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Fall Weekend Trail Help ** Plan on every November sat/sun with bridge building, glade clearing, ditch digging, downfalls, brushing, and overall tuning of the trails. We will provide lunch and follow up snacks and goodies at days end. Please email us about your plans, a productive way to get in the winter groove.
November 30 2008 Evergreen Wreath Making Workshop - Join us for an afternoon of fun learning how to make your own holiday wreath. Bring a hand prunner and any decorations or adornments you'd like to add to your wreath. We'll have all the materials you'll need including a variety of firs to construct your very own piece of artwork. We'll get started at 1pm and be around all afternoon. Contact Dave Saville daves@labyrinth.net or 304-284-9548.
December 6-7 2008 27th Annual Jack Frost Celebration - Count on a big turn out as we open up the season in honor of one our favorite snowy characters. Trail work, the celebration, and Sunday brunch with adventure tours round out the weekend. Bring a dish to share Saturday eve and we will provide the refreshments. Music jams and the shot ski.
Jan 11 West Va. Special Olympics Coaches XC Training- Getting the folks all tuned up that make the Olympics more fun and highly skilled
TBA Wintery Poetry Reading - 6 ish at White Grass. Last year jump started the tradition.
Dec. 28 Gateway To The Refuge - 1 PM A natural history snowshoe walk with Chip Chase as he shares his knowledge about the climate, forest type, and geology of the area. Ask technical tough questions and enjoy a short streamside jaunt.
Dec 31 2008 New Years Eve Carefree Snowshoe Tour - 1pm Your chance to appreciate the simple beauty of snowshoeing. Natural history and local lore are featured.
Jan 10 2009 Winter Trails Day - Free lessons/clinics and rentals to all first time interested skiers or snowshoers. XC lessons every hour and a 10 am and 2 pm clinic on types of snowshoes, clothing, basic techniques, and outdoor winter snow travel followed by a natural history tour on snowshoes into our neighboring National Wildlife Refuge.
Jan 11 Gateway To The Refuge - 10 am High elevation red spruce ecosystem trek and we will discuss its historical, ecological and future significance as well as our efforts to protect and restore it. Join naturalist and well known and respected regional conservationalist Dave Saville. These Sunday walks are free of charge and offered each year to expand our appreciation of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Jan 18 Carefree Snowshoe Tour - 1pm Your chance to appreciate the simple beauty of snowshoeing. Natural history and local lore are included.
Jan 24 Kids Clinic followed by BB Biathlon - Snow time 10-3 o'clock, Activities suited for beginner to experienced young skiers. A good mix of skill, games and trail skiing. For families renting gear, please come between 9-9:15 for gear outfitting. Lunch and snacks included.
Jan 24-25 NATO Telemark Workshop - 8am Vermont's Dickie Hall and staff come to WG with down to earth telemark instruction. This course will likely leave you with a new bright direction in your skiing.
Jan 25 Gateway To The Refuge- 10 am - Geology of the Canaan Valley and the Highlands and West Virginia led by Barnes Nugent of the WV Geologic Survey. Lifelong mountaineer and outdoorsman as well as another White Grass part time staffer.
Jan 25 5 Km Snowshoe Walk/Run - 1 pm Well organized by Helvetia, WV distance runner Dan Lehmann this event features a rolling course full of prizes and fun. Snowshoe rentals available for $8.
Jan 28-30 West Virginia Special Olympics Winter Games - Gathered are racers from three states, parents, coaches, volunteers, and helpers. This event will give back tenfold what is put in. An emotional inspiration to partake in.
February 2 Our Annual Ground Hog's Day Ski - 9am Our winding trek in search for clues to the rest of winter never seems to end. Full day backcountry journeys usually have no route in mind and end up a little lost.
Feb 7 Women's Winter Ski Day - Refresh or pick up some new ski techniques while having a blast. Instruction available for all types of skiers and experience levels from track and skate techniques to downhill control and telemark turns. This day is especially suited for those of us who never have enough time to ski as much as you'd like. Lunch included. 10 am- 3 pm. Please come between 9-9:15 if you need to rent or have a cup o' coffee or tea.
February 7-8 NATO Telemark Adventure Tour - 8 am Join in guided instructional tours into the Dolly Sods with Vermont's well known Dick Hall. Plenty of technique secrets from the guy who has been on the job ski teaching for well over 2 decades.
Feb 8 Gateway To The Refuge - 10 am Animal Tracking led by Refuge biologist Ken Sturm. This very popular event will give you information needed to figure out what critters make all those impressions in the snow.
Feb 8 25K Mountain State Marathon - 1 pm This rolling course never gives you a needed break or settle for a shortened version. Kid's classes, and great prizes. $15 entry fee.
Sun Feb 15 Carefree Snowshoe Tour - 1pm Your chance to appreciate the simple beauty of snowshoeing. Natural history and local lore are featured.
Feb 15 Starter Dream XC Clinic/PSIA Upgrade- 9:00am to 4:00pm $45/person...Morning session and then learn how to skate ski after lunch. The early part of the day you will learn to ski uphills more easily, around corners smoothly and safely downhill as you have only dreamed you could before. Randy will unveil secrets to help you get better grip and better glide so you can have more fun on your skis. In the afternoon, take the mystery out of skating as you learn how to move on slippery skis, opening a whole new world of fun and excitement for you on snow. The entire day will be a mixture of fun, laughs, and personalized instruction. You will leave the day excited about your improved skills and feeling more confident on your skis.
Feb 16 Advanced Dream XC Clinic/PSIA Upgrade- 9:00am-4:00pm $45/person...If you love to ski and want to ski faster, more gracefully and more easily then join this day of fun learning lead by Randy French. This day is for people who have all ready learned to kick and glide but want to improve even more and who all ready can skate and want to move more efficiently on their skate skis. This is a great tune up day and way to re focus your personal skiing skills. Come with questions and specific areas that you would like to improve on. An emphasis in both classical and skate skiing will be on body position, nuances of foot movements and using core muscles to move more efficiently. If you dream of being a better skier and having more fun on snow, then this is a day for you.
Feb 22 Gateway To The Refuge- 10 am. GPS mapping skills Led by Dr. Rick Landenberger, long-time WG skier, Executive Director of a non-profit geospatial research and education network, and West Virginia University faculty member in Geology & Geography. Rick will provide an introduction to GPS technology including principles for mapping points and routes, with particular emphasis on central Appalachian forest ecology and wildlife applications. Bring your own GPS if you'd like, but Rick will have loaner units for first timers. All are welcome. Skis or snowshoes...
Feb 28 Kids Clinic followed by BB Biathlon- Snow time 10-3 o'clock, Activities suited for beginner to experienced young skiers. A good mix of skill, games and trail skiing. For families renting gear, please come between 9-9:15 for gear outfitting. Lunch and snacks included.
March 1 Carefree Snowshoe Tour - 1 pm Your chance to appreciate the simple beauty of snowshoeing on the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. This tour with Dave Saville will include Natural history and local lore.
March 7- 8 Winter Snow Camp Backcountry Ski Weekend - Tune up your skills and share your secrets as we set up at 4300' and ski tight trees, open glades, slopes, and tour red spruce heaven. Enjoy snow camping and winter adventure.
March 8 Carefree Snowshoe Tour - 1 pm Your chance to appreciate the simple beauty of snowshoeing on the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Led by Canaan Valley Master Naturalists Bruce and Andy Dalton, this tour will include Natural history and local lore.
Mar 14 Women's Winter Ski Day - Refresh or pick up some new ski techniques throughout the day. Instruction available for all types of skiers and experience levels from track and skate techniques to downhill control and telemark turns. This day is especially suited for those of us who never have enough time to ski as much as you'd like. Lunch included. 10 am - 3 pm. Please come between 9-9:15 if you need to rent or have a cup o' coffee or tea.
March 15 Gateway To The Refuge - Canaan Valley Balsam Fir - 10 am This trek, led by The Nature Conservancy's Mike Powell, will visit a local balsam fir swamp where you will learn about this unique species of tree and the effrots that are being undertaken to protect and conserve it.
March 22 Carefree Snowshoe Tour - 1 pm Your chance to appreciate the simple beauty of snowshoeing on the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. This tour will include Natural history and local lore.
March 29 Gateway to the Refuge – The Stream Morphology of Freeland Run - 10am (CANCELLED)Snowshoe walk led by Canaan Valley Institute Geologist Ryan Gaujot. Ryan will take the group on a trek along Freeland Run to look at stream type, channel and floodplain stability, causes of impairment, and lead a discussion how specific sites might be repaired. These Sunday walks are free of charge and offered at Whitegrass each year to expand our appreciation of the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.
Full Moon Skiing Trips will focus around each month's lunar glare Dec 12, Jan 10, Feb 9, Mar 10. We usually head out around 7:30 pm and all skiers should have one of these trips under their nordic belts, there is a special magic to skiing at night.
