Welcome to the Yellowknife Ski Club!

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The Yellowknife Ski Club has been running on 100% volunteer power for over fifty years. We manage 14 kilometres of groomed trails, a biathlon range and our ski chalet near the intersection between Highway 3 and the Ingraham Trail.

Why become a member?

  • Enjoy access to our trails, including a lit loop for night skiing;
  • Take part in ski and biathlon programs, races and our annual loppet;
  • Make use of our newly renovated chalet with lounge, kitchen and waxing room, open to membership 24/7;
  • Visit our tent frame on Banting Lake – for a day or overnight;
  • Enjoy social events throughout the season including potluck dinners, our annual ski sale, pancake breakfasts and chats around the fire pit;
  • Get a 10% discount on ski equipment and related accessories at Overlander;
  • Access training and certification for coaches, Jackrabbit leaders, race officials and groomers;
  • And be part of our ski community in Yellowknife!

Registration

Sign up for the 2019/2020 ski season (including membership and programs) here on Zone4.ca.

Just Visiting? Not a Member?

Non-members are welcome to use our trails. The cost is $15 for one person or $40 for a family. Fees can be paid in the drop box by the trail entrance or by credit card here. Large trail maps are found on the display board at the club. Day users ski at their own risk.

We do not offer equipment rentals but Overlander Sports does. People who rent skis from Overlander are entitled to use our trails for free.

Need more information? Peruse this site or contact us.

CANSI Level 1 course March 13-15

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We’re organizing a Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors (CANSI) Level 1 training course March 13-15. 

The course is geared towards strong skiers that are able to demonstrate solid classic and skate technique. A classic skier who is not a strong skate skier can still be qualified as a Level 1 Classic instructor.

The course will run 20 hours, starting the evening of Friday March 13, with eight hours on instruction Saturday and Sunday, both indoors and outdoors.

CANSI courses can cost $350 to $500. We’re subsidizing this course at:

  • $50 for program coaches and members willing to teach adult classes for the club;
  • $100 for club members that just want the qualification;
  • and $150 for non-members.

The course is open to skiers as young as 16.

People who want to participate will also need to a purchase a $100 CANSI membership, which includes access to teaching aids and other goodies. 

If you are interested, please reach Rob Matthews at 765-8668 or rjmrobm@hotmail.com. We need to confirm participation by March 3 in order to go ahead and commit to flights for our instructors. 

Yellowknife Ski Races Feb. 29/March 1

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Cookie medals for everyone at the Yellowknife Ski Races next weekend! 

The Yellowknife Ski Races are a family friendly event with categories and distances for all ages. This year’s races will also serve as the NWT Territorial Ski Championships, featuring skiers from out of town. Classic races take place Saturday, starting with bib-pickup at 12:30; free races take place Sunday. Get all the details on the 2020 YK Ski Race Notice. 

Registration is now open and closes at midnight, Thursday Feb. 27. All participants must register (even the little kids). 

We’ll have complimentary hot chocolate and fruit inside the chalet on Saturday. On Sunday, One of a Thai will serve hot lunch for purchase upstairs. ($14-$16 a plate, starting at 11:30.)

The temperature cutoff is -20 C for Midget and older (born 2006/2007) and -15 C for Bantam and younger (born 2008/2009), as per Nordiq Canada rules. In case of cancellation, we’ll encourage everyone to enjoy a recreational ski.

We need volunteers! Contact events director Kerry Wheler: ykskiclubevents@gmail.com.

Sunday lunches!

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We’re holding Sunday lunches all through February, thanks to the NWT Literacy Council’s Community Connections program. Enjoy a ski then drop by the chalet between 12 and 2 for hot lunch served upstairs. 

This Sunday, Feb. 9, we’ll have Mexican Sunday lunch. On Feb. 16, we’ll have fare from Palestine and the Middle East. On Feb. 23, the Sudan. 

Plates are $20 for adults, $10 for kids. 

Natsnet, Karen and Munira served an Eritrean Sunday lunch in January. (Submitted by Karen Johnson)

February adult ski lessons!

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Great news: we’re offering two sets of weekend adult ski lessons through the month of February.

  • Beginner lessons run Saturdays from 11-1 on Feb. 8, 15, 22, and 29. Registration closes Feb. 7.
  • Intermediate lessons run Sundays from 1:30-3:30 on Feb. 2, 9, 16 and 23. Registration closes Feb. 1.

The cost is $80 per four lessons, plus $40 in trail fees for non-members. Please arrive early, with skis waxed (or ready to be waxed, beginners) so you can hit the snow right at 11 (or 1:30).

Register on Zone4.ca. 

You’ll need skis to participate! If you can’t beg or borrow some, you can rent from Overlander Sports (free trail fees if you do this). Conversely, if you become a member, you’ll get 10% off skis/boots/poles at Overlander.

For more details and/or to arrange private lessons, reach Steve Reitsma at ykskiclubprograms@gmail.com.

World Snow Day Jan. 19

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Join us for our premier open house of the season on Sunday, Jan. 19.

We’ll have:
– Free pancakes in the chalet from 10-2;
– Free ski and snowshoe rentals (for kids and adults, courtesy of Overlander Sports and YK1);
– Free trail use for non-members (courtesy of the NWT Recreation and Parks Get Active program).

Please invite your friends, co-workers, colleagues or anyone on the fence about skiing and we’ll show ’em how it’s done. Thanks to CCNWT for sponsoring this fun, family friendly event. 

AWG NWT Ski Team named

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Cross Country NWT has named 17 skiers selected to take part in the Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse in March. Cold weather forced the selection process indoors in Yellowknife Dec. 13-14. 

The skiers come  from Yellowknife, Fort Good Hope and Fort Smith. The roster now goes to Sport North for final confirmation. 

U18 Female

  • Linnea Azzolini
  • Kea Furniss
  • Ella Kokelj
  • Rae Panayi

U16 Female

  • Leah McShane

U16 Male

  • Makoa Kokelj
  • Marcus Proctor
  • Kiran Ray
  • Morgan Young

U14 Female

  • Anna Curran
  • Taylor Porter
  • Shelby Tobac
  • Kira Young

U14 Male

  • Joseph Curran
  • Malachi Morin
  • Aksel Reed
  • Isaac Zimmer

The team will be lead by head coach Mike Argue, assistant coach Stephen Dunbar and team manager Kerry Wheler. Good luck to all!

Trails update

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From our trails director Chris Hotson:

The 5 km loops were groomed Wednesday evening, fresh tracks are in. Fault Lake was also groomed with a wide skate lane and double tracks. The backside will be groomed this evening so conditions for the weekend will be great!

Free trail use this Sunday

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Trail use is FREE this Sunday, Dec. 8 thanks to the NWT Recreation and Parks Association’s Get Active program. Regular value for a day on our trails is $15 per person or $40 per family. 

Spread the word to any skiers you know and make sure you know where to find our trails map.

We’re also hosting $5 adult ski lessons on Sunday. Read more about that here. 

Yellowknife Ski Club uniforms now available for purchase online

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Our Zone4.ca site is now live for the YK Ski Club Ski Team Uniform Order!  

Please make your order by Friday, December 6, 2019. We are anticipating a four-week turn-around time for the order so the uniforms will likely arrive in January 2020. (Note: IOU notes for new ski gear are perfectly acceptable Christmas gifts.)

If you have any questions, please contact Diep Duong at ykskiclubfundraising@gmail.com.

You’ll find the following information in the Zone4 link, but I copy it below so you can browse the options before making an order. Prices range from $80 for a youth warm-up jacket to $95 for adults. Pants cost between $60 and $95.

A reminder of how great this stuff will look:

Size, product details

The club is happy to be offering updated Louis Garneau custom clothing in both Junior and Senior Sizing.

Find the catalogue here and the sizing chart here. 

There are two lines for the warm up suits:

Kick – offers a warm liner which is perfect for the younger TA kids. Coaches recommends this line for the Track Attack kids (unless they are too tall and no longer fit the junior sizing). Unfortunately, there is no side zipper on the pants. The Kick line has junior sizing (warm up jacket, warm up vest and warm up pants). Note that Garneau also carries warm up jackets and warm up vests in the Kick line for adults who may want to be a little warmer (i.e. coaches, parents, recreational skier, or older TA kids who just want a little warmer jacket/vest). There are no adult Kick warm up pants.

Lapps – there is no warm liner. The Lapps line has pants with a full side zipper. Coaches recommends this line for the HP kids.

There are two lines for the racing suits:

Sparke – has a warm liner which again is great for the younger Track Attack kids but Garneau actually has this line for both junior and adult sizing. 

Brisk – does not have the warmer liner and is better for the HP kids. Coaches recommends this line for the HP kids.

Note: Ski racing suits will be available for rental for Track Attack and a few will be available for High Performance, but feel free to order one for any skier who wishes to have their own!

Thanks again to Diep Duong, our volunteer grants and fundraising director, for organizing this!

First tracks!

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Report from our trails director, Chris Hotson, on Sunday, Nov. 24:

The first tracks of the season have been set on the 5 km loop and Fault Lake. Use caution as you transition onto Fault Lake, it is still rough at the bottom of the hills. There are still some rough sections but groomer Bruce Look reports that the tracks “came out pretty good for this time of year.” That translates to great skiing so get out and enjoy!

Groomers will continue to work on the trails and with another good snow like Friday we should be at 100%.