News
March 2010
Posted March 9, 2010
New Executive Director For WCCSC!
The Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club is pleased to announce an exciting new addition to our management team. Following a comprehensive hiring process, Claude Chabot has agreed to become the new Executive Director at the club, effective April 1, 2010 (until September 30, 2010).
As communicated to members last month, this part-time position has been created to relieve some of the pressures faced by our long-time Manager, Mike Gladish (and the excellent team he has assembled).
As Executive Director, Claude will focus on financial management, strategic planning and projects, and strategic communications. As Operations Manager, Mike will continue to administer all club operations, facilities and programs. Both positions will report to the President, Tom Ullyett.
This new Executive Director position is an interim step towards our overall goal of modernizing our business model at the club. As we have continued to grow over the past number of years, it has become clear that our current model is not sustainable. The board hopes that this change will help us in charting a new path for the future.
Club members are encouraged to contact any of the board representatives for more information or to discuss current and future restructuring changes and options.
For information about the Business and Governance Model Review and other Administrative information scroll down to the bottom of the home page.
Fast and Female 2010 Annual Ski Festival
The registration for the 2010 Fast and Female presented by Best Buy’s Annual Ski Festival 
on Monday, March 15, 2010 in Whitehorse, Yukon is now OPEN.
To register for this event, please visit: http://fastandfemale.imworks.biz/default.asp?lang=&mode=eventdetails&id=38
Founded in 2005 by Olympic Gold Medalist in Cross-Country Skiing, Chandra Crawford, Fast and Female presented by Best Buy delivers fun-filled initiatives for female youth between the ages of 9 to 19 years old. The 2010 Annual Ski Festival will be led by Chandra Crawford and her teammates, and is held in collaboration with the Whitehorse Cross-country Ski Club and Cross-Country Yukon. This event is held in conjunction with Cross-Country Skiing National Championships and will involve some of Canada’s elite athletes inspiring the future generation of skiers.
Registration deadline is March 11, 2010.
Posted March 1, 2010
Haywood Nationals Update
There is a volunteer reception on March 2 from 6:30 to 8:30 in the Grey Mountain Room at Mt Mac. Refreshments provided. The volunteer jackets will be given out then. Volunteers are enouraged to attend.
Natonals race days are: Sunday, March 14, Tuesday, March 16, Wednesday, March 17, Friday, March 19, Sunday, March 21.
Recreational skiers will be able to ski at all times during the event. There will be some restricted access to the Wax Room and the trails near the chalet. The trailhead at the Dog Parking area will always be open. Leashes must be used in the parking area to prevent dogs from running onto the race course which will be on Ketza Connector some days.
The Wax Room will be open daily, but access may be restricted on race days between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Wax Room will close at 9:00 p.m. on weekdays.
For more information and to register for Nationals races visit the website.
Posted March 1, 2010
Yukon Skier Competes at Para Nordics in Canmore
A good weekend of learning and racing for Ramesh Ferris who was the first ever Yukon skier to take part in the Para Nordic Nationals held this past weekend in Canmore, Alberta.
Ramesh has only starting sit-skiing in November and this past weekend was the first time he has ever raced. Participating in 2 races this weekend, he came first in Sunday’s 2.5 km distance in the development category. Ramesh was five minutes back from the overall winner, Russian Sergey Shilov, who will be heading to the Para-Olympics this month.
Having spent time with top para-nordic athletes and coaches, Ramesh is excited to start implementing the advice and tips they had to offer.
Ramesh believes “It's essential that Sport and Recreation is accessible for everyone, my participation at the Para-Nordic Nationals is a testament to this. Thank-you so much to Cross Country Yukon for giving me the opportunity.”
February 2010
Posted February 22, 2010
Ferris to Represent Yukon at National Para Nordic Championships
Ramesh Ferris has been chosen to represent the Yukon in the Para Nordic Nationals in Canmore, Alberta. He’ll be competing in two back to back 2.5 km sit-ski races on February 27 and 28 as a development athlete.
The National para-nordic championships will bring together the best para-nordic athletes in the country, along with elite athletes from Russia and the U.S. who will be using the races as a tune-up for the Vancouver Paralympic Games in March.
Hosted by the Canmore Nordic Club, the Para Nationals are expected to attract around 50 athletes.
Ferris, best known for his 7,100 km Cycle to Walk journey across Canada last summer, had never been on a sit-ski before November. The 28 year old is looking forward to working with other para nordic athletes and coaches and will use the competition as an opportunity to pick up tips to help his skiing.
This will be the first time ever that Cross Country Yukon has sent an athlete to the national para championships.
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Ski Club's Position Regarding the Official Community Plan
The ski club is delighted with the new draft Official Community Plan (OCP) released by the city of Whitehorse last week. There is a proposal for a new non-motorized city park/recreation area comprising most of our trail network (all but privately owned lands at the north and south ends). Intended to offer stronger long term protection for the Mt.McIntyre Recreation Area as well as McIntyre Creek, this proposal (#38, 39 and 40) is deserving of strong member support.
Also very positive is the city's tentative proposal (#2) to ask YG to place a moratorium on future mineral staking within city limits. WCCSC will urge the city to move forward with this proposal (ie: change "may" to "will").
One item that will need clarification is proposal #49 - to grant ATCO's request for aredesignation of its lands comprising the Pierre Harvey trails and a good chunk of the 10K to "Country Residential". Correspondingly, the ATCO land does not form part of the proposed Mt. McIntyre park/recreation area. Nor do Crown grant lands on the Copper Haul Road at the south end of our trail network. We are approaching ATCO now in a cooperative spirit with the goal of achieving a mutually beneficial outcome with respect to this land. Note that the 'WCCSC' does not object to the re-designation of Raven's Ridge Phase II land to "Country Residential". We have already re-routed our trails around that planned development.
Ski club members are encouraged to send in their comments on the new OCP proposals to the city by the March 8th deadline.
For more details go to Future of the Ski Trails page.
Posted February 19, 2010
Is it Chalet to Chalet or Hut to Hut?!
There are two events happening on Saturday, February 27. The Chalet to Chalet is a very informal 'Gather and Go' ski tour from Mt Mac to Mt Sima. More details below.
The Hut to Hut is a new event that will encourage a social ski to 2 or three of the club's huts. There will be a host group at each hut providing hot drinks and snacks. Skiers who visit two or three huts will receive a pizza voucher from Pizza Hut, our sponsor. Thanks to Pizza Hut and to our hosts: The Geezers, The Ski Club Executive, and the Steele-Masson families.
Register for the Hut to Hut between 10:00 a.m. and noon on February 27 and collect your stamp card. Ski between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., visiting each of the huts. The host group will stamp you card. Then drop off your crd at the Wax Room and receive your Pizza Hut voucher.
Cost $2 per person. For more info contact the Ski Base.
Now, the Chalet to Chalet event. Meet at the Wax Room at 10:30 a.m. on February 27 to plan the vehicle shuttle. Skiers will depart at 11:15 and will ski out Copper Trail to the Copper Haul Road. They will ski along the Haul Road to Mt Sima.
The Klondike Snowmobile Association has offered to groom the Haul Road between the Descent Trail and the Sima Road so it should be in good condition. There will be at least one ski patroller on the tour. Mt Sima is offering a discounted lunch for all Mt Mac skiers who to the Chalet to Chalet.
For more info contact Jeanne Burke.
Score "O" on Tuesday, February 23 at 5:00 p.m.
The ski club is hosting a Score 'O' event and pizza supper on Tuesday, February 23. Thanks to the Yukon Orienteering Association for their support. The event will start at 5:00 p.m. for squad skiers or 5:30 p.m. for others who can't make the earlier start.
Score O is an event that requires skiers to find as many control points as possible, with a one hour time limit. There are time penalties for going over the one hour limit.
Controls will be located within 3 kilometers of the Wax Room and will be shown on a map. The goal is to find the controls, punch the card and return to the Wax Room with as many punches as possible.
This event will overlap with some of the Manager's Challenge controls so make sure you know where you are on the map and identify the control according to the number on the control.
There will be pizza and juice following the event. Pizza will be sold by the slice.
Posted February 16, 2010
Greetings from Alain Masson, our Yukon Olympic Connection
Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying the nice weather in the Yukon. Here in Whistler, the weather has been a bit on the wet side in the last few days. We usually get a mix of variable conditions (wet snow-rain-cloudy) as the weather is changing very quickly each day.
The testing is going well for classic and we have been dealing mostly with klister in the last 3 days. The temperature is suppose to cool down in the next few days which should make things a bit more enjoyable for the athletes for the first races on Monday.
We are looking forward to the first races on Monday. Take care. Alain
Posted February 16, 2010
Northwestel Yukon Loppet Registration Deadline!
The registration deadline for the 27th running of the Northwestel Yukon Loppet is fast approaching. Registrations must be mailed or dropped off at The Ski Base by February 27 at 6:00 p.m.
This year's loppet will be a low-frills event due to the volunteer effort required for the Haywood Nationals. The event will be self timed and there will be no banquet. However, you can still expect the same high standard of grooming and an excellent post loppet lunch in the Grey Mountain Room.
For more details and registration form go to the loppet page.
Coast Mountain Wax and Wine
The next Coast Mountain Sports Wax and Wine is on Friday, March 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Grey Mountain Room at the Mt McIntyre Rec Centre. Gerard Frostad will be discussing how to wax for longer ski outings (such as the Northwestel Yukon Loppet which is on March 6)! Admission is free and all are welcome! For more information call 668-4477.
Posted February 1, 2010
Stadium Now Closed to Dogs Until March 21
Skiers with dogs who usually park at the Stadium Trailhead at the south end of the Canada Games Centre Parking Lot will not be able to take dogs through the stadium between February 1 and March 21.
The reasons for the closure are:
1. The Subway Ski S'Cool will be running every school day during February and the squad and Jackrabbit programs are running on weekends.
2. The Haywood 2010 Natonals ski races are scheduled from March 14, 2010 to March 21, 2010.
The ski club board would like to ensure that the chilren using the stadium are safe and they would like to ensure that the stadium is clean for these programs and events.
Posted February 1, 2010
Yukon Skiers Making Their Mark Worldwide
Dahria Beatty, competing in the World Junior Championships in Germany over the weekend, really showed the world that she is a force to be reckoned with as she sparked the four woman Canadian relay team to a strong finish.
Beatty skied the first leg of the four leg 10 km relay and held her own against the best in the world, staying with the lead pack for the bulk of the race and finishing in 8th position. The team slid back a bit after that, but still finished a strong 14th overall. To nobody’s surprise, Scandinavian teams swept the podium.
Meanwhile, half a world away at the Eastern Canadian Cross Country Championships in Cantley Quebec, Yukoners Graham Nishikawa and David Greer were cranking out the medals at a frantic pace.
On Saturday, competing in a 10 km free technique race, Nishikawa easily took the top step on the podium, winning in a time of 23:02. Not too far behind was David Greer, who picked up the bronze medal.
Sunday’s 30 km classic race was almost a repeat of the Saturday results, with one change. Nishikawa once again took the gold, but this time Greer was just a step or two behind and took the silver medal.
Not to be outdone, Janelle Greer was golden on Sunday, easily winning the Junior Female 15 km classic race.
The Easterns is a huge event, attracting over 600 athletes for the weekend of racing.
Despite the massive field, Yukoners were impressive all around. Along with the Yukon medal winners, top 20 performances were handed in by Kendra Murray, Heidi Brook, Brittany Pearson,, Katie Peters, Holly Bull, Fabian Brook, Jeff Wood, Knute Johnsgaard, Logan Potter, Lee Hawkings and Colin Abbott.
“Top 20 is a great result in these huge fields” noted Cross Country Yuko head coach Alain Masson. “The team is strong , we have lots of depth and we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with when we compete on our home turf in the Haywood Ski Nationals in March.”
Thanks to Claude Chabot for the press release.
Posted February 1, 2010
Air North Manager's Challenge!
The Air North Challenge begins today. Pick up your control punch cards at The Ski Base and start exploring the trails. There are four categories, depending on your ski ability and time available. The cost is $2 per punch card and you will need one, two or three cards depending on your category. Half of the proceeds will be donated to the Whitehorse Food Bank.
The grand draw prize will be a trip for two to Vancouver, Edmonton, or Calgary, provided by Air North. And the second prize will be a ski club membership for next season. All participants who complete the Challenge will be eligible for the prizes.
For more information visit the Air North Challenge page.
January 2010
Posted January 28, 2010
News from Dahria Beatty!
Hi everyone,
Today it is finally sunny again, no more fog. It was a lot like a warm race day in Whitehorse but the conditions were faster. Today was the 5k classic. I started 12th right after another Canadian(Heidi). I ended 25th out of 82 girls. I was very happy with my race. Since I started so early when I finished I was in 1st place which meant I got to sit on the thrown at the finish until someone came in with a faster time. It was such a cool experience.
The sprint on Monday was also fun. In a way it was a harder race for me but a good start all the same. Seeing all the other competitors from so many nations is slightly overwhelming yet super cool at the same time, it is hard to describe. Monday night was the opening ceremonies and we all paraded through downtown Hinterzarten. The ceremonies themselves had a lot of talking but we got a chance to see all the different teams and meet the Canadian Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping team.
Tomorrow is another training day for us juniors before the pursuit on Friday. The U-23's are competing tomorrow, it is their classic race.
It has been a super experience so far and there is still 2 more races to go:)
Dahria..
Posted January 28, 2010
Freestyle Race Hosted by Grey Mountain Biathlon Club!
The Biathlon folks are hosting a freestyle ski race on February 6, 2010 at the Grey Mountain Biathlon Trails. Please note this is not a Biathlon race, so sorry, no rifles.
Entry forms and information are available in the waxroom.
There will be categories for everyone: Peewee (born 1998 or later) to Open (1980 or earlier). Distances will range from 1.5km for Pewees to 10km for Open and Junior Men This will be an opportunity to introduce and even reintroduce skiers to the trails at the Biathlon Range.
This is an informal event and everyone is welcome. Entry fees are $5 (except for Pewee -free). Wax your skis before you come.
Refreshments will be provided. For more information contact Bill Curtis 633 5717.
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Exciting Leadership Changes at WCCSC
The WCCSC has now begun advertising to recruit an interim Executive Director. This will be a contract position that will run from March 1 to September 30, 2010.
The WCCSC has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years. Now in its 30th year of operations, our club boasts a membership base of some 1,300 dues- paying members who enjoy the many programs and services available at our Mount McIntyre location.
Over the years, the ski club has moved from largely a volunteer-led organization to one that relies more heavily on its Manager and related paid staff. While this model has served the club well, further change is required to ensure the long-term sustainability of operations at a level of service expected by our members. Simply put, our current management team is being unfairly stretched in delivering on its ever-growing mandate.
The Board members of WCCSC have invested much time and discussion over the past ten months to consider a new business model that will help keep our club sustainable and ensure a healthy future.
Board members unanimously agreed on two objectives:
- That, at this time, the WCCSC take an incremental approach to club restructuring, and;
- Improving our business model by more appropriately apportioning the ‘strategic’ and ‘operational’ components of our business.
To achieve the second objective, and to begin implementing some of the much-need restructuring changes, the Board has recommended that immediate steps begin to recruit a part-time Executive Director. This new position will help offset some of the pressures faced by our current Manager, Mike Gladish.
The Executive Director will focus on financial management, strategic planning and projects, and strategic communications.
Mike Gladish will remain as the club’s Operations Manager and will continue to provide the club with his excellent leadership of all club operations, facilities and programs.
oth positions will report to the Board of Directors while the board continues an ongoing review and analysis of the club’s business model.
All of the board members, along with the Manager, are confident that these changes will maintain our club’s current healthy financial and operational state, and position the club well for the future.
Club members are encouraged to contact any of the board representatives for more information or to discuss current and future restructuring changes and options.
Posted January 20, 2010
Air North Manager's Challenge
Information is now posted in the wax room and on this website for the Air North Challenge which will run from February 1 to 28. Registration will begin on January 24 at The Ski Base. Thanks to Air North for sponsoring the grand draw prize, a trip for two to Vancouver, Edmonton, or Calgary. And thanks to Yukon Orienteering Association for providing controls, maps and expertise. More info.
Posted January 20, 2010
Toonie Time Trial
The next Toonie Time Trial is on Saturday, January 23. The time trial is open to all ages but distances are more appropriate for junior age skiers and older. There will be 10, 15 and 30 kilometer options.Course maps are posted in the Wax Room.Registration will be taken up until 1 hour before the start which will be 12:30 p.m.
Coast Mountain Sports Wax and Wine
The next Coast Mountain Sports Wax and Wine is on Friday, February 5 at 7:00 PM in the Grey Mountain Room at the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre. Allan Frostad will be discussing basic grip waxing and the relationship between ski construction, technique, and waxing. Physiotherapist Thane Phillips will explain appropriate stretches and simple strengthening exercises for skiing. Admission is free and all are welcome! For more information call 668-4477.
Posted January 15, 2010
Yukon Championships Freestyle Day
Saturday will be a busy day at the club. Beginning at 11:30 a.m. the Tim Horton Ski'll Fest will kick off the day with fun activities for kids under 12. The the Yukon Championships freestyle race will start at 12:30 p.m. And the Masters Challenge will start at 1:30 p.m. Those who want to take part in a low key time trial can sign up for the Challenge until 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Recreational skiers are still welcome to use the trails. The races will use trails close to and north of the Rec Centre. Between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. there will be racers going through the Tube and over the bridge, so use caution in those areas. A suggested alternate route: ski north from the chalet and use Olympic Cutoff and the Ramp to get to Raven Trail.
Posted January 15, 2010
Treasure Hunt and Pizza Supper Postponed
The Treasure Hunt and pizza supper that was scheduled for January 19 has been postponed. A new date will be announced later on.
Posted January 7, 2010
Skis and poles taken by mistake on December 27
A pair of Fischer SCS 195cm skis and Exel poles (red & yellow) were taken from the ski rack outside the wax room on December 27. The name on the skis is Mary El Kerr.
There is a reward involving lots of cookies so please check your ski bag, Thule Box or ski locker.
Call the ski club 668-447 or Mary El 333-9835.
Posted January 6, 2010
Beatty and Nishikawa Going to Worlds!
Two great young Yukon skiers have been given the nod by Cross Country Canada to represent their country in upcoming world championship races. The pair were chosen based on their results in a three race selection series this past week in Quebec.
Dahria Beatty, who has been having a stellar season, will be competing in the World Junior Championships at the end of the month.
Beatty has been consistently near the top of the junior women’s’ field in races around the country this season. She posted two 4th place finishes in the junior women’s field in the three race series in Quebec, and has consistently been in the top two in the 15 year old group in the field.
And Emily Nishikawa, pulling off a superb comeback after losing the complete season last year due to injury, will be competing in the World Under 23 Championships.
Nishikawa, no stranger to the podium, pulled off a first place, a third place and a fourth place finish in her age group for the series.
Both World Championships will be held in Hinterzgarten, Germany and begin January 24.
Although Beatty and Nishikawa were the only Yukoners chosen to head off to Europe for the Championships, there were some other fine performances turned in at the Quebec races by other Yukon Ski Team members.
Racing in the Open Men’s category, Graham Nishikawa pulled off a pair of silver medal performances in the two distance races.
And Janelle Greer, despite suffering from a vicious cold that has decimated the Yukon team, managed a silver medal performance in Tuesday’s 10km classic technique race.
Meanwhile, Knute Johnsgaard demonstrated some strong potential as he turned in two top ten performances out of three races in the series.
Posted January 2, 2010
Dogs in Ski Stadium
The ski club board has received a serious complaint about dogs in the stadium and there have been repeated incidents of skiers allowing dogs to be unleashed or uncontrolled in the stadium.
The board is concerned about the safety and comfort of club members who are using the stadium for lessons, events and ski club programs. The stadium is being used more each year and is a popular area for beginning skiers. The Tube and Ketza Connector are also used a lot by beginners. Here is a reminder about the rules for dogs in the stadium area:
- skiers are asked to stay to the left of the blue fencing along the side of the stadium when departing from the Canada Games Centre parking lot (Stadium Trailhead)
- dogs must be on a leash or skijoring line from the parking lot to Dog Trail and preferably as far as Telemark Hill - it is recommended that dogs be leashed before exiting from your vehicle to avoid uncontrolled behaviour
- when there are children in the stadium extra caution should be used
Skiers with dogs are encouraged to use the Hamilton Blvd parking area, especially at peak times such as Saturday and Sunday and Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
In preparation for the 2010 Haywood Nationals there will be a ban on dogs in the stadium beginning on March 1.
December 2009
Posted December 21, 2009
Noram Podium For Nishikawa
Graham Nishikawa hit the Noram podium on Sunday with a solid third place finish in a tough Noram sprint race in Canmore.
The race was the second of a two sprint series on the weekend which also served as part of a selection series for the last few spots for the Canadian team for the upcoming Olympics.
Skiing on a brutal course, described by some coaches as a short tough distance race rather than a sprint, Nishikawa was strong all day, but was outsprinted by Drew Goldsack in the final.
The win, after Goldsack’s second place finish on Saturday, almost certainly puts him on the team for the Olympics. NIshikawa finished in 5th place on the first day of the race series.
On the women’s side, Dasha Gaizova dominated the competition, solidifying her position on the team with two back to back wins.
Emily Nishikawa, competing in her first season as a Senior and coming back from a year off due to injury, looked strong all weekend as she powered into the B finals on Saturday, finishing ninth overall and making the quarters, finishing seventeenth overall in the Sunday race.
And David Greer, not normally known a sprinter, also had some good results, advancing to the Open Men’s B final on Saturday, finishing tenth overall, and getting through to the quarters on Sunday.
Olympic selection continues on Tuesday with a classic technique distance race.
Posted December 16, 2009
Youth Avalanche Skills Training
A Youth Avalanche Skills Training Course Level 1 will be held on January 11, 13, 15, 2009 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and all day January 16 and 17, 2009.
There are 2 youth spots available in an 8 person Level 1 Avalanche Skills Training Course being arranged through the Gadzoosdaa Student Residence. The course is for grade 11 and 12 students ( 16 to 18) and includes 6 hours in the classroom ( Monday , Wednesday and Friday evening from 6 to 8) and all weekend from 9 to 4 on Saturday and 9 to 6 on Sunday. This is a certification course with curriculum designed by the Canadian Avalanche Centre.
Transportation by van provided to Fraser on Sunday January 17th. Snowshoes and avalanche related gear provided for the field day. This is a subsidized course so it is half price for $125.
Contact information:
Kirstie Simpson, AvalancheNorth
633-2199 or info@avalanchenorth.ca
Posted December 14, 2009
Yukon Results At Silverstar
Competing in her first ever Noram race on Saturday, Dahria Beatty pulled out all the stops and finished off the day with a bronze medal around her neck. A significant performance by any measure, but all the more impressive when you consider that this was the first time the fifteen year old has competed in the Junior Female category and she was skiing against women four and five years older than her.
Skiing in a 10 km free technique race on the rolling Sovereign Lakes courses in southern BC, Beatty was strong from start to finish, completing the course in just over 33 minutes. Rebecca Reid, a member of the BC Ski Team, topped the podium.
The strong distance performance was just a hint of things to come for Beatty and for the Yukon Ski Team.
On Sunday, the athletes switched gears for a 1.1 km sprint race.
This time, Beatty hit the top step of the podium, followed closely by Janelle Greer, no stranger to medal ceremonies at races around the country, giving the Yukon contingent a 1-2 placing.
“This is a super result for the girls; it was a great skate day for the team,” noted head coach Alain Masson.
It was also a good sprint day for Colin Abbot, who narrowly missed the podium with his 5th place finish in the Junior Male competition. U.S. skier Erik Fagerstrom took the overall title in that race.
It was not such a good weekend for Graham Nishikawa, who was the fourth Canadian, and 10th overall in Saturday’s distance race, in a contest dominated by skiers from the U.S. However, another chance remains for him to show his stuff to the selection committee as the Olympic trial races continue next weekend in Canmore.
Posted December 11, 2009
Yukon Ski Team Heads South!
The Yukon Ski Team heads into its first big test of the season this weekend with a pair of races at the Sovereign Lakes Ski Club in southern BC.
Led by ski team head coach Alain Masson, skiers Janelle Greer, Dahria Beatty, Kendra Murray, Heidi Brook, Knute Johnsgaard, Jeff Wood and Colin Abbott will be testing their mettle against some of the best in the country.
Also on site with their respective teams will David Greer and Graham Nishikawa, who both train with the Pierre Harvey Training Centre in Quebec and Emily Nishikawa, who trains with the Alberta World Cup Academy team out of Canmore.
The athletes will compete in two races; a medium distance free technique race on Saturday and a sprint race, also a free technique contest, on Sunday.
The Saturday race is particularly significant for Graham Nishikawa who is in contention for a coveted Olympic berth. Cross Country Canada will be using the results of the Saturday race as one of their main selection races for the last spot on the distance squad for the upcoming Olympic games.
Posted December 11, 2009
15K Time Trial on December 12 CORRECTION!
There have been conflicting times given for the 15K Time Trial on Saturday. Start times of 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. have been posted. Any of these start times will be honoured. It is a self timed event, so the start time is not important.
The official start time will be 1:30 p.m. with a mass start by the Wax Room. An event official will be at the start line for each of the starts.
The event will be self timed and will be open to all who want to ski 15 kilometers. Participants can use classic or skating technique. Details and course map are posted on the Events Board in the Wax Room.
Important reminders:
1. Recreational skiers have the right of way. Please use caution when overtaking or approaching other skiers.
2. Participants are responsible for knowing the route. Check the map first and watch for the small directional arrows. There are black arrows at all but a few of the junctions. Be alert when approaching any of the trail junctions.
3. Here is a brief description - Chalet Trail to Interchange, left then on 7.5K to Interval Hill, right on 10K, 10K to Powerline, left, Powerline to Cox Leg, Cox Leg to Coyote, Coyote to Raven, left, Raven S and Raven N to 10K, left, 10K to Olympic, Olympic to Olympic Cutoff, right on Skookum - Finish.
Posted December 5, 2009
Christmas Pass Booklets On Sale Now!
If you are looking for a 'stocking stuffer' or want to get a deal on Day Passes for yourself, then come to the Ski Base and pick up some Christmas Pass booklets.
Until December 24 the club is selling booklets of day passes for adults, seniors, youths, students and families. Five adult passes are $50, five student/youth/senior passes are $25 and three family passes are $70. All booklets provide a saving of $5 to $10 off the regular price and they make a great Christmas gift for friends and family who want to try skiing at Mt Mac.
The Christmas Pass coupons are valid until the end of the ski season, but only available for purchase until December 24.
November 2009
Posted November 21, 2009
Graham Does Well in Sweden!
Canada proved that it’s a force to be reckoned with on the international stage as a contingent of Canuck skiers tested their fitness in an early season Scandinavian Cup race this weekend in Bruksvallarna, Sweden.
Top of the podium in the 15 km skate race was Devon Kershaw. The Ontario native stopped the clock in just under 30 minutes. Kershaw, one of Canada’s medal hopes in the upcoming Vancouver Olympics, had an “amazing” race, finishing top of a huge142 man open field which boasted entries from around the world.
Third Canadian overall and 15th in the field was Whitehorse native Graham Nishikawa. He showed his fitness by steadily gaining on the field throughout the race. Nishikawa is solidly focused on winning a spot on the Canadian Olympic team and a strong early season showing bodes well for his chances. Finishing just one second back of Quebec’s Alex Harvey, Nishikawa was thrilled with his showing.
Next up is a trip to Norway, where Nishikawa hits the trails in a pair of World Cup races.
Posted November 16, 2009
Wax Room Expansion and Renovation
You may have noticed that the Wax Room is especially busy and crowded on Tuesdays, Thursdays and weekend afternoons. The club is looking at options for expanding the Wax Room and there is funding this year through the City of Whitehorse Facility Grants to have design work done. If you have have ideas or concerns about expanding the Wax Room, please contact a board member or drop by The Ski Base. Go to the Wax Room page for more information.
Posted November 8, 2009
Avalanche Workshop (CORRECTION) November 14, 2009
On Saturday, November 14, an all day workshop on avalanche safety will be presented by the Canadian Avalanche Centre and Columbia Brewery. There will be a variety of speakers. Kirstie Simpson, Hector Mackenzie and Ilya Storm will present information on avalanche terrain, decision making, local trips, weather forecasting, terrain photo analysis and discussions throughout. Anyone can attend, from new to seasoned backcountry recreationists.There will be something for everyone.
The workshop will be at the Mt McIntyre Recreation Centre on Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in the Grey Mountain Room. Admission is $20 at the door.
Posted November 8, 2009
Memberships and Locker Deadline
October 31 was the deadline for the early season discount on club memberships. Memberships are now available only at The Ski Base or on line.
If you have a locker at the ski club and have not yet paid for it, please pay this week or your locker may be rented out to the next person on the waiting list.
Posted November 8, 2009
SkiTrax Magazine Special Offer for WCCSC Members!
SkiTrax Magazine will feature the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club in their first issue of the season and they are offereing a special subscription rate for club members.
SkiTrax keeps you up to date on all the latest Nordic news, Vancouver 2010 updates, ski gear, racing and adventure skiing coverage from across Canada, the USA, and around the world - both in print and on line.
Don't miss their 2010 Olympic season launch issue with SkiTrax Annual 2009 Buyer's Guide and much more, including a feature article about the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club.
Whitehorse members save 50% off regular subscription prices.Subscribe now! for yourself or give it as a Christmas gift!
Posted November 8, 2009
CANSI Level 1 Instructor Course and Refresher
A CANSI Instructor course and refresher will be held on November 28 and 29, 2009 at the Mt McIntyre Recreation Centre. Intermediate skiers who would like to learn how to instruct or would like to be certified as an instructor are encouraged to take this course. This is also a chance for previously certified CANSI Level 1 instructors to refresh their certification, at no charge.
The course fee of $225 includes the membership fee for the current year. The ski club will use a portion of the GM Coaching Grant to provide a $50 rebate for all course participants.
For more information call The Ski Base at 668-4477.
To register, go to the CANSI website.
Posted November 8, 2009
Baby Glider Pulk Now Available to Rent at The Ski Base
A Baby Glider is available to rent by the hour, day, month or season. Save the hassle of hauling and storing a pulk. Ask at The Ski Base for details. Infants should be at least four months old to safely use the Baby Glider or any other pulk. The seasonal rent is $75 for unlimited use.October 2009
Posted October 30, 2009
SkiTrax Magazine Special Offer for WCCSC Members!
The Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club and SkiTrax Magazine, the largest cross-country ski magazine in North America, have teamed up to bring you great savings. SkiTrax keeps you up to date on all the latest Nordic news, Vancouver 2010 updates, ski gear, racing and adventure skiing coverage from across Canada, the USA, and around the world - both in print and on line.
Don't miss their 2010 Olympic season launch issue with SkiTrax Annual 2009 Buyer's Guide and much more, including a feature article about the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club.
Whitehorse members save 50% off regular subscription prices.Subscribe now! for yourself or give it as a Christmas gift!
Posted October 29, 2009
CANSI Level 1 Instructor Course and Refresher
There will be a CANSI Level 1 Instructor course on November 28 and 29, 2009. CANSI (Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors) is a national organization that certifies professional instructors. If you are interested in being an instructor or would like to recertify, you can register for this course. It is 16 hours and mostly on snow. The emphasis is on teaching ski skills so you should be an intermediate skier to sign up. For more information or to register go the CANSI website.
Posted October 25, 2009
Coast Mountain Sports Wax & Wine #1
The first Wax & Wine of the season will be November 6, 2009. It was planned for October 30, but has been postponed to avoid Halloween.
The Wax & Wine will be in the Grey Mountain Room at the Mt McIntyre Recreation Centre. It starts at 7:00 p.m. and admission is free. All are welcome.
Posted October 25, 2009
Avalanche Workshop
The Canadian Avalanche Centre and Columbia Brewery are presenting an all day workshop with a variety of speakers. Kirstie Simpson, Hector Mackenzie and Ilya Storm will present information on avalanche terrain, decision making, local trips, weather forecasting, terrain photo analysis and discussions throughout. Anyone can attend, from new to seasoned backcountry recreationists.There will be something for everyone.
The workshop will be at the Mt McIntyre Recreation Centre on Saturday, November 14, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., in the Grey Mountain Room. Admission is $20 at the door.
Posted October 22, 2009
Trail Grooming Announcements - Fall Meeting, Basic Grooming and Tracksetting Workshops
Returning and new volunteers interested in being part of the winter trail grooming crew are invited to a Trail Groomers' Organizational Meeting on Tuesday, October 27 at 7:30 pm in the Curling Club lounge.
New groomers should also plan on attending the Basic Trail Grooming Clinic on Monday, November 9 from 7:00-10:00 pm.
Experienced groomers who would like to take on the challenges of tracksetting are invited to attend the Tracksetting Clinic on Monday, December 7 from 7:00-10:00 pm.
For more information on or to register for any of these events, check the relevant Trail Grooming Page or contact the ski club office at 668-4477.
Posted October 14, 2009
On Line Registration Now Available
The ski club is now offering on-line registration. Club memberships can be purchased on line using Mastercard, VISA or cheque. Credit card payments will be handled through a secure payment site. Registering on-line will cost 1% more than registering in person or by mail. The extra cost will cover on-line fees and set up fees.
If you encounter any difficulties when registering on line, please call the ski club office at 668-4477 for assistance or to report problems.
Posted October 7, 2009
Jackrabbit/Bunny Registration - October 17 at the Swap
The Jackrabbit (6 -9 year olds) and Bunny (4 & 5 year olds) program starts the week of Jan 10. Sessions will be offered Sunday afternoons and Tuesday after school. Registration is at the Ski Swap on October 17, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
Please note that the sessions generally fill up on the first day of registration, and that children with parents who are leaders or helpers will have priority in registering.
New Jackrabbit Leaders and Assistants are needed. We will teach you and will help you improve your own technique! We are also looking for a leader for our Lynx program. Lynx is aimed at children 9 – 11 years and is offered on Sunday afternoons.
Call Kim Winnicky at 335-1428 if you have questions or are interested in leading/assisting with a Bunny, Jackrabbit or Lynx class.
Posted October 4, 2009
Civic Election is An Opportunity to Seek Better Protection for Our Trails
Do you support a vision for creating a protected Mt. McIntyre Recreational Area for year round use? There are two all candidates' meetings this week so let's tell our council and mayoral candidates what our vision is.If you care about our trails, make protecting them a personal hot-button issue. For more information on how you can help protect the trails go to Future of the Trails page.
The meetings are:
Wednesday, October 7 6:30 p.m. at the Old Fire Hall
Thursday, October 8 12 noon to 2:00 p.m. at the High Country Inn
Posted October 4, 2009
New Vice President Appointed
The board is pleased to announce that Sue Meikle has accepted the position of Vice President. Sue brings a lot of experience to the board and is a welcome addition. Sue was the ski club manager for several years in the 90's and a board member. She has organized many club events including the Loppet, Ski Swap and Arctic Winter Games.
Posted October 1, 2009
New Board Elected at the AGM
Thirty club members attended last night's Annual General Meeting and approved the financial statements for the 2008/2009 year and the budget for 2009/2010.A new ski club board was elected.
President - Tom Ullyett
Vice President - Vacant
Treasurer - Ian Robinson
Secretary - Lorna Hutchinson
Programs Director - Craig Thur
Volunteer Director - Anne Kennedy
Communication Director - Vacant
Social/Membership Director - Vacant
Facilities Director - Doug Knutson
Past President - Bill Curtis
Welcome to new board member Anne Kennedy. If you are interested in being on the board and would like to take on any of the vacant positions, please contact the club office or any board member.
Members approved allocating a new Reserve Fund for Land Tenure. The club designated $15,000 to be set aside in the Reserve for future expenses related to improving land tenure.
Jim Gilpin provided an update regarding land tenure. For more information about land tenure and protection of the trails go to Future of the Ski Trails.
September 2009
Posted September 23, 2009
Cross Country Canada is implementing a new "competition model" this year which means potential changes to races categories and distances. A short clinic regarding the changes will be given on Tuesday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m. in the Wax Room.It follows the Long Term Athlete Development which looks at kids based on their physical/mental development rather than just their age. Two 14 year olds can be very different in their physical development.
Learn more about this exciting new model...
When: TUESDAY September 29, 2009 between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (snacks provided)
Where: Waxroom of ski chalet
What: Supporting Athletes within the new Competition Model.
James Cunningham, Cross Country Canada’s Western High Performance Coordinator, will lead parents, athletes and coaches through the new competition model, the premise behind the change, the impact on athletes this year and in the future.
James will be joined by two local resource persons.
Bill Parry will give insight from a parent perspective regarding supporting late maturing athletes.
Sports Psychologist, Tracey Bilsky, will provide ideas on parental support for athletes in competitions- the do's and don'ts.
Posted September 21, 2009
Ski Club Newsletter Mailed and On Line
The September newsletter was mailed out on Tuesday last week and is now available on line as well. Thanks to newsletter editor, Georgi Pearson and a crew of volunteers who folded, stuffed and stamped. The newsletter is sent along with a membership form to encourage you to join the club for another winter of great skiiing!
Posted September 21, 2009
Ski Club Memberships On Sale
Club memberships are on sale at Coast Mountain Sports, Icycle Sport and The Ski Base. Registration forms are also available on line. The early bird discount is available until October 31 this year. On Line Registration may be available in October.
Posted September 21, 2009
Fall Trail Work Parties
The first work party was held on Saturday and was a great success. Thanks to those volunteers who came out. A second Work Party is scheduled for September 26. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Meet at the Wax Room at 10:00 a.m.
Volunteers are needed to assist with tree trimming, brushing, rock picking, fence repairs and so on. Please call or email the ski club to confirm your attendance so we'll know how many to expect for for lunch and tools.
Posted September 1, 2009
Dog Trail Access for Winter of 09/10
In February 2009 the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club instituted a ban on dogs in the vicinity of the wax room, for health and safety reasons. Based on feedback from members, the executive decided to provide the following options for this year.
The ban of dogs from the trails in the vicinity of the wax room will continue.
However, skiers with dogs may access Chalet Trail by walking from the Mt McIntyre Rec Centre parking lot along a packed path (maintained by the ski club) on the west and south sides of the curling rink. A dog tie up area will be located 90 meters south of the Wax Room, just past the curling rink and beside Chalet Trail (see map 3). Skiers, with dogs on leash, will be permitted to access Dog Trail via the Sumanik Drive Bridge, Copper, and Ketza Connector. (See the diagram below)
For more details regarding the dog policy and alternate access points go to Skiing With Your Dog.
Access from Mt Mac Parking Lot to Chalet Trail
August 2009
Posted August 18, 2009
Dahria Beatty Wins National Award
Recipients of the Sofie Manarin Award were named at the 2009 Haywood Ski Nationals held at Highlands Nordic Centre.
Just over 4 months have passed since the 2009 Sofie Manarin Award winners were announced at the Closing Ceremonies of the 2009 Haywood Ski Nationals. Dahria Beatty who skis at the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club, under the watchful eye of Alain Masson won the Juvenile Girls class while Raphaël Couturier of Skibec dominated the Juvenile Boys class with a 4 medal performance. Couturier became just the second skier to win the memorial award twice.
The Sofie Manarin Award was established in 2004 in memory of Sofie Manarin, a member of the 2000-01 Junior National Ski Team. Manarin passed away as a result of a traffic accident in 2001 in Sudbury while training for the upcoming season. As a member of the Laurentian Nordic Ski Club, Sofie had won 13 Junior Championship medals in her short career and was the top North American women at the 2001 World Junior Championships at the age of 16, just prior to her training accident.
Both recipients received a $500 bursary to help with training expenses and a stain glass plaque to commemorate their aggregate titles.
"Dahria has been skiing with the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club since she joined the Bunnyrabbit program 10 years ago," noted the Yukon Ski Team coach. "She followed the usual progression through the Jackrabbit program and eventually made it to the Yukon Ski Team. Her ultimate goal is the Junior National Team but that may have to wait a year as Beatty will suit up for the Yukon basketball squad at the 2009 Canada Summer Games in PEI. Once again there is a lot of work going on around the ski trails.
Posted August 18, 2009
Trail Work in Progress
The earthwork for the Dirt Jump Park just up from the Sumanik Drive Bridge was completed last week. There is still work to do and it should be finished by September 15. More details will be provided later.
Some trail work has been completed on Dog Trail, Copper between Crossroads and Copper Cut Off, Upper Valley North, Powerline and Cox Leg. A bobcat was hired to smooth out humps and to widen some short sections to facilitate grooming with the Pisten Bully.
There will be some work done on Raven and World Cup 5K to make improvements for the 2010 Nationals.
Posted August 18, 2009
Welcome to Disc Golf Yukon
The ski club welcomes a new user group to the Mt Mac area. The Yukon Disc Golf Association has nearly completed developing their new course. It begins at the 'alternate' parking area adjacent to Hamilton Boulevard and uses sections of Dog, Copper, and World Cup 10K between Ketza Connector and Telemark Hill. The 'holes' are actually baskets attached to short poles that are permanently placed in the ground. None of the 'holes' are located in a way that interferes with skiing or grooming.
Posted August 15, 2009
Work in Progress at Mt Mac
A lot of work has been going around the club this summer on the Mountain Bike Dirt Jump Park, Disc Golf Course and ski club trails.
Dirt Jump Park Most of the work is now completed on the Mountain Bike Dirt Jump Park. It is located just up from the Sumanik Drive Bridge in the area that had been cleared for the Canada Winter Games. Many kids have been riding the jumps already. So far, the 'park' consists of a series of graduated table top type jumps, a pump run and some drops. Some skills stations will be added soon. Mountain bikers can look forward to the park being finished in September. The park has been created by Contagious Mountain Bike Club, City of Whitehorse and Jay Hoots, the designer and builder. It looks like it will be a lot of fun for xc action too.
Disc Golf The disc golf 'club' has developed an 18 hole course with the assistance of the City of Whitehorse. The course begins at the Hamilton Boulevard 'dog' parking area and uses parts of Dog, Copper and the 10K between Ketza Connector and Telemark Hill. A welcome sign with rules and a map of the course will be posted in the parking area.
Ski Trails Some trail work has been completed on Dog Trail, Copper between Crossroads and Copper Cut Off, Upper Valley North, Powerline and Cox Leg. A bobcat was hired to smooth out humps and to widen some short sections to facilitate grooming with the Pisten Bully. There will also be some work done on Raven and World Cup 5K to make improvements for the 2010 Nationals.
Posted August 1, 2009
New Website
The club's website has been overhauled by Elvio Web Design and it was launched in late June. It should be easier to find the information you need. There is a lot of information packed into our website and most questions can be answered by having a quick look.
May 2009
Business Model Review
Posted May 27, 2009
In January 2009 the ski club board contracted Outside the Cube consulting to review the club's business model and governance and to provide recommendations on how the club operates. Funding support was provided by Yukon Government, through the Community Development Fund.
The review was completed in April and a report was submitted to the board in May 2009. The board is now making the report available to club members and comments are welcome. The board will be considering the report's recommendations over the summer and a plan will be made for implementing changes during the following year.
Comments and questions from members are welcome. Please use the Contact Us link at the top of the page. To see the report click on Business Model Review (PDF).
Posted May 13, 2009
Dog Policy Follow-up
The ski club board has considered several options for making the wax room more accessible to club members who want to ski with their dogs. To see the options click here. The board has not made a final decision yet, but the options have been evaluated and a decision will be made before September.
Click here for a summary of comments from members. Email or written comments will be accepted anytime.
Posted May 6, 2009
Dog Policy Meeting Follow-up
The ski club board has considered several options for making the wax room more accessible to club members who want to ski with their dogs. The options will be placed on the "Skiing With Your Dog" page in the next couple of days. The board has not made a final decision yet, but the options have been evaluated and a decision will be made before September.
Click here for a summary of comments from members. Email or written comments will be accepted anytime.
April 2009
Posted April 11, 2009
Wax Room and Locker Contents
The Wax Room will close for the season on April 30 at 5:00 p.m.
Lockers must be cleaned out by April 30. The ski club is not responsible for items that are left over the summer. Lockers may be moved to accomodate other uses over the summer. This may result in contents being upset and knocked around. Please check ahead for hours to ensure that the wax room is open when you plan to remove your locker contents.
Posted April 24, 2009
Spring Hours
April 24 the Wax Room is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 25 to 30 the Wax Room is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
If you are applying your summer wax please plan to do it on the weekend as we will be cleaning the wax room on Monday.
Day Passes 1/2 price as of April 20.
Check the Hours of Operation on the website or posted on the entry doors at the Wax Room.
Posted April 5, 2009
Spring Hours
During the month of April the Wax Room and Ski Base hours will change weekly and according to the ski conditions.
April 6 to April 9 the Wax Room hours will be 9:00a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and the Ski Base hours will be 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
April 10, 11, 12, 13 the Wax Room will be open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the Ski Base will be open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Check the Hours of Operation on the website or posted on the entry doors at the Wax Room.
Posted April 2, 2009
Spring Hours
During the month of April the Wax Room and Ski Base hours will change weekly and according to the ski conditions.
This week the Wax Room will close at 9:00 p.m. Next week it will close at 8:00 p.m.
Posted April 2, 2009
April 4 Will Be a Busy Day!! 20K/5K Spring Skate, Olympian Recognition, Volunteer Thanks All in One Day
Get ready for Saturday April 4. Here is the schedule for the day:
11:00 a.m. 20K/5K Spring Skate - The final 'race' of the season for the ski club. This is a very low key event, with a 'mass' start in front of the Wax Room. No registration fee and there is no deadline to enter. Just show up at 11:00 a.m. It's a challenging course but it will be in excellent skating or classic condition.
1:00 p.m. Grey Mountain Lions Club BBQ to thank all the volunteers who made the GMLC Event Series a great success. Anybody who helped at one of the races or events this year is welcome to attend. It will also be a chance to meet Jeane Lassen who competed at the Beijing Olympics and Owen Munroe who compteted at the World Games for Special Olympics in February.
1:15 p.m. Thankyous and presentations.
1:30 p.m. Dedication of the new signs that will be installed on Olympic Trail to recognize the achievements of Zach Bell, Jeane Lassen and Owen Munroe.
2:00 p.m. Ski Olympic Trail to new sign location and photo opportunities.
March 2009
Posted March 26, 2009
Nishikawa Medals at US Nationals
Yukon Ski Team member Graham Nishikawa took the bronze in the first day of competition at the U.S. National Cross Country Championships, being held this week in Fairbanks Alaska.
Skiing a 10K classic technique race, Nishikawa was only eleven seconds out of first place, taken by James Southam of Alaska, who picked up the win with a clocking of 28:56. Another Canadian, Stefan Kuhn of Canmore, picked up the silver.
Races are being held at Fairbanks’ Birch Hill ski area. Next up is a team sprint race.
Posted March 17, 2009
Dog Policy Open Meeting
The open meeting scheduled for this Thursday is postponed to March 26, 2009 at 7:00 pm. in the Wax Room. The board decided it would be best to wait until after spring break to give more club members a chance to attend. Anybody who would like to discuss the changes to the dog policy is welcome. Ski club board members and staff will be present to listen to concerns, ideas and suggestions. A summary of comments from members will be available. Written submissions will also be accepted until April 15.
Posted March 17, 2009
Yukon Ski Team Returns With 12 Medals
After eight days of competition in challenging snow conditions, the Yukon Ski Team completed the 2009 National Championships with a total of 12 medals.
Six different skiers earned these medals for the Yukon Ski Team. A total of eight skiers were ranked in the top ten of their respective category making this Championships one of the best ever Nationals for the Yukon Ski Team program.
Dahria Beatty won four medals during the Championships and was awarded the aggregate title in the Juvenile Girl Category. Graham Nishikawa and David Greer both finished second in the aggregate title in their respective category.
One of the great surprises of these Championships for the Yukon was the emergence of Lee Hawkings as one of the best Junior boy in Canada.Lee has had the greatest rate of improvement of all Yukon skiers in the last year.
In the overall ranking of Canadian ski club ranking, the skiers of the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club finished fourth overall, making this one of the best performances of the last 20 years. This was very impressive as the WCCSC followed Nakkertok and Foothills which draw from the populations of Ottawa and Calgary- good stuff for the town of Whitehorse!
Next years 2010 Nationals will take place in Whitehorse next March.
Posted March 18, 2009
Cabane a Sucre and Free Ski Day
Saturday March 21st!
Come on out and enjoy the trails and a special treat at Harvey's Hut. The Sugar Shack, or Cabane à Sucre sponsored by the Association Franco-Yukonnaise, will be at Harvey's Hut from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Posted March 2, 2009
Spring Passes On Sale!
March is here and the club's Spring Passes are now on sale. Passes are valid to the end of the season and it's looking like it'll be well into April. Spring Passes are $65 for adults, $35 for youth, seniors and students. Day passes purchased after March 1 may used as a credit toward the Spring Pass.
Posted March 2, 2009
Spring Break Hours
During spring break, March 9 to March 20, the wax room will close at 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and 6:00 p.m. on weekends. Hours may be extended if there is sufficient demand. Trail lights will be turned off as of March 13, due to daylight savings time.
Posted March 13, 2009
Gold, Silver and Bronze Stocks Rising for Yukon
Dahria Beatty, who has been having a strong week at the Haywood Ski Nationals, struck gold in the classic technique sprint race on Thursday in Collingwood, Ontario. Beatty qualified fourth in the preliminary round and then quite simply blew the competition away in quarter, semi and final heats to hit the top step of the podium. A twenty metre lead in the final round against her competition in the Juvenile Girls category drove the point home.
Janelle Greer, competing in the Junior Girls category, added a third medal to her tally for the meet by picking up a bronze. Greer posted the fastest time in the qualification round, but couldn’t quite make carry her speed through the final heat. Still, the bronze is also her third medal of the meet.
It was also a good day on the boys’ side of the house, with the trio of Jeff Wood, Lee Hawkings and Logan Potter all making the top ten in the Junior Boys’ group.
The weather gods were a little more cooperative for organizers today. New snow fell overnight and throughout the sprint races, covering up the sheet of ice which blanketed the stadium during the previous days’ races.
Results are avaiable on line. Go to the Zone 4 Results Website http://www.zone4.ca for the previous days' results.
Posted March 13, 2009
Summary of Yukon results at Nationals
Dahria Beatty 5 km skate race silver in the Juvenile Girls
David Greer 10 km race silver Junior Men
Lee Hawkings and Jeff Wood bronze Challenge Boys category
Dahria Beatty and Janelle Greer silver Challenge Girls
David Greer and Graham Nishikawa silver Open Men’s category
Posted March 6, 2009
Air North Manager's Challenge Winners
The Air North tickets to Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton were won by Selena Boothroyd. Ski club membership for next year was won by Cindy Breitkreutz.
Posted March 7, 2009
Northwestel Yukon Loppet Last Minute Change
DUE TO HIGH WINDS, DRIFTING SNOW AND VERY DIFFICULT GROOMING CONDITIONS, THE 30K LOPPET HAS BEEN SHORTENED TO 20K. THOSE WHO ARE REGISTERED IN THE 30K WILL LEAVE AT 11:00 A.M. AS SCHEDULED.
Bib pickup is in the Grey Mountain Room, upstairs at Mt Mac between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Allow at least 10 minutes to get from the Wax Room to the start line in the ski stadium. The start is at the south end of the stadium. 30K skiers start at 11:00 a.m., 20K skiers at 11:05 a.m., 7.5K skiers at 11:10 a.m. and 3K skiers at 11:15 a.m.
There is a lunch being served in the Grey Mountain Room for all finishers and volunteers.
The banquet and awards will be at the Convention Centre, beside the High Country Inn. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
For more information go to the Northwestel Yukon Loppet page.
Posted March 2, 2009
Air North Manager's Challenge Draw March 31 at 6:00 p.m.
The draw has been postponed to Tuesday, March 3 at 6:00 p.m. The main draw prize will be two Air North tickets to Vancouver, Edmonton or Calgary. A ski club membership for the 2009/2010 season will also be drawn along with several small prizes.
February 2009
Ski Etiquette Refresher
We have added another page to our huge website. The Trail Etiquette page provides a list of suggestions to make everybody's experience enjoyable. There are some safety suggestions and specific points on dog etiquette. With over 1200 members some of these 'rules' become more important. When skiers are approaching each other on a two way trail, especially busy trails like Dog and Copper, it is important for everybody to move to the right. Even skaters should move into the right track or slow down enough, so that everybody feels safe and comfortable as they approach each other.
Posted February 12, 2009
Sportees Team Sprints
The Sportees Team Sprints will be hosted at the ski club on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 in the early evening. Come for an evening of racing fun. Sign up as an individual and we will put you on a team. Registration details and times to be posted soon! For more information click on the following link: Sprint.
Posted February 24, 2009
Lots of Medals at the Westerns
The Yukon Ski Team came home from the Western Canadian XC Ski Championships with a little extra luggage. The team enjoyed great success on the Canmore, Alberta trails, bringing in a total of six medals plus a host of top ten performances over the race series.
The three race series started out with a gold in the sprint from Janelle Greer in the Junior Girls category. Greer posted the fastest time of the day by eight seconds, a huge margin in a sprint race. She then handily moved through quarter and semi finals into the top spot in the final.
Next up was a classic technique distance race on Saturday, where Greer once again showed her stuff, winning her age group in the 5 km race. She was joined on the top step of the podium by Dahria Beatty, who picked up the gold in the Juvenile Girls category. The trio of Jeff Wood, Knute Johnsgaard and Logan Potter served notice that they were on the way up as they all hit the top ten in the Junior Boys group.
On Sunday Beatty repeated with a second gold medal. Overcoming a poor start position, in the last row of the mass start grid, Beatty clawed her way through the full Juvenile Girls field to take the top spot in the 7.5 km free technique race by less than three seconds. Meanwhile, in the Junior Boys category, a strong Jeff Wood picked up his first podium of the meet, collecting a bronze medal in the 15 km race. Knute Johnsgaard and Lee Hawkings joined Wood in the top 10 of the race, once again demonstrating the depth of talent on the Yukon team.
In a threepeat of podium performances, Janelle Greer picked up a silver in the Junior Girls 10 km race, missing the gold by less than nine seconds. Heidi Brook came on strong and placed in the top ten as well. The Westerns boasted a huge field of over 420 skiers. Skiing on the mostly artificial snow at the Canmore Nordic Centre, the Westerns attracted top up and coming skiers from across the western provinces and territories.
Posted February 26, 2009
Air North Manager's Challenge Prizes March 1 at 4:30 p.m.
Hand in your completed maps at the Ski Base by Saturday, February 28th at 5:00 p.m. Maps will be accepted on Sunday morning, if the trails were completed on Saturday before midnight. The main draw prize will be two Air North tickets to Vancouver, Edmonton or Calgary. A ski club membership for the 2009/2010 season will also be drawn along with several small prizes.
The main draw prizes will be presented on Sunday, March 1, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.
Posted February 12, 2009
Have You Lost Something Lately? Check at the Ski Base.
A large, blue, Osprey backpack was left outside the Wax Room last week. It may be picked up at the Ski Base. Other items that have been found in the last couple of months: Cashmere scarf, ipod, Timex watch, keys on a Yukon flag keyring, plus many assorted eye glasses, car keys and so on. These items will be disposed of at the end of the ski season.
Posted February 13, 2009
Update Regarding Alternate Dog Trail Parking Area
The parking area is now open. Access to the parking area is from Hamilton Blvd, just south of the traffic lights at Sumanik Drive. It is a right turn in and right turn out only. When leaving the parking area, you must turn right on Hamilton Blvd. To access the northbound lane, drive to McIntyre Drive and make a proper left turn.
Skiers must have a day pass or membership and must clean up after their pets. A garbage can and bag dispenser are provided. The parking area was cleared at the ski club's expense and maintenance will only be done occassionally. Good snow tires or four wheel drive are recommended.
Posted February 13, 2009
Marsh Lake Loppet
The latest news from the Marsh Lake loppet organizers is that the event will go ahead as planned. If the temperature is too low at 12 noon on Saturday, there will be a decision made whether to delay or postpone the event. The ski club office and Ski Base staff do not have any more information about the event.
Rules for loppets state that a loppet may go ahead if the temperature is -25 or warmer. Organizers can choose to delay the start time or shorten the distances if the temperature is between -20 and -25C.
The temperature at Marsh Lake is normally a few degrees colder than Whitehorse.
Posted February 11, 2009
Canadians Wrap up at World Juniors
The World Junior Cross Country Ski Championships have wrapped up successfully in Praz de Lys, France with some fine performances by a pair of young Yukon siblings.
The race series concluded on Friday with 4 person relay races. The men’s team skied 4x5 km, while the women’s side had a 4x3.3 km course to cover. David Greer, following a couple of strong performances earlier in the week where he was the top Canadian in one race and second Canadian in the other, was given the prestigious anchor leg to ski. The Canadian team finished in 10th position overall, out of 17 teams contesting the 20 km race. The race was dominated by the powerhouse Russian team, who finished a full minute ahead of their nearest competitors.
On the women’s side, Canada also finished 10th, but in a smaller field. Janelle Greer had the lead leg for Canada but couldn’t stay up with the Norwegians who took the overall title. Participating in high calibre races like this provides valuable experience for these young up and coming skiers. Competition at international levels is intense and for Canadians to do well on the world stage as seniors, they need to rack up meets with the best in the world as juniors.
Posted February 11, 2009
Chalet to Chalet Race Alternative
The proposed race from Mt McIntyre Rec Centre to the Mt Sima Chalet has been cancelled. There were several route problems that cannot be overcome, so organizers have decided not to go ahead with the race, however, there will be an opportunity to ski with a group on February 15. Call Jeanne Burke for more info at 668-2506. Planned departure time will be 11:00 a.m. If colder than -20, departure will be delayed until 12:00 noon.
Posted February 2, 2009
Yukon Skiers on the World Stage
While his team mates were competing in the relatively balmy weather of Whitehorse this weekend, Colin Abbot was going head to head with the best the east has to offer in -19 temperatures, barely legal for cross country ski racing. Competing in the Eastern Canadian Championships in Gatineau, Quebec, Abbot had a stellar performance and finished 3rd in the Junior Men’s division and 5th overall in the huge Open Men’s division. Abbot finished the 20 km classic race in 1:04:12, just 7 seconds back of gold medal winner Stefan Lloyd of the powerhouse Nakkertok club.
The Easterns is a huge event and has attracted over 500 racers.
Meanwhile, halfway around the world, Janelle Greer was having her first taste of international competition at the World Junior Cross Country Ski Championships in Praz de Lys, France. Greer, competing against skiers 2 and 3 years older than her 16 years, finished 34th in the classic sprint race, just two seconds off the time she needed to advance to the quarter finals of the race. The event provides a superb opportunity for Greer to gain some international experience
January 2009
Posted January 26, 2009
Official Community Plan Hearings and Ski Trail Protection
Attend a neighbourhood workshop on the Whitehorse OCP Review 2009!
One of Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club's goals in its 2008-2013 Strategic Plan is to protect the trail network through more secure land tenure. To achieve this, the Board believes it may be necessary to create a park and to extinguish subsurface mineral rights. In working towards that goal, we now have an opportunity to participate in the review of the Official Community Plan (OCP). The Board wants to (a) expand the Club’s lobbying efforts by asking members to participate in the review of the OCP and (b) achieve the highest level of protection that the OCP can provide that is compatible with the Club’s strategic goals.
The Board's main concerns are the lack of progress by the City and YG towards:
(a) achieving park status and
(b) withdrawing from staking all subsurface claims on the Club's trail network.
Please go to http://www.xcskiwhitehorse.ca/futureofskitrails.html background information for this important question.
Public meeting for all of Whitehorse is on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at Mt Mac.
Posted January 29, 2009
Two Sprint Opportunities
GMLC Sprint Race: On Saturday February 7, 2009 at 12:00 noon there will be a low key, fun individual sprint event where participants get to sprint each heat in a round robin format instead of an elimination format! Register at the Ski Base up until Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at 6:30 p.m..
Sportees Team Sprints will now be hosted at the ski club on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 in the early evening. Come for an evening of racing fun. Sign up as an individual and we will put you on a team. Registration details and times to be posted soon! For more information click on the following link: Sprint.
Posted January 27, 2009
Nishikawa Back on Podium!
Graham Nishikawa made it back onto the familiar territory of the podium today at the Haywood Noram 15 km race in Rossland B.C., finishing just behind home town favourite George Grey. Nishikawa took just 41:59 to ski the classic course, while Grey crossed the line 29 seconds ahead. Grey has had some stellar performances lately, culminating in a bronze medal in the team sprint competition at last weekend’s world cup races at the Whistler Olympic Park.
Racing in almost perfect conditions, Nishikawa got off to a fast start and led at the 5 km mark of the three lap race, but faded a bit on his second lap, holding off a hard charging Dan Roycroft, who picked up the bronze for the day. On Saturday, the men raced a 1.7 km free technique sprint. Nishikawa took third spot in the qualification round, but couldn’t hold the spot through the heats. He ultimately ended up in 8th place overall.
Posted January 26, 2009
Air North Manager's Challenge
The Air North Manager's Challenge is a recreational event that encourages skiers to explore and ski all of the Mt. Mac trails during the month of February. The main draw prize will be two Air North tickets to Vancouver, Edmonton or Calgary. Registration begins January 28, 2009 and closes February 21, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. The entry fee is $5.
Posted January 22, 2009
Important Change to Dog Policy
After much reflection and discussion, the Board of Directors has voted to make an important change to our current dog policy, as noted below:
Effective Wednesday, February 4th, dogs will no longer be permitted in the wax room area or on the following trails: Chalet Trail, Sumanik Drive Bridge, Copper Trail to Ketza Connector and Ketza Connector.
Skiers with dogs will have access to the trails in the following manner:
• Via the Canada Games Centre Parking Lot, known as the Stadium Trailhead (ski along the designated corridor on the east side of the stadium to Dog Trail).
Why is this change occurring? With a significant increase in the number of members at the ski club, there is a corresponding increase in the number of dogs on the trails and, more importantly, at the wax room area.
When the dog policy was introduced, the club had 500 members; we now have 1,200.
This season, the following trends have emerged:
1. Increased prevalence of dogs at the wax room area, resulting in greater dog-dog and dog-human interactions.
2. Increased prevalence of dog policy rule violations (dogs not on leash; dogs not tied up at the proper location; dogs charging other dogs and other skiers; poop not being scooped, etc…) despite ample signage and ongoing member education to these rules.
3. Increased risk of a dog-child incident.
4. Increased incidence of children coming into contact with dog excrement.
For the health and safety of our members, particularly children, the board has decided that the most balanced approach is to eliminate this congestion problem – and its related consequences – by moving dogs elsewhere. Board members feel that the potential liability associated with these health and safety concerns is too great to ignore.
While we recognize this change will be inconvenient for members that enjoy skiing with their dog from the wax room area, we are confident that this is the most reasonable approach, given the circumstances. Our goal is to try and balance these risks with a reasonable approach that allows our club to remain as dog friendly as possible.
Should you have any questions about this policy change, do not hesitate to contact any member of the Board of Directors or our Ski Club Manager.
Posted January 22, 2009
Don Sumanik Races/Sportees Sprints Update!
The Don Sumanik Freestyle Race is Saturday, January 31, 2009. Start time will be 12:30 p.m.
The entry deadline is Wednesday, January 28, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
The Don Sumanik trophies and other prizes will be presented after the freestyle race.
The Sportees Sprints will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2009.
Posted January 15, 2009
Public Avalanche Warning for Yukon and Northern BC
The Yukon government, Parks Canada and the Canadian Ski Patrol System, with assistance from the Canadian Avalanche Centre, are issuing a special public avalanche warning for the backcountry mountainous areas of southern Yukon and northern BC. Areas include the Wheaton Valley, White Pass from Carcross to the Alaska Border, Haines Pass from Haines Junction to the Alaska border and the Atlin area. The warning is in effect from January 15 - 18, 2009. Recreational backcountry travellers are strongly advised to exercise extreme caution if venturing into the mountains in the coming days .
Posted January 9, 2009
Greers To Take on the World
Cross Country Canada has announced that two Yukon skiers will form part of the 10-athlete contingent representing Canada at the World Junior Cross Country Championships later this month.
Both Janelle and David Greer will be heading off to Praz de Lys, located in the French alps, for the race series. The two were selected based on a series of qualification races held over the past week in Canmore, Alberta.
Janelle consistently finished in the top four of the Junior Women’s category of her three race series, while David picked up a gold and a silver medal in the two races he competed in.
According to Alain Masson, head coach of the Yukon Ski Team, “the last time the Yukon had two skiers at the World Juniors was in 1979 when Monique Waterreus and Michelle Shifkorn were part of Team Canada at the 1979 Worlds in Mt-Ste-Anne, Quebec. This is a tremendous showing for two fine Yukon athletes.”
Posted January 5, 2009
Celebration of New Trail Lights and Poker Rally !
The Poker Rally and Celebration of Trail Lights has been postponed, again, to January 21, 2009. There will be a brief ceremony at 7:00 p.m. to thank the funding agencies and sponsors and to thank those who helped out with the project. The Poker Rally will begin about 7:15 and run until 8:15. Details about the rally will be posted in the Wax Room. There will be a 5 kilometer course and a 2 kilometer course. Snowshoers are welcome!
Posted January 5, 2009
Bunny and Jackrabbit Leader Clinic January 10, 2009 Update!
The clinic has been postponed to January 10, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. due to cold weather. Watch this site or call the ski club office on Friday for an update.
This clinic will include a tour of the main instruction areas, demonstrations of age appropriate games, and general ideas for keeping your lessons flowing smoothly. The entire clinic will take place outside. Please meet Mike Gladish and Craig Nicholson in the wax room with your skis waxed. Please contact the Ski Base to register.
Posted January 7, 2009
Yukon Ski Team Wraps Up Canmore Norams
The final day of the Canmore Norams on Tuesday did not bring any more medals, but there were some superb performances by young Yukon athletes all the same.
Competing in the classic technique sprint race, Lee Hawkings put together the performance of his life, finishing in fifth place in the Junior Men’s category. Head coach Alain Masson said that “this is easily Lee’s best ranking in a national race, probably the only time he’s cracked the top 15. He’s got a great season ahead of him.”
Not far behind was Colin Abbot, finishing 3rd in the “B” final, giving him 8th place overall.
Janelle Greer, finishing off a stellar meet, pulled out another 4th place finish, just out of the medals in the Junior Women’s category.
Emily Nishikawa had been fighting injury for much of the season, and the sprint was going to be her big chance to show her stuff on the national stage. In the qualification round, Nishikawa tied for first place with Heidi Widmer, then went on to win her quarter final handily. But then, in the semi final, disaster struck. Feeling strong, she was in the lead but caught an edge, crossed her tips and crashed, ending her race and her hopes for making the World Junior Championships team.
Overall, Masson was extremely happy with the team’s performances at the event.
Competing against most of the top skiers in the country, the team picked up two gold medals (by Graham Nishikawa and David Greer), two silvers (Nishikawa and Greer again), a bronze (Janelle Greer) and a host of strong performances by the rest of the team.
The icing on the cake was the qualification of Nishikawa for the World Cup races at Whistler Olympic Park later this month and David Greer taking the crucial race that will put him on the team representing Canada at the World Junior Championships at the end of the month in France.
Posted January 6, 2009
More Medals For Our Yukon Skiers!
After a brutal 30 km race on some of the toughest trails in the country, it all came down to a couple of hundred metres for Graham Nishikawa. Facing a crucial challenge – he needed the win to clinch a place on the start line in the upcoming World Cup races at Callaghan Valley BC later this month – Graham Nishikawa pulled off a victory just when he needed it most, finishing the 30 km race in just over one hour seventeen minutes, including the time taken to swap skis and poles halfway through the competition.
Racing in the Open Men’s pursuit race, which combines a 15 km classic technique race and a 15 km skate race, Nishikawa and National Ski Team member Alex Harvey tried to break away from the pack with a few hundred metres to go. “Alex made a move and I just sat in with him, figuring we’d sprint for the win. Then, with 100 metres to go, Alex slipped on the ice and I had a clear shot at the finish.” The move left Nishikawa with a one-second victory over a hard charging Frederic Touchette and, more importantly, a berth representing Canada in the World Cup pursuit at the Whistler Olympic Park later this month.
In the Junior Men’s 20 km race, David Greer picked up a silver medal behind Graeme Killick from the Banff Ski Runners.
Other Yukoners had strong performances in the Junior Men’s category as well. Colin Abbot had a ground breaking 12th placing, while Jeff Wood, Lee Hawkings and Knute Johnsgaard, all competing with skiers two or more years their senior, placed well.
In the Junior Women’s 10 km pursuit, Janelle Greer continued her streak of strong performances, narrowly missing the podium with a fourth place finish, stopping the clock in 34:52, 48 seconds behind Marliss Kromm of Foothills Nordic. Greer normally competes in the Junior Girls category and her performance in this series of races is a good indicator of podium performances to come.
The last race of the series, a classic technique sprint, is scheduled for Tuesday.
Posted January 5, 2009
Yukon Skiers on the Podium in Canmore!
Competing on the first distance race for 2009 on the Noram circuit, Yukoners came up with three podium appearances on Sunday at the nordic centre in Canmore.
Top of the step was David Greer, who picked up the gold medal in the 55-strong Junior Men’s category, finishing the 15 km free technique race in 38:04. Taking the gold almost assures Greer of a spot on the team heading off to the World Junior Championships. Meanwhile, Graham Nishikawa took second place in the Open Men’s race, just 30 seconds back of Dave Nighbor from the National Ski Team. Despite taking a fall on a downhill, Nishikawa only took 36:31 to complete the Canmore course, widely acknowledged to be one of the toughest on the elite race circuit.
On the women’s side, Janelle Greer picked up a bronze medal in the Junior Women’s category. She skied her 10 km course in 34:52, just 13 seconds out of the silver medal position. Marliss Kromm, from the powerhouse Foothills Nordic club, picked up the win. Janelle’s results are particularly significant as she normally competes in the Junior Girls category. Racing up an age group pits her against skiers 2 to 3 years her senior.
Races continue on Monday with a pursuit race, which mixes both classic and skating techniques. This is a critical race for Nishikawa as it will be used to fill the Canadian roster for the last couple of available spots for the Callaghan Valley World Cup races being held later this month.
December 2008
Posted December 30, 2008
Don Sumanik Races Update
The Don Sumanik Freestyle Race is scheduled for Saturday, January 10, 2009. Start time will be 12:30 p.m.
The entry deadline has been changed to Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
Skiers with dogs are asked to avoid skiing from the Mt McIntyre Rec and through the stadium from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday January 10 . The alternate parking adjacent to Hamilton Blvd may be used, but at your own risk. The parking area has not been cleared of snow and is very rough.
The Don Sumanik trophies and other prizes will be presented after the freestyle race.
Posted December 18, 2008
Coaching Course Reminder January 9-10, 2009
This is a reminder to anyone wishing to take the Introduction to Community Coaching (ICC) course being held January 9-10, 2009 to sign up soon. This course is required for anyone wishing to lead Bunnies or assist with Jackrabbits or Orange Squad. Please refer to these links for further details:
http://www.crosscountryyukon.com/coachingworkshops.html http://www.crosscountryyukon.com/coachingcertification.html
To sign up just email Bob Nishikawa at stanish@northwestel.net
Posted December 30, 2008
New Year's Eve Ski
For those who can tolerate the cold, there will be an opportunity to celebrate the New Year on skis. Gary Bailie and the Kwanlin Coyotes Ski Club have invited WCCSC members to drop by their chalet on New Year's Eve to enjoy some moose stew and hospitality. You can ski from the Wax Room, to Dog Trail and then turn left onto the Father Mouchet loop that will take you directly to the Coyotes chalet. Or you can drop in by vehicle from the McIntyre Drive entrance.
There will be a group of skiers leaving the Wax Room about 8:00 p.m. to visit the Coyotes Chalet and then go to either Harvey's Hut or Fireweed Hut to bring in the New Year. The cut off temperature will be -30C.
Posted December 20, 2008
Bunny and Jackrabbit Leader Clinic January 4, 2009
There will be a second leader clinic on January 4, 2009. This clinic will include a tour of the main instruction areas, demonstrations of age appropriate games, and general ideas for keeping your lessons flowing smoothly. The entire clinic will take place outside. Please meet Mike Gladish and Craig Nicholson in the wax room at 1:00 pm on January 4th with your skis waxed. Please contact the Ski Base to register.
Posted December 16, 2008
Christmas Hours
Christmas hours for the Wax Room and Ski Base are now posted in the Wax Room and on the website. Click here for details. Evening hours will be reduced to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays.
Posted December 16, 2008
Dogs and Don Sumanik Races
Skiers with dogs are asked to avoid skiing from the Mt McIntyre Rec and through the stadium from 12 noon to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday December 27 and Sunday December 28. The alternate parking adjacent to Hamilton Blvd may be used, but at your own risk. The parking area has not been cleared of snow and is very rough.
Posted December 19, 2008
Don Sumanik Races Postponed to December 27, 28, 2008
The Don Sumanik Races have been postponed to next weekend - December 27-28. due to the cold weather. The new registration deadline is December 24 at 6:00 p.m.
Posted December 26, 2008
Don Sumanik Races December 27, 28, 2008
The Don Sumanik Races this weekend are weather dependant. A final decision will be made on Saturday morning by 10:00 a.m. to determine whether the races go as scheduled. The cut off temperature for cross country races is -20C. The race jury will make a decision at 10:00 a.m. based on the current temperature and the wind chill if that is considered to be a problem.
Please call the information line or check the website by 10:30 a.m. for the most recent update.
Posted December 18, 2008
Western Canadian Championships Trip February 19-22, 2009
The Westerns are February 19-22 in Canmore, Alberta. There will be 3 races.
We are looking for WCCSC members interested in this trip. If you are interested in going you would expect to book your own flights, book accomodation hopefully in the same place, arrange vehicle rental with other skiers from Whitehorse, etc. Karen McKenna will compile names of those interested and pass them around. There may be some funding through lotteries for Squad skiers.
See the race notice for more information. These would be good races to attend for any Blue Squad skiers who do not meet the criteria for the official Yukon team or for Green Squad skiers looking for race experience, or Senior or Masters skiers looking for a good excuse to try out the Canmore ski trails!
Posted December 16, 2008
Poker Rally Postponed Due to Cold Forecast
Organizers have decided to postpone the Poker Rally due to the cold weather forecast for Wednesday evening. A date has not been chosen yet, but likely it will be Janurary 1 or January 7. Updates will be provided through the weekly newsletter or here on our home page.
Posted December 15, 2008
Yukoners Take 7 Medals at Silver Star Noram Races!
The Greer family has a few more medals to add to the family collection.
Yukon Ski Team members Janelle and David Greer both picked up gold medals in their categories in the classic technique Noram races held on Saturday at the Sovereign Lake nordic centre. David Greer topped the podium in the junior men’s 15 km race, finishing the hilly course in 48:48, just ahead of Curtis Merry of Foothills Nordic. Meanwhile, sister Janelle, racing in the junior women’s category, picked up her gold by skiing the 10 km course in 35:06.
Graham Nishikawa, competing in the extremely competitive open men’s category, picked up a 5th place, only 15 seconds back from a podium position.
The race rounded off a successful start to the racing season for the Yukon team. They will be bringing back a total of seven medals, won by six different athletes in the Sovereign Lake race series.
Posted December 11, 2008
Trail Lights Poker Rally December 17!
Social Director, Nikki Deneault has announced that the club will host a Celebration of Lights Poker Rally, next Wednesday December 17th at 7:00 p.m. The new lights are now in operation, but next week's event will be the official opening and celebration.
The Poker Rally will encourage skiers to explore all the lit trails, with two options. There will be two courses, one for the kids, or novice adults which will be 2 kilometers and one for all other skiers which will be 5 kilometers show casing all our new lights. There will be five dealer stations on the course and skiers will draw one card from each station. The best poker hand will win the Rally. More rules and prizes will be announced before the event.
Hot chocolate will follow in the chalet.
For more information call the Ski Base at 668-4477.
Posted December 12, 2008
Yukoners Medal at Norams (again) !
Graham Nishikawa once again proved that he’s a force to be reckoned with among the elite of North American skiers as he took a podium position in the open men’s 20 km free technique race on Thursday at Sovereign Lake. Nishikawa, who finished third in the race, was narrowly outsprinted by Dave Nighbor of North Bay, Ontario as the pair stopped the clock in just over 50 minutes. Alex Harvey, of the National Ski Team, was first across the line, just six seconds ahead of the pair. Nishikawa wasn’t the only Yukoner on the podium.
Bryn Knight, on the comeback trail after a season off last year due to an injury, picked up a silver medal in the junior women’s 15 km race, while Heidi Brook picked up the bronze, half a minute back from Knight.
Conditions were almost perfect for the athletes, with fresh snow, warm conditions and sunny skies. It was a tough race for Nishikawa, as the pack of over 90 men slowly dwindled on the hills. “We kept trying to drop the rest of the field, but you’d look back and they were still there.” With only 5 km to go, the pack had thinned to a hardy dozen or so, but then Harvey put the hammer down and the bunch just couldn’t stay with him.
Yukon has a strong contingent at these races, with over 16 skiers representing competing in the three race series. This first race day was especially rough on the Yukoners as they were coming in from all over the continent and only arrived late on the night before the race.
Congratulations Team Yukon and Coach Alain Masson (and assistant Amanda Deuling).
Posted December 6, 2008
Request for Proposals
The W hitehorse Cross Country Ski Club (WCCSC) requires a consultant to review its current business model and offer suggestions for improving the manner in which this not-forprofit organization is structured. For questions, or for a copy of the terms of reference for this study, please contact Derrick Hynes, Vice-President, WCCSC at: derrick.hynes@northwestel.net. Deadline for proposals is January 2, 2009.
Posted December 4, 2008
Christmas Pass Booklets On Sale December 1 to December 24
Christmas Pass booklets are on sale at the Ski Base. The booklets are 5 day pass coupons for $40.00 for adults and $20.00 for youth, senior and students. GST is added. The coupons must be redeemed at the Ski Base for a day pass and they are valid only for this season. Phone the club office for more information.
Posted December 11,, 2008
New Program - SnowFun! For Kids 4 to 14
The club is trying a new program to encourage kids to play on their skis and spend more time on the snow. There are still spaces available in all three days.
Thursdays 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. for kids 4 to 9 years old.
Fridays 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for kids 10 to 14 years old.
Saturdays 11:30 to 12:30p.m. for all ages.
For more information go to the web page: http://www.xcskiwhitehorse.ca/snowfunprogram.html
Posted December 8, 2008
Medal for Nishikawa!
Graham Nishikawa started off the weekend of racing at the Sovereign Lakes nordic ski trails near Vernon, BC with what he described as “a complete disaster”, getting eliminated in the first quarter final of the sprint heats on Saturday. The heats were run in marginal conditions; the snow cover was so thin that organizers had to switch from a planned classic technique race to a skate race at the last minute as the snow wasn’t deep enough to cut a track.
Sunday proved to be better though, and the racers had 10 cm of fresh snow to work with for the 15 km distance race, which was also a free technique race. Nishikawa picked up a silver medal for his efforts. The open men’s field was huge, with over 100 racers in town from Canada and the U.S. searching for some snow to race on.
Next weekend’s Norams, scheduled for Whistler Olympic Park have been moved to Sovereign Lakes due to lack of snow. This has left organizers scrambling as they work to reschedule volunteers on short notice. Whitehorse will be sending a large contingent of skiers to the Sovereign Lake races. Yukon Ski Team head coach Alain Masson currently has 16 skiers on his list as he scrambles to deal with the logistical issues of a last minute change.
Posted December 4, 2008
New Program - SnowFun! For Kids 4 to 14 Starts Today
The club is trying a new program to encourage kids to play on their skis and spend more time on the snow. There are three times available: Thursdays 4:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. for kids 4 to 9 years old, Fridays 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for kids 10 to 14 years old and Saturdays 11:30 to 12:30p.m. for all ages. There are still a few openings. For more information go to the web page: http://www.xcskiwhitehorse.ca/snowfunprogram.html
Posted December 4, 2008
Trail Lights Update
All lights are now on. There are some lights still ot working but they will be checked and repaired next week.
The North Loop includes the Bridge overpass, Olympic Trail, Jim Link, Nighthawk, World Cup 5K to the Interchange and Chalet Trail back to the Wax Room.
The South Loop includes Dog/Lynx/Copper and the stadium. The south loop is 2.5 kilometers, measured from the Wax Room.
There will be a special event planned for mid December.
November 2008
Posted November 27, 2008
Tracksetting Workshop December 1 , 2008
There will be a clinic on December 1, 2008, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. for any experienced trail groomers who would like to learn the fine art of tracksetting. Meet in the Grey Mountain Room, upstairs at Mt McIntyre. To register, please call the Ski Base at 668-4477.
Posted November 10, 2008
Alpine Bakery Free Ski Day November 29, 2008
The annual Free Ski Day sponsored by Alpine Bakery, is scheduled for Saturday November 29, 2008. Try skiing on well groomed trails, waxing indoors, and finishing with a hot shower and sauna! And have an Alpine Bakery treat for free! There will be reduced rates on rental equipment as well.
Posted November 26, 2008
Sport Yukon Awards for Club Members
The Ski Club has nominated the following club members for special recognition at the Annual Sport Yukon Awards Night.
Trailworker of the Year - Yves Titley - Yves has been a groomer for about 5 years. He is a tracksetter and has been a crewleader for 2 years. Yves also does a lot of work on his own initiative. He has kept the firewood supply at Harvey’s Hut and made improvements to the Hut over the last few years. Yves also worked on improvements to Dog Trail.
Club Event Volunteer of the Year - Sylvie Hamel and Michelle Rigoni for making 4 Friday nights a year that couldn’t get any better! They organized the Wax & Wine evenings for three years and set a new standard for excellence!
Ski Club “Skier” of the Year - Craig Beatty - Craig skis at least 4 times a week and when he can, he’ll ski 7 days a week. He is a great role model for skiing for fitness and competition. Craig is passing his love of skiing on to younger skiers through helping with the squad programs. Craig skis from the first centimeter of snow until the last snow patch melts in the spring. And he never complains about the conditions, whether it is a slow -40 or a messy plus 5. It’s always a great day for a ski!
Administrator of the Year - Jim Gilpin - Jim has been a key person on several projects because of his role as a mapmaker and because of his insights into planning issues such as the Raven’s Ridge development, the claim staking activities, bike park proposal and the trail lights upgrade. Jim is on the ski club board as Vice President, and is an active member of the Land Tenure Committee and the Lights Project Committee.
Posted November 19, 2008
Level 2 Officials Clinic November 24, 2008
The Level 2 Officials course will take place Monday Nov 24 from 7-9 pm in the Grey Mountain Room at Mt Mac. It is open to any Level 1 Official or those that recently completed the Level 1 Official training sessions, but have not yet done the practical component. Refer to http://www.crosscountryyukon.com/officiatingcourses.html for sign up info.
Posted November 10, 2008
Coast Mountain Sports Wax and Wine #2 November 28, 2008
The next Wax and Wine will be November 28 at 7:00 p.m. in the wax room. All welcome. The theme and presenter will be announced later. Please note that the Wax & Wine will return to Friday nights.
For more information call Coast Mountain Sports at 667-4074 or the Ski Base at 668-4477 or go to Wax and Wine
Posted November 3, 2008
Trail Lights Update
Further delays with the trail lights project will mean that the lights will not be turned on for at least another week. The Stadium lights are on and the stadium has been packed so it is a good place to practice skating in the evening. Ongoing work on the lights also means that some trucks will be on Chalet, Olympic and Stadium Trails.
Posted November 2, 2008
Hours Of Operation For The Winter
The ski club Wax Room and the Ski Base are now open for winter hours. The Ski Base will be open Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to noon and 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Wax Room will be open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
October 2008
Posted October 30, 2008
Coaching Courses
These courses have a minimum number needed in order to run. Please make sure you register soon so that we can offer these great learning experiences.
For more information please go to www.crosscountryyukon.com
1) To find out what course you need for the varying levels (bunny,jackrabbit and squads) please go to Coaching Certification on the website.
2) To find out dates and times of course please go to Coaching Workshops on the website.
Posted October 8, 2008
Officials Level 1 Workshop
The first of a two part Level 1 Officials course will take place on October 27, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Topics covered will be: race organization charts, race formats, start/finish routines, hand timing, introduction to Zone 4 which is the race timing software, course grooming, course marking, rules, Technical Delegate Role and discussion of minor officials' roles. For more information go to Officials Training.
Posted October 8, 2008
Basic Trail Grooming Clinic
The Basic Trail Grooming Clinic is an introduction to trail grooming at the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club. Topics include safety, maintenance procedures, how to pack, how to grade and how to operate the snow machines. The clinic will be held on November 3, 2008 from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Read More ...
Posted October 26, 2008
Coast Mountain Sports Wax and Wine #1 November 1, 2008
The first Wax and Wine of the year will be on Saturday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. in the wax room. All welcome. Dan Reimer will be the presenter and he will give tips on basic grip waxing. Dan will also talk about pre or early season training for fitness, and will answer your questions about base prep, equipment and so on.
For more information call Coast Mountain Sports at 667-4074 or the Ski Base at 668-4477 or go to Wax and Wine
Posted October 31, 2008
Last Day for Locker Renewal!
Payment for ski lockers is due today. If you had a ski locker and have not renewed it for this year, it will be given to the next member on the waiting list. If you intend to keep your locker and can't make it to the Ski Base today, please call the club office at 668-44477 to hold your spot. A reminder for this year: you must be a member to have a locker or to be on the waiting list. If you are on the waiting list and want to stay on, you must renew your membership.
Posted October 16, 2008
Hours Of Operation For The Rest Of October
From October 16 to 31 the Ski Base will be open Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to noon and 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The wax room will be open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and weekends from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Posted October 20, 2008
Secretary Still Needed for the Ski Club Board
If you have an interest in being on the board and can committ to about 5 hours a month, there is a position available. The club requires a volunteer to fill the Secretary position. Meetings are once a month and are about 21/2 hours long. For more information scroll down and click on Board of Directors. Please call the club office at 668-44477 if you are interested.
Posted October 16, 2008
New E- mail Newsletters Now Being Sent to 08/09 Members Only
As of Wednesday, October 8, 2008 the ski club started sending email newsletters to members and subscribers through a web based newsletter program. Only new members or those who sign up through the ski club website will receive email updates after October 18. The club will continue to use last year's email addresses until October 18, so you may receive two updates for a period of one week. The change is being made so that the newsletter can be managed and sent out more easily and so that the address data base can be managed and updated from more than one location.
The new web-based newsletter is being made possible through the sponsorship of the Chocolate Claim.
Posted October 14, 2008
It's Ski Swap Week - Here's Some Reminders
The doors open on Satruday October 18 at 9:00 a.m.
Drop off your used ski and sports gear from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week at the Ski Base at Mt McIntyre. Or drop off on Friday, October 17 in the Grey Mountain Room, upstairs at Mt McIntyre Recreation Centre. No gear will be accepted after Friday at 9:00 p.m.
If you pay by cash or cheque, you will greatly speed up your shopping experience. Debit and credit card (MC & VISA) are both possible but there is only one terminal.
There will be volunteers on the floor to help with sizing, and many of the skis will be "pre-sized" and labeled for approximate weight and type of skier (thank you to Icycle Sports for help with this).
Payout and pick-up of unsold gear is from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. You MUST have your claim tickets to pick up your gear or to be paid out for sold items.
The Winter Fair will be downstairs in the wax room from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon as well. Memberships will be on sale at early season prices and registration for Jackrabbits will start at the Winter Fair.
For more Ski Swap information click here.
Posted October 14, 2008
Second E- mail Newsletter Being Sent Today
As of Wednesday, October 8, 2008 the ski club started sending email newsletters to members and subscribers through a web based newsletter program. Only new members or those who sign up through the ski club website will receive email updates after October 18. The club will continue to use last year's email addresses until October 18, so you may receive two updates for a period of one week. The change is being made so that the newsletter can be managed and sent out more easily and so that the address data base can be managed and updated from more than one location.
The new web-based newsletter is being made possible through the sponsorship of the Chocolate Claim.
Posted October 8, 2008
New E mail Newsletter Sent Today
As of Wednesday, October 8, 2008 the ski club is sending email newsletters to members and subscribers through a web based newsletter program. Only new members or those who sign up through the ski club website will receive email updates after October 18. The club will continue to use last year's email addresses until October 18, so you may receive two updates for a period of one week. The change is being made so that the newsletter can be managed and sent out more easily and so that the address data base can be managed and updated from more than one location.
The new web-based newsletter is being made possible through the sponsorship of the Chocolate Claim.
Posted October 4, 2008
Equipment Fitting and Selection Clinic October 9
On Thursday, October 9 at 7:00 p.m. The Ski Base will provide a clinic on how to properly fit and select equipment. The clinic will be most useful for new skiers or parents who are trying to buy equipment for their children. The clinic will provide enough information to help Ski Swappers get the best deal possible and to not end up with equipment that does not fit properly.
Posted October 4, 2008
Email Updates To Change Format
As of Wednesday, October 8, 2008 the ski club will begin sending email newsletters to members and subscribers through a web based newsletter program. Only new members or those who sign up through the ski club website will receive email updates after October 18. The club will continue to use last year's email addresses until October 18, so you may receive two updates for a period of one week. The change is being made so that the newsletter can be managed and sent out more easily and so that the address data base can be managed and updated from more than one location.
The new web-based newsletter is being made possible through the sponsorship of the Chocolate Claim.
September 2008
Posted September 25, 2008
New Ski Club Board Elected for the 2008/2009 Season !
Along with some returning Board members, there were three new members elected at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 24. Welcome to the Board: Katherine Sandiford and Niki Deneault who will be co Social Directors, and to Doug Knutson, our new Facilities Director. The Board still requires a Secretary so if there is anybody interested in taking that role, please contact the club office. For a complete list of Board members and job descriptions scroll down to the bottom of this page.
Posted September 22, 2008
Update Regarding Membership Fees for Skiers 75 and Older!
At the May planning meeting, the ski club board decided to honour our older ski club members by reducing the membership fee to a nominal $15. The 15.00 fee covers the amount the club pays per member for liability insurance. There are several club members in the 75+ age group and they are all long time club members so the board was quite willing to vote in favour of this change. This change was not included on the 2008/2009 Membership Form and was not mentioned in the September newsletter.
Posted September 22, 2008
Newsletter Available on Line !
The September Ski Club News is now available on line. Scroll down the left column and click on Newsletter. April newsletter is also available. All other ski club news will be sent by email and will be available on line or by phoning our Northwestel Ski Info Line at 668-7742. Watch for the Email Newsletter sponsored by Chocolate Claim, beginning in later October.
Posted September 22, 2008
2010 Nationals Coming to Whitehorse!
Cross Country Canada has awarded the 2010 Nationals – official title the Haywood Ski Nationals – to the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club. The event will take place in mid-March of 2010, just a few weeks after the 2010 Olympics.
This is the biggest event the club has seen in many years. Not only does it encompass both junior and senior national championships, but also includes the national university and colleges championships and a para-nordic championship event.
The event will include a total of 5 races spread over an 8 day stretch and has everything from sprints to long distance races, relays, mass starts and interval starts.
About 350-400 skiers are expected to participate, representing the elite of Canada’s ski community.
The Club will be looking for about 200 volunteers to help out. Look for sign up sheets and more information as the season progresses. Volunteers are needed in all areas, and training will be provided
A short presentation about the 2010 Nationals will be presented at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, September 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the curling lounge at Mt Mac.
Posted September 22, 2008
Newsletter Available on Line !
The September Ski Club News is now available on line. Scroll down the left column and click on Newsletter. April newsletter is also available. All other ski club news will be sent by email and will be available on line or by phoning our Northwestel Ski Info Line at 668-7742. Watch for the Email Newsletter sponsored by Chocolate Claim, beginning in later October.
Posted September 16, 2008
Annual Memberships Now On Sale. Early Season Discount Until The Ski Swap!
Memberships for the 2008/2009 season are now on sale at Coast Mountain Sports, Icycle Sport, and at The Ski Base. Memberships may also be downloaded from this site and mailed to the ski club office or dropped off at any of the locations.
Posted September 2, 2008
Do You Ski With a Dog? Learn How to Control Your Dog and Have More Fun!
Training for the Trails September 27th to October 18th. 10:00 am - 11:30 a.m.
Session Dates
• Saturday September 27, 2008 from 10:00 a.m - 11:30 a.m.
• Saturday October 4, 2008 from 10:00 a.m - 11:30 a.m.
• Saturday October 11, 2008 from 10:00 a.m - 11:30 a.m.
• Saturday October 18, 2007 from 10:00 a.m - 11:30 a.m.
Meet at the Stadium Trailhead in the Canada Games Centre parking lot. This clinic is designed for xc skiers and hikers who want better control of their dogs on the trails. It will cover techniques for teaching dogs to stay close and attentive while enjoying fun and exercise on the trails. Your dog will learn trail etiquette and you will learn tricks for controlling your dog off leash under distracting conditions. Four 90 minute sessions, $150. Maximum class size 4 dogs. An additional group will be added if there is sufficient interest. To register contact Rosanne Konrad at Behaviour Matters! Dog Training. Email: behaviour.matters@yahoo.ca or 633-4696.
Posted September 1, 2008
Annual Memberships On Sale September 15, 2008
The ski club will begin selling memberships for the 2008/2009 season beginning on Monday September 15, 2008. Passes will be available at Coast Mountain Sports, Icycle Sport and The Ski Base. Memberships may be downloaded and mailed to the ski club office once the new forms are available.
August 2008
Posted August 27, 2008
Business Plan for 2008-2009
The ski club board of directors has developed and approved a business plan for the next year. Thanks to Derrick Hynes for his key role in developing the plan. To view the Business Plan, scroll down and click on the link in the 'About' column.
Posted August 27, 2008
Annual General Meeting Set for September 24, 2008
The AGM has been set for Wednesday, September 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the Curling Club lounge, upstairs at Mt McIntyre Rec Centre. All are welcome, including newcomers to Whitehorse who may want to get involved with the club.
The ski club board will present year end reports, Annual Financial Statements and the operating budget for 2008/2009. The Election of Officers for the new term will take place as well. Presently there are 3 vacancies: Secretary, Facilities Director and Social Director. Nominations for these and all other board positions are welcomed. Click on the Board of Directors link at the bottom of this page for more information.
There will also be an 'Extraordinary Resolution" presented at the AGM. The Resolution is being made to ammend the Club's bylaw regarding membership. To comply with stricter liability clauses we have to carefully define our membership. The draft resolution is as follows:
Ammend Article 1(c) to read: A member shall be deemed to be in good standing when the member has paid the current annual membership fee if any annual membership fee has been set.
Also, any individuals who have signed a Participant Waiver Form to enter in a WCCSC ski race or event, or those who have purchased a Day Pass for the use of WCCSC ski trails, or those who have signed a Volunteer Waiver Form to assist with club programs are also considered members of the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club and Cross Country Yukon and will be covered as “additional named insured” under the CCC insurance policy. Membership for these individuals is limited to the competition, event or day specified in the Participant Waiver Form, or Volunteer Waiver Form or Day Pass.
July 2008
Posted July 25, 2008
2010 Nationals Awarded to WCCSC
The Canadian Championships are coming to Whitehorse in 2010. More information will be provided in late August and September and updates will be given through the website.
Posted July 25, 2008
New Link to Information about Future of Ski Trails
After many months of meetings and discussion, the board is presenting some information to club members regarding the work being done on securing better land tenure for the trails. Go to the link at the bottom of this page "Future of Ski Trails" and click on it. There is a map showing the club's Area of Interest and some background information regarding last fall's claim staking activity.
June 2008
Posted June 2, 2008
Strategic Plan 2008-2013 Adopted by Ski Club Board
The Strategic Plan has been approved by the board. Thanks to the Committee members who worked on the plan since March: Jody Woodland, Ian Robinson, Derrick Hynes, Sylvie Hamel, Tom Ullyett and Bill Curtis.
April 2008
Posted April 25, 2008
PHOTO CONTEST – 2009 PROJECT PODIUM CALENDAR
Cross Country Canada needs Recreational and Programming Photos
They would like to make the calendar more appealing to a broader market within the cross-country skiing community. While not forgetting the origins of the calendar project and the National Ski Team, we wish to expand our selection of photos and images to include more recreational and backcountry cross-country ski shots, as well as more children and youth programming. They are looking for photos from all seasons including summer training and roller skiing. Photos that are not selected for calendar months may also be featured as vignettes (secondary images) on calendar pages or be used for other CCC promotional purposes.
Submit your favourite cross-country skiing photos from the 2007/08 season! Proceeds from the calendar go to Cross Country Canada, the National Ski Team and can be used as a great Club fundraising activity in support of youth and racing programs. Read on for specific contest details. Or click here for background details on Project Podium Calendar. PRIZES: CCC MERCHANDISE prizes will go to the WINNING PHOTOS (one photo for each month (14) of the calendar and the cover).
Posted April 25, 2008
Strategic Plan 2008-2013 Draft Available on Line for Comment
Members are encouraged to review the Strategic Plan and provide any comments to manager@xcskiwhitehorse.ca or to any board member. Scroll down to bottom of this page and click on About - Strategic Plan. Comments will be considered when the committee completes a final version later this spring. Comments should be delivered by May 13, 2008.
Posted April 23, 2008
Wax Room Closes Sunday April 27 at 5:00 p.m.
The Wax Room is open this week, April 21 to April 27 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Ski Base is now closed for the season. Please clean out ski lockers by Sunday.
Posted April 18, 2008
David Greer and Emily Nishikawa named to National Team!
Mix a ton of hard work with talent, great coaching and community support and what do you get? Another Yukoner named to the National Junior Cross Country Ski Team.
This week, Emily Nishikawa got the nod to be the newest member of Cross Country Canada’s Team 2018, recognizing her potential to move up to the senior squad and, maybe someday, a shot at an Olympic berth. Nishikawa joins fellow Yukon Ski Team member David Greer, who was named to the elite squad last year and who remains on the roster for the upcoming season.
Yukon hasn’t had two skiers on a national squad since the early 1990’s. “This is great news for Emily” said Alain Masson, the Yukon Ski Team’s Head Coach. “She’s been working incredibly hard for years and this gives her the recognition she deserves.” Nishikawa will continue her full time training at the Callaghan Valley training centre, where she’s been working for the past season.
David Greer will continue his training at the Pierre Harvey training centre in Quebec. “These are two really talented athletes. They’re both great role models for the rest of the team and the kids are all thrilled for them” noted Masson. “We saw some great results from them both during the last season and no doubt we’ll see even more next year.” Both Nishikawa and Greer made podium appearances at the recent Haywood Ski Nationals held at the Whistler Olympic site. Nishikawa picked up a gold medal in the sprint race, while Greer added a silver to his collection of honours with a second place finish in the classic race.
Probably the highlight of the last season for Nishikawa didn’t involve a podium performance at all. She was a last minute pick to compete for Canada in one of the World Cup races held in Canmore in January – quite an honour for a skier of her age. By the look of things, there will be many more to come.
Posted April 17, 2008
April Newsletter Correction
Correction re: Sportees advertisement. The correct email address for Sportees Active Wear is info@sportees.com. Link to Sportees web site through Sportees.
Posted April 15, 2008
April Newsletter Now On Line and Mailed
The April newsletter is available on line. Most households will also receive a copy in the mail. If you do not wish to receive the April newsletter next year, please be sure to indicate that on your registratiion form next fall.
Posted April 7, 2008
Locker Contents
Lockers should be cleaned out by April 27. The ski club is not responsible for items that are left over the summer. Lockers will be moved to facilitate repainting the wax room floor. This may result in contents being upset and knocked around. Please check ahead for hours to ensure that the wax room is open when you plan to remove your locker contents.
Posted April 14, 2008
Wax Room and Ski Base Hours
During April, as the season winds down the Wax Room and Ski Base Hours will change weekly. Please check the Hours of Operation to the left and posted on the Wax Room doors. Wax Room will close at 8:00 p.m. for the week of April 14 to 18 and at 5:00 p.m. for the week of April 21 to April 25. Ski Base is now closed Mondays and Fridays. Please phone ahead for rentals/sales information.
March 2008
Posted March 25, 2008
One more Subway!
Subway Race #4 is on April 2, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. Register by Tuesday, April 1. The event will be a 2.5km or 5km relay. Teams will be made up based on previous Subway results.
Posted March 20, 2008
Yukon Championships Scheduled For March 29-30, 2008
The Yukon Championships will be held on March 29-30, 2008 at the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club. The registration deadline is 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday March 26, 2006. For more information, visit the Yukon Championships web page.
Posted March 25, 2008
School Challenge Day is Wednesday, March 26!
Cross Country Yukon is hosting the annual School Ski Challenge Day on Wednesday. The event will take place in the stadium throughout the day. Skiers with dogs, please use the Mt Mac trailhead and ski over the bridge and down Ketza Trail to access Dog Trail.
Posted March 15, 2008
Sugar Shack and Free Ski Day this Sunday!
On Sunday March 16, there will be a Sugar Shack at Harvey's Hut from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. All day passes will be free for the entire day.
Posted March 5, 2008
Congratulations to Tom Fairman, Keith and Yvonne Frostad, Dave and Irene Brekke and Jim Boyde!
The Ski Club proudly presented the Father Mouchet Award and Life Memberships to several club members at the Northwestel Yukon Loppet Banquet last Saturday.
Life memberships were given to Tom Fairman, Keith Frostad and Yvonne Frostad. Tom has been a club volunteer for many years, first as a ski patroller and then as a groomer. Tom spends well over 100 hours a winter grooming trails. He was Chief of Mechanical Grooming for Canada Winter Games and has been Chief of Course for the Loppet for several years. Keith and Yvonne have been involved with skiing for over 30 years, first helping with the TEST program and then becoming regular and dependable volunteers with ski club races and other events.
The Father Mouchet Award was presented to Dave and Irene Brekke and Jim Boyde for their leadership and committment to cross country skiing. They were key players in developing the original trail system in the 1970-1971 period in preparation for the 1972 Arctic Winter Games.
More details will be available by clicking on Our Volunteers at the bottom of the home page.
Posted March 5, 2008
Congratulations to Duchane Richard - Bronze Medal!
Duchane Richard won a bronze medal in day one of the World Masters Cross Country Ski Championships in McCall, Idaho on Saturday. The race was won by Gabriele Andersen of the U.S. team. Richard, a familiar sight on the ski trails in Whitehorse, was competing in a 15 km classic technique race. She competes in the F07 (age 60-64) category. The next race on the schedule for Richard is a 30 km race on March 6. The world championship event has attracted over 1,200 skiers representing some 23 countries for a full week of competition.
Posted March 4, 2008
Meeting Regarding Mt Sima!
The board of the Great Northern Ski Society invites their membership and concerned public to attend an information sharing meeting Thursday, March 6th 7-8:30pm. The meeting will be held in the Grey Mountain Room in the Mt. McIntyre Recreation Facility. This meeting will serve as a forum for updating the concerned passholders/members of the season closure of Mt. Sima; How did this happen? Why did this happen? Where to now? There will be an open question and answer period during this meeting.
February 2008
Posted February 29, 2008
Spring Passes! !
Spring passes are now available. Passes are valid from March 1, 2008 to the end of season, which is usually mid April. Spring passes are $60 plus GST for adults and $30 for Senior/Youth/Student. Available only at the Ski Base at Mt Mac.
Posted February 29, 2008
Spring Break Hours
During spring break, March 10 to March 21, the wax room will close at 8:00 p.m. on weekdays and 6:00 p.m. on weekends. Hours may be extended if there is sufficient demand. Trail lights will be turned off as of March 10, due to daylight savings time.
Posted February 26, 2008
Tuesday Jackrabbits!
The Tuesday Jackrabbit group will continue until Tuesday March 4, 2008.
Posted February 22, 2008
Ski-a-thon Hosted by Kwanlin Coyotes Ski Club!
The Kwanlin Coyotes Ski Club and the Kwanlin Dun Health Centre invite all skiers to participate in a fundraising ski-a-thon to support the Cycle to Walk Campaign. The campaign will raise funds to help eradicate polio. The Ski-a-thon will take place on March 2 from noon to 4pm. For more information call 668-7289 or email carmengibbons@hotmail.com.
Posted February 26, 2008
Northwestel Yukon Loppet Information Update!
The banquet will be at the High Country Inn, not at Mt McIntyre as first planned. Skiers who have entered the 35K should check the rules which are posted on the board in the Wax Room or click here.
The Descent Trail will be groomed before the loppet so it will be in the best possible condition. If skiers are in doubt as to their ability to control speed, they should take off their skis and walk on the steeper sections.
Bib Pick up is in the Grey Mountain Room at Mt Mac from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. For start times check the loppet web page. Allow at least 5 minutes to get to the stadium and preferably 10 minutes before your start time. Follow the route indicated for stadium access.
Posted February 15, 2008
Northwestel Yukon Loppet Early Registration!
The early registration deadline for the loppet is Sunday, February 17 at 6:00 p.m. Start time will be 12:00 p.m. Entry deadline is Wednesday, February 13, 2008. Registration forms are available at Coast Mountain Sports and the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club Wax Room.
Posted February 18, 2008
Northwestel Yukon Loppet
The early registration deadline for the loppet has passed, but registration is still possible as long as you pay the $10 late fee. Registration forms are available at Coast Mountain Sports and the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club Wax Room
Posted February 5, 2008
Mt Lorne Classic Ski Race February 16, 2008!
The Lorne Mountain Classic Ski Race is scheduled for February 16, 2008. Start time will be 12:00 p.m. Entry deadline is Wednesday, February 13, 2008. Registration forms are available at Coast Mountain Sports and the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club Wax Room.
Posted, February 11, 2008
Subway 5K Race #3
The third Subway Race of the season is Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. Register by February 12 at 6:00 p.m. Sub sandwiches for all participants and volunteers. This is a duathlon event - 2.5 k classic and 2.5 k freestyle with a change of equipment at the half way point. Click here for more Subway information
Posted February 6, 2008
Nishikawas do it again! David Greer also medalled!
Graham Nishikawa won a sprint race in Quebec on the weekend and now leads the Haywood Canada Cup race. For details go to this link. Emily Nishikawa also stood on the podium on the weekend. More details to follow. For results go to http://www.zone4.ca/ and look for the Haywood Noram Eastern Canada results.
Posted February 7, 2008
Marsh Lake Loppet Cancelled! Fun Not Cancelled! Read on.
Unfortunately, the loppet has to be cancelled due to the cold weather but the Marsh Lake community is "inviting folks out to join them at the community centre on Saturday starting from noon. We'll have the rink cleared for shinny or skating (maybe Tequilla-junction can go in the warm-up shack)? Jim will set some trail for die-hard skiers (like Bob lake and the red trail). We'll have Ferryn here doing crafts with kids. Drew will have his Jack-a-Loppet Café going with soup and sandwiches. And Shirley and Rita will be drawing all of the amazing prizes for the racers who make it out anyway. .
Posted February 5, 2008
Cold Weather Update!
The cold weather continues: trail lights will remain off until the minimum temperature stays above -30C. The Wax Room and Ski Base will close at 8pm nightly for this week, unless it warms up. Signs will be posted each day.
Posted, February 4, 2008
Subway 5K Race #3 POSTPONED AGAIN!
The third Subway Race of the season is postponed to Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. Register by February 12 at 6:00 p.m. Sub sandwiches for all participants and volunteers. Click here for more Subway information
Posted February 1, 2008
Cold Weather Update!
The cold weather continues: trail lights are off until the minimum temperature rises above -30C, the Wax Room will close early again today - at 6:00 p.m., and the Ski Base will be open only until 6:00 p.m.
Posted February 5, 2008
Marsh Lake Loppet Update !
Tomorrow I will get on the radio and invite folks out to join us at the community centre on Saturday starting from noon. We'll have the rink cleared for shinny or skating (maybe Tequilla-junction can go in the warm-up shack)? Jim will set some trail for die-hard skiers (like Bob lake and the red trail). We'll have Ferryn here doing crafts with kids. Drew will have his Jack-a-Loppet Café going with soup and sandwiches. And Shirley and Rita will be drawing all of the amazing prizes for the racers who make it out anyway. The entry deadline has been extended to Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at noon.. Registration forms are available at Coast Mountain Sports and the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club Wax Room. A decision regarding postponement/cancellation will be made on Wednesday evening.
January 2008
Posted January 28, 2008
Canmore World Cup Highlights February 16!
There was live coverage of the World Cup races in Canmore. If you missed it or want to see it again, there will be 2-3 hours of highlights shown on CBC Country Canada on Februrary 16, 2008. Check the CBC website for times. You must have satelite to receive Country Canada, or go to the CBC website and watch it on your computer screen. You may catch a glimpse of two Whitehorse skiers, Graham and Emily Nishikawa who participated in the races.
Posted January 26, 2008
Hamilton Blvd Overflow Parking Area !
There have been some recent questions from members about the use of the overflow parking lot directly off Hamilton Boulevard (south of the Sumanik Drive intersection). For those of you who are not aware, this is not a ski club parking lot. This area is private property and we do not have permission to use it. The ski club makes no effort to maintain this area as a parking lot. As some of you know, the area in question was used as an overflow parking lot during the Canada Winter Games. At that time, the landowners in question granted temporary permission for this use. Skiers have access to two large, and well-maintained, parking lots at the Mount McIntyre facility and at the Canada Games Centre. As such, the Ski Club Board of Directors requests that members use one of these two parking lots when accessing the trail network.
Posted January 28, 2008
Congratulations to the Nishikawa Family!
Graham and Emily Nishikawa competed in the Canmore World Cup races that just recently finished. This was Emily's first World Cup experience. Canada won a gold medal as Chandra Crawford placed first in the women's freestyle sprint. See the Cross Country Yukon website http://www.crosscountryyukon.com for more details. And see the news item below for information about TV coverage.
Posted January 22, 2008
Marsh Lake Loppet Entry Forms Now Available !
Entry forms and information are available in the Wax Room and at Coast Mountain Sports. Entries can not be dropped off at the Ski Base. Please drop off entries at Coast Mountain Sports or mail to the address on the form. Entry deadline is 5:00 p.m. on February 4.
Posted January 28, 2008
Subway 5K Race #3 POSTPONED!
The third Subway Race of the season is postponed to Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. Register by February 5 at 6:00 p.m. Sub sandwiches for all participants and volunteers. The race is postponed due to a conflict with the Fairbanks, Alaska trip and cold weather. Click here for more Subway information
Posted January 30, 2008
Cold Weather Update!
Due to the cold weather, the trail lights are turned off, the Wax Room will close early, and the Ski Base is closed for the day. Trail lights will be turned on when the temperature rises above -30C. Wax Room will close at 6:00 p.m. today.
Posted January 20, 2008
Alpine Bakery Free Ski Day!
Alpine Bakery Free Ski Day is Saturday, January 26. Start the weekend off by attending the Coast Mountain Sports Wax & Wine on Friday, January 25 at 7:00 p.m., which is also free!
For those who want to try the trails at Mt Mac, drop by the Ski Base between 9am and 6pm on January 26 for your free Trail Pass and map. For more information contact the club office at 668-4477 or go to freeskiday.html
Posted January 22, 2008
World Cup Skiing on CBC !
CBC Country Canada will be showing live segments of the World Cup Races in Canmore. Go to the Cross Country Canada website for details. Click on http://www.cccski.com/ and follow the prompts under media coverage.
Posted January 22, 2008
Moonlight Ski and Hot Cider Tonight !
Anybody interested in joining a group for a full moon ski tonight should meet at the Wax Room and be ready to depart around 7:00 p.m. Hot apple cider will be served at the cozy Fireweed Hut by 8:00 p.m. Suggested route for those skiing on their own: Copper, Wolf, Upper Selwyn's to Fireweed Junction. The hut is located at the junction of the World Cup 10K and 7.5K trails. For a slightly longer tour, turn off Upper Selwyn's at Coyote and then take Cox Leg to Powerline, Powerline to the 10K and turn right on the 10K to Fireweed Junction.
Posted January 13, 2008
Subway 5K Saturday, January 19, 2008
Subway #2 is next Saturday. Register by Friday night at 6:00 p.m. For information and registration form go to the Subway information page.
Posted January 10, 2008
Don Sumanik Classic Race - Start Format
Racers who have entered the classic race scheduled for this Saturday, January 12, 2008 should note that the race will have a mass start. The classic race was supposed to be interval starts and the free technique, mass start. But in December, the free technique was changed to interval starts, so the organizers decided to make the classic race a mass start. Stadium layout is posted on the Race Information board, For more Don Sumanik Race information go to Don Sumanik Races.
Posted January 7, 2008
Level 2 Officials Course
The Level 2 Officials Course that was originally scheduled for November 19, 2007 has been rescheduled to January 16, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. For more information go to Officiating Courses.
Posted January 7, 2008
Tuesday Bunnies and Jackrabbits Start Tomorrow!!
The Tuesday Bunnies and Jackrabbits will meet Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 3:45 p.m.in the Grey Mountain Room at Mt Mac. Take your skis with you and leave them at the red ski rack near the Mt Mac entrance. Then go into the Grey Mountain Room. Please remember that there is no cut off temperature for the Tuesday program. There will be indoor activities if it's too cold outside. For more details about the program go to jackrabbit ski program.
Posted January 6, 2008
Bunnies, Jackrabbits and Lynx Programs Start Today!!
The Level 2 Officials Course that was originally scheduled for November 19, 2007 has been rescheduled to January 16, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.Even though the temperature may be colder than -20 at noon today, the childrens' ski programs will go ahead as planned. This will give leaders a chance to meet their groups and sort out any last minute problems. If it's not too cold, some leaders will take their groups for a short lesson. See items below for times.
Posted January 5, 2008
Lynx Program Starts January 6
The Lynx ski program for skiers 10 to 12 years old begins on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 12:00 noon until 1:30 p.m.. Meet in the Grey Mountain Room, upstairs at Mt Mac. Try to be early and be ready to ski at noon. For more information go to Lynx Program.
Posted December 31, 2007
Don Sumanik Race/Arctic Winter Games Trials - Classic
The classic race for the Don Sumaniks/Arctic Winter Games Trials has been scheduled for Saturday January 12, 2008. Register by January 9th. Those who registered for the race already, do not have to register again.
Posted December 31, 2007
Jackrabbit and Bunny lessons start January 6 and 8
The Sunday Bunny and Jackrabbit lessons will begin on Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. Meet in the Grey Mountain Room, upstaris at Mt Mac. Try to be early and be ready to ski at 1pm.
The Tuesday Bunnies and Jackrabbits will meet Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 3:45 p.m.in the Grey Mountain Room at Mt Mac.
For more details about the program go to jackrabbit ski program.
December 2007
Posted December 31, 2007
Sportees Sprints Rescheduled!
The Sportees Sprints are rescheduled to February 23, 2008. The date was changed from January 12 to allow for the Don Sumanik Race to be held on that date. Watch the website or bulletin boards for more information. There will be a new twist to the sprints this year!!
Posted December 24, 2007
Last day to buy Christmas Pass booklets!
Christmas Pass booklets are on sale at the Ski Base. Buy five passes for the price of four. Available until December 24, 2007. Valid for the 07/08 season. A great last minute stocking stuffer. And a good way to introduce your friends and family to the joys of cross country skiing.
Posted December 18, 2007
Dawn to Dusk Relay Changes to Race info!
There are two important changes for The Dawn to Dusk Relay scheduled for Sunday. Each team must have three skiers. If a family would like to enter a team, then one member must be a junior and one can be either a Master or Senior skier. The third team member may be either a junior or a master/senior skier. There are some slight changes to the bonus kilometers as well. The cut off temperature for the relay will be -25C at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. The entry deadline is Friday at 9pm and there will be a minimum of 5 teams needed for the event to take place. Click here for more Dawn to Dusk information.
Posted December 10, 2007
Ski Passes Make a Good Stocking Stuffer!
Christmas Pass booklets are on sale at the ski base. Buy five passes for the price of four. Available until December 24, 2007. Valid for the 07/08 season.
Posted December 9, 2007
Dawn to Dusk Relay December 23rd
The Dawn to Dusk Relay will take place on December 23, 2007 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For information and entry forms vist the Dawn to Dusk Relay web page.
Posted December 19, 2007
Subway 5K Race #1 Today !!
If you signed up for the Subway Race, come to the Wax Room regardless of the temperature. If the temperature at 6pm is between -20 and -22 the race will go ahead as a time trial. No need to go fast - just ski! If it is -19 or warmer we will race! Sub sandwiches will be available at 6:15 whether you race or not. Start time is 6:00 p.m. Sub sandwiches for all participants and volunteers. Click here for more Subway information
Posted December 18, 2007
Subway 5K Race #1 Tomorrow !!
The first Subway Race of the season will go ahead on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. Register by December 18, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. Sub sandwiches for all participants and volunteers. If the temperature is -22 or colder the event will be cancelled. Click here for more Subway information
Posted December 11, 2007
Subway 5K Race #1 POSTPONED AGAIN!!
The first Subway Race of the season is postponed to Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. Register by December 18, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. Sub sandwiches for all participants and volunteers. Click here for more Subway information
Posted December 13, 2007
Don Sumanik Memorial Races (Arctic Winter Games Trials) Freestyle December 16, Classic Postponed!
The Grey Mountain Lions Yukon Race Series and Arctic Winter Games Trials are coming up soon. The Free Technique will still take place on Sunday, December 16, but the Classic Race has been postponed. The date will be announced later. For more information, visit the Don Sumanik Memorial Races web page.
Posted December 9, 2007
Subway 5K Race #1 December 12
The first Subway Race of the season is Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 6:00 p.m. Register by December 11, 2007 at 6:00 p.m.. Sub sandwiches for all participants and volunteers. Click here for more Subway information.
Posted December 3, 2007
Alpine Bakery Free Ski Day Postponed to January 26th
Unfortunately, there is still not enough snow to show off our great trails so the Free Ski Day is postponed. The new date is January 26, 2008. For more information call the Ski Base at 668-4477.
November 2007
Posted November 30, 2007
Don Sumanik Memorial Races (Arctic Winter Games Trials)
The Grey Mountain Lions Yukon Race Series and Arctic Winter Games Trials begins next weekend with the Don Sumanik Races. Classic Race on Saturday, December 8 and Free Technique on Sunday, December 9. Register by 7pm on Wednesday, December 5 at the Ski Base. For more information, visit the Don Sumanik Memorial Races web page.
Updated November 30, 2007
Alpine Bakery Free Ski Day Postponed Again!!!
Unfortunately, there is still not enough snow to show off our great trails so the Free Ski Day is postponed. The date will be announced as soon as possible. For more information call the Ski Base at 668-4477
Posted November 23, 2007
Subway 5K Race #1
The first Subway Race of the season is scheduled for Wednesday, December 5 at 6pm. Register by Dec 4 at 6pm. Sub sandwiches for all participants and volunteers. More Subway information.
Updated November 30, 2007
Wax and Wine #2 Tonight!!
Wax and Wine is this Friday at 7pm in the wax room. All welcome. For more information call Coast Mountain Sports at 667-4074 or the Ski Base at 668-4477 or go to Wax and Wine
Updated November 27, 2007
Alpine Bakery Free Ski Day
Alpine Bakery Free Ski Day is sheduled for this Saturday, but if it doesn't snow before then, it may be postponed again. For more information call the Ski Base at 668-4477.
Posted November 22, 2007
Tracksetting Clinic Postponed
The Tracksetting Clinic scheduled for November 25, 2007 has been postponed due to lack of snow. The registration deadline remains as November 23, 2007. Those who sign up for the course will be contacted when a new date has been set. For more information call the Ski Base at 668-4477.
Posted November 20, 2007
Alpine Bakery Free Ski Day Postponed
Please note there has been a change of date for the Alpine Bakery Free Ski Day. It has been postponed to December 1, 2007. For more information call the Ski Base at 668-4477.
Posted November 15, 2007
Wax and Wine #2 Postponed
Please note there has been a change of date for the Wax and Wine. It has been postponed to November 30, 2007. For more information call Coast Mountain Sports at 667-4074 or the Ski Base at 668-4477 or go to Wax and Wine
Posted November 20, 2007
Lessons and Clinics in November
Aurora Ski School - Getting Fast - For the stong intermediate skier. Starts November 24, 2007 - for more information call Coast Mountain Sports 667-4074 or Register at CMS or The Ski Base
Stride & Glide Lessons - Skiing With Your Toddler - November 24, 2007 - for more information call The Ski Base at 668-4477.
Posted November 5, 2007
Volunteer Reception Draw Prize Winners
Several great draw prizes were given out at the Volunteer Reception on Saturday. The Gift Certificate prizes were won by Lorrie Greer – Sportslife, Mary Whitley – Coast Mtn, Afan Jones - Icycle and Doug Knutson/Caelen Mclean - Sportees. Thanks to those businesses for the generous prizes. The adult ski pass donated by the club, was won by "Renee Mills (ski patroller) who was present and very radiant as she is due to have a babe in December." Thanks to Mary El Catering, Alpine Bakery, Midnight Sun, Kelly Cooper and Sierra Van de Meer for the great food!
Posted November 8, 2007
Lessons and Clinics in November
Aurora Ski School - Easy Start - and Just Try It! - Beginner lessons November 19, 2007 - for more information call Coast Mountain Sports 667-4074 or Register at CMS or The Ski Base
October 2007
Posted October 30, 2007
Basic Trail Grooming Clinic
The Basic Trail Grooming Clinic is an introduction to trail grooming at the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club. Topics include safety, maintenance procedures, how to pack, how to grade and how to operate the snow machines. The clinic will be held on November 4, 2007 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Read More ...
Trail Grooming Workshop
There will be a 'workshop' on Monday November 5, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. in the Eleventh End lounge. All trail groomers or those interested in learning about trail grooming are welcome to attend. There will be an open discussion on club trail grooming policies and procedures. Read More ..
Posted October 9, 2007
Memberships On Sale
Memberships/Season passes are on sale at the following locations:
- Icycle Sport
- Coast Mountain Sport
- Ski Base Service Centre
Early season discount until October 13, 2007!
Posted October 9, 2007
First Snow Questions
When does skiing start? Most likely the present snow cover will melt, but if it does persist and there is sufficient additional snow then packing could start as early as October 14, 2007.
Is it okay to run, walk, or mountain bike on the trail? Yes, for this week, but if packing starts next week the trails will be open for skiing and snowshoeing only.
When was the earliest previous start of skiing? The earliest grooming in present memory is October 16. However, skiing has started a few days earlier.
September 2007
Posted September 30, 2007
Trail Clearing Volunteers Required
Fall trail maintenance is underway. Volunteers have mowed most of the trails. There is still lots to do. Trimming of branches and overhanging willows and alders that the mower can't reach, raking of wood chips and picking rocks can be done until the snow flies. The club has hand tools such as brush axes, swede saws, small axes and power brush cutters. For more information or to volunteer call the club office at 668-4477 and leave your name and phone number.
August 2007
Posted August 25, 2007
Dog Training Workshops - Training On The Trails
Want more control over your dog while walking, hiking, or cross-country skiing. This course will offer a number of tricks for getting off leash control. If you can't get your dog to come reliably when called and walk or ski close to you when necessary, it might be you that needs the training.
Read More ...
