As the YKSC events and programs are wrapping up, a big thanks to our board of directors, coaches, groomers, volunteers and those who participated in our events and programs this years. It has been a fun, safe and active ski season that was made possible because of you! 

Do not fret, there is still some great skiing left this season before the sun melts all the snow away. Sean Marshall and Chris Hrkac did a great service grooming the Ski Club trails! Thanks guys! Sean reports: “Chris and I freshened up the skate lane of the 5K and related loops and Fault Lake. Snow quality is quite good for late season considering no new snow in weeks and a fair bit of sun. The only no-go in the route is the entry to the biathlon stadium where the spring pond has covered the full width of the trail. Bypassing by cutting behind the range is an option.”

Nordic Ski Event

Thanks to those who organized, volunteered and participated in the Nordic Cross Ski Event – nearly 50 skiers signed up for this fun event. This event was made even more exciting with a surprise racer – Dahria Beatty – fellow northerner and member of Canada’s 2022 Olympic Nordic ski team! Dahria graciously handed out cookie medals and chatted up lots of young skiing enthusiasts! 

(Photo credit: Heather Scott, photo: Olympian Dahria Beatty with Nordic Cross ski participants) 

Dahria Beatty made time to chat with the High Performance skiers at their practice. It’s not every day that one of Canada’s top skiers graces our humble club. This amazing and down-to-earth athlete shared some important lessons with the HP team:
*Do lots of different activities and have fun! When Dahria was of track attack age, she skied about twice a week and also spent time having fun with other sports and hobbies. She didn’t specialize until her later teens. 
*Before a race, eat a good breakfast. Dahria shared that she eats eggs, toast and fruit, as well as a light snack before the race. Fuel up, kids!
*Growing up in a northern town is special for little skiers! Like her native Whitehorse, Yellowknife is a small and tight-knit place. So the ski trails are close by and easily accessible. Also, you get to know your ski buddies well, as they’re likely at your school, on your teams, or live in your neighbourhood.

Thanks again Dahria! We think you’re pretty rad and really appreciate the time you’ve spent with us!!

NWT Championship Race

We have a treat for you! Vincent Ret of VR Studios responded to our last-minute call for a photographer at the NWT Ski Championships and we are overwhelmed by the amazing results. Big thanks to the photography team for these gorgeous shots.

Our last Trailvia of the seaon!

Anita Gue wrote: “I would like to know about stromatolite hill – and is that really fossil stromatolites at the sign? Where did it come from, surely it’s not found in place there?  Thanks!”

YKSC reply: Yes, Anita, the large rock beneath the Stromatolite sign really is a stromatolite, And yes, it is a fossil, just not the Drumheller type. It likely came from the East Arm, courtesy of the glaciers and left here along with the other “erratics” like the red sandstone you might see lying loose on the YK bedrock. A large specimen, it must weigh well over a tonne, so it wouldn’t have been moved much by the ski trail builders from where the glaciers dropped it.

The descriptive name comes from stromata (films in biospeak) and -lite (stone in geolingo). And that’s what it is – a boulder made by slimy pond scum bacteria, the blue-green type, long, long before the dinosaurs. The slime trapped sediment that built up in layers, a feature we can see today.

But those slimers did something else very non-trivial. While growing, they sucked up a lot of poisonous gases, like CO2, and gave off oxygen, which was in short supply then. That allowed other life to get going and flourish.

So, as you grab a lungful of oxygen before heading up that hill to end your winter ski or summer walk, thank the stromatolite.

It’s all about getting outdoors and enjoying nature…

Thank you to one of our ski members, Richard Klakowich, who shard this beautiful photo of a bald eagle while skiing by Fault Lake. He has seen two of them in this area while skiing the last few weeks. Make sure to stop and take a look for them while in the area.

It’s been a pleasure drafting this season’s newsletters and will be the last one for the season. A big thanks to those who helped provide me support and input to produce these weekly updates! We will send a message out once a date is set for the AGM and keep you updated on any other important ski news. 

Hope you enjoy the sunny weather and slick skiing that is left for the season!

Happy Trails!!

Ashley Janes

Volunteer Communications Director

On behalf of the Yellowknife Ski Club Board of Directors, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the entire ski club community for their support, understanding, and adaptation to public health guidelines throughout these past two years of skiing.  We are so pleased that we were able to keep our doors open (although limited) and most importantly to continue to operate all outdoor ski programming!  It is no exaggeration to say that each and every member played a role in allowing us to continue functioning.  It took all of us to accomplish this, from the main program leads adjusting season plans, to coaches helping children stay distanced, to our tiniest skiers keeping their masks on and having a great ski day, even without hot chocolate!  There are truly too many people to thank individually.  

YKSC Remembers Ski Club Founder

Jetmund Bendiksen
1931 to 2022

Patricia Bendiksen reported on her Facebook:
“Today, March 20, 2022, my beloved husband, Jetmund, passed away quietly and peacefully at Kvaefjordheimen Hospital at Borkenes, Norway.  Jetmund was almost 91 years old and was a fantastic husband, father and grandfather.  He will be deeply missed by his entire family.”

Jetmund was a founding member of the Yellowknife Ski Club. Pat and Jetmund arrived in Yellowknife in 1967 to teach at Sir John Franklin High School.  In early 1968, Jetmund put a notice on the Hudson’s Bay bulletin board for anyone interested in a ski club to call him and the response was terrific.  Jetmund started teaching downhill lessons in February 1968 at the Jackfish Lake Hill and the Yellowknife Ski Club was formed in May1968 with Al Gamble as the first president. Jetmund wanted to be technical director and focus on ski lessons.  Jetmund’s real passion was cross country skiing.  He and others cleared the first trails around Jackfish and Frame Lakes and packed them with their skis.  The trails moved across the highway to the Niven Lake area in 1972 with both downhill and cross country skiing.
 
Jetmund was a force behind skiing in Yellowknife, contributing to the sport as president, technical director, coach, newspaper columnist, ski rentals and sales outlet and Chief of Race for the inaugural 1970 Arctic Winter Games to name some of his contributions.
 
Jetmund and Pat departed Yellowknife in 1982 and retired to their family farm in Flesnes Norway.  They last visited Yellowknife in 2015 and were impressed with the facilities and trails.
 
The Bendiksens are celebrated on our trails with the corner called Bendiksen’s Bend.

Congratulations to Frostbite 50 Participants!

A big congratulations to the winners:
Men’s 50km solo: Thomsen D’Hont
Women’s 50km solo: Julia Gyapay
Team ski: Heather Scott and Julian Kanigan
Team snowshoe: Javarunners

And here are a few photos from the Frostbite 50!

Photos by: Heather Scott, Katrina Kierstead, Ben Linaker, Erin O’Rourke and Ashley Janes

Yellowknife Gold Loppet Volunteer Opportunities! 

More start/finish line volunteers are needed for the 2022 Yellowknife Gold Loppet! Please reach out to sabeattie23@gmail.com or alyssa.f.titus@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering for the big event. Even a 2-hour commitment helps!

The 2022 Yellowknife Gold Loppet is also looking for wood donations for the Banting tent (priority) and for the finish line (a nice-to-have). If you have wood to spare, please reach out to sabeattie23@gmail.com or alyssa.f.titus@gmail.com for more information.

Need the best possible glide for the upcoming Yellowknife Gold Loppet (April 3)? 

Let the HP Ski Team set you up for success with a just-in-time hot waxing service.

WHEN: Thursday, March 31 (drop off between 5 and 7 pm) – pick up at 9:00 pm (or by arrangement)
HOW: You must make an appointment by emailing roxanepoulin@gmail.com before noon Wednesday, March 30.  *** spots are limited, so don’t wait ***

COST: $25 or use your punch pass 

NWT Territorial Championships

The  NWT Territorial Championships are taking place Saturday & Sunday April 9 & 10. Racers from across the north will participate in this fun event.  Register by Wednesday, March 9th on zone4.ca. Read the race notice for full details here.

Only a couple weeks left for SKIGO BINGO

Have fun setting new goals and checking off your card for activities you have completed between January 25th to April 11, for a chance to win some exciting prizes donated by Overlander Sports and Canadian Tire!! 

Download your card here and the junior card here, then get outdoors and get skiing!! 1line = 1 entry, 2 lines = 2 entries, etc… blackout = 10 entries!!! Submit your card to skigoyellowknife@gmail.com by April 11. Share your fun on social media and use #skigo @ykskiclub.

Some more trailvia for you…

The Wolverine Trail has some sections with extra history. Take Elevator for example. Very few signed trails officially use that steep climb, although Wolverine does. But did you know that earlier on Elevator was a downhill section, not an uphill? Think  about it the next time you’re at Caribou Crossing looking down. And be thankful for that small mercy. In addition, the Wolverine section after Elevator down to Back Bay Ramp is only officially signed for that trail.  A unique experience, but you’re allowed to use it even if you’re not chasing the wolverine. Great views!

YKSC Welcomes Baby Annie

Handy Dates to keep in mind:

• Sunday, April 3, 2022 – Yellowknife Gold Loppet
• Saturday, April 9, 2022 – Nordic Cross
• Saturday & Sunday, April 9 & 10 – NWT Ski Races 
• January 11 to  April 11 – SKIGO BINGO #2

Frostbite 50 this Weekend!

Important Notice to Our Ski Community!

Please note and be careful on Saturday between 9AM-9:30AM as the Frostbite 50 participants will be rerouting through the ski club trails due to icy conditions on the regular route. This means they will be at times skiing in the opposite direction. Please see map for details. We appreciate your cooperation and patience. Happy Skiing!

Yellowknife Spring Break Ski Camp – Space Still Available! Sign-up today!!

Dates: March 21-25, 2022
Hours: 12:00 pm to 5 pm
Age range: 8-12 
Number of participants: 16
Cost: $250
Register on zone4
Check out an example of a day at ski camp here!

Come and join us March 21-25, 2022 from 12 to 5 pm at the Yellowknife ski club for a week of fun! We will be hosting a ski camp focusing on teaching the proper care of skis, technique and especially fun and games! The camp will be led by Nordiq Canada with coaching certified high-performance skiers. 

Food will not be provided, so we ask that your child eats lunch or has one packed before they arrive and bring a water bottle and snacks for the day, no nuts please! We will be doing a mix of classic and skate skiing, but it is fine if your child only has classic skis. Do not worry if your child only has one set of skis!

The program is open to all kids from any skill level between the ages 8 and 12. We ask that you please drop off and pick up your child within 15 minutes of the specified times, if this is not met, there will be an extra $10 charge for every extra 10 minutes. 

During the camp we ask that your child behaves in a respectful manner towards each other, the camp leaders and the club as well as its trails. We will be operating with a three strike policy, if necessary, we will call for a parent to come pick up their child. We ask that guardians drop off their children and remain outside the club.  We ask everyone to have a mask and fill out a few COVID-19 screening questions upon arrival. Additional information will be emailed the week before the start of the program.

Children attending the camp will require a Yellowknife ski club membership.

NWT Territorial Championships

The  NWT Territorial Championships are taking place Saturday & Sunday April 9 & 10. Racers from across the north will participate in this fun event.  Register by Wednesday, March 9th on zone4.ca. Read the race notice for full details here.

Volunteers are still needed, check out opportunities to lend a hand on our sign-up sheet here.

Yellowknife Gold Loppet April 3rd

Did you register for Yellowknife’s most popular ski event? Well you now can on zone4 as registration is open!! If you are not wanting to ski that Sunday, but still be involved there are lots of volunteering opportunities: just email ykskiclubvolunteerdirector@gmail.com (Alyssa Titus and Sarah Beattie, Loppet Co-Coordinators)

Trailvia time….

Have you been goosed? Answer yes if you’ve skied up Goose Neck Climb after doing Zoom, turned on Goose Beak and got down Goose Back Slide without hitting those birch trees.

But why a goose? Ya gotta look at the trail map. Yep, that sure looks like a goose. And there’s lots of water at the bottom too, for the goose to waddle or do whatever in.

(Base map from Windy.com.)

Just a suggestion…

We received a lot of messages from members about lost items. One suggestion you might want to consider is writing your name on your ski items in case during ski lessons and other events items get taken by accident.

That’s all for this week, ski you later!! 

• Saturday & Sunday March 12 & 13, 2022 – YK Ski Races
• Saturday, March 19th, 2022 – Frostbit 50
• Saturday & Sunday March 26 & 27, 2022 – PABs XC Ski Races
• Sunday, April 3, 2022 – Yellowknife Gold Loppet
• Saturday, April 9, 2022 – Nordic Cross
• Monday, April 11, 2022 – SKIGO BINGO

Volunteer positions needed:

1) Checkpoint volunteers at the Jackson Lake checkpoint Number needed: 3-4 volunteers Time commitment: Full-day on Loppet Day, April 3, approx 8-4 (could be split into half-day shifts; especially if you have your own snow machine transport) Description: Greet and help skiers at the checkpoint; track skiers’ bib numbers and relay to YARS radio service personnel standing by; organize refreshments (distribute the famous cookies!); chat and hear about how everyone’s ski is going! Facilities: Outdoors; tables with snacks and juice; small pop-up shelter. Bring: Warm clothes for being outside all day.

2) Checkpoint volunteers at the Banting Lake checkpoint Number needed: 3-4 volunteers Time commitment: Full-day on Loppet Day, April 3, approx 8-4 (could be split into half-day shifts; especially if you have your own snow machine transport) Description: Greet and help skiers at the checkpoint; track skiers’ bib numbers and relay to YARS radio service personnel standing by; heat and serve the soup, hot chocolate/juice/water and snacks; keep fires going in the tent and outdoors; chat and hear about how everyone’s ski is going. There is the added optional bonus of staying out at the Banting Lake wall-tent overnight for the weekend if you would like a mini-getaway! Ski (or drive partway) in to Banting at the start of the weekend, sleep overnight Saturday, then volunteer as Loppet skiers come through on Sunday. Facilities: Banting Lake wall tent (comes with full kitchen gear); firepit; outhouse. http://skiyellowknife.com/club-facilities/banting-lake-tent/ Bring: Warm clothes for being outside all day.

3) Snow machine Support Number needed: 1-2 volunteers Time commitment: Full-day on Loppet Day, April 3, approx 8-5 Description: Patrol the course with our seasoned Loppet Support Lead, Dave Taylor. Bring: Must bring your own snow machine; gas will be provided.

4) Start Line/Finish Line Volunteers Number needed: 8+ volunteers Time commitment: 2 hour shift on Loppet Day, April 3 (various times between 8:30-4:30) Description: Track skiers’ bib numbers and relay to YARS radio service personnel standing by. Give instructions/directions at the Start Line. Coordinate last minute event package pickup at the start line. Bring: Warm clothes for standing outside (on a potentially windy Vee Lake)!

5) Expediting: Gear Planner and Organizer People needed: 1-2 Time commitment: One or two half-days in March. Can also help on Loppet Day, but not necessary. (Go ski the Loppet!) Description: Organize and re-stock the gear boxes for each Loppet station/checkpoint. Does organizing gear and planning logistics appeal to you? Come learn from our past Expediters and carry the torch!

6) Expediting: Vehicle support – gear and personnel transport People needed: 2-3 Time commitment: Several hours April 3, either morning setup or afternoon cleanup (can ski the Loppet between!) Description: Transport gear to/from town to the Vee Lake site, and transport gear and volunteers to/from the various stations and checkpoints around the course. Bring: Your own truck or snowmachine; we will need at least one person with each.

7) Registration Package Pickup – Volunteer Shifts Number needed: 6-8 volunteers Time commitment: 2 hours, Saturday April 2 Description: Hand out registration packages; answer pre-event questions (resource available). Indoors at Overlander. More positions will likely come up over the next few weeks – stay tuned. Registration will open early March on www.zone4.ca – keep an eye out on the website/facebook/newsletter.

Thanks to our coaches!

The Beijing 2022 Olympics are happening this month.  We all get a front row seat to watch the best athletes in a multitude of winter sports. The Olympic Team for Cross Country Skiing includes athletes, coaches, managers and wax technicians. All of those incredible skiers started at their community ski club as youngsters. Dahria Beatty, from Whitehorse, started with Jackrabbits at age 3 shuffling around without poles just like all the kids at the Yellowknife Ski Club. Behind Dahria and all those kids are parents and sport volunteers especially coaches. 

CCNWT organized two National Coach Certification Program (NCCP) coaching courses at the end of January in Yellowknife. NCCP certifies progressive levels  of coaching from introductory Community Coaching to High Level Competitive Coaching.

The weeknight sessions of Community Coaching (CC) gave nine participants tools to use for their volunteer coaching at Jackrabbits and Ski-at-School. One learning facilitator was also trained so that we can offer the CC course with a local instructor in the future. Nine different coaches received training and certification on the weekend in the Learn to Train (L2T) Program with a focus on athletes in the ages of 8 – 12 participating in our Track Attack Program.

 A big thanks to the contributors to this training session. 

• Cross Country NWT (CCNWT) is the Territorial Sport Organization for cross and provided funding for this training along with funding for a myriad of events throughout the year.
• GNWT Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), Sport and Recreation provides the funding to CCNWT for these purposes.
• Cross Country NWT staff person, Sarah Pruys, provided support for logistics and registration.
• Allison McArdle was the capable instructor from Calgary, Alberta.
• YKSC volunteers helping to make it all happen were Kerry Wheler and Bernadette Knox.

Coaches not only teach fundamental ski skills. They also promote positive attitude, teach organization skills, build relationships and otherwise mentor the athletes in many ways. Mahsi cho to our coaches throughout the club programs. You make a difference in the lives of our children.

Community Coach participants
Christine Lewandowski:
Sophie Mahon
Kelly Slack
Paul Clyne
Jay Mauchan
Meghan Schnurr
Oyuka Bernabe
Karin Taylor
 
L2T participants:
Mike Palmer
Julie Ward
Julian Kanigan
Meghan Beveridge
Kerry Wheler
Brett Wheler
Julia Gyapay
Rosy Tutton
Rosie Benning

More info on Coaching – https://nordiqcanada.ca/coaches-and-wax-techs/coaches/coaching-development/#

Parking lot update!

With the increased number of skiers in the Jackrabbits and Bunnyrabbits programs, we would like to improve the safety of the parking lot by having designated areas for pedestrians. Below, you will find a traffic flow proposal that we will try out in the next couple of weeks.

There will be pylons to help identify where to walk. We ask that you park behind them so that there is room for pedestrians. Please use these designated walking lanes and educate your children to do so as well. Hopefully this will allow drop-off to be safer and make it easier for people to get in and out of the parking lot.

Please keep in mind that this traffic flow proposal is still in the trial stage. We will communicate the final changes once we have ironed out the details. We thank you for your cooperation! 

We would also like to take this time to acknowledge and thank the City of Yellowknife for providing snow clearing on our access road and parking lot!

Frostbite 50

Whether it’s your first or your fifteenth, the Frostbite 50 offers an exciting endurance challenge! A 50km ungroomed track that meanders through some of Yellowknife’s most scenic lakes. Support, checkstops, and safety is provided.

Sign up today as an individual or convince a group of friends to join your relay of pain! http://www.frostbite50.com/

Thebacha Loppet – March 5th

Registration for the 49th Annual Thebacha Loppet – scheduled for Saturday March 5, 2022 – is now open. Interested folks can register by following the links at https://fortsmithskiclub.ca/.

Your weekly dose of Trailvia…

Fact: in the 2002 Olympics at Salt Lake City, the ENTIRE Canadian biathlon team learned to ski at the Yellowknife Ski Club.  Yup, no lie. Of course only one person, Robin Clegg, qualified for the Sprint, Pursuit and Individual Biathlon events. The Cleggs were pioneers of skiing in YK and developed many of the trails we use today. So, their kids were some of the first to try them out!

Google “2002 Olympics Canada Biathlon”.  Also, try “Robin Clegg Olympics”. He made the team again in 2006 (same events) and 2010 (just the relay but with another NWTer, Brendan Green).  No medals, but we are so proud!

Here are some photos that capture the fun activities that took place last weekend at the Club:

There is still so much more happening this ski season, so don’t fret if you missed out last weekend! We have more coming up:

• Sunday, February 13, 2022 – NWT Ski Day – Free Ski
• Saturday & Sunday March 12 & 13, 2022 – YK Ski Races
• Sunday, April 3, 2022 – Yellowknife Gold Loppet
• Saturday, April 9, 2022 – Nordic Cross

Monday, April 11, 2022 – SKINGO BINGO Cards are Due

Are you ready for round 2 of SKIGO BINGO?

We are so excited to announce the second round of SKIGO BINGO!

Have fun setting new goals and checking off your card for activities you have completed between January 25th to April 11, for a chance to win some exciting prizes donated by Overlander Sports and Canadian Tire!! 

Download your card here and the junior card here, then get outdoors and get skiing!! 1line = 1 entry, 2 lines = 2 entries, etc… blackout = 10 entries!!! Submit your card to skigoyellowknife@gmail.com by April 11. Share your fun on social media and use #skigo @ykskiclub 

Intro to Cross Country Skiing Course added for February

One more course is added this month due to popular demand! This course is for adults who are relatively new to skiing. The course will cover fundamental techniques that will quickly improve your comfort on skis and your skiing ability. The course will take place from 1-3pm over four Sundays starting on Feb. 6, 2022. Sign-up today on zone4. 

NWT Ski Day February 13th

NWT Ski Day is coming up, Sunday February 13th! Bring a friend to the Club to enjoy free skiing for the whole day. Stay tuned for more!

Frostbite 50 March 19!

This year’s Frostbite 50 is scheduled for Saturday, March 19th, and they’re on the lookout for volunteers to make the day a huge success!

Many different roles are needed including lots of people throughout the day at check-stops, people willing to cheer their friends and family on to support their endurance efforts! For those early birds, there’s also support needed before the event!

Check out our volunteer website for more details http://www.frostbite50.com/p/volunteers.html or reach out directly by email to sign-up as a volunteer today ykfrostbite50@gmail.com.

That is all for this week! We hope to see you out on the trail!

Happy Skiing!!

Ashley Janes
Volunteer Communications Director

Upcoming events to mark in your calendars! 

• Sunday, January 30, 2022 – All Ages Costume Ski
• Sunday, February 13, 2022 – NWT Ski Day – Free Ski
• Saturday & Sunday March 12 & 13, 2022 – YK Ski Races
• Saturday, March 19, 2022 – Frostbite 50
• Sunday, April 3, 2022 – Yellowknife Gold Loppet
• Saturday, April 9, 2022 – Nordic Cross

Do your skies need waxing?

Are you finding you don’t quite have the glide you need? We have just the thing for you!
The HP ski team is offering a waxing service at the end of January as a fundraiser. 

When: Saturday, January 29 (from 1:30 – 4:00 pm) and Sunday, January 30 (from noon to 3 pm)
How: By appointment, wax while you wait or same day pick up
Cost: $20 or use your punch pass 
Who to contact: email roxanepoulin@gmail.com by Friday, January 28 at 4pm

Event Update: We wanted to let you know that we have changed this weekend’s event to be an all-ages costume ski, for everyone. The gender-specificity and binary naming of our historic group-skis and events “Chix on Stix” and “Boys on Boards” no longer reflect the inclusive environment we wish to create at the Yellowknife Ski Club. We thank those of you who reached out with your concerns; we agree and we apologize. We can, and hope to, do better. Don’t miss out on the All Ages Costume Ski event at the YK Ski Club this weekend!!

Virtual Canadian Birkie

Join people from around the world participating in the Canadian Birkie virtually from February 14 to 28, 2022. You can classic ski, skate ski, snowshoe, skate, or skijor. If the snow gods aren’t shining down on your part of the planet, you can roller-ski, cycle, run or walk. You choose your day and your Birkie distance: 2, 4, 8, 13, 31 or 55 kilometres. You also pick your pace and your place!!

For more information check out the Canadian Birkie Website

Frostbite 50 Training Group

The cold weather is not slowing down this dedicated group of skiers training for the Frostbite 50 taking place March 19th. This past week Program Director, Bernadette Knox showed some members of the group how to hot wax their skies.

Photo by Merilie Reynolds. Bernadette Knox teaching Ashley Janes (left) and Rebecca Canam (Right) how to hot wax their skies

With temperatures reaching -42 with wind chill the group geared up for their longest ski yet. Approximately 18km ski from Cassidy Point to the Government Dock. 

Photo by Steve Schwarz. Sara Wong leading the FB50 Training Group on a long ski

Well Jack Frost has been busy giving Yellowknife some frigid temperatures for the start of 2022, but luckily warmer weather is now in the forecast along with flurries. All in perfect timing to come out to the YK Ski Club this weekend for World Snow Day! 

Here are some handy dates to keep in mind….

• Sunday, January 16, 2022 – World Snow Day – Free Ski
• Sunday, January 30, 2022 – “Boys on Boards” all ages Costume Ski
• Sunday, February 13, 2022 – NWT Ski Day – Free Ski
• Saturday & Sunday March 12 & 13, 2022 – YK Ski Races
• Saturday, March 19, 2022 – Frostbite 50
• Sunday, April 3, 2022 – Yellowknife Gold Loppet
• Saturday, April 9, 2022 – Nordic Cross

Remembering Milo Martin….

The Yellowknife Ski Club would like to pass our most sincere condolences to Milo Martin’s family for their tragic loss of their very talented and outgoing son. Milo is remembered as being a fun and energetic member of the Yellowknife Ski Club, someone that had a way to make special connections with other skiers, even his coaches. 

Milo comes from a family of skiers and his Grandfather contributed a great deal to the club, served on the board. Milo participated in both the Jackrabbits and Track Attack programs when he was younger. 

His former coach, Stephen Dunbar shares a few words:
Milo was a special soul I had the privilege of coaching for many years. He had an eclectic range of interests, which allowed him to connect with all the other skiers. His innate ability to connect and intuit when another skier was having a bad day was phenomenal. So often he would be one of the last skiers to get back to the clubhouse, because he would be happily chatting with another kid about some game/movie/music – whatever they were interested in. On the coldest days of the year, he enthusiastically organized indoor fitness dodgeball workouts – I think it was his favourite part of skiing!

I took Milo to a couple big events in Alberta. He was never very fussed about how he did in the race, but he was very concerned if everyone wasn’t having a good time. On more than one occasion I found him consoling another skier who was upset over their race. He was such a sweet soul. My heart aches for his parents, sister and friends.

Rest, dear Milo. You will be so very missed.

Photo from Shawn McCann. Taken by coach Stephen Dunbar. Canmore race several years ago. Milo is #423

World Snow Day

Mark your calendars for next Sunday for World Snow Day at the Yellowknife Ski Club!

Trail fees are waived all day! A big thanks to Overlander Sports for offering half price rentals for the day. And don’t forget to grab a piece of handcrafted fudge from Sundog to give you that extra boost enroute. 

And please kindly note that all participants 12 years and older must be fully vaccinated. If you are in the chalet masks must be worn at all times. 

Updates due to COVID-19 situation

With the COVID-19 situation changing rapidly in the NWT, the Yellowknife the ski club is adapting again to get us through this time and continue to offer our outdoor programming.

As per the Office of the ​Chief Public Health Officer​, outdoor sports activities are not restricted by the temporary order. The gathering limits are also not removed. The only change that will affect YK Ski Club is that any indoor location that is part of the YK Ski Club operations (i.e. the chalet) cannot have any high-risk activities defined in the order. temporary_partial_suspension_of_gatherings_order_-_jan_4.pdf (gov.nt.ca)

At this time, general membership can continue to enjoy the ski club trails while limiting time spent within the chalet.  Please continue to wear masks inside the chalet and all ski club structures, avoid gatherings, and​stay home if you are experiencing symptoms and/or asked to isolate for any reason.

A big thanks to our groomers

Our groomers have been busy grooming and setting tracks at this ski club. A big thanks to our Thursday crew: Oliver Hodgins, John Buckland and Ed Hoeve who groomed the 10km loop and the stadium. And a big thanks to Sean Marshall, Rob Tumchewics, Shamus Gordon who went out Friday to groom and set the loop on Fault, and the Con Flats stadium. 

Frostbite 50 March 19th!

This year’s event directors, Jill Vaydik and Ben Linaker, and their team are busy getting this event off the ground. Registration is now open on zone4.ca. A discount of 25% for YK Club Ski Club members (a separate email with discount code will be sent to members soon). Or if you are interested in volunteering for this event, please reach out to ykfrostbite50@gmail.com. 

Meanwhile, the YK Ski Club FB50 training group are in their forth week of training and this cold weather has not slowdown this dedicated group of skiers! Last Sunday was the coldest day of the training program so far, yet it had the biggest turnout. The group took their training indoors last Monday night with a one hour fitness class taught by our YK Ski Club President, Heather Scott.  

Coaching

Coaches Needed for the Arctic Winter Games and Canada Winter Games
Cross Country NWT is seeking expressions of interest from coaches who would be interested in receiving support to coach NWT athletes at major games such as the Arctic Winter Games and Canada Winter Games.

We’re looking to increase our pool of coaches with the certification, experience, and interest to lead Team NT’s skiers at major events. Below, you’ll find details of the two events coming up in early 2023 – Arctic Winter Games and Canada Winter Games – but we’re also looking beyond that to the rest of this decade. If you’re just starting out in coaching or you’re an experienced coach, and you think you may be interested in coaching at major events either next year or in the future, let us know! 

We want to build a list of interested coaches and support them to achieve the experience and certification required. There is no commitment to sign up for any event now – we simply want to hear that you have an interest.

To express your interest in hearing more about the pathway to becoming a Team NT ski coach at future events, reply to this email. Thank you! — Ollie and Sarah, CCNWT – nwtski@gmail.com

— Forthcoming Major Events —

ARCTIC WINTER GAMES

Next edition: Wood Buffalo, Jan 29-Feb 4, 2023
Coaches: Total of four, must include male and female coaches

Athletes: Up to 24 athletes aged roughly 13-19
See draft technical package, attached, for more information

Ideal requirements:
Head coach – Train to Train certified, previous race experience as a ski coach
Assistant coaches – Learn to Train certified, strong skills as a wax technician, previous race experience as a ski coach or athlete

Commitments:
Arrange and oversee athlete selection process with CCNWT in fall of 2022
Arrange and oversee intensive coaching of athletes pre-AWG
Attend and coach at AWG Jan-Feb 2023
Must be available to attend all selection events and the competition itself

Available from CCNWT:
Support to achieve requirements listed above
Organizational and administrative support for athlete selection, training, and AWG attendance
Funding to assist with preparation of athletes for AWG

CANADA WINTER GAMES

Next edition: Prince Edward Island, Feb 18-Mar 5, 2023
Coaches: Total of four, including one manager and one wax technician, plus option to bring apprentice coach under certain programs (see attached technical package)
Athletes: Up to 12, aged 20 or under

Requirements:
Coaches – Competition Development (Learn to Compete) certified. See Canada Games coach certification policy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G3R4LPSxy5bc_IZALgwLYqQzOpxFSm4x/view

Commitments:
Arrange and oversee athlete selection process with CCNWT in fall of 2022, potentially to include at least one out-of-territory event e.g. Alberta Cup
Arrange and oversee intensive coaching of athletes pre-CWG
Attend and coach at CWG Feb-Mar 2023
Must be available to attend all selection events and the competition itself

Available from CCNWT:
Support to achieve requirements listed above
Organizational and administrative support for athlete selection, training, and CWG attendance
Funding to assist with preparation of athletes for CWG

Stay tuned for our next round of SKINGO BINGO cards that will hopefully encourage you to set some exciting and fun new year’s resolutions for 2022! Winners to be announced very soon!

Stay warm and stay safe! The YK Ski Club Board wishes everyone an exciting year ahead!!

Happy Trails!

Ashley Janes
Volunteer Communications Director