Making tracks in the Canadian Rockies
by Amanda Follett
At the time, $150 seemed like a bargain.
In the humdrum shoulder season between hiking and hitting the ski slopes, I was browsing the local second-hand sporting goods shop for a new activity to try my hand at. I had just experienced a life-altering event — that of buying a dog — and I was searching for something we could do together. What I ended up with was an inexpensive cross-country ski package: skis, poles and boots — that were just a little too big.
I would just wear lots of socks.
In the Canmore area, there are a number of great cross-country ski destinations accessed between minutes and an hour of home. Many trails are groomed and ‘trackset’ with parallel grooves to make for an easy glide through the mountains. Nordic skiing is something that can be done solo or with a friend, particularly the four-legged variety, offers a great workout, lots of fresh air and the chance to enjoy the Rocky Mountain scenery to its fullest.
Cross-country skiing in the Canmore area hit the world stage when the 1988 Winter Olympics’ Nordic ski events were held at the Canmore Nordic Centre, which was built specifically for the Games. The area, located just five minutes from downtown Canmore, boasts more than 60 kilometres of trackset ski trails, a 2.5-kilometre track that’s illuminated for night skiing and a day lodge with lockers, showers, a cafeteria and a large, stone fireplace to snuggle up in front of after a day on the trails. Equipment can be rented or purchased right at the centre and lessons are always available.
At the Canmore Nordic Centre, you can even swoosh along in the tracks of Canada’s national cross-country ski and biathlon teams — this is where they come to train.
The Alberta government recently announced a $16.5 million grant for Canmore Nordic Centre upgrades, such as increased trail lighting and snowmaking equipment, to bring it back up to the world-class ski venue it was back in 1988.
For those with more time and the desire to get further from Canmore and into the wilderness, continue on about 40 minutes past the Canmore Nordic Centre along Spray Lakes Road to Kananaskis Country’s Mount Shark area — there’s no better drive on a sunny winter day. Its elevation means Mount Shark gets lots of snow, with great skiing from late November until early May.
The area has 18 kilometres of wilderness trails that are marked according to length and difficulty and offer great views of Tent Ridge, Mount Shark, Cone Mountain, Mount Engadine and even, on a clear day, Mount Assiniboine — the “Matterhorn of the Rockies.” For beginners, the Watridge Lake Trail is a casual ski along a wide and mostly level trail. About 3.5 kilometres out is the lake itself, a pretty spot for a midday picnic. If you’re looking to make a multi-day trip of it, follow the trail the full 25 kilometres to Mount Assiniboine Lodge for some backcountry luxury and day after day of powder skiing.
Also within easy exploring distance is Kananaskis Country’s Ribbon Creek, which offers 50 kilometres of cross-country ski trails close to the amenities of Kananaskis Village. The area lies about a half hour drive from Canmore and can be accessed by traveling east along the Trans-Canada Highway from Canmore and then south for roughly 20 kilometres along Highway 40 into Kananaskis. The trails offer a range of levels from beginner to intermediate, but for a more challenging full-day trip, follow the 21-kilometre trail that climbs 625 metres to awesome views from the summit of Skogan Pass. To complete the day as a traverse, drop down the other side of the pass to Dead Man’s Flats, just east of Canmore.
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Cross-country skiers at the Canmore Nordic Centre make their way into the stadium area, which saw Olympic athletes compete for glory at the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. Fabulous beginner terrain awaits visitors as soon as snow conditions allow for opening day.
Sadly, the Alberta government has banned dogs in groomed ski areas in Kananaskis Country. Fortunately, there are still many snowy trails perfect for pointing your skis off into the wilderness, particularly with a four-legged friend — provided he or she is on a leash. The popular Goat Creek Trail, which travels 18 kilometres from Canmore to Banff and is accessed about 10 minutes from Canmore along Spray Lakes Road, gets enough traffic that it is often tracked out naturally, doesn’t require a pass and allows pets.
The investment in cross-country ski equipment is a relatively small one and learning the sport, which is fun and easy to pick up, provides a lifetime of fun and fitness in the mountains. About a year ago, a good friend of mine got a dog. That summer at a garage sale, she spotted the bargain of a lifetime: a full cross-country ski set-up for $17.
Now the four of us ski together and she, too, wears lots of socks.
If You Go:
• Chic Scott’s Ski Trails in the Canadian Rockies is a handy book for exploring local cross-country areas.
• Cross-country ski gear can be rented at Gear Up (403.678.1636) in Canmore or at Trail Sports (403.678.6764) at the Canmore Nordic Centre for about $30 per day.
• The extensive trackset cross-country ski terrain at the Canmore Nordic Centre requires a trail pass. Tickets or season passes can be purchased at the Canmore Nordic Centre day lodge ticket office.
• Cost for an adult day pass is $7.50 at the Nordic Centre. Seniors’ and children’s discounts apply.
• Dogs, hikers and snowshoeing are no longer allowed on trackset trails in Kananaskis Country.
Amanda Follett is a freelance writer and adventurous spirit who calls Canmore home. She never minds getting socks for Christmas.
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