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Show Page 16 The Ogden Valley news Volume XV Issue XVII August 15, 2008 Ogden Paddle Festival— A day of fun onavailable theto water! Bring the whole family for a day of fun demo with paid entry. on the water at the Ogden Paddle Festival on August 23 at the middle inlet on the east side of Pineview Reservoir. The events will take place between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the Utah River Council. Activities will include the following: • Flatwater Kayaking Instruction. Clinic covering flatwater safety, safety gear, capsize recovery, flatwater paddle technique, boat entry, and exit technique. Also covered will be canoe paddling and safety and canoes and kayaks. • Whitewater Kayaking Gear Instruction. Wander over to see what it takes to get into a river. Learn the difference between a “play-boat,” a “river runner” and a “creeker.” See what kinds of safety equipment, paddles, and protective gear are recommended for your forays into the sport of whitewater kayaking. This brief introduction is for you if you’ve ever wondered what you need to go river running. • Kayak Rolling Instruction. Sign up for some hands-on experience and instruction on recovering from a capsize while staying in your boat. Don’t let being upside down underwater frighten you anymore. We’ll put you in a boat and take you step by step through the motions required to get yourself smiley side up again. • Fly Fishing Instruction. Choosing the right leader, fly selection, line mending, and fly delivery, fly preparation, basic knots, and casting techniques such as roll casting and basic straight tosses. • Kiteboarding Instruction. Kiteboardin g instruction, gear overview, and demonstrations. • Boat Demos. Canoes, whitewater kayaks, sit-on-top kayaks, tandem kayaks, recreational boats and touring kayaks • Children's Activities. Face painting, crafts, children’s games, and of course the water. Pathways to fishing - kids will learn about fishing and tying knots. We’ll also have a climbing wall. Smokey the Bear will be there. • Live Music. Live music and entertainment provided by Flew the Coop, a mix of blues and rock, and Stampede - old style country music. • Community Booths. Weber Pathways, the Utah Rivers Council, Weber State’s Wilderness Recreation, and other community booths • Great Food. BBQ, Pizza, and Drinks, plenty of water. Bring your family for lunch and activities. • Prize Drawings. Don’t forget to join the prize drawing for great gifts. Gift certificates at local restaurants, sporting equipment, sunglasses, safety equipment, thule kayak rack and more. • Kayak Polo. Ever wonder what kayakers do when the rivers aren’t flowing and the lakes are frozen? This fun activity is like soccer in a kayak. Two teams pass the ball around and try to score goals against their opponents. It can get a little bumpy but we’ll have helmets for you to use. Give it a try—Ogden runs a winterlong kayak polo game in the pool during the off season. There is no better way to hone your paddle skills and have a good time. • Kayak Races. Friendly races for all skill levels and ages. Cost is $5 per child (18 and under), 5 and under free; $10 per adult; $15 per couple; and $20 per family. Hope to see you there! Ogden Valley Pathways Annual Celebration—Save the date! Come join us in our Celebration of Pathways at Snowbasin on Saturday, September 20. The day will be packed with a variety of trail activities for hikers, birders, rock climbers, mountain bikers, and nature lovers. The gondola will be open all day and participants are welcome to explore the beautiful pathways at Snowbasin throughout the day. Guided group activities will run from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Additional festivities will include food, drinks, live music, an auction, and a raffle. Save money by pre-registering for the Celebration of Pathways on our website or by calling 801-930-3426. Pre-registration price for adults is $40; kids 12 and under, $20. Prices go up by $5 at the door. Ticket price includes: • Annual membership to Ogden Valley Pathways • All day gondola pass courtesy of Snowbasin • Guided on-mountain events (biking, birding, hiking). See our website for pre-register information • 35-mile bike ride • Barbecue buffet and live music • Auction and raffle We will have an exciting selection of items for our auction, and fun and unique raffle prizes. A complete list of items will soon be on our website. For more detailed ticket information, visit <www.ovpathways.org> Ogden Valley Pathways is looking for more friends to join our group in the development of a common thread throughout our Valley and down the canyon to join trails already established by Weber Pathways. By participating in the Celebration of Pathways and supporting Ogden Valley Pathways, we will work together to create a network of non-motorized trails connecting communities and forest access throughout beautiful Ogden Valley. Thanks for saving the date, and we can’t wait to see you there! Skiing at Snowbasin on August 1—That’s right . . . August 1! James “Frosty” Frost, Volunteer Ski Patroller at Snowbasin, and Bob Tassone, long time Snowbasin skier, put the bar up for the newest rite of passage—skiing in August in the Porcupine Cirque at Snowbasin Resort. Hiking up and skiing down twice, they enjoyed their bluebird day and were happy to see Needles Lodge after hiking up and skiing down twice, where they enjoyed smoked salmon and a beer with a small visitor celebrating their day—a very friendly chipmunk. Ogden Valley Pathways Update By Kimbal Wheatley, OVP Chairman Ogden Valley Pathways is a not-for-profit organization on a mission to create a network of non-motorized pathways in the Valley. Our vision proposes that we all should be able to enjoy at least some of the trails, so our scope ranges from the paved Eden-Huntsville Trail to a rugged backcountry trail connecting Wolf Creek to Middle Fork high on the hillside. We have a lot going on right now. We thank the r.a.m.p. committee who supported our application for another $128,000 r.a.m.p. grant to complete work on the Eden-Huntsville trail from Old Highway to Geertsen Bay (1.2 miles). A good thing too, since the children within 1.5 miles of the new school don’t get to ride the buses, but will have a wonderful alternative to walking on the highway. The Eden-Huntsville trail remains a top priority, but OVP has other irons in the fire as well. The U.S. Forest Service asked Ogden Valley Pathways to put up some money toward the development of a new trail in the Snowbasin area, a loop from the Coldwater Overlook trail to Sardine Peak. OVP is partnering with Weber Pathways to commit $2,000 to show our support for the new trail, and to pry loose federal matching money. This is the kind of return on investment we like to see. Our biggest news though is the appointment of Christy Shaw as Executive Director of Ogden Valley Pathways. For the past two Ogden City mayors, Christy has been in the middle of things as the top administrative assistant to the mayors, which has given her a wealth of experience working with the county, government agencies, and the general public. Please extend a warm welcome to Christy when you meet her. Some big “thank yous” are long over due. First, thanks to Biker’s Edge who is funding a crew that is putting in an incredible 160 hours per week this summer to build and maintain trails—much of it going to trails in Ogden Valley. Next, thanks to Terry Davis and Ogden Nordic who have worked through the planning and approval process to expand hiking, biking, and winter trails in North Fork Park before the snow flies. And thanks to Eagle Scout Mike McCulley who braved the dust and orchestrated a much needed sweeping of the Eden-Huntsville trail. Finally, thanks again to Representative Gage Froerer who secured a $20,000 state grant to apply to the Eden-Huntsville Trail. As you use these trails, remember to thank the committed volunteers who are working hard to enhance our trails network in Ogden Valley. The best thing you can do to help is to join the board (the governance people), a board committee, or work team (the get-itdone people). We always welcome people who want to get involved, and desperately need some new board members, especially people willing take one of the officer positions (chair, vice chair, treasurer, secretary). To maintain the momentum we have, we need the perspective, vigor, and enthusiasm new people can bring; on this note we welcome Gloria Froerer as the latest addition to the board. Second best is to support us financially. If you are new to this, begin by attending our 2nd annual Celebration of Ogden Valley Pathways. Every year we throw a Pathways party to attract the people, support, and money we will need to thread pathways and trails into the fabric of our community and lifestyles. Last year our community was enthusiastic and generous in support of this purpose; we have raised over $17,000 at last fall’s Celebration. Plan on joining us for our Celebration at Snowbasin on September 20 to walk, hike, sightsee, bird watch, bike, or ride your horse. For more information about the Celebration, or to purchase tickets, visit our website at <www.ovpathways.org> Better yet, bring all your friends to a fun day while supporting a great cause. We continue to hold board meetings every 4th Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Ogden Valley Library. |