Experience Winter in Kananaskis: Cross-Country Skiing 101

Not a snowbird? Time to discover the best reason to spend the winter in your backyard! Cross-country skiing is a great way to enjoy the sunshine and great outdoors all winter long. The peace, the majesty of the forest, the graceful glide of your skis over snow, yes, the joy is impossible to fully appreciate til you try it for yourself. You will never envy snowbirds again!

If you haven’t skied befor a lesson is a great way to get started. After all, just being Canadian doesn’t mean you know how to cross-country ski! It’s certainly more than walking on skis, but it’s not running either. It’s a graceful glide that’s in between the two. When done well, the feeling is magical!

Cross-Country skiing is healthy fun for people of all ages. No line ups, no crowds, fresh air, gentle on the knees and easy to learn. What could be better than a day outside with friends skiing in West Bragg Creek or Peter Lougheed Provincial Park!

There are many great clubs, expert shops, and places to sign up for lessons in the Calgary area. You can rent the equipment for less than renting a bike and helmet. You can purchase the right equipment from expert ski fitters who will make sure your equipment is optimally suited to your size and ability. Like any sport, getting started on the right foot makes for a great day.

Photo Courtesy of Andrew Penner

Waxed skis or waxless skis? Both are very easy to learn on. The waxless skis are best for Chinooks and spring skiing. They have great grip on the uphill but are slower downhill. They are easy and safe for the novice skier. The technology has come a long way and there are high-end waxless skis for the days that wax just isn’t working! Talk with the experts to help make the best gear choices for you.

Don’t let the winter blues get you down this year! Conditions such as depression can be associated with not getting enough sunshine. But winter can be a wonderland of beauty, fun, and vitamin D! Cross-country skiing can help make this happen.

Cross-country skiing is accessible. If you like to bring your own lunch in your day pack and eat on the trails, then there are lots of options for your exciting day of skiing. Peter Lougheed Provincial Park has over 70km of groomed and track-set cross-country trails available at no charge. The trails range from beginner to advanced, so check the maps and be sure you are on the right trail.

If you want to bring your lunch and eat inside, then Pocaterra Hut and the Peter Loughheed Provincial Park Visitor’s Centre are great half-way options for your indoor lunch stop.

For options even closer to the city of Calgary here are a couple of places that won’t steer you wrong:

1. The Greater Bragg Creek Trails Association (GBCTA) has made cross-country skiing more accessible in West Bragg Creek! There are lots of beginner to intermediate trails. However, you’ll want to get started early as parking is often an issue at the trailhead, which is located approximately 15 minutes west of Bragg Creek.

2. Ribbon Creek in Kananaskis has great groomed and trackset trails and is 20 minutes closer to Calgary than Peter Lougheed. This is a beautiful, and often very quiet spot that is ideal for families.

If you like to eat lunch in a café there are 2 more cross-country ski options waiting for you:

1. Canmore Nordic Centre is a renowned facility complete with a great selection of healthy lunch foods. Trail fees apply as the crews keep this facility in tip-top shape!

2. Kananaskis Village near the Nakiska Ski Resort and above Ribbon Creek area is the Kananaskis Village. Behind the village is the trailhead for the beautiful cross-country ski trails up on the terrace. Great groomed and track-set trails take you in large and small loops above Ribbon Creek and back to the village for lunch in one of the great cafes in any of the three lodges. Families can cross-country ski or downhill ski close together and meet up at the end of the day to share stories.

Trail conditions are weather and temperature dependant Regardless of where you are in Alberta, it’s easy to get out cross-country skiing this winter. Consider taking a lesson and, if you’re renting gear, make sure you get a good fit. And, of course, have fun meeting all those converted snowbirds out there on the trails!

By: Julie Walker

Cross-country ski instructor & outdoor educator: info@fullcircleadventures.com