2014 Ski For Light Regional (part 3)

Subtitle: Ski For Light at Starlight.

Last year upon learning that Land of the Vikings cancelled all winter activities for the coming year, I posted the following:

“The Ski For Light motto is ‘If I can do this, I can do anything.’ Having one venue close down only means that the future regional coordinators and attendees have an opportunity to demonstrate the ‘…I can do anything’ part for the 2014 SFL regional event.”

By all reports, we demonstrated the concept well.

A winter storm that even earned a name brought bone chilling temperatures across much of the mid western and central Atlantic states. It fueled the ongoing debate over climate change and dumped a significant amount of snow on 7 states which snarled air travel for 3 days.

However, the Moosic mountain range in the foot hills of the Appalachian mountains received only a minor dusting — a mere 3 inches of snow — for the entire week of the North East Pennsylvania Ski For Light regional event (NEPA SFL) held in Starlight, Pennsylvania. But we skied on it anyway!

Through a chain of events covered in earlier posts, the venue for our regional gathering became The Inn at Starlight Lake. The storm brought abnormally low temperatures but the innkeepers were warm and welcoming. The fast check-in process was facilitated by advance correspondence and all that was required of the participant upon arrival was to pack into the room and get ready for dinner.

The Inn at Starlight Lake has been in continuous operation since 1909 and is the oldest of its kind in the United States.

Oh, and let me tell you about dinner. Well, wait. There are so many good things to say about the food and the venue itself that it deserves its own space which I will share later.

Yes, the Ski For Light motto is “If I can do this, I can do anything.”

I think it also applies to century old fire escapes. When the group stays in a new facility, part of the exploration includes knowing how to get out of the building under any circumstances. Of course this is good practice whether or not you have vision and is a part of the safety mindedness of all participants. While the photo here is posed, all members of the group actually descended the somewhat antique but fully functional fire escape. The hazard was not so much going down the stairs on the escape but rather the snow on the wooden decking and ramp leading away from the building. Guides and workers were on hand to spot each other and the drill was successfully conducted without incident. (For the record: This was not a mandate of the inn. If you stay there, you’ll not be asked to conduct a personal fire escape drill. We did it for safety orientation and because we wanted the experience.)

In years past, we skied on trails and open fields. Seldom (if ever) were these trails or fields groomed. Some years there was little if any snow and we joked about our “Hike for Light” adventures on paths that were more mud than trail. But this year we cross country skied on a frozen lake! The lake was covered with something close to 9 inches of ice and supported a 800 pound snowmobile. The ice maintained the ski-ability of the 3 inches of snow quite nicely and we took full advantage of its expansive 40 acres. Sadly, I missed the opportunity to get pictures of the happy faces along the way. I was too busy skiing and hiking.

And hike we did. The inn was constructed in the valley and set back and up from the lake. The foundation of the inn used rock hewn from quarries located in the mountain behind the inn itself. It was to these quarries and the surrounding forest that we sought to explore on our hikes. The inn provided maps with good detail.

These hikers are NOT following Mr. Pathfinder.

We discovered that while most guides are able to follow groomed tracks on marked trails, not all guides do as well on ungroomed tracks and sparsely marked trails. It is probably telling that the one guide who first ventured the heretofore unknown trails abandoned hiking and remained on skis for the remainder of week. But on the upside, while his group may not have followed a proper path, they were not late for lunch. Shucks, in some circles he’d simply be known as an expert Pathfinder. (Who needs a trail? Just follow me and we’ll make one together!)

Not to be outdone by Mr. Pathfinder, another intrepid guide decided to take a shortcut across the frozen lake back to the lodge. It was on an easier hike that included a half mile of unimproved road around the eastern side of the lake and up a slight rise of about 50 feet. At the end of the half mile, the hiker is close to the northern end of the lake and the inn was visible from that vantage point. It seemed obvious and easy to simply walk the lake back to the lodge. What could go wrong? We’d been skiing on the lake for two days and the daytime temperature was never above freezing. Well, you know what’s coming, right? Yes, indeed.

A new member of the Ski For Light –  Sports For Health swim team was initiated. That wouldn’t have been so bad except that this guide also hauled his unsuspecting blind companion into the edge of the lake up to her knee. Happily, the large wood burning stove pictured here dried their boots in only a few hours.

The hikes on the mountain behind the inn were challenging and decidedly not for anyone with foot, ankle, or knee problems. Our goal is to have fun which excludes becoming injured or exacerbating a known issue.

Therefore, the hike to the old train depot was more appealing for the gentle paved road leading to it.

The structure was erected in the late 1890’s and was in continuous use until the mid 1950’s. The rails were taken up sometime after that and while a portion of the old rail bed is a road for automobiles, another part is a about 4 miles of rail-trail for hikers, bikers, and four-wheelers.

The “No Talent Show” went on in spite of the fact that real talent was present. Happily, they were allowed to perform anyway. Dave K. did double duty hawking tickets for our raffle and rounding up “no talent” for a fun evening of merriment. There were songs, instrumentals, and a special reading from an original work by Margaret.

Key personnel who normally interface with the on site staff and perform behind-the-scenes coordination were on the “injured list” and could not attend. (But they’re on the mend and we expect them back next year.) Nevertheless, Ken, Astrid, and Sig still contributed significantly to the overall success of the event. From their remote locations they coordinated, communicated, and donated both the tangible (silent auction items) and intangible (encouragement). Without a doubt, their valuable interaction added to the enjoyment of all members. And for that we offer a hearty “well done.”

A special thanks to the “locals” who braved the coldest days of the season to visit with us and play in the cold. Your presence is a boon to the program! We enjoy your enthusiasm and willingness to bundle up and share your time, your skills, and a slice of life with us.

As this year’s event came together, everyone was warned and advised to bring a “plus sized” positive attitude because we were exploring a new venue for the first time. When an event happens at the same location for over 25 years, becoming “set in one’s ways” is an understatement. The fact that the activities happened at all says a lot about the dedication and desire to engage in healthy outdoor romps. Every member demonstrated the skills and positive attitude that the original 1964 Norwegian Ski For Light events sought to promote.

You bring your skills and the event allows you to test yourself or facilitate growth to the next level. There is no pressure from the event leadership to do things with which you are not comfortable but there is plenty of encouragement.  Encouragement to explore your own possibilities that you may have otherwise overlooked or ignored. And that applies to everybody who shows up no matter where one’s visual acuity falls on the spectrum of sighted to blind.

You can learn more about Ski For Light International by visiting the official website sfl.org.

Visit the official website for North East Pennsylvania Regional Ski For Light and Sports For Health here: http://www.nepaoutdoors.org/.

If you want to read from the start: >click here< .

If you want to read from part 2. >click here< .