Happy days! We received just enough snow mid November to pack and set classic XC tracks on the Forest (our easiest "green") trails that depart from the main lodge. Our trusty groomer was able to pack most other trails (for skate technique) but they are still a little thin to lay classic tracks. So enjoy the Forest trails for now and bring on MORE SNOW! We are committed to grooming based on snow conditions, and will do our very best to bring you more classic tracks soon! And a friendly reminder to all hikers and snowshoers to please KEEP OFF the groomed (corduroy) trails and please stick to the dedicated multi use trails. Grooming updates are posted regularly on our Trail Conditions web page and Facebook page. Please check these resources rather than sending email or Messenger inquiries about grooming - we are a volunteer group & cannot commit to rapid responses - Thank you!

Breaking news - the State of Public Health Emergency announced November 24th may impact club operations and programs. At the time of sending this newsletter, the impacts are unclear but please check our dedicated COVID-19 page for the most current updates before heading to the lodge. When the lodge and wax room opened Sat 21st masks are mandatory in the lodge in addition to physical distancing & good personal hygiene. Unless otherwise specified, the lodge will be open on modified hours until there is more snow and evening programs can commence. When this changes, updates will be posted on our website and Facebook page. The lights have been turned on for trails with sufficient snow and run from dusk until 9:00pm. Note the lodge closes at 7:30pm under modified hours until further notice so if you are skiing later, please park in the upper parking lot and leave possessions in your vehicle.

The clock is ticking as we near the end of the month which marks the end of our popular 10% discount on memberships. Full details and the link to Zone 4 is available on our Membership web page. Your parking pass will be mailed within two weeks of registering but you are welcome to use the trails before that on an honour basis. Day passes are available via our website and are great for those who can't commit to the year or for visiting guests or out of town folks looking to get a quality ski in. We appreciate everyone who invests in a membership, especially when our fundraising options are limited this year due to COVID-19.

We appreciate that there are a lot of people wanting to rent XC skis and snowshoe equipment this year, and to try our awesome sport for the first time! Please be patient while we recruit for weekend Lodge Attendants (see below) to help us with this service. Adult Beginner and Intermediate lessons will likely follow mid December (snow permitting) and in January for sure. Watch for further details and dates to be posted. And of course rentals and lessons will be subject to COVID-19 restrictions.

As one door closes, another opens .... we are seeking up to four casual weekend Lodge Attendants to cover Saturdays and Sundays during the Winter season. Must love snow!! Applicants should be 18 years or older, enjoy working with the public and be available from 11:30am - 5:00pm on a Saturday, Sunday or both. Check out the full Position Description. If interested email us with your availability and we'll take it from there!

With other sports shut down, we are experiencing a lot of interest in our children's programs so if you are thinking of registering - please do so sooner than later. Details are available on our Kids Learn to Ski page which has a button linking to Zone4 where you can register your child. And yes, kids ski rentals are part of this program for the duration of the sessions so you can ski with our children outside of lesson times! Parent / adult leaders are required too - email if you are interested. The more the merrier!

A big thank you to everyone who Zoomed in to join us on November 4th - we had over 20 people on the call! Congratulations to new Board members Jasmin Greavatt (Secretary) and Amber Gauthier (Race Team representative). The draft Minutes are available on our Meetings & Minutes page.

Check out the 2020-2021 World Tour trailer here! If you haven't already joined the Grande Prairie BMFF Facebook page now is a great time to do it! This is where the link will be posted on Thursday, November 26th to rent the film Programs plus we are planning prizes and other fun activities as part of our virtual event this year. Alternatively all information is available on the dedicated page on our WNSC website for those not on social media. Check out the FAQ for all information on films, pricing and prizes! Each "Program" will have 6-7 films curated by the Banff Centre and you will have 3 days to view them all from the first day you start watching (not from date of purchase). And you will be able to gift a Program link making it the perfect "no contact" Christmas gift for 2020!!

It is with regret that we say goodbye to Connie Atwood, our volunteer Adult Lesson Coordinator for over five years ... not bad for someone who started out as a complete beginner before taking her instructor training!! Connie has moved back home down East and we will miss her smiles and gentle manner. We are also going to greatly miss Sharon Bourree who has stepped back from her weekend lodge duties to spend more time with her family. Sharon has been the matriarch and smiling face of the club for over 16 years! Thankfully she will continue to do the ski club's books and stay in touch with her extended and much loved Wapiti Nordic family. Thank you ladies!

Volunteers are the lifeblood of our organization! Once we get enough snow and if COVID-19 protocols permit, we want to have all programs firing on all cylinders! So this means we need people to step up for the following opportunities to give back to your community:

Please email us stating which role you are interested in and we will connect you with the lead person. Thank you in advance for investing in making our club even better!

Once we have enough snow to start this program (and as COVID-19 protocols dictate) we will post on our Facebook page and website This year we will be skiing on Monday and Wednesday nights (not on Thursdays). Planned start time will be 7:15pm (subject to change). You can register for the season ($15) when you purchase your Membership on Zone 4. Rentals should be available. Watch for details on a two night "Get Your Legs Back" refresher to review some technique and get you ready to go!

Will start as soon as there is more snow! It's a great way for men to meet up and get in a mid week social evening ski! Meets Wednesdays at 7:00pm - classic or skate technique. All abilities welcome plus rentals available too. Ask for Dave or Darryl at the lodge. No fee - just your Wapiti membership or day pass. Keep an eye on our Facebook or web page for the start date....

Our Bears program started November 14th and runs 11:30am to 12:30pm, just skiing, no air rifles. At this time present, we are taking interested folks who have skis. The price for the rifle-less Bears will be $40. Ski rentals would be an extra expense when they become available. We can accept pretty much anyone who is interested in learning how to skate ski, but our focus is on the Bear age group 9 to 13 years.

We are pleased to offer the NCCP Community Coaching Course in Grande Prairie on December 12 and 13. This course provides the skills to teach children in the Jackrabbits program to learn to ski through games and fun activities. It is also a great opportunity to improve your own skiing skills. For more information, please email Theresa. On Saturday, December 12, we will also be offering a CANSI recertification day. This is for all levels of CANSI - but you must have taken a CANSI course previously. There is the potential for further instruction and preparation for the next CANSI level on Sunday, December 13. Whether this is offered will be dependent on participant interest, so if you are interested or have any questions, please contact Theresa (see above) ASAP.

We now have an e-newsletter archive section on our website if you ever missed an edition or need to check back on something. Plus we have tidied up the Minutes & Agenda page to make it more user friendly. We would love to hear if you have any other suggestions for our website or e-newsletter.