Mush Larose 8-mile, 6-Dog Race 10:30 am, 24 Feb 2013
Mush Larose trails off P1 parking at Larose Forest, Limoges, Ontario
This is an informal mini-mid-distance race to showcase some of the farther out trails, and allow purebred owners the opportunity to collect some certification mileage. There will be an open class and a purebred class, so everyone whose dogs can do the distance is welcome to run. Minimum 4-dogs are required.
Registration is at 10:30 am; race meeting at 11:00. For insurance purposes, all racers must be Mush Larose members ($10 weekend only memberships are available). All racers, please bring your pre-filled out Mush Larose membership forms or membership card with this year’s sticker. ONLY purebred racers need to bring their race registration form with dog names and registration numbers included so we can confirm the dogs’ participation with the CKC if requested.
Open class begins at 11:30 am; purebred class follows. There are ribbons and badges for the top 3 teams in each class.
Required equipment Sled with brakes and brush bow Sled bag capable of holding a dog Snow hook Extra neckline and leash or snub line Full map of the forest trails, or GPS and race map Racers under 18 must bring under 18 waiver and wear a helmet and eye protection.
Volunteers We need some trail help, trail takedown and registration volunteers, so please let Dana Cranstone <dana.cranstone@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca> know if you are available to help out.
- - - - - - - -
Feb 23rd - Please note that this is ski night at Larose. Please use other trails to free up the parking area for skiers.
- - - - - - - -
January 20. *** Rescue Race Update ***
Good news — upon inspection, the trails and parking lot are in fine shape, so the race is a go on the delayed race start for 11 a.m. (mushers meeting for 10:30 a.m.) One note, the road leading to the parking lot is very icy, so be cautious on your approach.
Rescue Race .. for the OSPCA, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Branch
20-January-2013 Larose Forest, Indian Creek Parking Lot Limoges, Ontario
Race Classes
4 dog sled 6 km (with Nordic breed class)
2 dog sled 2 km (families welcome to go together)
Skijor (6 km)
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS! – Timers, Team Fetchers, Trail Help, Bib Collector, Kitchen Help, Parking Assistants, Registration Help, Set-up, Take Down (see end of email for full descriptions). Please let us know what volunteer role you can help out with by Tuesday January 15th, so we can have a schedule e-mailed out late next week.
Registration Race is $10 donation per class. Must be a 2012–13 Mush Larose member [renewal/registration $30 season membership (1–2) $50 family membership (3+ in the same household)]. Membership includes participation in other club events and use of the groomed sledding/skijor trails throughout the season. Weekend only memberships are available at $10.
Registration will be held from 8–9 am on race day, but do us all a favour and fill out your membership renewal-registration form in advance and bring it with you to speed things up (see attached)! Race meeting starts at 9:30 am.
Prizes There will be ribbons for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each category and random draw prizes.
Race Information Any changes or cancellation notice will be posted online at www.Skidogs.ca <http://www.Skidogs.ca> .
Snacks and drinks will be available to purchase on site. Order your Boboul’s pizza before 10 am for noon delivery. There is no water on site. Please bring your own.
This race is dedicated to recreational mushers and dog-powered sports enthusiasts and is open to all breeds. It also serves as an opportunity for experienced dog mushers to enjoy the trail and share their knowledge. Most importantly it is a chance to “get working dogs off unemployment” and have a great time socializing with other dog lovers.
Dogs are required to be in harness for scooter and carting classes; dogs may wear a harness or run with a non-choke collar for skijor class. Racers under age 18 must wear a helmet. No loose dogs on site. Please clean up after your dogs. Any participant may be disqualified if their equipment or their treatment of the dogs is deemed unsafe or unacceptable by the race marshal.
Spectators are welcome, but please be aware that these dogs are not all house pets. Ask the owner before you approach any dog, be respectful of the proper way to approach a dog. Spectators should leave their own pets at home.
More info : Susan Giles Email:osgoodehuskies@yahoo.com <wlmailhtml:{9ABB7678–8BC0–423D-9AD2–747AFD03A529}mid://00000619/>
Races depend on volunteers!
Last year nearly all the participants volunteered for something. We hope to get this kind of great participation level again this year, so we can spread the work around. That’s what makes these events run smoothly! Please let us know what activity you would prefer, and which races you are in, so we can schedule around it. We hope to slot people in for no more than 2 volunteer slots to allow everyone the opportunity to mix and mingle. Volunteer positions are:
Timer (2 per event) - records arrival/departure times – there is a head timer to help you Team Fetcher (1–2 per event) - ensures that each team arrives at the start line in time Trail Help (required only for 6 km events)- positioned on the trail in places were people may require assistance, such as the ditches, or turns where people may get confused Bib Collector – (1 per event) Stands just past the finish line and ensures that we get our bibs back Kitchen Help – (1 per event) collects funds, deals with hot water for tea and hot chocolate – there is head kitchen help to assist you Parking Assistants (2 people, 7:30–9 am) - directs people to use the parking as efficiently as possible Registration Help (1–2 people, 8–9 am) - collects funds, ensures people sign a waiver and registers for the appropriate event Set-up (6 people) - Come Saturday 1–5 pm and/or 7 am Sunday to mark out the trail, remove any debris, set up signage, etc… Take Down (whoever has enough energy to stick around and help us take down signage, and pack everything up.
- - - - - -
Jan 12th Night Run
The forecast is not favourable so far. Check for updates on Friday night, but will likely be post-poned to Feb 2nd.
Dana - - - - - -
Jan 9th trial report
I will post any trail reports I receive here, as well as on facebook until the Forum is back up.
Larose trails were in perfect shape on Jan 9th. All the excess branches and bent trees have been cleared from all the trails. Enjoy it while you can before the big thaw. :(
Dana
- - - - - -
Skidogs is back up - mostly
Sorry for the info outage. There was a server failure, and they have had to replace the machine. Please check her for trail periodic reports until the forum is back on-line. Please note this seems to be an older version of the site. We will update critical info shortly (race results, sponsors and the like). Please let us know if there is any recent info lost that you would like to see fixed.
Trails were groomed on Friday. There is a bit of fresh snow, but everything is currently is great shape. David, Greg, Maryrose, myself and some friends cleared up most of the over hanging branch issues, so the western trails are excellent for the night run next Saturday. There may be some need to duck on the northern part of Gun Club and Tower Loop; however, Gilbert and Julie tell me these are all passable.
Dans Cranstone President, Mush Larose
- - - - - -
Meeting Minutes from Spring 2012
Here are the minutes from the spring meetings. Please feel free to let the executive know at sledding@mushlarose.ca if you want to wade in on any of the issues.
Mush Larose Executive Meeting Minutes, March 2012
Mush Larose AGM Minutes, May 2012
- - - - - -
Night Run and Weight Pull - March 3rd
Night Run is still ON. If it rains on Saturday, Bernie will cancel. Check for updates on the Forum before leaving home.
Weight Pull has been changed to Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in hopes of better surface.
- - - - - -
Night Run
Rescheduled to Jan 14th or the soonest we have enough snow to be safe for night running.
- - - - - -
POKER RUN for the Ottawa Humane Society
Cost: $10.00 per team Time: Registration 9:00am - 9:30am Event Meeting: 10:00am
This will be a FUN event with the purpose of getting out with your dogs and having a great day while raising funds for the Ottawa Humane Society’s new building. It will also be a TEAM event, so grab a friend, or take advantage of the opportunity to get to know another Mush Larose member that we can partner you up with. You may run canicross, scooter, cart(s) or any combination thereof - it is entirely up to you… but you must go as a team. Your team will pick up cards at each of 5 stations in the forest; the best poker hands win prizes!
The stations are set on a short course, so anyone can play, but you can run on the other Mush Larose trails to lengthen your course and spread out the fun as you wish.
There will also be a BBQ and Bake Sale at the event with all proceeds going to the Ottawa Humane Society. As you may know, the Ottawa Humane Society has built a new facility on Hunt Club Road which is able to accommodate more of the 11,000 animals that were being taken care of annually.
So get out your scooters and gigs and come out for a fun day to support a great cause.
Looking forward to seeing you at Larose Forest on the 29th! The animals of the Ottawa area thank you…
Sue Giles, Mush Larose Event Coordinator
- - - - - -
Mush Larose Trail Maintenance Day, Indian Creek Parking Area, Saturday September 17th, 9 am
It’s almost time for the Mush Larose season to begin – yippee! -, so we need to prepare our trails.
Catch up on your dog stories and have a fun day of semi-slavery with your buddies in a great outdoor setting with free pizza lunch for everyone. At 9 am we will meet in the parking lot to decide our priorities and deploy work groups. As always we need to check all trails for debris and remove new shrubbery – 8 feet wide and seven feet tall.
Lunch will be around noon, at the picnic shelter.
Bring: Rubber boots and walking shoes/boots, work clothes, gloves, snippers, ax, chainsaw (and appropriate protective gear), blade trimmer (for clearing swampy bush areas) and whatever else you think might be useful for removing trees and shrubs from the trails. If a few people can bring bikes or ATVs, checking the easier trails will go more quickly than on foot! :) Anyone who has a bush hog will be extra welcome – Lee will bring his, but it would be great to split up this task. Malamute Loop and 10/11 in particular are heavy shrub clearing areas.
Please RSVP for planning purposes. Any time you can spare would be welcomed: if you can’t make it but would like to help, contact <sledding @mushlarose.ca>, and arrange a task at your convenience.
Thanks in advance! We look forward to hearing all about your summer adventures!
Dana Cranstone, President, Mush Larose
- - - - - -
Upcoming season schedule - see events page
- - - - - -
Trail Dates of note:
Moose hunting season Oct 5–7 and 8–14 This is by permission only and they only had 2 hunters last year so maybe not as big a concern.
Deer hunting season - shotgun Nov 7–20 Although I have not seen hunters around the parking area itself I have seen carcasses around the trails to the south and anything off concession 10, so it would be best to avoid the forest at this time, or at least dress in bright colours and make yourself heard. There is bow hunting right to Dec 31st so be alert and respectful of others using the forest.
Other dates to note:
September 9 or 10th: The afternoon of Friday September 9th the mini-horse club will be using the Mush Larose trails off of Concession 11 for a forestry office approved outing with horse drawn carts. Please use other trails at this time. In case of inclement weather they will reschedule to Saturday Sept 10th.
October 1st is Larose Forest Day - Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the festivities and meet members from the other clubs that use the forest. Please note that the parking area and trails off of concession 11 will not be available until after 4 pm that day.
October 2nd is the Pink Ribbon Ride Day - For this cancer fund-raiser the Mush Larose trails used by the horseback riding club, who raised over $15 000 last year. Hence the parking area and trails off of concession 11 will not be available.
- - - - - -
Mush Larose Annual General Meeting - April 30th
Dryland fun run (with prizes) 10 am, Meeting 11:30, BBQ lunch 12:30 Larose Forest Picnic Shelter
Elections – Seeking nominees for Skijor Coodinator and Events Coordinator. Nominations for President “in-waiting” also appreciated.
Since we are meeting just after Easter, and we have left over prizes, we will start with a dryland treasure hunt. Teams may leave at 10:15. There will be prize vouchers hanging from posts or trees on the western trails; find one and bring it back to collect a prize (only one per person please).
Poker Run Rescheduled again
Very sorry guys, but it’s too icy in the parking lot. Some of the trails are in good shape, but very fast for beginners, so we are putting this off again. Hopefully next Sunday, if we get the snow in the forecast.
Dana Cranstone, President, Mush Larose
Poker Run Cancelled
Due to lack of snow the Jan 16th POKER run has been rescheduled to Feb 20th.
Dana Cranstone, President, Mush Larose
Night Run cancelled
Due to lack of snow the Jan 8th night run has been cancelled. There may be enough for daytime running though.
Dana Cranstone, President, Mush Larose
Logging activity in the forest
They are logging on End Loop, and may move to Malamute Loop and/or Route 25 (skidoo trail) between concession 10 and 11 over the winter months. Please be aware of this activity and avoid trails that may have logging activity. Notes will be posted on the Trail Reports forum.
Dana Cranstone, President, Mush Larose
Mush Larose Family Day
Where : Larose Forest Parking Lot
When: Saturday, December 11, 2010 at 10:00 a.m.
Have you ever had family members or friends say “Gee, I’d love to come out and see what you do sometime”? Well, now is your/their chance! Invite family members, friends or co-workers out to see what we do. Carting, Scootering and if snow, skijoring or sledding. Let’s show them why we get excited about going out with our dogs and why we LOVE it when it snows!
We are asking that each adult Mush Larose member family bring a maximum of one other family or 3 adults. It will be your responsibility to watch over them unless they are out on a ride with another member. That way no one member will have to be responsible for watching many children and adults and the day will go smoother.
If No Snow - Those members who have carts that can take another person out and are comfortable doing so; people with scooters who are willing to lend out their scooter and a dog for a short run with watchers/catchers at each end of the run; and those of you who are willing to be catchers (stopping a dog and scooter), could you please let me know.
If We Have Enough Snow to Run on – Sleds will be substituted for carts and I think that those members who have visitors can take them out. Those members who do not have sleds, we should be able to arrange a sled ride for their visitors. And if any skijorers are willing to give a demonstration, that would be wonderful.
Rides, either by cart or sled will be short, leaving on the trail from the picnic shelter, taking the first trail to the right and coming back in on either 2 or 3. A nice loop and pretty trail. We have a couple of people willing to lend out their carts to those who don’t have one.
Other Activities – We are hoping to have a kid and mutt fun race. If snow is available, we will bring the kid’s sled. If there is no snow, we have a garden wagon that we can bring to hook a dog up to. If anyone else has a sturdy wagon (Kat?) that they can bring we can then have head to head races for the kids. We will need an adult to run along beside the wagon and people at the start and finish.
- a race to water a full truck, or two, of dogs. Adults only, must wear mitts and not spill and do as fast as possible.
- a ‘Can YOU walk two dogs at once?’ Adults must try and walk calmly down the course with two dogs hooked by their harnesses to a leash. Gives folks an idea of how strong our dogs are. Will be accompanied by a seasoned dog-walker.
We will have hot dogs and hot chocolate available. Therefore we will need a ‘cook’ and a stove.
All children under 18 MUST wear a helmet and, if you expect adults to try out a scooter, they should wear one as well. If you have one, please bring it with you.
Don’t forget to advise your friends to ‘dress warm’!
Hope to see you there!
Anne