Year-Around Activities.Skiing is the major activity during the winter months, complemented with a monthly schedule of additional activities that continue throughout the year. First Saturday -- Hiking Second Saturday -- Biking Third Saturday -- Kayaking (spring through fall) Ethnic dinners are scheduled in many months, and other social events include our fall installation dinner, annual holiday party, and summer potluck picnic.Outdoor activities are usually scheduled to take place during the morning hours. Lunch is enjoyed at the conclusion of activities at a nearby restaurant or in the outdoor setting ala brown bag.
About Activities. Scroll down the page or click on the activity of interest below to open a pdf file that describes typical activities.
ABOUT SKIING/BOARDING ACTIVITIES Skiing has been the primary activity of our club and was the common interest that rallied its founders. Our schedule features a December trip to Park City, mid-week ski trips to Mammoth during January, February and March (and sometimes April), plus additional trips. The midweek conditions are especially attractive due to the relative absence of crowds and weekend snowboarders.We think of Mammoth as “our” mountain. Our lodgings at the Sierra Nevada Rodeway Inn accommodate our varied needs with kitchen suites as well as standard rooms that are offered at highly competitive rates. Most of us arrange to have a roommate. In addition, adjoining rooms that share one kitchen suite add to flexibility, comfort, and congeniality.
A Typical Day at Mammoth. Starting the day, skiers meet on the snow behind Canyon Lodge and ski with people at their level – beginning, intermediate and advanced. Discussion at the social hour at the end of the day at the Inn is often a hubbub of snow conditions, wind factors, venturesome runs and triumphs as members invite new challenges. Elbows, knees, shoulders and thumbs occasionally rival for attention. Groups are formed for dinner, and the choice to stay in for dinner is popular, too.
Ski Activity Leader Warren B. handles the arrangement for lodging and is the contact point for administrative matters, including collecting cecks. Warren can also be a sorce to find a roommate and a ride to Mammoth. A sign-up application that shows room rates and dates can be downloaded from the front page of the website.
OHGLA Representative to the Far West Ski Association, Joan F., keeps us informed about FWSA and LA FWSA Council trips.
Mammoth 2007 Ski Trip Report Excerpts January Mammoth Ski Trip, by Bernadette L. Our first ski trip of the season to Mammoth was welcomed with the blessing of good weather and good snow throughout the week, and we enjoyed skiing to our heart's content. Also to our delight, we had altogether 30 participants, of which 16 were women and 14 were men folks. The men folks were having lots of fun, throwing their own spaghetti party, etc. Our beloved vacation home of Sierra Nevada Inn reportedly will serve us another 4 years instead of 2 years before its conversion to condos. More good news is that the longest and slowest chair 9 was converted to a high speed quad which shortened our chairlift ride to 7 minutes from 16 minutes. On Wednesday night Loren J. showed us movies in the lobby of his past productions, which we enjoyed. In retrospect, it was one of the best Mammoth ski trips I can remember. The awesome beauty of snow blanketed vistas of the Sierra mountains looked like nature's cathedral for us to feel more spiritual. Perhaps, the healing we experienced on the Mammoth ski trip hopefully helps us to face the reality of the current stock market tumble, the fear of recession forecast and the raw politics of the presidential primary on the scene. Enjoy.
February 2007 Mammoth Ski Trip, by Dick Y. Our week in February was a little mixed. The first two days were really great. On Monday morning, there was about an inch of new snow over the groomed trails. I didn't try to go up high and some of the top was closed. Tuesday was perfect. Almost everything was groomed and though there were a lot of kids out of school, we didn't find it really crowded. Lee R. and I took the mountain tour with one of the hosts (hostess, actually) and it was fun. The rest of the party consisted of a nine year old and her 12 year old sister, along with their dad. We thought the kids would keep the trip under control but discovered they could both out-ski us. We covered the mountain from Chair 15 to Chair 14. It was getting a bit windy on top but we survived. I recommend this tour – it starts at Canyon at 10:30 (or at the Mill at the same time). Wednesday was very windy –so much so that we quit at noon. Thursday was a blizzard that got worse and worse as the day wore on so we skied even less. All in all, though, it was a good week. On Wednesday, the Ventura Gang came to our party.
April 2007 Mammoth Ski Trip, by Tom and Eileen. The fourth and the last Mammoth ski trip of the season turned out surprisingly good. A total of about 17 eventually showed up. The first day Roger and Rose Marie had the get-together in their room where Roger had a roaring fire, which warmed our souls. There was more than adequate snow coverage, which kept the major lifts operating and most of the runs open. Even upper Panorama Gondola was running, although Chairs 9 and 25 were closed all week, as were the minor chairs. Monday was warm and sunny (about 40 degrees for the high), so the runs in the morning were excellent, but got slushy later in the day. But by Tuesday afternoon the skies turned dark and the mountain got a trace of new snow.Wednesday and Thursday were cold (about 25 degrees for the high) and windy, but nothing that hot chocolate, hand warmers and extra layers could not handle. The runs in the early morning were crusty, but they softened up by mid-morning. The visibility would vacillate from good to poor during the day. Friday morning we awoke to a light and fluffy dusting of snow on the car. The mountain received 3 inches of new snow. Regrettably we had to go home. Happily, we can now start planning for the next ski season!
ABOUT HIKING / WALKING First Saturday Hikes.Over hills, around bends, alongside creeks, through meadows and into deep canyons with overarching oaks we go, crunching leaves, acorns and small twigs. Our hikes take us into the local mountains, including the Santa Monica, Verdugo and San Gabriel ranges. Hiking shoes and adequate water are necessities. Our stair walks and excursions take us into communities that represent hidden treasures around the city. Hikes and walks are planned to take two to three hours and often loop to offer continually new terrain and visual interest. They are paced to allow us to focus on our surroundings, with pauses to note an unusual flower or other wonder of nature (and to drink from our water bottles in a shaded place). Our leaders select a spot for us to bring out our lunches toward noon or after, or we enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant.
Labor Day week at Mammoth has become an OHGLA annual event.The Sierras offer scenic beauty and experiences in nature we all enjoy. Our leaders mix familiar favorites with untried hikes that offer new adventures.
Lois P., Hiking Activity Leader, is a frequent hiker who expands her horizons with hiking trips and has found some great trails almost in our own communities.
Joyce C., Assistant Leader, previews and fine tunes hikes with Lois.
ABOUT BIKING Southern California Bike Trips.Two or three days of biking in Southern California are often planned for the October-November and April-May timeframes. Destinations such as Laguna Beach, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Borrego Springs and Death Valley have allowed us to sample the biking experience in these locales, as well as enjoy resort settings.
Longer Biking Travel.Trips have been organized with biking tour providers and Elderhostel.Destinations have been bike and barge trips along the Mosel and Danube Rivers in Europe, and bike touring in Cape Code, Door County, Wisconsin, and the Katy Trail beside the Missouri River.
Biking Activity Leaders
Fred T. is our Second Saturday ride leader who encourages all to get a bike and come along.
Fran A. keeps us organized and safe on bike rides. Fran plans and organizes biking trips out of state including Europe.
ABOUT KAYAKING WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T KAYAK? OHGLA KAYAKERS KAYAK EVERYWHERE! Cynthia W. inspires kayakers -- the brand new and the experienced. Whether it's AlamitosBay, the Colorado River, or the ChannelIsland caves, “We put lots of energy into OHGLA's shortest season because we are water-borne. Any new member who has never kayaked or never kayaked with us, don't hold back: every OHGLA kayaker loves to help you. Remember that I came from New York City and didn't know a kayak from a Cadillac!”
Kayaking adventures have included Catalina, Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach, the Santa Cruz Islands, and the Santa Barbara coast.
Cynthia W., Kayaking Activity Leader, encourages everyone to come out for the first time and try this great sport. Cynthia caught her enthusiasm for kayaking from Dick K. and she's been rallying all of us to join in the adventure ever since. She invites everyone else to join her who wants to fit in some extra kayaking. “Call me or email me anytime,” says Cynthia.
Darlene (Dar) Clarke is the Assistant Kayaking Leader.
ABOUT ETHNIC DINING
Discovering unusual restaurants that offer delectable dining is an adventure by itself. In most months, usually on a Saturday or Sunday evening, Ethnic Dinner leader, Odette, arranges for us to meet in such a place. Someone invariably asks Odette, “Where did you find this restaurant?” Often her response is that a friend had a birthday dinner there or someone told her about it. Having traveled to some of the most remote parts of the world, Odette can fill us in on the details, including spices, preparation and even how to dip, roll, or just pick up our menu choices and savor new flavors.
Odette R., Ethnic Dining Activity Leader,is aworld traveler and adventurer, whose destinations span the well known to the obscure. Odette has guided us in sampling tastes from varied restaurants, including Greek, African, Indonesian, Japanese and more.
ABOUT ART EXCURSIONS AND ACTIVITIES Inspiration to explore cultural landmarks or attend to our artistic sides emerges from time to time. On several occasions we have had art "show and tell" parties where people bring their works of art and crafted creations. Paintings, sculptures, wood carvings, knitted sweaters, quilts, photographs bring ooohs and ahhhs as each artist describes the making of the item they have brought. The variety is always astounding -- painting, sculpting, book and paper making, quilting, knitting, poetry, short stories, photography, and other artistic endeavors. One year Dick K. brought various grades of lava gravel that he had collected en route to Mammoth for his bonsai trees. Another year Van B. brought one of his home-built bicycles. Another type of activity is an excursion to see something novel, often enriched by arranging to have a docent guide. Recent excursions have included the Getty Museum-Malibu and the Long Beach Art Museum.
Betz S., Arts Activity Leader, watches for events members will enjoy. Betz is an accomplished artist and an inventive craftsperson who passes on her talents to others in workshops.
ABOUT TRAVEL
Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, China, Russia, and the Adriatic Sea Countries – tantalizing destinations and superbly run tours keep expectations high about the next trip. Trips are planned more than a year in advance. Most participants start making plans as soon as the trip is approved by the Board. Our
Trip Activity Leader, DB L. She plans trips that include adventure, direct exposure to the country's people, and trouble-free travel. Past travel tours have been enjoyed to Turkey, Africa and Australia. Ski trips have included Cortina, Italy, Morzine, France and Alaska.
D.B. L., Travel Activity Leader, is a travel veteran who has experienced many parts of the world with many tour groups. She ably plans trips that earn raves.
Member Risk Waivers. Risk waivers are available for signing at each event. All participants in outdoor recreational activities are required to sign a risk waiver before they participate in the event.
Guests and Risk Waivers. Guests that are over 18 but under 50 are welcome at all activities. Any guest over 50 is eligible to become a member. Eligible guests may join us in one or two activities, but are expected to become members if they wish to continue their participation. Guests are required to sign a special risk waiver prior to participating in the activity. Activity leaders will furnish risk waivers to be signed prior to each event.
Notifying Leaders. Please contact the activity leader of any event in which you plan to participate. The leader will supply directions to the meeting place, as well as pertinent information that may benefit your participation, including changes in meeting places and plans.
