Baker SkiSparks Club

Welcome to the Baker Park SkiSparks Club!

The 2025 season will be a sunny, snowy, laughter-filled year at Baker Park!  Baker SkiSparks is a volunteer run and led program.  Every family is urged to pitch in.  Please see below for volunteer information - or shoot me an email at bakerpark@myxc.com

Schedule and location

Baker SkiSparks will meet for 8 Sundays: NOTE CHANGE --January 12th-- 2025 - 3/2/25* from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM at what Google maps calls Baker National Golf Course Clubhouse.  We call it the Chalet.  Plenty of free parking! We set up camp *somewhere* in the chalet - TBD - Due to construction this year.  You can leave bags, extra jackets, snacks etc there.

* we may extend the season if we have a large contingent of Birkie skiers, or if we have to cancel due to snow conditions or temperatures.

Backup location (if there's no snow at Baker): Elm Creek Park Reserve -now 2:00 PM on Sundays

Announcements

We will not ski if the air temperature is below -2˚ F or the wind chill is below -10˚ F, or at the leader’s discretion.  Always check the website or email bakerpark@myxc.org with questions.  Cancellations will be communicated via email and posted on this page.

What to wear?

Skiers should dress in layers.  More layers are better for temperature and comfort maintenance, as you can add and subtract as needed.  A moisture wicking under layer, an insulating layer, and a wind proof layer are typically appropriate.  Use your parental discretion noting your child’s disposition, activity level, and the temperature/wind chill.  Often a winter jacket and snow pants or a snowsuit are too warm once the child gets skiing unless they are young and in the beginner group. So if you send it to school for playground outings, its probably too warm after level 1. WOOL SOCKS are always a good idea.  Make sure you try on the boots with said socks.  And waterproof warm MITTENS make everyone happier. 

Baker Park has classic and skate rentals available at the chalet.  Additionally, our club has a limited supply of classic and skate equipment available for seasonal rental at registration. Skate skiers are encouraged to look into owning their own equipment. 

A great option for equipment  acquisition is the MyXChange (Swap + Expo) on Saturday, November 18th at Basecamp near Fort Snelling.  

Trail passes are required for skiers 12 and up (skiing parents/coaches as well).  Bought one last year? You need to re-up agin - they are annual passes.  More information about passes can be found on the Three Rivers Park website.  

Registration

Please register early to insure a spot at Baker.  Register on the main page for MyXC by selecting "Club Membership."

Levels and age guidelines are as follows:

For children who are new to MyXC, assign the child to the lowest skill level that spans their age as of January 1.  If a child has skied at least 10 times, consider advancing them one skill level.  It is common for kids to repeat skill levels, so returning families need to choose a skill based on last season’s performance, but still staying within the age ranges. 

Coaches will assess skiers at the first few meetings - last year's no snow conditions meant that we learned how to ski on man-made snow and find a parking place amongst the masses, but did not ensure that we learned what we were supposed to. So there will be some movement between levels as we go.  Luckily, we are a very flexible group, and every level is the most fun level.

Classic skiing: Level I: Ages 4-7 (parents ski along with the child), Level 2: 6-8 (parents check in occasionally), Level 3: 7-10, Level 4: 8-12

Skate skiing: Level 5: 9-13, Level 6: 11-14

More about skill levels here: https://www.myxc.org/skisparks-1.  Questions about levels? Contact us at bakerpark@myxc.org.

Communications

We will be communicating with Baker SkiSparks skiers and families via email.  There will be a midweek update sent, as well as any last minute changes and cancellations.  When you register please include a contact e-mail address that you actually check. 

Need to contact us? Email us at bakerpark@myxc.org

Volunteering

This is a volunteer run and led club.  The success and affordability of this program comes directly from your contributions of time, energy, and talent.  By registering for this club, you are committing to the club’s success and are agreeing to volunteer. More information on training for volunteering here.

Level 1 skiers will need to be accompanied on snow by an adult. 

Coaching  is a great way to accompany your child.  We are in need of coaches at all levels.  Please consider coaching - you'd be great at it!  You do not need to coach at your child’s level (pro-tip).  Co-coaching is also allowed, as is signing up to be a substitute coach.  

Following are some suggested areas of volunteer service:

Coaching:

We really need your help!  This is our biggest need and is one of the most rewarding ways in which you can help the club.  Kids get more out of the program when the coach-to-kid ratio is low, and coaches need not be experienced skiers to volunteer.  The MyXC program makes it easy for a coach to know what to do.  An eight week curriculum has been prepared for every class level   It also provides many helpful tips and games to keep classes enjoyable and interesting.  You do not have to be an elite level skier to be a coach.  All you need is a desire to help kids and have fun.  Contact us at bakerpark@myxc.org to sign up.   

Junior Coaches:

High-school aged skiers, we need you!  We could use somel volunteers, who are fun, friendly and in far better shape than most of us.  In a homeschool co-op and know some teens who love the outdoors and a good joke? Coaching for Baker SkiSparks qualifies as a service hours.  Think about how great this will look on a college application!  Contact us at bakerpark@myxc.org to sign up.

Assistant and Sub Coaches:

As an assistant coach, you can support a coach by accompanying the group on the trails and helping skiers.  If you feel like your skiing level is at the same level as the level your kids are signed up for, you would be the perfect assistant coach!  You are not in charge of the instruction, rather you are there to make sure the kids are safe, have an adult to listen to their jokes and stories, and can assist with activities.  

If you are a sub coach, you can fill in when a coach isn’t able to make it to ski club.  Contact us at bakerpark@myxc.org to sign up.   

Snacks:

Skiing is hungry, thirsty work.  Baker SkiSparks is a BYO snack and hydration group.  Coaches set up their own plan of when and if they take a break to snack, usually dependent on age and activity level.  Hydration can be brought along to sneak a sip as needed.