Trail Conditions

2023/24 Season:

March 18, 2024

We are now in Spring Skiing mode.  There are no restrictions on using the trails for skiing at any temperature, though skiers should note that the trails will have low snow, icy sections, exposed rock and bare ground. Skiing the Blue, English River, Freeway and Orange is not really advised.

March 16, 2024

Trail Conditions will be rough now, as you might expect with the melting that happened last week, the rain, and now the below 0 temperatures.  If you choose to try skiing, be prepared for a wide variety of conditions, including slippery, icy trails, exposed rock and bare ground. 

March 9, 2024

We are excited about the amount of snow we received last week, and are thrilled that we can finally open all of our trails!! BUT, we will have to be careful in how we use them if we want them to last.  

Like before, we are asking skiers to refrain from skiing when the temperature is WARMER THAN -2 DEGREES. 

Skiing should be fine all day today (March 9), but only in the early morning of the following days.  We close the trails in warmer temperatures for both skier safety and trail protection.

If you ski when the temperature is warm, your skis make deep gouges in the trail, which then freeze overnight. That makes skiing difficult or dangerous for other skiers. We simply cannot repair trails if the frozen ruts are too deep.  So,  in order to preserve the trails, and extend the ski season as long as possible, we ask for your cooperation in this.

March 7, 2024 at 15:00

• Golf course

  • Classic track – DONE – NB – this version is separate from the skate track as much as possible, and hugs the edge of fairways now that there is the snow to do so.

  • Skate – PENDING – scheduled for March 8 – (AM), weather permitting. This track will also have a classic track beside it for some of the time, offering freestyle options.

• Red

  • Classic – DONE including:

    • double tracking on hill by-pass. Left lane technically is the by-pass and right lane is the orange start.

    • 7 km hill by-pass has a visible track, so was not re-set.

    • 7 km Hill is tracked

    • First big hill is NOT TRACKED

  • Skate - PENDING – scheduled for March 8 – (AM), weather permitting. This track will also have the classic track beside it for some of the time, offering freestyle options.

• Blue

  • Graded March 6;

  • trackset March 7 – early reports – trail is in good condition

    • Some very low snow spots

• English River --- See PHOTOS below from today's grooming

  • Graded March 6;

  • trackset March 7 – early reports – trail is in good condition

    • Some very low snow spots

• JGG Freeway

  • Graded March 6;

  • trackset March 7 – no reports.

    • Some very low snow spots

• Orange

  • Graded March 2

  • trackset March 7 –  a couple of skiers were out  - no reports.

    • Some very low snow spots

Feb 28, 2024.

Well, after several forecast amounts that did not materialise to much through the majority of the winter, we finally got a decent snowfall during the early part of this week. We had been keeping our trail base renovated and were able to ski on the Golf Course and portions of the Red, but by last week-end, it was looking like late March or early April ski conditions, so this snowfall is welcome for skiers and to add some future moisture into the spring and summer months.

As of 21:00 yesterday evening, here are the WCCSC trail conditions.

• Golf course – south side:

  • Classic and skate track complete, including classic track that by-passes the hill. The hill still has a thin base and the two rock ridges that bisect the trail on the descending limb of tis hill are still really close to the surface. The track is narrower than usual when you emerge from the turn at the bottom, but the rocks that were exposed a few days ago are now covered. This track was set mostly with our new grooming implement (the “G2”) – hopefully you like the results.

• Golf course – north side:

  • The classic “recreational” track was set Feb 27th (PM) using our older single track setter. The depth of the track is not always full, but the track is there. The route was changed on the fairway east of the sub-station fairway, but it still delivers you to the substation fairway. It also takes skiers down Pumphouse hill (which has been very skiable for the past month (28-33 Km/h and smooth)) and out to the Red at “channel junction”.

  • The skate track was set this afternoon amidst an astonishingly bright sunlight glaring off the new fresh snow (magic!), so in one or two places you can see the effect of old Sol on the tracksetter, who was blinded by the light 😊. This track was also done with the G2 – you will see a few places where we’ve been able to double track or to place a classic right beside the skate, with a smooth transition between the two track types.

  • A note on the S-bend downhill close to the intersection of PTH 211 and Willis Dr (E): this is often a problem spot for us – it gets icy and also melts out; the downhill has a twist, ice surface and then gravel. Then, at the bottom of the hill there is some golf course infrastructure, including a bridge. Nice. That is how it was a few days ago. The snow we had, masks this situation, but be aware that these conditions are really just under the surface and may emerge, depending on temperature and hours of direct sunlight on this area.

• Red Trail:

  • Hill by-pass / Red 2 km cut off and Red Extension were done using the older tracksetter during the evening of the 27th.

  • Red skate and classic were done this evening. There was some overlap by necessity as we work out the logistics of setting this trail now we have the G2 in our arsenal. Some of that overlap has left a few imperfections in the deck, but overall, the Red is now skiable in strong distinction from only a few days ago. Still, tempering expectations, there is still very little snow and on the Red return, some of the classic is still down into the grass. We have also been contending with a small but steady contingent of walking traffic so the effect of that activity cost us some snow. Hopefully we can keep the re-established base on this trail through the week-end, which is forecast to be above zero. As a result, we are leaving our “no skiing above minus 2 degrees signs up at the Golf Course (north side) and Red trailhead.

• Blue / English River

  • Wait for it…. Is now OPEN…. With a caution.

  • This trail was packed and set earlier in the season, but we closed it due to heavy melting. With the recent snowfall, we were able to get around and leave a pretty good track. However, there are a few areas where the snow is thin and the rocks are close to the surface. In some of those places, the tracksetter shoes were pulled so, you will need to ski without a track. This was done down the hill just after the Otter Falls look-out area as well as the “long low slope, which makes you go faster than you realise, ending in a sharp left turn at the bottom” place. The snow is also really thin on the Blue return near the “Boy Scout” table area.

  • Don’t use your best skis for this trail and be aware of the hazards that come with low snow.

  • Lastly, if you ski the English River, remember – on the two way traffic link to the Blue, the marsh has a dual track…. The right hand side turns right and has a new uphill climb to the English River trail proper while the left side is the down hill return. We do not have a sign here yet, but are working on that.

• Orange / JGG Freeway

  • Remains closed

February 27, 2024

We got SNOW!!

The Golf Course classic track was groomed this evening. 

Tomorrow, we anticipate grooming the Red Trail, and the Golf Course skate track, depending on wind and temperature.  

Stay tuned to see whether/when other trails will be set.

February 16, 2024

We did receive a few centimeters of light snow over the last week, and the Golf Course North side trail received a grooming on Wednesday evening. The skate track is pretty decent given the recent weather, while the classic track is variable -- fair in some places, and non-existent in others.  The West Loop is probably the best part of the trail. 

No other trails have been groomed, nor are they likely in good condition for skiing. We continue to hope for snow.......

February 1, 2024

The decision to postpone the Manitoba Loppet was based on the state of the skate deck on both the Red and Golf Course trails, in combination with the weather forecast for the next 72 hours. Each of these skate decks were to serve as the base for the classic track for the race. However, the substantial loss of snow in the last few days meant that this base is now very thin in many parts of these two trails and no legitimate classic track could be worked into the little amount of remaining base. Earlier in week, we had closed them to avoid damage to the trail base as the only possible way to run the Loppet.

Now that the Loppet is postponed, we are reverting to opening the Red and Golf Course trails to skiers, providing the air temperature is not above minus 2 degrees. We have picked this temperature to allow access to skiing, while limiting the gouge damage that skiing in plus temperatures will do.  There is snow in the forecast and so we need to maintain the trail base to maximise any snowfall that we get, to extract the best ski season that remains.

Although there are “trail closed” signs up, we will replace those with the “ski until minus 2°" signs as soon as we can. Flagging limiting access will probably stay up in some manner.

All other WCCSC ski trails will remain closed due to the recent significant snow loss, which makes those trails unsafe to use.

January 30, 2024

WCCSC ski trails will be temporarily closed for all skiing effective Jan 31, 2024. Signs and flagging will be installed to deter skiers and any other trail users from using the trails.

In the case of the Orange, Freeway, Blue and English River trails, the warm temperatures forecast for Jan 31, will result in the further deterioration of the base making the trail unpalatable for skiing and in some cases unsafe. These trails will likely remain closed until we get at least sufficient snow to replace the loss we have recently experienced.

For the Red Trail and Golf Course tracks – we need the base and existing classic tracks to stay intact as much as possible for the Loppet still planned for Sunday Feb 4. Skiing (or worse walking), compresses the snow down into the base where it cannot be returned to the surface of the trail to be renovated and turned into either a refreshed skate deck or classic track. This compression also creates pockets that sunshine warms quickly, further eroding and evaporating the snow.

Temperatures are forecast to cool slowly and there is some snow forecast following the Loppet.

January 26, 2024

Important Notice:  With the low amount of snow on the trails, and the predicted warm temperatures in the upcoming days, we want to protect the trail conditions as much as possible. We want to preserve as much snow as we can, so that we can continue skiing when the temperatures drop again.

Beginning now, the Red Ski Trail and the skate track on the Golf Course are CLOSED whenever the temperature is above minus 2 degrees. 

If you ski, plan your outing so that the temperature is below freezing for the duration of your ski.

 **************************************************************************

This is our first substantial trail report of the 2023-24 season and it reflects where we have been, the current conditions, and most importantly, the immediate forecast for skiing the WCCSC trails.

How it began…..

Autumn 2023 was an odd blend of warm and cold, resulting in snowfalls that often melted rather than accumulated.  Finally, after several false starts, we had a decent snowfall in mid-December, with fairly heavy wet snow. We began our first packing  on the Red trail, relieving the overhanging branches of their snow burden and felt hopeful the season was now well underway…. And then lots of that snow melted!

That December snow gave us a start, though warm ground temperatures kept us off the golf course. Still, as the calendar advanced and temperatures slowly dropped (along with our optimism for a great ski season), there were periodic snowfalls which left us with some precious snow. We worked quite regularly packing and levelling the base on the Red, and periodically setting a classic track.

 After Christmas, we barely had enough snow, but persisted (or was it insisted??) and were able to do a once ‘round pack / deadfall removal and set a rough track on the Blue and English River system. (We have not touched that since).

Following that, we were able to send a crew out on the Orange and Freeway, also to clear the post-autumn brushing deadfall and pack the base.

During this time, we also began on-boarding our new Tidd Tech G2 grooming / tracksetter, and were able to start work on the Golf Course – using the new G2 on the Racers and Pacers loop.

We have also been shoveling snow (Red Extension; Red return; pumphouse hill, channel) and working that snow into the track.

Where we are now…

Golf course

o   South side

§  Solid base with skate track and classic track around most of this 1.25km circuit. Some glitches on the tight corners persist as witness to early trials with the G2

§  The classic track has a by-pass around the big hill.

§  Hill is fast and skiable, but the thin base means that bedrock is either immediately below base, or in a few spots slightly exposed.

o   North side

§  Solid base on skate deck. As with the south side, a few sharp bends are a little less than ideal. We also recently put in classic tracks alongside the skate track in several places to offer a freestyle option. The classic route was re-set > 2 weeks ago, but is holding up well, with some only a few spots being blown in.

§  Pumphouse hill was extensively re-worked over the past few days… it is smooth, but fast (i.e. > 30kmh)

§  Hydro Hill – base is smooth and also fast. The climb up to this hill has exposed rock and grasses.

·        

 Red Trail

o   Skate deck on outbound and through 5km marsh is good, while the return has a thinner base as a result of the rougher terrain. Some exposed bedrock and very thin base in some areas.

o   Classic track mirrors the conditions of the skate track.

o   Red extension is in relatively good shape – the hill is a little rough on the ascent side, but is smooth on the downhill. Some areas are exhibiting a thin base, as skiers familiar with this trail will expect.

·         

Blue / English River Trail

o   This one is all about perspective. This is a technical trail and scenic. It needs more snow to be good, but it can be skied and enjoyed, but there is exposed rock – especially in the 0.75 – 1 km area. There has been some snow on it since it was set, and subsequently skied in….. did we mention under this low snowfall, this one will be all about perspective?

·         

Orange / Freeway

o   Trail is not open – trail has a packing, but needs grading and setting which cannot be done without more snow

Overall, recent freezing rain and slightly below zero temperatures have made the skate decks fast and slightly manic, but fun for the right frame of mind.

What’s to come…..

·         We have our annual Loppet slated for Sunday, Feb 4. We intend to use the Golf course skate deck and the Red Trail for the Loppet course and need your cooperation to keep those trails in suitable shape for that important event. Still, we want to provide skiing until then wherever possible. The forecast is on-again off-again snow and above-freezing temperatures within the moving 14 day period. This makes it tough to plan. Here is our best plan, subject to change, based on the changing conditions of this most mercurial weather!

• We are closing the Red Trail and the skate track on the Golf Course whenever the temperature is above minus 2 degrees to protect these trails from erosion and etching from skiers.

January 14, 2024

The recent snowfall has allowed us to get some work done on ALL the trails in the past few days. Different trails are at different states of grooming, so please see the details below:

Golf Course (south side) -- both skate and classic trails are set (done evening of Jan 12)

Golf Course (north side) -- only a classic trail is set (done morning of Jan 13)

Red Trail -- only a classic trail is set (done morning of Jan 13), snow is thin in spots, some trail debris, but definitely skiable

Blue Trail -- classic track (set evening of Jan 11)

English River Trail -- classic track (set evening of Jan 11)

Orange Trail -- first packing by snowmobile, but no ski track set (afternoon of Jan 13)

JGG Freeway -- first packing by snowmobile, but no ski track set (afternoon of Jan 13)

Thank you to our groomers, Jeff, Kevin and John, for spending hours and hours on the trails this weekend, packing, cutting downed trees and setting tracks in very cold conditions.

The 2023-24 ski season has FINALLY begun!!

Jan 6, 2024

After weeks of waiting, and hoping, and wishing, and more waiting..... we finally had enough snow to begin tentatively skiing on the Golf Course.  A groomed trail was put in place on Jan 3, and again today, using our new Tidd Tech groomer.  There is a usable classic and skate track on both the north and south sides of the Golf Course, though the snow is thin, and there is some gravel and/or grass showing through in places.

The Red Trail was given its first packing around Dec 15, and was packed again on Jan 4, though not track set for classic skiing.  With the snowfall last night, and the predicted snow this week, we anticipate setting both a classic and skate trail in the next few days. 

With the upcoming snowfall this week, grooming will begin on the other forest trails as well.

2022/23 Season:

Trail Update as of April 6, 2023 @ 11:00

Well, Mother Nature has given us winter enthusiasts a bonus snowstorm! Up until yesterday, actual tracked trails were fading, but crust skiing was rather good. With the bountiful snowfall, we now have an opportunity for some more classic skiing.

The South Side of the Golf Course and Red Trail were both set with a classic track last evening. The Red is double-tracked, for some companionable skiing.  Enjoy it while you can! Warm daytime temperatures are predicted beginning this Easter weekend.

Trail conditions as of March 28, 2023 @ 18:00

Welcome to Spring Skiing -- it is difficult to provide an accurate picture of the trails these days, because conditions are so variable.  Trail conditions can change rapidly, depending on temperature, time of day, sun exposure vs shade, debris on the trail...... Skiers can expect to encounter everything from great to dubious in one outing. 

Skiers are requested not to ski when the trail gets soft/slushy. If you are leaving grooves, they will freeze solid when the temperature drops overnight, leaving the trail in very poor shape for others. 

Generally, the skate track on the Red Trail is in pretty good shape, as long as the temperature isn't too warm. It was last groomed in the evening of March 25th. The classic track provides a decent ski, keeping in mind that it is icy in places and eroding in others.  

The Golf Course is still snow covered, but the skate track isn't very smooth. The classic track is in fair shape.

The Blue, English River and Orange Trails are fading. There is little depth to the ski tracks now, and there is exposed rock and grass in places. The Freeway is not recommended for skiing at this point.

See the photos below for some examples of the variability in the trail conditions.

Trail conditions as of March 8, 2023 @ 11:00

Golf course – south side.

·       Classic track refurbished for Wednesday night ski. Classic track quite good but does not exist full depth and washed out on a few corners. Outer sides of the track are incomplete

·       Skate track refurbished for Wednesday night ski. Ice sheen removed. Condition good.

All other trails will have received a trace of snow over top of a mixture of icy and non-icy tracks. Should the snow in the forecast arrive as predicted, we anticipate refreshing the trail system. Stay tuned.

Trail update as of Feb 20, 2023 @ 17:00

Overnight we had about 1 cm of snow, with wind. That generally has not affected most of the trail conditions based on work yesterday (Feb 19), outlined below. However, it is blown-in in a few places.

Golf course – south side

o   Classic track set Feb 19 on east side only

o   Skate track  - set Feb 19 (PM)

Golf course – north side

o   Classic track set Feb 19  (noon) – this is blown in a bit today, but generally fine.

o   Skate deck refreshed Feb 18, but no work done since then – we will wait the winds to drop before setting that track

·       

Red Trail

o   Classic track set Feb 19 (AM) on 7 km and 5 km – very good shape

o   Skate track set Feb 19 (PM)

·       

Blue / English River Trails

o   Track refreshed Feb 19 (AM) – track imperfect – not full contour – but base firm and fine for skiing

·       

Freeway

o   Track from Feb 4 still intact – had 3 cms of snow, but has been skied both Feb 19 and Feb 20

·      

Orange Trail

o   Reset Feb 19 (PM) – track in very good shape.

o   Notes:

§  First big hill – hill by-pas not reset, but the tracks are visible and clear for use

§  second big hill (17°) has a very thing layer of snow over very slippery layer of ice at the bottom of the hill. Skiers are advised to walk down the hill on the right hand side of the hill , where is there an lightly established footpath.

§  Third big hill (7km mark) – no track until you are around the first corner – it is a straight smooth descent to there.

§  4th hill (just after the 7 km hill – the saddle is filling slowly with snow – there is no track until you are around the next bed – follow the 4’ wide skate-type track – it is the best line.

Trail updates as of Feb 19, 2023  -- 7:00 am

On Saturday Feb 18 (PM), we put focus on removing the Loppet track from both the Red and Golf Course skate deck in anticipation of the overnight snow that did in fact arrive.  Why did we do this? A few reasons:

·       With some uncertainty about the amount of snow we would get, we wanted to be able to use the snow evenly across the deck, and not have it consumed by filling in the classic track;

·       By churning the snow surface to remove the classic track, we also prepared for better adhesion of the new snow to the existing base.

·       When the snow melts off each spring, skiers will notice the legacy of previous work start to emerge from the surficial receding snow. As the trails ice up, this can cause problems for skiers. By removing the Loppet classic track legacy as well as we could, we are trying to keep the skate deck even, as the season progresses.

·       The air /snow temperature and timing of the work yesterday coincided nicely – we would have done this work earlier post-Loppet, but the machine and person time was not tenable. (To remove the classic track on the 1.2 km Wednesday Night Ski Track took about 3 hours. Extrapolate that to the approximately 12 kms of skate track on the Golf Course north side and Red Trail and the point is made!).

Future plans:

Yesterday we had skiers on all our trails. With the holiday Monday in store, we want to provide continued best opportunity for skiing. Last night’s snowfall was enough to make skiing without a refreshed track a bit of a slog. There is up to 1 cm of snow forecast for tomorrow afternoon.

Although it is colder than yesterday, it is still a decent classic ski day today and will be slightly better tomorrow. Starting this morning - the plan is to set classic tracks on the bush trails in the following order (Red; Blue; English River; Freeway; Orange). We’ll leave skate tracks largely for later because they are very time demanding and will have less need for them this week. If tomorrow’s snow comes, it will be while people are already skiing and the tracks will be easily skied in.

So, if you are heading out before we can get you a trail update on what is done, aim for doing the trails that have already been set (check Red return to know that is done before leaving; check Blue outbound, because we often groom this trail in reverse direction and in conjunction with the English River and Freeway, so seeing the return done may still mean several hours before the trail is skiable.

For the Orange Trail, check the return or website, to know whether it has been groomed.

NOTE: There is glare ice at the bottom of the steepest hill  - the 17° hill – so that may require a hike down the path on the right hand side.

Trail Update as of Feb 12, 2023 @ 10:00

We have had a blend of cold and too warm with no snow since last Sunday’s loppet. As such, most of the Red and Golf Course skate deck remains double tracked, since the machine fuel and time costs of ripping up those classic tracks is high. If conditions allow, we’ll start to bring skate decks back on-line. Exceptions to these general conditions re:

·       Golf course south side – skate and classic track in place (refreshed Feb 7) – good conditions

·       Golf course north side – refreshed (Feb 12) classic track on the classic course

·       Small amount of skate deck refreshed (Feb 12) at sub station

No other changes to the bush trails – generally the trails were set just prior to the loppet and there has been no snowfall to provide a refresh of those trail. Some heavy winds wll have blown in a few open parts of track. These are being skied in.

NOTE: Skier reports of the Orange Trail being impassable (heavy slush/open water) at the base of the steepest hill near the 3 Km point. As such, please consider the outbound of the Orange closed until further notice. The return is open for those skiing in from the Freeway. 

Trail condition update – as of Jan 29, 2023 @ 17:30

As promised, this is the second update for this week-end. The update from Jan 28 reflected our plans for the Golf Course and Red Trail for our annual Loppet (Feb 5). This report provides a more usual report on the remaining trails.

·       Red Trail

o   Classic track groomed Jan 29 only as far as the first hill by-pass (because this is actually the start of the Orange) and from the Orange to the trailhead. The remainder of the trail is being left to hoard the snow for the Loppet.

·       Blue Trail

o   groomed Jan 28. Track firm and in good condition.

·       English River Trail

o   groomed – Jan 29. Trail is in good condition, except shallow track in places on the 2-way traffic link between this trail and the Blue. Please remember to keep right always on this trail. We have added a detour at the east end of the “big marsh” to avoid head-on collision potential on the long down hill into the marsh.

o   Firewood supply is limited at the cabin right now. Plan accordingly.

·       Jones-Gauthier-Graham Freeway

o   Groomed Jan 29

§  Base smooth and firm – track is periodically shallow. This is as a result of needing to get to the English River from the Orange rather than the Blue (as described in the Jan 28 update). The cold temperatures meant that in the time between leaving the Freeway, grooming the English River, and heading back onto the Freeway – the snow had started to harden. So, the track is not as good as it has been earlier this year, but it is still very skiable.

·       Orange Trail

o   Graded and groomed Jan 29

§  Trail shows noticeable improvements as a result of grading. However, still some rocks very close to the surface of the trail

§  First big hill (about 3 km)

·       by-pass is tracked

·       hill is untracked with about a 10’ wide deck. Bottom of hill has two options – sharp right or climb the mogul and sharp right. Neither are tracked.

§  Steepest hill

·       Untracked – 4’ wide deck.

·       If you must walk down this hill, please take the path to the right under the jack pine. This is the safest route down. Do not walk down the ski desk.

·       Base of this hill is not tracked for about 50 metres. Much smoother trail base now than last week.

§  Remainder of Orange is tracked, including all downhills.

§  7 km hill has a 4’ wide deck with track set. There is a wider packed deck underneath loose snow either side of the track. By-pass is tracked.

Trail update – As of Jan 28, 2023 @ 15:30.

This will the first of two (or more) updates for this week-end.  Sunday Feb 5, is the WCCSC’s annual Loppet and each year we dedicate several trails to this event. Consequently, this update focuses a little bit on work done, but more about the grooming plans for the week ahead. In this way, skiers can plan how to avoid the Loppet course, but still have access to the majority of the trails.

LOPPET PLANS:

·       We will be using the skate track deck on the Golf Course (north and south sides) and Red Trail for a double wide classic track. Given the temperature and snow forecast, here is the plan:

o   No one will likely be skating due to cold temps (skiers rarely skate below minus 15°C) – so we can leave the skate deck with its current fresh snow.

o   Golf course – do not groom skate deck – but hoard snow in situ, until mid / late week when we put in multiple parallel continuous classic tracks for the Loppet 

o   Red Trail skate deck - do not groom skate deck – but hoard snow in situ, until mid / late week when we put in two parallel continuous classic tracks. These tracks will continue to the Red Extension as far as the hill, after which the trail will be a single track until the trail re-joins the Red skate return (also double tracked).

·       NOTE to recreational skiers.

o   This means we will not be tracking the Red Trail for recreational skiing until after Sunday Feb 5, but will be tracking for the Loppet mid/late week. In the meantime, the existing track has been skied in. If you ski the Red, please use that track. Alternatively, other bush trails will be set to provide substitutes to skiing the Red. They will be tracked in this priority: Blue; English River; Freeway / Orange.*

·       Golf Course

o   The Golf Course recreational classic course has been groomed of Jan 28, 2023 at 15:00. Please note that Loppet signs have been delivered for the race course and do not necessarily apply to the recreational course.

Blue Trail

o   Blue trail groomed Jan 28, 2023 at 13:00. 

English River Trail

o  please note that owing to an equipment problem, the Blue Trail was set, but we could not set English River. It will be set soon, but in an unusual sequence. So, if you see the Orange outbound set, do not assume this trail is ready to ski, since it will probably be the access route to grooming the English River (via Orange and Freeway) and that will take many hours to complete. So, please only ski a trail when you see that both the outbound and inbound trails have been set.

Trail conditions as of Jan 23, 2023 @ 18:00

·       Golf course

o   North side

§  Skate – groomed (with pan)

§  Classic – tracked

o   South side 

§  Classic – skied in (east side)

§  Skate – groomed (with pan)

§  Note: loppet stadium markers are installed, please do not disturb them

·       Red Trail

Classic

o   7km classic – tracked

o   5km cut-off tracked

o   Note “best line” track on most downhills. If you need to avoid the track, either place one ski in track and snowplough in the adjacent packed area, OR freestyle in adjacent packed area.

·       Skate

o   5 km groomed with pan

·     Blue Trail

o   Last Tracked Jan 20 – up to 5 cms snow – can be skied in

·      English River Trail

o   Tracked Jan 23 @ 15:00 – this applies only to the 1km to 5.5 km mark – the link between blue and English river was not re-set, but has been skied in somewhat following the Jan 20 track setting.

o   Remember, for safety, always keep right on this trail

·       JGG Freeway - OPEN

o   Tracked – Jan 23, @ 16:00  - trail has smooth and firm base. Track is in very good condition for this trail.

·       Orange Trail – OPEN – ***Provisionally***

o   Tracked between 14:00-17:30 Jan 23.

o   First 2.5 KMs in very good shape – this area had been graded prior to track setting

o   First BIG Hill (about 2.5 mark) –

§  Two options on the downhill – it is not tracked down the hill

·       but a track at bottom if you turn very sharp right

·       no track if you ascend the mogul at the bottom and turn sharp right at the top of the mogul.

§  Hill By-pass is tracked and will be fairly fast

o   Second big hill (this is the steepest hill on our system – 17% slope (most highways in mountains are 7-8%). 

No track set. Straight down. The marsh beyond the hill is quite bumpy, making for a challenging end to the hill. We were unable to grade the trail from this point to the end of the orange (except at 7 km hill) prior to tracking. If you get to this point and decide you must walk down, follow the roughed in trail under the jack pine to the right of the trail. DO NOT walk down the face of the trail – this causes danger for others.

o   After this marsh, the track is in fairly good shape to the Orange Cabin.

o   From the cabin to the 7KM mark is quite rough – here, you will see the effects of no grading prior to the first tracking.

o   7KM hill – bypass is tracked. The hill has a single track running best line down. The trail is packed either side of the track to provide room for maneuvering.

o   Final challenging hill just prior to black spruce bog – no track – just a single wide (4’)  skate deck. This saddle type downhill is a challenge as it twists and has bumps within the chasm. The bottom mogul has some snow either side of it to support a broader stance, but this remains a challenging hill.

*** This trail needs more snow and the overall vertical drop, the associated speed, the number of twists and often sharp turn radius on many corners, including downhill, together make this the most challenging trail on our system. You should NOT ski this trail until you have successfully skied all the other trails in this system. If you find you are snowploughing down any of the hills on the Red Trail and/or more than one of the hills on the Blue Trail, it is recommended that you do not use this trail. This trail requires much more endurance and balance than the Red. It is more than 2x the length of the Blue and much more technical.

Trail update as of Jan 20, 2023 @ 22:30

·       Golf course

o   North side

§  Skate – 1 cm light loose snow over firm base.

§  Classic – 1 cm light loose snow. Base has inconsitant pole plant

o   South side (Wednesday Night Ski- WNS) – formerly known as Racers and Pacers track

§  Skate – icy Wednesday; light snow combed overtop Jan 20 @16:00

§  Classic – good track with 1 cm of light snow – already skied in.

·       Red Trail

o   Skate – 1 cm light loose snow over firm base.

o   Classic – intermittent track; 5km route is in good shape; 7km route – double tracked to hill on the extension.  Single shallow track from there to Red “cabin”

·       Blue Trail

o   Graded and a shallow track was installed Jan 20 between 20:30-22:30. In some cases, this work reduced the depth of the existing track and in other places, the track had been washed out. Overall, the trail is in better shape. More holes and dips were filled – most notably on two hills on the outbound.

·       English River Trail – OPEN!!! 

o   The track was set tonight (Jan 20) and is also shallow in many places, but the base is firm and fairly smooth. We simply need more snow, but this evening’s work should allow a decent ski. Note the east end of the big marsh has a slight detour (to the south on the outbound). The rule for this trail is to keep right when going outbound.

·       JGG Freeway

o   Graded, but no track. Trail can be used – track may be set this week-end, but there is not really enough snow for this trail.

·       Orange Trail - CLOSED

o   No change – still partially graded

Trail update as of Jan 4, 2023 @ 15:00

Orange trail graded to 3km mark. Equipment problems prevented completion of grading beyond that to the extent we planned, though some grading was done.

Trail update as of Jan 3, 2023 @ 15:00

Red Trail - Base levelled and holes from falls, feet and animals filled.

o   Skate – refreshed. Still a bit soft /slow for the remainder of today – Should set up tonight

o   Classic – refreshed as well as possible. Shallow track and missing track in places.

Trail update as of Dec 30, 2022 @ 17:00

·       Golf course – north side

o   No update

·       Golf course – south side

o   We packed the Racers and pacetrs track last night and put in a new start area – it can now be found on the north side of the Pinawa club – look for the trail map. For those who know the area well, it is east of the pro shop and north of the dining room.

o   We graded the skate deck late this afternoon – the track is skatable and in fair shape. There is only a single classic track set right now – and that leads from the Pinawa club parking lot area to the end fof 211.

o   We have signed the racers and pacers hill and thank those who have been tobogganing for their continued cooperation as we share this hill.

·       Red trail

o   We moved the 3km distance marker from where is was just a hundred metres or so from the cabin onto the 5km loop. It is now in a place where it marks the 3km point of 5km distance.

·       Blue trail

o   Was re-opened at 15:30. We noticed that several skiers had skied around the “trail closed” sign just prior to re-opening it. As a reminder, we rarely close trails or when we do, not for very long once they are open for the season. However, out of respect for those who prepare the trails, please observe these signs  - they are not put in place frivolously.

·       English river / Freeway

o   no update – this system remains graded and awaiting a minimum 5 cm snowfall to set a track

·       Orange

o   We completed packing the outbound today – this was only about 8-9 kms of travel, but the work took two snowmobiles (see attached photo), 2 chain saws  and two people a combined 13 hours to complete.

o   The orange trail is not open. There remains areas of slush and holes in the ice with water egressing.

Trail update as of Dec 28, 2022 @ 10h30

Red skate refurbished ( see photo)…. Needs to set up until this afternoon… please use classic track for the next few hours

Trail update as of Dec 24, 2022 @ 13:00

Red Trail:

·       Red skate has been set – probably needs some time to set up, but since I don’t expect anyone skating today or tomorrow, it should be ok for Boxing Day.

·       Red 5 Km & 7Km classic set – double track set from 5km / 7km junction to red hill on red extension.

·       Red extension has not been graded – you’ll notice the difference between it and the rest of the red.

·       Classic track has been set for best line in down hills, though some awkward steering with this skidoo means that best line is likely not quite so about 2/3 down each hill. Be prepared to set out of track if appropriate – each side of best line is groomed.

Golf course

·       Single classic from end of 211 to Pinawa club – subject to blowing in but should be skiable through December 26

·       No other work on golf course except packing for skate track at end of 211

Blue / English River / Freeway

·       No further updates – this trail will be a priority to pack, grade and track starting Dec 27. Please refrain from skiing it until after it is set at the early part of this week.

Orange trail

·       Anticipate completion of packing and perhaps track setting the week of Dec 26th… pending ice support through the big marshes out near the 4 km area.

Trail Update as of Dec 18, 2022 @ 13:30 

Golf course - Skate track set north side only … needs grading but set to pack in the snow we had recently

Classic track refreshed - north side

Classic track single pass - south side from Pinawa club to end of 211

Trail update as of Dec 17, 2022 @ 10:00 

·       Golf course

o   Depending on wind we’ll try to have the north side re-set Sunday

·       Golf course

o   south side – no change.

·       Red (5 km skate )

o   set  5:00-7:00

·       Red (5 & 7 km) classic

o   set at 8:30-9:30

o   Some subsequent light snow and blowing, but the trail is mostly in good shape (see before and after photos).

·       Blue / English River / Freeway

o   No change

·       Orange

o   First 3 kms packed (Dec 15) – ice is too thin for further foot or machine traffic.

Trail update as of Dec 12, 2022 @ 14:00

·       Golf course

o   South side

-no formal trail work done, except near end of 211 and some individual ski trails starting from the Pinawa club. They look suitable to follow since they avoid the sensitive area of the course.

o   North side

-Skate and classic put in Dec 11. Lots of traffic, including several dogs. Skate track is beat up a bit by them for the first few hundred metres, then the trail is ok.

·       Red

o   No classic track – though snowmobile went out on the red about 10:00 this morning and travelled where the classis will go.

o   We added a few no walking signs near diversion dam start area – some of those will be moved along the trail, but they don’t hurt to be stock piled there

o   Skate – track – no change

·       Blue / English River / Freeway

o   First pass packing

o   pulled a metal sled to smooth the snowmobile tracks – except on freeway from about the 1.6km marsh to orange cabin

·       Orange

o   Fat bike and snowmobile traffic on some of the trail, but no WCCSC winter work done yet.

Trail Update for Dec 10, 2022 @ 18:00

Golf course classic track set and initial skate track set – north side of 211 only

Trail update as of December 10 @ 12:00 

Red skate had first grading. Snow will be thin, a bit soft in places but also quite fast… skate track available for use. Watch for hazards including exposed vegetation, rock and very little pole depth.

Trail update as of December 4, 2022 @ 19:30

Red trail – 5km skate track packed with roller 3 passes wide (see photo). This is the second time out for the outbound (the first effort was done 3 weeks ago), but warm ground conditions prevented us from doing a complete circuit then. Tonight was the first time around the complete 5 km circuit (and some of the ice is still very thin). There has been some ski activity out there, along with walking and quad traffic. This evening’s effort is intended to get the snow sticking to the ground and form a first base layer along with smoothing out the differential effects that the uses so far have created. Cold weather in the forecast is expected, so this layer should firm up by Monday morning. As such, this track will not be great for anyone going out for a bit of early classic skiing, but it is a necessary first step. The trail may be okay for some early skating. In either case, take your rock skis – there are several places where the snow layer is quite thin. There will also be some exposed marsh grass and sawdust, as a large tree came down post fall brushing that needed to be cleared.

As with the outbound, there was some earlier packing on the red extension (to the 7 km hill) but the full extension (too wet), birthday hill and shortest distance trails have not really been packed yet this year.

Blue trail – don’t be fooled – there is a bit of packing , but only for 50 m on the outbound and return. There has been some other machinery on the return – not sure how far that goes.

Golf course.

We are not ready to start putting in the golf course trails yet – the ground was still too warm last week and there is still too little snow. We’ll continue to put effort into the red trail system, rather than the golf course for the immediate future. For anyone skiing on the golf course. Please be sure you stay off the greens and tee boxes.

Orange / Freeway / Blue/ English River.

These trails need more snow before we can start work.

Trail Update as of December 1, 2022

As of right now, we need more snow therefore none of the ski trails are set. Our trails have a lot of rocks and we require a thicker base before we can set any trails. Note that there are some skier-set tracks on the golf course. Please remember to avoid tee boxes and greens if you choose to ski the golf course. 

2021/22 Season:

Trail update as of April 15, 2022 @ 10:30 am

The recent snowfall has provided and opportunity for an extension to the ski season. As the temperatures start to warm and cool again at night, I expect we can resume skating on the crust on the golf course. Please be extremely mindful to avoid water pockets that may leave ruts from skis. Also stay off tee blocks and greens. Please stay to the areas of firm snow.

In the meantime, I was able to set a short 1.5 km (ish) classic trail. Here is a description of what has been set – not all of it will last for a variety of reasons:

·       From golf club WCCSC shed area to end of 211 – classic track down service road

·       Across diversion dam, a classic track is set at both ends – you’ll need to walk across the center of the dam though – it did not hold much snow cover

Red Trail

o   Don’t use. I put a few snowmobile passes down the first 50 metres, but that track ends at a large amount of deep water. We’ll need quite a lot of cold before we can cross that. If we can, I’ll update. So the Red Trail is not skiable.

Blue Trail

o   Track set on outbound as far as T3, where the track turns hard left. You can’t really make that corner on skis – it's too sharp of a bend. However there is a runaway lane packed by snowmobile for 25 metres, so you should be able to get down that hill just fine. Then reverse course and proceed back on T3 – classic track is set.

When you get to T2, you’ll see a snowmobile track heading off on that trail. Feel free to ski it, but it is only a snowmobile track. It goes to the Orange Return and goes as far as T1. Then it hits a dead-end .

o   Carry on T3 past the T2 /T3 junction  - classic track is set.

Trail Conditions as of March 26, 2022 @ 16:00

Red trail cleared of substantial blown down. Skate track complete except for two very small places. Skating will be very good by Sunday afternoon through Monday.

Classic track may be re-set after Tuesday’s forecast snow, depending on how much actually falls.

Golf course skate remains in place as well, though with periodic breaks at bridge near intersection of Willis and highway 211.

Most other trails will have classic trail melted out, but a firm base. We have not been able to check them yet for blown down.

Trail Conditions as of March 14, 2022 at 22:00.

Given the forecast for this week, the extensive cold, snow and wind causing drifting of the recent past, and the fact we are down to one working snowmobile (and Kevin Jackson has worked some magic to bring that one back on line after it too was showing some electrical problems), our tracksetting priorities for the next 2 weeks (or so) are built around the following imperatives: most used trails; easiest to maintain / biggest return on investment; easiest to bring back into service; things we can accomplish with one machine while we get the other machines sorted and maintaining trails that will last so we can extend the ski season as long as possible.

·       Golf course:

o   Racers and pacers – essentially a mess for skiers owing to a few things noted above. It has a passable classic track. The skate deck is a real mixture of things. This is on our priority list to refresh.

o   North side classic – this trail was blown in so over the week-end a temporary classic track was put on the skate deck as an expeditious way of getting the golf course usable. We plan to get the classic track back in service asap. However, this is actually quite a challenge. In the meantime, use the hastily built temporary classic.

o   North side skate – this trail has been a monster for us all year. Wind, flood, very deep snow (no locusts, but we wouldn’t be surprised) has made this trail a challenge. Still, once the golf course classic is re-established, we’ll refresh this skate trail, expecting that it may outlast the red skate track. Even if it does not, we expect the number of skaters to go way up, so having two places to go is good.

·       Red trail:

o   Classic – 5 and 7 km set night of March 12. Quite heavily used, but in good shape However, most hills that  has a set track with best line down them have not been removed, since heavy use has challenged the “best line”. Some walkers were on the track, adamant that it was not a ski track. At least they stayed mostly on the pole track.

o   Skate – set March 12 and refurbished March 14 (evening). Depending on temps overnight, it should be in very good shape. Until temps start to get above freezing. At that point, please don’t use it.

·       Blue / English River:

o   Reset March 12. Tracksetter was perched in several places, so the track is a little shallow and the trail got used immediately after setting, so it is a bit “weathered” looking, but in good shape. Several downhills had no track put in, but they are somewhat rutted due to use immediately after setting.

·       Orange

o   Reset recently, but prior to last snow and wind events. It has a good base, though bigger pole baskets are better here, since pole support is often unpredictable. Trail has been skied several times and is completely skiable, though open areas will have drifted in a bit. This trail may not get another tracking this year…. Though who knows what snowfall will come our way!

·       Jones Gauthier Graham Freeway

o   Same as orange, though better pole support here. (It too is unlikely to get another setting…)

o   When skiing this trail, pause a moment and acknowledge in your own way the people after whom this trail is named. Larry Gauthier passed away earlier this month.

Jeff Long

WCCSC President

Trail Conditions as of March 13 @ 12:30pm

The Red skate and classic trails were groomed yesterday, and the classic track on the Golf Course is being set right now. The Orange, and Blue/English River trails have had a good amount of skier traffic.

Additionally...

It looks like the cold weather is nearly over, and likely, many of you are looking forward to some spring skiing. On that note, we wanted to share some information about tracksetting. 

This winter, with its record snowfall and incessant winds, has taken a toll on our three snowmobiles. Right now, one machine is in the shop for repair.  A second machine has been having some starting difficulties (perhaps some of you saw it sitting at the trailhead yesterday for awhile) and needs some attention. And this morning, our last remaining machine is being temperamental, which suggests that using it out on the further bush trails might be unwise. 

We really appreciate your patience, as we try to give you the best trails possible under the conditions we are facing. It has been a challenging year, and it's not over yet! 

Trail Conditions as of March 5, 2022 @ 10:00

·       Golf course (north side)

o   Classic – set

o   Skate track – set: deck firm - some minor drifting affecting deck

·       Golf course (south side – racers and Pacers)

o   Classic – set

o   Skate track  - deck firm

·       Red

o   7Km classic - Track is older, but still in good shape

o   5Km – classic - ditto

o   Skate – set – deck firm

·       Blue

o   Track is older, but still in good shape

·       English River

o   Track is older, but still in good shape

·       Jones / Graham /Gauthier Freeway

o   Set March 4  - pole plant and track still softer than the rest of the system, but in very good shape.

·       Orange

o   Set March 4  - pole plant and track still softer than the rest of the system, but in very good shape.

Trail Update as of Feb 26, 2022 @ 16:00

Golf course racers and pacers (south side): refurbished classic track and skate track. Subject to wind gusts

Trail Update as of Feb 25, 2022 @ 20:00

Blue / English river trails tracked this afternoon / evening. Note some significant issues getting the equipment around under these conditions, and that affected the track in places.

Trail Update as of Feb 20, 2022 @ 18:30

Red trail had classic set this morning.

Skate track (6”loose snow) was packed, but the deck will not be suitable for skating. There is still about 1.5” of sinking in the deck that we’ll work to pack out over the next short while. Cold temperatures mean that skate skiing is likely not a first choice, but we’ll aim to have the deck ready for the warmer weather forecast for next week-end.

Golf course: really to windy to put in much of a track. However, a trail from substation up Hydro hill connecting to pump house hill and up the wall was done, connecting to the red. Also a rough access trail was set on Racers and Pacers. It was partially blown in by 16:00

Next trail to get re-established will be Blue / English River. Please don’t start skiing on tis trail until the grooming equipment has completed the entire trail.

Trail Update as of Feb 20, 2022 @ 10:00

Red 5 and 7km classic are set. Wind gusts will fill in exposed areas. Good conditions in the bush.

Racers and pacers has a rough classic available for skiing from Pinawa club to end of 211. Expect it to blow in during the day.

All other trails are essentially not available for skiing. High winds have made exposed areas extremely difficult to set. We will work on Blue system as soon as conditions allow

Trail Update as of Feb 16, 2022 @ 17:00

The golf course has had lots of light snow and high winds. Together, these conditions have left the skate and classic tracks unusable until we renovate them. Today, we began that by packing the skate track in preparation for this Sunday’s loppet. The new base is quite thick (as witnessed by the number of times the machine slid off it into the adjacent unpacked snow), but is not ready for skiing. The next step is to try to smooth it out before the next forecast snowfall. We may not be able to grade it before then, we’ll see how that goes. After that, we’ll try to double track this base for the loppet, but there is snow forecast 12-18 hours before loppet time, so we may only be able to get in a single track. This is turning out to be a big job and so the other trails are not getting attention right now.

The best option for skiing right now is the red classic. It has a visible track, and with some skiing in will be fine. We’ll be turning to get that ready for the loppet shortly.

Hopefully we can have the blue / English river available for non racers for this week-end, but again, we’ll see.

The racers and pacers course does have a series of 2-4 parallel classic track put in Feb 16, 2022 (AM). Some of these will have blown in, but others remain open. They were put in as a test, so they are not great, but they are available for use.

Trail Update as of Feb 9, 2022 @ 18:30

Red trail – 5 km skate and classic were groomed Feb 9 (PM). Base was widened slightly and classic touring track re-set. The conditions on this trail should be very good for a morning ski on Feb 10, but depending on snowfall, conditions will start to diminish.

Recent snow and wind has meant all trails were blown in. Some trails will be skiable, but with more snow expected Feb 10, we have left most trails ungroomed while we start preparing for the 45th Mb. Loppet, Feb 20. We will have the touring trails ready for skiing on loppet day, but priority will be for the loppet course (Golf course and Red).

Feb 9, 2022 @ 23:30

Golf course skate track packed. Caution: heavy slush on bridge adjacent to 211 as a result of major water main break. Recommendation is to avoid this area. Classic track will not be done until after Feb 10 snowfall.

Trail conditions as of Feb 6, 2022 @ 13:00

Golf course & red skate tracks were packed, since the loppet has been postponed to Feb 20 and we’ll want to skate before then. As of 16:00, those tracks were still a bit soft and cold.

More snow and very changeable temperatures in the forecast for this week. Stay tuned for plans as the weather conditions develop.

Trail Update as of Feb 5, 2022 @ 15:00

Orange trail graded and new track set. Hill bypasses set and downhills with bypasses set with a better line than last time. The smaller hills have an improved base and should be pleasant to ski staying in tracks. The largest two downhills have a tracks down the hill, with the turn at the 2k hill a little lower on the second hill to help with this high speed turn. The turn is faster / sooner than two weeks ago, but probably easier since is is a more gradual arc. On the 7k hill, trust the track which is there to keep you on the best line down the hill. The track was not put in immediately at the bottom of the hill so you can adjust your skies to make this other high speed turn. The track resumes about 50 m further along, so get ready to step into them.

If those hills are too intimidating, use the bypasses.

Freeway was also given a new track. In several places it had blown in. If skiing from the orange cabin to the English river cabin, note that the first hill on the freeway (this is the one that has a bypass) is tracked, so if that is too wild a ride use discretion and the bypass.

Red blue English river and golf course are all being skied in after yesterday’s small amount of snow.

We plan to start refreshing skate tracks Feb 6. 

Trail Conditions as of Feb 4, 2022 @ 18:00

Classic tracks set on:

Golf course; Red (7 km & 5km, but not Derek Martin loop) and Blue English River.

Snow forecast for tonight. Depending on amounts, these trails may need to be re-set. If so they will get priority.

After that, skate and orange and freeway will follow.

Trail Update as of Jan 31, 2022 @ 20:00

This is the week before the club’s annual loppet. This race, combined with the changeable weather and today’s forecast all inform today’s update.

So you know, it is our intention to put the loppet track on the golf course and red skate track base – double tracked wherever possible. So, skating will be unavailable for this week. Please stay off the skate track, since we’ll need that fresh snow for race course.

We’ll do our best to keep as many other trails open and available for use during lopett as possible. In the meantime, please find below the trails conditions and plans to keep touring skiing going through this week.

Golf course:

·       Classic – refreshed Jan 29 (AM) – we anticipate this to blow in with today’s snow. It will be reset as soon as conditions allow. Flagging for loppet will also start during this time on the golf course.

·       Skate – packed Sunday Jan 30 in anticipation of Jan 31 snow. New snow to be hoarded for Loppet.

Red Trail:

·       Classic – has not been refreshed for more than 1 week and has had heavy use. Some sections have been removed to prepare base for next track setting efforts. A touring classic will be set, where possible – likely only the 5 km track following the Jan 31 – Feb 1 snow event.

·       Skate – packed Sunday Jan 30 in anticipation of Jan 31 snow. New snow to be hoarded for Loppet.

Blue / English River

·       This trail has seen very heavy use in the past few weeks. The track was getting old and tired. The system was graded (see attached photo) Jan 31, in anticipation of new snow in forecast. The grading helps reduce small dips in the base and especially at the bottom of hills, and to work on some of the hard drifts in the exposed areas. It also helps improve pole support. This grading provides other advantages. It provides telltale signs for track setters showing  exactly where the hard base is after a snowfall and the sidewalls that are created through this process keeps the snowmobiles and implements well aligned to the trail best line. You can help us by minimising impacts to the sidewalls of the trail during skiing and rest stops. As of this trail update – there is no classic track on the blue / English River. This will be one of the first trails to be put back in service following the current storm. Until that track is reset please stay off this system.

Orange / Jones / Gauthier / Graham Freeway

·       Relatively lots of use on these two trails. These two trails will be tracked last following today’s storm and it may take some tome to get them re-set.

Trail Update Jan 30, 2022

After setting up the Jack rabbit area this morning, I decided to pack the last snowfall down onto the skate track base in anticipation of 5-15 cm over the next 36 hours. The track is very hard to see and I worried that with the existing 10 cm and another possible 15, we would might lose the trail and even if not, lose pole support.

The forecast is spotty. I have seen 2-4 cms and 5-15 over the same time period. If we get little we may need to pack it, renovate and then set. If we get 10 cm, we can put a nice track over the skate.

Today’s packing won’t likely make a great skate track, but we’ll see if it sets up. Again, the idea if a prep move for the loppet. If you find you can skate it – great!

Trail Update as of Jan 27, 2022 @ 23:00

On the week-end of Jan 22-23, all classic trails were groomed and the red skate was groomed. The golf course skate was left ungroomed due to time constraints and forecast of imminent snow and high winds. Before we could really prepare and post those updates, we encountered high winds rendering an update difficult.

High winds, one warm day and several spells of extremely dry snow has created some difficult tracking conditions.  As of Jan 27, 23:00, here is where we are at:

The golf course classic (including golf course south side) was refreshed as was the red skate. Neither are in excellent condition, but they are fine under the circumstances. A couple of snowmobile tracks are now evident on the racers and pacers skate track and up the downhill as well as cut across the loppett traditional start / finish area. We’ll need to fix that. We have been working with the Pinawa club to adjust the start area. There have been a few iterations over the season and several over the past few days. We continue to work with them and be responsive to their direction. While this result has been confusing to some, please refrain from making a new trail – especially across greens.

We made efforts to re-set the red classic and blue, but both efforts were halted, since they would have been counter-productive. The very good tracks we had from the week-end of the 22-23nd  largely persist and with considerable ski activity, they have been largely skied in, providing better track depth and glide than could be achieved with re-setting. As a result, some trails will have wind-effect drift in exposed areas, where the ski track has been roughed in, but these areas are passable.

In the week of Jan 31, we’ll be making efforts to maintain the current trails and setting up for the MB Loppet. As such, the golf course skate track will remain untracked so we can use the accumulated snow on this base for the loppet classic track. We will start flagging off the course this week as well. Where flags intersect the normal classic track, please ski under them carefully. Otherwise, please do not ski under flagged areas.

Trail Update January 23, 2022

All trails have been groomed and tracked! (all except the golf course skate track). Thank you to our amazing volunteers. 

Trail Update January 19, 2022

Red skate and 5 km classic we’re put in by noon Jan 18. There was some snow after that, but those trails may be skiable. Cold temps and further snow forecast for Friday means we’ll not likely track until the weekend.

January 15, 2022

On the orange trail between the 4-5 km mark, the Ski Club's pruning shears were lost. If a skier sees them, please stand them vertically in the snow alongside the track and we’ll get them next pass around.

Trail Update as of January 14, 2022 @ 23:00

Golf course skate groomed today

Red skate groomed this evening.

Orange: skate for classic track refresh Saturday Jan 15 (AM). Please do not ski this trail until noon or later on Jan 15.

Trail Update as of Jan 11, 2022 @ 15:00

·       Golf course:

o   Classic tracked (Jan 10 – late PM)

o   Skate track – Packed (Jan 10 – late PM); second packing Jan 11

• Remains soft for skating but firming up

·       Red

o   Classic – track complete on entire red

o   Skate – packed – some ridge and remains a little soft for skating.

·       Blue / English River

o   Tracked - No change

·       Jones – Gauthier- Graham Freeway

o   Tracked – no change

·       Orange

o   Tracked prior to last snow – slated to be graded and tracked for week of Jan 17

Trail Update as of Jan 8 @ 16:00

·       Golf course:

o   Not set – some ski tracks skied in but also some off the trail (esp at golf club). Avoid Golf course until high wind and cold temperatures abate

·       Red

o   Classic set – including

§  Derek martin loop

§  5 km

§  7 km (including hill) – double tracked from 5km to hill

o   Skate – set may be softer base

o   Cabin open with limited capacity (max 4 people or one household) with masks – firewood available.

·       Blue

o   Set Jan 8 (AM) will generally be good, but will have had some drifting

·       English River

o   Set Jan 8 (AM) will generally be good, but will have had some drifting

·       JJG Freeway

o   Set Jan 8 (AM) will generally be good, but will have had some drifting

·       Orange

o   Not set after Jan 7-8 snowfall

Trail Update as of Jan 6, 2022 @ 17h00

·       Weather forecast has 10 cm of snow Friday night ending Saturday morning.

·       Golf course:

o   Refurbished classic track on south side and north side of 211

o   Skate track has 3-5 cm of loose snow on top of good base. It will be packed either Jan 7 and again Jan 8 or perhaps only after snow, since it is a bit cold for skating

o   Pump-house hill has a single (i.e. 48”) pass downhill onto and across Pinawa Channel. Flood water has resulted in uneven ice at bottom of hill – use extreme caution.

o   Single pass from Red across channel leading up “the Wall”.

·       Red

o   Classic refurbished Jan 5 (night) including

• 5 km loop

• 7 km loop (double tracked to hill)

• Skiers only sign moved to intersection of TCT walking trail and red extension

• Derek Martin loop track set – first pass of the year, so softer base.

o   Skate track packed lightly with 5’ pan. Ok for skating

·       Blue / ER

o   Graded Jan 6 at 16h00 to fill bigger holes and dips. A track was set simultaneously, but since the light track-setter was used as a “B train”, the track is quite squiggly in places and off to one side. Makes for less than ideal skiing, but this will be rectified with a better track to be set following Friday’s snow. Also removed some remaining deadfall from trail base.

·       Orange

o   No change – has had single pass with track. No grading yet

·       Freeway

o   No change – has had single pass with track. No grading yet

Trail Update as of Jan 5, 2022 @ 20:30

Red trail

Classic track: graded and set

Skate track: light packing. Snowmobile track evident periodically over course, but can be skated. Plan to grade after Saturday’s forecast snow.

Golf course blown in and will be set Jan 6 or 7.

blue / English river will be graded and set after golf course

Trail Update as of Jan 3, 2022 @ 15:00

·       Golf course

o   Refurbished skate track (Jan 2, PM)

o   Refurbished classic track (Jan 3, AM)

• Note red directional markers to help direct traffic and guide skiers rom “freelancing”

o   Racers and pacers 

• Refurbished skate (Jan 2, AM)

• Refurbished classic (Jan 3)

·       Note start area under flagging at trail sign

o   Pump house hill and “The Wall” are packed by snowmobile,

o   Do not cross Pinawa channel – slush on trail and we’ve shovelled to prevent it from freezing into ice ruts.

·       Red Trail

o   Refurbished Skate track (Jan 2, AM)

o   Classic  - no change –

• Needs renovating after next decent snow

o   Red extension – between 5 km cut-off and Derek martin Loop – was double tracked, but now walkers have obliterated the track

o   Derek martin loop – only partially packed (from North side to beaver pond only)

·       Blue / English River

o   No change

• Track set on first packing, some exposed rock and rough base – but still skiable

·       Freeway

o   No change

• Track set on first packing – exposed rock, and rough base; some saplings in trail bed

·       Orange

o   First packing Jan 3 (PM)

• Track set on first packing – exposed rock, and rough base; some saplings in trail bed

• Lots of downfall, so woody debris on trail base

• Avoid skiing down the big / complex down hills – especially:

·       3 km hill (snowmobile track as a base on hill and by-pass) take by-pass or sidestep down hill

·       After 3 km hill (very steep straight away to a wetland)

o   Ice at bottom of hill – sidestep down hill

·       7km hill (snowmobile track as a base on hill) take by-pass or sidestep down hill

·       7.5 km hill (leading to black spruce stand) – ambiguous track – descend slowly or side step downhill

• Much of trail is good, but this course is rated difficult for a reason. Do not ski this trail if it is:

·       Your first time skiing

·       Your first time on it (wait until the trail condition improve)

·       You are planning to ski in the dark or by relying on headlights

Trail Update as of Dec. 28, 2021 @ 13:00

Red skate packed

NB: do not use east end of golf course. Bridges have flooded as a result of a water main break.

Trail update as of Dec 27, 2021 @ 17:30

Blue, English River and Freeway have had first packing with a preliminary track set.

It some places, quads and snowmobiles had gone previously and that left some issues. Also lots of blow down across trail. Not all was removed, but most. Other places, the snow is still remarkably thin on the ground while other places, the conditions are great. Overall – condition Fair. Some exposed rocks and squiggly tracks.

Upcoming:

·       There is 5-10 cms of snow forecast for Tuesday with high winds, so no work planned for Tuesday

·       Cold, but clear Wed – if we go out, likely the first effort will be on Red or Blue to get people skiing in the bush

Trail update as of Dec 26, 2021 @ 19:30

·       Golf course:

o   Classic – base graded and fair track laid down in anticipation of snow in forecast – condition

o   Skate – graded – condition good – exercise some caution on racers and pacers downhill – still some exposed rock

·       Red

o   Classic

• Graded and set new classic on left side of trail bed

• 7km extension – double tracked for much of the trail until 7 km hill – then single track

• 5 km cut off – classic in good shape after having been skied in – no work done to this portion of trail

o   Skate

•  Graded middle and right side of trail base (see photos). This required removing existing classic.

o   General

•  Some evidence of walkers, but not too bad.

• Note new signs for TCT referring to winter use as ski (classic and skate) only

Trail Update as of Dec 23, 2021 @ 19:00

Golf course:

·       classic re-set  - conditions fair to good

o   watch for new downhill route immediately after the uphill near Willis / 211 intersection. This route is probably a bit faster than the previous route, but the lack of snow on that downhill portion made the corner difficult. This new route may have a soft base.

·       Skate track – packed with Pan – conditions fair to good.

o   The effort was to compress the small snowfall onto the base which has eroded over the past week. Using this gear means that some of the grooves from skating this week are not completely filled. Use caution and pay attention for some embedded ruts when skating.

·       Red trail – being monitored.

o   It still has a skiable classic track. Intention is to build skate track and new classic starting Dec 27, pending conditions.

o   Ski club will be posting no walking signs from TCT – thank you to LGD for arranging the production of these signs.

·       Blue trail – being monitored – no formal track yet. Work will begin week of Dec 27, conditions pending.

Trail Update as of Dec 11, 2021 @ 12h00

Golf course (north side and racers and pacers) : skate track refreshed. Base still generally thin. Some Exposed rock grass. Overall Condition good.

Classic track : blown in a several places but is being skied in. Condition fair to good.

No updates for other trails.

Trail Update as of Dec 4, 2021 @ 15h00

Golf course:

New classic track north and south sides of 211.

Link at end of 211 thin base but can be skied.

Skate track both sides of highway. Some light drifting on skate track makes for periodic interruptions to stride. Enough drift to be noticeable but too little to work. Skate track has 5 cm ridges from groomer in places that affect stride. These are scheduled to be shaved off when conditions allow. Some walkers on trail.

Racers and pacers hill skiable (stay on left side of hill) thin base with some exposed rock, but can be skied with caution.

Red trail. Two classic tracks on 5 km. Recent ATV traffic track on left side and some walking traffic. Return side better than outbound. Red extension has a classic track where possible, but ATV traffic has limited track setting options. Red trail  open for classic skiing. Be aware of exposed rocks.

All other trails not yet set for skiing.

Trail Update as of Nov 27, 2021 @ noon

Golf course update:

New skate and classic set on golf course south side. Please allow it to set up today. First use should not be until Nov 28. Use caution on hill… exposed rocks.

Second grading on golf course north side. Considerable shovelling to add snow to exposed gravel and bedrock. Base remains mostly thin and generally hard. Warm forecast today, so please limit ski activity during the warm part of the day.

Jackrabbit area graded. Suitable for practice.

No changes to other trails

Trail Update as of Nov 22, 2021 @ 19:00

·       Golf course

o   skate track

-has had first grading – suitable for skating

-note – thin base in areas and some gravel and / or bedrock exists underfoot. Overall condition – fair.

o   Classic track – good in some places – absent in others – snow drift in other areas –this track is scheduled from a refresh evening of Nov 23

o   Bunny rabbit / Jack rabbit  / adult ski lesson area – (east of substation) – first packing only.

o   South side - Currently no tracks set on golf course - south side. Plan for this area week of Nov 29

·       All other trails – no change

·       Other notes:

o   Parking

-211 - Please note changes at end of 211. New barricades & flagging to denote parking; ski trails and snowmobile trails. Park on north side of lot.

-Hydro sub-station – construction in this area persists. Ski club has currently been given no formal direction on use of this area, but recognise there is construction on-going during business hours.

-Ski club recommendation is to use end of 211 as trailhead

Trail Update Nov 20, 2021@ 10:30

Preliminary classic track on golf course. Some exposed bedrock and gravel from cart paths.

Red trail  - New ORV tracks which affect the base layer somewhat. A scratch classic is on red trying to remove that look, but is really little more than a signal. Trails remains passable and open water is mostly frozen. Base hard, thin and undulating.

Trail Update Nov 18, 2021 @ 13:00

Red trail has had second packing and first pass with pan. Basic skate track in place. Some skating has occurred. No classic track, but classic skiing has occurred. Some rock remains exposed. Some open water on red return near start of orange.

Be aware hunting season lasts about another month and hunters are out now.

Trail update Nov 14, 2021 @ 10:30

Golf course. The ground is not frozen so we are not doing any work on the golf course until we get a bit more snow. Please refrain from skiing on the golf course and especially on greens and tee boxes. Going forward, as soon as we lay our formal trails on the golf course we remind all skiers to stay on those trails. It helps prevent confusion to other skiers (especially visiting ones) and helps us maintain our key relationship with the golf club. Please note, that the golf course has asked us to move our start location from where it has been used historically right outside the Pinawa Club. Please look for a new start to the south side trails.

End of PTH 211 has been flagged for the loppet course and for general golf course trail use. Alterations to this area under LGD management looks a little different than historically. Overall, ski trails through here are improved as a consequence. Look for parking requirements (north side of parking lot) to avoid snowmobile route.

Red trail (5) has had a first pass double wide packing done. There is still some open water / slush from the recent storm, and the snow is fairly wet, though it is drying up. This initial packing means that anyone willing to use rock skies can probably get around quite well after a few hours of it setting up. The weather forecast has some rain and snow, but we’re hoping this packing will keep the base through the rain and allow accumulation of the forecast snow to be used for an early track and continued base development.

Blue Trail (outbound) has had a first pass pack to about T3 (about 0.5 Km out). The beaver pond just beyond this point is still open and consider this a 1 way nice, but short ski. Blue return has had walking and one classic pass, but it is essentially not open for skiing.

All other trails are not open for skiing.

Hydro substation work will continue for another week or so. After upgrades to the substation are complete, we expect the parking lot area to be improved as well as access to golf course jackrabbit area.

We will update this information as quickly as possible, but remind all skiers that conditions can change rapidly and it remains your obligation to understand what conditions you will be facing and to inform someone else where you are going.

2020/21 Season: