Enjoy the inversion

While it's been frigid and cold down valley for the last few days, the sun has been out and the deck is warm at Galena. A couple of small snow storms early in the week helped to refresh the backcountry and the Nordic skiing has been fantastic. Earlier in the day the classic tracks are great while conditions are still cool, then as the snow warms up and gets fast, the skating is awesome.

There is still a little time to sign up for our Women's Clinic on Saturday from 11-4 which includes instruction, games, lunch as well as afternoon wine and cheese.

This is also a great weekend to get out and take that last preview of the BMT course. With the race next Saturday a final course preview can really give you a locals advantage.

We're taking reservations for our Full Moon Dinners on the 7th through the 9th and our Pre-Boulder Lasagne feed on Friday before the Boulder.

Erin was able to take advantage of the sun and powder yesterday and get into some backcountry touring. Here's a photo of how the high country looked on Thursday.

Celebrate Galena Lodge and the Trails

It is time to Celebrate Galena! Galena Lodge is a community owned lodge purchased by the BCRD on behalf of the Blaine County residents in the 90's. Galena Lodge and the North Valley Trails are fully funded through pass sales and donations, no tax dollars go to support the maintenance of the lodge or the trails. For this reason, Galena needs your help. Help preserve and protect this magical place.

Saturday, January 24th is the Galena Benefit. Hosted in the Limelight room of the Sun Valley Inn, this is the major fundraising event for the year. Tickets are available by contact the BCRD at 208-788-2117.

Saturday, January 24th is Ski the Boulder Day! Get your skis out and waxed, it is time to get ready for the Boulder Mountain Tour! Enjoy a fun day skiing the Boulder Mountain Tour course with group instruction, shuttle service back to Galena, aid stations, food discounts, great friends, a beautiful groomed trail and more! Yes, the whole course will be groomed for this day. This event is designed for all levels. Meet at Galena Lodge at 9:30am and the skiing will begin at 10:00am. Cost is $30 per person and includes shuttle, group instruction, aid stations, and a lunch discount at Galena. There will be local instructors from Galena Lodge, BCRD, and VAMPS. This is a great pre-race ski event that is sure to get you ready for the Boulder Mountain Tour.

Advanced registration is required.
For more information please call Galena Lodge at 726-4010.

Sunday, January 25th is Free ski day and Free learn to ski day. No passes needed to ski or snowshoe this day! Come out and celebrate and learn how to ski! There will be free skate lessons offered at 1pm and classic lessons at 2:30pm. Gear will be provided free for the lessons. Please call to sign up so we can make sure to have enough instructors.

Sunday, January 31st is our Women's Skate Ski Clinic. This winter, women have their own place to improve their cross-country skate skiing skills – Galena Lodge! Instructor Dorothy Wallace-Senft is offering a womens-only clinic that will provide participants the chance to advance their skate skiing skills in an encouraging environment. This program, geared for beginners and intermediate skiers, will help skiers improve their technique.

If you're a woman looking to improve your cross-country skate skiing skills, then the Women's Nordic Ski Clinic at Galena Lodge is for you! Geared for people with basic knowledge of Nordic skiing, these clinics will get you gliding over the snow like you never thought possible.

The Galena Women’s Nordic Ski Clinic will start with a meet and greet session and time to get the right ski, boot and pole fit. After this indoor time participants will head out on the trail for an hour and a half of instruction and skiing. Following a delicious lunch stop at the lodge, skiers will head back out for another hour of fun ski tour and games, then back to the lodge for a wind down with wine, cheese and good cheer.

Cost is $45/person or $50/person with rentals and includes lessons, lunch and wine and cheese. A North Valley Trails Pass is required for this clinic. Yurt lodging may be available, please inquire. Advanced registration required.

Call 208-726-4010 or email erin@galenalodge.com for more information or to register.

It doesn't get much better than this...

After 5 feet of new snow over the holidays we have settled into some incredible weather for the past week or so. The daytime temps have been in the mid 30's with crystal clear blue skies; it feels like it is 5o degrees out. Going for a Classic ski in the morning or a later afternoon skate ski is incredible. Follow all that up with some lunch or beers on the deck and it just doesn't get any better than it is now. One thing I try never to do is take this place for granted. It is incredible! After a backcountry ski just south of the lodge this morning and a Nordic ski in Senate Meadows in the afternoon, I can't say enough about how everyone should get up here and do it now. Check out the trails report below and don't forget to come up for dinner this weekend.

Winter Dinner's at Galena. This Friday and Saturday Night Jan 16 & 17 we are hosting dinner at the lodge. 6:30pm seating. Check out the menu below. Cost is $40/person and does not include alcohol, tax or gratuity. Call now for reservations.

Menu

Appetizer

Spinach and mushroom risotto with shaved parmesan

Soup

Tomato and herb bisque

Entree

Seared pork loin rubbed with sage and an apple and roasted shallot jus, roasted potatoes and squash puree

or

Grilled Albacore Tuna with a fresh herb pistou, whole grain pilaf and squash puree

Dessert

Chocolate Mousse

Hi, this is Don Shepler from Galena Lodge with you winter outdoor report for Friday the 16th of January. Despite our lack of fresh snow, there is no reason not to get outside and enjoy the snow that we do have. The warm temperatures have been detrimental to the quality of the back country skiing but there are still pockets of cold dry snow to be found. One just has to be a little more creative.

However on the Nordic trails, the skiing is off the charts. The crisp mornings are great for classic skiing and the fast snow in the afternoons makes long skate tours phenomenal. Either way you won’t go wrong. Lots of snowshoe trails are broken out up and down the valley so there are even more options. Don’t forget to tune up for the Boulder Mountain tour with the Get Ready for the Boulder clinics at Galena on Sunday mornings and our winter dinners at the lodge on Friday and Saturday nights are a great way to cap off a day outside. I’ll see you on the trails, have a great weekend.

Galena Lodge January Events

Headed to Galena Lodge? Here are some of the great events we have going on this month. If you are looking for different ways to improve your Nordic skiing, either Classic or Skate, Galena has a clinic for you.

Wednesday Workouts. 3:30pm-5:00pm at Galena Lodge. Beginning Wed January 7 and happening weekly until March 11 Galena Lodge Instructor Dorothy Wallace-Senft will be helping Nordic skiers get their ski groove on. Join fellow intermediate and advanced skiers for technique instruction and a great workout. Clinics will have a different focus each week, include alternating Skate and Classic clinics and will include video analysis. This weeks skate ski skills include Ski efficiently: Balance and Body Position. Cost is $20 per person or sign up for 6 clinics and get one free! Soup, bread, and drinks will be available after the clinic. Please call to sign up.

Ski the Boulder Clinics begin this Sunday January 11 at 10am. This series of three clinics is designed to get you ready for the Boulder Mountain Tour. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned Nordic skier these clinics are designed to help you get the results you are looking for in the Boulder this year. Race starts, group skiing, marathon pacing, and wax preparations are some of the techniques which will be covered during these clinics. The first clinic on January 11 will cover the beginning half of the course, January 18 will cover the second half of the course and on January 24 there will be a Get Ready For The Boulder Ski Event to ski the entire trail. Cost is $30/session and includes group instruction and shuttle service back to Galena Lodge. Advanced registration is encouraged.

Full Moon Dinners at Galena are this coming weekend January 9, 10, and 11. Join us for this incredible lunar display as the moon is closer to the earth than it has been in years. Enjoy a delicious homemade four course dinner and if you can muster up enough energy grab your skis or snowshoes and head out on the trails under the full moon for an evening of laughs and memories. Dinner seating is at 6:30pm and reservations are required. Cost is $40/person not including alcohol, tax or gratuity. After dinner ski and snowshoeing are self guided but we do offer discounted rentals for this event.

Winter Dinners at Galena. If you can't make the Full Moon Dinners or if you are just looking to get out of town and enjoy some delicious food then head up to Galena on January 17 and 18 for our Winter Dinners. A wonderful four course dinner awaits you after a hard day of skiing or just a day reading by the fire. Reservations are required. Cost is $40/person not including alcohol, tax or gratuity.

The Boulder Ski Event on January 24 at 10am. Grab everyone you know who is planning on skiing the Boulder and head up to Galena for a fun day skiing the entire course. Designed for all levels, we will have local instructors from Galena Lodge, BCRD, VAMPS, and SV Nordic come together to make this a great learning day for everyone. This day is destined to become a yearly community event. Cost is $30/person and includes: group instruction, shuttle service back to Galena, aid stations along the trail, discounts on lunch, and much more. What a great way to get in your final preparation for the BMT. Advanced registration is encouraged.

Don't forget about the Galena Benefit on January 24. Galena Lodge and the North Valley Trails are community supported treasures that we cannot afford to lose. Show your support and join us for the Galena Benefit. Contact the BCRD at 208-788-2117 for tickets or more information.

Every Wednesday and Thursday through March Galena hosts free Snowshoe Walks at 11am. Join our local Forest Service Ranger or one of our staff amateur naturalist for an hour walk around the Galena snowshoe trails. Learn about the history of the area, winter wildlife habitat, and get some fresh air. This event if for all abilities. Snowshoes are required and can be rented at the lodge.

Sunday January 25 is Free Learn to Ski Day at Galena Lodge. No passes are needed for the Nordic trails, Lessons are free, and Rentals are free for the lessons. There are no excuses, this is an event that no beginner should miss. Get a head start in the Nordic world and take a free group lesson by some of the valley's best instructors. Skate Clinics are at 1pm and Classic Clinics are at 2:30pm. This event is designed for beginners and intermediate skiers only. You must RSVP to Galena Lodge for this event.

Don't forget that Galena Lodge rents 3 overnight yurts, serves delicious lunches daily and gives group and private Nordic ski lessons daily. Oh, and now might be a good time to make your Valentine's Night Dinner Reservations!

Winter Storms Bring Great Skiing

Well we have finally dug out from the last 10 days of snow, snow and more snow. We have received about 5 -6 feet of new snow since Christmas Day and the trails couldn't be better. Hopefully everyone had a great holiday and are getting excited for some great Nordic and Backcountry skiing! As the holidays wind down, now is a great time to spend some quiet time up at Galena Lodge. We are open daily and serving the best lunches in the valley.

Make your Full Moon Dinner reservations now. Dinner is Friday Jan 9, Saturday Jan 10 and Sunday Jan 11. 6:30pm seating. Give us a call and we hope to see you soon.