 - Day at the Lakes.
► Sunday, March 17, 2013 - 12:45 p.m., Snowshoe Day Hike. Give the old skiing muscles a rest after the Loppet and do something different. Join us on a hike to open a new segment of our snowshoe trail network. We'll leave promptly at 1:00 p.m. so be at the chalet by 12:45 p.m. to register. Bring your own snowshoes and bring a snack for a summit picnic.
► Saturday, March 16, 2013 - Big Land Loppet.
► March 6 and 7, 2013 - Cross country ski events, Labrador Winter Games.
► Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013 - Ski the Games Trail event followed by a potluck. Event starts at 4:00 p.m. Skate or classic. To register on Zone 4, click here. More details available by downloading the event poster here.
► Sunday, March 17, 2013 - 12:45 p.m., Snowshoe Day Hike. Give the old skiing muscles a rest after the Loppet and do something different. Join us on a hike to open a new segment of our snowshoe trail network. We'll leave promptly at 1:00 p.m. so be at the chalet by 12:45 p.m. to register. Bring your own snowshoes and bring a snack for a summit picnic.
► Saturday, March 16, 2013 - Big Land Loppet.
► March 6 and 7, 2013 - Cross country ski events, Labrador Winter Games.
► Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013 - Ski the Games Trail event followed by a potluck. Event starts at 4:00 p.m. Skate or classic. To register on Zone 4, click here. More details available by downloading the event poster here.
2012
► Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012 - Snowshoe Trot. Details to follow.
► Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012 - Moonlit Ski/Snowshoe and Potluck.
► Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012 - Open House 10:00 to 4:00 on Boxing Day. Bring a newcomer for a ski or a snowshoe. Rental equipment will be available at regular prices but there will be no trail fees charged. The coffee, tea and hot chocolate is on the house.
► Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 - Birch Brook Nordic Annual General Meeting. There will be a potluck supper at 6:00 p.m. followed by the AGM.
► Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012 - The annual Concert at the Chalet, sponsored by the Birch Brook Ski Club and the Labrador Creative Arts Festival, will be held on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2-4 p.m. The event features performances by singer-songwriter Ian Foster, Aaron Collis, accordion player from the Dardanelles, and special guests! Click here for further details.
► Nov. 16 and 17, 2012 - Officials course taking place at Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club. Click here for further details.
► Thursday, Sept. 6 - Birch Brook is hosting a seniors' group for an afternoon of berrypicking in partnership with the Labrador Friendship Centre. Others are also welcome. If you'd like to participate or help with these activities, you'd be most welcome. If it's not your thing, please pass the information along to others. Berry good time poster
► Monday, Sept. 3 - There will be a slide show and an interpretive hike featuring the many fruits and berries to be found along Birch Brook trails following the Fun Run. Berry slide show and walk poster
► Saturday, April 21 - Summit snowshoe hike at 11 a.m. Click here to download poster.
► Saturday, April 14 - Farewell snowshoe hike for Fred and Muna. Meet at the ski club at 11 a.m. Bring a drink and a lunch. Click here to download the event poster.► Saturday, March 24 - Day at the Lakes. Ski to McLean Lake Cabin or Colin's Hut and enjoy a day in the backcountry.
► Saturday, March 31 - Great Labrador Loppet, hosted by our friends at the Menihek Nordic Ski Club. Go to www.zone4.ca for more information and to register.
► Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18 - Irish Challenge Weekend. Everyone who wants to join in will be combining the distances they ski on the weekend and together we'll try to ski the total distance to Boston. Green drinks, green food and green clothing will help make the challenge that much more Irish. Click here to download the poster.
► Friday, March 16 - Katimavik invites all members to Chilli Night at Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club. Come after work and go for a leisurely ski or snowshoe.
► Sunday, March 11 - Around the Games Trail event. 2 p.m. $5.00 to register.
► Saturday, March 10 - Potluck Social at 6 p.m. Bring a friend. Plan to attend. Go for a snowshoe or ski after the meal.
► Saturday, Feb. 11 - Potluck Social at 5 p.m. Bring a friend. Plan to attend. Go for a snowshoe or ski after the meal.
► Sunday, Jan. 22 - Plan to take part in a ski around the Games Trail at 2:00 p.m. Participants should submit the registration fee of $5 before the day of the event. If you can't get to Birch Brook to register beforehand, call the new Birch Brook phone, 899-0696, during open hours to get your name on the list. Click here to download and print event poster.
► Saturday, Jan. 7 - Potluck Social at 5 p.m. Bring a friend. Plan to attend. Go for a snowshoe or ski after the meal.
► Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012 - Moonlit Ski/Snowshoe and Potluck.
► Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012 - Open House 10:00 to 4:00 on Boxing Day. Bring a newcomer for a ski or a snowshoe. Rental equipment will be available at regular prices but there will be no trail fees charged. The coffee, tea and hot chocolate is on the house.
► Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012 - Birch Brook Nordic Annual General Meeting. There will be a potluck supper at 6:00 p.m. followed by the AGM.
► Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012 - The annual Concert at the Chalet, sponsored by the Birch Brook Ski Club and the Labrador Creative Arts Festival, will be held on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2-4 p.m. The event features performances by singer-songwriter Ian Foster, Aaron Collis, accordion player from the Dardanelles, and special guests! Click here for further details.
► Nov. 16 and 17, 2012 - Officials course taking place at Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club. Click here for further details.
► Thursday, Sept. 6 - Birch Brook is hosting a seniors' group for an afternoon of berrypicking in partnership with the Labrador Friendship Centre. Others are also welcome. If you'd like to participate or help with these activities, you'd be most welcome. If it's not your thing, please pass the information along to others. Berry good time poster
► Monday, Sept. 3 - There will be a slide show and an interpretive hike featuring the many fruits and berries to be found along Birch Brook trails following the Fun Run. Berry slide show and walk poster
► Saturday, April 21 - Summit snowshoe hike at 11 a.m. Click here to download poster.
► Saturday, April 14 - Farewell snowshoe hike for Fred and Muna. Meet at the ski club at 11 a.m. Bring a drink and a lunch. Click here to download the event poster.► Saturday, March 24 - Day at the Lakes. Ski to McLean Lake Cabin or Colin's Hut and enjoy a day in the backcountry.
► Saturday, March 31 - Great Labrador Loppet, hosted by our friends at the Menihek Nordic Ski Club. Go to www.zone4.ca for more information and to register.
► Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18 - Irish Challenge Weekend. Everyone who wants to join in will be combining the distances they ski on the weekend and together we'll try to ski the total distance to Boston. Green drinks, green food and green clothing will help make the challenge that much more Irish. Click here to download the poster.
► Friday, March 16 - Katimavik invites all members to Chilli Night at Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club. Come after work and go for a leisurely ski or snowshoe.
► Sunday, March 11 - Around the Games Trail event. 2 p.m. $5.00 to register.
► Saturday, March 10 - Potluck Social at 6 p.m. Bring a friend. Plan to attend. Go for a snowshoe or ski after the meal.
► Saturday, Feb. 11 - Potluck Social at 5 p.m. Bring a friend. Plan to attend. Go for a snowshoe or ski after the meal.
► Sunday, Jan. 22 - Plan to take part in a ski around the Games Trail at 2:00 p.m. Participants should submit the registration fee of $5 before the day of the event. If you can't get to Birch Brook to register beforehand, call the new Birch Brook phone, 899-0696, during open hours to get your name on the list. Click here to download and print event poster.
► Saturday, Jan. 7 - Potluck Social at 5 p.m. Bring a friend. Plan to attend. Go for a snowshoe or ski after the meal.
2011
► Monday, Dec. 26 - Boxing Day Open House. Click here to download the poster.
► Saturday, Dec. 10 - Full moon potluck supper social. Click here for details.
► Sunday, Nov. 27 - The Labrador Creative Arts Festival is hosting a Concert from 2-4 p.m. at the Birch Brook Nordic ski chalet. Space is limited and reservations are required. Several visiting artists and special guests will be performing. Proceeds from the concert will go towards the Canadian Red Cross to benefit the Horn of Africa of Drought relief effort. For more details, click here to see the attached poster.
► Saturday, Nov. 26 - The Birch Brook Nordic Executive Committee members have been discussing how the club is organized and have decided that a new management structure is needed to ensure all the aspects of the club are run as efficiently as possible. What worked for our log cabin club isn't the way we need to run our chalet/groomer club. We need your help to keep the ball rolling. Our Annual General Meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m., at the chalet. For details, see the blog entry in the news section for Nov. 13, 2011.
► Saturday, Oct. 1 - The Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club is celebrating fall with its first potluck for the upcoming season. Come and join us for a walk along the trails around 4:00 p.m., or earlier if you want, and then we'll start the potluck at 5:30 p.m.
► Saturday, June 11 - A barbecue social will be held at the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club. Members of the Katimavik youth group will be attendance. Also invited are bikers and prospective bikers in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay area. John Bookalam and others will be on hand to talk about opportunities for biking and the types of bikes that are available. Bring your questions. Participants should bring their choice of meat or chicken for the barbecue, salad or dessert, and beverage. A small fee will be charged to cover the cost of charcoal and barbecue supplies. The barbecue social gets under way at 5:30 p.m.
► May 28, June 4, June 11 and June 18 - Explore the Birch Brook Nordic trails with new appreciation for details and a heightened sense of belonging. Learn to identify our plants with an emphasis on wildflowers. See the individual field trip posters for a summary of each session. Field trips will take place on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon (share lunch afterwards in the chalet) on May 28, June 4, June 11, and June 18. The trips will go ahead rain or shine so appropriate clothing is essential. There is a resource fee of $5.00 for members and $10.00 for non-members covering all four sessions. Optional field guides will be available for purchase. Group size is limited to 12. Please register in advance by calling 896-8560 or e-mail Betty Anne Fequet at birch1@hvgb.net. Click on the links below to view or download the field trip posters.
Introductory Poster
Saturday, May 28, 2011 Field Trip
Saturday, June 4, 2011 Field Trip
Saturday, June 11, 2011 Field Trip
Saturday, June 18, 2011 Field Trip
► Sunday, June 5, 2011 - Join us at the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club for a special World Environment Day event. Trails and Tunes involves a guided hike from 2:00 to 2:45 p.m. Richard Neville will perform a selection of songs from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Admission is $5.00 for Birch Brook members and $10.00 for non-members. For more information, phone 896-8560. Click here for the Trails and Tunes poster. Please print and post in your workplace. Thank you.
► Wednesday, May 25, 2011 - Members of the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club are advised that Richelle Paine and Heather Sullivan, Physiotherapists with Labrador-Grenfell Health, will be giving a public presentation on common upper and lower body injuries and conditions at the Lawrence O'Brien Arts Centre, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, 7:00 p.m. For more information on 'Common Aches and Pains Caused by Injury and Overuse', click here for the blog entry.
► Saturday, March 26 - The Great Labrador Loppet hosted by Menihek Nordic Nordic Ski Club will take place at Labrador City. Log onto Zone 4 to download the race package. Click for Great Labrador Loppet poster.
► Saturday, March 26 - The committee organizing the Big Land Loppet has decided to reschedule the event for March 26. It was originally scheduled to be held on Saturday, March 12. The decision was made following an assessment of snow conditions on the loppet trail. Look for further information on the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club website about the Big Land Loppet in the coming weeks. Click here for blog posting.
► Saturday, March 19 - A potluck supper and moonlit ski and snowshoe will be held at the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club. That's the night of the full moon, and if it's not hidden by cloud, participants will hopefully be able to ski and snowshoe without switching on headlamps.
► Saturday, March 19 - The Provincial Championships will take place at Menihek Nordic Ski Club in Labrador City on Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20. Click here to download the Provincial Championships Race Package or log onto Zone 4.
► Saturday, March 5 - The Birch Brook Ski Club is presenting a 'Starlight Evening at Birch Brook' as our contribution to the SnoBreak calendar of events. For details, click here for the attached poster and also check out the SnoBreak website. The evening starts with a potluck from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by entertainment from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. by Donna Roberts. A guided snowshoe hike takes place from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. There is a cover charge of $5.00 for Birch Brook members and holders of SnoBreak buttons. The cost is $10 for all others.
► Tuesday, March 1 - You are invited to Katimavik's Community Potluck and Final Presentation at the Birch Brook chalet. The potluck will begin at 6:15 p.m. with the presentation by Katimavik participants to follow. Birch Brook is one of Katimavik's community work partners, and since December, Patrick Germaine from Quebec and Kevin Doyle from B.C. have been working with us weekly from Wednesday to Friday. Their volunteer tasks, ranging from clearing snowshoe trails to regularly cleaning the chalet, have eased the burden for others. They deserve our warm thanks!
► Saturday, Feb. 26 - Fred Eidt will be leading two more snowshoe hikes. He has conducted several hikes recently and they have become very popular. If you're interested, sign up at the rental office at Birch Brook. The first will be a hike of the ravine trails and the D4/D3 loop at 10:30 a.m. This trail is technically challenging and requires hikers to cross the creek on a fallen tree and to scramble up embankments. Anyone who wishes to take part should be moderately fit and ready for a work out. Considering the vertical component and the terrain, Fred highly recommends participants use modern snowshoes with crampons for this trail. Traditional Labrador snowshoes are definitely NOT recommended. The istance will be approx 2.5 km and will take approximately 1.5 hours. The second hike will be at 2:15 p.m. The hike will be the same as the route which was done on Friday, Feb. 18, only done in reverse. It is approximately 3.5 km in length and
will take about 1.5 hours. The planned route will be both in the woods, along the base of the cliffs and a short section will be out in the open. Click here to download the Snowshoe Trail Map.
► Saturday, Dec. 10 - Full moon potluck supper social. Click here for details.
► Sunday, Nov. 27 - The Labrador Creative Arts Festival is hosting a Concert from 2-4 p.m. at the Birch Brook Nordic ski chalet. Space is limited and reservations are required. Several visiting artists and special guests will be performing. Proceeds from the concert will go towards the Canadian Red Cross to benefit the Horn of Africa of Drought relief effort. For more details, click here to see the attached poster.
► Saturday, Nov. 26 - The Birch Brook Nordic Executive Committee members have been discussing how the club is organized and have decided that a new management structure is needed to ensure all the aspects of the club are run as efficiently as possible. What worked for our log cabin club isn't the way we need to run our chalet/groomer club. We need your help to keep the ball rolling. Our Annual General Meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m., at the chalet. For details, see the blog entry in the news section for Nov. 13, 2011.
► Saturday, Oct. 1 - The Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club is celebrating fall with its first potluck for the upcoming season. Come and join us for a walk along the trails around 4:00 p.m., or earlier if you want, and then we'll start the potluck at 5:30 p.m.
► Saturday, June 11 - A barbecue social will be held at the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club. Members of the Katimavik youth group will be attendance. Also invited are bikers and prospective bikers in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay area. John Bookalam and others will be on hand to talk about opportunities for biking and the types of bikes that are available. Bring your questions. Participants should bring their choice of meat or chicken for the barbecue, salad or dessert, and beverage. A small fee will be charged to cover the cost of charcoal and barbecue supplies. The barbecue social gets under way at 5:30 p.m.
► May 28, June 4, June 11 and June 18 - Explore the Birch Brook Nordic trails with new appreciation for details and a heightened sense of belonging. Learn to identify our plants with an emphasis on wildflowers. See the individual field trip posters for a summary of each session. Field trips will take place on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon (share lunch afterwards in the chalet) on May 28, June 4, June 11, and June 18. The trips will go ahead rain or shine so appropriate clothing is essential. There is a resource fee of $5.00 for members and $10.00 for non-members covering all four sessions. Optional field guides will be available for purchase. Group size is limited to 12. Please register in advance by calling 896-8560 or e-mail Betty Anne Fequet at birch1@hvgb.net. Click on the links below to view or download the field trip posters.
Introductory Poster
Saturday, May 28, 2011 Field Trip
Saturday, June 4, 2011 Field Trip
Saturday, June 11, 2011 Field Trip
Saturday, June 18, 2011 Field Trip
► Sunday, June 5, 2011 - Join us at the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club for a special World Environment Day event. Trails and Tunes involves a guided hike from 2:00 to 2:45 p.m. Richard Neville will perform a selection of songs from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. Admission is $5.00 for Birch Brook members and $10.00 for non-members. For more information, phone 896-8560. Click here for the Trails and Tunes poster. Please print and post in your workplace. Thank you.
► Wednesday, May 25, 2011 - Members of the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club are advised that Richelle Paine and Heather Sullivan, Physiotherapists with Labrador-Grenfell Health, will be giving a public presentation on common upper and lower body injuries and conditions at the Lawrence O'Brien Arts Centre, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, 7:00 p.m. For more information on 'Common Aches and Pains Caused by Injury and Overuse', click here for the blog entry.
► Saturday, March 26 - The Great Labrador Loppet hosted by Menihek Nordic Nordic Ski Club will take place at Labrador City. Log onto Zone 4 to download the race package. Click for Great Labrador Loppet poster.
► Saturday, March 26 - The committee organizing the Big Land Loppet has decided to reschedule the event for March 26. It was originally scheduled to be held on Saturday, March 12. The decision was made following an assessment of snow conditions on the loppet trail. Look for further information on the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club website about the Big Land Loppet in the coming weeks. Click here for blog posting.
► Saturday, March 19 - A potluck supper and moonlit ski and snowshoe will be held at the Birch Brook Nordic Ski Club. That's the night of the full moon, and if it's not hidden by cloud, participants will hopefully be able to ski and snowshoe without switching on headlamps.
► Saturday, March 19 - The Provincial Championships will take place at Menihek Nordic Ski Club in Labrador City on Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20. Click here to download the Provincial Championships Race Package or log onto Zone 4.
► Saturday, March 5 - The Birch Brook Ski Club is presenting a 'Starlight Evening at Birch Brook' as our contribution to the SnoBreak calendar of events. For details, click here for the attached poster and also check out the SnoBreak website. The evening starts with a potluck from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by entertainment from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. by Donna Roberts. A guided snowshoe hike takes place from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. There is a cover charge of $5.00 for Birch Brook members and holders of SnoBreak buttons. The cost is $10 for all others.
► Tuesday, March 1 - You are invited to Katimavik's Community Potluck and Final Presentation at the Birch Brook chalet. The potluck will begin at 6:15 p.m. with the presentation by Katimavik participants to follow. Birch Brook is one of Katimavik's community work partners, and since December, Patrick Germaine from Quebec and Kevin Doyle from B.C. have been working with us weekly from Wednesday to Friday. Their volunteer tasks, ranging from clearing snowshoe trails to regularly cleaning the chalet, have eased the burden for others. They deserve our warm thanks!
► Saturday, Feb. 26 - Fred Eidt will be leading two more snowshoe hikes. He has conducted several hikes recently and they have become very popular. If you're interested, sign up at the rental office at Birch Brook. The first will be a hike of the ravine trails and the D4/D3 loop at 10:30 a.m. This trail is technically challenging and requires hikers to cross the creek on a fallen tree and to scramble up embankments. Anyone who wishes to take part should be moderately fit and ready for a work out. Considering the vertical component and the terrain, Fred highly recommends participants use modern snowshoes with crampons for this trail. Traditional Labrador snowshoes are definitely NOT recommended. The istance will be approx 2.5 km and will take approximately 1.5 hours. The second hike will be at 2:15 p.m. The hike will be the same as the route which was done on Friday, Feb. 18, only done in reverse. It is approximately 3.5 km in length and
will take about 1.5 hours. The planned route will be both in the woods, along the base of the cliffs and a short section will be out in the open. Click here to download the Snowshoe Trail Map.