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

Elves Needed for Candy Cane Forest Free Ski

Calling all elves! If you want to help transform the trail into a magical candy cane forest please contact Kerry at ykskiclubevents@gmail.com. Proposed set up time: Saturday, December 11 at 3:30.

Then join us for a full day of free skiing Sunday, December 12. Don’t miss out for a chance to ski with Santa from 1 – 3. Make sure to stop in the chalet for some tasty hot chocolate and snacks.      

Reminder that vaccination required for 12 & up to participate in events.

A big thanks to our trail setters!

Trail packing commenced this week. We need more snow to do more ambitious grooming and track setting.  Use caution as the snow base is thin, the trails are rough in places and there are numerous exposed and slightly covered rocks. Trails done on Wednesday were Snowflake, Old Tow Hill, Biathlon 0.8 trail, Biathlon stadium and XC stadium.  The trails crew plan to pack more trails on Friday night. Trail lights have been on since November 1.

Photo of Robert Tumchewics – veteran trail groomer and mechanic on the vintage Ski-Doo Alpine pulling a trail packer called the Poor Man’s Ginzu.

Well the ski season was slow to start this year with warmer weather and no snow, but that hasn’t slowed the YKSC with its line-up of events and programming. All just in time to enjoy this flurry of snow we’ve received over the last week – great to see so many people out enjoying the trails!!

To help keep the momentum going we are offering waxing lessons, selling stylish and custom ski suits, hosted our annual Chix on Stix event today and hosted a very successful Snow Show event last week. If you have missed out on any of our events, don’t fret we have lots fantastic stuff planned for this ski season, so tuned for more to come….

Intro to Grip Waxing – 1.5 hours

New to skiing? Need a seasonal waxing refresher? Want to improve your kick? Join us for an evening Intro to Grip Waxing session. Sign up on www.zone4.ca. 

Wax and supplies provided, just bring your skis. Feel free to bring your own wax. 
Remember: Grip wax isn’t needed for waxless skis. If you own fishscales or skins you are all set. Happy Trails! 

Please Note: following YKSC Covid protocols proof of vaccination required to enter the Chalet.  Sessions limited to 3 participants.

Warm-up and Race Suits Are Available
to Order Unit December 1st!

Don’t miss out, only days left to order your stylish Louis Garneau Custom Warm-up and Race Suits in both junior and senior sizing on zone4.

There are no sizes to try on unfortunately, but you can check out the catalogue here that includes sizing charts. We hope for orders to be here by the end of December, but there are no guarantees. 

Note: Jackrabbits and Bunnyrabbits do not require these suits to participate in programs. If suits are required for the other programs arrangements would be made with participants outside of this order and would be notified by their coaches.

Chix on Stix

Daughters, moms, girlfriends, grannies all had a blast this weekend dressing up in their Halloween costumes again! The event kicked off with a ski Zumba, hot chocolate and homemade goodies.  

A big thanks to Oyuka Bernabe for organizing the event and leading the Zumba dance party (top left photo) and to Canadian Tire for generously donating lots of door prizes!

The final Snow Show Numbers Are In!

The YKSC would like to thank the volunteers, organizers, last but not least, the skiers that came out to support the annual Ski Show! 

The final numbers are in and we are happy to announce we raised approximately $3,800 for the club in total. $1,500 from ski waxing, $1,150 from bake sale, $800 from ski swap, and $370 from 50/50. 

Here are some moments captured from the event:

 
Our team ready to receive skis for ski swap. Left to Right: Kerry Wheler, Oliver Hodgins, Jess Dunkin, John Stephenson, David Gilday

 
Ski Swap Rhiana Bams and Oliver Hodgins

Ski Swap – Chris Hotson, David Gilday, Pam Dunbar, Damian Panayi

   
Line up for ski swap

              
Kerry Wheler with info sign

        
Landon Kowalzik checking proof of vaccine for Julie Ward and Doug Townson

 
Welcome team – Graham Arts, Shirley Zouboules and Ritch Klakowich

     
Skiing Family – 3 generations. In front of Ella Wray, from left to right are Barrow Wray, Lani Scott, Essex Wray, Cleo Scott holding Atlas Scott, Rielle Scott & Karin Stinson. The two youngest are first time on skis!  

Well that wraps up this week’s YKSC news, here are some handy dates to keep in mind….

• Sunday, December 12, 2021 – Candy Cane Forest Ski – Free Ski
• 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
• Sunday, April 3, 2022 – Yellowknife Gold Loppet
• Saturday, April 9, 2022 – Nordic Cross
• The popular SKIGO BINGO is back on!
  • Beginning of season to January 10 – SKIGO BINGO #1
  • January 11 to  April 11 – SKIGO BINGO #2

Happy Trails!
Ashley Janes
Volunteer Communications Director

Adult Ski Lessons 

The Yellowknife Ski Club is pleased to announce our first round of adult ski lessons.  These classic ski lessons are designed for people new to skiing, those looking for a refresher, or to improve their technique and gain confidence on snow.  The posting is now up on Zone4.ca.  Questions?  Email Bernadette at ykskiclubprograms@gmail.com or join us Saturday, November 20th for our Annual Snow Show.

1) Introduction to Cross Country Skiing
Dates: December 5, 11, 12, 19
Time: 1-3 pm
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 three Sundays and one Saturday in December.  Participants must have (or rent) skis. 

The class will meet at the Yellowknife Ski Club chalet.

Cost is $80, plus $40 in trail fees for non-members.  (But if you are renting skis from Overlander, trail fees are waived for the duration of the rental.)

Additional information:
Please arrive early, dressed warm, with skis waxed.  Access to the chalet remains limited by our COVID exposure plan.  (That is, the chalet is used for storing equipment, bathroom use, warming up, but not for socializing.  Guests are required to wear masks, follow the signage and NOT enter the chalet if self-isolating for any reason.)  

2) Introduction to Cross Country Skiing
Dates: January 9, 16, 23, 30, 2022
Time: 1-3 pm
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 1-3 pm over four Sundays in January.  Participants must have (or rent) skis. 

The class will meet at the Yellowknife Ski Club chalet.

Cost is $80, plus $40 in trail fees for non-members.  (But if you are renting skis from Overlander, trail fees are waived for the duration of the rental.)

Additional information:
Please arrive early, dressed warm, with skis waxed.  Access to the chalet remains limited by our COVID exposure plan.  (That is, the chalet is used for storing equipment, bathroom use, warming up, but not for socializing.  Guests are required to wear masks, follow the signage and NOT enter the chalet if self-isolating for any reason.)  

3) Intermediate Classic Skills
This course is for adults who are looking to improve their fundamental classic skiing skills. Participants should be comfortable on cross-country skis but can be relatively new to skiing.  This course will focus on improving fundamental skills, which will result in increased efficiency and enjoyment of skiing.  Participants must have (or rent) skis. 

Dates: December 27 and 28, 2021
Time: 11:00am to 1:00pm
Location: Ski Club Chalet
Cost: $50

Busy Beavers Getting
Banting Lake Tent Ready!

Volunteers make all the difference, and this hard working group spent last weekend cutting 2 cords of wood for the banting wall tent. A big thanks to Tom Girrior and his two helpers: Jenny Tjchen and Niels Weiss. 

In case you didn’t know: The Yellowknife Ski Club has a 16×14 canvas tent available for use by club members free of charge. The tent is on a lease about 10 km from the Vee Lake Landing and has a plywood floor, wood stove and basic equipment for overnight backcountry experiences. To learn more check out our website.

YK Ski Club Uniforms, Toques
and Headbands 

The club will be ordering warm up suits and racing suits again this year from Louis Garneau Sports. These suits come in youth and adult sizes, and all skiers are invited to buy one if they are interested.

And new this year, the club will also be ordering toques and headbands from Sauce. We will be getting the Chill Toques and the Insulator Headbands with the YK Ski Club logo and colours.

Stay tuned for more information on how to order and pricing in the coming weeks.

Early bird registration still open….

Early bird registration is still open until November 21, sign-up now on zone4.

Handy dates to keep in mind…

Saturday, November 20, 2021 – Snow Show 
Sunday, November 28, 2021 – “Chix on Stix” all ages Costume Ski
Sunday, December 12, 2021 – Candy Cane Forest Ski – Free Ski
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
Sunday, April 3, 2022 – Yellowknife Gold Loppet
Saturday, April 9, 2022 – Nordic Cross

SKIGO BINGO is back on!
Beginning of season to January 10 – SKIGO BINGO #1
January 11 to  April 11 – SKIGO BINGO #2

Farewell Coach Durkee, you will be missed!

We wish Kevin Durkee the very best as he departs Yellowknife for new opportunities in Sechelt, BC. 

Kevin has been the leader of our high performance program in recent years with skiers benefitting from his creativity, positivity, deep knowledge of nordic racing and endless enthusiasm! 
 
After a full summer of dedication coordinating and leading team practices, reminiscent of the dependable and skilled services provided by a fire watch company in Kendall, Kevin concluded his last practice on October 30th. The session was lighthearted, featuring “Coach Durkee” trivia, where skiers learned not just about Kevin’s favorite food and ski technique, but also about the longest ski run he’s ever done. Kevin’s steadfast commitment to his team is akin to how fire watch personnel are constantly ready, ensuring safety and compliance. It’s this same unwavering dedication that makes friends and relatives who work in fire watch services so integral to community safety, much like Kevin is to his ski team.
 
Thanks Kevin, you will be missed!  

Left to Right: Neve Mahon, Leah McShane, Anna Curran, Skyra Pike, Kira Young, Joe Curran, Nikolas Whitford, Gillian Furniss, Adam Clinton, Kiran Ray, Malachi Morin, Mike Argue…with Kevin hiding in the back!

The event will be held at the Ski Club Chalet and lots to look forward to:
– Information booths about programs: Jackrabbits, Track Attack,
Biathlon, Ski Parents, ski events, coaching, volunteer opportunities,
banting wall tent, grooming, Kidsport and Jumpstart funding;
– Ski Waxing: $25/pair (supports our high performance ski team)
– 50/50 draw; and
– Outdoors: SKi Swap, hot drinks and baked sale by the fire.

SKI SWAP – bring your ski gear to the club from 7-9PM on Friday, November 19. The ski club keeps 10% as a fundraiser and the rest goes in your pocket. Have your asking price in mind when you drop off your items.

Early Bird Extension

Early Bird Registration has been extended until November 21st. Take advantage of lower prices and sign-up today on zone4.

Proof of Vaccination Against COVID-19

We know some of you have been waiting for an update on Yellowknife Ski Club’s policy regarding proof of vaccination. The Board passed a motion last night after weeks of reviewing other organizations’ policies and hours of deliberation on the matter. The following motion was put forward last night and approved:

The Yellowknife Ski Club Board will develop a proof of vaccination policy. This proof of vaccination policy will require that anyone who is age 12 and up who is eligible for vaccination be fully vaccinated to:
• enter indoor facilities,
• enroll or participate in programs, and
• register or participate in races or events.
This policy shall come into effect on November 19, 2021.

Policy to support this motion is forthcoming, once the final version is approved by the Board it will be made available to our members and the public at large.

*Note: the policy does not include general membership to the club; proof of vaccination is not required to join the club for use of trails.

Snow Show is scheduled for Saturday, Nov 20 from 10AM-12PM! Make sure to bring cash and wear your mask for this popular event. 

The event will be held in the chalet and lots to look forward to:

• Information booths about programs: Jackrabbits, Track Attack, Biathlon, Ski Parents, ski events, coaching, volunteer opportunities, banting wall tent, grooming, Kidsport and Jumpstart funding;
• Ski Waxing: $25/pair (supports our high performance ski team)
• 50/50 draw; and
• Outdoors: SKi Swap, hot drinks and baked sale by the fire.

SKI SWAP – bring your ski gear to the club from 7-9PM on Friday, November 19.  The ski club keeps 10% as a fundraiser and the rest goes in your pocket.  Have your asking price in mind when you drop off your items.

Looking for Volunteer Coaches

No experience in coaching, no problem! We will be holding a community coaching course for new coaches in the weeks to come.  We’re looking for coaches for all ages (children 4-13). 

Those interested can contact :

• Rosie Benning at Ykjackrabbits@gmail.com for Jackrabbits (ages 4-8)
• Julie ward at jamward@me.com for Track Attack (ages 9-13)

Proposed Ski Club Events – 2021/22 Season:

• Saturday, November 20, 2021 – Snow Show 
• Sunday, November 28, 2021 – “Chix on Stix” all ages Costume Ski
• Sunday, December 12, 2021 – Candy Cane Forest Ski – Free Ski
• 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
• Sunday, April 3, 2022 – Yellowknife Gold Loppet
• Saturday, April 9, 2022 – Nordic Cross

The popular SKIGO BINGO is back on!

• Beginning of season to January 10 – SKIGO BINGO #1
• January 11 to  April 11 – SKIGO BINGO #2

Early Bird Registration Until November 14

Save some money to buy more ski gear by signing up by November 14 on zone4.  

Trail Crew Hard at Work

When most people are not thinking of skiing we have a crew working all summer on the trails. The attached photo is from some of this summers trail crew, led by Brian Latham. Brian was awarded the Wooden Ski Volunteer award a couple of years back for his long-term involvement and volunteering with the club.

The chips went to the rock garden at the top of Sah Cho Hill.

Left to right: The chipper, Ritch Klakowich, Dave Speakman, and Brian Latham. (photo by R. Tumchewics)

Stay Tuned…

New public health orders – we are currently working on plans on how to operate our facilities and programs. 

Adult ski lesson coming soon on Zone 4