latest Update regarding the 2020/21 HPSC Season 

Thank you to everyone for your patience during this very unique and challenging season. 

Due to the ongoing pandemic, this season has been much different than any we have faced in the past. Our members' safety has always been our prime concern and we have, of course, been following public health recommendations. 

When we shut down club activities last March, the hope was that by the start of the 2020/21 season we would be back to somewhat normal and run a season as close to normal as we possibly could.  Unfortunately, the second wave has overwhelmed the province and our plans. 

Truly this has been the winter of our discontent.  While we had hoped and planned, at some point, to be able to organize daytrips this season, we did not want to drag out the decision and raise false hope that we would be able to operate this season when realistically we will not be able to. 

Given the current province wide lockdown, and the expectation that even if we move into the Red zone by mid-February (which would likely last for a month), followed hopefully into Orange, we would therefore not be able to organize any daytrips until mid-March at the earliest (if at all).  Therefore, the HPSC Board of Directors has made the difficult decision that we will be unable to run any daytrips this season.  Therefore, both the Downhill and Cross-Country and Snowshoeing daytrip seasons have been officially cancelled. 

As a special membership feature in this year of uncertainty, we included the option to defer your membership over to next season if by January 31st you had not gone on a HPSC trip and did not expect to for the rest of the season.

However, given the cancellation of all daytrips, and most (and maybe all) long trips/charter trips, the Board of Directors has made the decision to automatically defer all current membership over to 2021/22 season.  You do not have to do anything.  Your membership will be good until renewal in September 2022. 

Some members have expressed a desire to use their current membership as an investment into the club’s financial health even if they don’t get to ski this year. While we are not expecting members to do this, if you so choose, we will gladly accept your offer. 

Just for some background information, even without running any trips at all, the club still has a significant amount of hard costs.  These include various insurance policies that need to be maintained, bank/credit card fees, accounting and auditing fees, website/software costs etc.  And the costs for the club house until the end of March 2021 when we are moving to a virtual club house model. 

If you do want to use your 2020/21 membership as an investment into the club, please send a message to membership@hpsc.ca by March 31, 2021.  If not, your membership will be deferred over to next season and be good through to September 2022.

While we can’t organize any HPSC trips or events, we still encourage members to get outside and to enjoy local parks, ravines, and trails.  It has been great to see the social media posts of members who have been making the best of the current situation and continuing to get outside and enjoying the winter through skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and skating in our local parks. 

Although this has been a tough year so far, we will come through this and thrive as a community.  As the current saying goes “Stay Positive, Test Negative!” 

Justin Graham

President, High Park Ski Club