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From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.

Tag: Forêt Montmorency

November Skiing in Canada: Where The (Skiable) White Stuff Is

(From left to right) Bob Thompson (NTDC Thunder Bay) chases Lenny Valjas (Canadian World Cup A-Team), Graeme Killick (AWCA/NST B-team), and Knute Johnsgaard (AWCA/NST U25 Team) at the start of a classic sprint heat at 2016 Frozen Thunder in Canmore, Alberta, on Nov. 1. (Photo: Jenn Jackson)

As promised, the Canadian version of “Where the (Skiable) White Stuff Is” (a.k.a. November skiing) is here, minus the bit about where to ski at Thanksgiving. Canada doesn’t usually have much snow at Thanksgiving, mostly because Canadian Thanksgiving is in early October. But by the time U.S. Thanksgiving rolls around in late November, there is an abundance of reliable snow to choose from in Canada.

In addition to major camps and well publicized early season track setting, there are a lot of places in Canada where people quietly start skiing when there is snow. Whitehorse in the Yukon is one of those places where “early” doesn’t have the same meaning as it does in the south. No one will advertise October skiing at Barkerville, British Columbia, but the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club in Prince George can tell you about it. FasterSkier’s West-Coast based Canadian contributor was on snow Oct. 8 this year.

All of the western venues mentioned here were affected by the same weather pattern than forced the cancellation of the Bozeman SuperTour. A heatwave rolled in on Nov. 3, starting with a very warm classic sprint in Canmore, Alberta, and ending in spectacular flooding near Whistler, B.C. It has been a better start in the east.

This article will focus on reliable set track and camps open to the public in November — in Canada (for the U.S. version, click here). If your favourite early season spot isn’t featured, you are in good company. Let us know in the comments below.

And if you are visiting Canada, remember that the U.S. dollar is worth $1.35 up here.

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CAMPS

XC SuperCamp

Where: Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre and Silver Star Mountain Resort, Vernon, B.C.

A trailside photo from 2015 SuperCamp at Sovereign Lake/Silver Star (Courtesy photo)

SuperCamp has evolved over 30 years, but its always been held on natural snow and it’s always run camps in November. Four of this season’s seven camps are in November, and biathlon options were offered this month as well.

“SuperCamp is a very comprehensive nordic experience,” Shane Landreville, SuperCamp coordinator, wrote in an email. “Trail passes are included, as are lunches, off snow programs, wax sessions, massages, and ski demos.”

Ski-in/ski-out accomodation and restaurants are available at Silver Star. Vernon, a 20-minute drive and 1,200 metres lower in elevation, offers a wide range of food and lodging alternatives. Some of the November camps sold out in mid-October when registration opened.

Glenn Bond XC Ski Camps

Where: Labrador City, Newfoundland

The 2016 Glenn Bond XC Ski Camp at Menihek Nordic on Nov. 3. (Courtesy photo)

The four-year old Glenn Bond XC Ski Camp program travelled to Menihek Nordic in Labrador City, Newfoundland, for a November camp on natural snow.

“[This camp] was November 3-6 with 70-80 cms of snow and big smiles,” Bond wrote. “Menihek Nordic wins the prize for best early season xc ski conditions this year hands down.”

(Longtime SuperCamp attendees remember Bond from his time with that program.)

NATURAL SNOW

Menihek Nordic

Where: Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador

Fifty centimetres (roughly 20 inches) of natural snow at Menihek Nordic in Labrador City on Oct. 23, 2016. (Photo: Menihek Nordic)

Mention ‘Lab City’ to a national team member from the 1980s and you will see the good memories scrolling behind the smile. In the glory days of Pierre Harvey, the national team would kick off its season at Menihek before moving on to Silver Star for an early season elevation camp. After that national team stopped visiting the venue in 1988, it quietly dropped off the radar, to the point that FasterSkier missed this October skiing opportunity in last year’s guide.

Labrador City is not visited by many tourists. It’s at least a 13-hour drive from Quebec City, which is the nearest major population centre. But there are some big-name skiers that have visited, including Sweden’s Gunde Svan, Americans Bill Koch and Tim Caldwell, Norway’s Anette Bøe, and the Firth sisters from Canada’s Northwest Territories. Menihek Nordic hosted the 1983 World Cup Final, the 1985 World Cup opener and was a national training centre from 1981 to 1988. Mining communities are often multicultural: the World Cup hosts were able to find local translators for 20 languages from a population of less than 10,000. Koch designed some of the trails in 1981.

What makes this venue unique, other than reliable October-to-May skiing?

“Labrador is unique in that it is nearly the last frontier,” Menihek Nordic Ski Club President Gerry Rideout explained. “There is a certain magic about Labrador, it gets in your blood.”

This season, Menihek opened on Oct. 23, held four camps in November, had the full 34 k system set on Nov. 3, and plans to stay open to the first week of May (as usual).

Sovereign Lake/Silver Star

There were lots of smiles during U.S. Thanksgiving at Sovereign Lake. Methow Valley Nordic coach Laura McCabe (a two-time Olympian) led 30 kids over the top from Silver Star and FasterSkier caught them on the way back. Locals know to start at Sovereign and stop for a croissant in Silver Star village to fuel the second half of the ski. (Photo: Gerry Furseth)

This destination is actually two ski areas. The Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre (also Sovereign Lake Nordic Club) has been operating since the 1930s under a variety of names, while Silver Star Mountain Resort is more recent, opening as an alpine-skiing area in 1958. The two organizations have 105 kilometers of interconnected nordic trails and a surprisingly good relationship between the commercial resort and the volunteer-based club (which is one of the largest cross-country ski clubs in B.C.). Silver Star hosted a World Cup in 1991, Sovereign Lake in 2005.

Daily track setting runs from November to early April, with the full 105 k usually available from late November to mid-March. Sovereign Lake reopens in May for team camps and diehard skiers.

This season, both sides opened 10 days late on Nov. 20, with 57 k set by Nov. 25.

“We are still well below our average snow pack for this time of year, but are optimizing our small machine grooming to create great tracks and corduroy,” Sovereign Lake manager Troy Hudson wrote in an email on Nov. 24.

There were at least eight private camps in November, ranging from a master’s women’s group to biathletes to a combined U.S. club camp with the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, Methow Valley Nordic and Momentum Northwest from Oregon and Washington.

MANMADE & STORED SNOW

Frozen Thunder

Where: Canmore Nordic Centre in Canmore, Alberta

Canmore is perhaps the best known of Canada’s nordic venues. Between the 1998 Olympics, reoccurring World Cups and last season’s final stages of the Ski Tour Canada, it is famous beyond the skiing world. Each October, Frozen Thunder opens a small loop with a combination of stored snow and manmade snow.

This year, Frozen Thunder opened on Oct. 22 with a 1.7 k loop. The regular season began on Nov. 19 and is scheduled to run to April 30. So far, Canmore has hosted seven days of cross-country ski races and three biathlon races in November. All the camps were private, with the Ukraine biathlon team traveling the farthest to Canmore.

Boreal Glide (Glisse Boréale)

Where: Forêt Montmorency, owned by the Université Laval, in Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Quebec

Skibec skiers on the Boreal Glide at Forêt Montmorency north of Quebec City. (Photo: La Forêt)

Located 45 minutes north of Quebec City and belonging to Laval University, the ‘Boreal Glide‘ is an early season favourite in Quebec. Set in the largest teaching and research forest in the world (at 412 square kilometers), La Forêt Montmorency has 2.5 k of early season trail using stored snow and a larger system that depends on natural snow. As of Nov. 20, it had 20-24 inches of packed snowed and track groomed for both skating and classic.

“If I had to invest my money in one single cross-country skiing area in North America, I would honestly choose the Forêt Montmorency,” La Forêt’s Director of Operations Hugues Sansregret wrote in an email. “The fact that it sits on top of the Laurentian mountains is the best guarantee for early skiing.”

Boreal Glide opened on Oct. 28 without any official camps or events — just skiing. Can’t argue with that.

Callaghan Gold

Where: Whistler Olympic Park, Callaghan Valley, B.C.

Callaghan Gold on Nov. 7, 2016, at Whistler Olympic Park in Callaghan Valley, B.C. New this year, the loop includes the biathlon range. (Courtesy photo)

Canada’s other Winter Olympic venue has created Callaghan Gold, an early season loop of stored snow. The regular season opens on Nov. 24 (U.S. Thanksgiving) and ends in early April. Located in a cool valley surrounded by rainforest, this venue has been known for lots of snow in non-Olympic years. Weather has been a challenge in the fall of 2016, eased by two last-minute storms that expanded the stored snow loop to 21 k during the opening weekend.

In the project’s four-year history, Callaghan Gold has met some challenges. In its experimental year, the stored snow came out ‘gold’, coloured by the sawdust insulation. In 2014, the storage methods were improved and an 800-metre loop of lovely, white snow greeted skiers on opening day. In 2015, record-setting warm weather melted all the snow in March, leaving nothing to store. In 2016, Callaghan Gold opened on Oct. 29 with 600 metres of trail, expanding to 1.4 k on Nov. 4.

“The warm temps and significant rainfall of November took its toll on the Callaghan gold trail depth but we feel it held up well considering,” managing director Tim Hope wrote in an email.

Nakkertok Nordic

Where: Gatineau, Quebec

Nakkertok snowmaking in action for the first time in November, 2016. (Courtesy photo)

With two sets of ski trails just outside Ottawa and Gatineau, Nakkertok is the newest addition to reliable November snow. This month, one of the country’s largest ski clubs recently turned on its brand-new snowmaking equipment (which was largely funded by from its Project Play grand prize) and opened for skiing on Nov. 25.

According to Nakkertok Head Coach Kieran Jones, the club turned on five snow guns for the first time on Nov. 20 and was excited to test its new system and equipment. That night, the trails received an additional 15 to 20 centimeters of natural snow.

“Winter has definitely come to Ottawa-Gatineau, which is awesome!” Jones wrote. “Our initial goal was to create an 800m loop that covered our stadium, and extended out both ends. At that point we could then begin to push snow further to create 1 km of skiable terrain with a couple of quality climbs as well.”

He hoped they would have 1 k open for skiing by the end of last week.

“For now, the focus is on making sure we can have skate grooming,” Jones added. “Classic tracks will depend on the depth of snow that we’re able to produce. Nakkertok isn’t officially open to the public for day usage of the loop yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as it is!”

The Nakkertok Early Season Ski Loop (NESSL) is an important step for the region.

“It is great for the club, other clubs in the region and should allow a quality early season race site in the East,” Nakkertok fundraising mastermind Toni Scheier wrote in an email. “It will also ensure snow for the Easterns where clubs from across the country attend, (700 plus competitors) and for our Nationals bid, likely 2019.”

— François Léger Dionne contributed reporting

November 29, 2016
Thanksgiving Camp Guide: Where To Go in the U.S. and Canada
Sun stretches over the hills during a cross-country lesson at Crested Butte in Colorado. The nordic center there is hosting its annual Crested Butte Nordic Thanksgiving Camp from Thursday to Sunday. (Photo: Xavier Fane)

We’ve been hearing about West Yellowstone since, well, the U.S. Ski Team officially started its annual Fall Camp there in 1978. But surely, Montana’s southern tip can’t be the only place to get on snow this time of year…

That’s why we provided a guide to Thanksgiving on-snow camp venues in the U.S. and Canada (we realize this week isn’t Thanksgiving in Canada, but we’re sticking to areas that offer skiing around this week in late November for all intents and purposes). If we’re missing an early season camp, we apologize — it’s a big continent — but let us know so we can feature that camp in next year’s guide.

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What: Yellowstone Ski Festival

Where: West Yellowstone, Montana

Each year, the Rendezvous Ski Trails see hundreds of skiers each day during the Yellowstone Ski Festival on Thanksgiving week in West Yellowstone, Mont.

Website: http://www.skirunbikemt.com/yellowstone-ski-festival.html

When: Tuesday, Nov. 24, to Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015

How many years running? 20+

Target audience: Masters and beginners (clinics available for both), as well as elite racers

Endurance United team members get ready for a day of skiing during a morning run in West Yellowstone, Mont., at this year’s 2015 Yellowstone Ski Festival. (Photo: Gabby Naranja)

Anticipated participation: An estimated 4,000-5,000 skiers throughout the week. “It varies from year to year depending on the snow conditions and the snow level,” West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation Program Director Moira Dow explained. “Because we’ve gotten snow early this year and good snow, we have been able to get the word out. Like right now the trails are packed. We will probably have a lot of people coming for longer periods of time.”

Advance reservation required? Racers must preregister. Trails are open to public; trail pass required.

Trail pass rates: $12/day, $55/month, kids 10 & under 1/2 price

Grooming report: Essentially everything is open. “It’s full-coverage skiing on good skis with full tracks,” Dow said. More details | Webcam

Green Mountain Valley School nordic skiers meet up during a ski on the Rendezvous Ski Trails this week in West Yellowstone, Mont. (Photo: Gabby Naranja)

What makes this camp unique? “The number of trails and the quality of snow that we have. We’re one of the few places in the country that does have consistent, early, good snow. In addition to that, we have a lot of industry participation. And we have great evening programs for people. We have not just skiing, we have the full package for everybody and anyone, from the beginner skier who wants to get out on the snow for the first time, to the SuperTour elite athlete who can train at high altitude, and good snow in the early part of the season.”

Special events:
- U.S. Ski Team Development Coach Bryan Fish and the former vice president of Fischer Skis U.S. nordic division, Peter Ashley, will be featured speakers
- Freebies: “Everything at the indoor expo at night is free. Anybody who has a trail pass can get into the outdoor demo area for free. In addition, on Wednesday and Friday night we have ‘après-ski’… [with] complimentary adult beverages and junior beverages, sledding, some music, and fun stuff like that. Just a little bit more of a party atmosphere after the sun goes down and before the expo opens.”
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What: Crested Butte Nordic Thanksgiving Camp

Where: Crested Butte, Colorado

The Crested Butte Nordic Thanksgiving Camp, now in its 14th year, is a fundraiser for Crested Butte Nordic, a nonprofit dedicated to getting people on the local trails. (Photo: Xavier Fane)

Website: http://cbnordic.org/thanksgivingnordicskicamp/

When: Thursday, Nov. 26, to Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015

Skiing at Crested Butte Nordic in Colorado. (Photo: Xavier Fane)

How many years running? 14 as an official organized camp: “Crested Butte has really good and reliable early season snow so the Nordic Center decided we should try to get folks to come here and get some instruction from our great instructors,” said Drew Holbrook, marketing director for Crested Butte Nordic and the Grand Traverse ski race. “We also have a wonderful venue for early season nordic skiing and we’ve been fortunate enough to have been on-snow every year.”

Target audience: All ages and abilities, “from never-evers to master blasters looking to improve their technique,” Holbrook said. “If parents are skiing along with children, kids ski free. All kids 17 and younger get free passes and rentals. And, actually, all season long we do that — people 17 and younger ski free. At the Thanksgiving Camp we also do free kids clinics. So if a parent is taking a clinic, then they can have their kids taken care of all day.

Anticipated participation: Several hundred skiers on the trails throughout the long weekend. For clinics, projecting 75-80 participants.

Advance reservation required? Pre-registration recommended for clinics. Nordic Center trail passes available any time. Skiing at Lily Lake, a 10 k early season trail system four miles up Kebler Pass Road, is free.

Trail pass rates: $18/day, skiers 17 & younger ski free. $130 for a 10-punch transferable pass.

Grooming report: With about a foot of snow at the venue in town, “it’s looking like in-town skiing for the camp,” Holbrook said. As of Tuesday, Ruthie’s Run (5-kilometer loop at the nordic center and up on the bench) and Lily Lake (six miles west of town up on the pass) were groomed. “We’ll have over 10 kilometers of high quality skiing available,” Holbrook added. More details

Here’s a deal: Kids 17 and under enjoy free rentals, passes and clinics at the Crested Butte Nordic Thanksgiving Camp. (Photo: Xavier Fane)

What makes this camp unique? “As a non-profit, our mission is to get people out on the trails skiing. We are not making a ton of money off it,” Holbrook said.

“We just want people to come here and use our trails and make it affordable. A lot of people come back year after year and work with the same instructor. They get to know each other and get to know the other people that come into camp. So it’s definitely got this small feel to it, it’s kind of personalized.”

Special events:
- For the first time, a race (on Sunday): 5/10 k freestyle + kids’ race with new homologated course on Ruthie’s Run. “It’s engineered, seeded, and mowed,” Holbrook said. “Due to the engineering, we are able to groom the race course with a lot less snow than we used to need. That enables us to count on having this race and count on have a good race venue close to town.”
- Winter Kick-Off Party (Saturday night): Fundraiser for Crested Butte Nordic, tickets $30/adult,$10/children.
- Wax clinic, nutritional talk and Nov. 25 is opening day at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, with free skiing all day.
***

What: CXC Thanksgiving Nordic Festival

Where: Telemark Trails in Cable, Wisconsin

After three nights of blowing snow, CXC Thanksgiving Nordic Festival organizers were ready to groom the Telemark Trails in Cable, Wis., on Nov. 22. (Photo: Facebook)

Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/446146035558219/

When: Wednesday, Nov. 25, to Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015

How many years running? First year. “Our goal for the festival is to show the template to other communities, what it takes to make snow … to provide a business and operations template to other places around the Midwest so they can do these festivals in late November and then have a reliable loop for the winter,” CXC Executive and Athletic Director Yuriy Gusev explained.

A 1 k loop was made and groomed for the first-annual CXC Thanksgiving Nordic Festival in Cable, Wis. (Photo: Facebook)

Target audience: All skiers; open to the public

Anticipated participation: Based on the camp’s Facebook page, at least 75 plan on attending, and Gusev estimated that paired with a local turnout would amount to 200-300 skiers. “We don’t want to make it a big deal … just to show the community this is an opportunity to ski,” he said.

Advance reservation required? Yes, for clinics (instructed by Gusev on Friday, Saturday and Sunday).Trails open to public.

Trail pass rates: $50 season passes, good for the festival and the whole winter. Trail passes can be purchased at www.cxcskiing.org/skipass, Telemark condominium office and Cable Area Chamber of Commerce Office.

Grooming report: Skiing on a 1 k loop at Telemark started on Sunday: “Usually there’s no natural snow this time of year, so our plan was to make snow,” Gusev said. “It just didn’t get cold like it normally does.” Once temperatures finally cooled late last week, the snowmaking crew was able to work on blowing and laying out a 1-kilometer manmade loop, some of which will be used for the 2016 Junior Nationals sprint course. More details

What makes this camp unique? “Anytime you have early snow, you stand out. I think it can be a key component to have this … to provide a reliable base for the rest of the winter, especially for youth programs where the snow is critical and also for entry-level participants. We’ve seen already with the couple snowmaking areas in the Twin Cities how much impact these have on the ski industry and local ski shops. They’ve been able to actually do relatively well in snowless winters.”

Special events: Fischer Demo

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What: Snow Mountain Ranch Nordic Ski Camp

Where: Granby, Colorado

A November day at Snow Mountain Ranch, which opened for skiing earlier this month and remains open with 50 k groomed with a set track. (Courtesy photo)

Website: http://snowmountainranch.org/event/nordic-ski-camp/

When: Friday, Nov. 20, to Tuesday, Nov. 24

How many years running? First time in recent years

Target audience: Beginner skiers to seasoned racers

Advance reservation required? Yes.

November skiing at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colo. For the first time this year, a five-day camp was held for masters. It ended on Tuesday. (Courtesy photo)

Participation: Capped at 24. “Smaller is better from both a coaching and athlete viewpoint,” Snow Mountain Ranch’s Nordic Center Director Bill Pierce explained. In its first year with little marketing, the five-day camp attracted four athletes.

“It was really small, but it was great,” Pierce said. “It’s so early that people don’t expect there to be snow [when] it’s 60 degrees in Boulder. … We just want to put another option out there; a lot of skiers want to be on snow in early November and Denver is really easy to get to.”

Trail pass rates: $350 for the camp, includes all coaching sessions and day passes

Grooming report: 50 kilometers groomed and track-set. Snow Mountain Ranch started grooming Nov. 4 and opened for skiing on the 14th. According to Pierce, they have anywhere from a 4-5 inch base to 10 inches in some places. It was snowing there on Thanksgiving, with four inches of snow expected to fall today. More info | Webcam

What makes this camp unique? “This is the earliest masters camp in North America on-snow as a pre-Thanksgiving camp,” Pierce explained.

The idea was to run a masters camp similar to an elite or junior camp, with two-a-day sessions combining workouts and technique — all at 9,000 feet above sea level. The focus was on transitioning from dryland training to snow skiing, with an emphasis on technique and slow volume at high altitude.

With a small but mighty coaching staff (two of which are USSA certified), Pierce said the ability to work with athletes helps them set, understand and achieve skiing goals.

“We all speak the same language,” he said of the coaches. “You can go to a lot of places, and a lot of places you feel like you’re getting a lesson. There’s a difference between a lesson and coaching.”

“[This camp is] just another opportunity in the country to go skiing all day,” he added.

Special events:
- Equipment and waxing presentations
- Technique work and video sessions
- Upcoming nordic events at Snow Mountain Ranch
***

What: Sovereign Lake XC SuperCamp

Where: Vernon, British Columbia

A Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre board member checks out the trails on Nov. 21. (Photo: Gerry Furseth)

Website: http://xcsupercamp.com

When: 2 1/2-day weekend and 5-day midweek camps (schedule):

A gaggle of skiers at a junior camp head out on the trails at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre on Nov. 14 in Vernon, British Columbia. Roughly 800 skiers took to the trails that day. Each winter, Sovereign Lake hosts a series of weekend and weekday camps, called SuperCamp. (Photo: Gerry Furseth)
- Camp #1: Nov. 20-22
- Camp #2: Nov. 23-27
- Camp #3: Nov. 27-29 (with Pro-camp option)
- Camp #4: Nov. 30-Dec. 4
- Camp #5: Dec. 4-6
- Camp #6: Jan. 15-17
- Camp #7: Feb. 19-21
How many years running? 26 (The SuperCamp program started in 1989)

Target audience: All ages and skill levels from beginner to elite racer.

Advance reservation required? Yes.

Anticipated participation: Typically around 225 to 250 participants, hoping for 260 this year.
“In its heyday in the early ’90s [SuperCamp attracted] upwards of 400,” Sovereign Lake Nordic Center General Manager Troy Hudson explained. “We want to get back to those numbers by offering some great new initiatives like focussed Masters Pro camps for racers and more options such as the biathlon camps which are proving to be very popular.”

Trail pass rates: Dual area trail passes included in camp fee, ranges from $339 to $925 Canadian dollars per person (depending on length of camp, and half or full days). Pricing

VR40 blue-wax skiing on Nov. 16 at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre in Vernon, B.C. (Photo: Ryan Olson)

Grooming report: Sovereign Lake has 40 kilometers groomed and Silver Star has an additional 40 k open. More details (and webcam)

What makes this camp unique? “I’m often asked, what is Supercamp?” SuperCamp coordinator Shane Landreville wrote in an e-newsletter. “That’s a great question and because Supercamp offers so much more than a traditional ski lesson, it’s a difficult concept to explain and it’s difficult for people to wrap their heads around it. Quite simply, Supercamp is a Nordic experience.”

SuperCamp attracts top-level coaches, as many come from across Canada to get early snow before they start their season at home. Each camp includes lectures and lessons on waxing, how to build a training plan, and sports nutrition, as well as access to the national altitude training centre gym, and best of all, 105 kilometers of trails between Sovereign Lake and Silver Star — many of which are used for World Cup, NorAm, and World Master events.

With half- and full-day options, the camp is at an altitude of 1,600 metres (5,250 feet). Many of the accommodation options are on the nordic trails. You can ski or walk to restaurants and bars in the evening.

Biathlon camps are either five days long or a single afternoon, and a new Pro camp is more racing focused.

The Silver Star alpine area opened earlier this week, as did the separate Fat Bike trail system.

Special events:
- Keynote speakers, a sports nutrition lecture, and wax clinics
- Stretching classes, body pre-activation sessions, and for 5-day campers, two 30-minute massages. “Skiing for a solid 2 days or 5 days is tough, it really is, so taking care of your bodies is important,” Landreville wrote. “For our 5 day camps, you can also take part in the excursion to the spa and pools at Sparkling Hill Resort.”
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Also: Canada’s Early Season XC Venues

What: Frozen Thunder

Where: Canmore, Alberta

Fresh snow at the Canmore Nordic Centre: A n Olympic Legacy Venue now a regular host of Canadian based World Cups. (Photo: Pavlina Sudrich)

(Photo: Pavlina Sudrich)

When: Oct. 23-Nov. 14, 2015

Website: http://www.albertaparks.ca/canmore-nordic-centre/activities-events/events/frozen-thunder-opening-day.aspx | http://www.canmorenordiccentre.ca

How many years running: 6

Open to: Public use after noon on weekdays and all day on weekends

How much snow: 900 meters expanded to 1.1 k of manmade trails initially; now complete cover/about 32 kilometers groomed. More info

Good to know: Each year, this venue hosts the first XC skiing and racing in Canada, with a sprint race, time trial and biathlon national-team trials this year.

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What: Boreal Glide (Glisse Boréale)

Where: Forêt Montmorency, owned by the Université Laval, in Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Quebec

(Courtesy photo)

(Courtesy photo)

(Courtesy photo)

Website: http://www.foretmontmorency.ca/en/activities/winter-activities/cross-country-skiing/

How much snow: Boreal Glide, a 2.5 k manmade loop, is open for both freestyle and classic. Course map | Weather

Good to know:
- According to according to Julie Moffet, the regional operations coordinator at Forêt Montmorency, la Forêt is the only place in North America with cross-country skiing as early as Oct. 30 all the way to Easter in April.
- No races or special events are scheduled, simply skiing and snowshoeing for all.
- To reserve a room on the trails (with two single beds and a shared bathroom), with access to a cafeteria, two lounges with a fireplace, game room, auditorium, and wax room, visit http://www.foretmontmorency.ca/en/lodging/
November 26, 2015
First Tracks in the East: Forêt Weathers Rain for Earliest Opening Yet

Led by Camille Pepin, Laval University Rouge et Or skiers ascend a hill at La Foret Montmorency an hour drive north of Quebec City.

LA CÔTE-DE-BEAUPRÉ, Quebec – Pouring rain and 15 degrees Celsius may not sound good for a nordic skier, but since the opening of a 1.3-kilometre loop at the Montmorency Forest, better known as La Forêt Montmorency about an hour drive north of Quebec City, Nov. 1 was a happy day for skiers.

With manmade snow for the last decade, Laval University’s La Forêt in the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve has been well known for early season skiing by those living in eastern Canada and the U.S.. This year, however, university caretakers stepped up their game and stored a huge amount of snow last winter to be able to start this season on the date they wanted.

Several Skibec Nordique skiers, led by Jérémie Bonneau, get some on-snow time at La Foret Montmorency north of Quebec City on Nov. 1.

In Alberta, Canmore has Frozen Thunder. Now, Quebec finally has its own track, dubbed the “Boreal Glide.”

“Last December, we stocked 6,000 metres of snow and saved it under a thick coat of sawdust,” La Forêt’s outdoor activities coordinator Laurent St-Jacques explained last Friday. “Monday, we started to build the track and today [Nov. 1] we are opened, three weeks earlier than normal.”

As soon as the temperature drops, they will use snowmakers and expand the track, tapping into the rest of their snow-pile reserve as needed.

“If things go smoothly, we have four options of trails that will be connecting to the existing track and we planned to offer two-plus kilometres by the end of the month” St-Jacques said.

With expertise in snowmaking and preservation, and support by the cross-country community, it made the decision to expand the season easier. Forêt Montmorency is also favored by a microclimate that accounts for early snowfalls, which usually amounts to six meters of snow each winter.

“For us, it is mission accomplished,” St-Jacques said. “We have a few things to improve in the future, but overall it’s a great success. Now we can say we are open from Halloween ’til Easter!”

The Track

Upon firsthand inspection, the 1.3 k track, slightly longer than last year’s course, was challenging with a couple of hills, quick turns and good elevation some 900 metres above sea level.

La Forêt Montmorency’s 1.3-kilometre track, which Laval University caretakers extended by about 100 metres from last year and opened a few weeks earlier than usual on Nov. 1.

For November in Quebec, the conditions were good, mostly springlike – slushy and soft — but base was firm and the coverage was good. In some places, the snow was a bit dirty and the track had some bumps, but overall organizers did a great job preparing the track for athletes.

Approximately 30 skiers had made the trip to La Forêt for the opening morning, including the Laval University’s Rouge et Or team, Skibec Nordique as well as some biathletes, masters and recreational skiers. Although it was raining heavily, skiers kept coming as the day progressed, most staying on site in Laval’s dormitories and cabins, thus waving the $14.50 daily trail fee.

“I think they did a great job,” Rouge et Or rookie Camille Pepin said on Nov. 1. “We are lucky that they put the track together early because otherwise we didn’t when we would have been able to ski.”

“It’s super, a first in Eastern North America,” said Félix Bérubé-Larochelle of Quebec’s biathlon team. “It’s really fun that the track is opened on November 1st. I plan to come often in the upcoming weeks, that will be a good preparation for the races.”

The staff was proud of the track and made the opening day a happening one with music, hot chocolate and chicken broth for the skiers in a little shack alongside the track.

The next few weeks will be busy at Forêt Montmorency with teams coming from all over Quebec, Ontario, and New England for their annual trip to enjoy some quality time and training on snow.

Félix Bérubé-Larochelle of Quebec’s biathlon team leads skiers along the 1.3 k manmade loop at La Foret Montmorency north of Quebec City on Nov. 1.

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(En français)

LA CÔTE-DE-BEAUPRÉ, Quebec – Pluie torrentielle et 15 degrés Celsius un 1er novembre, ce n’est jamais une bonne nouvelle pour un skieur de fond, sauf cette année à la Forêt Montmorency. Située à 1heure au nord de Québec dans la réserve faunique des Laurentides, la Forêt ouvrait sa boucle de ski de fond de 1,3km, de quoi rendre les skieurs plus qu’heureux malgré la météo difficile!

Reconnue depuis les dix dernières années pour sa production de neige artificielle, La Forêt était déjà l’endroit pour commencer tôt sa saison sur neige dans l’Est du Canada et des États-Unis. Cette année, ils sont allés plus loin en emmagasinant une énorme quantité de neige de la saison dernière sous une grosse couche de copeaux de bois de façon à être capable de débuter la saison à la date souhaitée et ne plus être dépendant d’une météo incertaine.

Depuis quelques années, Canmore en Alberta a son Frozen Thunder et maintenant Québec peut se vanter d’avoir sa propre boucle surnommée la Glisse Boréale.

“En décembre dernier, nous avons accumulé 6000 mètres de neige et nous l’avons entreposée en dessous d’une épaisse couche de copeaux. Nous avons commencé lundi à construire la piste et vendredi [1er novembre], nous étions prêts pour l’ouverture, environ trois semaines plus tôt qu’à l’habitude”, a expliqué sourire aux lèvres, Laurent St-Jacques, coordonnateur des activités récréotourisques à la Forêt Montmorency.

Dès que les températures baissent sous le point de congélation, les canons à neige s’activent. Ainsi, ils n’ont pas utilisé toute la neige en réserve de l’an passé pour s’assurer d’avoir de la neige sous la main et ainsi garder la piste en bonne condition et la plus blanche possible. “Nous avons quatre options pour agrandir le circuit principal existant. Logiquement, si tout va bien, à la fin du mois, nous devrions avoir plus de 2km à offrir”, a laissé entendre St-Jacques.

Avec leur expertise et le support de la communauté de ski de fond, c’était
une décision naturelle d’offrir cette opportunité de skier sur neige aussi tôt en saison. De plus, la Forêt Montmorency gérée par le département de foresterie de l’Université Laval peut compter sur un microclimat favorable avec des chutes de neige tôt en saison et un total d’environ 6 mètres de neige chaque hiver.

“Pour nous, c’est vraiment mission accomplie, bien sûr nous avons quelques petites choses à améliorer pour le futur, mais en général c’est un beau succès. Maintenant, nous pouvons dire que nous sommes ouverts de l’Halloween à Pâques!”, a dit St-Jacques.

La Boucle

La boucle, d’une longueur de 1,3km, comporte plusieurs montées et descentes, de même que quelques virages serrés et une dénivellation intéressante. Pour une première expérience du genre, les conditions de neige étaient bonnes, compte tenu de la température, les conditions ressemblaient à celles du printemps, néanmoins la base était solide et épaisse. À quelques endroits, la neige était un peu sale et la piste avait quelques bosses, mais en général, ils ont fait un excellent travail pour préparer la piste aux athlètes.

Dès l’ouverture, une trentaine de skieurs avaient fait le voyage à la Forêt incluant le Rouge et Or de l’Université Laval, Skibec Nordique de même que quelques biathlètes, maîtres et même un skieur récréatif. Malgré la pluie forte, les skieurs continuaient d’arriver plus la journée avançait.

“Je pense qu’ils ont fait une belle job, c’est vraiment beau. Une chance qu’ils ont fait ça, car on aurait peut-être pas skié avant un bout”, a commenté Camille Pepin, recrue du Rouge et Or.

“C’est super, c’est une première dans l’est de l’Amérique du Nord, c’est vraiment le fun que ça ouvre le 1er novembre. Je prévois venir souvent dans les prochaines semaines, ça va être une bonne préparation pour les courses”, a dit Félix Bérubé-Larochelle, membre de l’Équipe du Québec de biathlon.

Les employés de la Forêt Montmorency étaient fiers de leur boucle et avaient décidé de faire les choses en grand avec musique, chocolat chaud, bouillon de poulet offerts aux skieurs dans un petit chalet situé au milieu de la boucle.

Les prochaines semaines s’annoncent occupées à la Forêt avec des équipes venant du Québec, de l’Ontario et de la Nouvelle-Angleterre pour leur traditionnel camp sur neige de début de saison afin de profiter des conditions avantageuses et d’accumuler des heures de qualité sur neige avant le début des compétitions.

La piste est ouverte au public tous les jours et il en coûte 14,50$ par personne/jour pour skier et il y a aussi possibilité de réserver pour dormir sur place en appelant directement à la Forêt Montmorency.

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About Stéphanie Drolet:

A former competitive cyclist and cross-country skier on Canada’s National Junior Team, Stéphanie Drolet is a Canadian contributor at FasterSkier. She was a forerunner at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and competed at the 2008 World Junior Championships. A journalism student at Laval University in Quebec, Stéphanie still skis and rides for fun and to stay in shape. Don’t be surprised to find a few of her articles in French!

November 4, 2013