Best places to cross-country ski in Lennoxville

Leo Webster - Senior Copy Editor

Cross-country

skiing is the less popular cousin of downhill skiing, perhaps because it requires a lot of physical effort and relies more on consistent snow. But now that snow is on the ground, the advantage of Nordic skiing is that it can be done in many places close to home, often without paying a fee. Without further ado, here are the best places I have found to ski within a short distance of the Bishop’s campus.

Old Lennoxville Golf & Ski

I would be remiss not to mention the ski course on the back side of the Bishop’s campus, accessible by the Champlain path and free for Bishop’s students. The area feels small but has up to 7 km of groomed trails, and there is a variety of terrain, from the gentler trails on the golf course to the terrifying hills by the river. The grooming is always well-main- tained. I would be cautious on a cold day, since the open spaces of the golf course make for a windy, icy field. The other thing to note is that this course is sometimes used for ski races, so it is best to check the schedule before you go.

Route Verte

This wide bike path usually has ski tracks at some point in the winter, but it is also a popular walking path and these tracks often get trampled or become icy. I would only go here after a good snow, and I would start from Rue Massawippi, heading away from campus, since this side generally has a better ski lane. Whichever direction you go, the view of the river is wonderful and the path is tree-lined despite going through town and under the highway. For those with cars, this path continues in both directions and has several other parking lots that you can start from.

Parc Mont-Bellevue

This park is probably my favorite skiing place, with a loop around the outside of the park that is just the right distance at around 6 km and a woodsy environment despite being in Sherbrooke. The skiing is definitely challenging, with consistent steep hills. The other challenge is that at the bottom of the loop, you have to navigate the chaos of the downhill ski park. For those who want a shorter ski, the loop can be cut in half through a trail in the center. The grooming is solid, and I have found the skiing to be quite fast every time I have gone. On a crowded day, it can be a bit of a challenge to navigate, but there are generally more walkers than skiers, and most people are quite nice.

Johnville Bog

This is the most inaccessible location on the list, since you will need a car to get here, and it is about a fifteen-minute drive from Lennoxville. I was excited to ski here, since it is one of my favorite walking places, but despite the map offering around 6.5 km of skiing, it turned out to be a little disappointing. One of the main loops is also a walking trail and suffers the perennial problem of people walking on the ski tracks. The other loop, which is not open in the summer, is very pleasant and less walked-on, but being in dense woods there are sometimes bare spots even in midwinter. I have never been here with fresh snow, since I fear the road would be impassible, but maybe in better conditions it would be an interesting ski. I would recommend the bog for snowshoeing and walking, because it has a variety of natural environments including the wetland, pine forest, deciduous forest and several small lakes.