Doggett is new wrestling coach
Gunnar Doggett, a 2012 graduate of Liberty Bell High School and two-time state wrestling champion, will coach the Mountain Lions wrestling team this season. He replaces Paul Schmekel.
Doggett has been a volunteer coach in the Liberty Bell youth wrestling program for eight years, and spent the 2013-2014 season as assistant coach under Schmekel. He has also participated in mixed martial arts competition.
Wrestling practice began on Monday (Nov. 16).
Nordic Team auction starts Friday
An early season practice of the Methow Valley Nordic Team.
Dry-land training has been taking place throughout November and a crew of skiers will head to Silver Star, B.C., for the annual Thanksgiving training camp, team director Leslie Hall said. Competitions will begin in mid-December, with some skiers focusing on qualifying for Junior Nationals to be held in Cable, Wisconsin, in March; and others aiming towards biathlon trials in December, where they hope to qualify for international biathlon races.
The Methow Valley Nordic Team’s annual online auction opens for bidding on Friday (Nov. 20) and will close on Nov. 29. Items range from “ski dreams” with athletes to clothing to packages. Proceeds benefit the team, which has more than 100 participants signed up for the 2015-16 season. The auction can be found at www.32auctions.com/MethowValleyNordic.
Fun runs on Nov. 28
You can get the big day of Christmas at the End of the Road events on Nov. 28 off to a brisk start with a 5-kilometer run through the streets of Winthrop. Kids can participate in a 1K fun run. The event, a fundraiser for the Liberty Bell High School cross-country team, costs $5 for the 5K and $1 for the 1K. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Winthrop Ice & Sports Rink; running begins at 10 a.m. For more information, call 996-3480.
Avalanche awareness course
The Northwest Avalanche Center and North Cascades Mountain Guides are offering a free avalanche awareness class on Dec. 3 at Aero Methow Rescue Service in Twisp. The class begins at 6 p.m. and will last about an hour and a half. The course will explain where and why avalanches occur; describe who gets caught and why; and provide a basic approach to staying safe in the backcountry. Participants will learn how to access local avalanche bulletins and weather reports; recognize basic signs of avalanche danger; and learn to avoid avalanche danger. For more information, call (509) 429-6963.
Free waxing clinics
Dave Ford will offer four free Nordic ski waxing clinics, for kick and glide skiing, in Mazama this winter. The sessions are on Dec. 3, Dec. 22 and Jan. 21, 2016, at 6:30 p.m., and on Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. For reservations and directions, call 996-4115.
DeSalvo takes on NY Marathon
Veteran local marathon runner James DeSalvo, executive director of Methow Trails, finished 991st out of an estimated 50,000 runners in the recent New York Marathon with a time of 3:03:04. In a much smaller field of runners, DeSalvo took fourth place in the Seattle Marathon in November 2014 with a time of 2:42:5.
Want a steelhead license plate?
A special license plate featuring a steelhead — the official state fish of Washington — could be an option for vehicle owners if a proposal for the new plate is approved by the state Legislature. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is proposing the plate to generate revenue that would be used to help support activities critical to conserving populations of native steelhead.
Before the Legislature can consider the proposal, state law requires WDFW to show that people intend to purchase at least 3,500 plates, which would be available for cars, motorcycles and trailers.
People interested in purchasing steelhead plates can submit a signature and indicate the number of plates they would likely purchase on WDFW’s website at wdfw.wa.gov/license_plates/steelhead. The website includes additional information on the proposal, as well as an image of the plate. Submitting a signature is not an obligation to buy a plate. Currently, the initial price of special wildlife-themed background plates ranges from $54 to $72 depending on the vehicle, in addition to the regular license fees.
