Halifax Nordic Ski Club Newsletter
In this week's newsletter:
  • Lessons - start Saturday Jan 12th
  • Wax- learn to wax & fundraiser
  • Clothing - hats and buffs for sale
  • Ski Team - latest news
  • Races - sign up for the Maritime Cup (NB)
  • Snow Making- update
  • Travel - update on holiday travel
  • Where to rent skis in HRM
  • This Mountain Life - film screening
January 10, 2019
Lessons Start Saturday
Youth and Adult Programs start this Saturday, Jan 12th at Brunello and McDonald Sports Park

Over 100 skiers and 27 coaches/parent-helpers will come together to start their learn-to-ski programs this Saturday. Youth programs run through to March 2nd; Adults to February 16th.

Parents of youth skiers received a welcome email with all the details needed. Adults should receive an email from your coach.

For this first Saturday, the weather has conspired to leave us with no natural or man-made snow. Instead groups will be getting to know each other, doing ski-related activities and games, learning how to wax (older kids + adults), roller-skiing (adults), skating (Brunello only) and perhaps a huge group snow-dance! Come prepared to be outside and active.

This is the absolute last chance to register for lessons; all but Jackrabbit-level classes have a few spaces. Info at http://halifaxnordic.ca/programs/

Private Lessons – List of Available Coaches Coming Soon

If our multi-week program is not right for you, or you want to learn how to classic ski better, have a family lesson, or need some 1:1 instruction to hone your one-skate, we will soon have a roster of coaches listed on our website with whom you can arrange private lessons directly. If you have coaching credentials and the time to offer occasional lessons, contact info@halifaxnordic.ca.
Our youth lessons start this Saturday at 9:30am at Brunello and MacDonald Sport Park.
Adult Lessons begin at 9:45am, to allow time to get a child organized before starting your class.
DIY Learn-to-wax Opportunity
Want to learn how to wax your own cross-country skis?   Saturday January 12th, 9am-1pm , I ke Whitehead (Trail Shop Ski Tech) and John Cameron will have waxing stations set up at Brunello to demonstrate the basic techniques of waxing both skate and classic skis for our variable Nova Scotia ski conditions. Ike is a 45+ year veteran of teaching waxing skills, and John has waxed for many ski races. 
 
Or Have Your Skis Waxed For You - Support the Provincial Ski Team's Fundraiser

Need your skis scraped and glide-waxed?   Bring your skis to Brunello this Saturday, January 12th, 9am-1pm and the athletes and their families will prepare them for you while you're at lessons or relaxing in the clubhouse.  Suggested donation $15 (cash only, please) Look for them on the deck or inside the clubhouse, depending on the weather.
Ike Whitehead doing a wax demo at the Trail Shop.
Trip to The Keppoch
The provincial ski team had a great time at The Keppoch last weekend. There was lots of snow in Antigonish and the trails were fantastic. The lodge provides a great facility for warming up and taking a lunch break if you are planning a full day on the trails..
Charlo Was Busy Over the Holidays
Many of our members found snow in Charlo, Northern NB. Conditions were excellent over the holidays and the trails were busy with NS skiers chasing the snow. The warm lodge with its wood- stove provided a great break from the cool temperatures outdoors. Skiers were not deterred by the cold weather with many putting in over 30 km /day.
Canada Games Team
The Canada Games Team selection races took also place over the holidays in Charlo. Representing Nova Scotia at the 2019 Canada Games in Red Deer Alberta will be the following athletes: Maggie McClure, Fiona McClure, Grace McIntyre, Allie Martin, Caden MacLeod, Colin Ward and Ogen Newcomb. Congratulations!
Club Clothing
If you missed the club clothing order but are still looking for hats and buffs, we will have these available for sale at Brunello on Saturday during the lessons. Hats are $30 and buffs $15 (cash or cheque).
Halifax Nordic Trails
Our groomers have been doing a great job with very little snow to create trails for skiers. There was great skiing at Dollar Lake last week (picture below). In December there was skiing at Graves Oakley and even a day at Brunello. Each trail is a microclimate, so when there is snow check in with us (Twitter, Facebook or our Website) to see if the trails are groomed.

The groomers ask that skiers stay off the trail until they can safely finish grooming, so if you are headed out after a snow fall, please check in to see if the trail has been opened yet.

We do our best to keep posting trail updates throughout the week, but where we do not have webcams on trails, our members are our best intelligence, so please, post to Facebook or Twitter with an update or photo. These updates then appear on our website and let other skiers know if they should venture out on the trails.

Looking for Ski Races?
Race for Halifax Nordic at the Maritime Cup - January 19 and 20 

Head to Fredericton next weekend for the fun and friendly 2019 Maritime Cup. 

Wostawea Cross Country Ski Club is hosting a weekend of races at Killarney Lake Park: Saturday is Classic-individual start; Sunday Freestyle (skate)- mass start. There are categories for all ages from Mini-Atom (5 and under) to Master (30+) or do a 5km "participation" non-race ski.

The races will be held on the newly expanded Killarney Lake Trail network which was recently upgraded to meet international standards thanks to a $200,000 project supported by all three levels of government.
More details at: http://www.wostawea.ca/maritimecup/  When you register be sure to identify Halifax Nordic as your club. The Maritime Cup will be awarded to the club with the best results over the two days. New Brunswick has an incredible number of clubs and active skiers, and they are always very welcoming to Nova Scotian skiers.
Snow Making
We are crossing our fingers that HRM hooks up the water and electricity for snow making at Brunello tomorrow. Once the water is hooked up, Brunello staff will be able to do some testing on the new systems and equipment, then we wait patiently for cool weather. We will not have enough snow for this weekend's start to lessons, but if the weather cooperates and the equipment runs smoothly, we hope to be making snow for next week.
Tale of Two Trails
Happy to report the ski trails at the Miramichi Club are now in great shape for both classic and skate after the recent snowfall. Mary and I skied there Jan 3-6th and appreciated the hard work of a small group of dedicated volunteer groomers who, despite temps on one day as low at -20 C, prepared their trail system immaculately (see photos) The clubhouse is also a place of warmth both temperature-wise and with the welcoming atmosphere provided by Ron (back in business after last year's illness), Peter, Yves, Emily and their other enthusiastic membership. We always enjoy Miramichi and have gone there regularly for several years. It is a reasonable four hours from HRM allowing for a half day skiing on both arrival and departure days. And, the trails are designed for all levels of skiing from the easy 1.5 km “red” loop directly from the clubhouse to the tough “blue” skate trail requiring downhill and skate turning skills and stamina. For those preferring classic, waxing is usually easy as Miramichi snow is most often dry and cold withe temps consistently below zero. You can enjoy their “silver” single track classic trail as it winds through the forest. But, keep your eyes open for deer who also like to use this trail occasionally. They resist paying the daily trail fee but I suppose they were there first! Miramichi also features lovely and well-marked snowshoeing trails again directly from the clubhouse. Something for everyone!
On a more sober note, we dropped by Kouchibouguac National Park on the drive up on Jan 2 to find lovely fresh snow, bright sun, blue sky and nothing else! What a disappointment to discover no grooming, no rentals of fat bikes, skis or snowshoes for families to enjoy during the Christmas Break. I guess it was a holiday and they reported a broken groomer as another reason for the lack of activity but did the place really have to be shut down completely? We are mystified that a national park would be so “dead” at a time when it should be doing everything to encourage Atlantic Canadians to get outside and be active in the winter. Mary and I have so enjoyed skiing Kouch trails in previous years but we really think they are “dropping the ball” now.

I know many of our members enjoy skiing Kouch, particularly over the holidays. Please consider contacting Parks Canada to let them know that you enjoy the trails in the winter.

We love spending time at Kouch over the winter and we want their support to keep these beautiful trails open and available over the holidays.

Steve Chipman   
Rental skis
We have had lots of inquiries on Facebook about rental skis in HRM. Your best bet is to call the Trail Shop @ 902-423-8736 (daily rental of classic and skate skis for children and adults) or Brunello Pro Shop @902-876-7649 (hourly rental for adult skate skis).
This Mountain Life
The film "This Mountain Life" chronicles a 6+ month mother-daughter ski trip through the Coast Mountains from Vancouver to Alaska, 2,300kms. This is a beautiful film about the outdoors, skiing and the characters they meet on their secluded journey. The film is screening at Park Lane Cinemas Mon, Feb 4 at 7pm. Book your tickets now at https://tickets.demand.film/event/6745, as it will only show if enough tickets are sold.
Thank you to our club sponsors, we are grateful for your generous support of our club and growing the cross country ski community.